小王子 第34期:既忠实又懒惰

 Then he mopped his forehead with a handkerchief decorated with red squares.

然后他拿一块有红方格子的手绢擦着额头。

I follow a terrible profession.

我干的是一种可怕的职业。

In the old days it was reasonable.

以前还说得过去，

I put the lamp out in the morning, and in the evening I lighted it again.

早上熄灯，晚上点灯，

I had the rest of the day for relaxation¹ and the rest of the night for sleep."

剩下时间，白天我就休息，夜晚我就睡觉.

And the orders have been changed since that time?

那么，后来命令改变了，是吗？

"The orders have not been changed," said the lamplighter.

点灯的人说：“命令没有改."

"That is the tragedy! From year to year the planet² has turned more rapidly and the orders have not been changed!"

"惨就惨在这里了！这颗行星一年比一年转得更快，而命令却没有改。”

"Then what?" asked the little prince.

“结果呢？”小王子问。

Then the planet now makes a complete turn every minute, and I no longer have a single second for repose³.

结果现在每分钟转一圈，我连一秒钟的休息时间都没有了。

Once every minute I have to light my lamp and put it out!

每分钟我就要点一次灯，熄一次灯！

"That is very funny! A day lasts only one minute, here where you live!

真有趣，你这里每天只有一分钟长？

"It is not funny at all!" said the lamplighter.

“一点趣味也没有，”点灯的说，

While we have been talking together a month has gone by.

我们俩在一块说话就已经有一个月的时间了。

A month?

一个月？

"Yes, a month. Thirty minutes. Thirty days. Good evening." And he lighted his lamp again.

“对。三十分钟。三十天！——晚上好。”于是他又点着了了他的路灯。

As the little prince watched him, he felt that he loved this lamplighter who was so faithful⁴ to his orders.

小王子瞅着他，他喜欢这个点灯人如此忠守命令。

He remembered the sunsets which he himself had gone to seek,in other days, merely by pulling up his chair;

这时，他想起了他自己从前挪动椅子寻找日落的事。

and he wanted to help his friend.

他很想帮助他的这位朋友。

"You know," he said, "I can tell you a way you can rest whenever you want to... "

“告诉你，我知道一种能使你休息的办法，你要什么时候休息都可以。”

"I always want to rest," said the lamplighter.

“我老是想休息。”点灯人说。

For it is possible for a man to be faithful and lazy at the same time.

因为，一个人可以同时是忠实的，又是懒惰的。

1 relaxation   

n.松弛，放松；休息；消遣；娱乐

参考例句：

• The minister has consistently opposed any relaxation in the law.部长一向反对法律上的任何放宽。
• She listens to classical music for relaxation.她听古典音乐放松。

2 planet   

n.行星

参考例句：

• Neptune is the furthest planet from the sun. 海王星是离太阳最远的行星。
• Rubbish, however, is only part of the problem of polluting our planet. 然而, 垃圾只是我们这个星球的污染问题的一个方面。

3 repose   

v.(使)休息；n.安息

参考例句：

• Don't disturb her repose.不要打扰她休息。
• Her mouth seemed always to be smiling,even in repose.她的嘴角似乎总是挂着微笑，即使在睡眠时也是这样。

4 faithful   

adj.守信的，忠实的，如实的，可靠的

参考例句：

• They promised to be faithful to their ideal for ever.他们保证永远忠于自己的理想。
• We must be honest and faithful to the people.我们对人民必须忠诚老实。