《圣诞颂歌》 第二章 三幽灵中的第一位(3)（在线收听）

The schoolroom became darker and dirtier.

教室变得更暗更脏了。

There was the young Scrooge again, a little older and bigger than before.

那里又出现了年轻的斯克罗吉，比以前稍微长大了一些而且个头高了一些。

He was not reading this time, but was walking up and down, looking very unhappy.

这次他没在看书，而是来回踱着步，看上去很不高兴。

The door opened, and a little girl, much younger than him, came running in.

门开了，跑进来一个比他小得多的女孩儿。

Putting her arms round his neck, she said lovingly to him, 'I've come to bring you home, dear brother!

她双手搂着他的脖子亲昵地对他说，“我是来带你回家的，亲爱的哥哥！

Father is so much kinder than he used to be!

父亲比从前慈爱多了。

The other day I asked him if you could come home, and he said yes!

不久前的一天，我问他你可不可以回家，他答应了！

And we're going to spend Christmas together, and have the merriest time!'

我们可以一起过圣诞节了，而且会过得比以前都快活！”

She was laughing delightedly as she began to pull him towards the door.

她开始把他往门口拉并开心地笑着。

They went out happily together, hand in hand.

他们手拉着手，一起高兴地出去了。

'What a warm heart she had!' said the ghost.

“她真是热心肠！”鬼魂说。

'You're right,' said Scrooge. 'I agree with you, spirit!'

“你说得对。”斯克罗吉说。“我同意你的看法。”

'She married, I understand,' continued the ghost, 'and had children, I think, before she died.'

“她结婚了，我知道，”鬼魂继续说，“而且我想，在她死之前有了孩子。”

'One child,' answered Scrooge.

“有一个孩子，”斯克罗吉回答说。

'True,' said the ghost. 'Your nephew!'

“对，”鬼魂说。“你的外甥！”

Scrooge did not answer at once. 'Yes,' he said at last.

斯克罗吉没有马上回答。“是的，”他最后说。

Now the school had disappeared, and they were in the middle of a busy town, with shadowy crowds and carts all around them.

现在学校不见了，他们来到了一座繁忙的镇子中心，周围都是模糊的人群和马车。

Here it was Christmas time again, but it was evening, and there were lights in the shops and streets.

这里也是圣诞节的日子，但已是夜晚，商店和大街上都亮起了灯。

The ghost stopped at an office door. 'Do you know this place, Scrooge?' he asked.

鬼魂在一个办公室的门前停下。“你认识这个地方吗，斯克罗吉？”它问。

'Know it!'cried Scrooge. 'Why, I was a clerk here!'

“认识！”斯克罗吉大声说。“怎么了，我曾是这儿的一名雇员啊！”

They went in, and when they saw a large, kind-looking old gentleman sitting at a high desk, Scrooge cried excitedly, 'Good Heavens, it's old Fezziwig!

他们走了进去，当他们看见一位身材魁梧、慈眉善目的老绅士坐在一张高高的桌子旁时，斯克罗吉兴奋地喊道，“天哪，他是老费泽威格！

God bless him! It's Fezziwig alive again!'

上帝保佑他！费泽威格又活了！”

Old Fezziwig put down his pen, and looked at the clock.

老费泽威格放下笔，看了看表。

Fastening his coat buttons over his fat stomach, he started laughing as he called out in a rich, deep, happy voice,

系好覆于其胖肚子上的外衣扣子，他一边用圆润、低沉、幸福的声音大声说：

'Ebenezer! Dick! Seven o'clock! No more work tonight! It's Christmas Eve, remember!'

“埃比尼泽！迪克！7点了！今晚就干到这儿了。记得吗，今天是圣诞节！”一边开始笑了起来。

The young Scrooge hurried in, with another clerk.

年轻的斯克罗吉带着另一个雇员匆匆地进来了。

'That's Dick Wilkins!' said Scrooge quietly to the ghost.

“这是迪克·威尔金斯！”斯克罗吉悄悄地告诉鬼魂。

'He always liked me. Oh dear! poor Dick!'

“他一直都喜欢我。噢，亲爱的。可怜的迪克！”

Together the two young clerks put away all the pens and papers, and, following Fezziwig's orders, cleared all the furniture away from the centre of the room.

两个年轻的雇员一起把所有的笔和文件都收拾好放到了一边，并按照费泽威格的吩咐把所有的家具都从屋子中央挪开。

In came a fiddler. In came Mrs Fezziwig, fat and smiling.

一个小提琴手走了进来；费泽威格走了进来，胖胖的，面带笑容；

In came the three Fezziwig daughters, sweet and pretty.

费泽威格的三个女儿走了进来，她们长得甜甜的而且很漂亮；

In came the six young men who were in love with them.

六个爱着这三位姑娘的年轻人走了进来；

In came the cook, with her young man, the milkman.

厨师和她年轻的丈夫，送奶工走了进来；

In came the boy from next door, with the girl from the house opposite.

隔壁家的男孩，带着对面房子里的女孩走了进来。

In they came, some quietly, some noisily, but all happy because it was Christmas Eve.

他们都进来了，有的静悄悄的，有的吵吵嚷嚷的，但都兴高采烈，因为今天是圣诞节。