美國語文第五冊 第81期：不滿意的鐘擺（04）
"Very good," replied the dial;
“很好，”表盤說道，
but recollect that, although you may think of a million of strokes in an instant, you are required to execute but one;
不過，你想一下，雖然，你或許考慮頃刻間需要一百萬次滴答，其實你實施的唯有最初的一次，
and that, however often you may hereafter have to swing, a moment will always be given you to swing in.
因為接下來，往往無論你搖擺多少，你的感覺總是滴答不停。
"That consideration staggers me, I confess," said the pendulum.
“一想到這點，我就眩暈得不行，我承認(rèn)。”鐘擺說。
"Then I hope," resumed the dial plate, that we shall all return to our duty immediately; for the maids will be in bed if we stand idling thus.
“那么，我希望，”表盤接著說，我們大家立即各就各位，女仆們馬上就該起床了，我們還在這無所事事地閑聊。
Upon this, the weights, who had never been accused of light conduct, used all their influence in urging him to proceed;
聽到這話，從未有人指責(zé)自己工作輕巧的刻度量衡，紛紛竭盡全力地勸說鐘擺繼續(xù)干活，
when, as if with one consent, the wheels began to turn, the hands began to move, the pendulum began to swing,
末了，大家看來意見達到統(tǒng)一，于是，齒輪們轉(zhuǎn)動起來，時鐘們開始踱步，鐘擺也進入搖擺狀態(tài)。
and, to its credit, ticked as loud as ever; while a red beam of the rising sun,
為證實自己信用如一，鐘擺滴答聲與以前同樣鏗鏘有力。初升太陽的光線，
that streamed through a hole in the kitchen, shining full upon the dial plate, it brightened up as if nothing had been the matter.
從廚房上的一處洞口流瀉下來，紅色陽光落滿表盤的臉龐，表盤眉眼熠熠生輝，好像剛才什么事都不曾發(fā)生過。
When the farmer came down to breakfast that morning, upon looking at the clock, he declared that his watch had gained half an hour in the night.
那天早晨，那位農(nóng)夫走進廚房吃早飯，抬頭看了看鐘說，他的表，昨晚快了半小時。
