Chapter 7-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《小王子The Little Prince》

, On the fifth day-again, as always, it was thanks to the sheep-the secret of the little prince's life was revealed{①} to me. Abruptly, without anything to lead up to it, and as if the question had been born of long and silent meditation on his problem, he demanded “A sheep-if it eats little bushes, does it eat flowers, too?" "A sheep,"I answered, "eats anything it finds in its reach^②}." “Even flowers that have thorns③?" "Yes, even flowers that have thorns." "Then the thorns-what use are they?" I did not know. At that moment I was very busy trying to unscrew④a boltthat had got stuck in my engine. I was very much worried, for it was becoming clear to me that the breakdowno of my plane was extremely serious. And I had so little drinking-water left that I had to fear the worst. "The thorns-what use are they?" The little prince never let go{}of a question, once he had asked it. As for me, I was upset{} over that bolt. And I answered with the first thing that came into{②}my head, .040: , 第五天,小王子的身世之迷揭开了。和之前一 ①revealvi:l揭开,展现 样,这次又是因为绵羊。在经过一段长时间的沉默 后,他冷不防地对我说; “绵羊--假设他吃小灌木的话,那他也吃花 吗?” 2 reach /ri:tf n. 可及之范围 “绵羊,”我答道,“只要是他能够找得到的东西 ③ thom/o:n/n. 刺.荆棘 他都吃。” “他也吃带刺的花吗?” “是的,有刺的花他也吃。” ④ unscrew /An'skru:/ . “那么那些刺-有什么用呢?” 从.....旋出蝶丝,旋开,旋 松 我不知道该怎么回答。当时我正忙着卸下卡在 5 bolt /boult/n e 引擎上的蝶丝钉。我忧心忡忡,因为我发现飞机的 breakdown /'brerkdaon/ n 毁损程度超乎我的想象。而且饮用水所剩无几,这 损坏,故障 逼得我不得不做最坏的打算 “那些刺-它们有什么用呢?” let go提出 小王子一旦提出问题,他得不到答案是不会善 ③upset /Ap'set/v. 使狼狠.使 罢甘休的。而我,我正为那颗蝶丝钉烦躁不已。于 烦乱 come into进入:加入:参 是就随口答道 加 ·041· The Cittfe Prince "The thorns are of no use at all{①}. Flowers have thorns just for spite{②!" “Oh!" There was a moment of complete silence. Then the little prince flashed{③}back at me, with a kind of resentfulnes${④, "I don't believe you! Flowers are weak creatures. They are naive. They reassure*} themselves as best as they can. They believe that their thorns are terribleweapons.." I did not answer. At that instant I was saying to myself:"If this bolt still won't turn, I am going to knock it out with the hammer." Again the little prince disturbed my thoughts. "And you actually believe that the flowers-" “Oh, no!" I cried. "No, no, no! I don't believe anything. answered you with the first thing that came into my head. Don't you see-I am very busy with matters of conseauence!" He stared at me, thunderstruck. "Matters of consequence!" He looked at me there, with my hammer in my hand, my fingers black with engine-grease{}, bending down over an object which seemed to him extremely ugly... "You talk just like the grown-ups!" That made me a little ashamed^{}. But he went on, relentlessly^{, He was really very angry. He tossed^{} his golden curls in the breeze. "I know a planet where there is a certain red-faced gentleman. He has never smelled a flower. He has never looked at a star. He has neve loved any one. He has never done anything in his life but add up{①} figures. And all day he says over and over^{①}, just like you, 'I am busy 042: 小王子1 ①at all根本 “那刺根本没有用处。花有刺是因为它心眼坏!” ②spite /spait/ n. 恶意 “哦!” 小王子沉默片刻,随后用愤愤不平的眼神望着 我说: ③ flash/flaef/v 发出闪光 “我才不信你!花是那么娇弱。它们天真可爱。 ④ resentfulness /r'zentfolnis/ n. 愤恨显 为了能使自已安心,它们相信它们身上的刺是可以 然不满的 确保自身安全的了不起的武器.....” naive /na:'i:vl a. 幼稚的 无经验的:单纯的 我并没有回答,只是自忖着:“如果这颗甥丝钉 6 reassure /ri:a'fov 消除某 仍无法松动的话,我就得用铁锤把它敲打出来。” 人的恐惧,使某人放心 可是小王子再度打断我的思绪 ②terrible /terabl/a. 厉害 “你确定花--” 的:了不起的 “哦,不!”我大叫,“不!不!不!我什么都不 相信。我只是顺口胡谄的。你难道没有看见--我 正在忙着重要的事吗?” 他讶异地看着我。 “重要的事情!” 他看到我手中拿着铁锤,手指被机油弄得黑乎 乎的,弯下身子探看在他眼中丑陋不堪的东西..... “你说话的样子就像那些大人!” 8 grease /ari:s/ n. 润滑注 这话让我很惭愧。但是他仍不留情面地说下去 “你把一切事情搞得乱七八糟......你把每一样事 情都搞乱了......” 9 ashamed /a'femd/ a. 惭愧 的,羞耻的,害噪的 他真的气坏了。在微风中摇动着他金色的鬓发。 D relentlessly /rr'lentlsly/ ad “我知道有一颗行星住有一个红脸绅士。他从未 不屈不挠地:不留情面地 n toss/tps/v. 使摇摆,使动 闻过花香,不曾仰望星星,更没有爱过任何人。在 他的一生当中,除了不停地计算数字之外,就再也 addup加起来,总计 没有做过其他的事。他就像你一样,整天只会反复 地说:我正在忙重要的事!'并且以此自豪。但是 Dover andover 反复,再三 他不能算是个人--他只是一个蘑菇!” ·043· The fittfe Prince with matters of consequence!' And that makes him swell up{with pride But he is not a man-he is a mushroom!" "A what?" "A mushroom!" The little prince was now white with rage②. "The flowers have been growing thorns for millions of years. For millions of years the sheep have been eating them just the same. And is it not a matter of consequence to try to understand why the flowers go to so much trouble to grow thorns which are never of any use to them? Is the warfare③ between the sheep and the flowers not important? Is this not of more consequence than a fat red-faced gentleman's sums? And if I know-I, myself-one flower which is unique④ in the world, which grows nowhere but on my planet, but which one little sheep can destroy} in a single bite some morning, without even noticing what he is doing- Oh! You think that is not important!" His face turned from white to red as he continued. "If someone loves a flower, of which just one single blossom grows in all the millions and millions of stars, it is enough to make him happy just to look at the stars. He can say to himself, 'Somewhere, my flower is there...'But if the sheep eats the flower, in one moment all his stars will be darkened... And you think that is not important!" He could not say anything more. His words were choked ① by sobbing The night had fallen. I had let my tools drop from my hands. Of what moment now was my hammer, my bolt, or thirst^{}, or death? On one star, one planet, my planet, the Earth, there was a little prince to be comforted②}. I took him in my arms, and rocked{ him. I said to him. .044· 小王子1 ①swellup感到自豪 “一个什么?” “蘑菇!” 此时,小王子气得脸色繁白。 “花长刺已是存在了好几百万年的事实。但几 百万年来,羊还是照吃不误。我想了解花为什么 ②rage /reid/ n. 情怒:激妙 要费尽心思长一些毫无用处的刺,这难道不算正 经事吗?绵羊和花之间的战争难道不重要吗?这 难道不比那个胖胖的红脸先生认识的算术题来得 重要吗?假如我一-我个人一一认识一朵世上独 一无二的花,她只是生长在我居住的行星上,而 ③ warfare /'wa:fea/ . 战争 在某天清晨,有一只小绵羊不明就里就把花给吃 ④unique /ju:'ni:k/a 独一无 掉,却不知道自己干了什么--哎呀!你也觉得 二的,仅有的 这一点都不重要?!” destroy /drs'tror/ v. 破坏. 他苍白的脸逐渐恢复了而色,他继续说道; 消灭 “倘若有一个人对一朵花情有独钟,而那花在浩 瀚的星河中,是独一无二的,那么,他只要仰望繁 星点点,就心满意足了。他会嘀嘀自语:我的花 就在星河的某个角落......'可是,这花一旦被羊吃 掉了,一瞬间,所有星星都将随之黯淡无光......那 你也认为这不重要吗?” 说到这里,他早已硬咽得说不出话来了 夜幕降临了。我任凭手 中的工具散落在地上。一时 choke /tfook/v. 使阻塞. 间,我的铁锤、丝钉,或 睡咽 7 sob/sobv. 哭泣:嘎泣 者是饥渴和死亡,又有什么 B thirst /st/n(□]温 重要的?在一颗行星上,也 就是我居住的行星-一地球 ? comfort /'kamfat/ . 安 0 rock /rok/ v. 抚慰 上,有一位小王子需要慰藉。我把他轻轻拥入怀 中,安慰他说: ·045· The Cittfe Prince "The flower that you love is not in danger. I will draw you a muzzle{①} for your sheep. I will draw you a railing② to put around your flower. I will-" I did not know what to say to him. I felt awkward{③} and blundering④}. I did not know how I could reach him, where I could overtake{}him and go on hand in hand with him once more. It is such a secret place, the land of tears. ·046. 小王子1 ①muzzle /mAzl/n. (动物 “你所爱的花不会有危险的。我会替你在绵羊嘴 的)口套:鼻笼 上画上一个口套,然后再给你的花画上篱爸。我还 ② railing/retln/ n. 由横木 做成的寓色 ③ awkward /5tkwad/ a. 笨 我不知道还能跟他说些什么。我觉得自已像个 拙的:尬的 ④ blundering /blAndorin/ a. 做错了事的傻爪。我不知道该如何接近他,再度携 大错的 手前行。 5 overtake /'aovsteik 追 上,赶上,超过 眼泪的故乡--最隐密的地方。 ·047·