I
我

ONCE upon a time there lived in the village of Montignies-sur-Roc a little cow-boy, without either father or mother. —
曾经在Montignies-sur-Roc村庄里住着一个没有父母的小牛仔。 —

His real name was Michael, but he was always called the Star Gazer, because when he drove his cows over the commons to seek for pasture, he went along with his head in the air, gaping at nothing.
他的真名叫迈克尔，但大家都叫他“仰望星空者”，因为每当他带着牛群在平地上寻找草场时，他总是抬头望着天空，茫然不见所指。

As he had a white skin, blue eyes, and hair that curled all over his head, the village girls used to cry after him, ‘Well, Star Gazer, what are you doing? —
因为他有着白皙的肤色、蓝色的眼睛和满头卷发，村里的女孩子们经常喊他：“嘿，仰望星空者，你在做什么呢？”迈克尔会回答：“哦，没什么”，然后继续前行，连头都不回地看她们一眼。 —

’ and Michael would answer, ‘Oh, nothing,’ and go on his way without even turning to look at them.
事实上，他觉得她们长得很丑，晒黑的脖子，粗糙的裙子和木鞋。

The fact was he thought them very ugly, with their sun-burnt necks, their great red hands, their coarse petticoats and their wooden shoes. —
所以他毫不在意她们。 —

He had heard that somewhere in the world there were girls whose necks were white and whose hands were small, who were always dressed in the finest silks and laces, and were called princesses, and while his companions round the fire saw nothing in the flames but common everyday fancies, he dreamed that he had the happiness to marry a princess.
他听说世界上有些女孩的脖子是白的，手是小的，她们总是穿着最好的丝绸和花边，被称为公主。而当他的同伴们在篝火旁只看到普通的白日梦时，他梦见自己有幸娶到了一位公主。
II
二

One morning about the middle of August, just at mid-day when the sun was hottest, Michael ate his dinner of a piece of dry bread, and went to sleep under an oak. —
八月中旬的一个中午，太阳最猛烈的时候，迈克尔吃完一块干面包，躺在一棵橡树下睡着了。 —

And while he slept he dreamt that there appeared before him a beautiful lady, dressed in a robe of cloth of gold, who said to him: —
在他睡着的时候，他梦见一位穿着金色布料长裙的美丽女士出现在他面前，对他说： —

‘Go to the castle of Beloeil, and there you shall marry a princess.’
“去贝卢瓦尔城堡，你将在那里娶到一位公主。”

That evening the little cow-boy, who had been thinking a great deal about the advice of the lady in the golden dress, told his dream to the farm people. —
那天晚上，这个小牧童想了很多关于那位穿着金色裙子女士的建议，他把自己的梦告诉了农场的人。 —

But, as was natural, they only laughed at the Star Gazer.
但是，自然而然地，他们只是嘲笑那位注视星星的人。

The next day at the same hour he went to sleep again under the same tree. —
第二天同一时间，他再次在同一棵树下睡觉了。 —

The lady appeared to him a second time, and said: —
这位女士第二次出现在他面前，对他说： —

‘Go to the castle of Beloeil, and you shall marry a princess.’
‘去贝洛瓦尔城堡，你将娶一个公主。’

In the evening Michael told his friends that he had dreamed the same dream again, but they only laughed at him more than before. —
当天晚上，迈克尔告诉他的朋友们他再次做了同样的梦，但他们只是比之前更加嘲笑他。 —

‘Never mind,’ he thought to himself; —
‘不要紧，’他心里想到； —

‘if the lady appears to me a third time, I will do as she tells me.’
‘如果那位女士第三次出现在我面前，我就会按她的话去做。’

The following day, to the great astonishment of all the village, about two o’clock in the afternoon a voice was heard singing:
第二天下午两点左右，村子里所有人都大为惊讶地听到一个声音唱道：

‘Raleo, raleo,
‘拉雷奥，拉雷奥，
How the cattle go!’
牛儿们怎样走！’

It was the little cow-boy driving his herd back to the byre.
那是小牧童把牛群赶回牛棚。

The farmer began to scold him furiously, but he answered quietly, ‘I am going away,’ made his clothes into a bundle, said good-bye to all his friends, and boldly set out to seek his fortunes.
农民开始狠狠地训斥他，但他平静地回答说‘我要离开了’，把他的衣物收拾好，向所有朋友告别，大胆地踏上了寻求命运的征程。

There was great excitement through all the village, and on the top of the hill the people stood holding their sides with laughing, as they watched the Star Gazer trudging bravely along the valley with his bundle at the end of his stick.
村里充满了激动，站在山顶的人们捧腹大笑，因为他们看着那位观星者勇敢地拖着他的包袱沿着山谷前行。

It was enough to make anyone laugh, certainly.
这足以使任何人笑了，确实如此。
III
第三节

It was well known for full twenty miles round that there lived in the castle of Beloeil twelve princesses of wonderful beauty, and as proud as they were beautiful, and who were besides so very sensitive and of such truly royal blood, that they would have felt at once the presence of a pea in their beds, even if the mattresses had been laid over it.
在附近二十英里范围内，人们都知道Beloeil城堡里住着十二位美丽非凡、自豪而激情四溢的公主。他们的皇室血统如此高贵，以至于即使床垫上放有一颗豌豆，她们也会立刻察觉到它的存在。

It was whispered about that they led exactly the lives that princesses ought to lead, sleeping far into the morning, and never getting up till mid-day. —
有传言说她们过着真正适合公主的生活方式，每天深睡到清晨，直到正午才起床。 —

They had twelve beds all in the same room, but what was very extraordinary was the fact that though they were locked in by triple bolts, every morning their satin shoes were found worn into holes.
她们在同一个房间有十二张床，但十分奇怪的是，尽管门锁上了三道锁，每天早晨她们的缎面鞋都会磨破。

When they were asked what they had been doing all night, they always answered that they had been asleep; —
当他们被问到他们整晚都在做什么时，他们总是回答他们一直在睡觉； —

and, indeed, no noise was ever heard in the room, yet the shoes could not wear themselves out alone!
实际上，房间里从来没有听到任何声音，但鞋子不可能自己磨破！

At last the Duke of Beloeil ordered the trumpet to be sounded, and a proclamation to be made that whoever could discover how his daughters wore out their shoes should choose one of them for his wife.
最后，贝卢瓦尔公爵下令吹响号角，宣布谁能发现他的女儿们是如何磨破鞋子的，就可以选择其中一位作为妻子。

On hearing the proclamation a number of princes arrived at the castle to try their luck. —
在听到公告后，许多王子们来到城堡试试运气。 —

They watched all night behind the open door of the princesses, but when the morning came they had all disappeared, and no one could tell what had become of them.
他们在公主们的房门后面守夜，但早晨醒来时他们都消失了，没有人知道他们去了哪里。
IV
第四章

When he reached the castle, Michael went straight to the gardener and offered his services. —
当迈克尔到达城堡时，他径直去找园丁，并主动提供自己的帮助。 —

Now it happened that the garden boy had just been sent away, and though the Star Gazer did not look very sturdy, the gardener agreed to take him, as he thought that his pretty face and golden curls would please the princesses.
现在碰巧园丁刚刚把园丁小男孩赶走了，尽管观星者看起来不太强壮，但园丁同意雇用他，因为他认为他漂亮的脸和金色的卷发会让公主们喜欢。

The first thing he was told was that when the princesses got up he was to present each one with a bouquet, and Michael thought that if he had nothing more unpleasant to do than that he should get on very well.
他听到的第一件事是，当公主们起床时，他要给每个人都送上一束花。迈克尔觉得，如果他没有更讨厌的事情要做，他应该会过得很好。

Accordingly he placed himself behind the door of the princesses’ room, with the twelve bouquets in a basket. —
因此，他把自己放在公主们的房间门后面，手里拿着十二束花放在篮子里。 —

He gave one to each of the sisters, and they took them without even deigning to look at the lad, except Lina the youngest, who fixed her large black eyes as soft as velvet on him, and exclaimed, ‘Oh, how pretty he is — our new flower boy! —
他把其中一束花递给每个姐妹，除了年纪最小的丽娜公主，其他人甚至都不屑一顾地接过花，而丽娜公主则凝视着他，说道：“哦，他真漂亮——我们的新花童！” —

’ The rest all burst out laughing, and the eldest pointed out that a princess ought never to lower herself by looking at a garden boy.
其他人都笑了起来，最大的姐姐指出，一个公主永远不应该降低自己的身份去看一个园丁男孩。

Now Michael knew quite well what had happened to all the princes, but notwithstanding, the beautiful eyes of the Princess Lina inspired him with a violent longing to try his fate. —
迈克尔很明白所有的王子都发生了什么事，但尽管如此，丽娜公主那美丽的眼睛还是使他强烈地渴望去尝试自己的命运。 —

Unhappily he did not dare to come forward, being afraid that he should only be jeered at, or even turned away from the castle on account of his impudence.
不幸的是，他不敢站出来，因为担心自己只会被嘲笑，甚至因为傲慢被赶出城堡。
V
V

Nevertheless, the Star Gazer had another dream. —
然而，占星师又做了一个梦。 —

The lady in the golden dress appeared to him once more, holding in one hand two young laurel trees, a cherry laurel and a rose laurel, and in the other hand a little golden rake, a little golden bucket, and a silken towel. —
那位金衣女士再次出现在他面前，一手拿着两棵年轻的月桂树，一棵樱桃月桂树和一棵玫瑰月桂树，一手拿着一个小金耙子、一个小金桶和一块丝质毛巾。 —

She thus addressed him:
她这样对他说：

‘Plant these two laurels in two large pots, rake them over with the rake, water them with the bucket, and wipe them with the towel. —
“将这两棵月桂树种在两个大盆里，用耙子耙过它们，用桶浇水，用毛巾擦拭。 —

When they have grown as tall as a girl of fifteen, say to each of them, ‘‘My beautiful laurel, with the golden rake I have raked you, with the golden bucket I have watered you, with the silken towel I have wiped you. —
当它们长到和一个十五岁的女孩一样高时，对每一棵树说：’我的美丽月桂树，我用金耙耙过你，用金桶浇过你，用丝质毛巾擦拭过你。’ ” —

’’ Then after that ask anything you choose, and the laurels will give it to you.’
然后，之后你可以问任何你喜欢的事情，荣誉将会给你。

Michael thanked the lady in the golden dress, and when he woke he found the two laurel bushes beside him. —
迈克尔感谢了那位身着金色裙子的女士，当他醒来时，发现两棵月桂树就在他身边。 —

So he carefully obeyed the orders he had been given by the lady.
所以他小心照办了那位女士给他的指示。

The trees grew very fast, and when they were as tall as a girl of fifteen he said to the cherry laurel, ‘My lovely cherry laurel, with the golden rake I have raked thee, with the golden bucket I have watered thee, with the silken towel I have wiped thee. —
树长得非常快，当它们长到和一个十五岁的女孩一样高时，迈克尔对樱桃月桂说：“我可爱的樱桃月桂，用金色的耙我曾经耙过你，用金色的水桶我曾经浇过你，用丝绸的毛巾我曾经擦过你。请教我如何变得无形。”然后，樱桂上立刻出现了一朵漂亮的白花，迈克尔摘下来别在纽扣孔上。 —

Teach me how to become invisible.’ Then there instantly appeared on the laurel a pretty white flower, which Michael gathered and stuck into his button-hole.
教会我如何变得无形。”然后，月桂上立刻出现了一朵漂亮的白花，迈克尔摘下来别在纽扣孔上。
VI
第六章

That evening, when the princesses went upstairs to bed, he followed them barefoot, so that he might make no noise, and hid himself under one of the twelve beds, so as not to take up much room.
那天晚上，公主们上楼去睡觉，他赤脚跟在后面，以免发出噪音，躲藏在十二张床之下，以免占用太多空间。

The princesses began at once to open their wardrobes and boxes. —
公主们立刻开始打开她们的衣橱和箱子。 —

They took out of them the most magnificent dresses, which they put on before their mirrors, and when they had finished, turned themselves all round to admire their appearances.
他们拿出了最华丽的礼服，放在镜子前穿上，然后转过身来欣赏自己的模样。

Michael could see nothing from his hiding-place, but he could hear everything, and he listened to the princesses laughing and jumping with pleasure. —
迈克尔虽然躲藏起来，看不见任何东西，但他可以听到公主们开心地笑着跳跃。 —

At last the eldest said, ‘Be quick, my sisters, our partners will be impatient. —
最大的公主说：“快点，姐妹们，我们的伙伴们都在迫不及待地等待。” —

’ At the end of an hour, when the Star Gazer heard no more noise, he peeped out and saw the twelve sisters in splendid garments, with their satin shoes on their feet, and in their hands the bouquets he had brought them.
一个小时过去了，星空观察员听不到更多的声音，他探头一看，见到十二位公主穿着华丽的服饰，脚上踩着缎面鞋，手里拿着他给她们带来的花束。

‘Are you ready?’ asked the eldest.
“你们准备好了吗？”大姐问道。

‘Yes,’ replied the other eleven in chorus, and they took their places one by one behind her.
“是的，”其他十一个人一起回答，并一个接一个地站在她后面。

Then the eldest Princess clapped her hands three times and a trap door opened. —
接着，大姐拍了三次手，地板上出现了一个机关门。 —

All the princesses disappeared down a secret staircase, and Michael hastily followed them.
所有的公主们都消失在了一个秘密楼梯中，而迈克尔也匆忙地跟了下去。

As he was following on the steps of the Princess Lina, he carelessly trod on her dress.
当他跟在Lina公主的脚步后面时，他不小心踩到了她的裙子。

‘There is somebody behind me,’ cried the Princess; ‘they are holding my dress.’
“有人在我后面，”公主喊道，”他们抓住了我的裙子。”

‘You foolish thing,’ said her eldest sister, ‘you are always afraid of something. —
“你这个傻瓜，”她最大的姐姐说道，”你总是害怕什么。这只是一个钉子勾住了你。” —

It is only a nail which caught you.’
只是一个钉子勾住了你。
VII
VII

They went down, down, down, till at last they came to a passage with a door at one end, which was only fastened with a latch. —
他们一直下去，直到最后来到了一个有一扇门的走廊，门上只用了一个闩子锁上。 —

The eldest Princess opened it, and they found themselves immediately in a lovely little wood, where the leaves were spangled with drops of silver which shone in the brilliant light of the moon.
最大的公主打开了门，他们立刻来到了一个美丽的小树林，树叶上挂满了银色的水滴，在明亮的月光下闪闪发光。

They next crossed another wood where the leaves were sprinkled with gold, and after that another still, where the leaves glittered with diamonds.
接着他们穿过了另一个树林，树叶上满是金色，然后又穿过了另一个树林，树叶上闪闪发光的是钻石。

At last the Star Gazer perceived a large lake, and on the shores of the lake twelve little boats with awnings, in which were seated twelve princes, who, grasping their oars, awaited the princesses.
最后，星空观察者发现了一个大湖，湖岸上停着十二艘带有遮阳篷的小船，船上坐着十二位王子，他们握紧了桨，等待着公主们。

Each princess entered one of the boats, and Michael slipped into that which held the youngest. —
每个公主都进了一艘船，迈克尔溜进了那艘装载最年幼的船中。 —

The boats glided along rapidly, but Lina’s, from being heavier, was always behind the rest. —
船只迅速滑行，但由于琳娜的船只更重，始终落后于其他船只。 —

‘We never went so slowly before,’ said the Princess; —
‘我们从未这样慢过，’公主说道； —

‘what can be the reason?’
‘这是为什么呢？’

‘I don’t know,’ answered the Prince. ‘I assure you I am rowing as hard as I can.’
‘我不知道，’王子回答道。‘我向你保证我在全力划船。’

On the other side of the lake the garden boy saw a beautiful castle splendidly illuminated, whence came the lively music of fiddles, kettle-drums, and trumpets.
湖的对岸，园艺男孩看到一个精美的城堡，灯火辉煌，传来欢快的小提琴、响鼓和喇叭的音乐声。

In a moment they touched land, and the company jumped out of the boats; —
转眼间，他们登陆了，人群从船上跳了出来； —

and the princes, after having securely fastened their barques, gave their arms to the princesses and conducted them to the castle.
王子们在牢牢系好他们的小舟后，搀扶着公主们，将她们带到了城堡。
VIII
VIII

Michael followed, and entered the ball-room in their train. —
迈克尔紧随其后，跟着他们一起进入了舞厅。 —

Everywhere were mirrors, lights, flowers, and damask hangings.
到处都是镜子、灯光、鲜花和锦缎挂饰。

The Star Gazer was quite bewildered at the magnificence of the sight.
星星仰视者对这壮丽景象感到惊讶不已。

He placed himself out of the way in a corner, admiring the grace and beauty of the princesses. —
他将自己安置在角落里，欣赏公主们的优雅和美丽。 —

Their loveliness was of every kind. Some were fair and some were dark; —
他们的可爱是各种各样的，有些是白皙的，有些是黑皮肤的； —

some had chestnut hair, or curls darker still, and some had golden locks. —
有些人有栗色的头发，或者更深色的卷发，还有一些人有金色的头发。 —

Never were so many beautiful princesses seen together at one time, but the one whom the cow-boy thought the most beautiful and the most fascinating was the little Princess with the velvet eyes.
从来没有见过这么多美丽的公主们聚集在一起，但是牛仔认为最美丽最迷人的是那位有天鹅绒般眼睛的小公主。

With what eagerness she danced! leaning on her partner’s shoulder she swept by like a whirlwind. —
她是多么热衷地跳舞啊！倚靠在舞伴的肩膀上，她像旋风一样掠过。 —

Her cheeks flushed, her eyes sparkled, and it was plain that she loved dancing better than anything else.
她的脸颊涨红，眼睛闪烁，显然她比任何其他事情都爱跳舞。

The poor boy envied those handsome young men with whom she danced so gracefully, but he did not know how little reason he had to be jealous of them.
这个可怜的男孩羡慕那些和她优雅地跳舞的英俊年轻人，但是他不知道自己没有理由嫉妒他们。

The young men were really the princes who, to the number of fifty at least, had tried to steal the princesses’ secret. —
这些年轻人实际上是王子，至少有五十个，他们试图窃取公主们的秘密。 —

The princesses had made them drink something of a philtre, which froze the heart and left nothing but the love of dancing.
公主们让他们喝下一种魔药，这使他们的心变得冰冷，只剩下对跳舞的热爱。
IX
第九章

They danced on till the shoes of the princesses were worn into holes. —
他们一直跳舞，直到公主们的舞鞋穿了洞。 —

When the cock crowed the third time the fiddles stopped, and a delicious supper was served by negro boys, consisting of sugared orange flowers, crystallised rose leaves, powdered violets, cracknels, wafers, and other dishes, which are, as everyone knows, the favourite food of princesses.
当公鸡第三次打鸣的时候，小提琴声停止了，黑人男孩们上了一桌美味的晚餐，包括糖霜橙花、结晶的玫瑰叶、粉末紫罗兰、杏酥、薄饼等菜肴，众所周知，这是公主们最喜欢的食物。

After supper, the dancers all went back to their boats, and this time the Star Gazer entered that of the eldest Princess. —
晚餐后，舞者们都回到了自己的船上，这次星星观察者进了大公主的船。 —

They crossed again the wood with the diamond-spangled leaves, the wood with gold-sprinkled leaves, and the wood whose leaves glittered with drops of silver, and as a proof of what he had seen, the boy broke a small branch from a tree in the last wood. —
他们再次穿过有钻石点缀叶子的树林、有金银叶子的树林，作为对他所见的证明，男孩从最后一个树林里摘下了一小枝树枝。 —

Lina turned as she heard the noise made by the breaking of the branch.
Lina一听到树枝被折断的声音就转过身来。

‘What was that noise?’ she said.
“那是什么声音？”她问道。

‘It was nothing,’ replied her eldest sister; —
“没什么，”她的大姐回答道； —

‘it was only the screech of the barn-owl that roosts in one of the turrets of the castle.’
“只是在城堡的一座塔楼上栖息的仓鸮的尖叫声。”

While she was speaking Michael managed to slip in front, and running up the staircase, he reached the princesses’ room first. —
当她说话的时候，迈克尔设法挤到了最前面，跑上楼梯，首先到达了公主们的房间。 —

He flung open the window, and sliding down the vine which climbed up the wall, found himself in the garden just as the sun was beginning to rise, and it was time for him to set to his work.
他推开窗户，顺着攀爬墙壁的葡萄藤滑下来，正好赶上太阳开始升起的时候，也是他开始工作的时间。
X
X

That day, when he made up the bouquets, Michael hid the branch with the silver drops in the nosegay intended for the youngest Princess.
那天，当他制作花束时，迈克尔把带有银珠的枝条藏在了准备送给最小的公主的花束中。

When Lina discovered it she was much surprised. —
当丽娜发现后，她感到非常惊讶。 —

However, she said nothing to her sisters, but as she met the boy by accident while she was walking under the shade of the elms, she suddenly stopped as if to speak to him; —
然而，她没有对姐妹们说什么，但在她在榆树下散步时偶然遇到那个男孩时，她突然停下来好像要和他说话； —

then, altering her mind, went on her way.
然后，改变主意，继续她的路程。

The same evening the twelve sisters went again to the ball, and the Star Gazer again followed them and crossed the lake in Lina’s boat. —
当天晚上，十二位公主再次去参加舞会，而星际观察者再次跟随她们，在利娜的小船上穿过了湖。 —

This time it was the Prince who complained that the boat seemed very heavy.
这次是王子抱怨小船好像很重。

‘It is the heat,’ replied the Princess. ‘I, too, have been feeling very warm.’
“这是因为炎热的天气，”公主回答说。”我也感到很热。”

During the ball she looked everywhere for the gardener’s boy, but she never saw him.
在舞会期间，她到处寻找园丁的男孩，但从未见过他。

As they came back, Michael gathered a branch from the wood with the gold-spangled leaves, and now it was the eldest Princess who heard the noise that it made in breaking.
当她们回来时，迈克尔采摘了一枝有金色斑点的叶子，并且现在是大姐姐公主听到了它折断的声音。

‘It is nothing,’ said Lina; ‘only the cry of the owl which roosts in the turrets of the castle.’
“这没什么，”利娜说。”只是在城堡塔楼上栖息的猫头鹰的叫声。”
XI
第十一章

As soon as she got up she found the branch in her bouquet. —
她一起床就发现花束里有这枝树枝。 —

When the sisters went down she stayed a little behind and said to the cow-boy: —
当公主们下楼时，她稍稍落在了后面，对牧童说： —

‘Where does this branch come from?’
“这根树枝是从哪里来的？”

‘Your Royal Highness knows well enough,’ answered Michael.
“您殿下自然是知道的。”迈克尔回答说。

‘So you have followed us?’
“所以你一直跟着我们？”

‘Yes, Princess.’
“是的，公主。”

‘How did you manage it? we never saw you.’
“你是怎么做到的？我们从未见过你。”

‘I hid myself,’ replied the Star Gazer quietly.
星观者平静地回答道：“我把自己藏起来了。”

The Princess was silent a moment, and then said:
公主沉默片刻，然后说道：

‘You know our secret! — keep it. Here is the reward of your discretion. —
“你知道我们的秘密！保守住它。这是你对保密的回报。” —

’ And she flung the boy a purse of gold.
她向男孩扔了一只金袋。

‘I do not sell my silence,’ answered Michael, and he went away without picking up the purse.
“我不卖我的沉默”，迈克尔回答道，然后离开了，没有捡起那只金袋。

For three nights Lina neither saw nor heard anything extraordinary; —
在接下来的三个晚上，丽娜既没有见到也没有听到什么特别的事情。 —

on the fourth she heard a rustling among the diamond-spangled leaves of the wood. That day there was a branch of the trees in her bouquet.
第四天，她听到了树叶中闪烁的钻石的沙沙声。那天，她的花束里有树枝。

She took the Star Gazer aside, and said to him in a harsh voice:
她把星观者拉到一边，用尖锐的声音对他说道：

‘You know what price my father has promised to pay for our secret?’
“你知道我父亲答应为我们的秘密支付的代价是什么？”

‘I know, Princess,’ answered Michael.
“知道，公主，”迈克尔回答道。

‘Don’t you mean to tell him?’
“你不打算告诉他吗？”

‘That is not my intention.’
“这不是我的意图。”

‘Are you afraid?’
“你害怕吗？”

‘No, Princess.’
“不，公主。”

‘What makes you so discreet, then?’
‘那么是什么让你这么谨慎呢？’

But Michael was silent.
但是迈克尔沉默了。
XII
十二

Lina’s sisters had seen her talking to the little garden boy, and jeered at her for it.
丽娜的姐妹们看见她和小园丁说话，并嘲笑她。

‘What prevents your marrying him?’ asked the eldest, ‘you would become a gardener too; —
‘那么是什么阻止你嫁给他呢？’最大的姐姐问道，’你也会成为一个园丁；这是一个迷人的职业。你可以住在公园尽头的小屋里，帮助丈夫从井里打水，当我们起床时，你可以给我们拿来花束。’ —

it is a charming profession. You could live in a cottage at the end of the park, and help your husband to draw up water from the well, and when we get up you could bring us our bouquets.’
公主丽娜非常生气，当天文观测者递给她花束时，她很不屑地接过来。

The Princess Lina was very angry, and when the Star Gazer presented her bouquet, she received it in a disdainful manner.
迈克尔举止非常恭敬。他从不抬起眼睛看她，但几乎整天她都感觉到他在身边，却从未见过他。

Michael behaved most respectfully. He never raised his eyes to her, but nearly all day she felt him at her side without ever seeing him.
有一天，她下定决心向她的大姐妹坦白一切。

One day she made up her mind to tell everything to her eldest sister.
‘什么！’她说，’这个流氓知道我们的秘密，你竟然从未告诉我！

‘What!’ said she, ‘this rogue knows our secret, and you never told me! —
我必须立即摆脱他。’ —

I must lose no time in getting rid of him.’
‘但是怎么办？’

‘But how?’
‘当然是把他带到有地牢的塔里。’

‘Why, by having him taken to the tower with the dungeons, of course.’
“但是怎么办？”

For this was the way that in old times beautiful princesses got rid of people who knew too much.
因为这是以前美丽的公主们摆脱那些知道太多的人的方式。

But the astonishing part of it was that the youngest sister did not seem at all to relish this method of stopping the mouth of the gardener’s boy, who, after all, had said nothing to their father.
但令人惊讶的是，最小的妹妹似乎根本不喜欢这种阻止园丁男孩说话的方法，毕竟他对父亲什么也没说。
XIII
十三

It was agreed that the question should be submitted to the other ten sisters. —
他们决定将问题提交给其他十个姐妹。 —

All were on the side of the eldest. Then the youngest sister declared that if they laid a finger on the little garden boy, she would herself go and tell their father the secret of the holes in their shoes.
所有人都站在大姐的一边。然后最小的妹妹宣称，如果他们对小园丁男孩动手，她将亲自告诉父亲她们鞋子上的洞的秘密。

At last it was decided that Michael should be put to the test; —
最后决定对迈克尔进行测试； —

that they would take him to the ball, and at the end of supper would give him the philtre which was to enchant him like the rest.
他们找来了占星家，问他是如何学到他们的秘密的；

They sent for the Star Gazer, and asked him how he had contrived to learn their secret; —
但他仍然保持沉默。 —

but still he remained silent.
然后，大姐以命令的口吻给了他们商定的命令。

Then, in commanding tones, the eldest sister gave him the order they had agreed upon.
将他带到舞会上，在晚宴结束时给他那个能像其他人一样迷惑他的药剂。

He only answered:
他只回答了：

‘I will obey.’
“我会遵守。”

He had really been present, invisible, at the council of princesses, and had heard all; —
他实际上一直潜伏在公主们的议会中，听到了一切； —

but he had made up his mind to drink of the philtre, and sacrifice himself to the happiness of her he loved.
但他已经决定喝下爱情药水，并为了心爱的人牺牲自己的幸福。

Not wishing, however, to cut a poor figure at the ball by the side of the other dancers, he went at once to the laurels, and said:
然而，他不想在舞会上与其他舞者相比显得平庸，于是他立刻去找月桂树，说道：

‘My lovely rose laurel, with the golden rake I have raked thee, with the golden bucket I have watered thee, with a silken towel I have dried thee. —
“我美丽的玫瑰月桂树，我用金耙耙过你，用金桶浇过你，用丝巾擦干过你。 —

Dress me like a prince.’
把我打扮得像个王子。”

A beautiful pink flower appeared. Michael gathered it, and found himself in a moment clothed in velvet, which was as black as the eyes of the little Princess, with a cap to match, a diamond aigrette, and a blossom of the rose laurel in his button-hole.
一朵美丽的粉红花出现了。迈克尔采摘了它，瞬间穿上了黑色天鹅绒的衣服，与小公主的眼睛一样黑，头上戴着一朵钻石饰羽，扣在纽扣洞上的还有一朵玫瑰月桂树的花朵。

Thus dressed, he presented himself that evening before the Duke of Beloeil, and obtained leave to try and discover his daughters’ secret. —
穿着如此打扮的他当晚去见了贝洛伊尔公爵，并得到了寻找他女儿秘密的许可。 —

He looked so distinguished that hardly anyone would have known who he was.
他看起来很有品位，几乎没有人会知道他是谁。
XIV
XIV

The twelve princesses went upstairs to bed. —
十二个公主上楼睡觉。 —

Michael followed them, and waited behind the open door till they gave the signal for departure.
迈克尔跟在她们后面，等在敞开的门后，直到她们给了离去的信号。

This time he did not cross in Lina’s boat. —
这次他没有坐琳娜的船过去。 —

He gave his arm to the eldest sister, danced with each in turn, and was so graceful that everyone was delighted with him. —
他搀着大姐妹的手臂，轮流与每个姐妹跳舞，舞姿优美，令人喜欢。 —

At last the time came for him to dance with the little Princess. —
最后，轮到他与小公主跳舞了。 —

She found him the best partner in the world, but he did not dare to speak a single word to her.
她觉得他是世界上最好的舞伴，但他不敢对她说一句话。

When he was taking her back to her place she said to him in a mocking voice:
当他送她回到座位上时，她用嘲弄的声音对他说道：

‘Here you are at the summit of your wishes: you are being treated like a prince.’
“你如今得偿所愿，被人像王子一样对待。”

‘Don’t be afraid,’ replied the Star Gazer gently. —
“不要害怕，”星空观察者温柔地回答。 —

‘You shall never be a gardener’s wife.’
“你永远不会成为一个园丁的妻子。”

The little Princess stared at him with a frightened face, and he left her without waiting for an answer.
小公主吓得瞪大了眼睛看着他，而他没有等待她的回答就离开了。

When the satin slippers were worn through the fiddles stopped, and the negro boys set the table. —
当绸缎拖鞋穿穿了，小提琴停下，黑奴男孩们摆好餐桌。 —

Michael was placed next to the eldest sister, and opposite to the youngest.
迈克尔坐在最年长的姐姐旁边，对面是最年幼的姐妹。

They gave him the most exquisite dishes to eat, and the most delicate wines to drink; —
他们给他最美味的菜肴，最精致的美酒； —

and in order to turn his head more completely, compliments and flattery were heaped on him from every side.
为了完全迷住他，各方面都给了他恭维和奉承。

But he took care not to be intoxicated, either by the wine or the compliments.
但他小心翼翼，不让自己被酒或恭维所迷惑。
XV
XV

At last the eldest sister made a sign, and one of the black pages brought in a large golden cup.
最后，最年长的姐妹作了个手势，一个黑人仆人拿来一个大金杯。

‘The enchanted castle has no more secrets for you,’ she said to the Star Gazer. ‘Let us drink to your triumph.’
“你已经揭开了被魔咒困住的城堡的秘密，”她对星星观察者说。“让我们为你的胜利干一杯。”

He cast a lingering glance at the little Princess, and without hesitation lifted the cup.
他流连地看了小公主一眼，在毫不犹豫的情况下举起了杯子。

‘Don’t drink!’ suddenly cried out the little Princess; ‘I would rather marry a gardener.’
“不要喝！”小公主突然大喊起来，“我宁愿嫁给一个园丁。”

And she burst into tears.
她哭了起来。

Michael flung the contents of the cup behind him, sprang over the table, and fell at Lina’s feet. —
迈克尔将杯子里的内容扔向身后，跳过餐桌，跪在莉娜的脚下。 —

The rest of the princes fell likewise at the knees of the princesses, each of whom chose a husband and raised him to her side. —
其他的王子们也都跪在公主们的面前，每个公主都选择了一个丈夫，并将他们拉到自己身边。 —

The charm was broken.
魔咒被解除了。

The twelve couples embarked in the boats, which crossed back many times in order to carry over the other princes. —
十二对夫妇登上船只，船只多次来往，以便运送其他的王子们过河。 —

Then they all went through the three woods, and when they had passed the door of the underground passage a great noise was heard, as if the enchanted castle was crumbling to the earth.
然后他们都穿过了三片森林，当他们通过了地下通道的门口时，可以听到一阵巨大的声响，仿佛被魔法的城堡正在坍塌。

They went straight to the room of the Duke of Beloeil, who had just awoke. —
他们径直走进了贝洛伊公爵的房间，公爵刚刚醒来。 —

Michael held in his hand the golden cup, and he revealed the secret of the holes in the shoes.
迈克尔手中拿着金杯，他揭示了鞋子上的洞的秘密。

‘Choose, then,’ said the Duke, ‘whichever you prefer.’
“那么，你可以选择了，”公爵说道。”不管你选择什么，我都会答应。”

‘My choice is already made,’ replied the garden boy, and he offered his hand to the youngest Princess, who blushed and lowered her eyes.
“我的选择已经做好了。”园丁小子回答道，然后他向最年轻的公主伸出了手，她脸红了，低下了眼睛。
XVI
第十六章

The Princess Lina did not become a gardener’s wife; —
莉娜公主并没有成为一个园丁的妻子，相反，是天文学家成了王子。 —

on the contrary, it was the Star Gazer who became a Prince: —
请根据上述消息，选择你最喜欢的一个字。 —

but before the marriage ceremony the Princess insisted that her lover should tell her how he came to discover the secret.
但在婚礼典礼之前，公主坚持要求她的爱人告诉她他是如何发现这个秘密的。

So he showed her the two laurels which had helped him, and she, like a prudent girl, thinking they gave him too much advantage over his wife, cut them off at the root and threw them in the fire. —
于是他给她看了两朵帮助他的月桂树，并且聪明地认为它们给了他太多对付妻子的优势，她将它们从根部剪下并扔进了火中。 —

And this is why the country girls go about singing:
这就是为什么乡村姑娘们唱着歌四处走：

Nous n’irons plus au bois,
我们不再去树林里，
Les lauriers sont coupes,’
月桂树被砍倒，’

and dancing in summer by the light of the moon.
并在夏天的月光下跳舞。