英語專八翻譯模擬練習題（1）

　　The shops of London are as well furnished as thoese of Pekin. Those of London have a picture hung at their door, informing the passengers what they have to sell, as those at Pekin have a board to assure the buyer that they have no intention to cheat him.

　　I was this morning to buy silk for a nightcap: immediately upon entering the mercer's shop, the master and his two men, with wigs plastered with powder, appeared to ask my commands. They were certainly the civilest people alive; if I but looked, they flew to the place where I cast my eye; every motion of mine sent them running round the whole shop for my satisfaction. I informed them that I wanted what was good, and they showed me not less than forty pieces, and each was better than the former the prettiest patern in nature, and the fitterst in the world for nightcaps. "My very good friend," said I to the mercer. "You must not pretend to instruct me in silks; I know these in particular to be no better than your mere flimsy Bungees.----"That may be," cired the mercer, who, I afterwards found, had never contradicted a man in his life; " I cannot pretend to say but they may; but I can assure you, my Lady Trail has had a sack from this piece this very morning."-"But, friend," said I, "though my lady has chosen a sack from it, I see no necessity that I should chosen a sack from it, I see no necessity that I should wear it for a nightcap.----"That may be," returned he again, "Yet what becomes a pretty lady, will at any time look well on a handsome gentleman." This short compliment was thrown in so very seasonably upon my ugly face, that even though I disliked the silk, I desired him to cut me off the pattern of a nightcap.

　　While this business was consigned to his journeymen, the master himself took down some pieces of silk still finer than any I had yet seen, and spreading them before me. "There, " cries he, "there's beauty; my Loard Snakeskin has bespoke the fellow to this for the birthnight this very morning; it would look charmingly in waistcoats." ---"But I don't want a waistcoat." replied I. "Not want a waistcoat!" returned the mercer, "then I would advise you to buy one; when waistcoats are wanted, you may depend upon it they will come dear. Always buy before you want and you ae sure to be welll used, as they say in Chpeapside." There was so much justice in his advice, that I could not refuse taking it; besides, the silk, which was really a good one, increased the temptation; so I gave orders for that too.

　　As I was waiting to have my bargains measured and cut, which, I know not how, they executed but slowly , during the interval the mercer entertained me with ther modern manner of some of the nobility receiving company in their morning gowns; "Perhaps, Sir," adds he, "you have a mind to see what kind of silk is universally worn." Without waiting for my reply, he spreads a piece before me, which might be rechoned beautiful even in China. "If the nobility," continues he, "were to know I sold this to any under a Right Honourable, I should certainly lose their custom; you see, my lord, it is at once rich, tasty, and quite the thing."---" I am no lord," interrupted I.--"I beg pardon." cried he, "but be pleased to remember, when you intend buying a morning gown, that you had an offer from me of something worth money. Conscience, sir,conscience is my way of dealing; you may buy a morning gown now, or you may stay till they become dearer and less fashionable; but it is not my business to advise." In short, most reverened Fum, he persuaded me to buy a morning gown also, and would probably have persuaded me to buy a morning gown also, and would probably have persuaded me to have bought half the goods in his shop, if I had stayed long enough, or was furnished with sufficient money.

　　Upon returning home, I could not help reflectiong, with some astonishment, how this very man, with such a confined education and capacity, was yet capable of turning me as he thought proper, and moulding me to his inclinations! I know he was only answering his own purpose, even while he attempted to appear solicitous about mine; yet, by a voluntary infatuation, a sort of passion, compounded of vanity and good-nature, I walked into the snare wtih my open eyes open, and put myself to future pain in order to give him immediate pleasure. The wisdom of the ignorant somewhat resembles the instinct of animals; it is diffused in but a very narrow sphere, but within that circle it acts with vigor, uniformity and success.

　　參考譯文：

　　買綢記

　　倫敦的店鋪與北京的一樣，布局非常優(yōu)雅。北京的鋪子常常掛著牌匾，以示童叟無欺;而在倫敦，店門口常掛一圖像，告知顧客所售之物。

　　今天頭午我去買做睡帽的絲綢。一踏進店門，頭戴敷粉假發(fā)的店主和兩個伙計趕忙迎上來，詢問我的需求。他們一定是世界上最文明最禮貌的人了;只要我稍看一眼，他們便飛奔到目光所落之處;我的一舉一動讓他們在店里團團轉(zhuǎn)，去探尋我想要之物。我說我要上等料子，他們馬上拿來不下四十種。每一種都比前一種要好，都是天底下最漂亮的圖案，世界上最適合做睡帽的材料。"我說朋友，"我對店主說，" 不必向我兜您的售絲綢知識了，這些明明連你那些不結(jié)實的本吉絲都不如。"---"這有可能，"店主叫道，據(jù)我后來所知，這個人一生都沒頂過誰，"我也不能硬說這不可能;但我可以告訴您，就今天上午，翠萊夫人還買了一袋這種料子。""但是朋友，"我說，"翠萊夫人買了不見得我就非得買它來做睡帽吧?" "那倒是，但一位夫人穿起來漂亮的東西，在一位英俊的先生身上也總會不錯的吧!"這簡短的恭維適時地向我不雅的面孔撲來，盡管不喜歡那絲綢，我還是讓他為我剪下睡帽所需的料子。

　　把這活計交給伙計之后，店主拿出比剛才所看的都要好的一匹絲綢，在我面前展開來。"瞧，多漂亮; 今早斯耐克斯金爵爺剛為自己的生日晚會預定了這種材料。這做件背心可太妙了。" "但我不需要背心。"我答到。"不需要? 那我可要勸您買一件了;等到人人都想要背心時，價格保險就漲上去了。套用吉普賽那地方的一句話，不要等到用到了再去買。" 他的話聽起來蠻有道理的，我都不好意思拒絕。而且那絲綢也的確不錯，這也增加了不少誘惑。于是我就訂了一塊。

　　我等著他們?yōu)槲也昧拷z綢，但不知為何，他們的動作總是慢騰騰的。就在這工夫，店主又與我談起如今一些貴族喜愛穿睡袍見客的風尚。"或許，您也想看看現(xiàn)在人們都在穿的綢緞" 不等我回答，他早已把面料攤在我面前。這料子就是在中國也算得上考究了。 " 如果貴族們知道我把這料子賣給身份不符的人，"他繼續(xù)道，"我會失去這些老主顧的。爵爺，您瞧，這料子真是非常華麗非常有品味，貨真價實呀!"---"我不是什么爵爺，"我打斷他的話。"真不好意思，"他喊道，"但如果您打算做一件睡袍的話，一定要記得我這里的貨物可是的物有所值的。良心啊，先生，良心就是我的生意經(jīng)。您可以現(xiàn)在買一件睡袍，也可以等它貴了再來買，這都由您，我也不能勸您。" 總之，敬愛的福沫先生，他說得我又買了一件睡衣的料子。如果我再呆下去或者口袋里的錢再多一些，他可能會讓我把半個店都買下來。

　　回家之后，我不禁思索起來，吃驚地發(fā)現(xiàn)，一個缺乏教育，能力有限的人居然使我任由他擺布，玩弄于股掌。 我知道，即使他對我百般殷勤，也只是想滿足自己的私欲;然而，由于自己的糊涂，由于虛榮與善良滲雜的性情，我眼睜睜地走進他們的圈套，用我未來之痛博得他們一時之樂。無知者的智慧有點像動物的本能;它只存在于狹小的領(lǐng)域，但是只要在那個范圍之內(nèi)，它又猛又準，所向披靡。