忠诚的约翰
There was once upon a time an old king who was ill and thought to himself，“I am lying on what must be my deathbeddeathbed n.临死所卧之床，临终之时。” Then said he，“Tell faithful John to come to me.” Faithful John was his favorite servant，and was so called，because he had for his whole life long been so true to him. When therefore he came beside the bed，the king said to him，“Most faithful John，I feel my end approaching，and have no anxiety except about my son. He is still of tender age，and cannot always know how to guide himself. If you do not promise me to teach him everything that he ought to know，and to be his fosterfather，I cannot close my eyes in peace.” Then answered faithful John，“I will not forsakeforsake vt.放弃，抛弃 him，and will serve him with fidelityfidelity n.忠实，诚实，忠诚，保真度，（收音机，录音设备等的）逼真度，保真度，重现精度，even if it should cost me my life.” At this，the old king said，“Now I die in comfort and peace.” Then he added，“After my death，you shall show him the whole castle—all the chambers，halls，and vaultsvault n地下的灵堂；停放尸体的地窖，and all the treasures which lie therein，but the last chamber in the long gallerygallery n.走廊、戏院、教堂等中最高的楼座，美术陈列室，画廊，图库，in which is the picture of the princess of the golden dwelling，shall you not show. If he sees that picture，he will fall violently in love with her，and will drop down in a swoonswoon n.狂喜，陶醉，and go through great danger for her sake，therefore you must protect him from that.” And when faithful John had once more given his promise to the old king about this，the king said no more，but laid his head on his pillow，and died.
从前，有个老国王病倒了。他心里想：我现在大概已经躺在灵床上了吧。于是他吩咐：“给我把忠诚的约翰叫来。” 忠诚的约翰是他最心爱的侍从，因为一生对国王忠心耿耿，所以就叫这个名字。约翰来到床前，国王便对他说：“最忠诚的约翰啊，我感到我快死了。现在我惟一担心的是我那儿子：他年纪还轻，遇事常常不知道怎么办。要是你不答应我教会他必须知道的一切，做他的养父，我死不瞑目呵。” 忠诚的约翰立刻回答：“我绝不离开他，愿意忠诚地为他服务，哪怕为此牺牲我的生命。” 老国王听了说：“那我就可以心平气和地死去啦。” 过了一会儿又继续说：“我死以后，你要带他去看整个宫殿。看宫中所有的房间、厅堂、仓库以及存放在里边的全部宝藏，但是长廊尽头那最后一间屋子不能让他看，因为里边立着金屋公主的塑像。他一瞧见这像就会对她产生热烈的爱情，就会晕倒在地，就会为了她而冒巨大的危险。你要提防他出现这样的情况呵！” 忠诚的约翰再次向老国王做了保证，他便不再作声，头往枕头上一沉，死了。
When the old king had been carried to his grave，faithful John told the young king all that he had promised his father on his deathbed，and said，“This will I assuredlyassuredly adv.确实地，确信地 keep，and will be faithful to you as I have been faithful to him，even if it should cost me my life.” When the mourning was over，faithful John said to him，“It is now time that you should see your inheritanceinheritance n.遗传，遗产。 I will show you your fathers palace.” Then he took him about everywhere，up and down，and let him see all the riches，and the magnificent apartments，only there was one room which he did not open，that in which hung the dangerous picture. The picture，however，was so placed that when the door was opened you looked straight on it，and it was so admirablyinheritance n.遗传，遗产 painted that it seemed to breathe and live，and there was nothing more charming or more beautiful in the whole world. The young king noticed，however，that faithful John always walked past this one door，and said，“Why do you never open this one for me？” “There is something within it，” he replied，“which would terrify you.” But the king answered，“I have seen all the palace，and I want to know what is in this room also.” And he went and tried to break open the door by force. Then faithful John held him back and said，“I promised your father before his death that you should not see that which is in this chamber，it might bring the greatest misfortune on you and on me.” “Ah，no，” replied the young king，“if I do not go in，it will be my certain destruction. I should have no rest day or night until I had seen it with my own eyes. I shall not leave the place now until you have unlocked the door.”
老国王下葬以后，忠诚的约翰便告诉年轻的国王，他曾经对他的父王下过怎样的保证，他说：“我一定信守诺言，对你也像对他一样忠诚，即使为此牺牲自己的生命。” 悲哀的日子过去了，忠诚的约翰于是对年轻国王讲：“是时候了，你该去看看你继承的遗产，我领你去见识见识你父亲的王宫。” 说罢，就带着他四处走，四处转，让他看了所有的金银珠宝和全部华丽的房间，只有那间立着危险的塑像的屋子约翰没有开。要知道，那像立的位置正好是一开门就看得见，而且它是塑得那样成功，叫人一见真以为它是活生生的，整个世界似乎没有什么东西更美丽、更可爱。年轻国王自然发现了，忠诚的约翰总是从一道门边擦身而过，便问：“为什么你从来不给我开这扇门？” “因为里边有点叫你害怕的东西。” 约翰回答。可是国王道：“整座宫殿我都看完了，也希望知道这里边是什么。” 说着走过去便用力推门。忠诚的约翰赶紧拉住他，说：“你父王临终前，我答应过他不让你看这屋子里的东西，不然你和我都会遭到巨大的危险。” “才不哩，” 年轻国王回答，“我要进去不了，才一定会遭毁灭：在没有亲眼目睹它之前，我将日夜不得安宁。现在你不打开门，我绝不离开！”
Then faithful John saw that there was no help for it now，and with a heavy heart and many sighs，sought out the key from the great bunchbunch n.串，束。 When he opened the door，he went in first，and thought by standing before him he could hide the portraitportrait n.肖像，人像 so that the king should not see it in front of him. But what good was this. The king stood on tiptoe and saw it over his shoulder. And when he saw the portrait of the maiden，which was so magnificent and shone with gold and precious stones，he fell fainting to the ground. Faithful John took him up，carried him to his bed，and sorrowfully thought，“The misfortune has befallen us，Lord God，what will be the end of it.” Then he strengthened him with wine，until he came to himself again. The first words the king said were，“Ah，the beautiful portrait. Whose it it？” “That is the princess of the golden dwelling.” answered faithful John. Then the king continued，“My love for her is so great，that if all the leaves on all the trees were tongues，they could not declare it. I will give my life to win her. You are my most faithful John，you must help me.”
忠诚的约翰眼看事已至此，没有别的办法，只得怀着沉重的心情，唉声叹气地从一大串钥匙中找出那把钥匙。他一打开门，立刻抢先进屋，想用身体挡住塑像，不让国王看见。可有什么用呢？国王踮起脚尖，视线越过他的肩膀，一下子便瞅着了那少女塑像。只见她是那么美丽动人，浑身闪烁着黄金和宝石的光彩，年轻的国王立刻晕倒在了地上。忠诚的约翰抱起他来，放到他的床上，忧心忡忡地想：大祸临头了，上帝啊，怎么办喽！后来，他用酒喷国王，使他苏醒了。醒来后，他说的第一句话是：“啊！那美丽的塑像是谁哟？” “是金屋公主。” 忠诚的约翰回答。国王接着说：“我对她的爱情太深厚啦，就算所有的树叶儿全变成舌头，也诉说不尽呵，为了得到她，我愿付出性命！你是我最忠诚的约翰，你必须帮助我。”