★ 第4章 ★

The fiddler started playing, and away they all went in the dance, twenty pairs at the same time, round and round, down the middle and up again.

小提琴手开始演奏，他们全都加入到跳舞者的行列，同时有20对儿，来回地转着圈跳着。

When they were all tired, old Fezziwig cried out, 'Well done!

当他们都跳累了的时候，老费泽威格大声说，“跳得好极了!

Now, have something to eat and drink!'

现在吃点东西或喝点什么吧!”

There was cake and hot meat and bread and cold meat and fruit, and all kinds of drinks, on along table near the door.

在门口的一张长桌子上摆着蛋糕、烧好的热乎乎的肉、面包、冻肉、水果和各种喝的。

And after they had eaten, they danced again.

他们吃过之后又重新跳舞。

When the clock struck eleven, the dancing ended.

当钟敲11点的时候，舞会结束了。

Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig stood by the door, shaking hands with each person as he or she went out, and wishing him or her a merry Christmas.

费泽威格先生和太太站在门口，他们和每个离开的人一一握手并祝愿他或她圣诞快乐。

During this time Scrooge had thought of nothing except what was happening in front of his eyes.

在这斯间斯克罗吉想的只是他眼前所发生的一切。他以从未有过的兴奋，

He remembered and enjoyed it all with the greatest delight.

记住了发生的一切并且觉得一切都很开心。

But when the dancing came to an end, he realized that the ghost was looking at him.

但当舞会结束的时候，他觉察到鬼魂正看着他。

The light on the spirit's head was burning very clearly.

幽灵头上的光明亮地闪烁着。

'It seems easy enough to amuse these childish people,' said the ghost.

“好像轻而易举就能给这些傻里傻气的人们带来娱乐，”鬼魂说。

'It was nothing much that Fezziwig did, was it?

“费泽威格并没做多少事情，不是吗?

After all, he only spent a few pounds, on food and drink and paying the fiddler.'

他充其量不过是花了几个英镑买了些吃的、喝的和付了小提琴手的报酬。”

'It isn't a question of money,' replied Scrooge warmly.

“这不是钱的问题。”斯克罗吉热情地回答说。

He was speaking like the young man he used to be, not the old man he was now.

他说话的样子和他年轻时一样，可不是现在年迈的那副神情。

'No, spirit, you see, our employer can make us happy or sad.

“不，幽灵，要知道，我们的雇主能够令我们高兴或悲伤。

His words, his looks, all these things are so important!

他的话语、他的表情，所有这些都很重要!

The happiness that he gives is just as valuable as money!'

他给我们带来的幸福同金钱一样有价值!”

He suddenly stopped speaking, when he felt the spirit watching him closely.

当他感到幽灵正密切地注视着他的时候，他不再说下去了。

'What's the matter?' asked the ghost.

“怎么了?”鬼魂问。

'Er - nothing,' said Scrooge. 'Just that - I'd like to be able to say a word or two to my clerk now.'

“哦...没什么，”斯克罗吉说，“只是...我想现在和我的雇员说一两句话。”

Now Scrooge could see himself again.

斯克罗吉现在又能看见他本人了。

He was older now, and it was clear that he was beginning to show an unhealthy interest in money.

他现在比以前老了，很显然他对钱已经显示出一种不良的兴趣。

His eyes were restless, and his mouth looked thin and mean.

他目光焦虑，嘴看上去刻薄且吝啬。

He was not alone but was sitting beside a lovely young girl.

他不是独自一人，他身边坐着一个可爱的姑娘。

The light that shone brightly from the ghost of Christmas Past showed that she was crying.

借着“昔日圣诞”鬼魂身上发出的明亮的光可以看出她在哭。

'I know it doesn't matter very much to you,' she said softly.

“我知道这对你来说算不了什么，”她轻柔地说，

'You care about gold more than you care about me.

“你把金子看得比我还重。

Perhaps I shouldn't be sad. Money will give you the happiness that I wanted to give you.'

也许我不该难过，金钱会给你带来我想带给你的幸福的。”

'But I haven't changed towards you, have I?'

“但对你我并没变心，不是吗?”

'You have changed. We promised to marry a long time ago when we were both poor, and happy to be poor.

“你已经变了。在很久以前当我们都还很穷但又穷得快乐的时候我们就许诺过要结婚。

I have stayed the same, but you have different hopes and dreams now.

我一直没改变想法，但你现在有了不同的希望和理想。

I loved the man that you used to be, but I know that you do not wish to marry me anymore.

我爱的是过去的你，但我知道你不再想娶我了，

So I've come to tell you that you're free.

所以我来是想告诉你你自由了。

Be happy in the life that you've chosen!' And she left him.

祝你在你自己选择的道路上幸福生活!”她离开了他。

'Spirit!' cried Scrooge. 'Show me no more! Take me home! This is too painful!'

“幽灵!”斯克罗吉大声说，“别再让我看下去了!带我回家吧!这太痛苦了!”

'One shadow more!' said the ghost.

“还有一个影子!”鬼魂说。

'No more!' cried Scrooge. 'I don't wish to see any more!'

“一个也不要再看了!”斯克罗吉高声喊道。“我不想再看了!”

But the spirit held his arms, and he could not escape.

但幽灵抓住他的胳膊，所以他无法逃脱。

Now they were in another place, in a room which was not very large, but comfortable.

现在他们来到了另一个地方，一个不是很大但非常舒适的房间里。

Near the fire sat a beautiful young girl.

火边坐着一位漂亮的年轻姑娘。

Scrooge thought she was the girl that he had just seen, until he saw her, now a good-looking married lady, sitting opposite her daughter.

斯克罗吉想她就是刚才看到过的女孩，到他见到她时，她已是一位漂亮的已婚妇女了，她坐在女儿的对面。

The room was full of children, and noise, and shouting, and laughing.

房间里都是孩子，满屋子吵闹声、喊叫声和笑声。

Just then the door opened, and the father entered, carrying a great pile of Christmas presents.

这时门开了，父亲抱着一大摞圣诞礼物走了进来。

The noise became twice as loud, as the children received their presents with delight, and kissed their father gratefully.

当孩子们高兴地拿到礼物时，吵闹声比刚才高了一倍，他们充满感激地吻了父亲。

Finally, the younger ones went upstairs to bed, and Scrooge watched more sadly than ever, as the father sat down with his loving daughter and her mother by the fire.

最后，小点儿的孩子们上楼睡觉去了。斯克罗吉比往常更加伤心地看着，父亲同他可爱的女儿及妻子在火炉旁坐下。

'Belle,' said the husband, turning to his wife with a smile, 'I saw an old friend of yours this afternoon. Guess who?

“贝尔，”丈夫说着把脸转向妻子，面带微笑。“我今天下午看见了你的一位老朋友，你猜他是谁?

Mr. Scrooge! He was sitting alone in his office.

斯克罗吉先生!他正独自一人坐在他的办公室里。

His partner is dying, and I don't think he has any other friends.'

他的合伙人快要死了，我认为他再没有别的朋友了。”

'Spirit!' said Scrooge in a broken voice. 'Take me away from this place.'

“幽灵!”斯克罗吉用颤抖的声音说。“带我离开这个地方吧。”

'These are shadows of the things that happened in the past,' said the ghost.

“这都是过去所发生的事情的影子，”鬼魂说，

'You chose the life that you preferred, so why cry now?'

“你选择了你喜欢的生活，现在干嘛要哭呢?”

'I can't watch anymore! It's too awful! Leave me alone, spirit!'

“我不能再看下去了!太可怕了!幽灵，让我一个人呆着吧!”

And Scrooge, noticing that the ghostly light was burning high and bright, suddenly took the extinguisher, and pushed it down hard on the spirit's head.

当斯克罗吉看到鬼火高高地明晃晃地照着时，他突然夺下灭火器，重重地放在了幽灵的头上。

But although it covered the ghost's head and body, Scrooge could not hide the light, which continued to shine out strongly from underneath.

但尽管它盖住了鬼魂的头和身体，斯克罗吉还是盖不住它身上的光，那光依旧从下面强烈地放射出来。

Now Scrooge found himself back in his own bedroom again.

现在斯克罗吉发现他又回到了自己的卧室。

Feeling very tired, he climbed into bed and at once fell into a deep, heavy sleep.

感觉非常疲劳，他爬上床立刻就进入了沉睡的梦乡。

《圣诞颂歌》是1843年查尔斯·狄更斯创作的小说，该小说是查尔斯·狄更斯三部圣诞小说之一。

该小说主要讲的是一个吝啬鬼的故事。一个吝啬鬼积攒了很多钱，然而他却不舍得为职员的炉火加一块儿煤，他的侄子好意的邀请他参加圣诞夜的晚会，他却认为侄子是为了占他的便宜而推辞，社会活动者请他为穷人施舍一点圣诞的饭菜，也被他无情地断然拒绝。他晚上回到了家，夜幕里他看见了一张鬼脸，这真的是鬼?还是他的幻像?然而，鬼的出现却使他发生了天翻地覆的变化。