A Christmas Carol 圣诞颂歌 CHAPTER 4

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2024年1月21日发(作者：)

A Christmas Carol 圣诞颂歌

CHAPTER 4 The Spirit of Christmas Past 第四章 过去圣诞节的幽灵

When Scrooge awoke, it was so dark that looking out of bed he could not see where the wall

ended and the window began. He was trying to see this when a church clock nearby began to

strike the hours. To his surprise, it did not stop at four, the time by his watch, but continued until it

struck twelve. He got out of bed and hurried to the window. It was still foggy outside and very

cold. The streets were empty, which they should have been at four o’clock in the morning. He

went back to bed. Scrooge now thought about Marley’s ghost which had told him that a spirit

would visit him tonight. He decided to stay awake for another hour, but he soon fell asleep. He

was awakened by the church clock striking the quarters. Ding, dong! “A quarter past,” said

Scrooge, counting. Ding, dong! “Half- past!” said Scrooge. Ding, dong! “A quarter to,” said

Scrooge. Ding, dong! “The hour itself,” said Scrooge, “and nothing else!” But he was wrong. The

bell sounded a long, single “dong”. 当斯克罗吉醒来的时候，天太黑了，他从床上往下看都看不见墙的尽头和窗户的尽头。当他试图看到这一点时，附近教堂的钟开始报时。令他吃惊的是，他的表显示的时间并没有在四点停止，而是一直持续到十二点。他下了床，急忙跑到窗前。外面还是雾蒙蒙的，很冷。街上空无一人，而到了凌晨4点，街上就该是空的了。他回到床上。斯克罗吉现在想起了马利的幽灵魂，它告诉他今晚有个幽灵魂要来拜访他。他决定再醒一个小时，但很快就睡着了。他被教堂每分钟敲响的钟声吵醒了。叮,咚!“一刻钟，”斯克罗吉数着说。叮,咚!“一半——过去!”斯克罗吉说。叮,咚!“差一刻钟，”斯克罗吉说。叮,咚!“时间本身，”斯克罗吉说，“没有别的了!”但他错了。钟响了一声长长的、单一的“咚”。

Suddenly, there was a face at the window. It was a strange figure, like a child, but also like an

old man. Its hair, which hung about its neck and down its back, was white as if with age, and yet,

the face was smooth. The arms were very long and strong, as were the hands. It wore a kind of

white dress and around its waist was a beautiful belt. It held a branch of green holly in its hand,

and there were flowers along the edges of the dress. From the top of its head there came a bright,

clear light. 突然，窗户上出现了一张脸。那是一个奇怪的身影，像个孩子，但也像个老人。披在脖子和背上的头发是白的，好像年纪大了，但脸还是光滑的。胳膊很长，很强壮，手也一样。它穿着一种白色的裙子，腰间系着一条漂亮的腰带。她手里拿着一根绿色的冬青枝，衣服的边缘有花。从它的头顶上传来一束明亮的光。

“Are you the spirit, sir, about whom I have been told?” asked Scrooge. “先生，你就是人家告诉我的那个幽灵吗?”斯克罗吉问。

“I am!” “我!”

“Who and what are you?” Scrooge demanded. “你是谁，是干什么的?”斯克罗吉问道。

“I am the Spirit of Christmas Past.” “我是过去圣诞之灵。”

“A long time past?” asked Scrooge. “过去很久了?”斯克罗吉问。

“No, only of your past.” “不，只记得你的过去。”

Scrooge did not know why, but he wanted the spirit to cover the light above its head. 斯克罗吉不知道为什么，但他想让幽灵遮住它头上的光。

“You have a cap in your hand,” he said. “Please use it to cover your head.” “你手里拿着一顶帽子，”他说。“请用它盖住你的头。”

“Why do you want to put out the light I give?” demanded the spirit. “Is it not enough that you

are one of those whose behavior made this cap and made me wear it for so many years?” “你为什么要把我给的灯熄灭呢?”幽灵问。“因为你的行为，我才戴了这顶帽子，戴了这么多年，难道这还不够吗?”

“I didn’t mean to do you any harm,” Scrooge said. “Perhaps you will now tell me why you

are here?” “我并不想伤害你，”斯克罗吉说。“也许你现在可以告诉我你为什么到这儿来了吧?”

“To help you,” said the spirit. “为了帮助你，”幽灵说。

It put out its strong hand as it spoke and took him gently by the arm.”Get out of bed and walk

with me!” it said. The spirit walked toward the window. 它说话时伸出有力的手，轻轻地抓住他的胳膊。”起床和我一起走!”它说。幽灵向窗口走去。

“I am not a spirit like you,” Scrooge said. “I will fall.” “我不是像你这样的幽灵，”斯克罗吉说。“我将会下降。”

“Hold my hand,” the spirit said. “And all will be well for you in more ways than one.” “握住我的手，”幽灵说。“对你来说，一切都会好起来的，不仅仅是一个方面。”

As the spirit spoke, they passed through the wall and stood on a country road with fields on

either side. The city had disappeared, as had the darkness and fog. It was now day time, and there

was snow on the ground. 幽灵说话的时候，他们穿过城墙，站在一条乡间小路上，小路两边都是田野。城市消失了，黑暗和雾也消失了。现在是白天，地上有雪。

“I know where we are!” Scrooge exclaimed. “I was born here and lived here as a boy.” He

began to have memories of his life as a boy. A tear came into his eye. “我知道我们在哪儿了!”斯克罗吉喊道。“我出生在这里，小时候住在这里。”他开始回忆起自己孩提时代的生活。一滴眼泪流了出来。

“If you remember this place,” the spirit said, “you may now lead the way.” “如果你记得这个地方，”幽灵说，“现在你可以带路了。”

“I remember everything about it,” Scrooge said. “我记得当时的一切，”斯克罗吉说。

“Then it is strange that for so many years you have never thought about it,” the spirit said.

They walked along the road, Scrooge recognizing every gate and tree, until a little town could be

seen ahead with its bridge, church, and river. Some small horses came toward them with boys

upon their backs, who called to other boys in carts, driven by farmers. All these boys were happy

and shouted to each other until the fields were full of their laughter. “奇怪的是，你这么多年来都没有想过这个问题。”他们沿着路走着，斯克罗吉认出了每一扇门和每一棵树，直到看得见前面的一座小镇，上面有桥梁、教堂和河流。一群骑着孩子的小马向他们走来，这些孩子呼唤着农民赶着的大车里的孩子。所有这些男孩都很高兴，互相欢呼，直到田野里充满了他们的笑声。

“These are but shadows of the things that have been,” said the spirit. “They do not know we

are here.” “这些不过是过去的事情的影子，”幽灵说。“他们不知道我们在这里。”

The boys came nearer, and as they came, Scrooge knew and called out their names. He felt so

happy to see them all again. He did not understand why it made him feel happy to hear them wish

one another a merry Christmas. He knew that he hated Christmas. It had never given him anything. 男孩们走近了，当他们走近时，斯克罗吉知道并喊着他们的名字。再次见到他们大家，他感到很高兴。他不明白为什么听到他们互相祝圣诞快乐会让他感到快乐。他知道他讨厌圣诞节。它从未给过他任何东西。

“We are now at the school,” said the spirit. “Only one child is there, left alone there by the

others.” “我们现在到了学校，”幽灵说。“只有一个孩子在那儿，是其他孩子留在那儿的。”

Scrooge knew who the child was, and he began to cry. They walked on and soon came to the

school house. It seemed to be empty, and it needed to be repaired. They walked through the house

until they came to a room that was empty except for a small boy sitting at a desk, reading. The

spirit touched Scrooge on the arm and pointed to the boy. It was Scrooge when he was young.

Scrooge sat down and cried as he looked at himself as he used to be. 斯克罗吉知道这个孩子是谁，他哭了起来。他们继续往前走，不久就来到了校舍。它似乎是空的，需要修理。他们穿过房子，来到一个房间，里面空无一人，只有一个小男孩坐在书桌前读书。幽灵碰了碰斯克罗吉的胳膊并指着男孩。那是斯克罗吉年轻时的声音。斯克罗吉坐下来，像往常一样看着自己哭了起来。

Suddenly, a man wearing strange clothes stood outside the window. He was leading a horse. 突然，一个穿着奇怪衣服的人站在窗外。他牵着一匹马。

“It’s Ali Baba!” Scrooge exclaimed excitedly. “It’s dear, old, honest Ali Baba! Yes, yes, I

remember. One Christmas, I was left here all alone, and the other boys had all gone to their homes.

He did come, for the first time, just like that. And characters from other books, they all came to me

in my imagination as I read about them.” “这是阿里巴巴!”斯克罗吉兴奋地喊道。“这是亲爱的、老的、诚实的阿里巴巴!”是的，是的，我记得。有一年圣诞节，我一个人留在了这里，其他的孩子都回家去了。他确实来了，第一次就这样来了。其他书中的人物，当我读到他们的时候，他们都出现在我的想象中。”

People who knew Scrooge as he now was would have been surprised if they had known him

as a boy. Scrooge remembered how lonely he had been as a child. “Poor boy!” he said, and tears

came into his eyes. “I wish,” he said, putting his hand in his pocket, and looking about him after

drying his eyes, “but it’s too late now.” 了解斯克罗吉现在的人如果知道他还是个孩子的话，一定会感到惊讶的。斯克罗吉记得他小时候是多么孤独。“可怜的孩子!”他说着，泪水夺眶而出。“我希望，”他擦干眼泪后，把手伸进口袋，环顾四周说，“但现在太晚了。”

“What do you wish?” asked the spirit. “你想要什么?”幽灵问。

“There was a boy singing a Christmas carol at my door last night. I should have given him

something. That’s all.” “昨天晚上有一个男孩在我的门口唱圣诞颂歌。我应该给他点什么。这就是。”

The spirit smiled thoughtfully and waved its hand, saying as it did so, “Let us see another

Christmas!” 幽灵若有所思地微笑着，挥了挥手，说:“让我们看看另一个圣诞节吧!”

Scrooge’s former self grew larger at the words, and the room became a little darker and dirtier.

The boy, a little older now, was not reading. He was walking up and down sadly. Scrooge looked

at the spirit, and then looked toward the door. It opened, and a little girl, much younger than the

boy, came running in, and putting her arms about his neck and kissing him. She said, “Dear

brother, I have come to take you home.” 听了这些话，斯克罗吉原先的身形变大了，房间也变得稍暗更脏了。这孩子现在大了一点，不读书了。他悲伤地走来走去。斯克罗吉看了看幽灵，然后朝门望去。门开了，一个比男孩小得多的小女孩跑了进来，伸出双臂搂住他的脖子，吻了他。她说:“亲爱的哥哥，我来接你回家。”

“Home, little Fan?” asked the boy. “家,小风扇?”男孩问。

“Yes!” said the girl happily. “Home for ever and ever. Father is so much kinder than he used

to be. He sent me to bring you home. And you’re never to come back here. We’ll be together for

Christmas and have the merriest time.” She began to pull him toward the door. “是啊!”女孩高兴地说。“永远的家。”父亲比以前仁慈多了。他派我来带你回家。你再也别想回来了。我们会在一起过圣诞节，并度过最快乐的时光。”她开始把他拉向门口。

As she did so, a hard, loud voice shouted, “Bring down Scrooge’s box!” In the hall appeared

the schoolmaster, a man of whom Scrooge lived in fear, but he said only, “You may go boy,” and

then walked away. Soon Scrooge and his young sister were in the coach. 她这么做时，一个生硬、

响亮的声音喊道:“把斯克罗吉的盒子拿下来!”大厅里出现了校长，一个让斯克罗吉担惊受怕的男人，但他只说了一句:“你可以走了，孩子。”然后就走开了。很快斯克罗吉和他妹妹上了马车。

“She was never very strong,” the spirit said about the girl. “But she had a large heart!” “她从来就不是很强壮，”幽灵这样评价这个女孩。“可她有一颗宽大的心呀!”

“Oh, yes,” Scrooge said. “哦，是的，”斯克罗吉说。

“She died when she was still a young woman,” the spirit went on, “but she had children, I

think.” “她死的时候还很年轻，”幽灵继续说，“但我想她有孩子。”

“Only one child,” Scrooge said. “只有一个孩子，”斯克罗吉说。

“Your nephew!” said the spirit. “你的侄子!幽灵说。

Scrooge did not like to be reminded of this. “Yes,” was all he said.提起这件事。“是的，”他只说了一句。

斯克罗吉不喜欢别人

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