第2章 The GooseGirl at the Well(2)

“Will you help me？” she said， as he remained standing by her.“You have still a straight back and young legs， it would be a trifletrifle n.琐事， 少量， 蛋糕， 小事 to you. Besides， my house is not so very far from here， it stands there on the heath behind the hill. How soon you would bound up thitherthither adv.到那边.” The young man took compassion on the old woman. “My father is certainly no peasant，”replied he， “but a rich count. Nevertheless， that you may see that it is not only peasants who can carry things， I will take your bundle.”“If you will try it，”said she，“I shall be very glad. You will certainly have to walk for an hour， but what will that matter to you， only you must carry the apples and pears as well.” The young man felt somewhat uneasy when he heard of an hours walk， but the old woman would not let him off， packed the bundle on his back， and hung the two baskets on his arm. “See， it is quite light.” said she. “No， it is not light.”answered the count， and pulled a ruefulrueful adj.悔恨的 face. Verily， the bundle weighs as heavily as if it were full of cobblestonescobblestone n.圆石， 鹅卵石， and the apples and pears are as heavy as lead. “I can scarcely breathe.” He had a mind to put everything down again， but the old woman would not allow it. “Just look，” said she mockinglymockingly adv.愚弄地， 取笑地， “the young gentleman will not carry what I， an old woman， have so often dragged along. You are ready with fine words， but when it comes to be earnest， you want to take to your heels. Why are you standing loiteringloiter v.闲荡， 虚度， 徘徊 there？”She continued， step out. No one will take the bundle off again. As long as he walked on level ground， it was still bearablebearable adj.可忍受的， 支持得住的， but when they came to the hill and had to climb， and the stones rolled down under his feet as if they were alive， it was beyond his strength. Drops of sweat stood on his forehead， and ran， hot and cold， down his back. “Mother，” said he， “I can go no farther. I want to rest a little.”“Not here，” answered the old woman， “when we have arrived at our journeys end， you can rest. But now you must go forward.”“Who knows what good it may do you. Old woman， you are becoming shameless.” said the count， and tried to throw off the bundle， but he labored in vain. It stuck as fast to his back as if it grew there. He turned and twisted， but he could not get rid of it. The old woman laughed at this， and sprang about quite delighted on her crutchcrutch n.(跛子用的)拐杖， 支撑， 帮助. “Dont get angry， dear sir，” said she， “you are growing as red in the face as a turkeycock. Carry your bundle patiently. I will give you a good present when we get home.”What could he do. He was obliged to submit tosubmit to v.使服从， 使受到， 服从， 忍受， 顺从 his fate， and crawl along patiently behind the old woman. She seemed to grow more and more nimblenimble adj.敏捷的， and his burden still heavier. All at once she made a bound， jumped on to the bundle and seated herself on the top of it. And however withered she might be， she was yet heavier than the stoutest country lass. The youths knees trembled， but when he did not go on， the old woman hit him about the legs with a switch and with stingingnettles. Groaninggroan vi.呻吟， 受折磨， 受压迫发出嘎吱声 continually， he climbed the mountain， and at length reached the old womans house， when he was just about to drop. When the geese perceived the old woman， they flapped their wings， stretched out their necks， ran to meet her， cacklingcackle vi.咯咯叫， 咯咯笑， 喋喋不休 all the while. Behind the flock walked， stick in hand， an old wench， strong and big， but ugly as night. “Good mother，” said she to the old woman， “has anything happened to you， you have stayed away so long.”“By no means， my dear daughter，”answered she， “I have met with nothing bad， but， on the contraryon the contrary adv.正相反， with this kind gentleman， who has carried my burden for me. Only think， he even took me on his back when I was tired. The way， too， has not seemed long to us. We have been merry， and have been cracking jokes with each other all the time.” At last the old woman slid down， took the bundle off the young mans back， and the baskets from his arm， looked at him quite kindly， and said， “Now seat yourself on the bench before the door， and rest. You have fairly earned your wages， and they shall not be wanting.” Then she said to the goosegirl， “Go into the house， my dear daughter， it is not becoming for you to be alone with a young gentleman. One must not pour oil on to the fire， he might fall in love with you.” The count knew not whether to laugh or to cry. “Such a sweetheartsweetheart n.情人， 爱人 as that，”thought he， “could not touch my heart， even if she were thirty years younger.” In the meantime the old woman stroked and fondledfondle v.抚弄 her geese as if they were children， and then went into the house with her daughter. The youth lay down on the bench， under a wild appletree. The air was warm and mild. On all sides stretched a green meadowmeadow n.草地， 牧场， which was set with cowslipscowslip n.黄花九轮草， wild thymethyme n.麝香草属的植物， ［植］百里香， and a thousand other flowers. Through the midst of it rippled a clear brook on which the sun sparkled， and the white geese went walking backwards and forwards， or paddled in the water. “It is quite delightful here，”said he， “but I am so tired that I cannot keep my eyes open. I will sleep a little. If only a gust of wind does not come and blow my legs off my body， for they are as rotten as tindertinder n.易燃物， 火绒.”