书城教材教辅新课标英语学习资源库-牧羊女和扫烟囱的人
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第17章 老房子(2)

Then the door opened. All round the hall hung old portraits of knights in armor armor n.装甲,and ladies in silk gowns,and the armor rattled,and the silk dresses rustled. Then came a staircase which went up a long way,and then came down a little way and led to a balcony,which was in a very ruinous ruinous adj.破坏性的,招致毁灭的 state. There were large holes and long cracks,out of which grew grass and leaves,indeed the whole balcony,the courtyard,and the walls were so overgrown with green that they looked like a garden. In the balcony stood flowerpots,on which were heads having asses ears,but the flowers in them grew just as they pleased. In one pot pinks were growing all over the sides,at least the green leaves were shooting forth stalk stalk n.茎,柄,梗,秆 and stem,and saying as plainly as they could speak,“The air has fanned me,the sun has kissed me,and I am promised a little flower for next Sunday—really for next Sunday.”

门开了。整个走廊里挂满了古旧的画像:穿着铠甲的骑士与穿着丝绸的女子。铠甲发出响声,绸衣在颤动。接着到了一个楼梯,它高高地伸向上面去,然后就略微弯下一点。他下了楼梯来到一个阳台上。它真是快要坍塌了。处处是长长的裂痕和大洞,但它们里面却长出了许多草和叶子。因为阳台、院子和墙都长满了那么多的绿色植物,因而整个看起来它们像一个花园。但这还不过是一个阳台。这儿有些古旧的花盆,它们都有一个面孔和驴耳朵。花儿自由地随处乱长。有一个花盆全被石竹花铺满了,这也就是说:长满了绿叶子,许多嫩芽发出来——它们在很清晰地说:“空气抚爱着我,太阳吻着我,同时答应让我在下星期日开出一朵小花——下礼拜天就要开出一朵小小花啦!”

Then they entered a room in which the walls were covered with leather,and the leather had golden flowers stamped upon it.

于是他就走进一个房间。这儿的墙上全都糊满了毛皮,毛皮上印着金花。

“Gilding will fade in damp weather,To endure,there is nothing like leather,”

said the walls. Chairs handsomely carved,with elbows on each side,and with very high backs,stood in the room,and as they creaked they seemed to say,“Sit down. Oh dear,how I am creaking. I shall certainly have the gout like the old cupboard. Gout in my back,ugh.”

“镀金可消退在潮气里,

但毛皮的寿命无与伦比!”

墙儿这样说。沿墙放着许多高背靠椅,每张椅子都雕刻着花。“请坐吧!请坐吧!”它吱吱作响好像在说。“啊,我的身体真要裂开了!像那个老碗柜一样,我想我肯定得了痛风病!我背上生痛风病了,噢!”

And then the little boy entered the room where the old man sat.

不久孩子走进一个客厅,那个吊窗就在这儿,那个老人也在这儿。

“Thank you for the tin soldier my little friend,” said the old man,“and thank you also for coming to see me.”

“亲爱的小朋友,多谢你送给我的锡兵!”老人说,“谢谢你来看望我!”

“Thanks,thanks!” or “Creak,creak!” said all the furniture furniture n.家具,设备,储藏物。

“谢谢!谢谢!”——也可以说是“吱!吱!”这是所有的家具讲的话。

There was so much that the pieces of furniture stood in each others way to get a sight of the little boy.

它们的数目非常多,当它们都来看这孩子的时候,它们差不多挤成一团。

On the wall near the centre of the room hung the picture of a beautiful lady,young and gay,dressed in the fashion of the olden times,with powdered hair,and a full,stiff skirt. She said neither “thanks” nor “creak”,but she looked down upon the little boy with her mild eyes,and then he said to the old man,墙中央挂着一个美丽女子的画像。她的样子很年轻也很快乐,却穿着古时的衣服;她的头发和挺直的衣服都扑满了粉。她既不说“谢谢”,也不说“啪”;她只是用柔和的眼睛看着这个小孩子。他当时就请教这老人:“Where did you get that picture?”

“您从哪儿搞到这张像的?”

“From the shop opposite.” he replied. “Many portraits hang there that none seem to trouble themselves about. The persons they represent have been dead and buried long since. But I knew this lady many years ago,and she has been dead nearly half a century.”

“从对面的那个旧货商人那里!”老人说。“那里挂着许多画像。谁也不认识他们,也不愿意去管他们,因为早就埋葬掉他们了。不过以前我认识这个女子,现在她已经死了,而且死了半个世纪了。”

Under a glass beneath the picture hung a nosegay of withered flowers,which were no doubt half a century old too,at least they appeared so.

在这幅画下边,在玻璃的后面,挂着一个干枯了的花束。无疑它们也有半个世纪的历史,至少给人们的感觉是。

And the pendulum pendulum n.钟摆,摇锤 of the old clock went to and fro,and the hands turned round; and as time passed on,everything in the room grew older,but no one seemed to notice it.

那个大钟的摆摇来摇去,钟上的针在转动。这房间里每样东西在时时刻刻地变老,可是人们却不曾感到。 “They say at home,” said the little boy,“that you are very lonely.”

小孩子说:“家里的人说,你很孤独!”

“Oh,” replied the old man,“I have pleasant thoughts of all that has passed,recalled by memory,and now you are come to visit me,and that is very pleasant.”

“哎,”老人说,“过去的回忆以及与回忆相连的事情,都来拜访,如今你也来拜访了!我感到很快乐!”

Then he took from the bookcase,a book full of pictures representing long processions procession n.行列,队伍 of wonderful coaches coach n.四轮大马车,长途汽车,教练v.训练,指导,such as are never seen at the present time. Soldiers like the knave of clubs,and citizens with waving banners. The tailors had a flag with a pair of scissors supported by two lions,and on the shoemakers flag there were not boots,but an eagle with two heads,for the shoemakers must have everything arranged so that they can say,“This is a pair.” What a picturebook it was; and then the old man went into another room to fetch apples and nuts. It was very pleasant,certainly,to be in that old house.

于是他从书架上拿出一本画册:那里有许多我们现在见不到的华丽的马车行列,许多打扮得像纸牌上的“贾克”的兵士和挥着旗子的市民。裁缝舞着的旗帜上绘着一把由两只狮子抬着的大剪刀;鞋匠挥着的旗子上画有一只双头鹰——不是靴子,因为鞋匠必须把所有东西安排得使人一看就说:“那是一双。”的确,就是这样的一本画册!老人走到另外一个房间里去取出一些蜜饯、苹果和硬壳果来——这个老房子里的所有东西真是可爱啊。

“I cannot endure it,” said the tin soldier,who stood on a shelf,“it is so lonely and dull here. I have been accustomed to live in a family,and I cannot get used to this life. I cannot bear it. The whole day is long enough,but the evening is longer. It is not here like it was in your house opposite,when your father and mother talked so cheerfully together,while you and all the dear children made such a delightful noise. No,it is all lonely in the old mans house. Do you think he gets any kisses? Do you think he ever has friendly looks,or a Christmas tree? He will have nothing now but the grave. Oh,I cannot bear it.”

“我再也无法忍受了!”立在五斗柜上的那个锡兵说。“这儿是那么寂寞,那么枯燥乏味。一个惯于过家庭生活的人,我在这儿实在住不下去!我再也受不了!日子已经够长了,而晚间却是更长!这儿的情况跟他们那儿的情况完全不一样。你的爸爸和妈妈总是愉悦地在一起聊天,你和别的一些可爱的孩子也发出高兴的闹声。嗨!这个老人,他是多么寂寞啊!你认为他会得到什么吻么?你认为会有人温和地看他一眼么?也许他会有一棵圣诞树么?他什么也没有,只有等死!我再也忍受不了了!”

“You must not look only on the sorrowful side.” said the little boy,“I think everything in this house is beautiful,and all the old pleasant thoughts come back here to pay visits.”