Chapter 3-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《小王子The Little Prince》

3 It took me a long time to learn where he came from.The little prince,who asked me so many questions,never seemed to hear the ones I asked him.It was from words dropped by chance that,little by little, everything was revealed to me. The first time he saw my airplane,for instance2 (I shall not draw my airplane;that would be much too complicated for me),he asked me, “What is that object?” "That is not an object.It flies.It is an airplane.It is my airplane." And I was proud to have him learn that I could fly. He cried out,then, "What!You dropped down from the sky?" “Yes,”"I answered,modestly. “Oh!That is funny!" And the little prince broke into5 a lovely peal of laughter,which irritated me very much.I like my misfortunes to be taken seriously". Then he added, "So you,too,come from the sky!Which is your planet?" ·016· 3 我费了好长的时间才弄明白他的来历。小王子 问了我如此多的问题，却始终对我问他的问题充耳 不闻。然而我还是从他无意间的言谈中，一点一滴 地串联出整个事情的来龙去脉。 ①reveal/m'vilW显示：泄 譬如说，当他第一次看到我的飞机（我不想画飞 露：透露 机，因为它太复杂了，我实在力不从心)，就问我说： ②for instance例如，比如 “那是什么东西呢？” 3 complicated 'komplikeitid/a.复杂的， “它不是东西，它会飞，是一架会飞的飞机，我 难解的 的飞机。” 我还得意洋洋地告诉他，我会开飞机。 而他却惊叫着：“什么！你是从天上掉下来的？” “是啊！”我谦虚地回应着。 ④modestly/modistl/ad谦 “哈！真好玩！” 虚地，谦恭地 小王子突然发出一阵可爱的笑声，而这却使我 5 break into突然 非常生气。我希望别人能真诚地看待我的不幸遭 0 a peal of一阵 irritate'rteit/r.使发怒， 遇。 使急躁 随后，他又追问了一句： 8 misfortune /mis'fo:t fan/n. “那么你也是从天上来的啰？你住在哪个星球 不幸，厄运，逆境 seriously /storiasl/ad. 呢？” 重地：危险地，认直地 ·017· The Little Prince At that moment I caught a gleam of light in the impenetrable mystery of his presence;and I demanded,abruptly2, “Do you come from another planet?” But he did not reply.He tossed his head gently,without taking his eyes from my plane, "It is true that on that you can't have come from very far away..” And he sank into a reverie3,which lasted a long time.Then,taking my sheep out of his pocket,he buried himself in the contemplation of his treasure. You can imagine how my curiosity 5 was aroused by this half confidence about the "other planets".I made a great effort,therefore,to find out more on this subject. "My little man,where do you come from?What is this where I live,of which you speak?Where do you want to take your sheep?" After a reflective silence he answered, "The thing that is so good about the box you have given me is that at night he can use it as his house." "That is so.And if you are good I will give you a string,too,so that you can tie him during the day,and a post to tie him to." But the little prince seemed shocked by this offer:"Tie him!What a queer idea!" "But if you don't tie him,"I said,"he will wander off somewhere, and get lost.” My friend broke into another peal of laughter, "But where do you think he would go?" "Anywhere.Straight ahead of him." ·018- 小王子 ①impenetrable 此时，我的脑海里浮现出他那神秘莫测的身世， m'penitrabi/a不可测知 也许趁这个机会可以让我解开他的身世之谜。于 的，费解的 2abruptly /a'brAptli/ad. 是，我唐突地追问： 然地，唐突地 “你是从其他的星球来的吗？” 但他没有回答。他缓缓抬起头，目不转睛地直 盯着我的飞机： “的确，坐在这种东西上面，是不可能从太遥远 ③reverie'revarv/n.沉思，出 的地方来的…” 神 他沉思了好长的一段时间之后，又从口袋里掏 ④contemplation 出我给他画的绵羊，凝视着他的这个宝贝。 I,kontem'pleifon/n注视 凝视 可想而知，这个半吐半露的“其他星球”引起 5 curiosity /kjuor'ositi/n. 了我强烈的好奇。因此，我费尽心机，企图从这个 好奇心 话题了解更多真相。 “我的小家伙，你到底是从哪里来的？你总是说 ‘我住的地方’是指什么地方？你想把你的绵羊带 到哪里去呢？” 6reflective /r'flektiv/a. 他沉默片刻之后，回答道： 考的：沉思的：熟虑的 “你画给我的那只箱子真是太好了，晚上绵羊就 可以把它当成家了。” ⑦string/stno/n.线，细绳 “当然，如果你乖一点，我还可以给你一条绳 子，这样在白天你可以把他拴上，而且可以再加上 一根拴羊的木桩。” 对于这项提议，小王子惊讶地说：“把羊拴起 来！多么奇怪的主意啊！” 8 wander off迷失，离开正途 “但是你若不拴住羊的话，”我说，“他就会四处 乱窜，甚至会走丢了。” 我的小朋友听了又是一阵大笑： “你想他会跑到什么地方去呢？” “哪里都可以啊！他会一直向前走。” ·019· The Little Prince Then the little prince said,earnestly, "That doesn't matter.Where I live,everything is so small!" And,with perhaps a hint of2 sadness,he added, "Straight ahead of him,nobody can go very far..." ·020· 小王子 接着，小王子诚恳地说道：“不必担心。我住 ①carestly'3 nistl/ad.郑重 的地方，所有的东西都是小小的。” 其事地，非常认真地 2 a hint of少量 他以略带忧伤的口吻继续说道： ③sadness/'saednis/m.悲哀， “一直往前走，也走不了多远…” 忧伤 ·021·