評論
打印
The second page had a good share of self-conceit, however, and so was not greatly confused by the King's jest.
第二位侍童頗為自負，對國王的俏皮話，似乎不太在意。
He determined that he would avoid the mistake which his comrade had made.
他有心避免前面那位同伴的類似失誤，開始朗讀起來。
So he commenced reading the petition slowly and with great formality, emphasizing every word, and prolonging the articulation of every syllable.
他的語速遲緩，太過一本正經，所有詞語無不輔以重音，逐個音節拉長拼讀，
But his manner was so tedious that the King cried out, Stop! are you reciting a lesson in the elementary sounds?
他的朗讀那么乏味造作，國王不禁大聲呵斥，停下！你難道是小學生背誦課文？
Out of the room! But no: stay! Send me that little girl who is sitting there by the fountain.
滾出去！不，站好！先把坐在噴泉那邊的小姑娘給我叫過來！
The girl thus pointed out by the King was a daughter of one of the laborers employed by the royal gardener;
國王點名的那位姑娘是宮廷花師所雇傭人的女兒，
and she had come to help her father weed the flower beds.
那天，她過來幫著父親給宮廷花圃除草。
It chanced that, like many of the poor people in Prussia, she had received a good education.
像普魯士不少窮人那樣，她碰巧接受過良好的教育。
She was somewhat alarmed when she found herself in the King's presence,
聽到國王召見自己，她多少有點心存警覺。
but took courage when the King told her that he only wanted her to read for him, as his eyes were weak.
國王告訴她，由于他眼睛無法閱讀，只是讓她代勞，她才稍稍鼓起了勇氣。
Now, Ernestine (for this was the name of the little girl) was fond of reading aloud, and often many of the neighbors would assemble at her father's house to hear her;
歐內斯廷（小姑娘名字）喜歡高聲朗讀，不少鄰居經常聚集在她家門口聽她讀書。
those who could not read themselves would come to her, also, with their letters from distant friends or children,
那些不識字的人亦總樂意找她，他們帶來遠方朋友或孩子的來信。
and she thus formed the habit of reading various sorts of handwriting promptly and well.
因此，她便具有閱讀不同手寫文體、并能迅速準確朗讀的能力。
