绿野仙踪93 文本已添加

93

"Well, that's respect, I expect," declaredthe Clown, and immediately stood upon his head.

“不错，我希望这是礼貌，”小丑声明着，立刻用头倒站在地上。

"Don't mind Mr. Joker," said the Princess toDorothy.  "He is considerablycracked in his head, and that makes him foolish."

“不要介意这位乔克先生，”公主对多萝茜说，“他的头上有很大的裂缝，这就使得他愚蠢了。”

"Oh, I don't mind him a bit," saidDorothy.  "But you are so beautiful,"she continued, "that I am sure I could love you dearly. Won't you let mecarry you back to Kansas, and stand you on Aunt Em's mantel?  I could carry you in my basket."

“呵，我一点儿不生他的气，”多萝茜说。“但是你是这么样的漂亮，”她继续说，“我相信我十分地爱着你，你高兴让我带你到堪萨斯州去，让你站在爱姆婶婶的壁炉上面的石架上面吗？我能够用我的篮子带走你的。”

"That would make me very unhappy," answeredthe china Princess.

“那样会使我十分不快乐，”瓷公主回答说，

"You see,here in our country we live contentedly, and can talk and move around as weplease.  But whenever any of us are takenaway our joints at once stiffen, and we can only stand straight and lookpretty.

“你要知道，这里是我们的国土，我们很心满意足地居住着，要谈天，要在四周行动，随我们的高兴。但是在我们中间不论哪个被拿走了，我们的关节立刻变得僵硬了，只能够笔直地站着，供人们赏玩罢了。

Of course that isall that is expected of us when we are on mantels and cabinets and drawing-roomtables, but our lives are much pleasanter

here in our owncountry."

当然，人们希望我们站在炉架上和橱柜里，还有站在图书室的桌子上，但是我们住在自己的国土里，是觉得更加快乐呢。”

 "I would not make you unhappy for all theworld!" exclaimed Dorothy. "So I'll just say good-bye."

多萝茜高声地说：“无论如何，我不想使你不快活！所以我只好说声再会了。”

"Good-bye," replied the Princess.

　　“再会，”公主回答说。

They walked carefully through the china country.  The little animals and all the peoplescampered out of their way, fearing the strangers would break them, and afteran hour or so the travelers reached the other side of the country and came toanother china wall.

他们小心地经过这个瓷器国。小小的动物们和所有的人们，都在路上逃走，他们都害怕这些陌生的人，会踏碎他们。在一个钟头以后，这些旅行者就到达了这个国度的另一面边界上，发现了另一座瓷墙。

It was not so high as the first, however, and bystanding upon the Lion's back they all managed to scramble to the top. 

但是那墙没有先前的那一座高，只要站在狮子的背上，他们就都爬上了墙顶。

Then the Lion gathered his legs under him and jumpedon the wall; but just as he jumped, he upset a china church with his tail andsmashed it all to pieces.

　然后狮子并紧了它的前腿，伏下了身子，跳过了墙；但是当它跳起来时，它的尾巴带倒了一座瓷做的教堂，把它打得粉碎。

"That was too bad," said Dorothy, "butreally I think we were lucky in not doing these little people more harm thanbreaking a cow's leg and a church.  Theyare all so brittle!"

“这太坏了，”多萝茜说，“但是我想我们还算运气，除了弄碎了一条牛的腿和一座教堂以外，没有更多地损伤了这些小百姓们。他们都是这么脆弱易碎的！”

"They are, indeed," said the Scarecrow,"and I am thankful I am made of straw and cannot be easily damaged.  There are worse things in the world thanbeing a Scarecrow."

　“实实在在的，他们就是这个样子，”稻草人说，“我要感谢，我是用稻草做成的，不容易受到损害。但在这个世界上，竟还有比一个稻草人更加不如的东西。”