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LESSON 26 Androcles and the lion
第二十六課 奴隸與獅子
Once at Carthage there was a slave named Androcles, who was so badly treated by his master that he resolved to run away from him.
從前在迦太基，有一個名叫安德魯克斯的奴隸，主人虐待他，所以他打算逃跑。
He therefore secretly left his master's house, and hid himself in a forest, some miles distant from the city.
于是，有一天他悄悄地離開了主人的房子，躲在距離那座城市幾英里的一個大森林里。
After wandering about for some time, he came to a large cavern,
在森林里轉了一陣子之后，他來到一個大山洞前，
and, overcome by hunger and fatigue, he lay down in it, and soon fell fast asleep.
他實在抵擋不住饑餓和疲乏，躺倒在山洞里，很快就睡了過去。
He was suddenly awakened by the roar of a wild beast;
忽然之間，他被一聲野獸的吼叫驚醒。
and running to the mouth of the cavern, he was met by a great lion, which stood right in his way, and made it impossible for him to escape!
他急忙跑到洞口，發現洞外站著一頭雄獅，面對面地堵住了他的路，讓他連逃跑的可能都沒有！
Androcles expected nothing else than to be at once torn to pieces; but, to his great surprise, the lion came gently towards him, without showing any signs of rage.
安德魯克斯覺得他除了馬上會被撕成碎片之外，沒有別的出路。但是，他驚奇地發現那頭獅子正溫柔地靠近他，沒有一點兇狠的樣子。
It gave forth at the same time a low and mournful sound, as if it were begging his assistance.
它靠過來時，喉嚨里發出一聲低沉而痛苦的嗚咽，好像正在乞求他的幫助。
As the lion approached him, he noticed that it limped with one of its legs, and that the foot was swollen, as if it had been wounded.
當獅子終于靠近之后，安德魯克斯才發現它是跛著一條腿挪過來的，它的那只腳腫著，好像受了傷。
He then went up to the lion, and taking hold of the wounded paw, examined it as a surgeon would examine a patient.
于是，他走向那頭獅子，握住它受傷的腳掌，像醫生對待病人一樣仔細檢查傷勢。
He was not long in finding out the cause of the swelling; for he saw in the ball of the foot a very large thorn.
他很快發現了這頭獅子腳掌腫脹的原因，它的腳掌底部扎著一根大刺。
The slave extracted the thorn, and pressed out of the wound a quantity of matter; which gave the lion immediate relief.
奴隸幫助獅子把刺拔了出來，又替它把傷口處的膿水擠了出來，獅子馬上就從痛苦中解脫出來。
Thereupon the lion began to show his gratitude by every means in his power.
這之后，獅子用力所能及的的各種方式表達了對奴隸的感激之情。
He jumped about like a playful spaniel, wagged his great tail, and licked the hands and feet of his physician.
它像是一條頑皮的西班牙獵犬一樣高高地躍起，朝著奴隸使勁地搖著尾巴，還舔著它的醫生的手腳。
