貝多芬住我家樓上 第7期:不快樂的童年

Sonatina In G Major/Minuet In G

貝多芬G大調(diào)小奏鳴曲/G大調(diào)小步舞曲

Dear Christoph, I have visited the place where Beethoven was born.

親愛的Christoph，我參觀了貝多芬出生的地方。

It seems that the family is well remembered there.

貝多芬一家似乎都在當?shù)睾苡忻麣狻?/p>

They say that the grandfather was a musician – in charge of all the music at the palace here.

當?shù)厝苏f他的爺爺是一位音樂家—是當?shù)貙m殿音樂的掌管人。

And Mr. Beethoven's father was a musician, too.

貝多芬先生的父親也是一位音樂家。

But, Christoph, Mr. Beethoven was not a happy child.

但是， Christoph，貝多芬先生的童年并不快樂。

People who lived nearby remember hearing music, coming from the attic late at night.

住在他家附近的人記得總是能在深夜聽到閣樓里傳來樂曲聲。

Beethoven's father was an unhappy man who took to drink.

貝多芬的父親是個不快樂的人，總是喝酒。

Sometimes at night he would come home long after dark and get his little boy out of bed.

有時，他很晚才回家。回家后，就叫貝多芬起床。

He would make him practice his piano until dawn.

他讓貝多芬練琴直至黎明。

And so the little Beethoven would practice all night, tired and cold, and crying as he played.

所以小時候的貝多芬徹夜練琴，很疲憊，很冷。他練琴時會大喊大叫。

Finally, as the sun came up, Beethoven would go to bed to the sound of morning bells.

最后，太陽出來了。他在早上的鐘聲響起時，回到床上。

Dear Uncle, Mr. Beethoven has on his desk all sorts of bells.

親愛的叔叔，在貝多芬先生的桌子上堆滿了各種各樣的鈴鐺。

He has four ear trumpets as well.

他還有四個耳朵形狀的助聽器。

But you don't play music on them. They're to help him hear.

但是你不能在助聽器上彈奏樂曲。它們是幫助他的聽覺的。

He puts one end in his ear and then you're supposed to talk in the other end SO HE CAN HEAR YOU

他把其中的一個放在耳邊，然后你用另外一個助聽器邊上說話這樣他就能夠聽見你了。

but his nephew told me they really don't work.

但是他的侄子告訴我助聽器真正沒有多大作用。

He came by today when Mr. Beethoven was out.

今天貝多芬先生出去了，他的侄兒來了。

He wanted his uncle to take him to "The Dog of Montargis".

他想讓他叔叔帶他去看《蒙日塔小狗表演》。

It's a famous show right now – its star is a dog who dances the minuet.

現(xiàn)在，這個表演很有火爆—表演明星是只狗，它會跳小步舞曲。

Dear Christoph, How much happier you sound.

親愛的Christoph，你似乎變得開心了許多。

And I think I have some news that you might like to hear.

我有件兒事，你可能會很樂意聽。

I spoke today with a man who said Mr. Beethoven sometimes moves as often as three times a year.

我今天和一個人說話的時候，他告訴我貝多芬先生有時候一年會搬家三次。

He has a restless nature.

他就是那種停不下來的人。

So perhaps before too long you will have your wish, and quieter people living up the stairs.

所以可能不久以后你的愿望就會實現(xiàn)了，更安靜的人會搬來樓上住。

But, in the meantime, tell me ... is it true, as I also heard, that Mr. Beethoven has three pianos in his room?

但是，現(xiàn)在告訴我……我聽說貝多芬先生的房間里有三臺鋼琴，這是真的么?

Dear Uncle,

親愛的叔叔，

No, it is not true that Mr. Beethoven has three pianos. He has four!

不是三臺，貝多芬先生是有四臺鋼琴。

And you should see them!

你應該看看這些鋼琴。

To begin with, his pianos have no legs.

一開始，他的鋼琴就沒有琴腿。

He takes the legs off to move them and also so he can play them when he is sitting on the floor.

他把琴腿給拆了，他就可以坐在地上彈琴了。

That way he can feel his playing through the floor.

這樣就可以通過地板感受自己的彈奏了。

But it's surprising his pianos can be played at all.

但是很驚訝的是所有的鋼琴全都能彈。

Inside, many of the strings are broken and curled up.

在鋼琴里面，很多琴弦都壞了，卷曲了。

They look like a bird's nest made of wire.

它們看起來就像是用金屬絲做的鳥巢。

And the pianos are stained black inside from the times he's knocked the inkwell with hissleeve.

每臺鋼琴里面都有黑色的污垢，那是貝多芬先生袖子弄翻墨水時留下的。

And Uncle, one more thing.

叔叔，還有一件事。

The man who made the ear trumpets made Mr. Beethoven a metronome.

那個給貝多芬先生做助聽器的人，又給貝多芬先生做了個節(jié)拍器。