He drew a Chinese house，with bells hanging from every one of sixteen stories. He drew two Grecian temples with slender marble pillars，and with steps all round them. He drew a Norwegian church. It was easy to see that this church had been built entirely of wood，hewn out and wonderfully put together； every story looked as if it had rockers，like a cradle. But the most beautiful of all was the castle，drawn on one of the leaves，and which he called “Emilys Castle”。 This was the kind of place in which she must live. That is what George had thought，and consequently he had put into this building whatever he thought most beautiful in all the others. It had carved woodwork，like the Norwegian church； marblemarble adj.大理石的，冷酷无情的，坚硬的n.大理石，（玩具）弹球。石弹子，雕刻品 pillars，like the Grecian temple； bells in every story； and was crowned with cupolas，green and gilded，like those of the Kremlin of the Czar. It was a real childs castle，and under every window was written what the hall or the room inside was intended to be； for instance： “Here Emily sleeps”； “Here Emily dances”； “Here Emily plays at receiving visitors”。 It was a real pleasure to look at the castle，and right well was the castle looked at accordingly.
他画了一幢中国房子，十六层里每层都有钟琴。他画了两张希腊的庙宇，四周有细长的大理石柱子和台阶。他画了一幅挪威教堂，可以看出全是木质结构的，有雕刻出的花饰，搭配得很别致，每一层好像都有摇杆。但是最美丽的一幅却是一座他把它叫做“小爱米莉的宫”的宫殿。她就应该如此居住生活。乔治作了精心的构思，他把其他建筑物中最美好的东西都搬到这座宫殿里来了。它像那个挪威教堂，有雕梁画栋；像希腊庙宇，有大理石柱子；每一层楼都有钟琴，最上面是绿色镀金的圆顶；像沙皇的克里姆林宫顶。这是地地道道的孩子宫！在每个窗户下面都写着里面厅、室的用处：“爱米莉睡在这里，爱米莉在这里跳舞”，或者“在这里玩‘客来到’的游戏。”看起来很逗人喜爱，也真有人来看它。
“Charming！” said the General.
“好极了！”将军说道。
But the old Countfor there was an old Count there，who was still grander than the General，and had a castle of his own—said nothing at all； he heard that it had been designed and drawn by the porters little son. Not that he was so very little，either，for he had already been confirmed. The old Count looked at the pictures，and had his own thoughts as he did so.
可是那位老伯爵，就是那位比将军还要尊贵，拥有爵府和大庄园的老伯爵，却什么话也没有说。他听说这是看门人的儿子构思出来的。不过他现在已经不小了，已经参加过坚信礼了。老伯爵看着画，他暗自对画有些想法。
One day，when it was very gloomy，gray，wet weather，the brightest of days dawned for George； for the Professor at the Academy called him into his room.
一天，天气非常阴晦、潮湿、可怕，可是对小乔治来说却是最光明、最好的一天。艺术学院的教授把乔治叫到他那里去了。
“Listen to me，my friend，” said the Professor； “I want to speak to you. The Lord has been good to you in giving you abilities，and He has also been good in placing you among kind people. The old Count at the corner yonder has been speaking to me about you. I have also seen your sketches； but we will not say any more about those，for there is a good deal to correct in them. But from this time forward you may come twice aweek to my drawingclass，and then you will soon learn how to do them better. I think theres more of the architectarchitect n.建筑师 than of the painter in you. You will have time to think that over； but go across to the old Count this very day，and thank God for having sent you such a friend.”
“听着，我的朋友，”他说道，“让我们一起谈一谈！上帝仁慈地赐给你天赋，他也让你仁慈地结交了好人。街角的那位老伯爵跟我谈到你。我也看过了你的画，那些画我们就不提了，画有许多要改正的地方。现在你一个星期可以到我的绘画学校来两次，这样你以后便会画得更好一些。我觉得比起做画家来，你更有做建筑师的才华。你还有时间自己好好地考虑！不过今天你去街角的老伯爵那里，为那个人向上帝致谢！”
It was a great house—the house of the old Count at the corner. Round the windows elephants and dromedariesdromedary n.单峰骆驼 were carved，all from the old times； but the old Count loved the new time best，and what it brought，whether it came from the first floor，or from the cellar，or from the attic.
街角上有一座巨大的庄院，窗户上雕刻着大象和单峰骆驼，都很古老。但老伯爵最喜欢的是新时代以及新时代带来的好事物，不论它们是来自一层楼，来自地下室还是阁楼。
“I think，” said，the porters wife，“the grander people are，the fewer airs do they give themselves. How kind and straightforwardstraightforward adj.正直的，坦率的，简单的，直接了当的adv.坦率地 the old count is！ and he talks exactly like you and me. Now，the General and his lady cant do that. And George was fairly wild with delight yesterday at the good reception he met with at the Counts，and so am I today，after speaking to the great man. Wasnt it a good thing that we didnt bind George apprentice to a handicraftsmanhandicraftsman n.手艺人，巧手，工匠？ for he has abilities of his own.”
“我觉得，”看门人的妻子说道，”越是真正高贵的人越是平易近人。那老伯爵多可爱多直率！他说话就像你和我一样。将军一家就做不到这一点！昨天乔治受到伯爵美好的接待，高兴得不知所措。今天我和这位伟大的人物谈过话后也是这种感觉。我们不用让乔治去当学徒学手艺，真好！他有能力！”
“But they must be helped on by others！” said the father.
“不过还得靠外来的帮助！”父亲说道。
“That help he has got now，” rejoined the mother； “for the Count spoke out quite clearly and distinctly.”
“现在他得到了，”母亲说道，“伯爵已经讲得很明确很清楚了！”
“But I fancy it began with the General，” said the father，“and we must thank them too.”
“然而这件事首先是从将军家传出去的！”父亲说道。“我们也应该感谢他！”
“Let us do so with all my heart，” cried the mother，“though I fancy we have not much to thank them for. I will thank the good God； and I will thank Him，too，for letting little Emily get well.”
“那当然！”母亲说道。“不过我觉得没有多少好谢的。我要感谢上帝，我还要感谢他，因为小爱米莉活下来了！”
Emily was getting on bravely，and George got on bravely too. In the course of the year he won the little silver prize medal of the Academy，and afterwards he gained the great one too.
她在进步，乔治在进步。这一年里他获得了那枚小银质奖章，后来又得了那枚大的。
“It would have been better，after all，if he had been apprenticed to a handicraftsman，” said the porters wife，weeping； “for then we could have kept him with us. What is he to do in Rome？ I shall never get a sight of him again，not even if he comes back； but that he wont do，the dear boy.”
“还不如他去当学徒学门手艺呢！”看门人的妻子说道，她哭了。“那样我们还能把他留在身边。他跑到罗马去干什么？就算他还会回家来，我再也见不到他了。可是他不会回来了，可爱的孩子！”
“It is fortune and fame for him！” said the father.
“但这是他的幸运和荣誉啊！”父亲说道。
“Yes，thank you，my friend，” said the mother； “you are saying what you do not mean. You are just as sorrowful as I am.”
“是啊，多谢你了，我的朋友！”母亲说道。“你言不由衷！你和我一样难过。”