ONCE upon a time there lived a King and Queen whose children had all died, first one and then another, until at last only one little daughter remained, and the Queen was at her wits’ end to know where to find a really good nurse who would take care of her, and bring her up. —
从前有一对国王和王后，他们的孩子一个接一个地死去，直到最后只剩下一个小女儿，王后为了找到一个真正好的保姆来照顾她并将她抚养长大而烦恼不已。 —

A herald was sent who blew a trumpet at every street corner, and commanded all the best nurses to appear before the Queen, that she might choose one for the little Princess. —
于是派出一名先令，在每个街角吹着号角，命令所有最好的保姆前来见王后，以便她能为小公主挑选一个。 —

So on the appointed day the whole palace was crowded with nurses, who came from the four corners of the world to offer themselves, until the Queen declared that if she was ever to see the half of them, they must be brought out to her, one by one, as she sat in a shady wood near the palace.
所以在约定的日子，整个宫殿都挤满了保姆们，她们从世界的四个角落赶来，报名自荐，直到王后宣布，如果她要看到他们的一半，他们必须一个一个地被带出来，当她坐在宫殿附近的一片树荫下时。

This was accordingly done, and the nurses, after they had made their curtsey to the King and Queen, ranged themselves in a line before her that she might choose. —
照着这样做了，保姆们在向国王和王后行了礼之后，排成一排，在她面前，以便她可以选择。 —

Most of them were fair and fat and charming, but there was one who was dark-skinned and ugly, and spoke a strange language which nobody could understand. —
他们中大多数人长相平和丰满，很迷人，但有一个人皮肤黝黑丑陋，讲一种没有人能理解的奇怪语言。 —

The Queen wondered how she dared offer herself, and she was told to go away, as she certainly would not do. —
女王想知道她怎么敢自荐，据告知她离开，她肯定不会被选中。 —

Upon which she muttered something and passed on, but hid herself in a hollow tree, from which she could see all that happened. —
她嘀咕了几句话后继续走了，但她躲在一棵树洞里，可以看到发生的一切。 —

The Queen, without giving her another thought, chose a pretty rosy-faced nurse, but no sooner was her choice made than a snake, which was hidden in the grass, bit that very nurse on her foot, so that she fell down as if dead. —
女王在毫不犹豫地选择了一个漂亮红润的护士之后，一条隐藏在草丛中的蛇咬伤了那个护士的脚，她倒下后就像死掉了一样。 —

The Queen was very much vexed by this accident, but she soon selected another, who was just stepping forward when an eagle flew by and dropped a large tortoise upon her head, which was cracked in pieces like an egg-shell. —
女王对这个意外感到非常烦恼，但她很快选择了另一个护士，就在她走上前的时候，一只鹰飞过，把一只大乌龟落在她的头上，头像鸡蛋壳一样破裂了。 —

At this the Queen was much horrified; nevertheless, she chose a third time, but with no better fortune, for the nurse, moving quickly, ran into the branch of a tree and blinded herself with a thorn. —
女王对此非常震惊；然而，她选择了第三次，但运气并没有好转，因为保姆迅速迎向一棵树的枝条，刺瞎了自己的眼睛。 —

Then the Queen in dismay cried that there must be some malignant influence at work, and that she would choose no more that day; —
女王惊慌失措地喊道肯定是有恶势力在作祟，她不会再选择了； —

and she had just risen to return to the palace when she heard peals of malicious laughter behind her, and turning round saw the ugly stranger whom she had dismissed, who was making very merry over the disasters and mocking everyone, but especially the Queen. This annoyed Her Majesty very much, and she was about to order that she should be arrested, when the witch — for she was a witch — with two blows from a wand summoned a chariot of fire drawn by winged dragons, and was whirled off through the air uttering threats and cries. —
就在她起身返回宫殿时，她听到背后传来一阵邪恶的笑声，回过头看到被她解雇的丑陋陌生人，她正在嘲笑众人，尤其是女王。这让女王非常恼火，她正要命令将其逮捕，但这个女巫用魔杖敲了两下，召唤出一辆由有翼龙驱动的火焰战车，在空中呼啸而去，同时发出威胁和尖叫。 —

When the King saw this he cried:
当国王看到这一幕时，他喊道：

‘Alas! now we are ruined indeed, for that was no other than the Fairy Carabosse, who has had a grudge against me ever since I was a boy and put sulphur into her porridge one day for fun.’
“哎呀！我们真的完了，那根本不是别人，而是仙女卡拉博丝，她从我还是个男孩的时候就对我怀恨在心，因为有一天我为了好玩，在她的粥里放了硫磺。”

Then the Queen began to cry.
然后女王开始哭泣。

‘If I had only known who it was,’ she said, ‘I would have done my best to make friends with her; —
“如果我早知道是她，”她说，“我会尽力和她和好的；现在我想一切都完了。” —

now I suppose all is lost.’
国王很抱歉吓坏了她，他建议他们去开个会议，讨论应该采取什么措施来避免卡拉博丝必定会给小公主带来的不幸。

The King was sorry to have frightened her so much, and proposed that they should go and hold a council as to what was best to be done to avert the misfortunes which Carabosse certainly meant to bring upon the little Princess.
然后国王很抱歉吓坏了她，他建议他们去开个会议，讨论应该采取什么措施来避免卡拉博丝必定会给小公主带来的不幸。

So all the counsellors were summoned to the palace, and when they had shut every door and window, and stuffed up every keyhole that they might not be overheard, they talked the affair over, and decided that every fairy for a thousand leagues round should be invited to the christening of the Princess, and that the time of the ceremony should be kept a profound secret, in case the Fairy Carabosse should take it into her head to attend it.
于是所有的顾问都被召集到宫殿，他们关上了每扇门窗，堵住了每个锁眼，以免被偷听。他们商议后决定邀请周围一千里外的每一个仙女参加公主的洗礼仪式，并且决定这个仪式的时间保密，以防卡拉博斯仙女突然想要参加。

The Queen and her ladies set to work to prepare presents for the fairies who were invited: —
女王和她的女官们开始准备给受邀的仙女们的礼物：每个人一件蓝色天鹅绒斗篷，一条杏色绸缎裙子，一双高跟鞋，一些尖针和一把金剪刀。 —

for each one a blue velvet cloak, a petticoat of apricot satin, a pair of high-heeled shoes, some sharp needles, and a pair of golden scissors. —
女王认识的所有仙女中，只有五位能够按时赶到，她们立即开始给公主赠送礼物。 —

Of all the fairies the Queen knew, only five were able to come on the day appointed, but they began immediately to bestow gifts upon the Princess. —
公主得到了这些仙女的礼物。 —

One promised that she should be perfectly beautiful, the second that she should understand anything — no matter what — the first time it was explained to her, the third that she should sing like a nightingale, the fourth that she should succeed in everything she undertook, and the fifth was opening her mouth to speak when a tremendous rumbling was heard in the chimney, and Carabosse, all covered with soot, came rolling down, crying:
有人承诺她将会完美动人，第二个人承诺她将能够无论什么时候都能一次理解，第三个人承诺她将能够像夜莺一样歌唱，第四个人承诺她在任何事情上都将取得成功，第五个人正要开口说话的时候，烟囱里传来了一声巨响，全身沾满煤灰的卡拉伯斯从烟囱中滚了下来，哭道：

‘I say that she shall be the unluckiest of the unlucky until she is twenty years old.’
‘我说她要在二十岁之前一直倒霉不顺。’

Then the Queen and all the fairies began to beg and beseech her to think better of it, and not be so unkind to the poor little Princess, who had never done her any harm. —
然后，王后和所有仙女开始恳求和乞求她能改变主意，不要对这个可怜的小公主这么刻薄，她从未对她做过任何伤害。 —

But the ugly old Fairy only grunted and made no answer. —
但是那位丑陋的老仙女只是哼哼了一声，没有回答。 —

So the last Fairy, who had not yet given her gift, tried to mend matters by promising the Princess a long and happy life after the fatal time was over. —
于是最后一个仙女，还未发表她的礼物的仙女，试图通过承诺在命运的限期过后，公主将拥有长寿和幸福的生活来修补事态。 —

At this Carabosse laughed maliciously, and climbed away up the chimney, leaving them all in great consternation, and especially the Queen. However, she entertained the fairies splendidly, and gave them beautiful ribbons, of which they are very fond, in addition to the other presents.
卡拉博斯恶意地笑了起来，爬上烟囱，让他们都丧失了信心，尤其是女王。然而，她盛情款待了这些仙女，并给了她们她们非常喜欢的美丽丝带，除了其他的礼物。

When they were going away the oldest Fairy said that they were of opinion that it would be best to shut the Princess up in some place, with her waiting-women, so that she might not see anyone else until she was twenty years old. —
当她们离开时，最年长的仙女说，她们认为最好把公主和她的侍女关在某个地方，直到她二十岁才能见到其他人。 —

So the King had a tower built on purpose. —
于是，国王特意建了一座塔。 —

It had no windows, so it was lighted with wax candles, and the only way into it was by an underground passage, which had iron doors only twenty feet apart, and guards were posted everywhere.
塔里没有窗户，所以用蜡烛点亮，唯一的进入方式是通过一条地下通道，通道里只有每隔二十英尺就有一扇铁门，到处都有守卫。

The Princess had been named Mayblossom, because she was as fresh and blooming as Spring itself, and she grew up tall and beautiful, and everything she did and said was charming. —
这位公主被命名为梅花公主，因为她就像春天一样新鲜而芬芳，她长大后又高又美丽，她做什么说什么都迷人。 —

Every time the King and Queen came to see her they were more delighted with her than before, but though she was weary of the tower, and often begged them to take her away from it, they always refused. —
每次国王和皇后来看她时，他们都比以前更喜欢她，但尽管她已经厌倦了塔楼，经常乞求他们把她带走，他们总是拒绝。 —

The Princess’s nurse, who had never left her, sometimes told her about the world outside the tower, and though the Princess had never seen anything for herself, yet she always understood exactly, thanks to the second Fairy’s gift. —
公主的保姆从未离开过她，有时会告诉她塔楼外的世界，虽然公主从未亲眼见过，但多亏了第二个仙女的恩赐，她总是完全明白。 —

Often the King said to the Queen:
国王经常对皇后说：

‘We were cleverer than Carabosse after all. —
“我们比卡拉波斯还聪明。 —

Our Mayblossom will be happy in spite of her predictions.’
尽管她的预言，我们的五月花仍会幸福。”

And the Queen laughed until she was tired at the idea of having outwitted the old Fairy. They had caused the Princess’s portrait to be painted and sent to all the neighbouring Courts, for in four days she would have completed her twentieth year, and it was time to decide whom she should marry. —
皇后听到自己设法智胜老仙女的想法，笑得累了。他们让人画了公主的肖像并送往周边的国家，因为四天后她就要二十岁了，是时候决定她将嫁给谁了。 —

All the town was rejoicing at the thought of the Princess’s approaching freedom, and when the news came that King Merlin was sending his ambassador to ask her in marriage for his son, they were still more delighted. —
全城的人为公主即将获得自由而欢欣鼓舞，当听到梅林国王派遣大使来为他的儿子求婚的消息时，他们更是高兴不已。 —

The nurse, who kept the Princess informed of everything that went forward in the town, did not fail to repeat the news that so nearly concerned her, and gave such a description of the splendour in which the ambassador Fanfaronade would enter the town, that the Princess was wild to see the procession for herself.
保姆经常将城市里发生的一切告诉公主，这个与她息息相关的消息也不例外，她还生动地描述了大使芬法罗纳德将以何等辉煌身世进入城市的情景，因此公主迫切地想亲眼目睹这个游行队伍。

‘What an unhappy creature I am,’ she cried, ‘to be shut up in this dismal tower as if I had committed some crime! —
“我是多么不幸的人，”她哭喊道，”就像我犯了什么罪一样，被关在这个阴森恐怖的塔里！ —

I have never seen the sun, or the stars, or a horse, or a monkey, or a lion, except in pictures, and though the King and Queen tell me I am to be set free when I am twenty, I believe they only say it to keep me amused, when they never mean to let me out at all.’
我从未见过阳光、星星、马、猴子或狮子，除了在图片中，尽管国王和王后告诉我，我二十岁时就可以获得自由，但我相信他们只是说着让我开心而已，他们根本不打算让我离开这里。”

And then she began to cry, and her nurse, and the nurse’s daughter, and the cradle-rocker, and the nursery-maid, who all loved her dearly, cried too for company, so that nothing could be heard but sobs and sighs. —
然后她开始哭泣，她的护士、护士的女儿、摇篮的摇动者和保姆，他们都非常爱她，也跟着哭泣，以至于只能听到呜咽和叹息声。 —

It was a scene of woe. When the Princess saw that they all pitied her she made up her mind to have her own way. —
这是一幕悲惨的场景。当公主看到他们都同情她时，她决定按自己的想法行事。 —

So she declared that she would starve herself to death if they did not find some means of letting her see Fanfaronade’s grand entry into the town.
所以她宣布如果他们找不到办法让她看到芬法洛纳德盛大入城的场景，她就要饿死。

‘If you really love me,’ she said, ‘you will manage it, somehow or other, and the King and Queen need never know anything about it.’
她说：“如果你们真的爱我，你们会以某种方式设法办到的，国王和王后永远不会知道。”

Then the nurse and all the others cried harder than ever, and said everything they could think of to turn the Princess from her idea. —
然后护士和其他人比以往更加哭泣，尽其所能地劝阻公主的想法。 —

But the more they said the more determined she was, and at last they consented to make a tiny hole in the tower on the side that looked towards the city gates.
但是他们说得越多，她就越坚决，最后他们同意在塔楼上打一个朝向城门的微小的孔。

After scratching and scraping all day and all night, they presently made a hole through which they could, with great difficulty, push a very slender needle, and out of this the Princess looked at the daylight for the first time. —
刮擦了一整天一整夜后，他们终于在一处洞口钻了一个小孔，费了很大力气才能从中伸出一根细针，公主终于第一次看见了阳光。 —

She was so dazzled and delighted by what she saw, that there she stayed, never taking her eyes away from the peep-hole for a single minute, until presently the ambassador’s procession appeared in sight.
她被所见的一切震撼并感到欢喜，一分钟也不离开这个窥视孔，一直等到使者队伍出现在眼前。

At the head of it rode Fanfaronade himself upon a white horse, which pranced and caracoled to the sound of the trumpets. —
队伍的首领正是范法洛纳德本人，他骑着一匹白马，马匹随着号角声舞动着腿脚。 —

Nothing could have been more splendid than the ambassador’s attire. —
使者的装束简直华丽无比，他的外套几乎被珍珠和钻石的刺绣遮盖，他的靴子是纯金的，头盔上飘动着鲜红的羽毛。 —

His coat was nearly hidden under an embroidery of pearls and diamonds, his boots were solid gold, and from his helmet floated scarlet plumes. —
公主一见到他，便完全失去了理智，决定嫁给范法洛纳德而不是其他人。 —

At the sight of him the Princess lost her wits entirely, and determined that Fanfaronade and nobody else would she marry.
公主痴迷于对他的瞻仰，决心要嫁给范法洛纳德。

‘It is quite impossible,’ she said, ‘that his master should be half as handsome and delightful. I am not ambitious, and having spent all my life in this tedious tower, anything — even a house in the country — will seem a delightful change. —
“她说：“这是不可能的，他的主人不可能有一半帅气和令人愉快。我并不雄心勃勃，而且在这无聊的塔楼里度过了一辈子，任何事情——甚至是乡村别墅——都会给我带来愉快的改变。” —

I am sure that bread and water shared with Fanfaronade will please me far better than roast chicken and sweetmeats with anybody else.’
“我敢肯定，与Fanfaronade一起分享的面包和水会比与其他人一起分享的烤鸡和甜食更让我快乐。”

And so she went on talk, talk, talking, until her waiting-women wondered where she got it all from. —
她一直继续说，说，说，让她的侍女们惊讶地想知道她从哪里得到了这一切。 —

But when they tried to stop her, and represented that her high rank made it perfectly impossible that she should do any such thing, she would not listen, and ordered them to be silent.
但是当他们试图阻止她，并表示她的高贵地位使她完全不可能做任何这样的事情时，她不予理睬，并命令他们保持沉默。

As soon as the ambassador arrived at the palace, the Queen started to fetch her daughter.
大使一到达皇宫，女王就开始去接她的女儿。

All the streets were spread with carpets, and the windows were full of ladies who were waiting to see the Princess, and carried baskets of flowers and sweetmeats to shower upon her as she passed.
所有的街道都铺着地毯，窗户上都挤满了等待看到公主的女士们，她们手里拿着花篮和甜食，准备在她经过时倾泻而下。

They had hardly begun to get the Princess ready when a dwarf arrived, mounted upon an elephant. —
他们刚刚开始给公主准备时，一个骑在大象上的侏儒到达了。 —

He came from the five fairies, and brought for the Princess a crown, a sceptre, and a robe of golden brocade, with a petticoat marvellously embroidered with butterflies’ wings. —
他是来自五位仙女，为公主带来了一个皇冠、一个权杖和一件用金丝织成的华丽的长袍，里面还有一条用蝴蝶翅膀绣着的裙子。 —

They also sent a casket of jewels, so splendid that no one had ever seen anything like it before, and the Queen was perfectly dazzled when she opened it. —
他们还送来了一盒珠宝，如此华丽，以至于之前没人见过，当女王打开盒子时，完全被眩晕了。 —

But the Princess scarcely gave a glance to any of these treasures, for she thought of nothing but Fanfaronade. —
但公主几乎没有对这些珍宝多看一眼，因为她只想着法法纳德。 —

The Dwarf was rewarded with a gold piece, and decorated with so many ribbons that it was hardly possible to see him at all. —
矮人得到了一枚金币的奖赏，并被装饰上了许多丝带，以至于几乎看不见他了。 —

The Princess sent to each of the fairies a new spinning-wheel with a distaff of cedar wood, and the Queen said she must look through her treasures and find something very charming to send them also.
公主给每个仙女送去了一台新的纺车，纺车上带有雪松木的纺锤，女王说她必须翻遍自己的宝藏，找到一些很迷人的东西也送给她们。

When the Princess was arrayed in all the gorgeous things the Dwarf had brought, she was more beautiful than ever, and as she walked along the streets the people cried: —
当公主穿上小矮人带来的所有华丽物品时，她比以往任何时候都更美丽，当她走过街道时，人们喊道：“她是多么漂亮啊！她是多么漂亮啊！” —

‘How pretty she is! How pretty she is!’
队伍由皇后、公主、五十二位表亲公主和来自邻国的一百二十位公主组成；

The procession consisted of the Queen, the Princess, five dozen other princesses her cousins, and ten dozen who came from the neighbouring kingdoms; —
随着队伍庄重地前进，天空开始变得阴暗，突然间，雷声隆隆，雨点和冰雹倾盆而下。 —

and as they proceeded at a stately pace the sky began to grow dark, then suddenly the thunder growled, and rain and hail fell in torrents. —
皇后用她的王袍盖住头，所有的公主也用自己的长裙包住头部。当玛伊花正要效仿她们的做法时，一阵可怕的呱呱声响起，好像是一支巨大的乌鸦、秃鹰、渡鸦、猫头鹰和所有不祥鸟类的军队，同时，一只巨大的猫头鹰飞到了公主面前，将一条由蜘蛛网编织、用蝙蝠翅膀镶边的围巾披在她身上。 —

The Queen put her royal mantle over her head, and all the princesses did the same with their trains. Mayblossom was just about to follow their example when a terrific croaking, as of an immense army of crows, rooks, ravens, screech-owls, and all birds of ill-omen was heard, and at the same instant a huge owl skimmed up to the Princess, and threw over her a scarf woven of spiders’ webs and embroidered with bats’ wings. —
公主走在前面的时候，人们都惊呼道：‘她是多么漂亮啊！她是多么漂亮啊！’ —

And then peals of mocking laughter rang through the air, and they guessed that this was another of the Fairy Carabosse’s unpleasant jokes.
然后嘲笑的笑声在空中响起，他们猜想这是仙女卡拉博斯的又一个讨厌的玩笑。

The Queen was terrified at such an evil omen, and tried to pull the black scarf from the Princess’s shoulders, but it really seemed as if it must be nailed on, it clung so closely.
女王对这样一个邪恶的预兆感到恐惧，并试图从公主的肩膀上扯下黑色的围巾，但它似乎被钉住了，紧紧地贴在身上。

‘Ah!’ cried the Queen, ‘can nothing appease this enemy of ours? —
‘啊！’女王叫道，’没有什么能安抚我们的敌人吗？ —

What good was it that I sent her more than fifty pounds of sweetmeats, and as much again of the best sugar, not to mention two Westphalia hams? —
我给她寄了五十多磅甜食，还有同样多的最好的糖，更不用说两只威斯特法利亚火腿了。 —

She is as angry as ever.’
她还是像以前一样生气。

While she lamented in this way, and everybody was as wet as if they had been dragged through a river, the Princess still thought of nothing but the ambassador, and just at this moment he appeared before her, with the King, and there was a great blowing of trumpets, and all the people shouted louder than ever. —
当她这样哀叹时，每个人都湿透了，好像被拖过了一条河，公主仍然只想着大使，就在这个时刻，他与国王出现在她面前，有一阵喇叭声风起云涌，所有的人都比以往更大声地欢呼。 —

Fanfaronade was not generally at a loss for something to say, but when he saw the Princess, she was so much more beautiful and majestic than he had expected that he could only stammer out a few words, and entirely forgot the harangue which he had been learning for months, and knew well enough to have repeated it in his sleep. —
气派不是一般有话可说的,但当他见到公主时，她比他预料的要漂亮和威严得多，他只能支支吾吾地说出几句话，完全忘记了他学了几个月的长篇演讲，尽管他能轻而易举地在梦中背诵出来。 —

To gain time to remember at least part of it, he made several low bows to the Princess, who on her side dropped half-a-dozen curtseys without stopping to think, and then said, to relieve his evident embarrassment:
为了争取时间记住其中的一部分，他向公主连连鞠躬，而公主则连忙蹲下行了半打鞠躬，而不停下来思考，然后说道，为了缓解他明显的尴尬：“大使阁下,我相信你打算说的一切都是迷人的，因为你是打算说的人;

‘Sir Ambassador, I am sure that everything you intend to say is charming, since it is you who mean to say it; —
但让我们赶紧进宫吧，因为外面雨倾盆，邪恶的仙女卡拉博丝会看到我们全部淋湿而笑得出来。 —

but let us make haste into the palace, as it is pouring cats and dogs, and the wicked Fairy Carabosse will be amused to see us all stand dripping here. —
等我们一旦找到庇护所，我们就可以讥笑她。 —

When we are once under shelter we can laugh at her.’
‘Sir Ambassador, I am sure that everything you intend to say is charming, since it is you who mean to say it;

Upon this the Ambassador found his tongue, and replied gallantly that the Fairy had evidently foreseen the flames that would be kindled by the bright eyes of the Princess, and had sent this deluge to extinguish them. —
于是大使找到了话，英勇地回答说，仙女显然预见到了公主明亮眼睛所引发的烈焰，并派来了这场洪水来扑灭它们。 —

Then he offered his hand to conduct the Princess, and she said softly:
然后他伸出手带领公主，她轻声说道：

‘As you could not possibly guess how much I like you, Sir Fanfaronade, I am obliged to tell you plainly that, since I saw you enter the town on your beautiful prancing horse, I have been sorry that you came to speak for another instead of for yourself. —
‘正因为你无法猜到我对你的喜爱有多深，范法洛纳德先生，我必须明确地告诉你，自从我看到你骑着一匹美丽的踏浪马进入城镇以后，我就为你代别人而不是代自己而来感到遗憾。 —

So, if you think about it as I do, I will marry you instead of your master. —
因此，如果你和我一样这么想的话，我愿意嫁给你而不是你的主人。 —

Of course I know you are not a prince, but I shall be just as fond of you as if you were, and we can go and live in some cosy little corner of the world, and be as happy as the days are long.’
我当然知道你不是王子，但是我会像对王子一样地爱你，我们可以去生活在世界的某个温馨的角落，一直幸福地生活。

The Ambassador thought he must be dreaming, and could hardly believe what the lovely Princess said. —
大使觉得自己一定在做梦，几乎无法相信可爱的公主所说的话。 —

He dared not answer, but only squeezed the Princess’s hand until he really hurt her little finger, but she did not cry out. —
他不敢作声，只是紧紧握着公主的手，直到她的小手指受伤了，但她没有喊出来。 —

When they reached the palace the King kissed his daughter on both cheeks, and said:
当他们到达宫殿时，国王亲吻了女儿的双颊，说道：

‘My little lambkin, are you willing to marry the great King Merlin’s son, for this Ambassador has come on his behalf to fetch you?’
“我的小羔羊，你愿意嫁给伟大的梅林国王的儿子吗？这个大使是他代表来接你的。”

‘If you please, sire,’ said the Princess, dropping a curtsey.
“如果您愿意，陛下。”公主说着，行了一个屈膝礼。

‘I consent also,’ said the Queen; ‘so let the banquet be prepared.’
“我也同意。”王后说道，“让宴会准备好。”

This was done with all speed, and everybody feasted except Mayblossom and Fanfaronade, who looked at one another and forgot everything else.
这件事很快就办妥了，所有人都宴会起来，只有五月花和凡法罗纳德彼此看着对方，忘记了其他事情。

After the banquet came a ball, and after that again a ballet, and at last they were all so tired that everyone fell asleep just where he sat. —
宴会过后是舞会，再接着是一场芭蕾舞剧，最后每个人都累得无力，都坐在原地睡着了。 —

Only the lovers were as wide-awake as mice, and the Princess, seeing that there was nothing to fear, said to Fanfaronade:
只有恋人们像老鼠一样警觉，公主看到没有什么可担心的，对凡法罗纳德说：

‘Let us be quick and run away, for we shall never have a better chance than this.’
“我们快点逃跑吧，因为再也没有比现在更好的机会了。”

Then she took the King’s dagger, which was in a diamond sheath, and the Queen’s neck-handkerchief, and gave her hand to Fanfaronade, who carried a lantern, and they ran out together into the muddy street and down to the sea-shore. —
然后她拿起国王的匕首，匕首套着一把钻石护套，还拿起了皇后的领巾，她伸出手给带着灯笼的花花公子，他们一起跑出街道，来到泥泞的海滩。 —

Here they got into a little boat in which the poor old boatman was sleeping, and when he woke up and saw the lovely Princess, with all her diamonds and her spiders’— web scarf, he did not know what to think, and obeyed her instantly when she commanded him to set out. —
他们上了一艘小船，船上那个可怜的老船夫正在睡觉，当他醒来看见了美丽的公主，还有她那满是钻石和蜘蛛网围巾的时候，他不知道该怎么想，但当公主下令启航时，他立刻服从了。 —

They could see neither moon nor stars, but in the Queen’s neck-handkerchief there was a carbuncle which glowed like fifty torches. —
他们看不到月亮和星星，但皇后的领巾上有一颗红宝石，照亮了像五十支火炬一样。 —

Fanfaronade asked the Princess where she would like to go, but she only answered that she did not care where she went as long as he was with her.
花花公子问公主想去哪里，但她只回答说，只要有他在身边，她不在乎去哪里。

‘But, Princess,’ said he, ‘I dare not take you back to King Merlin’s court. —
“但是，公主，”他说， “我不敢把您带回梅林国王的宫廷。他会觉得绞死我都便宜了。” —

He would think hanging too good for me.’
请将他的话译成原文语言。

‘Oh, in that case,’ she answered, ‘we had better go to Squirrel Island; —
“噢，既然是这样，”她回答道，“我们最好去松鼠岛； —

it is lonely enough, and too far off for anyone to follow us there.’
这里足够荒凉，离任何人追随我们的地方太远。”

So she ordered the old boatman to steer for Squirrel Island.
于是她命令老船夫指向松鼠岛驶去。

Meanwhile the day was breaking, and the King and Queen and all the courtiers began to wake up and rub their eyes, and think it was time to finish the preparations for the wedding. —
与此同时，天亮了，国王、王后和所有的朝臣开始醒来揉揉眼睛，开始思考该完成婚礼的准备工作了。 —

And the Queen asked for her neck-handkerchief, that she might look smart. —
王后要求她的项帕，为了让自己看起来漂亮。 —

Then there was a scurrying hither and thither, and a hunting everywhere: —
于是人们四处匆忙，到处搜寻：从衣橱到火炉，王后本人从阁楼到地下室奔跑，但是项帕却无处可寻。 —

they looked into every place, from the wardrobes to the stoves, and the Queen herself ran about from the garret to the cellar, but the handkerchief was nowhere to be found.
这时，国王发现他的匕首不见了，搜索工作再次开始。

By this time the King had missed his dagger, and the search began all over again. —
到那个时候，都已经搜遍了，从前锋到火炉，甚至王后自己都四处寻找，但匕首还是找不到。 —

They opened boxes and chests of which the keys had been lost for a hundred years, and found numbers of curious things, but not the dagger, and the King tore his beard, and the Queen tore her hair, for the handkerchief and the dagger were the most valuable things in the kingdom.
他们打开了一百年来失去了钥匙的盒子和箱子，发现了很多奇怪的东西，但没有找到匕首，国王撕掉了胡须，王后撕掉了头发，因为手帕和匕首是王国中最贵重的东西。

When the King saw that the search was hopeless he said:
当国王看到搜寻是毫无希望时，他说:

‘Never mind, let us make haste and get the wedding over before anything else is lost. —
“没关系，让我们快点举行婚礼，免得再丢失什么东西。” —

’ And then he asked where the Princess was. —
然后他问公主在哪里。 —

Upon this her nurse came forward and said:
这时候她的保姆走了上来说:

‘Sire, I have been seeking her these two hours, but she is nowhere to be found. —
“陛下，我已经寻找她两个小时了，但她无影无踪。” —

’ This was more than the Queen could bear. —
这已经超出了王后能忍受的范围。 —

She gave a shriek of alarm and fainted away, and they had to pour two barrels of eau-de-cologne over her before she recovered. —
她发出了一声惊慌的尖叫，晕倒了，他们不得不用两桶香水在她身上倒来倒去才能使她恢复过来。 —

When she came to herself everybody was looking for the Princess in the greatest terror and confusion, but as she did not appear, the King said to his page:
当她苏醒过来时，每个人都在恐惧和混乱中寻找公主，但她没有出现，国王对他的侍从说:

‘Go and find the Ambassador Fanfaronade, who is doubtless asleep in some corner, and tell him the sad news.’
‘去找到那位大使舞蹈名士，他肯定在某个角落里翘首以待，告诉他这个悲伤的消息。

So the page hunted hither and thither, but Fanfaronade was no more to be found than the Princess, the dagger, or the neck-handkerchief!
于是这个侍从到处寻找，但是Fanfaronade找不到，就像公主、匕首和领巾一样找不到！

Then the King summoned his counsellors and his guards, and, accompanied by the Queen, went into his great hall. —
那么国王召集他的顾问和卫士，与皇后一同进入大厅。 —

As he had not had time to prepare his speech beforehand, the King ordered that silence should be kept for three hours, and at the end of that time he spoke as follows:
由于他没有时间事先准备讲话，国王下令保持三小时的沉默，到时间结束时，他说道：

‘Listen, great and! My dear daughter Mayblossom is lost: —
‘听着，伟大的人们！我亲爱的女儿Mayblossom失踪了： —

whether she has been stolen away or has simply disappeared I cannot tell. —
无论她是被人偷走还是仅仅消失了，我不得而知。 —

The Queen’s neck-handkerchief and my sword, which are worth their weight in gold, are also missing, and, what is worst of all, the Ambassador Fanfaronade is nowhere to be found. —
皇后的领巾和我值得一金币的剑也丢失了，最糟糕的是，大使Fanfaronade也找不到了。 —

I greatly fear that the King, his master, when he receives no tidings from him, will come to seek him among us, and will accuse us of having made mince-meat of him. —
我非常担心国王大人，如果他收不到他的使者的消息，他会来找我们，并指责我们把他弄得像绞碎肉饼一样。 —

Perhaps I could bear even that if I had any money, but I assure you that the expenses of the wedding have completely ruined me. —
也许如果我有一些钱，我还能忍受，但是我向你保证，婚礼的花费彻底把我搞垮了。 —

Advise me, then, my dear subjects, what had I better do to recover my daughter, Fanfaronade, and the other things.’
那么，请给我一些建议，亲爱的臣民们，我应该怎么做才能找回我的女儿Fanfaronade和其他的东西。

This was the most eloquent speech the King had been known to make, and when everybody had done admiring it the Prime Minister made answer:
这是国王被人所知的最雄辩的演讲，当每个人都对此表示钦佩后，首相回答道：

‘Sire, we are all very sorry to see you so sorry. —
陛下，我们都非常难过见到您如此伤心。 —

We would give everything we value in the world to take away the cause of your sorrow, but this seems to be another of the tricks of the Fairy Carabosse. —
我们愿意舍弃一切我们所珍视的东西来消除您的悲伤，但这似乎是邪恶仙女Carabosse的又一计谋。 —

The Princess’s twenty unlucky years were not quite over, and really, if the truth must be told, I noticed that Fanfaronade and the Princess appeared to admire one another greatly. —
公主厄运的二十年还没有结束，而且实际上，必须说，Fanfaronade和公主似乎非常欣赏彼此。 —

Perhaps this may give some clue to the mystery of their disappearance.’
或许这能对他们失踪的谜团有些线索。

Here the Queen interrupted him, saying, ‘Take care what you say, sir. —
话音未落，女王打断了他，说：“小心你说什么，先生。 —

Believe me, the Princess Mayblossom was far too well brought up to think of falling in love with an Ambassador.’
相信我，梅布洛桑公主受过良好的教育，不会去爱上一位大使。”

At this the nurse came forward, and, falling on her knees, confessed how they had made the little needle-hole in the tower, and how the Princess had declared when she saw the Ambassador that she would marry him and nobody else. —
听到这，保姆走了出来，跪在地上承认了她们怎样在塔楼上偷偷地做了一个小针孔，以及公主见到大使后宣称她只愿意嫁给他而不是其他人。 —

Then the Queen was very angry, and gave the nurse, and the cradle-rocker, and the nursery-maid such a scolding that they shook in their shoes. —
女王十分生气，狠狠地训斥了保姆、摇篮的人以及保姆。 —

But the Admiral Cocked-Hat interrupted her, crying:
但是阿德米勒·船帽打断了她的话，大声喊道：

‘Let us be off after this good-for-nothing Fanfaronade, for with out a doubt he has run away with our Princess.’
“我们一定要追捕这个毫无用处的冒失鬼，毫无疑问他把公主跑了。”

Then there was a great clapping of hands, and everybody shouted, ‘By all means let us be after him.’
接着听到了一片掌声，大家都喊道：“我们一定要追他。”

So while some embarked upon the sea, the others ran from kingdom to kingdom beating drums and blowing trumpets, and wherever a crowd collected they cried:
有些人踏上了海洋，其他人则从一个王国跑到另一个王国敲鼓吹号，无论哪里聚集了人群，他们都大声喊道：

‘Whoever wants a beautiful doll, sweetmeats of all kinds, a little pair of scissors, a golden robe, and a satin cap has only to say where Fanfaronade has hidden the Princess Mayblossom.’
“谁想要一个漂亮的玩偶，各种各样的糖果，一把小剪刀，一件金色长袍和一顶缎子帽，只要说出范法罗纳德把玛丽布洛桑公主藏在哪里。”

But the answer everywhere was, ‘You must go farther, we have not seen them.’
但到处的答案都是：“你必须去更远的地方，我们没有见到他们。”

However, those who went by sea were more fortunate, for after sailing about for some time they noticed a light before them which burned at night like a great fire. —
然而，那些乘船的人更加幸运，因为他们航行了一段时间后，他们注意到前方有一束光，夜晚犹如一团燃烧的大火。 —

At first they dared not go near it, not knowing what it might be, but by-and-by it remained stationary over Squirrel Island, for, as you have guessed already, the light was the glowing of the carbuncle. —
起初，他们不敢靠近它，因为不知道那是什么，但不久后，它停在了松鼠岛上，正如你已经猜到的那样，这束光就是红宝石的发光。 —

The Princess and Fanfaronade on landing upon the island had given the boatman a hundred gold pieces, and made him promise solemnly to tell no one where he had taken them; —
公主和范法罗纳德在登陆岛上之后给了船夫一百枚金币，并且让他庄严地答应不告诉任何人他们被带到了哪里。 —

but the first thing that happened was that, as he rowed away, he got into the midst of the fleet, and before he could escape the Admiral had seen him and sent a boat after him.
但发生的第一件事是，当他划船远离时，他进入了舰队中心，他还没来得及逃脱，舰队长就看见他了，并派了一艘船追赶他。

When he was searched they found the gold pieces in his pocket, and as they were quite new coins, struck in honour of the Princess’s wedding, the Admiral felt certain that the boatman must have been paid by the Princess to aid her in her flight. —
当搜查他时，在他的口袋里发现了那些金币，由于它们是为了公主的婚礼而铸造的全新硬币，舰队长确信这个船夫一定是被公主贿赂来帮助她逃跑的。 —

But he would not answer any questions, and pretended to be deaf and dumb
但他不肯回答任何问题，假装聋哑。

Then the Admiral said: ‘Oh! deaf and dumb is he? —
然后舰队长说：“哦！他是聋哑的吗？ —

Lash him to the mast and give him a taste of the cat-o’-nine-tails. —
将他捆绑在桅杆上，让他尝尝猫鞭的滋味。 —

I don’t know anything better than that for curing the deaf and dumb!’
我不知道有什么比这更好的方法来治愈聋哑！”

And when the old boatman saw that he was in earnest, he told all he knew about the cavalier and the lady whom he had landed upon Squirrel Island, and the Admiral knew it must be the Princess and Fanfaronade; —
当老船夫看到他是认真的，他就讲述了关于骑士和他送到松鼠岛上的那位女士的一切，舰队长知道那一定是公主和梵法罗纳德； —

so he gave the order for the fleet to surround the island.
所以他下令舰队包围那个岛屿。

Meanwhile the Princess Mayblossom, who was by this time terribly sleepy, had found a grassy bank in the shade, and throwing herself down had already fallen into a profound slumber, when Fanfaronade, who happened to be hungry and not sleepy, came and woke her up, saying, very crossly:
与此同时，公主玛布洛桑已经变得非常困倦，在树荫下找到一块草地，她一头栽倒在那里，很快陷入了沉睡之中。这时，饥肠辘辘的凡法罗纳德跑过来，将她唤醒并生气地说道：

‘Pray, madam, how long do you mean to stay here? —
“拜托，夫人，您打算在这里待多久？ —

I see nothing to eat, and though you may be very charming, the sight of you does not prevent me from famishing.’
我什么都没得吃，您虽然很迷人，但是您的出现并不能阻止我挨饿。”

‘What! Fanfaronade,’ said the Princess, sitting up and rubbing her eyes, ‘is it possible that when I am here with you you can want anything else? —
“什么！凡法罗纳德，”公主坐起身来揉了揉眼睛说道，“您居然在我身边还感到缺少什么？ —

You ought to be thinking all the time how happy you are.’
您应该一直在想着自己是多么幸福。”

‘Happy!’ cried he; ‘say rather unhappy. —
“幸福！”他喊道，“更应该说是不幸。 —

I wish with all my heart that you were back in your dark tower again.’
我真心希望您能回到您那黑暗的塔楼里去。”

‘Darling, don’t be cross,’ said the Princess. —
‘亲爱的，别生气，’公主说道。 —

‘I will go and see if I can find some wild fruit for you.’
‘我去看看能不能找点野果给你。’

‘I wish you might find a wolf to eat you up,’ growled Fanfaronade.
‘我希望你能遇到一只狼吃掉你，’范法纳德咆哮着说道。

The Princess, in great dismay, ran hither and thither all about the wood, tearing her dress, and hurting her pretty white hands with the thorns and brambles, but she could find nothing good to eat, and at last she had to go back sorrowfully to Fanfaronade. —
公主非常惊慌失措地在树林里到处奔跑，撕破了衣裳，用荆棘和荆丛弄疼了自己美丽的小手，但她找不到任何好东西吃，最后她只能伤心地回到范法纳德的身边。 —

When he saw that she came empty-handed he got up and left her, grumbling to himself.
当他看到她一无所获时，他站起身离开了她，自言自语地抱怨着。

The next day they searched again, but with no better success.
第二天，他们再次搜索，但仍然没有更好的结果。

‘Alas!’ said the Princess, ‘if only I could find something for you to eat, I should not mind being hungry myself.’
‘哎呀！’公主说道，‘要是我能找到点东西给你吃，我也不会介意自己饿死。’

‘No, I should not mind that either,’ answered Fanfaronade.
‘不，我也不会介意，’范法纳德回答道。

‘Is it possible,’ said she, ‘that you would not care if I died of hunger? —
‘难道你不在乎我会因饥饿而死吗？ —

Oh, Fanfaronade, you said you loved me!’
哦，范法纳德，你说过你爱我！’

‘That was when we were in quite another place and I was not hungry,’ said he. —
‘那是在我们完全不同的地方，我不饿的时候说的，’他说道。 —

‘It makes a great difference in one’s ideas to be dying of hunger and thirst on a desert island.’
‘在一个荒岛上忍饥挨饿和口渴会对一个人的想法产生很大的差异。

At this the Princess was dreadfully vexed, and she sat down under a white rose bush and began to cry bitterly.
公主被这个说法惹恼了，她坐在一个白玫瑰丛下，开始痛哭流涕。

‘Happy roses,’ she thought to herself, ‘they have only to blossom in the sunshine and be admired, and there is nobody to be unkind to them. —
‘幸福的玫瑰，’她心里想着，‘它们只需要在阳光下开花被赞美，没有人会对它们不友善。’ —

’ And the tears ran down her cheeks and splashed on to the rose-tree roots. —
’泪水顺着她的脸颊流下，溅在玫瑰树根上。 —

Presently she was surprised to see the whole bush rustling and shaking, and a soft little voice from the prettiest rosebud said:
突然，她惊讶地看到整个灌木丛叶子在颤动，而且从最漂亮的玫瑰花苞中传来柔软的小声音：

‘Poor Princess! look in the trunk of that tree, and you will find a honeycomb, but don’t be foolish enough to share it with Fanfaronade.’
‘可怜的公主！看看那棵树的树干吧，你会找到一个蜂巢，但不要傻到和Fanfaronade一起分享。’

Mayblossom ran to the tree, and sure enough there was the honey. —
Mayblossom跑到树那儿，果然有蜂巢。 —

Without losing a moment she ran with it to Fanfaronade, crying gaily:
她二话不说，立刻拿着蜂巢跑向Fanfaronade，快乐地喊道：

‘See, here is a honeycomb that I have found. —
‘看，我找到了一个蜂巢。 —

I might have eaten it up all by myself, but I had rather share it with you.’
我本来可以一个人吃掉它，但我更愿意与你分享。’

But without looking at her or thanking her he snatched the honey comb out of her hands and ate it all up — every bit, without offering her a morsel. —
没有看向她，也没有感谢她，他从她手中夺过蜂巢，把它全部吃光了-每一点，也没有给她一点。 —

Indeed, when she humbly asked for some he said mockingly that it was too sweet for her, and would spoil her teeth.
事实上，当她谦卑地请求一些时，他讽刺地说这对她来说太甜了，会毁了她的牙齿。

Mayblossom, more downcast than ever, went sadly away and sat down under an oak tree, and her tears and sighs were so piteous that the oak fanned her with his rustling leaves, and said:
五月花比以往更沮丧，伤心地走开，在一棵橡树下坐下来，她的眼泪和叹息是那么可怜，以至于橡树用他沙沙作响的叶子为她扇风，说道：

‘Take courage, pretty Princess, all is not lost yet. —
“勇敢一些，漂亮的公主，还没有失去一切。 —

Take this pitcher of milk and drink it up, and whatever you do, don’t leave a drop for Fanfaronade.’
拿着这个装满牛奶的罐子喝完，无论怎样，不要给Fanfaronade留一滴。

The Princess, quite astonished, looked round, and saw a big pitcher full of milk, but before she could raise it to her lips the thought of how thirsty Fanfaronade must be, after eating at least fifteen pounds of honey, made her run back to him and say:
公主感到非常惊讶，四处张望，看到一个大罐子装满了牛奶，但是在她举起来喝之前，想到Fanfaronade吃了至少十五磅的蜜后肯定很渴，于是她跑回去对他说：

‘Here is a pitcher of milk; drink some, for you must be thirsty I am sure; —
“这是一罐牛奶，请喝一些，因为我确定你一定会口渴； —

but pray save a little for me, as I am dying of hunger and thirst.’
但求你替我少留一些，因为我正在忍饥挨饿。

But he seized the pitcher and drank all it contained at a single draught, and then broke it to atoms on the nearest stone, saying with a malicious smile: —
然而他却抓住水罐，一口气喝光了里面所有的水，然后将罐子摔碎在附近的石头上，带着恶意的笑说道： —

‘As you have not eaten anything you cannot be thirsty.’
“既然你没有吃任何东西,那你就不会渴了。”

‘Ah!’ cried the Princess, ‘I am well punished for disappointing the King and Queen, and running away with this Ambassador about whom I knew nothing.’
“啊！”公主叫道，”我为辜负国王和皇后，并与这个我一无所知的使臣私奔而受到了应有的惩罚。”

And so saying she wandered away into the thickest part of the wood, and sat down under a thorn tree, where a nightingale was singing. —
说着她走进树林最浓密的地方，并在一棵荆棘树下坐下，那里正有一只夜莺在唱歌。 —

Presently she heard him say: ‘Search under the bush Princess; —
不一会儿，她听到他说：”在灌木丛下搜一下，公主；你会在那里找到一些糖、杏仁和一些馅饼。但千万别傻到给Fanfaronade任何东西。” —

you will find some sugar, almonds, and some tarts there But don’t be silly enough to offer Fanfaronade any. —
这次公主顺从了夜莺的建议，她已经饿得头昏眼花，独自把找到的东西都吃了。 —

’ And this time the Princess, who was fainting with hunger, took the nightingale’s advice, and ate what she found all by herself. —
这一次，公主饥肠辘辘，听从夜莺的建议，独自吃了她所找到的食物。 —

But Fanfaronade, seeing that she had found something good, and was not going to share it with him, ran after her in such a fury that she hastily drew out the Queen’s carbuncle, which had the property of rendering people invisible if they were in danger, and when she was safely hidden from him she reproached him gently for his unkindness.
但范法罗纳德看到她找到了好东西，却不愿与他分享，于是怒气冲冲地追了上去。她匆忙拿出了女王的红宝石，这颗宝石有在危险中使人隐形的特性，当她安全地隐藏起来后，她温柔地责备了他的无情。

Meanwhile Admiral Cocked-Hat had despatched Jack-the-Chatterer-of-the-Straw-Boots, Courier in Ordinary to the Prime Minister, to tell the King that the Princess and the Ambassador had landed on Squirrel Island, but that not knowing the country he had not pursued them, for fear of being captured by concealed enemies. —
与此同时，高帽先生将稻草靴的说客——首相普通信使——杰克派去告诉国王，公主和大使已经登陆松鼠岛，但由于不熟悉这个地方，他没有追击他们，以免被隐藏的敌人抓获。 —

Their Majesties were overjoyed at the news, and the King sent for a great book, each leaf of which was eight ells long. —
陛下们听到这个消息非常高兴，国王找来一本巨大的书，每一页有八码长。 —

It was the work of a very clever Fairy, and contained a description of the whole earth. —
这是一位非常聪明的仙女的作品，里面详细描述了整个地球。 —

He very soon found that Squirrel Island was uninhabited.
他很快发现松鼠岛是无人居住的。

‘Go,’ said he, to Jack-the-Chatterer, ‘tell the Admiral from me to land at once. —
“去吧，”他对喋喋不休的杰克说，“告诉舰队上将，立即登陆。” —

I am surprised at his not having done so sooner. —
我对他没有早点这么做感到惊讶。 —

’ As soon as this message reached the fleet, every preparation was made for war, and the noise was so great that it reached the ears of the Princess, who at once flew to protect her lover. —
一旦这个消息传到舰队，立即做好了战争的准备，噪音太大了，传到了公主的耳中，她立即飞过去保护她的爱人。 —

As he was not very brave he accepted her aid gladly.
由于他并不非常勇敢，所以他很高兴地接受了她的帮助。

‘You stand behind me,’ said she, ‘and I will hold the carbuncle which will make us invisible, and with the King’s dagger I can protect you from the enemy. —
“你站在我后面，”她说，“我会拿着这颗能让我们隐形的红宝石，用国王的匕首我可以保护你免受敌人伤害。” —

’ So when the soldiers landed they could see nothing, but the Princess touched them one after another with the dagger, and they fell insensible upon the sand, so that at last the Admiral, seeing that there was some enchantment, hastily gave orders for a retreat to be sounded, and got his men back into their boats in great confusion.
所以当士兵们登陆时什么都看不见，但公主用匕首一个接一个地碰触他们，他们就在沙滩上失去知觉，最后，上将看到有某种魔法，急忙下令鸣退，让士兵们慌乱地回到船上。

Fanfaronade,being once more left with the Princess, began to think that if he could get rid of her, and possess himself of the carbuncle and the dagger, he would be able to make his escape. —
Fanfaronade再次与公主单独在一起后，开始思考如果能够摆脱她，夺取红宝石和匕首，就能成功逃跑。 —

So as they walked back over the cliffs he gave the Princess a great push, hoping she would fall into the sea; —
所以当他们走回悬崖边时，他用力推了公主一下，希望她会掉入大海中； —

but she stepped aside so quickly that he only succeeded in overbalancing himself, and over he went, and sank to the bottom of the sea like a lump of lead, and was never heard of any more. —
但她迅速躲开了，导致他自己失去平衡，跌入海底，就像一个铅块一样，再也没有任何消息。 —

While the Princess was still looking after him in horror, her attention was attracted by a rushing noise over her head, and looking up she saw two chariots approaching rapidly from opposite directions. —
当公主仍然恐惧地看着他时，她注意到头顶上传来了一阵呼啸声，抬头一看，她看到两辆车正迅速从相反的方向驶来。 —

One was bright and glittering, and drawn by swans and peacocks, while the Fairy who sat in it was beautiful as a sunbeam; —
一辆车明亮闪耀，由天鹅和孔雀驱动，坐在其中的仙女美丽如阳光； —

but the other was drawn by bats and ravens, and contained a frightful little Dwarf, who was dressed in a snake’s skin, and wore a great toad upon her head for a hood. —
而另一辆车由蝙蝠和乌鸦驱动，内有一个可怕的小矮人，穿着蛇皮，头上戴着一只巨蟾蜍。 —

The chariots met with a frightful crash in mid-air, and the Princess looked on in breathless anxiety while a furious battle took place between the lovely Fairy with her golden lance, and the hideous little Dwarf and her rusty pike. —
战车在半空中可怕地相撞，公主屏息注视着，而可爱的仙女手持金色长矛，与丑陋的小矮人持有生锈长矛进行了一场激烈的战斗。 —

But very soon it was evident that the Beauty had the best of it, and the Dwarf turned her bats’ heads and flickered away in great confusion, while the Fairy came down to where the Princess stood, and said, smiling, ‘You see Princess, I have completely routed that malicious old Carabosse. —
但很快就明显看出美丽的仙女占上风，小矮人转动了她那些蝙蝠般的头颅，迷茫地飘逝而去，而仙女降临到公主站立的地方，微笑着说道：“你看，公主，我已经完全击败了那个恶毒的卡拉伯斯。 —

Will you believe it! she actually wanted to claim authority over you for ever, because you came out of the tower four days before the twenty years were ended. —
你能相信吗！她竟然想永远主宰着你，因为你在二十年结束前四天就离开了塔楼。 —

However, I think I have settled her pretensions, and I hope you will be very happy and enjoy the freedom I have won for you.’
不过，我想我已经解决了她的要求，我希望你会非常幸福，享受我为你争取来的自由。”

The Princess thanked her heartily, and then the Fairy despatched one of her peacocks to her palace to bring a gorgeous robe for Mayblossom, who certainly needed it, for her own was torn to shreds by the thorns and briars. —
公主热情地感谢了她，并且仙女派了一只孔雀去她的宫殿，带来了一件华丽的长袍给梅布洛桑，她的长袍被荆棘和荆棘撕成了碎片。 —

Another peacock was sent to the Admiral to tell him that he could now land in perfect safety, which he at once did, bringing all his men with him, even to Jack-the-Chatterer, who, happening to pass the spit upon which the Admiral’s dinner was roasting, snatched it up and brought it with him.
另一只孔雀被派给海军上将，告诉他现在可以安全登陆，他立刻降落，带着全部的船员，甚至还有喋喋不休的杰克，碰到海军上将的晚餐挂在烤架上，他把它抓起来带上了。

Admiral Cocked-Hat was immensely surprised when he came upon the golden chariot, and still more so to see two lovely ladies walking under the trees a little farther away. —
当他发现金马车时，海军上将非常惊讶，当他看到两位可爱的女士在更远的树下走动时，他更加惊讶了。 —

When he reached them, of course he recognised the Princess, and he went down on his knees and kissed her hand quite joyfully. —
当他走到她们跟前时，他当然认出了公主，他跪下来高兴地亲吻她的手。 —

Then she presented him to the Fairy, and told him how Carabosse had been finally routed, and he thanked and congratulated the Fairy, who was most gracious to him. —
然后她介绍他给仙女，并告诉他卡拉博斯已经最终被赶走了，他感谢并祝贺仙女，仙女对他非常宽容。 —

While they were talking she cried suddenly:
当他们正在交谈时，她突然哭了起来：

‘I declare I smell a savoury dinner.’
‘我宣布我闻到了一道美味的晚餐的香味。’

‘Why yes, Madam, here it is,’ said Jack-the-Chatterer, holding up the spit, where all the pheasants and partridges were frizzling. —
‘是的，夫人，这就是它，’杰克-喋喋不休说着，举起了碳烤着的所有雉鸡和鹧鸪的烤肉叉。 —

‘Will your Highness please to taste any of them?’
‘殿下要不要尝尝其中的一些呢？’

‘By all means,’ said the Fairy, ‘especially as the Princess will certainly be glad of a good meal.’
‘当然可以，’仙女说道，‘特别是公主一定会乐意享用一顿丰盛的饭食。’

So the Admiral sent back to his ship for everything that was needful, and they feasted merrily under the trees. —
于是海军上将派人回船上取来了一切必需品，他们在树下快乐地享受美食。 —

By the time they had finished the peacock had come back with a robe for the Princess, in which the Fairy arrayed her. —
当他们吃完时，孔雀已经带回了一件公主的长袍，仙女把她穿上了。 —

It was of green and gold brocade, embroidered with pearls and rubies, and her long golden hair was tied back with strings of diamonds and emeralds, and crowned with flowers. —
它是绿色和金色的锦缎，镶有珍珠和红宝石，并且她长长的金发被用钻石和翡翠的链子束起来，并戴着花冠。 —

The Fairy made her mount beside her in the golden chariot, and took her on board the Admiral’s ship, where she bade her farewell, sending many messages of friendship to the Queen, and bidding the Princess tell her that she was the fifth Fairy who had attended the christening. —
仙女让她的坐骑站在她旁边的金车上，然后带着她登上了海军上将的船，告别她并传达了许多友谊的信息给女王，并让公主告诉她是第五个参加了洗礼的仙女。 —

Then salutes were fired, the fleet weighed anchor, and very soon they reached the port. —
然后炮声齐鸣，船队起锚，很快他们就到达了港口。 —

Here the King and Queen were waiting, and they received the Princess with such joy and kindness that she could not get a word in edgewise, to say how sorry she was for having run away with such a very poor spirited Ambassador. —
这时国王和女王正在等待，他们非常高兴地接待了公主，并以极大的善意对待她，以至于她无法插上一句话，表达她为自己和这样一个非常懦弱的大使私奔而感到非常抱歉。 —

But, after all, it must have been all Carabosse’s fault. —
但毕竟这一切都是卡拉布斯的错。 —

Just at this lucky moment who should arrive but King Merlin’s son, who had become uneasy at not receiving any news from his Ambassador, and so had started himself with a magnificent escort of a thousand horsemen, and thirty body-guards in gold and scarlet uniforms, to see what could have happened. —
就在这个幸运的时刻，梅林国王的儿子出现了，他因为没有收到大使的任何消息而感到不安，于是他亲自带着一千名骑兵和三十名身披金色和朱红色制服的卫士的盛大护卫前来，看看到底发生了什么。 —

As he was a hundred times handsomer and braver than the Ambassador, the Princess found she could like him very much. —
因为他比大使英俊勇敢一百倍，公主发现她非常喜欢他。 —

So the wedding was held at once, with so much splendour and rejoicing that all the previous misfortunes were quite forgotten.
于是婚礼立即举行，举国上下洋溢着如此辉煌和欢乐，以至于之前的不幸完全被遗忘。