第87章 存钱罐 The Money-Box
作者:光玩不行   一句一译的安徒生童话最新章节     
    《存钱罐》,1855 年
    the money-box, 1855
    在一间育儿室里,许多玩具散落各处,一个存钱罐立在一个很高的衣柜顶上。
    in a nursery where a number of toys lay scattered about, a money-box stood on the top of a very high wardrobe.
    它是用黏土做成猪的形状,是从陶工那儿买来的。
    it was made of clay in the shape of a pig, and had been bought of the potter.
    猪的背部有一道缝,这道缝还用刀给扩大了,这样美元或者克朗硬币就能塞进去;实际上,存钱罐里除了许多便士,还有两枚硬币呢。
    in the back of the pig was a slit, and this slit had been enlarged with a knife, so that dollars, or crown pieces, might slip through; and, indeed there were two in the box, besides a number of pence.
    存钱罐塞得满满当当,已经晃不出声响了,而这是存钱罐所能达到的最佳状态。
    the money-pig was stuffed so full that it could no longer rattle, which is the highest state of perfection to which a money-pig can attain.
    它就高高地立在橱柜上,俯视着房间里的其他一切东西。
    there he stood upon the cupboard, high and lofty, looking down upon everything else in the room.
    它很清楚自己肚子里的钱足够买下所有其他玩具,这让它对自己的价值评价颇高。
    he knew very well that he had enough inside him to buy up all the other toys, and this gave him a very good opinion of his own value.
    其他玩具也想到了这一点,尽管它们没有说出来,因为有太多其他事情可聊了。
    the rest thought of this fact also, although they did not press it, for there were so many other things to talk about.
    一个大玩偶,虽然相当旧了,脖子还修补过,但依然很漂亮,躺在一个半开着的抽屉里面。
    a large doll, still handsome, though rather old, for her neck had been mended, lay inside one of the drawers which was partly open.
    她向其他玩具喊道:“咱们来玩扮大人的游戏吧,这才是值得玩的游戏呢。”
    she called out to the others, “let us have a game at being men and women, that is something worth playing at.”
    一听这话,一阵喧闹声响起;就连挂在墙上相框里的版画,也激动得转了过来,露出了反面,尽管它们压根没打算以这种方式暴露自己,也不想反对这个游戏。
    upon this there was a great uproar; even the engravings, which hung in frames on the wall, turned round in their citement, and showed that they had a wrong side to them, although they had no least intention to pose themselves in this way, or to object to the game.
    夜已经很深了,但月光透过窗户洒进来,他们便有了免费的光亮。
    it was late at night, but as the moon shone through the windows, they had light at a cheap rate.
    既然游戏现在就要开始了,所有玩具都被邀请来参加,就连那辆儿童手推车也不例外,它可确实属于比较粗糙的玩具那一类。
    and as the game was now to begin, all were invited to take part in it, even the children’s wagon, which certainly belonged to the coarser playthings.
    “每件东西都有它自身的价值,” 手推车说,“我们不可能全都是贵族,总得有人来干活呀。”
    “each has its own value,” said the wagon; “we cannot all be noblemen; there must be some to do the work.”
    存钱罐是唯一一个收到书面邀请的。
    the money-pig was the only one who received a written invitation.
    它站得那么高,他们担心它不会接受口头传达的消息。
    he stood so high that they were afraid he would not accept a verbal message.
    但在它的回复中,它说如果要参与其中,它必须在自己的家里享受这场游戏;他们得为它安排好,于是他们就照做了。
    but in his reply, he said, if he had to take a part, he must enjoy the sport from his own home; they were to arrange for him to do so; and so they did.
    于是那个小玩具剧院就被摆放成了能让存钱罐直接看到里面的样子。
    the little toy theatre was therefore put up in such a way that the money-pig could look directly into it.
    有些玩具想先演一出喜剧,然后再开个茶话会并进行一场能提升心智的讨论,但他们却先开始了后面那项活动。
    some wanted to begin with a edy, and afterwards to have a tea party and a discussion for mental improvement, but they menced with the latter first.
    摇马谈到了训练和赛马;手推车说起了铁路和蒸汽动力,因为这些话题都和它们各自的用途相关,它们谈论这些也是理所应当的。
    the rocking-horse spoke of training and races; the wagon of railways and steam power, for these subjects belonged to each of their professions, and it was right they should talk of them.
    钟谈论起了政治 ——“滴答,滴答”;它声称自己知道当前是什么时间,但有传言说它走得不准。
    the clock talked politics— “tick, tick;” he professed to know what was the time of day, but there was a whisper that he did not go correctly.
    竹手杖站在一旁,看上去又僵硬又傲慢:它为自己的黄铜包头和银制顶端而自负,沙发上放着两个绣了花的靠垫,好看但却很蠢。
    the bamboo cane stood by, looking stiff and proud: he was vain of his brass ferrule and silver top, and on the sofa lay two worked cushions, pretty but stupid.
    当小剧院的演出开始时,其余的玩具都坐着观看;要是它们对所看到的表演感到满意,就会被要求鼓掌、跺脚或者弄出点声响来。
    when the play at the little theatre began, the rest sat and looked on; they were requested to applaud and stamp, or crack, when they felt gratified with what they saw.
    但是马鞭说它从不为老年人弄出声响,只给那些还没结婚的年轻人这样做。
    but the riding-whip said he never cracked for old people, only for the young who were not yet married.
    “我为所有人弄出声响。” 爆竹说。
    “i crack for everybody,” said the cracker.
    “是的,而且你弄出的动静可真不小。” 随着演出继续,观众们心里这样想着。
    “yes, and a fine noise you make,” thought the audience, as the play went on.
    这演出算不上精彩绝伦,但演得很不错,所有的角色都把画了图案的那面朝观众,因为它们本来就只能从一面被看到。
    it was not worth much, but it was very well played, and all the characters turned their painted sides to the audience, for they were made only to be seen on one side.
    表演很精彩,只是有时候演员们会走到灯光外面去,因为牵线有点太长了。
    the acting was wonderful, cepting that sometimes they came out beyond the lamps, because the wires were a little too long.
    脖子补过的那个玩偶兴奋得脖子上补过的地方又裂开了,而存钱罐宣称他必须为其中一个演员做点什么,因为他们都让他太满意了。
    the doll, whose neck had been darned, was so cited that the place in her neck burst, and the money-pig declared he must do something for one of the players, as they had all pleased him so much.
    所以他决定在遗嘱里记住他们中的一个,等他哪天归西了,就让这个人跟他一起葬在家族墓穴里。
    so he made up his mind to remember one of them in his will, as the one to be buried with him in the family vault, whenever that event should happen.
    他们都太喜欢这场喜剧了,以至于都放弃了开茶话会的想法,只进行了他们所谓的扮演大人的这种益智娱乐活动,而且这也没什么不妥,因为这只是游戏嘛。
    they all enjoyed the edy so much, that they gave up all thoughts of the tea party, and only carried out their idea of intellectual amusement, which they called playing at men and women; and there was nothing wrong about it, for it was only play.
    一直以来,每个玩具都最在意自己,或者在意存钱罐可能在想些什么。
    all the while, each one thought most of himself, or of what the money-pig could be thinking.
    他想着,按他的设想,那是很遥远的将来的事 —— 立遗嘱、下葬,以及这一切何时会发生。
    his thoughts were on, as he supposed, a very distant time — of making his will, and of his burial, and of when it might all e to pass.
    当然,这一切比他预想的来得要快得多 —— 因为突然之间,他从柜子顶上掉了下来,摔到地上,摔成了碎片。
    certainly sooner than he pected — for all at once down he came from the top of the press, fell on the ground, and was broken to pieces.
    然后那些便士以最有趣的方式蹦蹦跳跳起来。
    then the pennies hopped and danced about in the most amusing manner.
    小的便士像陀螺一样打转,大的便士则能滚多远就滚多远,尤其是那枚大银币,它以前就经常要到外面的世界去,现在它和其他所有的钱一样,如愿以偿了。
    the little ones twirled round like tops, and the large ones rolled away as far as they could, especially the one great silver crown piece who had often to go out into the
    world, and now he had his wish as well as all the rest of the money.
    存钱罐的碎片被扔进了垃圾桶,第二天,柜子上又立了一个新的存钱罐,但它里面还一个子儿都没有呢,所以,和原来那个一样,它也晃不出声响来。
    the pieces of the money-pig were thrown into the dust-bin, and the nt day there stood a new money-pig on the cupboard, but it had not a farthing in its inside yet, and therefore, like the old one, it could not rattle.
    这就是它的开始,而我们就把这当作故事的结尾吧。
    this was the beginning with him, and we will make it the end of our story.