評(píng)論
打印
Midas began to wring his hands and bemoan himself; he could neither bear to look at Marygold, nor yet to look away from her.
邁達(dá)斯開始絞著手，埋怨自己；他既不敢看瑪麗金，也不敢把目光從她身上移開。
While he was in this despair, he suddenly beheld a stranger, standing near the door. Midas bent down his head, without speaking, for he recognized the same figure which had appeared to him the day before in the treasure- room, and had bestowed upon him this unlucky power of the Golden Touch. The stranger’s face still wore a smile, which seemed to shed a yellow luster all about the room. It gleamed on little Marygold’s statue, and on the other objects that had been changed by the touch of Midas.
正當(dāng)他絕望的時(shí)候，他突然看見一個(gè)陌生人站在門口。邁達(dá)斯低下頭，一句話也沒說，因?yàn)樗J(rèn)出了昨天在儲(chǔ)藏室里出現(xiàn)在他面前的那個(gè)人，正是那個(gè)人賦予了他這種不幸的點(diǎn)金術(shù)。陌生人的臉上仍然掛著微笑，這微笑似乎使整個(gè)房間都泛著黃色的光彩。它在小瑪麗金的雕像和其他被邁達(dá)斯的觸摸改變了的東西上閃閃發(fā)光。
“Well, friend Midas,” said the stranger, “pray how do you succeed with the Golden Touch?”
“那么，朋友邁達(dá)斯，”陌生人說，“請(qǐng)問你是如何用點(diǎn)金術(shù)成功的？”
Midas shook his head.
邁達(dá)斯搖搖頭。
“I am very miserable,” said he. “Very miserable, indeed!” exclaimed the stranger. “And how happens that? Have I not faithfully kept my promise with you? Have you not everything that your heart desired?”
“我很痛苦，”他說。“實(shí)際上非常痛苦！”陌生人驚呼道。“怎么會(huì)這樣呢？難道我沒有忠實(shí)地履行我對(duì)你的諾言嗎？你沒得到心中所想嗎？”
“Gold is not everything,” answered Midas. “And I have lost all that my heart really cared for.”
“黃金不是萬能的，”邁達(dá)斯回答說。“我失去了我內(nèi)心真正在乎的一切。”
“Ah! So you have made a discovery since yesterday?” asked the stranger. “Let us see, then. Which of these two things do you think is really worth the more — the gift of the Golden Touch, or one cup of clear cold water?”
“你有了新發(fā)現(xiàn)？”陌生人問。“那么讓我們看看。你認(rèn)為這兩件事哪一件更有價(jià)值？是點(diǎn)金術(shù)的禮物，還是一杯干凈的冷水？”
“Oh, blessed water!” exclaimed Midas. “It will never moisten my parched throat again!”
“哦，是水！”邁達(dá)斯驚呼。“它再也不會(huì)滋潤(rùn)我干渴的喉嚨了！”
“The Golden Touch,” continued the stranger, “or a crust of bread?”
“是點(diǎn)金術(shù)，”陌生人繼續(xù)說道，“還是一塊面包？”
“A piece of bread,” answered Midas, “is worth all the gold on earth!”
“一片面包，”邁達(dá)斯回答說，“比世界上所有金子還有價(jià)值！”
“The Golden Touch,” asked the stranger, “or your own little Marygold, warm, soft, and loving, as she was an hour ago?”
“點(diǎn)金術(shù)，”陌生人問，“還是一小時(shí)前溫暖、溫柔、可愛的小瑪麗金？”
“Oh, my child, my dear child!” cried poor Midas, wringing his hands. “I would not have given that one small dimple in her chin for the power of changing this whole big earth into a solid lump of gold!”
“噢，我的孩子，我親愛的孩子！”可憐的邁達(dá)斯絞著雙手叫道。“我不會(huì)因點(diǎn)金術(shù)而犧牲哪怕她臉上的一個(gè)小酒窩！”
