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11

"Comein," said the king, as John knocked at the door.

“请进吧！”约翰奈斯敲门的时候，老国王说。

Johnopened it, and the old king, in a dressing gown and embroidered slippers, cametowards him.

约翰奈斯把门推开。老国王穿着长便服和绣花拖鞋来接见他。

Hehad the crown on his head, carried his sceptre in one hand, and the orb in theother. "Wait a bit," said he, and he placed the orb under his arm, sothat he could offer the other hand to

John;

他的头上戴着王冠，一手拿着代表王权的王笏，一手拿着象征王权的金珠。“请等一下吧！”他说，同时把金珠夹在腋下，以便跟约翰奈斯握手。

 but when he found that John was anothersuitor, he began to weep so violently, that both the sceptre and the orb fellto the floor, and he was obliged to wipe his eyes with his dressing gown. Poorold king!

不过，当他一听到他的客人是一位求婚者的时候，他就开始抽咽地哭起来，他的王笏和金珠都滚到地上来了，同时不得不用睡衣来揩眼泪。可怜的老国王！

"Lether alone," he said; "you will fare as badly as all the others. Come,I will show you."

“请你不要来！”他说。“你会像别人一样，碰上祸害的。你只要看看就知道！”

 Then he led him out into the princess's pleasuregardens, and there he saw a frightful sight.

于是他把约翰奈斯带到公主游乐的花园里去。那儿的情景才可怕呢！

 On every tree hung three or four king's sonswho had wooed the princess, but had not been able to guess the riddles she gavethem.

每一株树上悬着三四个王子的尸首。他们都是向公主求过婚的。但是他们都猜不出她所提的问题。

Theirskeletons rattled in every breeze, so that the terrified birds never dared to ventureinto the garden.

微风一吹动，这些骸骨就吱格吱格地响起来，小鸟都吓跑了，再也不敢飞到花园里来。

Allthe flowers were supported by human bones instead of sticks, and human skullsin the flower-pots grinned horribly. It was really a doleful garden for aprincess.

花儿都盘在人骨上；骷髅躺在花盆里，发出冷笑。这确实称得上是一个公主的花园。

"Doyou see all this?" said the old king; "your fate will be the same asthose who are here, therefore do not attempt it. You really make me very unhappy,-I take these things to heart so very much."

“你可以在这里仔细瞧瞧！”老国王说。“你所看到的这些人的命运，也会是你的命运。你最好还是放弃你的念头吧。我感到很难过，因为我关心这一件事情。”

Johnkissed the good old king's hand, and said he was sure it would be all right,for he was quite enchanted with the beautiful princess.

约翰奈斯把这和善老国王的手吻了一下；他说，结果会很好的，因为他很喜欢这位美丽的公主。

Thenthe princess herself came riding into the palace yard with all her ladies, andhe wished her "Good morning." She looked wonderfully fair and lovelywhen she offered her hand to John, and he loved her more than ever.

这时公主带着所有的侍女骑着马走进宫殿的院子。他们都走过去问候她。她的样子真是非常美丽。她和约翰奈斯握手。约翰奈斯现在比从前更爱她了

Howcould she be a wicked witch, as all the people asserted?

她决不会像大家所说的那样，是一个恶毒的巫婆。

 He accompanied her into the hall, and the littlepages offered them gingerbread nuts and sweetmeats, but the old king was sounhappy he could eat nothing, and besides, gingerbread nuts were too hard forhim.

他们一起走进大厅里去，小童仆们端出蜜饯和椒盐核桃仁来款待他们。可是老国王感到非常难过；他什么东西也吃不下，当然椒盐核桃仁对他说来也是太硬了。