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Chapter 2 The Council with the Munchkins
第二章 遇见芒奇金人

She was awakened by a shock, so sudden and severe that if Dorothy had not been lying on the soft bed she might have been hurt. As it was, the jar made her catch her breath and wonder what had happened; and Toto put his cold little nose into her face and whined dismally. Dorothy sat up and noticed that the house was not moving; nor was it dark, for the bright sunshine came in at the window, flooding the little room. She sprang from her bed and with Toto at her heels ran and opened the door.

多萝西被震醒了。这个震动来得那么突然和猛烈,如果多萝西不是躺在柔软的床上,她也许就受伤了。这个猛然的震动使她不禁屏住呼吸,也让她想不明白发生了什么事。托托把它那吓得冰凉的小鼻子贴在多萝西的脸上,嗷嗷直叫。多萝西坐起身来,发现屋子不动了;天也亮了,灿烂的阳光从窗子照进来,洒满了整间小屋。她跳下床,跑过去打开了门,托托紧跟在她身后。

The little girl gave a cry of amazement and looked about her, her eyes growing bigger and bigger at the wonderful sights she saw.

小女孩惊喜地尖叫起来,向四周看啊看。她的眼睛越睁越大,完全被眼前美妙的景色震撼了。

The cyclone had set the house down very gently—for a cyclone —in the midst of a country of marvelous beauty. There were lovely patches of greensward all about, with stately trees bearing rich and luscious fruits. Banks of gorgeous flowers were on every hand, and birds with rare and brilliant plumage sang and fluttered in the trees and bushes. A little way off was a small brook, rushing and sparkling along between green banks, and murmuring in a voice very grateful to a little girl who had lived so long on the dry, gray prairies.

旋风缓缓地——对于一阵旋风来说——把屋子放了下来,放在一片神奇美丽的原野中央。那里满是一块块可爱的草坪,高大的果树矗立其中,树上挂着丰饶鲜甜的果子。盛开着绚烂花朵的斜坡随处可见,鸟儿们披着珍稀而耀眼的羽衣,唱着歌儿,在树林里和灌木丛中翩翩起舞。不远处有一条小河在草坡之间流淌,淙淙溪流,湍急而又波光粼粼。这一切让多萝西满心欢喜,她在那干燥的灰色的大草原上已经呆得太久了。

While she stood looking eagerly at the strange and beautiful sights, she noticed coming toward her a group of the queerest people she had ever seen. They were not as big as the grown folk she had always been used to; but neither were they very small. In fact, they seemed about as tall as Dorothy, who was a well-grown child for her age, although they were, so far as looks go, many years older.

当她站在那里,热切地欣赏着眼前奇异而美丽的景色时,突然发现有一群人正向自己走来。他们是多萝西见过的最奇怪的一群人了。他们长得既不如她看惯了的成年人那样高大,却也不十分矮小。事实上,他们好像和多萝西差不多高——多萝西在同龄人中长得算是挺高的了——但是从外貌来看,他们要比多萝西年长多了。

Three were men and one a woman, and all were oddly dressed. They wore round hats that rose to a small point a foot above their heads, with little bells around the brims that tinkled sweetly as they moved. The hats of the men were blue; the little woman's hat was white, and she wore a white gown that hung in pleats from her shoulders. Over it were sprinkled little stars that glistened in the sun like diamonds. The men were dressed in blue, of the same shade as their hats, and wore well-polished boots with a deep roll of blue at the tops. The men, Dorothy thought, were about as old as Uncle Henry, for two of them had beards. But the little woman was doubtless much older. Her face was covered with wrinkles, her hair was nearly white, and she walked rather stiffly.

他们中,三个是男人,一个是女人,穿得都很奇怪。他们戴着圆边帽,帽子中间耸起了一个小小的尖顶,足有一英尺高。帽檐上挂着一圈小铃铛,走路时叮当作响,悦耳动听。男人们的帽子是蓝色的,那个小妇人则戴着一顶白帽子,穿着一件打褶的白袍,袍子从她的肩上垂下来。白袍上撒满了小星星,它们在阳光下闪耀着,就像钻石一样。男人们穿着蓝色的衣裳,和他们帽子的颜色深浅一致。他们穿着擦得锃亮的靴子,靴子顶端缠着一圈深蓝色的绑腿布。多萝西觉得,这些男人应该和亨利叔叔的年纪差不多,因为其中两个已经有胡子了。但是那个小妇人显然老多了。她满脸都是皱纹,头发几乎全白了,走起路来也不是很灵便。

When these people drew near the house where Dorothy was standing in the doorway, they paused and whispered among themselves, as if afraid to come farther. But the little old woman walked up to Dorothy, made a low bow and said, in a sweet voice: "You are welcome, most noble Sorceress, to the land of the Munchkins. We are so grateful to you for having killed the Wicked Witch of the East, and for setting our people free from bondage."

当这些人走近屋子时,多萝西正站在门口。他们停下脚步,互相耳语着,像害怕了似的,不敢再往前。但是那个小老妇人朝多萝西走来,深深地鞠了个躬,用甜美的声音说道:“最为尊贵的女魔术家,欢迎你来到芒奇金人的地方。非常感谢您杀死了东方恶女巫,把我们从她的奴役中解放出来。”

Dorothy listened to this speech with wonder. What could the little woman possibly mean by calling her a sorceress, and saying she had killed the Wicked Witch of the East? Dorothy was an innocent, harmless little girl, who had been carried by a cyclone many miles from home; and she had never killed anything in all her life.

多萝西听到这些话,感到非常吃惊。这个小妇人为什么叫她为“女魔术家”,而且说她杀死了东方的恶女巫呢?多萝西是个天真善良的小女孩,是被旋风从家乡卷了几里路到了这里;她一生中还从未杀死过什么东西。

But the little woman evidently expected her to answer; so Dorothy said, with hesitation, "You are very kind, but there must be some mistake. I have not killed anything." "Your house did, anyway," replied the little old woman, with a laugh, "and that is the same thing. See!" she continued, pointing to the corner of the house. "There are her two feet, still sticking out from under a block of wood."

可是那个小妇人显然在等她说些什么,所以多萝西犹豫了一下,答道:“您人真好,谢谢您。但这其中一定有什么误会。我不曾杀死过什么人。”“但不管怎样,你的屋子压死了她。”小老妇人大笑一声,回答道,“这就等于是你杀她了,没什么两样。瞧!”她指着屋子的一角,接着说道:“那是她的两只脚,仍旧压在木板下面,伸了外面。”

Dorothy looked, and gave a little cry of fright. There, indeed, just under the corner of the great beam the house rested on, two feet were sticking out, shod in silver shoes with pointed toes.

多萝西一看,吓得轻声尖叫起来。真的,就在那屋子支柱横梁的一角下面,伸出了两只脚,脚上还穿着一双尖头的银鞋子。

"Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" cried Dorothy, clasping her hands together in dismay. "The house must have fallen on her. Whatever shall we do?"

“天哪,天哪!”多萝西尖叫道,拳头紧攥,惶恐不安。“一定是屋子掉下来时压在她身上了。我们究竟该怎么办?”

"There is nothing to be done," said the little woman calmly.

“什么也不用做。”小老妇人平静地说。

"But who was she?" asked Dorothy.

“但她是谁呢?”多萝西问。

"She was the Wicked Witch of the East, as I said," answered the little woman. "She has held all the Munchkins in bondage for many years, making them slave for her night and day. Now they are all set free, and are grateful to you for the favor."

“她就是我所说的东方恶女巫。”小老妇人回答道。“她已经奴役芒奇金人很多年了,迫使他们没日没夜地当她的奴隶。现在,他们全都自由了,对你的出手相助感激不尽呢。”

"Who are the Munchkins?" inquired Dorothy.

“芒奇金人是什么人啊?”多萝西问。

"They are the people who live in this land of the East where the Wicked Witch ruled."

“他们是住在这里的老百姓,东方恶女巫统治着这片国土。”

"Are you a Munchkin?" asked Dorothy.

“那你是芒奇金人吗?”多萝西问道。

"No, but I am their friend, although I live in the land of the North. When they saw the Witch of the East was dead the Munchkins sent a swift messenger to me, and I came at once. I am the Witch of the North."

“不,我住在北方的国土上,但是我是他们的朋友。当芒奇金人看到东方女巫死了,就派了一个特快信使传信儿给我,我立马就赶过来了。我就是北方女巫。”

"Oh, gracious!" cried Dorothy.

“噢,老天爷!”多萝西喊道,

"Are you a real witch?"

“你是真正的女巫?”

"Yes, indeed," answered the little woman. "But I am a good witch, and the people love me. I am not as powerful as the Wicked Witch was who ruled here, or I should have set the people free myself."

“是的,的确是这样。”小老妇人回答说,“不过我是一个好女巫,我的人民都爱戴我。我不像曾经统治这里的东方恶女巫那么强大,不然,我早就自己把这里的人民解放了。”

"But I thought all witches were wicked," said the girl, who was half frightened at facing a real witch.

“可是我原本以为所有的女巫都是邪恶的呢。”小女孩说道。面对着一个真正的女巫,她难免有点害怕。

"Oh, no, that is a great mistake. There were only four witches in all the Land of Oz, and two of them, those who live in the North and the South, are good witches. I know this is true, for I am one of them myself, and cannot be mistaken. Those who dwelt in the East and the West were, indeed, wicked witches; but now that you have killed one of them, there is but one Wicked Witch in all the Land of Oz — the one who lives in the West."

“噢,不,这是一个天大误会。全奥芝总共只有四个女巫,其中两个住在北方和南方,她们都是好女巫。我说的这些都是真的,因为我自己就是四个女巫之一,对这些事情知道得非常清楚,决不会弄错。住在东方和西方的那两个女巫,的确是恶女巫;但是现在你已经把她们中的一个杀死了,全奥芝只剩下一个恶女巫了——那就是住在西方的那个。”

"But," said Dorothy, after a moment's thought, "Aunt Em has told me that the witches were all dead — years and years ago."

“可是,”多萝西想了一会儿,说道,“爱姆婶婶告诉过我,那些女巫们在好多好多年以前就已经全都死了。”

"Who is Aunt Em?" inquired the little old woman.

“爱姆婶婶是谁?”小老妇人问。

"She is my aunt who lives in Kansas, where I came from."

“她是我的婶婶,住在堪萨斯州,我就是从那来的。”

The Witch of the North seemed to think for a time, with her head bowed and her eyes upon the ground. Then she looked up and said, "I do not know where Kansas is, for I have never heard that country mentioned before. But tell me, is it a civilized country?"

北方女巫低下了头,看着地面,似乎思量着什么。随后她抬起头来说道:“我不知道堪萨斯州在哪儿,我从来没听说过这个地方。但是请告诉我,那里是一个文明的地方吗?”

"Oh, yes," replied Dorothy.

“对啊。”多萝西回答说。

"Then that accounts for it. In the civilized countries I believe there are no witches left, nor wizards, nor sorceresses, nor magicians. But, you see, the Land of Oz has never been civilized, for we are cut off from all the rest of the world. Therefore we still have witches and wizards amongst us."

“这就可以理解了。”我相信在文明的地方,是不会有女巫和男巫的,还有女魔术家和男魔术家也是不可能留下来的。但是,你得明白,奥芝这个地方还没有文明起来,因为我们和世界其他地方都隔离开来了。因此在我们这里,仍然有女巫和男巫。”

"Who are the wizards?" asked Dorothy.

“男巫们有谁?”多萝西问道。

"Oz himself is the Great Wizard," answered the Witch, sinking her voice to a whisper. "He is more powerful than all the rest of us together. He lives in the City of Emeralds."

“奥芝他本人就是一位伟大的男巫。”女巫压低了声音,用耳语回答。“他比我们几个合起来都还要强大。他住在翡翠城中。”

Dorothy was going to ask another question, but just then the Munchkins, who had been standing silently by, gave a loud shout and pointed to the corner of the house where the Wicked Witch had been lying. "What is it?" asked the little old woman, and looked, and began to laugh. The feet of the dead Witch had disappeared entirely, and nothing was left but the silver shoes.

多萝西正想继续追问,可之前一直沉默地站在旁边的芒奇金人忽然大叫起来,他们指着屋子的一角,东方恶女巫躺着的地方。“怎么了?”小老妇人问道。她回头一看,大笑起来。死去女巫的双脚已经完全消失了,除了那双银鞋子,什么也没留下。

"She was so old," explained the Witch of the North, that she dried up quickly in the sun. That is the end of her. But the silver shoes are yours, and you shall have them to wear." She reached down and picked up the shoes, and after shaking the dust out of them handed them to Dorothy.

“她太老了,”北方女巫解释说,“所以很快就被太阳晒干了。这就是她的下场。那双银鞋是你的了,穿上吧。”她弯下腰,捡起那双鞋子,抖去上面的灰尘,递给多萝西。

"The Witch of the East was proud of those silver shoes," said one of the Munchkins, "and there is some charm connected with them; but what it is we never knew."

“东方恶女巫对于这双银鞋很是引以为豪,”一个芒奇金人说,“它们是有魔法的,但至于是什么魔法,我们就不知道了。”

Dorothy carried the shoes into the house and placed them on the table. Then she came out again to the Munchkins and said:

多萝西把鞋子拿进屋子,放在桌子上。然后她又跑了出来,对芒奇金人说:

"I am anxious to get back to my aunt and uncle, for I am sure they will worry about me. Can you help me find my way?"

“我非常想回到我的婶婶和叔叔的身边,因为我知道他们一定会担心我的。你们能够帮我找到回去的路吗?”

The Munchkins and the Witch first looked at one another, and then at Dorothy, and then shook their heads.

芒奇金人和女巫先是相互看了看,然后又看了看多萝西,最后还是摇了摇头。

"At the East, not far from here," said one, "there is a great desert, and none could live to cross it."

“在东边,离这不远,”一个芒奇金人说道,“有一片大沙漠,没有一个人能够活着穿越它。”

"It is the same at the South," said another, "for I have been there and seen it. The South is the country of the Quadlings."

“南方同样是一片大沙漠,”另一个芒奇金人接着说,“我去过那里,知道那儿什么样。南方是桂林特人的地方。”

"I am told," said the third man, "that it is the same at the West. And that country, where the Winkies live, is ruled by the Wicked Witch of the West, who would make you her slave if you passed her way."

“我听说,”第三个芒奇金人说道,“西方也同样是大沙漠。那里住的是温基人,由西方的恶女巫统治着。假如你经过那里,她就会把你捉去做她的奴隶。”

"The North is my home," said the old lady, "and at its edge is the same great desert that surrounds this Land of Oz. I'm afraid, my dear, you will have to live with us."

“北方是我的家乡,”小老妇人说,“它的边界以外同样是大沙漠。奥芝这地方就是被大沙漠包围着的。亲爱的,我想,你不得不和我们住在一起了。”

Dorothy began to sob at this, for she felt lonely among all these strange people. Her tears seemed to grieve the kind-hearted Munchkins, for they immediately took out their handkerchiefs and began to weep also. As for the little old woman, she took off her cap and balanced the point on the end of her nose, while she counted "One, two, three" in a solemn voice. At once the cap changed to a slate, on which was written in big, white chalk marks: "LET DOROTHY GO TO THE CITY OF EMERALDS" The little old woman took the slate from her nose, and having read the words on it, asked, "Is your name Dorothy, my dear?"

多萝西呜呜地哭了起来,因为在这陌生的人群之中,她感到孤独。她的眼泪使好心的芒奇金人感到十分伤心,他们立刻拿出手帕,也跟着抽噎起来。至于小老妇人,她脱下帽子,把帽尖儿顶在自己的鼻尖上,同时庄重地数道:“一,二,三!”帽子立刻变成了一块石板,上面写着巨大的白粉笔字:“让多萝西到翡翠城去。”小老妇人把石板从鼻子上拿下来,读了上面的字后,问道:“亲爱的,你是不是叫多萝西?”

"Yes," answered the child, looking up and drying her tears.

“是的。”说着,小女孩抬起头来,擦干眼泪。

"Then you must go to the City of Emeralds. Perhaps Oz will help you."

“那么,你必须到翡翠城去。也许奥芝会帮助你。”

"Where is this city?" asked Dorothy.

“可是这个翡翠城在哪儿啊?”多萝西问。

"It is exactly in the center of the country, and is ruled by Oz, the Great Wizard I told you of."

“翡翠城是全国的中心,由奥芝统治着,就是那个我跟你说过的伟大的男巫。”

"Is he a good man?" inquired the girl anxiously.

“他是个好人吗?”小女孩忧心忡忡地问道。

"He is a good Wizard. Whether he is a man or not I cannot tell, for I have never seen him."

“他是个好男巫。但他是不是人,我可说不准,因为我从来没有见过他。”

"How can I get there?" asked Dorothy.

“那我怎样才能到他那里去?”多萝西问。

"You must walk. It is a long journey, through a country that is sometimes pleasant and sometimes dark and terrible. However, I will use all the magic arts I know of to keep you from harm."

“你得走着去。那将是一段漫长的旅程。这个地方时而让人快乐,时而黑暗得可怕。但是,无论如何,我将用一切我知道的魔术来帮助你,让你免受伤害。”

"Won't you go with me?" pleaded the girl, who had begun to look upon the little old woman as her only friend.

“您不能同我一块儿去吗?”小女孩恳求着,她现在把小老妇人看作她唯一的朋友了。

"No, I cannot do that," she replied, "but I will give you my kiss, and no one will dare injure a person who has been kissed by the Witch of the North."

“不,我不能这样做,”她回答说,“但是我会给你一个吻,没有人敢伤害被北方女巫亲吻过的人。”

She came close to Dorothy and kissed her gently on the forehead. Where her lips touched the girl they left a round, shining mark, as Dorothy found out soon after.

她走近多萝西,温柔地亲吻了一下她的额头。多萝西没过多久就发现,在女巫嘴唇碰触过的地方,留下了一个又圆又亮的记号。

"The road to the City of Emeralds is paved with yellow brick," said the Witch, "so you cannot miss it. When you get to Oz do not be afraid of him, but tell your story and ask him to help you. Good-bye, my dear."

“到翡翠城去的路,全是用黄色砖块铺砌而成的,”女巫说道,“你不会迷路的。找到了奥芝,不要害怕,把你的故事告诉他,并且请求他的帮助。亲爱的,再见了。”

The three Munchkins bowed low to her and wished her a pleasant journey, after which they walked away through the trees. The Witch gave Dorothy a friendly little nod, whirled around on her left heel three times, and straightway disappeared, much to the surprise of little Toto, who barked after her loudly enough when she had gone, because he had been afraid even to growl while she stood by.

三个芒奇金人向她深深地鞠躬,并祝愿她有一个愉快的旅程,然后就穿过树林离开了。女巫朝多萝西友好地微微点头之后,踮起左脚跟旋转了三次,就立马消失了。因为托托害怕女巫,当女巫站在旁边时,它连低声吼一下也不敢。这下女巫走了,托托又惊又怕地使劲儿咆吠起来。

But Dorothy, knowing her to be a witch, had expected her to disappear in just that way, and was not surprised in the least.

但是多萝西知道她是一个女巫,早就预料到她会以这种方式消失,所以一点儿也不感到惊讶。 GeNm9dTdB2qLL2XYgkIIBlcx7eIjSpt+pMfIHFCEI8ZWDOoQgQHYTFp7eQe5QMGU

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