木偶奇遇記：Chapter 24

Pinocchio, spurred on by the hope of finding his father and of being in time to save him, swam all night long.

皮諾喬一心想要及時趕到，把他可憐的爸爸救出來，于是游了整整一夜。

And what a horrible night it was! It poured rain, it hailed, it thundered, and the lightning was so bright that it turned the night into day.

這一夜真是恐怖極了!天上下著瓢潑大雨，下著冰雹，打著可怕的響雷，電光閃閃如同白晝。

At dawn, he saw, not far away from him, a long stretch of sand. It was an island in the middle of the sea.

天亮?xí)r候，他終于看見不遠(yuǎn)的地方有一條長長的地平線。這是海當(dāng)中的一個孤島，

Pinocchio tried his best to get there, but he couldn't. The waves played with him and tossed him about as if he were a twig or a bit of straw. At last, and luckily for him, a tremendous wave tossed him to the very spot where he wanted to be. The blow from the wave was so strong that, as he fell to the ground, his joints cracked and almost broke. But, nothing daunted, he jumped to his feet and cried:

他于是拼了命要游到岸上，可是沒成功。波浪翻騰追逐，把他像根小樹枝或者稻草似地拋來拋去，最后也虧他運氣好，一個兇猛的巨浪滾來，把他給扔到沙灘上。這一下可真重，他給摔到地上，肋骨和全身的關(guān)節(jié)都咔拉咔拉地響。可他馬上慶幸說：

"Once more I have escaped with my life!"

“這一回我總算又僥幸得了救!”

Little by little the sky cleared. The sun came out in full splendor and the sea became as calm as a lake.

這時天一點一點大亮，太陽出來，光芒四射。海面平靜無浪。

Then the Marionette took off his clothes and laid them on the sand to dry. He looked over the waters to see whether he might catch sight of a boat with a little man in it. He searched and he searched, but he saw nothing except sea and sky and far away a few sails, so small that they might have been birds.

木偶脫下衣服，把它鋪在地上曬干。接著他望來望去，想在茫茫的水面上看到小船，看到船上那個小小的人?？伤戳擞挚?，看見的只有天空、大海和幾張船帆。船帆很遠(yuǎn)很遠(yuǎn)，像蒼蠅似的，

"If only I knew the name of this island!" he said to himself. "If I even knew what kind of people I would find here! But whom shall I ask? There is no one here."

“至少得知道這個島叫什么名字!”他一面說一面走。“至少得知道這島上是不是住著什么好人!我想找個好人談?wù)?，他不會把孩子吊在樹枝上的?？晌夷芨l打聽呢?這兒一個人也沒有，我能跟誰打聽呢?……”

The idea of finding himself in so lonesome a spot made him so sad that he was about to cry, but just then he saw a big Fish swimming near-by, with his head far out of the water.

一想到這空無一人的廣闊土地上只有他一個，孤零零，孤零零，孤零零的，他就發(fā)愁得要哭了。正在這時候，他忽然看見離岸不遠(yuǎn)游過一條大魚。這條魚自管靜靜地游，整個頭露在水面上。

Not knowing what to call him, the Marionette said to him:

木偶不知道這條魚叫什么名字。他高聲大叫，讓它聽見：

"Hey there, Mr. Fish, may I have a word with you?"

“喂——，大魚先生，我跟您講一句話行嗎?”

"Even two, if you want," answered the fish, who happened to be a very polite Dolphin.

“講兩句也行。”那條魚回答說。它是世界上所有大海中很客氣很少有的海豚。

"Will you please tell me if, on this island, there are places where one may eat without necessarily being eaten?"

“請問，在這島上有沒有地方可以吃點東西，卻不會被吃掉呢?”

"Surely, there are," answered the Dolphin. "In fact you'll find one not far from this spot."

“當(dāng)然有，”海豚回答說，“而且離這兒不盡就有。”

"And how shall I get there?"

“該走哪條道上那兒走?”

"Take that path on your left and follow your nose. You can't go wrong."

“走左邊那條小道，對著鼻子筆直走。準(zhǔn)錯不了。”

"Tell me another thing. You who travel day and night through the sea, did you not perhaps meet a little boat with my father in it?"

“再請問一下。您白天黑夜都在海上游，沒見過一只小船，里面坐著我的爸爸嗎?”

"And who is you father?"

“你爸爸是誰?”

"He is the best father in the world, even as I am the worst son that can be found."

“他是天底下最好的爸爸，就像我是天底下最壞的兒子一樣。”

"In the storm of last night," answered the Dolphin, "the little boat must have been swamped."

“昨夜刮暴風(fēng)”，海啄回答說，“那小船準(zhǔn)沉了。”

"And my father?"

“那我爸爸呢?”

"By this time, he must have been swallowed by the Terrible Shark, which, for the last few days, has been bringing terror to these waters."

“當(dāng)時一定給可怕的鯊魚吃下去了。好幾天來，這條鯊魚凈在我們這個海里破壞和橫掃一切。”

"Is this Shark very big?" asked Pinocchio, who was beginning to tremble with fright.

“這條鯊魚很大很大嗎?”皮諾喬問道。這時他嚇得打起哆嗦來了。

"Is he big?" replied the Dolphin. "Just to give you an idea of his size, let me tell you that he is larger than a five story building and that he has a mouth so big and so deep, that a whole train and engine could easily get into it."

“大極啦!……”海豚回答說，“為了讓你得到一個概念，我給你打個比方吧。它比一座五層大樓還高，嘴巴又大又深，一下子可以開進(jìn)去整整一列火車，再加上冒煙的火車頭。”

"Mother mine!" cried the Marionette, scared to death; and dressing himself as fast as he could, he turned to the Dolphin and said:

“我的媽呀!”木偶驚叫起來。他趕緊穿上衣服，轉(zhuǎn)臉對海脈說：“再見，大魚先生。請原諒我打擾了您。萬分感謝您的好意。”

"Farewell, Mr. Fish. Pardon the bother, and many thanks for your kindness."

說時遲那時快，他馬上踏上小道，加快步子走了起來，快得就像跑。每次一聽別有點聲音，他就回頭去看，生怕那條五層大樓高、嘴巴容得下一列火車的鯊魚在他后面追。

This said, he took the path at so swift a gait that he seemed to fly, and at every small sound he heard, he turned in fear to see whether the Terrible Shark, five stories high and with a train in his mouth, was following him.

走了半小時，他來到一個小國，名字叫做“勤勞蜜蜂國”。街上都是有事情跑來跑去的人。他們?nèi)几苫?，全都有事做。打起燈籠也找不到一個懶漢和二流子。

After walking a half hour, he came to a small country called the Land of the Busy Bees. The streets were filled with people running to and fro about their tasks. Everyone worked, everyone had something to do. Even if one were to search with a lantern, not one idle man or one tramp could have been found.

“我明白了，”這個不想干活的皮諾喬馬上說，“這不是我呆的地方!我生下來可不是干活的!”

"I understand," said Pinocchio at once wearily, "this is no place for me! I was not born for work."

這時候他餓得要命，因為他已經(jīng)二十四小時沒吃東西了，連一碟野豌豆也沒吃過。

But in the meantime, he began to feel hungry, for it was twenty-four hours since he had eaten.

怎么辦?

What was to be done?

他只有兩個辦法可以吃到東西：或者是找點活兒干干，或者是討個子兒或者討塊面包。

There were only two means left to him in order to get a bite to eat. He had either to work or to beg.

乞討是羞恥的事，因為他爸爸總是對他說，只有年老和殘廢的人才可以乞討。在這個世界上，值得我們幫助和同情的真正窮人，只有由于年老和生病，沒有辦法再用自己的手勞動去掙得面包的人。其他的人都應(yīng)當(dāng)勞動，不勞動而挨餓，就是自討苦吃。

He was ashamed to beg, because his father had always preached to him that begging should be done only by the sick or the old. He had said that the real poor in this world, deserving of our pity and help, were only those who, either through age or sickness, had lost the means of earning their bread with their own hands. All others should work, and if they didn't, and went hungry, so much the worse for them.

正在這時候，街上來了一個人。他滿頭大汗，氣也喘不過來，一個人費勁地拉著兩車煤。

Just then a man passed by, worn out and wet with perspiration, pulling, with difficulty, two heavy carts filled with coal.

皮諾喬看看他的臉，斷定他是個好人，就走過去，很不好意思地垂下眼睛，低聲對他說：

Pinocchio looked at him and, judging him by his looks to be a kind man, said to him with eyes downcast in shame:

“行行好，給我一個子兒吧，我餓得要死了!”

"Will you be so good as to give me a penny, for I am faint with hunger?"

“不是給你一個，”拉煤的回答說，“而是給你四個，只要你幫我拉這兩車煤回家。”

"Not only one penny," answered the Coal Man. "I'll give you four if you will help me pull these two wagons."

“叫我聽了奇怪!”木偶幾乎生氣了說，“告訴您，我從來不當(dāng)驢子，我從來不拉車!”

"I am surprised!" answered the Marionette, very much offended. "I wish you to know that I never have been a donkey, nor have I ever pulled a wagon."

“那你最好這么辦!”拉煤的人說，“我的孩子，如果你真覺得太餓了，你就切兩大片你的驕傲來吃吧，可留神別吃撐了肚子。”

"So much the better for you!" answered the Coal Man. "Then, my boy, if you are really faint with hunger, eat two slices of your pride; and I hope they don't give you indigestion."

過了幾分鐘，街上又走過一個砌墻的，肩上扛著一桶灰泥。

A few minutes after, a Bricklayer passed by, carrying a pail full of plaster on his shoulder.

“好心的人，行行好，給我這可憐孩子一個子兒吧，我餓得打哈欠了!”

"Good man, will you be kind enough to give a penny to a poor boy who is yawning from hunger?"

“很高興。來跟我一起搬這桶灰泥吧，”砌磚的回答說，“我不是給你一個子兒，而是給你五個。”

"Gladly," answered the Bricklayer. "Come with me and carry some plaster, and instead of one penny, I'll give you five."

“可灰泥太重了，”皮諾喬回答說，“我不想花這力氣，弄得筋疲力盡。”

"But the plaster is heavy," answered Pinocchio, "and the work too hard for me."

“要是你不想花力氣，那么，我的孩子，你就舒野服服打你的哈欠吧，會給你帶來好處的。”

"If the work is too hard for you, my boy, enjoy your yawns and may they bring you luck!"

不到半小時，至少走過了二十個人。皮諾喬向他們一個個討錢，可他們都回答說：

In less than a half hour, at least twenty people passed and Pinocchio begged of each one, but they all answered:

“你不害臊嗎?你不要當(dāng)街乞討了，還是找點活兒干干，學(xué)著自己掙面包吃吧!”

"Aren't you ashamed? Instead of being a beggar in the streets, why don't you look for work and earn your own bread?"

最后走過一位和善的小婦人，她提著兩瓦罐水。

Finally a little woman went by carrying two water jugs.

“好太太，讓我在您的瓦罐里喝一口水好嗎?”皮諾喬說，他渴得喉嚨發(fā)燒，

"Good woman, will you allow me to have a drink from one of your jugs?" asked Pinocchio, who was burning up with thirst.

“你就喝吧，我的孩子!”小婦人說著，把兩瓦暖水放在地上，

"With pleasure, my boy!" she answered, setting the two jugs on the ground before him.

皮諾喬像塊海綿似地吸飽了水，然后擦著嘴，低聲咕嚕說：

When Pinocchio had had his fill, he grumbled, as he wiped his mouth:

“嘴是不渴了!肚子也不餓就好了!……”

"My thirst is gone. If I could only as easily get rid of my hunger!"

好心的小婦人聽了這兩句話，馬上接下去說：

On hearing these words, the good little woman immediately said:

“這里是兩瓦罐水，你幫我拿一瓦罐，送到我家里，我就給一大塊面包。”

"If you help me to carry these jugs home, I'll give you a slice of bread."

皮諾喬看著瓦罐，不說好也不說不好。

Pinocchio looked at the jug and said neither yes nor no.

“除了面包，還給你一大盆花椰萊，上面澆上油和辣醬油，”好心的小婦人又說。

"And with the bread, I'll give you a nice dish of cauliflower with white sauce on it."

皮諾喬又看了瓦罐一眼，還是不說好也不說不好。

Pinocchio gave the jug another look and said neither yes nor no.

“吃完花椰菜，我給你一塊好吃的酒心糖。”

"And after the cauliflower, some cake and jam."

皮諾喬給最后一樣好吃的東西吸引住，再也沒法抗拒，下定決心說：

At this last bribery, Pinocchio could no longer resist and said firmly:

“沒辦法!就給您把這瓦罐水送到家去吧!”

"Very well. I'll take the jug home for you."

瓦罐很重，木偶用兩只手拿不動，就用頭來頂。

The jug was very heavy, and the Marionette, not being strong enough to carry it with his hands, had to put it on his head.

到了家里，好心的小婦人讓皮諾喬坐在一張鋪好臺布的小桌子旁邊，在他面前放上面包、調(diào)好味的花椰菜和酒心糖。

When they arrived home, the little woman made Pinocchio sit down at a small table and placed before him the bread, the cauliflower, and the cake. Pinocchio did not eat; he devoured. His stomach seemed a bottomless pit.

皮諾喬不是吃而是吞。他的肚子像一間五個月沒住人的空屋。

His hunger finally appeased, he raised his head to thank his kind benefactress. But he had not looked at her long when he gave a cry of surprise and sat there with his eyes wide open, his fork in the air, and his mouth filled with bread and cauliflower.

肚子本來餓得像咬一樣痛，這時一點一點不痛了，他就抬起頭來，想要謝謝給他吃飯的小婦人?？墒遣趴吹谝谎?，他就驚奇得拖長聲音大叫：“噢——!”他坐在那里呆呆的一動不動，眼睛瞪圓，叉子高高舉著，嘴巴里塞滿了面包和花椰菜。

"Why all this surprise?" asked the good woman, laughing.

你為什么這樣驚奇呀?”好心的小婦人笑著說。

"Because -- " answered Pinocchio, stammering and stuttering, "because -- you look like -- you remind me of -- yes, yes, the same voice, the same eyes, the same hair -- yes, yes, yes, you also have the same azure hair she had -- Oh, my little Fairy, my little Fairy! Tell me that it is you! Don't make me cry any longer! If you only knew! I have cried so much, I have suffered so!"

“您是……”皮諾喬結(jié)結(jié)巴巴地回答，“您是……您是……您好像是……您讓我想起了……對，對，對，同樣的聲音……同樣的眼睛……同樣的頭發(fā)……對，對，對……您也有天藍(lán)色的頭發(fā)……像她一樣!……喚，我的好仙女!……喚，我的好仙女!……跟我說一聲就是您吧，的的確確就是您吧!……別叫我再哭了!你要是知道就好了!……我已經(jīng)哭夠了，我已經(jīng)受夠苦了!……”

And Pinocchio threw himself on the floor and clasped the knees of the mysterious little woman.

皮諾喬這么說著，哭得淚如泉涌，跪倒在地，抱住這神秘小婦人的膝蓋。