美国语文第四册第110期:中国故事一则(2)（打印版）

　　So on the appointed day—both innocent as babes, of course—these honest fellows went, 约定的日子转眼就到了——两个孩子般诚实的人来到碑前，

　　And took their distant station; and Ching said, 站得很远，庆说，

　　I can read plainly, To the illustrious dead,the chief of mandarins, the great Goh-Bang. 我清楚看到碑上写着，这里埋葬着杰出的满洲首领，伟大的国邦。

　　"And is that all that you can spell?" said Chang; 常说，“就只有这些吗？”

　　I see what you have read, but furthermore,In smaller letters, toward the temple door, 我不但看到你读的这些，而且朝向庙门的碑角还有小字，

　　Quite plain, This tablet is erected here by those to whom the great Goh-Bang was dear. 清楚写着，这个石碑是敬爱国邦的人所立。

　　"My sharp-eyed friend, there are no such words!" said Ching. “我好眼神的朋友，没有这些文字！”常说，

　　"They're there," said Chang, “我清楚地看到了，”庆说，

　　if I see anything,As clear as daylight.Patent eyes, indeed, 碑上刻着这些文字，就和白天一样清楚。

　　You have! cried Ching; do you think I can not read? 你的眼睛真特别，难道你以为我不识字吗？

　　"Not at this distance as I can," Chang said, “从这么远可不像我能识字，”常说，

　　If what you say you saw is all you read. 如果你说你看到的是全部文字。

　　In fine, they quarreled, and their wrath increased, 他们越吵越凶，满腔怒火，

　　Till Chang said, Let us leave it to the priest; 最后常说，让主持来裁判吧；

　　Look! here he comes to meet us.It is well, 看！他走过来了。这样最好，

　　Said honest Ching; "no falsehood he will tell." 诚实的庆说；“他可从不说谎。”

　　The good man heard their artless story through, 善良的主持听了他们可爱的故事，

　　And said, I think, dear sirs, there must be few blest with such wondrous eyes as those you wear: 说，我想，亲爱的先生们，肯定有几个人，眼神和你们一样好：

　　There's no such tablet or inscription there! 可那里既没石碑，也没碑文！

　　There was one, it is true; it was moved away and placed within the temple yesterday. 以前是有；没错，可是已经挪走了，昨天被我们移到庙里了。