浮世文心
語言、文化、思想、藝術
The Devoted Friend by Oscar Wilde (浮世文心譯)
One morning the old Water-rat put his head out of his hole. He had bright beady eyes and stiff grey whiskers and his tail was like a long bit of black india-rubber. The little ducks were swimming about in the pond, looking just like a lot of yellow canaries, and their mother, who was pure white with real red legs, was trying to teach them how to stand on their heads in the water.
一天清早，水老鼠把頭探出洞口。他的眼睛亮晶晶的像兩顆黑珠子，灰色的胡須硬邦邦的，細長的尾巴活像一截黑色的橡皮筋。池塘裏，小鴨子們正四處遊來遊去，看上去就像一群黃絲雀。它們的媽媽則一身潔白，長著一雙紅彤彤的腿腳，正試著教它們怎麽在水裏作倒立。
“You will never be in the best society unless you can stand on your heads,” she kept saying to them; and every now and then she showed them how it was done. But the little ducks paid no attention to her. They were so young that they did not know what an advantage it is to be in society at all.
“要是不會倒立，你們永遠也進不了上流社會。”她一遍又一遍地對小鴨子們說。說著說著，她還不時親自做個示範給它們看。可小鴨子們壓根兒沒把她的話放在心上。它們還太小，根本不知道能進入上流社會有什麽好處。
“What disobedient children!” cried the old Water-rat; “they really deserve to be drowned.”
“多麽不聽話的孩子！”水老鼠叫道，“他們真該淹死才對。”
“Nothing of the kind,” answered the Duck, “every one must make a beginning, and parents cannot be too patient.”
“哪有這種話，”鴨子回答道，“凡事總得有個開始，當父母的可不能不耐心。”
“Ah! I know nothing about the feelings of parents,” said the Water-rat; “I am not a family man. In fact, I have never been married, and I never intend to be. Love is all very well in its way, but friendship is much higher. Indeed, I know of nothing in the world that is either nobler or rarer than a devoted friendship.”
“啊，我對做父母的心情可是一無所知，”水老鼠說道，“我不是個顧家的家夥。說實話，我從來沒結過婚，也壓根沒打算結婚。愛情嘛，有它自己的用途，可友誼才更高尚。說真的，我覺得這世上沒有什麽東西比忠誠的友誼更高貴、更稀有了。”
“And what, pray, is your idea of the duties of a devoted friend?” asked a Green Linnet, who was sitting in a willow-tree hard by, and had overheard the conversation.
“請問，那你覺得，一個忠誠的朋友該盡哪些義務呢？”一隻綠林鶯開口問道。它正棲在附近一棵柳樹上，剛巧把這番對話聽了個一清二楚。
“Yes, that is just what I want to know,” said the Duck; and she swam away to the end of the pond, and stood upon her head, in order to give her children a good example.
“對啊，我也正想知道呢。”鴨子說道。說完，她遊到池塘的另一頭，在水中倒立起來，好給小鴨子們做個好榜樣。
“What a silly question!” cried the Water-rat. “I should expect my devoted friend to be devoted to me, of course.”
“多傻的問題啊！”水老鼠叫道，“所謂忠誠的朋友，當然就是要對我忠誠啦！”
“And what would you do in return?” said the little bird, swinging upon a silver spray, and flapping his tiny wings.
“那你會做些什麽來回報呢？”小鳥問道，一邊在一枝銀白色的柳枝上輕輕蕩著身子，一邊拍動著他那對小小的翅膀。
“I don’t understand you,” answered the Water-rat.
“我不明白你在說什麽。”水老鼠回答道。
“Let me tell you a story on the subject,” said the Linnet.
“那我就給你講個相關的故事吧。”綠林鶯說道。
“Is the story about me?” asked the Water-rat. “If so, I will listen to it, for I am extremely fond of fiction.”
“是個關於我的故事嗎？”水老鼠問道，“如果是的話，我就聽聽。我特別喜歡聽故事。”
“It is applicable to you,” answered the Linnet; and he flew down, and alighting upon the bank, he told the story of The Devoted Friend.
“挺適合你的。”綠林鶯回答道。說完，他飛落到河岸上，開始講起了《忠誠的朋友》的故事。
“Once upon a time,” said the Linnet, “there was an honest little fellow named Hans.”
“從前，”綠林鶯說道，“有個誠實的小夥子，名叫漢斯。”
“Was he very distinguished?” asked the Water-rat.
“他很有身份嗎？”水老鼠問道。
“No,” answered the Linnet, “I don’t think he was distinguished at all, except for his kind heart, and his funny round good-humoured face. He lived in a tiny cottage all by himself, and every day he worked in his garden. In all the country-side there was no garden so lovely as his. Sweet-william grew there, and Gilly-flowers, and Shepherds’-purses, and Fair-maids of France. There were damask Roses, and yellow Roses, lilac Crocuses, and gold, purple Violets and white. Columbine and Ladysmock, Marjoram and Wild Basil, the Cowslip and the Flower-de-luce, the Daffodil and the Clove-Pink bloomed or blossomed in their proper order as the months went by, one flower taking another flower’s place, so that there were always beautiful things to look at, and pleasant odours to smell.
“沒有，”綠林鶯回答道，“我不覺得他有什麽身份可言——除了他有一顆善良的心，還有那張又圓又可愛的笑臉。他一個人住在一間小小的茅屋裏，每天都在園子裏幹活。整個鄉下，沒有哪一座花園比他的更美了。園子裏種著甜威廉、十字花、牧羊人的錢包，還有法國姑娘花。大馬士革玫瑰和黃色玫瑰、淡紫色番紅花、金黃與紫色的紫羅蘭、還有潔白的紫羅蘭也都開得正豔。耬鬥菜、淑女草、牛至和野羅勒、黃花九輪草、鳶尾、黃水仙和丁香石竹……一年四季，花開花謝，次第更替，永遠都有美麗的景色可看，和清香的氣息可聞。”
“Little Hans had a great many friends, but the most devoted friend of all was big Hugh the Miller.
小漢斯有許多朋友，但其中最“忠誠”的朋友，要數身材高大的磨坊主休。
Indeed, so devoted was the rich Miller to little Hans, that be would never go by his garden without leaning over the wall and plucking a large nosegay, or a handful of sweet herbs, or filling his pockets with plums and cherries if it was the fruit season.
說起來，這位富有的磨坊主對小漢斯可真是“忠誠”至極——他每次路過漢斯的花園，總要探過牆頭，摘一大束花，或者抓一把香草；要是碰上果子季節，還得把兜兒塞滿李子和櫻桃才肯離去。
“‘Real friends should have everything in common,’ the Miller used to say, and little Hans nodded and smiled, and felt very proud of having a friend with such noble ideas.
“真正的朋友就該不分彼此，”磨坊主常常這麽說。小漢斯便微笑點頭，心裏為有這樣一位高尚的朋友而感到十分自豪。
“Sometimes, indeed, the neighbours thought it strange that the rich Miller never gave little Hans anything in return, though he had a hundred sacks of flour stored away in his mill, and six milch cows, and a large flock of woolly sheep; but Hans never troubled his head about these things, and nothing gave him greater pleasure than to listen to all the wonderful things the Miller used to say about the unselfishness of true friendship.
鄰居們有時候也覺得奇怪：這位富有的磨坊主明明磨坊裏囤著一百袋麵粉，還有六頭奶牛和一大群毛茸茸的綿羊，卻從沒回贈過小漢斯一點東西。但漢斯從來不為這些事操心。他最大的快樂，就是聽磨坊主高談闊論“真正的友誼都是無私的”。
“So little Hans worked away in his garden. During the spring, the summer, and the autumn he was very happy, but when the winter came, and he had no fruit or flowers to bring to the market, he suffered a good deal from cold and hunger, and often had to go to bed without any supper but a few dried pears or some hard nuts. In the winter, also, he was extremely lonely, as the Miller never came to see him then.
於是小漢斯繼續在他的花園裏辛勤勞作。春天、夏天和秋天，他過得很快樂；可一到冬天，既沒果子也沒花可以拿去集市換錢，他就常常受凍挨餓，晚上隻能靠幾片幹梨或幾顆硬果子裹腹，餓著肚子上床。冬天裏他也特別孤單，因為磨坊主在這個時候從來不會來看他。
“‘There is no good in my going to see little Hans as long as the snow lasts,’ the Miller used to say to his wife, ‘for when people are in trouble they should be left alone, and not be bothered by visitors. That at least is my idea about friendship, and I am sure I am right. So I shall wait till the spring comes, and then I shall pay him a visit, and he will be able to give me a large basket of primroses and that will make him so happy.’
“下雪天我就不去看小漢斯了，”磨坊主常常對妻子說，“因為人有麻煩的時候，最好還是別去打擾他。這是我對友誼的看法，而且我敢肯定我是對的。所以我打算等春天再去看他——那時候他就能送我一大籃報春花，那樣他一定會感到非常高興的。”
“‘You are certainly very thoughtful about others,’ answered the Wife, as she sat in her comfortable armchair by the big pinewood fire; ‘very thoughtful indeed. It is quite a treat to hear you talk about friendship. I am sure the clergyman himself could not say such beautiful things as you do, though he does live in a three-storied house, and wear a gold ring on his little finger.’
“你真是太會為別人著想了，”妻子回答道，她正坐在鬆木大火爐旁那張舒適的扶手椅裏，“實在是太會為人著想了。聽你談論友誼，真是一種享受。我敢說，就連牧師自己也說不出你這樣動聽的話來——盡管他住著三層樓的房子，小指頭上還戴著金戒指。”
“‘But could we not ask little Hans up here?’ said the Miller’s youngest son. ‘If poor Hans is in trouble I will give him half my porridge, and show him my white rabbits.’
“可不可以請小漢斯來我們家？”磨坊主最小的兒子問道，“要是他過得很苦，我可以把我的粥分一半給他，還可以給他看我的白兔。”
“‘What a silly boy you are’! cried the Miller; ‘I really don’t know what is the use of sending you to school. You seem not to learn anything. Why, if little Hans came up here, and saw our warm fire, and our good supper, and our great cask of red wine, he might get envious, and envy is a most terrible thing, and would spoil anybody’s nature. I certainly will not allow Hans’ nature to be spoiled. I am his best friend, and I will always watch over him, and see that he is not led into any temptations. Besides, if Hans came here, he might ask me to let him have some flour on credit, and that I could not do. Flour is one thing, and friendship is another, and they should not be confused. Why, the words are spelt differently, and mean quite different things. Everybody can see that.’
“這孩子可真傻！”磨坊主叫道，“我真不知道送你去上學有什麽用處，你好像什麽都沒學到。你想啊，要是小漢斯來了，看到我們家暖烘烘的火爐、豐盛的晚飯，還有那一大桶紅葡萄酒，他可能會心生嫉妒。而嫉妒是一件可怕的事，會敗壞一個人的性格。我當然不能讓漢斯的性格被敗壞。我是他最好的朋友，我一定會好好守護他，不讓他受到任何誘惑。而且，要是他來了，沒準還會想讓我賒給他點麵粉，那我可做不到。友誼歸友誼，麵粉歸麵粉，這兩碼事不能混為一談。你看，那兩個詞拚寫都不一樣，意思也完全不同，這誰都看得出來。”
“‘How well you talk’! said the Miller’s Wife, pouring herself out a large glass of warm ale; ‘really I feel quite drowsy. It is just like being in church.’
“你說得真好！”磨坊主的妻子一邊給自己倒了一大杯熱乎乎的麥酒，一邊說道，“我都覺得昏昏欲睡了，簡直就跟在教堂裏一樣。”
“‘Lots of people act well,’ answered the Miller; ‘but very few people talk well, which shows that talking is much the more difficult thing of the two, and much the finer thing also’; and he looked sternly across the table at his little son, who felt so ashamed of himself that he hung his head down, and grew quite scarlet, and began to cry into his tea. However, he was so young that you must excuse him.
“會做事的人多的是，”磨坊主回答道，“可會說話的人卻沒幾個，這就說明，說話比做事難多了，也高明多了。”他說著，還嚴厲地瞪了桌子對麵的小兒子一眼，小男孩羞愧得低下了頭，滿臉通紅，眼淚都掉進了茶杯裏。
However, he was so young that you must excuse him.”
不過，他年紀還小，我們得原諒他。
“Is that the end of the story?” asked the Water-rat.
“故事講完了嗎？”水老鼠問道。
“Certainly not,” answered the Linnet, “that is the beginning.”
“當然還沒完，”綠林鶯回答道，“這才剛開始。”
“Then you are quite behind the age,” said the Water-rat. “Every good story-teller nowadays starts with the end, and then goes on to the beginning, and concludes with the middle. That is the new method. I heard all about it the other day from a critic who was walking round the pond with a young man. He spoke of the matter at great length, and I am sure he must have been right, for he had blue spectacles and a bald head, and whenever the young man made any remark, he always answered ‘Pooh!’ But pray go on with your story. I like the Miller immensely. I have all kinds of beautiful sentiments myself, so there is a great sympathy between us.”
“那你可就太落伍了，”水老鼠說道，“現在講故事的高手都是先講結尾，再講開頭，最後講中間。這才是新派講法。我前幾天聽一個評論家跟一個年輕人在池塘邊散步的時候講了半天，他說得頭頭是道，我敢肯定他是對的——他戴著藍色眼鏡，腦袋也禿了，而且每當那年輕人開口說話，他就回答一句：‘呸！’不過你接著講吧，我挺喜歡那個磨坊主的。我自己也有各種各樣美好的情操，所以我跟他非常有共鳴。”
“Well,” said the Linnet, hopping now on one leg and now on the other, “as soon as the winter was over, and the primroses began to open their pale yellow stars, the Miller said to his wife that he would go down and see little Hans.
“好的，”綠林鶯說道，一邊單腳跳著，一會又換了另一隻腳，“冬天一過，淡黃的報春花像星星一樣綻開時，磨坊主就對妻子說，他要下去看看小漢斯。”
“‘Why, what a good heart you have’! cried his Wife; ‘you are always thinking of others. And mind you take the big basket with you for the flowers.’
“哎呀，你這人真是有愛心！”他妻子叫道，“你總是想著別人。別忘了帶上那個大籃子去裝花啊。”
“So the Miller tied the sails of the windmill together with a strong iron chain, and went down the hill with the basket on his arm.
於是，磨坊主用一根結實的鐵鏈把風車的風帆綁了起來，然後挎著籃子下了山。
“‘Good morning, little Hans,’ said the Miller.
“早上好，小漢斯。”磨坊主說道。
“‘Good morning,’ said Hans, leaning on his spade, and smiling from ear to ear.
“早上好。”漢斯靠著鐵鍬笑得合不攏嘴。
“‘And how have you been all the winter?’ said the Miller.
“整個冬天過得怎麽樣啊？”磨坊主問道。
“‘Well, really,’ cried Hans, ‘it is very good of you to ask, very good indeed. I am afraid I had rather a hard time of it, but now the spring has come, and I am quite happy, and all my flowers are doing well.’
“哎呀，您還惦記著，真是太好了，真的。”漢斯一口氣說道，“說實話，日子挺難熬的。不過現在春天來了，我挺開心的，花兒們也都長得不錯。”
“‘We often talked of you during the winter, Hans,’ said the Miller, ‘and wondered how you were getting on.’
“我們整個冬天都在談論你呢，漢斯，”磨坊主說道，“一直在想你過得怎麽樣。”
“‘That was kind of you,’ said Hans; ‘I was half afraid you had forgotten me.’
“你們能這樣真是太好了。”漢斯說道，“我還真有點怕你們把我忘了。”
“‘Hans, I am surprised at you,’ said the Miller; ‘friendship never forgets. That is the wonderful thing about it, but I am afraid you don’t understand the poetry of life. How lovely your primroses are looking, by-the-bye”!
“漢斯，你這話讓我很驚訝。”磨坊主說道，“真正的友誼就是永不忘懷——這正是它美妙之處。不過我怕你還不太懂得生活的詩意。對了，你的報春花開得可真漂亮！”
“‘They are certainly very lovely,’ said Hans, ‘and it is a most lucky thing for me that I have so many. I am going to bring them into the market and sell them to the Burgomaster’s daughter, and buy back my wheelbarrow with the money.’
“它們確實很漂亮，”漢斯說道，“我能有這麽多花，真是太幸運了。我打算把它們拿到集市上去賣給市長的女兒，然後用賺的錢把我那輛獨輪車買回來。”
“‘Buy back your wheelbarrow? You don’t mean to say you have sold it? What a very stupid thing to do’!
“把獨輪車買回來？你該不會是把它賣了吧？哎呀，這可真是太蠢了！”
“‘Well, the fact is,’ said Hans, ‘that I was obliged to. You see the winter was a very bad time for me, and I really had no money at all to buy bread with. So I first sold the silver buttons off my Sunday coat, and then I sold my silver chain, and then I sold my big pipe, and at last I sold my wheelbarrow. But I am going to buy them all back again now.’
“其實，”漢斯說道，“我也是沒辦法。你知道，冬天對我來說太難熬了，實在是身無分文，連麵包都買不起。我先把禮拜天穿的外套上的銀扣子賣了，又賣了銀表鏈，再後來把那支大煙鬥也賣了，最後才把獨輪車也賣了。不過我現在準備把它們都買回來。”
“‘Hans,’ said the Miller, ‘I will give you my wheelbarrow. It is not in very good repair; indeed, one side is gone, and there is something wrong with the wheel-spokes; but in spite of that I will give it to you. I know it is very generous of me, and a great many people would think me extremely foolish for parting with it, but I am not like the rest of the world. I think that generosity is the essence of friendship, and, besides, I have got a new wheelbarrow for myself. Yes, you may set your mind at ease, I will give you my wheelbarrow.
“漢斯，”磨坊主說道，“我把我的獨輪車送給你。它的確很需要修修補補，有一邊沒了，輪子上的輻條也有點問題；不過盡管如此，我還是願意送你。我知道我太慷慨了，很多人會覺得我傻到家了，居然舍得把它送出去，但我可不是一般人。我認為慷慨正是友誼的真諦。而且嘛，我自己已經有了一輛新的獨輪車。你就放心吧，我一定會把這輛車送給你。”
“‘Well, really, that is generous of you,’ said little Hans, and his funny round face glowed all over with pleasure. ‘I can easily put it in repair, as I have a plank of wood in the house.’
“哎呀，你真是太慷慨了！”小漢斯說道，他那張可愛的圓臉發出了喜悅的光芒。“我自己很容易就能把它修好，我家裏就有一塊木板呢。”
“‘A plank of wood’! said the Miller; ‘why, that is just what I want for the roof of my barn. There is a very large hole in it, and the corn will all get damp if I don’t stop it up. How lucky you mentioned it! It is quite remarkable how one good action always breeds another. I have given you my wheelbarrow, and now you are going to give me your plank. Of course, the wheelbarrow is worth far more than the plank, but true, friendship never notices things like that. Pray get it at once, and I will set to work at my barn this very day.’
“一塊木板？”磨坊主說，“哎呀，那正是我需要的！我的穀倉屋頂破了個大洞，要是不補上，穀物全得受潮。你居然提起這事，太巧了！真是了不起——一個人行善總會導致另一個人行善。我把獨輪車送給你，你呢，就把木板送給我。當然了，獨輪車的價值遠遠高過木板，但真正的友誼是不會計較這些的。你快把木板拿來吧，我今天就動手修穀倉。”
“‘Certainly,’ cried little Hans, and he ran into the shed and dragged the plank out.
“當然可以！”小漢斯喊道，然後跑進棚子，把那塊木板拖了出來。
“‘It is not a very big plank,’ said the Miller, looking at it, ‘and I am afraid that after I have mended my barn-roof there won’t be any left for you to mend the wheelbarrow with; but, of course, that is not my fault. And now, as I have given you my wheelbarrow, I am sure you would like to give me some flowers in return. Here is the basket, and mind you fill it quite full.’
“這塊板不算太大啊，”磨坊主看著說，“我看等我把穀倉屋頂補好，恐怕就沒剩下的給你修獨輪車了。不過，這可不能怪我。既然我已經把獨輪車送給你，我想你也一定願意送我些花作為回禮吧。這是籃子，記得一定要裝得滿滿的。”
“‘Quite full?’ said little Hans, rather sorrowfully, for it was really a very big basket, and he knew that if he filled it he would have no flowers left for the market and he was very anxious to get his silver buttons back.
“裝得滿滿的？”小漢斯有點難過地問道。因為那籃子實在太大了，他心裏明白，如果真的裝滿，就一點花也剩不下可以拿去市場賣了，而他現在正著急想把銀扣子贖回來。
“‘Well, really,’ answered the Miller, ‘as I have given you my wheelbarrow, I don’t think that it is much to ask you for a few flowers. I may be wrong, but I should have thought that friendship, true friendship, was quite free from selfishness of any kind.’
“哎呀，說真的，”磨坊主回答道，“我既然已經把獨輪車送給你了，向你要點花也不算過分吧？我也許想錯了，不過我一直以為，友誼——真正的友誼——應該是完全無私的。”
“‘My dear friend, my best friend,’ cried little Hans, ‘you are welcome to all the flowers in my garden. I would much sooner have your good opinion than my silver buttons, any day’; and he ran and plucked all his pretty primroses, and filled the Miller’s basket.
“親愛的朋友，我最好的朋友！”小漢斯叫道，“我園子裏的花你全拿去就是了。我寧可不要什麽銀扣子，隻想得到你的好評。”說完，他跑去把那些漂亮的報春花都采了，裝滿了磨坊主的大籃子。
“‘Good-bye, little Hans,’ said the Miller, as he went up the hill with the plank on his shoulder, and the big basket in his hand.
“再見啦，小漢斯。”磨坊主一邊扛著木板，一邊提著大籃子上山去了。
“‘Good-bye,’ said little Hans, and he began to dig away quite merrily, he was so pleased about the wheelbarrow.
“再見！”小漢斯說道，然後又歡歡喜喜地開始翻地，因為他想到那輛獨輪車，心裏別提多高興了。
“The next day he was nailing up some honeysuckle against the porch, when he heard the Miller’s voice calling to him from the road. So he jumped off the ladder, and ran down the garden, and looked over the wall.
第二天，小漢斯正爬在梯子上，把忍冬藤釘在門廊邊，這時他聽見磨坊主在路上喊他。他趕緊從梯子上跳下來，跑過花園，探頭越過圍牆望去。
“There was the Miller with a large sack of flour on his back.
隻見磨坊主正背著一大袋麵粉。
“‘Dear little Hans,’ said the Miller, ‘would you mind carrying this sack of flour for me to market?’
“親愛的小漢斯，”磨坊主說道，“你介意幫我把這袋麵粉扛去集市嗎？”
“‘Oh, I am so sorry,’ said Hans, ‘but I am really very busy to-day. I have got all my creepers to nail up, and all my flowers to water, and all my grass to roll.’
“哎呀，真對不起，”漢斯說，“可我今天實在太忙了。我還得把藤蔓都釘好，給花兒澆水，草地也得翻一遍呢。”
“‘Well, really,’ said the Miller, ‘I think that, considering that I am going to give you my wheelbarrow, it is rather unfriendly of you to refuse.’
“哎呀，說真的，”磨坊主說，“考慮到我正打算把我的獨輪車送給你，而你卻拒絕我的請求，未免有點不夠朋友吧。”
“‘Oh, don’t say that,’ cried little Hans, ‘I wouldn’t be unfriendly for the whole world’; and he ran in for his cap, and trudged off with the big sack on his shoulders.
“‘哎呀，你別這麽說，’小漢斯叫道，‘就算給我全世界換你這個朋友，我也不肯換哪！我怎麽會不夠朋友呢？’”說著，他趕緊跑回屋拿了頂帽子，又把那一大袋麵粉扛上肩，吃力地上了路。
“It was a very hot day, and the road was terribly dusty, and before Hans had reached the sixth milestone he was so tired that he had to sit down and rest. However, he went on bravely, and as last he reached the market.
那天天氣很熱，路上塵土飛揚，小漢斯還沒走到第六塊路碑，就累得不得不坐下來歇一會兒。不過他還是咬牙堅持，最後總算到了集市。
After he had waited there some time, he sold the sack of flour for a very good price, and then he returned home at once, for he was afraid that if he stopped too late he might meet some robbers on the way.
他在那兒等了一會兒，終於把那袋麵粉賣了個好價錢。然後他立刻趕路回家，因為他擔心如果回得太晚，半路上可能會遇到強盜。
“‘It has certainly been a hard day,’ said little Hans to himself as he was going to bed, ‘but I am glad I did not refuse the Miller, for he is my best friend, and, besides, he is going to give me his wheelbarrow.’
“這一天可真夠累的。”小漢斯上床時自言自語道，“不過我很高興沒有拒絕磨坊主的請求——畢竟他是我最好的朋友，而且他還打算把他的獨輪車送給我呢。”
“Early the next morning the Miller came down to get the money for his sack of flour, but little Hans was so tired that he was still in bed.
第二天一大早，磨坊主就下山來取他那袋麵粉的錢，可小漢斯實在太累了，還在床上睡著。
“‘Upon my word,’ said the Miller, ‘you are very lazy. Really, considering that I am going to give you my wheelbarrow, I think you might work harder. Idleness is a great sin, and I certainly don’t like any of my friends to be idle or sluggish. You must not mind my speaking quite plainly to you. Of course I should not dream of doing so if I were not your friend. But what is the good of friendship if one cannot say exactly what one means? Anybody can say charming things and try to please and to flatter, but a true friend always says unpleasant things, and does not mind giving pain. Indeed, if he is a really true friend he prefers it, for he knows that then he is doing good.’
“我得說，”磨坊主說道，“你可真夠懶的。說真的，考慮到我還打算把獨輪車送給你，你就該更加勤快一點。懶惰可是大罪，我一點也不喜歡自己的朋友無所事事、懶洋洋的。你別介意我跟你說話太直接。當然，如果我不是你朋友，我才懶得說這些呢。但要是連真話都不能說，那還算什麽友誼？隨便誰都會說些動聽話來討好人、拍馬屁，可是真正的朋友總會說些不中聽的話，也不怕讓人難受。的確，如果他是個真正的朋友，他就會寧可這樣說，因為他知道這樣才是真正為你好。”
“‘I am very sorry,’ said little Hans, rubbing his eyes and pulling off his night-cap, ‘but I was so tired that I thought I would lie in bed for a little time, and listen to the birds singing. Do you know that I always work better after hearing the birds sing?’
“真對不起，”小漢斯一邊揉著眼睛一邊摘下睡帽說，“我實是在太累了，就想多躺一會兒，聽聽鳥兒唱歌。你知道嗎？聽完鳥兒唱歌之後我幹活兒總是更帶勁。”
“‘Well, I am glad of that,’ said the Miller, clapping little Hans on the back, ‘for I want you to come up to the mill as soon as you are dressed, and mend my barn-roof for me.’
“那我就放心了，”磨坊主一邊說著，一邊拍了拍小漢斯的背，“因為我正好要你穿好衣服後趕緊到磨坊來，幫我修修穀倉的屋頂。”
“Poor little Hans was very anxious to go and work in his garden, for his flowers had not been watered for two days, but he did not like to refuse the Miller, as he was such a good friend to him.
可憐的小漢斯其實很想去幹自家園子的活，因為他的花已經兩天沒澆水了。但他又不好意思拒絕磨坊主，畢竟人家可是他“這麽好的朋友”。
“‘Do you think it would be unfriendly of me if I said I was busy?’ he inquired in a shy and timid voice.
“你說……我要是說我今天有點忙，會不會顯得不夠朋友啊？”他小聲而膽怯地問道。
“‘Well, really,’ answered the Miller, ‘I do not think it is much to ask of you, considering that I am going to give you my wheelbarrow; but of course if you refuse I will go and do it myself.’
“哎呀，說真的，”磨坊主回答道，“我這個要求也不算過分吧，畢竟我可是打算把獨輪車送給你的呀；不過當然啦，要是你不願意，那我隻好自己去修了。”
“‘Oh! on no account,’ cried little Hans and he jumped out of bed, and dressed himself, and went up to the barn.
“哦！那怎麽行！”小漢斯叫道，隨即跳下床，穿好衣服，趕去了穀倉。
“He worked there all day long, till sunset, and at sunset the Miller came to see how he was getting on.
他在那裏幹了一整天，直到日落。太陽快落山的時候，磨坊主來看他幹得怎麽樣了。
“‘Have you mended the hole in the roof yet, little Hans?’ cried the Miller in a cheery voice.
“小漢斯，屋頂的洞補好了嗎？”磨坊主用一副快活的口氣喊道。
“‘It is quite mended,’ answered little Hans, coming down the ladder.
“補好了，”小漢斯一邊回答，一邊從梯子上爬下來。
“‘Ah’! said the Miller, ‘there is no work so delightful as the work one does for others.’
“啊！”磨坊主說道，“沒有什麽比替別人做事更讓人開心的了。”
“‘It is certainly a great privilege to hear you talk,’ answered little Hans, sitting down, and wiping his forehead, ‘a very great privilege. But I am afraid I shall never have such beautiful ideas as you have.’
“聽您講話真是一種莫大的榮幸，”小漢斯一邊坐下來擦著額頭的汗一邊說道，“實在是莫大的榮幸。可惜我恐怕永遠也不會像您那樣有那麽高尚的想法。”
“‘Oh! they will come to you,’ said the Miller, ‘but you must take more pains. At present you have only the practice of friendship; some day you will have the theory also.’
“哦，你以後也會那樣想的，”磨坊主說道，“不過你得多下點功夫。眼下你隻是懂得朋友該做的事，將來你也會懂得友誼的真諦的。”
“‘Do you really think I shall?’ asked little Hans.
“你真的覺得我會懂得嗎？”小漢斯問道。
“‘I have no doubt of it,’ answered the Miller, ‘but now that you have mended the roof, you had better go home and rest, for I want you to drive my sheep to the mountain to-morrow.’
“我一點也不懷疑，”磨坊主回答道，“不過你既然已經把屋頂修好了，現在還是回家休息一下吧，因為明天我想讓你幫我把羊趕到山上去。”
“Poor little Hans was afraid to say anything to this, and early the next morning the Miller brought his sheep round to the cottage, and Hans started off with them to the mountain.
可憐的小漢斯不敢說什麽。第二天一早，磨坊主就把羊趕到漢斯的小屋前，小漢斯便領著羊群上山去了。
It took him the whole day to get there and back; and when he returned he was so tired that he went off to sleep in his chair, and did not wake up till it was broad daylight.
他花了整整一天時間才把羊趕上山又帶回來。回到家時他已經累得不行，癱坐在椅子上就睡著了，一直到天大亮才醒來。
“‘What a delightful time I shall have in my garden,’ he said, and he went to work at once.
“今天終於能好好在花園裏幹活啦。”他說著，立刻動起手來。
“But somehow he was never able to look after his flowers at all, for his friend the Miller was always coming round and sending him off on long errands, or getting him to help at the mill. Little Hans was very much distressed at times, as he was afraid his flowers would think he had forgotten them, but he consoled himself by the reflection that the Miller was his best friend. ‘Besides,’ he used to say, ‘he is going to give me his wheelbarrow, and that is an act of pure generosity.’
但不知怎麽的，他總是騰不出時間照料他的花草，因為那位磨坊主朋友總是過來，不是打發他跑遠路辦事，就是叫他去磨坊幫忙。小漢斯有時感到很苦惱，因為他擔心那些花兒會以為他已經把它們忘了，但他還是自我安慰道，磨坊主畢竟是他最好的朋友。“再說了，”他常常這樣說，“他可是要把獨輪車送給我的，那完全是出於他的慷慨大方。”
“So little Hans worked away for the Miller, and the Miller said all kinds of beautiful things about friendship, which Hans took down in a note-book, and used to read over at night, for he was a very good scholar.
於是小漢斯一直在為磨坊主幹活，而磨坊主則天天說些關於友誼的漂亮話。小漢斯把這些話一條條記在了自己的筆記本上，晚上還會翻出來讀一讀——他可是個用功的讀書人。
“Now it happened that one evening little Hans was sitting by his fireside when a loud rap came at the door. It was a very wild night, and the wind was blowing and roaring round the house so terribly that at first he thought it was merely the storm. But a second rap came, and then a third, louder than any of the others.
有一天晚上，小漢斯正坐在爐火邊，忽然聽見門上傳來一聲急促的敲擊聲。那天晚上風雨交加，狂風在屋子四周呼嘯怒吼，他起初還以為隻是暴風雨的動靜。但隨即又響起第二聲敲門聲，緊接著是第三聲，比前兩下都還要響。
“‘It is some poor traveller,’ said little Hans to himself, and he ran to the door.
“肯定是哪位可憐的旅人吧，”小漢斯心想，便趕緊跑去開門。
“There stood the Miller with a lantern in one hand and a big stick in the other.
隻見門外站著磨坊主，一手提著馬燈，一手拿著一根大棍子。
“‘Dear little Hans,’ cried the Miller, ‘I am in great trouble. My little boy has fallen off a ladder and hurt himself, and I am going for the Doctor. But he lives so far away, and it is such a bad night, that it has just occurred to me that it would be much better if you went instead of me. You know I am going to give you my wheelbarrow, and so, it is only fair that you should do something for me in return.’
“親愛的小漢斯，”磨坊主叫道，“我現在可有大麻煩了！我家小兒子從梯子上摔了下來受了傷，我得趕緊去請醫生。可醫生住得太遠，又是這麽惡劣的天氣，所以我剛才一想，覺得還是你去一趟比較合適。你知道我打算把我的獨輪車送給你，所以你幫我做點事也是應該的。”
“‘Certainly,’ cried little Hans, ‘I take it quite as a compliment your coming to me, and I will start off at once. But you must lend me your lantern, as the night is so dark that I am afraid I might fall into the ditch.’
“當然，當然！”小漢斯一口答應，“你能想到我，我真是太榮幸了。我這就出發。不過夜裏太黑了，你得把你的馬燈借給我，不然我怕會掉到溝裏去。”
“‘I am very sorry,’ answered the Miller, ‘but it is my new lantern, and it would be a great loss to me if anything happened to it.’
“真是抱歉，”磨坊主回答說，“這是我新買的馬燈，要是壞了我會心疼得受不了。”
“‘Well, never mind, I will do without it,’ cried little Hans, and he took down his great fur coat, and his warm scarlet cap, and tied a muffler round his throat, and started off.
“好吧，那我就不用了，”小漢斯說道。他取下大皮襖，戴上紅呢帽，又圍上一條圍巾，就這樣出發了。
“What a dreadful storm it was! The night was so black that little Hans could hardly see, and the wind was so strong that he could scarcely stand. However, he was very courageous, and after he had been walking about three hours, he arrived at the Doctor’s house, and knocked at the door.
天哪，那夜晚的暴風雨真是嚇人極了！天黑得伸手不見五指，小漢斯幾乎看不清路，風又大得他連站都站不穩。然而，他非常勇敢，走了大約三個小時後，終於抵達醫生的住處，敲響了門。
“‘Who is there?’ cried the Doctor, putting his head out of his bedroom window.
“是誰？”醫生把頭伸出臥室的窗戶喊道。
“‘Little Hans, Doctor.’
“是我，小漢斯，醫生。”
“’What do you want, little Hans?’
“你找我有什麽事，小漢斯？”
“‘The Miller’s son has fallen from a ladder, and has hurt himself, and the Miller wants you to come at once.’
“磨坊主的兒子從梯子上摔了下來，傷得很重，磨坊主讓您馬上去一趟。”
“‘All right!’ said the Doctor; and he ordered his horse, and his big boots, and his lantern, and came downstairs, and rode off in the direction of the Miller’s house, little Hans trudging behind him.
“好吧！”醫生說道。他吩咐人牽來馬，取來高筒靴和馬燈，隨後下樓，騎馬朝磨坊主家趕去，而小漢斯則一步步在後麵艱難地跟著。
“But the storm grew worse and worse, and the rain fell in torrents, and little Hans could not see where he was going, or keep up with the horse.
可是，風暴越發猛烈，雨像潑的一樣下個不停，小漢斯幾乎看不清路，也根本跟不上馬的步子。
At last he lost his way, and wandered off on the moor, which was a very dangerous place, as it was full of deep holes, and there poor little Hans was drowned. His body was found the next day by some goatherds, floating in a great pool of water, and was brought back by them to the cottage.
最後，他迷了路，誤闖進了荒原。那地方險象環生，滿是深坑。可憐的小漢斯就在那兒被淹死了。第二天，一些牧羊童在一個大水塘裏發現了他的屍體，把他運回了他的小屋。
“Everybody went to little Hans’ funeral, as he was so popular, and the Miller was the chief mourner.
小漢斯的葬禮上來了許多人，因為大家都很喜歡他，而磨坊主則是“首席致哀人”。
“‘As I was his best friend,’ said the Miller, ‘it is only fair that I should have the best place’; so he walked at the head of the procession in a long black cloak, and every now and then he wiped his eyes with a big pocket-handkerchief.
“我是他最好的朋友，”磨坊主說，“我當然該走在最前頭。”於是他披著一件長長的黑鬥篷，走在送葬隊伍的最前麵，還不時拿出一塊大手帕擦眼淚。
“‘Little Hans is certainly a great loss to every one,’ said the Blacksmith, when the funeral was over, and they were all seated comfortably in the inn, drinking spiced wine and eating sweet cakes.
“大家確實都很惋惜小漢斯的去世，”葬禮結束後，鐵匠一邊喝著香料酒、吃著甜餅，一邊感歎道。
“‘A great loss to me at any rate,’ answered the Miller; ‘why, I had as good as given him my wheelbarrow, and now I really don’t know what to do with it. It is very much in my way at home, and it is in such bad repair that I could not get anything for it if I sold it. I will certainly take care not to give away anything again. One always suffers for being generous.’”
“對我來說，那可真是莫大損失，”磨坊主答道，“你想啊，我那小推車差不多已經算是送給他了。現在他倒沒了，我這推車也不知道該拿它怎麽辦。在家裏老是礙事，又破得厲害，拿去賣也沒人買。我以後可得留神，絕不能隨便再送什麽東西出去。一個人要是太慷慨，最後總是要吃虧。”
“Well?” said the Water-rat, after a long pause.
“嗯？”沉默了許久之後，水老鼠開口說道。
“Well, that is the end,” said the Linnet.
“嗯，故事講完了。”綠林鶯說。
“But what became of the Miller?” asked the Water-rat.
“那磨坊主後來怎麽樣了？”水老鼠問。
“Oh! I really don’t know,” replied the Linnet; “and I am sure that I don’t care.”
“哦，這我可真不知道，”綠林鶯回答，“而且我也一點兒不在乎。”
“It is quite evident then that you have no sympathy in your nature,” said the Water-rat.
“那你肯定是個一點同情心都沒有的家夥。”水老鼠說。
“I am afraid you don’t quite see the moral of the story,” remarked the Linnet.
“恐怕你沒理解這個故事的寓意。”綠林鶯說道。
“The what?” screamed the Water-rat.
“故事的什麽？”水老鼠尖叫起來。
“The moral.”
“故事的寓意。”
“Do you mean to say that the story has a moral?”
“你是說這個故事還有寓意？”
“Certainly,” said the Linnet.
“肯定有。”綠林鶯說。
“Well, really,” said the Water-rat, in a very angry manner, “I think you should have told me that before you began. If you had done so, I certainly would not have listened to you; in fact, I should have said ‘Pooh,’ like the critic. However, I can say it now”; so he shouted out “Pooh” at the top of his voice, gave a whisk with his tail, and went back into his hole.
“哼，真是，”水老鼠氣呼呼地說，“你早該在講故事之前說清楚。要是你一開始就說了，我肯定不會聽你講下去。實際上，我當時就該像那位評論家一樣，說一聲‘呸’。不過現在說也不晚。”
於是他大聲喊了聲“呸”，甩了甩尾巴，轉身鑽回洞裏去了。
“And how do you like the Water-rat?” asked the Duck, who came paddling up some minutes afterwards. “He has a great many good points, but for my own part I have a mother’s feelings, and I can never look at a confirmed bachelor without the tears coming into my eyes.”
“你怎麽看那隻水老鼠？”幾分鍾後，一隻鴨子劃水過來，問道。“他說的也有很多道理，不過就我這個充滿母愛的人而言，每次看到一個堅定的獨身主義者，我都忍不住想掉眼淚。”
“I am rather afraid that I have annoyed him,” answered the Linnet. “The fact is, that I told him a story with a moral.”
“我擔心我惹他生氣了，”綠林鶯回答道，“說實話，我剛才給他講了一個帶有寓意的故事。”
“Ah! that is always a very dangerous thing to do,” said the Duck.
“唉，那可真是件危險的事啊，”鴨子說道。
And I quite agree with her.
我完全同意她的話。
