9.QUEEN ALICE艾丽丝王后-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《爱丽丝镜中奇遇记》

9 QUEEN ALICE “WELL,this is grand!”said Alice.“I never expected I should be a Queen so soon-and I'll tell you what it is,your Majesty,"she went on,in a severe tone (she was always rather fond of scolding herself), "It'll never do for you to be lolling about on the grass like that! Queens have to be dignified3,you know！” So she got up and walked about-rather stiffly just at first,as she was afraid that the crown might come off:but she comforted herself with the thought that there was nobody to see her,"and if I really am a Queen,"she said as she sat down again,"I shall be able to manage it quite well in time." Everything was happening so oddly 5 that she didn't feel a bit surprised at finding the Red Queen and the White Queen sitting close to her,one on each side:she would have liked very much to ask them how they came there,but she feared it would not be quite civil.However, there would be no harm,she thought,in asking if the game was over. "Please,would you tell me-"she began,looking timidly at the Red Queen. "Speak when you're spoken to!"the Queen sharply interrupted her. ·222· 第九章 艾丽丝王后 “太妙了！我从来没有想到这么快就当起王 后来。陛下，我忠告您，”（她一向喜欢装出责 ①scold/skauld/比责骂，训 骂自己的样子)因此声色俱厉地说，“根本不允许 斥 您这样懒洋洋地躺在草地上！您知道，王后必须 ②1o川D/比懒洋洋地坐卧 ③dignified /dignifard/a有 显得尊贵！” 尊严的 ④stiffly/stfl/ad.生硬地 她站起身，来回走动着，一开始步态很不自 然，因为她担心王冠会掉下来。后来她想到，没 有人会看见她的，也就放心了。她在重新坐下时 说：“假如我真的是王后，很快就能够适应的。” 这一天，怪事层出不穷，因此，发现红王后 和白王后一边一个紧挨着她坐着时，她一点也不 ⑤oddly严pd/ad奇妙地， 吃惊。她本来很想问问她们是怎么来的，但又怕 古怪地 那样不太礼貌。但是她又想，问一问那盘国际象 棋下完了没有，总不至于出格吧。她怯生生望着 红王后说：“你能告诉我…” “有人跟你说话，你才能说话！”王后严厉地 打断她。 “但是，如果每个人都遵守这条规矩，”艾丽 丝天生爱争辩，“如果有人跟你说话，你才说话， ·223· Throughthe Looking-Glass,and What Alice Found There "But if everybody obeyed that rule,"said Alice,who was always ready for a little argument,"and if you only spoke when you were spoken to,and the other person always waited for you to begin,you see nobody would ever say anything,so that-" “Ridiculous！”cried the Queen.“Why,don't you see,child--” here she broke off with a frown,and,after thinking for a minute, suddenly changed the subject of the conversation."What do you mean by 'If you really are a Queen'?What right have you to call yourself so? You can't be a Queen,you know,till you've passed the proper examination.And the sooner we begin it,the better." “I only said‘if'!”poor Alice pleaded in a piteous tone. The two Queens looked at each other,and the Red Queen remarked,with a little shudder,“She says she only said‘if'-” "But she said a great deal more than that!"the White Queen moaned2,wringing her hands."Oh,ever so much more than that!" “So you did,you know,”the Red Queen said to Alice.“Always speak the truth-think before you speak-and write it down afterwards." "I'm sure I didn't mean-"Alice was beginning,but the Red Queen interrupted her impatiently. "That's just what I complain of!You should have meant!What do you suppose is the use of a child without any meaning?Even a joke should have some meaning-and a child's more important than a joke,I hope.You couldn't deny that,even if you tried with both hands." "I don't deny things with my hands,"Alice objected. “Nobody said you did,.”said the Red Queen.“I said you couldn't if you tried.” “She's in that state of mind,”said the White Queen,“that she wants to deny something-only she doesn't know what to deny!" ·224· 艾丽丝镜中奇遇记 那么人人都要等别人先说，谁也不会开口说了， 谁也…” 王后喊叫道：“荒唐可笑！嗨，你难道不懂， 孩子…”说到这里，她皱起眉头，不作声了， 想了一想，突然改变话题。“你刚才说‘假如我 真的是王后’是什么意思？你有什么权利这样称 呼自己？你知道，在通过特别考试之前，你不能 成为王后。我们马上考试吧，越快越好。” “我只是说‘假如'！”艾丽丝可怜巴巴地为 自己辩护。 plead/pli:d/.申诉，辩护 两位王后互相看了一眼，红王后微微发颤地 说：“她说她刚才只说了‘假如’…” 白王后拧着双手悲叹道：“她不只是说这两 个字！唉，她说了很长一句话！” 2moan/man/.申吟，抱 怨 红王后对艾丽丝说：“你知道你不只说那两 个字。任何时候都要讲老实话，说之前要思考， 说之后要记录。” “我肯定，我没有那个意思…”艾丽丝刚 开口，红王后就不耐烦地打断她。 “你这个毛病最可恶了！你明明想表达什么 意思嘛！一个没有什么意思的小孩有什么用？！ 说笑话也有意思的，而小孩要比笑话重要，我希 望如此。你没办法否定，你举双手也否定不了。” 艾丽丝反驳：“我不用手否定。” 红王后说：“没有人说过你举手表示否定。 我说的是，你想举手否定，也否定不了。” 白王后说：“她的神情，就是想否定点什么， 只不过她不知道否定什么罢了！” ·225· Throughthe Looking-Glass,and What Alice Found There "A nasty,vicious temper,the Red Queen remarked;and then there was an uncomfortable silence for a minute or two. The Red Queen broke the silence by saying,to the White Queen, "I invite you to Alice's dinner-party this afternoon." The White Queen smiled feebly2,and said,"And I invite you." “I didn't know I was to have a party at all,”said Alice;“but,if there is to be one,I think I ought to invite the guests." "We gave you the opportunity of doing it,"the Red Queen remarked:"but I dare say you've not had many lessons in manners yet." “"Manners are not taught in lessons,”said Alice.“Lessons teach you to do sums,and things of that sort." “Can you do Addition③？”the White Queen asked.“What'sone and one and one and one and one and one and one and one and one and one?” “Idon't know,”said Alice.“I lost count.” “She can't do Addition,”the Red Queen interrupted.“Can you do Subtraction?Take nine from eight." ·226· 艾丽丝境中奇遇记 ①vicious /vifas!a.恶毒 “真是卑劣可恶的脾气。”红王后说完后，出 的，邪恶的 现了一两分钟难堪的沉默。 红王后打破了沉默，对白王后说：“我邀请 你参加今天下午艾丽丝的宴会。” 2 feebly/fi:blt/ad.虚弱地 白王后淡淡一笑，说：“我邀请你。” 艾丽丝说：“我根本不知道我要举行宴会。 即使是，我想也应该由我来邀请客人。” 红王后说：“我给了你机会了，但是我敢说， 宴会礼仪的课，你还没上过几次。” 艾丽丝说：“课堂上是不教宴会礼仪的。课 堂上教算术，还教别的功课。” ③addition'df3nli.加法 白王后问：“你会加法吗？一加一加一加一 加一加一加一加一加一加一等于多少？” 艾丽丝回答：“我不知道，我没有数清楚。” (图略) “她不会加法，”红王后插话，“你会减法吗？ subtraction /sab'trakfan/ 八减九等于几？” n减法 ·227· Throughthe Looking-Glass,and What Alice Found There "Nine from eight I can't,you know,Alice replied very readily: “but” “She can't do Subtraction,”said the White Queen.“Can you do Division?Divide a loaf by a knife-what's the answer to that?" "I suppose-"Alice was beginning,but the Red Queen answered for her."Bread-and-Butter,of course.Try another Subtraction sum.Take a bone from a dog:what remains?" Alice considered."The bone wouldn't remain,of course,if I took it-and the dog wouldn't remain:it would come to bite me-and I'm sure I shouldn't remain!" "Then you think nothing would remain?"said the Red Queen. “"I think that's the answer..” “Wrong,as usual,”said the Red Queen:“the dog's temper would remain..” “But I don't see how--" “Why,look here!”the Red Queen cried,“The dog would lose its temper,wouldn'tit?” "Perhaps it would."Alice replied cautiously2. "Then if the dog went away,its temper would remain!"the Queen exclaimed triumphantly. Alice said,as gravely as she could,"They might go different ways."But she couldn't help thinking to herself,"What dreadful nonsense we are talking!" "She can't do sums a bit!"the Queens said together,with great emphasis "Can you do sums?"Alice said,turning suddenly on the White Queen,for she didn't like being found fault with so much. The Queen gasped④and shut her eyes..“I can do Addition,”she said,"if you give me time-but I can't do Subtraction under any ·228· 艾丽丝境中奇遇记 艾丽丝回答得很快：“你知道，八减九我不 会，但是…” “她不会减法，”白王后说，“你会除法吗？拿 ①division/d'vI33n/h.除 学 一把小刀来分一个枕头面包，答案是什么？” “我想…”艾丽丝刚刚开口，红王后就替 她回答了，“当然是面包加黄油。再算一道减法。 从狗嘴里拿走骨头，留下什么？” 艾丽丝想了想，“如果我拿走骨头，骨头当然 不会留下，狗也不会留下，狗会来咬我的，我肯 定也不会留下！” “那么你认为什么也不留吗？”红王后追问。 “我想是这样。” 红王后说：“又错了。狗的脾气留下了。” “但是我看不出怎么…” 红王后喊道：“嗳，你看，狗会发脾气的， 对不对？” “也许会的。”艾丽丝回答得很谨慎。 2cautiously /ko:fosl/ad. “狗一走，狗脾气就留下了2！”王后得意洋 小心地，谨慎地 洋地喊起来。 “也许各走各的路了。”艾丽丝尽可能保持严 肃，但是禁不住在心里嘀咕，“尽是胡说八道！” “她一点也不懂算术！”两位王后齐声嚷嚷， 大有不容辩驳之意。 “你会做算术题吗？”艾丽丝突然冲着白王后 emphasis /emfasis/m.强 说，因为她不喜欢别人老我她的茬儿。 调 白王后倒吸了一口冷气，闭上眼睛说，“只要 给我充足的时间，我会算加法。但是再容易的减 ④gasp/ga:sp,gesp/喘 气，喘息 ①英语“除”和“分”是同一个字。一译注 必英语“发脾气”在字面上是“丢失脾气”。一译注 ·229· Throughthe Looking-Glass,and What Alice Found There circumstances！” "Of course you know your A B C?"said the Red Queen. "To be sure I do,"said Alice. "So do I,the White Queen whispered:"we'll often say it over together,dear.And I'll tell you a secret-I can read words of one letter!Isn't that grand?However,don't be discouraged.You'll come to it in time..” Here the Red Queen began again."Can you answer useful questions?”she said.“How is bread made?” “I know that!”Alice cried eagerly..“You take some flour--”" “Where do you pick the flower??”the White Queen asked:“Ina garden or in the hedges?" “Well,it isn't picked at all,”Alice explained:“it's ground--" “How many acres②of ground??”said the White Queen.“You mustn't leave out so many things." “Fan her head！”the Red Queen anxiously interrupted..“She'lbe feverish after so much thinking."So they set to work and fanned her with bunches of leaves,till she had to beg them to leave off,it blew her hair about so. “She's all right again now,”said the Red Queen.“Do you know Languages?What's the French for fiddle-de-dee?" "Fiddle-de-dee's not English,"Alice replied gravely. “Who ever said it was?”said the Red Queen. Alice thought she saw a way out of the difficulty,this time."If you'll tell me what language 'fiddle-de-dee'is,I'll tell you the French for it!"she exclaimed triumphantly. But the Red Queen drew herself up rather stiffly,and said "Queens never make bargains..” "I wish Queens never asked questions,"Alice thought to herself. ·230· 艾丽丝境中奇遇记【 ①circumstance 法我也不会算。” s3 kamstans/m.境况 “你字母当然认识的罗？”红王后问。 “那还用说。”艾丽丝回答。 “我也会，”白王后悄声说道，“亲爱的，我们 以后常常在一起背字母吧。我告诉你一个秘密， 我看得懂一个字母组成的字。这够了不起吧！你 也别丧气，到时候你也会的。” 红王后又开始问：“你能回答常识题吗？面 包是怎么做的？” “这我知道！”艾丽丝急忙回答，“你拿一点面 粉.” 白王后问：“你在哪儿摘的花？在花园里还 是在树篱上？” 2 acre /'eika/L.英亩 “唉，根本不是摘的，”艾丽丝解释道，“是地 上的…” 白王后问：“有多少亩地？别丢三落四的， 3 feverish'fi:vor/a.兴奋 一气说完。” “给她的头煽煽风！”红王后忧心忡忡：“她 这样苦思冥想要发高烧的。”她们果真动手用树 叶给她煽风，把她的头发吹得乱蓬蓬的，艾丽丝 一再请求，才停了下来。 红王后说：“她现在又正常了。我问你，懂 不懂外语？fiddle--de-dee法语怎么说？” “这个词不是英语。”艾丽丝严肃地回答。 “谁说过它是英语啦？”红王后说 艾丽丝想，这一次她有个办法可以摆脱困 境，于是得意地喊起来：“如果你告诉我这个词 是哪一国的语言，我就告诉你法语怎么说！” 但是红王后把身子挺得笔直：“王后从来也 ·231·