英国语文第三册 第41期:公爵与牛仔

 　　LESSON 38 The duke and the cow-boy 第三十八课 公爵与牛仔

　　A Scotch 1 nobleman, who was very fond of farming, had bought a cow, from a gentleman who lived near him. 有一个很喜欢耕作的苏格兰贵族从他家附近买了一头牛。
　　The cow was to be sent home next morning. 第二天早上牛就会送到他家。
　　Early in the morning, as the duke was taking a walk, he saw a boy trying in vain to drive the cow to his house. 一大早，公爵在散步时看见一个男孩赶着牛往他家走，但是牛一动不动。
　　The cow was very unruly, and the poor boy could not manage her at all. 这头牛很犟，这个可怜的男孩根本没有办法控制它。
　　The boy, not knowing the duke, bawled 2 out to him, "Hello, man! come here and help me with this beast." 男孩不认识公爵，就向他喊道，“你好！请过来帮帮我牵这头牛吧。”
　　The duke walked slowly on, not seeming to notice the boy, who still kept calling for his help. 公爵继续闲庭信步，好像没有注意到男孩一样，而男孩还在一直寻求帮助。
　　At last, finding that he could not get on with the cow, he cried out in distress 3, 最后，男孩发现无法驾驭这头牛，索性大哭起来，
　　Come here, man, and help me, and I'll give you half of whatever I get. 先生，过来帮帮我，我会将我的所得分给你一半。
　　The duke went and lent a helping 4 hand. 公爵这时过去帮忙了。
　　"And now," said the duke, as they trudged 5 along after the cow, "how much do you think you will get for the job?" “那么现在，”在赶牛的路上公爵说道，“你觉得你能从这份工作挣得多少呢？”
　　"I don't know," said the boy; "but I am sure of something for the folk up at the big house are good to every body." “不知道，”男孩说；“但是我可以确定的是那栋大房子里的人对每个人都很好。”
　　On coming to a lane near the house, the duke slipped away from the boy, and reached home by a different road. 走到房子附近一条小道时，公爵悄悄从另一条路溜走了，提前回到了家。
　　Calling a servant, he put a sovereign into his hand, saying, "Give that to the boy who brought the cow." 他叫来仆人，给了他一磅金币，说道：“把这个给牵牛过来的男孩。”
　　He then returned to the end of the lane, where he had parted from the boy, so as to meet him on his way back. 然后他又回到和男孩分开的地方，以便男孩回来时能看到他。
　　"Well, how much did you get?" asked the duke. “你挣了多少钱？”公爵问道。
　　"A shilling," said the boy; "and there's half of it to you." “一个先令，”男孩说；“给你一半。”
　　"But surely you got more than a shilling?" said the duke. “你肯定得了不止一先令吧？”公爵说道。
　　"No," said the boy; "that is all I got; and I think it quite enough." “不，”男孩说；“我就得到了这么多；而且我觉得够多了。”
　　"I do not," said the duke; “我不信，”公爵说；
　　there must be something wrong; and as I am a friend of the duke, if you return, I think I'll see that you get more. 我是那位公爵的朋友，你跟我回去，我去问问他到底给了你多少。
　　They went back. The duke rang the bell, and ordered all the servants to be assembled. 他们回到了公爵家。公爵按响了门铃，命令所有的仆人集合。
　　"Now," said the duke to the boy, "point me out the person who gave you the shilling." “现在，”公爵对男孩说，“指给我看是谁给了你一先令。”
　　"It was that man there," said he, pointing to the butler. “是那边那个人，”男孩指向男管家。
　　The butler fell on his knees, confessed his fault, and begged to be forgiven; 男管家扑通跪下了认错，请求原谅；
　　but the duke ordered him to give the boy the sovereign, and quit his service at once. 但是公爵命令他把那个英镑给男孩，并且还把他辞退了。
　　"You have lost," said the duke, "both your place and your character, by your deceit." “你失去了”公爵说，“工作和人格，因为你不诚实。
　　Learn for the future that honesty is the best policy. 以后要记住，诚实才是上策。
　　The boy now found out who it was that had helped him to drive the cow; 男孩现在知道了帮他赶牛的人是谁；
　　and the duke was so pleased with the manliness 6 and honesty of the boy。 公爵对男孩的勇敢和诚实很是赞赏。
　　that he sent him to school, and paid for him out of his own pocket. 他把他送到学校，自己掏钱供他上学。