評論
打印
It might have taken the warlock fifty years to find such a woman, yet it so happened that the very day after he decided to seek her, a maiden answering his every wish arrived in the neighborhood to visit her kinsfolk.
男巫恐怕要花上五十年才能找到這樣一位女子，然而無巧不成書，就在他決定尋找妻子的第二天，一個完全符合他要求的姑娘來到了鄰居家做客。
She was a witch of prodigious skill and possessed of much gold.
她是一個技藝高超的女巫，擁有很多財富。
Her beauty was such that it tugged at the heart of every man who set eyes on her; of every man, that is, except one.
她的美貌實在驚人，男人一看見她就會怦然心動。當然，只有一個人例外。
The warlock's heart felt nothing at all.
男巫的心仍然毫無感覺。
Nevertheless, she was the prize he sought, so he began to pay her court.
然而，既然她就是他所尋找的戰利品，他還是向她展開了追求。
All who noticed the warlock's change in manners were amazed, and told the maiden that she had succeeded where a hundred had failed.
注意到男巫行為變了的人們都感到很吃驚，他們告訴這位姑娘說，一百個女人都沒有成功的事，居然在她這里成功了。
The young woman herself was both fascinated and repelled by the warlock's attentions.
年輕姑娘對男巫的殷勤覺得既迷人又排斥。
She sensed the coldness that lay behind the warmth of his flattery, and had never met a man so strange and remote.
她察覺到了他那些溫暖的甜言蜜語后面的冷漠，她以前從沒遇到過這樣奇怪和孤傲的男人。
Her kinsfolk, however, deemed theirs a most suitable match and, eager to promote it, accepted the warlock's invitation to a great feast in the maiden's honour.
但親戚們都認為他們是天造地設的一對，急于促成好事，她便接受了男巫的邀請，參加男巫為她舉辦的盛大宴會。
The table was laden with silver and gold bearing the finest wines and most sumptuous foods.
餐桌上擺滿了盛著美酒的金銀器皿和最奢華的食物。
Minstrels strummed on silk-stringed lutes and sang of a love their master had never felt.
藝人們彈撥著纏著絲制弦的琉特琴，歌唱著他們主人從未感受過的愛情。
The maiden sat upon a throne beside the warlock, who spake low, employing words of tenderness he had stolen from the poets, without any idea of their true meaning.
姑娘坐在男巫旁邊的寶座上，男巫輕聲細語地說著他從詩人那里偷來的情話，并不理解這些話的真正含義。
The maiden listened, puzzled, and finally replied, “You speak well, Warlock, and I would be delighted by your attentions, if only I thought you had a heart!”
姑娘聽著，感到十分困惑，最后她回答道：“您說得很好，男巫，如果我認為您有一顆心的話，我會為您的這般殷勤而感到高興的！”
The warlock smiled, and told her that sheneed not fear on that score.
男巫笑了，告訴她無需為此擔心。
Bidding her follow, he led her from the feast, and down to the locked dungeon where he kept his greatest treasure.
他吩咐她跟著自己離開宴席，下樓走到鎖著的地牢里，這里藏著他最重要的財富。
