《爱丽丝镜中奇遇记》 第一章 镜子屋（1）

1. Looking-glass house

1. 镜子屋

One thing was certain, it was the black kitten that began it all.

小黑猫是这个故事的缘起，这是肯定的。

The white kitten had been unable to do anything for the last quarter of an hour, because the old cat was washing its face, very slowly and very carefully.

小白猫什么事也干不了，因为，过去的一刻钟，他一直在慢悠悠地仔细地洗着自己的脸儿。

But the black kitten was free to do what it wanted.

相反，小黑猫却自由自在的做自己想做的事。

And so, while Alice was sitting in a corner of the great armchair, half talking to herself and half asleep,

爱丽丝坐在一张大扶手椅的角上，自言自语，睡意蒙眬，

the kitten was playing a grand¹ game with a ball of wool.

小黑猫逗着一个毛线团儿，玩得正开心。

Soon the wool was lying in a terrible tangle² all over the carpet, with the kitten running after its own tail in the middle.

过不多时，整个地毯全是一团糟的毛线，小黑猫在中间追着自己的尾巴跑。

'Oh, you bad little thing!' cried Alice, when she saw the wool.

爱丽丝看见毛线，叫了声“你这个小淘气！”

She picked up the kitten and climbed back into the armchair.

她提起小黑猫，重又回到扶手椅上。

'You really mustn't play with the wool, you know. It will take me so long to roll the ball up again.

接着又说：“你真不应该追着线团儿玩。要把它绕好，我要费多大功夫呀！

Why don't you play chess instead, Kitty?

小猫儿，干吗不下下棋？

When I was playing a while ago, you were watching me so carefully.

刚才我下棋，你一直在用心看我。

In fact, you look just like the Red Queen yourself.'

其实，你外表活像红方王后。”

And Alice picked up the Red Queen from the chessmen on the table, and held it up to show the kitten.

爱丽丝从桌上棋子儿里拿了红方王后，举在空中给小黑猫看。

But the kitten tried to escape, and, to punish it, Alice lifted it up to the looking-glass above the fireplace³.

但猫儿挣脱着想逃跑，爱丽丝就把它提到壁炉上方的镜子前，以示惩罚。

'If you're not good, Kitty,' she said, 'I'll put you through into looking-glass house

她说：“猫儿，如果你不乖，我就让你穿透镜子，把你放到镜子屋去。

How would you like that?'

你意下如何？”

'I do wonder,' Alice went on, 'if everything in that room is the same as in our room.

爱丽丝继续说：“我的确不知道那儿房间的摆设是否跟我们这儿的一个样子。

The things that I can see look the same-except the books, because the words go the wrong way.

我看得见的东西外形都没有什么两样--只是书不同，因为字体方向倒错。

But perhaps the rest of the house is really different and full of interesting things.

可能屋子的其他方面确有差别，而且有许多好玩的东西。

Oh, I wish we could get through, Kitty! Let's pretend⁴ we can.

小猫，我们能到那儿去该多好！我们装作可以进到里面去。

Let's pretend the glass has gone soft and…Why, I do believe it has! It's turning into a kind of cloud…'

假设玻璃软化了……化作了一团云，我真的信以为真了呢！”

Alice did not know how it happened, but while she was speaking, she found herself climbing up to the looking-glass.

爱丽丝不明白这是怎么回事，但正在她说话的当儿，她发现自己正在往镜子上爬。

And the glass was beginning to disappear, just like a bright silvery cloud.

镜子开始消失，就像银光闪闪的一朵云。

1 grand   

adj.豪华的，宏伟的，壮丽的，主要的，重大的；n.(美俚)一千美元

参考例句：

• The pianist played several pieces of music on a grand piano.钢琴家在一架大钢琴上弹了几首乐曲。
• Come on,I'll give you the grand tour of the backyard.跟我来，我带你去后院来一次盛大的旅游。

2 tangle   

n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱

参考例句：

• I shouldn't tangle with Peter.He is bigger than me.我不应该与彼特吵架。他的块头比我大。
• If I were you, I wouldn't tangle with them.我要是你，我就不跟他们争吵。

3 fireplace   

n.壁炉，炉灶

参考例句：

• The fireplace smokes badly.这壁炉冒烟太多。
• I think we should wall up the fireplace.我想应该封住壁炉。

4 pretend   

vt.假装，假托，装扮；vi.假装，装作

参考例句：

• So you don't need to pretend,do you?所以你不必装假了，对吧？
• Many people pretend that they understand modern art.许多人装着自己懂得现代艺术。