美国小学英语教材5:第111课 点金术(5)

 Midas was enjoying himself in his treasure-room one day as usual, when he saw a shadow fall over the heaps of gold; 一天，迈达斯像往常一样，在他的宝库里玩得很开心，突然看到一个黑影落到那堆金子上；

and, looking suddenly up, what should he behold¹ but the figure of a stranger, standing² in the bright and narrow sunbeam! 突然，他抬头一看，只见一个陌生人的身影，站在明亮狭窄的阳光下！

It was a young man with a cheerful and ruddy face. 这是一个年轻男子，面色红润，神采奕奕。

King Midas could not help fancying I that the stranger's smile had a kind of golden look. 迈达斯国王不禁想象起陌生人的微笑有一种金色的表情。

As Midas knew that he had carefully turned the key in the lock, and that no one could possibly break into his treasure-room, he of course thought that his visitor, must be an unusual being. 迈达斯知道他小心翼翼地把钥匙插进锁里，任何人都不可能闯进他的宝库，他当然认为他的客人一定是个不寻常的人。

Midas had met such beings I before now, and was not sorry to meet one of them again. 迈达斯在此之前曾遇到过这样的人，我对再次遇到他们中的一个并不感到抱歉。

The stranger's manner was so good-humored and kindly³ that it would have been unreasonable⁴ to suspect him of intending any mischief⁵. 那陌生人的态度那么和蔼可亲，因此怀疑他存心恶作剧是没有道理的。

It was far more probable that he came to do Midas a favor. 他很可能是来帮迈达斯一个忙的。

And what could that favor be, unless to multiply his heaps of treasure? 可除了增加财富，还有什么可帮的呢？

The stranger gazed about the room, and when his bright smile had glistened⁶ upon all the golden objects that were there, he turned again to Midas. 陌生人环视了一下房间，当他灿烂的笑容在所有的金色物件上闪耀之后，他又转向迈达斯。

“You are a wealthy man, friend Midas!” he said. “你是个有钱人，朋友迈达斯！”他说。

“I doubt whether any other four walls on earth contain so much gold as you have piled up in this room.” “我怀疑世界上还有哪四面墙能像你在这个房间里堆积的那么多金子。”

“I have done pretty well—pretty well,” answered Midas. “我做的很好——非常好，”迈达斯回答说。

“But, after all, it is but a trifle, when you consider that it has taken me my whole life to get it together. “不过，你想想，我花了一辈子才把他们聚在一起，这毕竟只是一件小事。

If one could live a thousand years, he might have time to grow rich!” 如果一个人可以活一千年，他可能有时间变得富有!”

“What!” exclaimed the stranger. “什么！”陌生人惊呼道。

“Then you are not satisfied?” Midas shook his head. “那你不满意吗？”迈达斯摇摇头。

 

1 behold   

v.看，注视，看到

参考例句：

• The industry of these little ants is wonderful to behold.这些小蚂蚁辛勤劳动的样子看上去真令人惊叹。
• The sunrise at the seaside was quite a sight to behold.海滨日出真是个奇景。

2 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

3 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

4 unreasonable   

adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的

参考例句：

• I know that they made the most unreasonable demands on you.我知道他们对你提出了最不合理的要求。
• They spend an unreasonable amount of money on clothes.他们花在衣服上的钱太多了。

5 mischief   

n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹

参考例句：

• Nobody took notice of the mischief of the matter. 没有人注意到这件事情所带来的危害。
• He seems to intend mischief.看来他想捣蛋。

6 glistened   

v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Pearls of dew glistened on the grass. 草地上珠露晶莹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Her eyes glistened with tears. 她的眼里闪着泪花。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》