雙語《小約翰》 三

III
三

“Well，where is he，Presto？ Where is your little master then？”How alarming to wake in the boat among the reeds—quite alone—the master vanished entirely！this is something indeed to be frightened at．And now run about，hunting on all sides with timid little whinings，poor Presto！How could you sleep so soundly as not to notice when your master left the boat？ Generally you are wont to wake if only he moves a little．Here—you can see here where your master landed；but now you are on land the track is very much confused．All your busy snuffing is in vain！What a misfortune！The little master gone，quite lost！Seek，Presto，seek him then！“Look！ There，against that low mound just before you—Is there not a little dark figure lying？ Look at it closely！”
他在那里呢，普烈斯多？——你的小主人在那里呢？——在船上，在蘆葦間醒來的時候，怎樣地吃驚呵——只剩了自己——主人是無蹤無影地消失了。這可教人擔心和害怕——你現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)奔波得很久，并且不住地奮亢的嗚嗚著尋覓他罷？——可憐的普烈斯多。你怎么也能睡得這樣熟，且不留心你的主人離了船呢？平常是只要他一動，你就醒了的。你平常這樣靈敏的鼻子，今天不為你所用了。你幾乎辨不出主人從那里上岸，在這沙岡上也完全失掉了蹤跡。你的熱心的齅也不幫助你。唉，這絕望！主人去了！無蹤無影地去了！——那么，尋罷，普烈斯多，尋他罷！且住，正在你前面，在岡坡上——那邊不是躺著一點小小的、暗黑的東西么？你好好地看一看罷！

For a moment the dog stood motionless，looking eagerly into the distance．Then he suddenly stretched out his head and flew as fast as his four slender legs could carry him to the dark object on the mound．
那小狗屹立著傾聽了一些時，并且凝視著遠處。于是它忽然抬起頭來，用了它四條細腿的全力，跑向?qū)律系陌岛诘男↑c那里去了。

And when he found that it really was the little master he had so sorely missed，all his powers were too feeble to express his joy and thankfulness．He wagged his tail，his whole body wriggled with glee，he leaped，barked，yelped，and laid his cold nose against his re-found friend，licking and sniffing all over his face．
一尋到，卻確是那苦痛的失蹤的小主人，于是它盡力設法，表出它的一切高興和感謝來，似乎還不夠。它搖尾，跳躍，嗚嗚吠叫，并且向多時尋覓的人齅著，舐著，將冷鼻子擱在臉面上。

“Down，Presto！Go to your basket！”cried Johannes，but half awake．
“靜靜的罷，普烈斯多，到你的窠里去！”約翰在半睡中大聲說。

How stupid of master！There was no basket to be seen，look where he might．
主人有多么胡涂呵！凡是望得見的地方，沒有一個窠在近處。

Slowly，slowly，light began to dawn on the little sleeper's mind．Presto's sniffing！—he was used to that，every morning．Faint images still floated before his soul，dream-pictures of elves and moonlight， like morning mists over a landscape of sand-hills．He feared that the cold breath of day would waft them away．“Keep your eyes shut，”said he to himself，“or you will see the clock against the wall where it always hangs！”
小小的睡眠者的精神逐漸清楚起來了。普烈斯多的齅——這是他每天早晨習慣了的。但在他的靈魂之前，還掛著妖精和月光的輕微的夢影，正如丘岡景色上的曉霧一般。他生怕清晨的涼快的呼吸會將這些驅(qū)走?！昂仙涎劬Γ彼?，“要不然，我又將看見時鐘和地毯，像平日似的。”

But there was something strange about his bed．He felt that he had no bed-clothes over him．Gently and warily he opened his eyes， just a little way．
但他也躺得很異樣。他覺得他沒有被。慢慢地他小心著將眼睛睜開了一線。

Bright daylight．Blue sky．Clouds．
明亮的光！藍的天！云！

Then Johannes opened his eyes very wide and said：“Then it was true？”Yes．He was lying among the sand-hills．The cheerful sunshine warmed him；he breathed the fresh morning air；a filmy mist hung over the woods beyond．He saw the tall beech-tree by the pool，and the roof of his own home rising above the shrubbery．Bees and beetles were buzzing around him，overhead a lark was singing；in the distance he could hear dogs barking and the hum of the neighbouring town．It was all real，beyond a doubt．
于是約翰睜大了眼睛，并且說：“那是真的么？”是呀！他躺在岡的中間。清朗的日光溫暖他；他吸進新鮮的朝氣去，在他的眼前還有一層薄霧環(huán)繞著遠處的山林。他只看見池邊的高的山毛櫸樹和自家的屋頂伸出在叢碧的上面。蜜蜂和甲蟲繞著他飛鳴；頭上唱著高飛的云雀，遠處傳來犬吠和遠隔的城市的喧囂。這些都是純粹的事實。

What then had he dreamed，and what was true？ Where was Windekind？ And the rabbit？
然而他曾經(jīng)夢見了什么還是沒有什么呢？旋兒在那里呢？還有那野兔？

He saw nothing of either．Only Presto，who sat as close to him as possible and looked at him expectantly．
兩個他都不見。只有普烈斯多坐在他身邊，久候了似的搖著尾巴向他看。

“Can I have been walking in my sleep？”Johannes murmured softly to himself．
“我真成了夢游者了么？”約翰自己問。

By his side there was a rabbit's burrow；but there were so many in the down．He sat up to see more plainly．What was this in his tightly clasped fingers？
他的近旁是一個兔窟。這在岡上倒是常有的。他站起來，要去看它個仔細。在他緊握的手里他覺得什么呢？

A glow flashed through him from head to foot as he opened his hand．In it lay a bright little gold key．For a few moments he sat silent．
他攤開手，他從脊骨到腳跟都震悚了。是燦爛著一個小小的、黃金的鎖匙。他默默地坐了許多時。

“Presto，”said he then，and the tears almost came into his eyes，“Presto．Then it was true！”
“普烈斯多！”他于是說，幾乎要哭出來，“普烈斯多，這也還是實在的！”

Presto sprang up，and tried by barking to make his master understand that he was hungry and wanted to go home．
普烈斯多一躍而起，試用吠叫來指示它的主人，它饑餓了，它要回家去。

Home？ To be sure．Johannes had not thought of that，and he did not particularly care to go．However，he presently heard his name called by loud voices．Then he began to understand that his proceedings would certainly not be regarded as right and satisfactory， and that far from kindly words awaited him on his return．
回家么？是的，約翰沒有想到這一層，他于此也很少掛念。但他即刻聽到幾種聲音叫著他的名字了。他便明白，他的舉動，大家是全不能當作馴良和規(guī)矩的，他還須等候那很不和氣的話。

For a moment he could hardly be sure whether his tears of joy had not，in vexation，turned to tears of fear and contrition；but then he remembered Windekind，who was now his friend，his friend and ally；and the Elfin King's gift；and the splendid，indisputable reality of all that had happened；—and so he made his way homeward calmly，and prepared for whatever might betide．
只一剎時，高興的眼淚化為恐怖和后悔的眼淚了。但他就想著現(xiàn)是他的朋友和心腹的旋兒，想著妖王的贈品，還想著過去一切的華美的不能否認的真實，他靜靜地，被諸事羈絆著，向回家的路上走。

It fell out as he had anticipated．But he had not imagined that the distress and alarm of the house-hold could be so serious a matter．He must solemnly promise never again to be so naughty and heedless．This quite restored his presence of mind．“That I cannot promise，”he said very resolutely．They looked at him in amazement．He was questioned，coaxed，threatened．But he thought of Windekind and was firm．What did he care for punishment so long as he had Windekind for his friend—and what would he not endure for Windekind's sake？ He clutched the little key tightly to his breast and shut his mouth firmly，answering every question with a shrug of his shoulders．“I cannot promise，”was all he replied．
那遭際是比他所豫料的還不利。他想不到他的家屬有這樣地恐怖和不安。他應該鄭重地認可，永不再是這么頑皮和大意了。這又給他一個羈絆?！斑@我不能！”他堅決地說。人們很詫異。他被訊問、懇求、恫嚇。但他卻只想著旋兒，堅持著。只要能保住旋兒的友情，他怕什么責罰呢——為了旋兒，他有什么不能忍受呢？他將小鎖匙緊緊地按在胸前，并且緊閉了嘴唇，每一問，都只用聳肩來作回答?！拔也荒芤欢??！彼朗钦f。

But his father said：“Leave him in peace；he is quite in earnest about it．Something strange must have happened to him．He will tell us all about it some day．”
但他的父親卻道：“那就不管他罷，這于他太嚴緊了。他必是遇到了什么出奇的事情。將來總會有講給我們的時候的。”

Johannes smiled，ate his breakfast in silence，and crept up to his little room．There he nipped off a bit of the blind-cord，slipped it through his precious little key and hung it round his neck next to his breast．Then he very contentedly went to school．
約翰微笑，沉默著吃了他的奶油面包，就潛進自己的小屋去。他剪下一段窗幔的繩子，系了那寶貴的鎖匙，帖身掛在胸前。于是他放心去上學校了。

Things went ill with him at school that day．He knew none of his lessons and paid no attention at all．His thoughts were constantly wandering to the pool，and the wonderful things which had happened last evening．He could scarcely believe that a friend of the fairy king's could be expected and required to do sums and conjugate verbs．But it had all been true，and no one there knew anything about it，or would believe it or understand it；not even the master，however cross he might be，calling Johannes an idle little boy in a tone of great contempt．He took the bad marks he had earned with a light heart，and did the task set him as a punishment for his inattention．
這一天他在學校里確是很不行。他做不出他的學課，而且也全不經(jīng)意。他的思想總是飛向池邊和昨夜的奇異的事件去。他幾乎想不明白，怎么一個妖王的朋友現(xiàn)在須負做算術和變化動詞的義務了。然而這一切都是真實，周圍的人們于此誰也不知道，誰也不能夠相信或相疑，連那教員都不，雖然他也深刻地瞥著眼，并且也輕蔑地將約翰叫作懶東西。他欣然承受了這不好的品評，還做著懲罰的工作，這是他的疏忽拉給他的。

“You，none of you understand anything about it．You may scold me as much as you please．I am Windekind's friend，and Windekind is worth more to me than all of you put together．Ay，with the master into the bargain！”
“他們誰都猜不到。他們要怎樣呵斥我，都隨意吧。旋兒總是我的朋友，而且旋兒于我，勝過所有他們的全群，連先生都算上。”

This was not respectful of Johannes．But his estimation of his fellow-creatures had not been raised by all the evil he had heard said of them the evening before．But，as is often the case，he was not yet wise enough to use his wisdom wisely，or，better still，to keep it to himself．
約翰這是不大恭敬的。對于他的同胞的敬意，自從他前晚聽到議論他們的一切劣點之后，卻是沒有加增。

When the master went on to say that man alone of all creatures was endowed by God with speech，and appointed lord over all other animals，Johannes began to laugh．This cost him a bad mark and serious reproof．And when his next neighbour read the following sentence out of an exercise-book：“The age of my wilful aunt is great，but not so great as that of the Sun”—parsing“the Sun”correctly as feminine，Johannes shouted out loudly，correcting him：“Masculine，masculine！”
當教員講述著，怎樣只有人類是由上帝給與了理性，并且置于一切動物之上，作為主人的時候，他笑起來了。這又給他博得一個不好的品評和嚴厲的指摘。待到他的鄰座者在課本上讀著下面的話：“我的任性的叔母的年齡是大的，然而較之太陽，沒有伊的那么大?！薄s翰便趕快大聲地叫道：“他的！”

Every one laughed excepting the master，who was amazed at such utter stupidity as he thought it，and he desired Johannes to remain in school and write out a hundred times：“The age of my wilful aunt is great，but not so great as that of the Sun（feminine）， and greater still is my arrogant stupidity．”
大家都笑他，連那教員，對于他所說那樣的自負的胡涂覺得詫異，教約翰留下，并且寫一百回：“我的任性的叔母的年齡是大的，然而較之太陽，沒有伊的那么大——較之兩個更大的，然而是我的胡涂。”

His school-fellows had departed，and Johannes sat alone writing，in the great empty school-room．The sun shone in brightly， making the dust-motes glitter in its beams，and painting the wall with patches of light which crept round as time went on．The master， too，was gone，slamming the door behind him．Johannes had just got to the fifty-second“wilful aunt”when a tiny，brisk mouse，with black，beady little eyes and erect ears，came out of the farthest corner of the room and ran noiselessly along by the wall．Johannes kept as still as death，not to scare the pretty little thing；but it was not shy and came close to where he was sitting．It looked sharply about for a minute or two，with its small，bright eyes；then with one spring leaped on to the bench，and with a second on to the desk on which Johannes was writing．
學生們都去了，約翰孤獨地坐在廣大的校區(qū)里面寫。太陽光愉快地映射進來，在它的經(jīng)過的路上使無數(shù)白色的塵埃發(fā)閃，還在白涂的墻上形成明亮的點，和時間的代謝慢慢地遷移。教員走了，高聲地關了門。當約翰寫到第二十五任性的叔母的時候，一匹小小的、敏捷的小鼠，有著烏黑的珠子眼和綢緞似的小耳朵，無聲地從班級的最遠的角上沿著壁偷偷走來了。約翰一聲不響，怕趕走了那有趣的小動物。但這小鼠并不膽怯，徑到約翰的座前。它用細小的明亮的眼睛暫時鋒利地四顧，便敏捷地一跳，到了椅子上，再一跳就上了約翰在寫著字的書桌。

“Well done！”said he half to himself，“you are a very bold little mouse．”
“阿，阿，”他半是自言自語地說，“你倒是一匹勇敢的鼠子?！?/span>

“I ought to know whom I should be afraid of，”said a wee-wee voice，and the mouse showed his little white teeth as if he were laughing．
“我卻也不知道，我須怕誰?！币环N微細的聲音說，那小鼠還微笑似的露出雪白的小牙。

Johannes was by this time quite used to marvels；still，this made him open his eyes very wide．Here，in school，in the middle of the day—it was incredible．
約翰曾經(jīng)閱歷過許多奇異的事——但這時卻還是圓睜了眼睛。這樣地在白天而且在學校里——這是不可信的。

“You need not be afraid of me，”said he，very gently for fear of frightening the mouse．“Did Windekind send you？”
“在我這里你無須恐怖，”他低聲說，仍然是怕驚嚇了那小鼠——“你是從旋兒那里來的么？”

“I am sent to tell you that the master was quite right，and that you thoroughly deserved your extra task．”
“我正從那里來，來告訴你，那教員完全有理，你的懲罰是恰恰相當?shù)摹！?/span>

“But it was Windekind who told me that the sun was masculine．He said he was his father．”
“但是旋兒說的呵，太陽蓋是男性，太陽是我們的父親?！?/span>

“Yes；but no one else need know it．What have men to do with that？ You must never discuss such delicate matters with men；they are too gross to understand them．Man is an astonishingly perverse and stupid creature that only cares to catch or kill whatever comes within his reach．Of that we mice have ample experience．”
“是的，然而此外用不著誰知道。這和人類有什么相干呢。你永不必將這么精微的事去對人類講。他們太粗。人是一種可駭?shù)膼毫雍托U野的東西，只要什么到了他的范圍之內(nèi)，他最喜歡將一切擒拿和蹂躪。這是我們鼠族從經(jīng)驗上識得的。”

“But why then，little mouse，do you live among men？ Why do you not run away to the woods？”
“但是，小鼠，你為什么停在他們的四近呢，你為什么不遠遠地躲到山林里去呢？”

“Oh，that we cannot do now．We are too much accustomed to town living．And so long as we are prudent，and always take care to avoid their traps and their heavy feet，we get on very well among men．Fortunately we are very nimble．The worst of it is，that man ekes out his own slowness by an alliance with the cat；that is a great grievance．But in the woods there are owls and hawks，and we should all be starved．Now，Johannes，mind my advice—here comes the master．”
“唉，我們現(xiàn)在不再能夠了。我們太慣于都市風味了。如果小心著，并且時時注意，避開他們的捕機和他們的沉重的腳，在人類里也就可以支撐。幸而我們也還算敏捷的。最壞的是人類和貓結(jié)了一個聯(lián)盟，借此來補救他們自己的蠢笨——這是大不幸。但山林里卻有梟和鷹，我們會一切都死完。好，約翰，記著我的忠告罷，教員來了！”

“Mouse，mouse；do not go away．Ask Windekind what I am to do with my little key．I have tied it round my neck，next my skin．But on Saturday I am tubbed，and I am so afraid that it will be found．Tell me，where can I hide it？”
“小鼠，小鼠，不要走。問問旋兒，我將我的匙兒怎么辦呢？我將這帖胸掛在頸子上。土曜日我要換干凈的小衫，我很怕有誰會看見。告訴我罷，我藏在那里最是穩(wěn)當呢，愛的小鼠。”

“Underground，always underground，that is always safest．Shall I keep it for you？”
“在地里，永久在地里，這是最為穩(wěn)當?shù)?。要我給你收藏起來么？”

“No，not here in school．”
“不，不要在這里學校里！”

“Then bury it out in the sand-hills．I will tell my cousin the field-mouse that he must take care of it．”
“那就埋在那邊岡子上。我要通知我的表姊，那野鼠去，教她必須留神些?！?/span>

“Thank you，little mouse．”
“多謝，小鼠?！?/span>

Tramp，tramp！In came the master．While Johannes was dipping his pen the mouse had vanished．The master，who wanted to go home，let Johannes off the other forty-eight lines．
蓬，蓬！教員到來了。這時候，約翰正將他的筆尖浸在墨水里，那小鼠是消失了。自己想要回家的教員，就赦免了約翰四十八行字。

For two days Johannes lived in constant dread．He was kept strictly within sight，and had no opportunity of slipping off to the sand-hills．It was already Friday，and still the precious key was about his neck．The following evening he would inevitably be stripped；the key would be discovered and taken from him—his blood turned cold at the thought．He dared not hide it in the house or garden—no place seemed to him safe enough．
兩日之久，約翰在不斷的憂懼中過活。他受了嚴重的監(jiān)視，凡有溜到岡上去的機會，都被剝奪了。已經(jīng)是金曜日，他還在帶著那寶貴的匙兒往來。明天晚上他便須換穿干凈的小衫，人會發(fā)見這匙兒，而且拿了去——他為了這思想而戰(zhàn)栗。家里或園里他都不敢藏：他覺得沒有一處是夠安穩(wěn)的。

Friday afternoon，and dusk was creeping down！Johannes sat at his bedroom window，gazing with longing at the distance，over the green shrubs in the garden to the downs beyond．
金曜日的晚上了，黃昏已經(jīng)闖進來。約翰坐在他臥室的窗前，出神地從園子的碧綠的叢草中眺望著遠處的岡阜。

“Windekind，Windekind，help me！”he whispered anxiously．
“旋兒！旋兒！幫助我?！彼麘n悶地絮叨著。

He heard a soft rustling of wings close at hand，he smelt the scent of lilies of the valley，and suddenly heard the sweet，well-known voice．
近旁響著一種輕輕的拍翅聲，他聞到鈴蘭的香味，還忽然聽得熟識的、甜美的聲音。

Windekind sat by him on the window-sill，waving the bells of a lily of the valley on their slender stems．
旋兒靠近他坐在窗沿上，搖動著一枝長梗的鈴蘭。

“Here you are at last！”cried Johannes；“I have longed for you so much！”
“你到底來了！——我是這么渴想你！”約翰說。

“Come with me，Johannes，we will bury your little key．”
“同我走，約翰，我們要埋起你的匙兒。”

“I cannot，”said Johannes sadly．
“我不能?！奔s翰慘淡地嘆息說。

But Windekind took him by the hand and he felt himself wafted through the still evening air，as light as the wind-blown down of a dandelion．
然而旋兒握了他的手，他便覺得他輕得正如一粒蒲公英的帶著羽毛的種子，在靜穆的晚天里飄浮而去了。

“Windekind，”said Johannes，as they floated on，“I love you so dearly．I believe I would give all the people in the world for you，and Presto into the bargain．”
“旋兒，”約翰飄浮著說，“我這樣地愛你。我相信，我能為你放下一切的人們，連普烈斯多！”

“And Simon？”
旋兒吻他，問道：“連西蒙？”

“Oh，Simon does not care whether I love him or not．I believe he thinks it too childish．Simon loves no one but the fish-woman， and that only when he is hungry．Do you think that Simon is a common cat，Windekind？”
“阿，我喜歡西蒙與否，這于它不算什么。我想，它以為這是孩子氣的。西蒙就只喜歡那賣魚的女人，而且這也只在它肚餓的時候。從你看來，西蒙是一匹平常的貓么，旋兒？”

“No，formerly he was a man．”
“不，它先前是一個人?！?/span>

Whrrr—bang！There went a fat cockchafer buzzing against Johannes．
呼——蓬！——一個金蟲向約翰撞來了。

“Can you not look where you are going？”grumbled the cockchafer，“those Elves fly abroad as though the whole air were theirs by right．That is always the way with idlers who go flitting about for pleasure；those who，like me，are about their business， seeking their food and eating as hard as they can，are pushed out of their road．”
“你們不能看清楚一點么，”金蟲不平地說，“妖精族紛飛著，好像他們將全部的空氣都租去了！會無用到這樣，總是單為了自己的快樂飄來飄去——而我輩，盡著自己的義務，永是追求著食物，只要能吃多少，便盡量吃多少的，卻被他們趕到路旁去了?！?/span>

And he flew off，scolding loudly．
它呶呶著飛了開去。

“Does he think the worse of us because we do not eat？”asked Johannes．
“我們不吃，它以為不好么？”約翰問。

“Yes，that is the way of cockchafers．According to them，the highest duty is to eat a great deal．Shall I tell you the history of a young cockchafer？”
“是呵，金蟲類是這樣的。金蟲以為這是它們的最高的義務，大嚼得多。要我給你講一個幼小的金蟲的故事么？”

“Ay，do，”said Johannes．
“好，講罷，旋兒！”

“There was a pretty young cockchafer who had just crept out of the earth．That was a great surprise．For a whole year he had sat waiting in the dark earth，watching for the first warm summer evening．And when he put his head out of the clod，all the greenery， and the waving grass，and the singing-birds quite bewildered him．He had no idea what to be about．He touched the blades of grass with his feelers，spreading them out in a fan．Then he observed that he was a male cockchafer，very handsome in his way，with shining black legs，a large，fat body，and a breastplate that shone like a mirror．As luck would have it，he at once saw，not far off，another cockchafer，not indeed so handsome as himself，but who had come out the day before and who was quite old．Very modestly，being still so young，he crept towards the other．
“曾經(jīng)有一個好看的幼小的金蟲，是剛從地里鉆出來的。唔，這是大奇事。它坐在黑暗的地下一整年，等候著第一個溫暖的夜晚。待到它從地皮里伸出頭來的時候，所有的綠葉和鳴禽都使它非?；艔埩?。它不知道它究竟應該怎樣開手。它用了它的觸角，去摸近地的小草莖，并且扇子似的將這伸開去。于是它覺得，它是雄的。它是它種族中的一個美麗的模范，有著燦爛的烏黑的前足，厚積塵埃的后腹，和一個胸甲，鏡子似的放光。幸而不久它在近處看見了一個別的金蟲，那雖然沒有這樣美，然而前一天已經(jīng)飛出，因此確是有了年紀的。因為它這樣地年青，它便極其謙恭地去叫那一個。

“‘What do you want，my friend？’said the second cockchafer rather haughtily，seeing that the other was a youngster，‘do you wish to ask me the way？’
“‘什么事，朋友？’那一個從上面問，因為它看出這一個是新家伙了，‘你要問我道路么？’

“‘No，I am obliged to you，’said the younger one civilly，‘but I do not know what I ought to be doing．What is there for cockchafers to do？’
“‘不，請你原諒，’幼小的金蟲謙恭地說，‘我先不知道，這里我必須怎樣開頭。做金蟲是應該怎么辦的？’

“‘Dear me，’said the other，‘do not you know that much？ Well， I cannot blame you，for I was young myself once．Listen，then，and I will tell you．The principal thing in a cockchafer's life is to eat．Not far from this is a delicious lime-walk which was placed there for us， and it is our duty to eat there as diligently as we can．’
“‘哦，原來，’那一個說，‘那你不知道么？我明白你，我也曾經(jīng)這樣的。好好地聽罷，我就要告訴你了。金蟲生活的最要義是大嚼。離此不遠有一片貴重的菩提樹林，那是為我們而種的，將它竭力地勤勉地大嚼，是我們所有的義務?！?/span>

“‘Who put the lime-walk there？’asked the younger beetle．
“‘誰將這菩提樹林安置在那里的呢？’年幼的甲蟲問。

“‘Well，a great being who means very kindly to us．He comes down the Avenue every morning，and those who have eaten most he takes away to a splendid house where a beautiful light shines，and where chafers are all happy together．Those，on the other hand，who， instead of eating，spend the night in flying about are caught by the Bat．’
“‘阿，一個大東西，是給我們辦得很好的。每早晨這就走過樹林，有誰大嚼得最多的，這就帶它去，到一所華美的屋子里。那屋子是放著清朗的光，一切金蟲都在那里幸福地團聚著的。但要是誰不大嚼，反而整夜向各處紛飛的，它就要被蝙蝠捉住了?！?/span>

“‘What is that？’asked the young one．
“‘那是誰呢？’新家伙問。

“‘A fearful monster with sharp teeth who comes flying down on us all on a sudden and eats us up with a horrible crunch．’
“‘這是一種可怕的怪物，有著鋒利的牙，它從我們的后面突然飛來，用殘酷的一嘎咭便吃盡了?！?/span>

“As the chafer spoke they heard a shrill squeak overhead which chilled them to the very marrow．‘Hark！There he is！’cried the elder，‘beware of him，my young friend，and be thankful that I have given you timely warning．You have the whole night before you．Make good use of your time．The less you eat，the greater the risk of the bat's seizing you．And none but those who choose a serious vocation in life ever go to the house where the beautiful light is．Mark that；a serious vocation．’
“甲蟲正在這么說，它們聽得上面有清亮的霍的一聲，透了它們的心髓?！?，那就是！’長輩大聲說，‘你要小心它，青年朋友。感謝罷，恰巧我通知你了。你的前面有一個整夜，不要耽誤罷。你吃得越少，禍事就越多，會被蝙蝠吞掉的。只有能夠挑選那正經(jīng)的生活的本分的，才到有著清朗的光的屋子去。記著罷！正經(jīng)的生活的本分！’

“Then the chafer，who was by a whole day the elder，disappeared among the blades of grass，leaving the other greatly impressed．“Do you know what a vocation is，Johannes？ No？ Well，the young chafer did not know．It had something to do with eating—he understood that．But how was he to find the lime-walk？
“年紀大了一整天的那甲蟲，于是在草梗之間爬開去了，并且將這一個惘然地留下?！阒烂?，什么是生活的本分，約翰？不罷？那幼小的甲蟲也正不知道。這事和大嚼相連，它是懂得的。然而它須怎樣，才可以到那菩提樹林呢？

“Close at hand stood a slender but stalwart grass-stem，waving softly in the evening air．This he firmly clutched with his six crooked legs．It seemed a long journey up to the top，and very steep．But the cockchafer was determined to reach it．‘This is a vocation！’he thought to himself，and began to climb with much toil．He went but slowly and often slipped back；but he got on，and when at last he found himself on the slender tip，and rocked with its swaying，he felt triumphant and happy．What a view he had from thence！It seemed to him that he could see the whole world．How blissful it was to be surrounded by air on all sides！He eagerly breathed his fill．What a wonderful feeling had come over him！Now he craved to go higher！ In his rapture he raised his wing-cases and quivered his gauzy wings．Higher！and yet higher I His wings fluttered，his legs released the grass-stem，and then—oh joy！Whoo-oo I He was flying—freely and gladly，in the still，warm evening air！”
“它近旁豎著一枝瘦長的，有力的草梗，輕輕地在晚風中搖擺。它就用它六條彎曲的腿，很堅牢地抓住它。從下面望去，它覺得仿佛一個高大的巨靈而且很險峻。但那金蟲還要往上走。這是生活的本分，它想，并且怯怯地開始了升進。這是緩慢的，它屢次滑回去，然而它向前。當它終于爬到最高的梢頭，在那上面動蕩和搖擺的時候，它覺得滿足和幸福。它在那里望見什么呢？這在它，似乎看見了全世界。各方面都由空氣環(huán)繞著，這是多么極樂呵！它盡量鼓起后腹來。它興致很稀奇！它總想要升上去！它在大歡喜中掀起了翅鞘，暫時抖動著網(wǎng)翅——它要升上去，永是升上去——又抖動著它的翅子，爪子放掉了草梗，而且——阿，高興呀！……呼——呼——它飛起來了——自由而且快樂——到那靜穆的，溫暖的晚空中?！?/span>

“And then？”said Johannes．
“以后呢？”約翰問。

“The end is not happy．I will tell it you some day later．”
“后文并不有趣，我下回再給你講罷?！?/span>

They were hovering over the pool．A pair of white butterflies fluttered to meet them．
他們飛過池子了，兩只遷延的白胡蝶和他們一同翩躚著。

“Whither are you travelling，elves？”they asked．
“這一程往那里去呀，妖精們？”它們問。

“To the large wild rose-tree which blooms by yonder mound．”
“往大的岡薔薇那里去，那在那邊坡上開著花的?！?/span>

“We will go with you；we will go too！”
“我們和你們一路去！”

The rose-bush was already in sight in the distance，with its abundance of pale-yellow sheeny blossoms．The buds were red and the open flowers were dashed with red，as if they remembered the time when they were still buds．The wild down-rose bloomed in peaceful solitude，and filled the air with its wonderfully sweet odours．They are so fine that the down-elves live on nothing else．The butterflies fluttered about and kissed flower after flower．
從遠處早就分明看見，她有著她的許多嫩黃的、綿軟的花。小蓓蕾已經(jīng)染得通紅，開了的花還顯著紅色的條紋，作為那一時的記號，那時她們還是蓓蕾的。在寂寞的寧靜中開著野生的岡薔薇，并且將四近滿注了她們的奇甜的香味。這是有如此華美，至使岡妖們的食養(yǎng)，就只靠著她們。胡蝶在她們上面盤旋，還一朵一朵地去接吻。

“We have come to place a treasure in your charge，”cried Windekind．“Will you keep it safe for us？”
“我們這來，是有一件寶貝要托付你們，”旋兒大聲說，“你們肯給我們看管這個么？”

“Why not—why not？”whispered the rose．“It is no pain to me to keep awake—and I have no thought of going away unless I am dragged away．And I have sharp thorns．”
“為什么不呢？為什么不呢？”岡薔薇細聲說，“我是不以守候為苦的——如果人不將我移去，我并不要走動。我又有鋒利的刺。”

Then came the field-mouse—the cousin of the school-mouse—and burrowed quite under the roots of the rose-tree．And there he buried the little key．
于是野鼠到了，學校里的小鼠的表姊，在薔薇的根下掘了一條路。它就運進鎖匙去。

“When you want it again you must call me；for you must on no account hurt the rose．”
“如果你要取回去，就應該再叫我。那么，你就用不著使薔薇為難?！?/span>

The rose twined its thorny arms thickly over the entrance and took a solemn oath to guard it faithfully．The butterflies were witnesses．
薔薇將她的帶刺的枝條交織在進口上，并且鄭重允許，忠實地看管著。胡蝶是見證。

Next morning Johannes awoke in his own little bed，with Presto，and the clock against the wall．The cord with the key was gone from round his neck．
第二天的早晨，約翰在自己的床上醒來了，在普烈斯多的旁邊，在鐘和地毯的旁邊。那系著鎖匙的掛在他頸上的繩子消失了。