第12章 打火匣 The Tinder－Box(4/6)

首发：~第12章 打火匣 The Tinder－Box

“我在哪里能见到她呢？”

“where can i see her”

士兵问道。

asked the soldier

“根本见不到她，” 他们说；

“she is not to be seen at all,” they said;

“她住在一座巨大的铜城堡里，周围是城墙和塔楼。

“she lives in a large copper castle, surrounded by walls and towers

除了国王本人，没有人能进出，因为有一个预言说她将嫁给一个普通士兵，而国王一想到这样的婚姻就无法忍受。”

no one but the king himself can pass in or out, for there has been a prophecy that she will marry a mon soldier, and the king cannot bear to think of such a marriage”

“我非常想见见她，” 士兵想；

“i should like very much to see her,” thought the soldier;

但是他得不到许可去见她。

but he could not obtain permission to do so

不过，他度过了一段非常愉快的时光；

however, he passed a very pleasant time;

他去剧院，在国王的花园里驾车游玩，还给穷人很多钱，他这样做非常善良；

went to the theatre, drove in the king’s garden, and gave a great deal of money to the poor, which was very good of him;

他还记得过去身无分文的时候是什么样的。

he remembered what it had been in olden times to be without a shilling

现在他富有了，有漂亮的衣服，还有很多朋友，他们都宣称他是个好人，是个真正的绅士，这一切让他非常高兴。

now he was rich, had fine clothes, and many friends, who all declared he was a fine fellow and a real gentleman, and all this gratified him exceedingly

但他的钱不会永远花不完；

but his money would not last forever;

由于他每天花销和赠送出去很多钱，却没有收入，最后他发现自己只剩下两先令了。

and as he spent and gave away a great deal daily, and received none, he found himself at last with only two shillings left

所以他不得不离开他那优雅的房间，住在屋顶下的一个小阁楼里，在那里他得自己擦靴子，甚至用一根大针来补靴子。

so he was obliged to leave his elegant rooms, and live in a little garret under the roof, where he had to clean his own boots, and even mend them with a large needle

他的朋友没有一个来看他，要爬的楼梯太多了。

none of his friends came to see him, there were too many stairs to mount up

一个漆黑的夜晚，他甚至连买蜡烛的一便士都没有；

one dark evening, he had not even a penny to buy a candle;

突然，他想起在打火匣里有一小截蜡烛，那是他从老巫婆帮他进入的那棵老树里带出来的。

then all at once he remembered that there was a piece of candle stuck in the tinder - box, which he had brought from the old tree, into which the witch had helped him

他找到了打火匣，但是他刚用打火石和钢片擦出几点火星，门就突然打开了，他在树洞里见过的那只眼睛有茶杯那么大的狗站在了他面前，说道：“主人，有什么吩咐？”

he found the tinder - box, but no sooner had he struck a few sparks from the flint and steel, than the door flew open and the dog with eyes as big as teacups, whom he had seen while down in the tree, stood before him, and said, “what orders, master”

“哈罗，” 士兵说；

“hallo,” said the soldier;

“嗯，这个打火匣真不错，如果它能带给我所有我想要的东西的话。”

“well this is a pleasant tinder - box, if it brings me all i wish for”

“给我拿些钱来，” 他对狗说。

“bring me some money,” said he to the dog

它一会儿就不见了，很快就回来了，嘴里叼着一大袋铜币。

he was gone in a moment, and presently returned, carrying a large bag of coppers in his month

在这之后，士兵很快就发现了打火匣的价值。

the soldier very soon discovered after this the value of the tinder - box

如果他擦一次打火石，坐在铜币箱子上的狗就会出现；

if he struck the flint once, the dog who sat on the chest of copper money made his appearance;

如果擦两次，狗就会从银箱子那里来；

if twice, the dog came from the chest of silver;

如果擦三次，那只眼睛像塔一样的看守金子的狗就会出现。

and if three times, the dog with eyes like towers, who watched over the gold

士兵现在有了很多钱；

the soldier had now plenty of money;

他回到他那优雅的房间，又穿上他漂亮的衣服出现了，这样他的朋友们马上又认出了他，又像以前一样奉承他。

he returned to his elegant rooms, and reappeared in his fine clothes, so that his friends knew him again directly, and made as much of him as before

过了一段时间，他开始觉得很奇怪，竟然没有人能看一眼公主。

after a while he began to think it was very strange that no one could get a look at the princess