The Water Babies(1)

　　Once upon a time there was a little chimney sweep named Tom who lived in a city in northern England. He could not read or write and he never washed or said his prayers. He had never been taught to do these things. Mr. Grimes， his master， made him work hard， fed him little， and beat him.

　　从前有一个清扫烟囱的小男孩，他的名字叫汤姆，住在英格兰北部的一个城市里。他不识字。也不会写字，从来不知冲洗，也不会做祷告，因为从来没有人教他做这些事情。他的主人格兰姆斯先生，只叫他拼命干活。给他吃得很少。而且还要打他。

　　One summer day， they were called to clean the chimneys at Harthover――a grand place owned by the rich Sir John. On the way， a mysterious woman with a red petticoat walked with them for a while.

　　夏季的一天，他们受雇到哈特霍弗去清扫烟囱，那里是富有的约翰爵士的一大片产业。在路上有个穿红裙的神秘女人跟着他们走了一阵子。

　　Harthover House was as big as a whole street of ordinary houses. It had many large and crooked chimneys that were connected to each other. While inside one of them， Tom got lost and came down the wrong chimney into a bedroom.

　　哈特合弗府邸很大。有着平常老百姓住家的整条街道那么大，上面有许多大而弯曲的烟囱彼此相连在一起。汤姆钻进去之后就迷了路，他走错了一个烟囱竟下到了一间卧室。

　　Under the snow white coverlet， upon the snow-white pillow， lay the most beautiful little girl that Tom had ever seen. Her cheeks were almost as white as the pillow， and her hair was like threads of gold spread all about over the bed. She might have been as old as Tom， or maybe a year or two older： but Tom did not think of that. He thought only of her delicate skin and golden hair， and wondered whether she were a real live person， or one of the wax dolls he had seen in the shops. But when he saw her breathe， he made up his mind that she was alive， and stood staring at her， as if she had been an angel out of heaven.

　　在雪白的被单下，雪白的枕头上，躺着一个汤姆有生以来从未见过的最漂亮的小女孩。她的双额几乎同枕头一样白，头发像金线般铺洒在床上。她可能和汤姆一样年纪，或许大一两岁，但是汤姆并不注意这些，只想着她那细嫩的皮肤和一头金发，心想不知她是个真人、还是在店铺里见过的蜡娃娃。但当见到她在呼吸时，他这才肯定她是个活人。汤姆站在那里目不转睛地看着她，就住她是从天而降的天使。

　　She awoke to see the black， ragged figure of little Tom. She screamed and a nurse came in. Tom escaped out a window and down a tree. He ran through the park around the house， climbed over a wall， and slowed to a walk. He went for miles through the moors and climbed a mountain. He was hot， tired， and thirsty， but down below was a wonderful sight.

　　她醒来之后看到全身污黑、衣衫褴楼的小汤姆便惊叫起来，于是一个保姆进到房里。汤姆跳窗逃走，攀树而下，穿过围绕在房子四周的庭园，翻过一道墙，然后才放慢了脚步。他走了好几英里路，穿过荒野，爬过一座山，他觉得又热又累，口干舌燥，但是脚下却是一幅美景。

　　A deep， deep green and rocky valley， very narrow， and filled with woods： but through the woods， hundreds of feet below him， he could see a clear stream glance. Oh， if he could but get down to that stream！ Then， by the stream， he saw the roof of a little cottage， and a little garden， set out in squares and beds. And there was a tiny little red thing moving in the garden， no bigger than a fly. As Tom looked down， he saw that it was a woman in a red petticoat！ The name of the place was Vendale. The woman in the cottage was teaching some children the alphabet. She gave Tom a cup of milk and a piece of bread and told him to rest. Being feverish， he could not sleep. He went down to the brook， took off his clothes， and tumbled into the cool， clear water.

　　那是一个非常狭长的绿色深谷，到处是岩石，谷中绿树成林；透过那片树林，可以看到离他脚下几百英尺的地方有一条清澈的小溪。啊，要是他能下到那条小溪该有多好！接着，他又看到在小溪旁边有一所小茅屋的房顶，一座小花园，里面是一方格一方格的花圃，还有个像苍蝇大小的红色小东西在花园里活动。再往下看，汤姆看清那原来是个穿红裙的女人。这个地方叫文代尔。茅屋里的女人正在教小孩子认字母。她给汤姆一杯牛奶和一片面包，并要他去休息一会儿。由于高度兴奋，他睡不着，于是往下走来到了小溪边。他脱掉衣服就地一滚就进入了清凉的水中。

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