雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

The Taior of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

作者(英文):BEATRIX POTTER

中文: 至優記錄

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

In the time of swords and periwigs and full-skirted coats with flowered lappets—when gentlemen wore ruffles, and gold-laced waistcoats of paduasoy and taffeta—there lived a tailor in Gloucester。

He sat in the window of a little shop in Westgate Street, cross-legged on a table, from morning till dark。

All day long while the light lasted he sewed and snippeted, piecing out his satin and pompadour, and lutestring; stuffs had strange names, and were very expensive in the days of the Tailor of Gloucester。

在佩劍、戴假髮、穿著帶花領口的連身外套的時代,紳士們穿著荷葉邊、帕杜阿索伊和塔夫綢的鑲金色花邊背心-在格洛斯特住著一位裁縫。

他的店鋪在西門街上,他坐在窗戶旁邊的一張桌子旁,盤腿坐著,從早上一直忙到到夜晚。

天亮的時候,他一整天都在縫呀縫呀,拼接緞子、花紋布和亮光綢。在格洛斯特的裁縫時代,這些東西的名字很奇怪,而且非常昂貴。

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

But although he sewed fine silk for his neighbours, he himself was very, very poor—a little old man in spectacles, with a pinched face, old crooked fingers, and a suit of thread-bare clothes。

但是,儘管他為他的鄰居們縫著上好的絲綢,他自己卻非常、非常貧窮-一個戴著眼鏡的、面色蒼白瘦削的、手指彎曲的、穿著一身破舊衣服的老頭。

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

He cut his coats without waste, according to his embroidered cloth; they were very small ends and snippets that lay about upon the table—“Too narrow breadths for nought—except waistcoats for mice,” said the tailor。

根據繡花布料,他一點也沒有浪費地裁剪衣服。桌子上都是些非常小的布頭和碎布。“這些布頭太窄了,什麼也做不了,除非給老鼠做馬甲”裁縫說。

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

One bitter cold day near Christmastime the tailor began to make a coat—a coat of cherry-coloured corded silk embroidered with pansies and roses, and a cream coloured satin waistcoat—trimmed with gauze and green worsted chenille—for the Mayor of Gloucester。

臨近聖誕節的一個寒冷的日子裡,裁縫開始為格洛斯特市長做一件大衣,一件用櫻桃色的絲線繡上三色堇和玫瑰的大衣,一件用紗布和綠色精紡繩絨裝飾的奶油色緞子馬甲。

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

The tailor worked and worked, and he talked to himself。 He measured the silk, and turned it round and round, and trimmed it into shape with his shears; the table was all littered with cherry-coloured snippets。

“No breadth at all, and cut on the cross; it is no breadth at all; tippets for mice and ribbons for mobs! for mice!” said the Tailor of Gloucester。

When the snow-flakes came down against the small leaded window-panes and shut out the light, the tailor had done his day‘s work; all the silk and satin lay cut out upon the table。

裁縫一直在工作,自言自語。他量了量絲綢,把它轉了一圈又一圈,然後用剪刀把它剪成了合適的形狀;桌子上到處都是櫻桃色的碎布。

“根本不夠寬,像在斜著裁剪了,太窄了。只能給老鼠做披肩了,給那些小壞蛋做綵帶!給老鼠們!”格洛斯特的裁縫說。

當雪花落下來,打在小鉛窗玻璃上,把光線都擋住了,裁縫完成了一天的工作。所有的綢緞都裁剪玩了,擺在桌子上。

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

There were twelve pieces for the coat and four pieces for the waistcoat; and there were pocket flaps and cuffs, and buttons all in order。 For the lining of the coat there was fine yellow taffeta; and for the button-holes of the waistcoat, there was cherry-coloured twist。 And everything was ready to sew together in the morning, all measured and sufficient—except that there was wanting just one single skein of cherry-coloured twisted silk。

外套有12片,馬甲有4片,還有口袋蓋、袖口和紐扣,全都擺放的整齊有序。上衣的襯裡是上等的黃色塔夫綢;馬甲上的扣子孔是櫻桃色的。所有的東西都準備好了,明天早上就可以縫在一起了,尺寸都已經量好,且充足——只是還差一束櫻桃色的捻絲線。

The tailor came out of his shop at dark, for he did not sleep there at nights; he fastened the window and locked the door, and took away the key。 No one lived there at night but little brown mice, and they run in and out without any keys!

天黑時,裁縫走出店面,晚上他不睡在店裡。他關緊窗戶,鎖好門,拿走鑰匙。晚上,沒有人住在店裡,只有一群棕色的小老鼠們。他們跑進跑出地,根本不需要鑰匙!

For behind the wooden wainscots of all the old houses in Gloucester, there are little mouse staircases and secret trap-doors; and the mice run from house to house through those long narrow passages; they can run all over the town without going into the streets。

因為在格洛斯特所有老房子的木牆裙後面,有小老鼠的樓梯和秘密的活板門;老鼠透過那些狹長的通道,可以從一個房子跑到另一個房子;它們可以跑遍整個城鎮而不必上街。

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

But the tailor came out of his shop, and shuffled home through the snow。 He lived quite near by in College Court, next the doorway to College Green; and although it was not a big house, the tailor was so poor he only rented the kitchen。

裁縫從他的店裡出來,在雪地裡拖著腳步回家。他住在離學院巷很近的地方,緊鄰學院草坪的門口。儘管那不是一個大房子,但是,裁縫還是窮得只能租一間廚房。

He lived alone with his cat; it was called Simpkin。

他和他的貓住在一起,貓的名字叫做辛普金。

Now all day long while the tailor was out at work, Simpkin kept house by himself; and he also was fond of the mice, though he gave them no satin for coats!

當裁縫外出工作的時候,一整天,辛普金都自己待在屋子裡。它也很喜歡老鼠,雖然它不給老鼠們做緞子外套。

“Miaw?” said the cat when the tailor opened the door。 “Miaw?”

“喵?”當裁縫開啟門的時候,貓咪向他叫著,“喵?”

The tailor replied—“Simpkin, we shall make our fortune, but I am worn to a ravelling。 Take this groat (which is our last fourpence) and Simpkin, take a china pipkin; buy a penn’orth of bread, a penn‘orth of milk and a penn’orth of sausages。 And oh, Simpkin, with the last penny of our fourpence buy me one penn‘orth of cherry-coloured silk。 But do not lose the last penny of the fourpence, Simpkin, or I am undone and worn to a thread-paper, for I have NO MORE TWIST。”

裁縫說到:“辛普金,我們要發財了,但是我現在已經筋疲力盡了。拿著這4便士銀幣,這是我們最後的四便士了,拿著一個瓷罐子,去買一便士麵包,一便士牛奶,一便士櫻桃色的絲線。但是不要把最後一便士弄丟了,否則,我就完蛋了,因為那樣我就沒有絲線鎖邊了!”

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

Then Simpkin again said, “Miaw?” and took the groat and the pipkin, and went out into the dark。

The tailor was very tired and beginning to be ill。 He sat down by the hearth and talked to himself about that wonderful coat。

然後辛普金再次叫了一聲“喵”,就帶著4便士銀幣走出門,進入黑夜中。

裁縫太累了,他病倒了。他坐在壁爐旁,自言自語地說著那件精美絕倫的外套。

“I shall make my fortune—to be cut bias—the Mayor of Gloucester is to be married on Christmas Day in the morning, and he hath ordered a coat and an embroidered waistcoat—to be lined with yellow taffeta—and the taffeta sufficeth; there is no more left over in snippets than will serve to make tippets for mice——”

“我會發財的-要斜著裁-聖誕節的早上,格洛斯特的市長要結婚了,他訂購了一件外套和一件繡花的馬甲-黃色的塔夫綢的襯裡-塔夫綢是夠用的,但是剩不下什麼布料了,那些碎布頭只能給老鼠做披肩-”

Then the tailor started; for suddenly, interrupting him, from the dresser at the other side of the kitchen came a number of little noises—

然後,裁縫說著,突然,他被打斷了,因為從廚房櫥櫃的另一端傳來一些聲音,類似這樣的-

Tip tap, tip tap, tip tap tip!

“踢嗒,踢嗒,踢嗒踢!”

“Now what can that be?” said the Tailor of Gloucester, jumping up from his chair。 The dresser was covered with crockery and pipkins, willow pattern plates, and tea-cups and mugs。

“那會是什麼聲音呢?”格洛斯特的裁縫說著,從椅子裡跳起來。櫥櫃裡擺滿了陶器、瓷器、柳木花紋的盤子、茶杯和馬克杯。

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

The tailor crossed the kitchen, and stood quite still beside the dresser, listening, and peering through his spectacles。 Again from under a tea-cup, came those funny little noises—

裁縫穿過廚房,靜靜地站在櫥櫃旁邊,一邊聽,一邊透過他的眼睛仔細看。從一個茶杯下面,再次傳出了那些有趣的細細的聲音-

Tip tap, tip tap, Tip tap tip!

“踢嗒,踢嗒,踢嗒踢!”

“This is very peculiar,” said the Tailor of Gloucester; and he lifted up the tea-cup which was upside down。

“真奇怪,”格洛斯特的裁縫說,然後他拿起倒著放置的那個茶杯。

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

Out stepped a little live lady mouse, and made a curtsey to the tailor! Then she hopped away down off the dresser, and under the wainscot。

從裡面走出一位小小的老鼠女士,她像裁縫行了一個屈膝禮!然後跳下櫥櫃,進入護牆板下面。

The tailor sat down again by the fire, warming his poor cold hands, and mumbling to himself——

裁縫再次做到了爐火旁,給自己那雙可憐冰冷的手取暖,喃喃地自言自語-

“The waistcoat is cut out from peach-coloured satin—tambour stitch and rose-buds in beautiful floss silk。 Was I wise to entrust my last fourpence to Simpkin? One-and-twenty button-holes of cherry-coloured twist!”

“馬甲要用桃紅色緞子裁出來-在繃子上用美麗的絲線繡出玫瑰花蕾。我相信辛普金拿著四便士去買東西是明智的嗎? 可是我還有21個釦眼需要櫻桃紅色的絲線鎖邊啊!”

But all at once, from the dresser, there came other little noises:

但是,突然,從壁櫥裡又傳出另一陣細碎的聲音:

“踢嗒,踢嗒,踢嗒踢!”

Tip tap, tip tap, tip tap tip!

“This is passing extraordinary!” said the Tailor of Gloucester, and turned over another tea-cup, which was upside down。

“真是太奇怪了!格洛斯特的裁縫說著,翻開另一個倒放的茶杯。

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

Out stepped a little gentleman mouse, and made a bow to the tailor!

從裡面走出一位小小的老鼠女士,她向裁縫鞠了一躬!

And then from all over the dresser came a chorus of little tappings, all sounding together, and answering one another, like watch-beetles in an old worm-eaten window-shutter—

然後,從櫥櫃裡傳出一陣敲的聲音,整齊劃一,相互呼應,就像一扇被蛀蟲吃空的百葉窗裡傳出的甲殼蟲的聲音-

“踢嗒,踢嗒,踢嗒踢!”

“踢嗒,踢嗒,踢嗒踢!”

And out from under tea-cups and from under bowls and basins, stepped other and more little mice who hopped away down off the dresser and under the wainscot。

從茶杯裡,從碗裡,從碗裡,走出更多的小老鼠,它們從護牆板出來,跳下櫥櫃。

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

The tailor sat down, close over the fire, lamenting—“One-and-twenty button-holes of cherry-coloured silk! To be finished by noon of Saturday: and this is Tuesday evening。 Was it right to let loose those mice, ndoubtedly the property of Simpkin? Alack, I am undone, for I have no more twist!”

裁縫坐下來,靠近爐火旁,抱怨到-“還有21個釦眼需要用櫻桃紅色的絲線鎖邊!週六中午前就得完成,但是現在已經是週二晚上了。 我放掉那些老鼠是對的嗎?毋庸置疑,它們是辛普金的財產!哎呀,我完蛋了,我沒有絲線鎖邊了!”

The little mice came out again, and listened to the tailor; they took notice of the pattern of that wonderful coat。 They whispered to one another about the taffeta lining, and about little mouse tippets。

那些老鼠又出來了,聽著裁縫說著,它們注意過那些華美外套的樣式。它們一個個地耳語,討論著塔夫綢的襯裡,和小老鼠披肩。

And then all at once they all ran away together down the passage behind the wainscot, squeaking and calling to one another, as they ran from house to house; and not one mouse was left in the tailor’s kitchen when Simpkin came back with the pipkin of milk!

然後,突然,它們都跑向了護牆板後面的通道,尖叫著呼喚一隻只老鼠,因為它們可以從一間房子跑到另一間房子,當辛普金帶著一罐牛奶回來的時候,沒有一隻老鼠在裁縫的廚房裡了!

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

Simpkin opened the door and bounced in, with an angry “G-r-r-miaw!” like a cat that is vexed: for he hated the snow, and there was snow in his ears, and snow in his collar at the back of his neck。 He put down the loaf and the sausages upon the dresser, and sniffed。

辛普金開啟門,一下子跳入屋內,生氣的大叫一聲“呼-呼-喵!”就像一隻發怒的貓那樣大叫。因為它討厭下雪,討厭雪進入它的耳朵裡,討厭雪進入衣領,落到它的的後脖子上。它把麵包和香腸放到櫥櫃上,開始嗅。

“Simpkin,” said tailor, “where is my twist?”

“辛普金,我鎖邊用的絲線呢?”

But Simpkin set down the pipkin of milk upon the dresser, and looked suspiciously at the tea-cups。 He wanted his supper of little fat mouse!

但是辛普金坐在櫥櫃上的那罐牛奶旁,狐疑地看著茶杯。他想吃那些胖胖的老鼠作為晚餐呢!

“Simpkin,” said the tailor, “where is my TWIST?”

“辛普金,我鎖邊用的絲線呢?”

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

But Simpkin hid a little parcel privately in the tea-pot, and spit and growled at the tailor; and if Simpkin had been able to talk, he would have asked: “Where is my MOUSE?”

但是辛普金偷偷地把一個小包裹藏在了茶杯裡,它向裁縫吐口水,並大叫著。如果辛普金可以說話,它會問:“我的老鼠們在哪裡?”

“Alack, I am undone!” said the Tailor of Gloucester, and went sadly to bed。

“哎呀,我完蛋了!”格洛斯特的裁縫說著,傷心地上床睡覺了。

All that night long Simpkin hunted and searched through the kitchen, peeping into cupboards and under the wainscot, and into the tea-pot where he had hidden that twist; but still he found never a mouse!

一整晚,辛普金在廚房裡尋找著,偷偷檢視碗櫃裡,護牆板下面,和它藏鎖邊絲線的茶壺裡,但是,它仍然沒有找到一隻老鼠!

Whenever the tailor muttered and talked in his sleep, Simpkin said “Miaw-ger-r-w-s-s-ch!” and made strange horrid noises, as cats do at night。

當裁縫在睡夢中喃喃自語的時候,辛普金叫著“喵-嗚-喵-嗚”!貓在晚上經常發出這種奇怪而嚇人的聲音。

For the poor old tailor was very ill with a fever, tossing and turning in his four-post bed; and still in his dreams he mumbled—“No more twist! no more twist!”

這個可憐的老裁縫生病了,發著高燒,在他的四柱床上輾轉反側,儘管如此,他仍舊嘟囔著:“沒有絲線了!沒有絲線了!”

All that day he was ill, and the next day, and the next; and what should become of the cherry-coloured coat? In the tailor‘s shop in Westgate Street the embroidered silk and satin lay cut out upon the table—one-and-twenty button-holes—and who should come to sew them, when the window was barred, and the door was fast locked?

一整天,他都病著,第二天也是,第三天也是。那件櫻桃紅色的外套會怎樣呢?在西門大街的裁縫店裡的桌子上,躺著才好的繡花絲綢緞子,21可釦眼,誰來縫它們呢?窗戶都是緊封住的,門也被緊緊地鎖住?

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

But that does not hinder the little brown mice; they run in and out without any keys through all the old houses in Gloucester!

但是,那可擋不住棕色的小老鼠們。他們在格洛斯特的老房子間跑進跑出,根本不用鑰匙。

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

Out of doors the market folks went trudging through the snow to buy their geese and turkeys, and to bake their Christmas pies; but there would be no Christmas dinner for Simpkin and the poor old Tailor of Gloucester。

門外,趕集的人們在雪上步履艱難地在雪地裡走著,去買鵝和夥計,為了烘焙聖誕節餡餅。但是格洛斯特的可憐的老裁縫和辛普金卻沒有聖誕晚餐。

The tailor lay ill for three days and nights; and then it was Christmas Eve, and very late at night。 The moon climbed up over the roofs and chimneys, and looked down over the gateway into College Court。 There were no lights in the windows, nor any sound in the houses; all the city of Gloucester was fast asleep under the snow。

裁縫躺在床上病了三天三夜,聖誕節前夜到了,很晚了。月亮爬上房簷,高掛在煙囪上面,俯視著桐鄉學院巷的路。房子的窗子裡沒有燈光,也沒有聲音。格洛斯特城市裡的一切都在大雪中進入了沉睡。

And still Simpkin wanted his mice, and he mewed as he stood beside the four-post bed。

辛普金仍然想吃它的老鼠們,它站在四柱床旁邊,喵喵叫著。

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

But it is in the old story that all the beasts can talk, in the night between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the morning (though there are very few folk that can hear them, or know what it is that they say)。

When the Cathedral clock struck twelve there was an answer—like an echo of the chimes—and Simpkin heard it, and came out of the tailor’s door, and wandered about in the snow。

當大教堂的鐘聲敲響12下的時候,答案出現了-就像鐘聲的迴音一樣-辛普金也聽到了,它從裁縫的屋子裡走出來,在雪地中徘徊。

From all the roofs and gables and old wooden houses in Gloucester came a thousand merry voices singing the old Christmas rhymes—all the old songs that ever I heard of, and some that I don‘t know, like Whittington’s bells。

從格洛斯特的木頭老房子的屋簷上,山牆上,傳出了一千多種聲音,他們唱著古老的聖誕歌謠-有我聽過的所有的老哥,也有一些我不知道的歌曲,像惠廷頓的鐘聲。

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

First and loudest the cocks cried out: “Dame, get up, and bake your pies!”

首先響起來的、也是最大的聲音,是一隻公雞,大叫著:“夫人,快起床,起床烤餡餅!”

“Oh, dilly, dilly, dilly!” sighed Simpkin。

“哦,真好,真好,真好!”辛普金嘆息。

And now in a garret there were lights and sounds of dancing, and cats came from over the way。

此時,在一個閣樓裡,亮著燈光,歡聲笑語,和跳舞的聲音,還有幾隻貓跳過來。

“Hey, diddle, diddle, the cat and the fiddle! All the cats in Gloucester—except me,” said Simpkin。

“嘿,跳吧,扭吧,貓兒和小提琴!格洛斯特所有的貓都參加了,除了我。”辛普金說。

Under the wooden eaves the starlings and sparrows sang of Christmas pies; the jack-daws woke up in the Cathedral tower; and although it was the middle of the night the throstles and robins sang; the air was quite full of little twittering tunes。

在木頭屋簷下,八哥和麻雀們唱著聖誕餡餅之歌,大教堂高塔上的寒鴉醒過來,儘管已經是午夜了,畫眉鳥和知更鳥唱著歌,空氣中充滿細細的呢喃的旋律。

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

But it was all rather provoking to poor hungry Simpkin!

但是,所有這些更加激怒了可憐而飢餓的辛普金!

Particularly he was vexed with some little shrill voices from behind a wooden lattice。 I think that they were bats, because they always have very small voices—especially in a black frost, when they talk in their sleep, like the Tailor of Gloucester。

尤其,他被一些從木格子後面傳出的細細的刺耳的聲音激怒。我猜那是蝙蝠,因為蝙蝠總是傳出一些細小的聲音-尤其是在黑霜天氣中,當人們進入睡眠的時候,比如,格洛斯特的裁縫。

They said something mysterious that sounded like—

它們在談論一些神秘的事情,像是-

“Buz, quoth the blue fly, hum, quoth the bee,

藍蠅哼哼哼,蜜蜂嗡嗡嗡,

Buz and hum they cry, and so do we!”

它們哼又嗡,我們也一樣!

and Simpkin went away shaking his ears as if he had a bee in his bonnet。

辛普金咬著耳朵走開了,就像他的帽子裡有隻蜜蜂一樣。

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

From the tailor‘s shop in Westgate came a glow of light; and when Simpkin crept up to peep in at the window it was full of candles。 There was a snippeting of scissors, and snappeting of thread; and little mouse voices sang loudly and gaily—

從西門大街上的裁縫店裡傳出一束微光,當辛普金躡手躡腳地去窗邊往屋裡偷看的時候,他看到了屋裡點滿蠟燭。從裡面傳出剪刀的咔嚓聲,絲線的窸窣聲,還有小老鼠們大聲歡快的歌聲-

“Four-and-twenty tailors

24個裁縫

Went to catch a snail,

去捉蝸牛

The best man amongst them

最厲害的那個啊,

Durst not touch her tail,

怕碰到蝸牛尾巴

She put out her horns

蝸牛伸出觸角

Like a little kyloe cow,

像一頭長角的小牛

Run, tailors, run! or she’ll have you all e‘en now!”

快跑啊,裁縫們,快跑!否則她會把你們都吃掉!

Then without a pause the little mouse voices went on again—

然後,沒有停頓一下,這些小老鼠們的聲音又繼續著-

“Sieve my lady’s oatmeal,

篩一篩夫人的燕麥

Grind my lady‘s flour,

磨一磨夫人的麵粉

Put it in a chestnut,

把它們們放進栗子客裡,

Let it stand an hour——”

讓它等待一小時-

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

“Mew! Mew!” interrupted Simpkin, and he scratched at the door。 But the key was under the tailor’s pillow, he could not get in。

“喵!喵!”辛普金打斷它們,他用爪子撓門。但是鑰匙在裁縫的枕頭下面,他根本進不去。

The little mice only laughed, and tried another tune—

小老鼠們大笑,然後換了一首-

“Three little mice sat down to spin,

三隻小老鼠,坐著紡紗,

Pussy passed by and she peeped in。

小貓咪經過,往裡面看。

What are you at, my fine little men?

你在看什麼,我的好夥計?

Making coats for gentlemen。

我們在為紳士們做衣服。

Shall I come in and cut off your threads?

我們可以進來嗎,幫你們咬斷你們的絲線?

Oh, no, Miss Pussy, you‘d bite off our heads!”

哦,不,貓小姐,你會咬掉我們的腦袋!

“Mew! Mew!” cried Simpkin。 “Hey diddle dinketty?” answered the little mice—

“喵!喵!”辛普金喊道。“嘿,搖一搖?”小老鼠們回答-

“Hey diddle dinketty, poppetty pet!

嘿嘿,搖一搖,乖乖小寵物!

The merchants of London they wear scarlet;

倫敦的商人穿紅衣,

Silk in the collar, and gold in the hem,

絲綢做的領子,金線鑲邊,

So merrily march the merchantmen!”

商人們高興地趕路!

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

They clicked their thimbles to mark the time, but none of the songs pleased Simpkin; he sniffed and mewed at the door of the shop。

他們按一下頂針來記錄時間,但是,這些歌都沒有讓辛普金開心,他在店門外一邊嘆氣,一邊喵喵叫。

“And then I bought

“然後,我買了

A pipkin and a popkin,

一個瓦罐,一個水罐

A slipkin and a slopkin,

亂七八糟的罐子

All for one farthing——

全部只需兩毛半

and upon the kitchen dresser!” added the rude little mice。

放在廚房的櫥櫃上!”一個粗魯的小老鼠加上一句。

“Mew! scratch! scratch!” scuffled Simpkin on the window-sill; while the little mice inside sprang to their feet, and all began to shout at once in little twittering voices: “No more twist! No more twist!” And they barred up the window shutters and shut out Simpkin。

“喵!喵!”辛普金邊在窗臺上忙亂的走來走去,一邊用爪子亂抓。裡面的小老鼠們跳起來,突然用細細的聲音嚷著:“沒有鎖邊的絲線了!沒有鎖邊的絲線了!”他們緊閉著百葉窗,把辛普金關到門外。

But still through the nicks in the shutters he could hear the click of thimbles, and little mouse voices singing—

但是,透過百葉窗的縫隙,他仍然可以聽到碰到頂針的聲音,和一些小老鼠的聲音-

“No more twist! No more twist!”

“沒有絲線了!沒有絲線了!”

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

Simpkin came away from the shop and went home, considering in his mind。 He found the poor old tailor without fever, sleeping peacefully。

辛普金一邊思考,一邊從裁縫店裡回到家。他發現這個可憐的老裁縫退燒了,安詳地睡著。

Then Simpkin went on tip-toe and took a little parcel of silk out of the tea-pot, and looked at it in the moonlight; and he felt quite ashamed of his badness compared with those good little mice!

然後辛普金躡手躡腳地從茶壺裡拿出一小包絲線,在月光下檢視。跟那些善良的小老鼠比起來,他為自己的惡行感到羞愧。

When the tailor awoke in the morning, the first thing which he saw upon the patchwork quilt, was a skein of cherry-coloured twisted silk, and beside his bed stood the repentant Simpkin!

早上,當裁縫醒來時,他首先看到的,是在滿是補丁的被子上放著的一束櫻桃紅色的絲線,他的床邊,站著一臉後悔的辛普金!

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

“Alack, I am worn to a ravelling,” said the Tailor of Gloucester, “but I have my twist!”

“誒呦,我真是累壞了,但是我有絲線了!”格洛斯特的裁縫說。

The sun was shining on the snow when the tailor got up and dressed, and came out into the street with Simpkin running before him。

當裁縫起床打扮好後,太陽照在雪地上,裁縫出門走在街上,辛普金在他前面跑著。

The starlings whistled on the chimney stacks, and the throstles and robins sang—but they sang their own little noises, not the words they had sung in the night。

八哥在一座座煙囪上吹著口哨,畫眉鳥和知更鳥也唱著歌-但是他們唱著自己特有的語言,並不是夜晚中他們唱出的歌詞了。

“Alack,” said the tailor, “I have my twist; but no more strength—nor time—than will serve to make me one single button-hole; for this is Christmas Day in the Morning! The Mayor of Gloucester shall be married by noon—and where is his cherry-coloured coat?”

“哎呀,我有絲線了,但是我沒有力氣-沒有時間-來做哪怕一個紐扣孔了,因為現在已經是聖誕節的早上了!格洛斯特市長在中午就要結婚了-他的櫻桃紅色的外套在哪呢?”裁縫說。

He unlocked the door of the little shop in Westgate Street, and Simpkin ran in, like a cat that expects something。

他開啟西門街上的小裁縫店,辛普金跑進來,就像一隻期待著什麼東西的貓一樣。

But there was no one there! Not even one little brown mouse!

但是,什麼也沒有!即使是一隻小小的棕色老鼠!

The boards were swept clean; the little ends of thread and the little silk snippets were all tidied away, and gone from off the floor。

木板已經被打掃乾淨,那些絲線頭、綢緞布頭都被清理了,地板上什麼也沒有。

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

But upon the table—oh joy! the tailor gave a shout—there, where he had left plain cuttings of silk—there lay the most beautifullest coat and embroidered satin waistcoat that ever were worn by a Mayor of Gloucester。

但是在桌子上-哦,太令人驚喜了!裁縫大叫一聲-在原來他放著裁好的絲綢的地方-現在放著一件最精美的外套,繡花的綢緞背心,格洛斯特的市長從沒穿過如此精美衣服。

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

There were roses and pansies upon the facings of the coat; and the waistcoat was worked with poppies and corn-flowers。

外套的前襟上繡著玫瑰花和三色堇,馬甲上繡著罌粟花和矢車菊。

Everything was finished except just one single cherry-coloured button-hole, and where that button-hole was wanting there was pinned a scrap of paper with these words—in little teeny weeny writing—

所有的地方都做完了,除了一個玫瑰紅色的扣眼需要鎖邊,這課釦眼上彆著一張小紙片-上面用極其微小的字寫著-

NO MORE TWIST!

沒有絲線了!

And from then began the luck of the Tailor of Gloucester; he grew quite stout, and he grew quite rich。

從那以後,格羅斯特的裁縫開始走運了,他長成了一個大胖子,變得非常富有。

雙語故事丨The Tailor Of Gloucester 格洛斯特的裁縫

He made the most wonderful waistcoats for all the rich merchants of Gloucester, and for all the fine gentlemen of the country round。

他給格洛斯特的富商們和國土上所有體面的紳士們製作馬甲。

Never were seen such ruffles, or such embroidered cuffs and lappets! But his button-holes were the greatest triumph of it all。

沒來沒有見過這樣的荷葉邊,這樣繡花的袖口和衣襟!但是,最讓人驚歎的還是釦眼的鎖邊!

The stitches of those button-holes were so neat—

“踢嗒,踢嗒,踢嗒踢!”

neat—I wonder how they could be stitched by an old man in spectacles, with crooked old fingers, and a tailor’s thimble。

釦眼鎖邊的針腳是如此整齊-如此整齊-我很好奇這個戴眼鏡的老裁縫,戴著頂針的彎曲手指是怎樣縫出如此整齊的針腳。

The stitches of those button-holes were so small—

Tip tap, tip tap, tip tap tip

small—they looked as if they had been made by little mice!

這些針腳如此細密-如此細密-他們看起來好像是那些小老鼠們縫的!

“踢嗒,踢嗒,踢嗒踢!”

“踢嗒,踢嗒,踢嗒踢!”

“踢嗒,踢嗒,踢嗒踢!”

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