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3 The second of the three spirits
3．三幽靈中的第二位
When Scrooge woke up, he realized immediately that the church clock was just going to strike one.
當斯克羅吉醒來的時候，他立刻發現教堂的鐘就要敲響1點鐘了。
He felt sure that the second spirit would Soon visit him.
他肯定第二個幽靈不久就要來看望他了。
This time he wanted to be ready, so he pulled back all the curtains round his bed himself, and lay there, waiting.
這次他想做好準備，所以他自己把他床周圍的簾子都拉開了，躺在那兒等著。
At one o'clock, instead of a spirit, a strong light shone down on Scrooge's bed.
1點鐘時，幽靈沒有來，但一束強光從上面照在了斯克羅吉的床上。
He felt very frightened.
他害怕極了。
After a few minutes he thought that perhaps the light was coming from the next room, so he got up and went to the door.
幾分鐘之后，他以為光是從隔壁的房間照過來的，所以他起身下床來到了門口。
When he touched it, a strange voice called his name, and asked him to enter. He obeyed.
當他的手摸到門時，一個奇怪的聲音叫他的名字并讓他進去，他聽從了。
Although he recognized it as his own room, it looked very different now.
盡管他認出這是他自己的房間，但它現在看上去已完全不同。
The walls were covered with bright green leaves, and there was a good fire burning in the fireplace.
墻壁被鮮亮的綠葉所覆蓋，壁爐里燃燒著熊熊的火焰。
On the floor were big plies of the best Christmas food—wonderful rich dark cakes, warm soft bread,
地板上擺著大堆的上好的圣誕食品——味道濃郁的巧克力蛋糕、熱乎乎松軟的面包、
colourful apples and oranges, plates of yellow butter, cooked chickens, boxes of chocolates and sugared sweets.
五顏六色的蘋果和桔子、一盤盤的黃油、燉好的雞、一盒盒的巧克力和糖果。
Sitting beside all this was a large, smiling spirit, who called out cheerfully to Scrooge,
坐在這些東西旁邊的是一個身材高大、面帶笑容的幽靈，它高興地對斯克羅吉高聲喊，
'Come in! Come in, man! I am the ghost of Christmas Present! Look at me!'
“請進！請進，伙計！我是今日圣誕鬼魂！看著我！”
Since the first ghost's visit, Scrooge was no longer very sure of himself.
自從第一個鬼魂的來訪，斯克羅吉對自己就沒了把握。
So although the spirit's eyes were clear and kind, Scrooge was afraid to look straight into its face.
所以盡管幽靈的眼睛明亮且充滿善意，但斯克羅吉還是不敢正視它的臉，
But he could see that its body was dressed in a long green robe, its long brown hair fell freely down its back, and its face wore a warm and friendly smile.
但他能看見幽靈身穿一件綠色長袍，它長長的棕色頭發隨意地散落在背上，它面帶熱情友好的笑容。
Light shone from the torch which it was holding in its strong right hand.
光是從他強有力的右手握著的火把里發出的。
'Spirit,' said Scrooge quietly, 'take me where you want.
“幽靈，”斯克羅吉輕柔地說，“你想帶我去哪兒就去哪兒。
Last night I learned a lesson which is working now.
昨天晚上我接受了教訓，而且這教訓現在正在生效。
If you have anything to teach me tonight, let me learn from you.'
如果今晚你也有什么讓我借鑒的話，請讓我向你領教。”
'Touch my robe!' said the spirit, and Scrooge obeyed.
“拽著我的長袍！”幽靈說，斯克羅吉從命了。
The food, the room, the fire all disappeared, and they were standing outside in the cold, snowy streets on Christmas morning.
食品、房間、爐火都消失了。圣誕早晨，他們正站在冰天雪地的戶外。
Although the sky was grey and the streets were dirty, the people looked surprisingly cheerful, as they hurried to the bakers shops with their Christmas dinners, all ready for cooking.
雖然天空灰蒙蒙的，街上也很臟，但人們看上去都出奇的歡喜，當他們拿著他們的圣誕晚餐匆匆趕往面包房準備烤制的時候。
The spirit seemed specially interested in poor people.
幽靈似乎對窮人特別感興趣。
He stood with Scrooge in a baker's doorway and held his torch over the dinners as they were carried past him.
它和斯克羅吉一同站在面包房的門口，當晚餐從它面前經過時它把火把照在上面。
Sometimes, when he saw people pushing each other or getting angry, he lifted his torch over their heads, and immediately they became kinder, or stopped arguing, 'because it's Christmas,' they told each other.
有時當他看見人們相互擁擠或發脾氣時，他把火把舉在他們的頭上，他們立刻就會變得溫順或停止爭吵，“因為今天是圣誕節，”他們彼此告誡著。
