第6章 The GooseGirl at the Well(6)

Hardly had she disappeared， before the count descended from the tree， and hastened after her with nimble steps. He had not been gone long before he saw， in the twilighttwilight n.黎明， 微光， 略知， two figures coming over the meadow. It was the king and queen， who had perceived from a distance the light shining in the old womans little house， and were going to it. The count told them what wonderful things he had seen by the well， and they did not doubt that it had been their lost daughter. They walked onwards full of joy， and soon came to the little house. The geese were sitting all round it， and had thrust their heads under their wings and were sleeping， and not one of them moved. The king and queen looked in at the window， where the old woman was sitting quite quietly spinning， nodding her head and never looking round. The room was perfectly clean， as if the little mist men， who carry no dust on their feet， lived there. Their daughter， however， they did not see. They gazed at all this for a long time， until at last they took heart， and knocked softly at the window. The old woman appeared to have been expecting them. She rose， and called out quite kindly， “Come in. I know you already.” When they had entered the room， the old woman said， “You might have sparedspare v.节约， 节省， 不伤害， 宽恕， 分让， 提供给某人 yourself the long walk， if you had not three years ago unjustlyunjustly adv.不义地，不法地 driven away your child， who is so good and lovablelovable adj.可爱的， 惹人爱的. No harm has come to her. For three years she has had to tend the geese. With them she has learnt no evil， but has preserved her purity of heart. You， however， have been sufficiently punished by the misery in which you have lived.” Then she went to the chamber and called， “Come out， my little daughter.” Thereupon the door opened， and the princess stepped out in her silken garmentsgarment n.衣服， 外衣， 外表， with her golden hair and her shining eyes， and it was as if an angel from heaven had entered.

她刚一消失，伯爵就已从树上跳下来，脚步敏捷地追赶她。没追多远，他看见昏暗中有两个人影穿过草地，正是国王和王后。他们远远瞅见老太婆小屋内的灯光，便朝这里走来。伯爵把他在井旁看见的惊奇的事告诉他俩，他们毫不怀疑那就是自己失踪的女儿。他们满心高兴地朝前走，很快到了小屋跟前。那些鹅蹲成一圈，脑袋插进翅膀里睡觉，没有一个动的。他们朝窗里一瞧，老太婆正静悄悄地坐在屋里纺线，只点了点头，没有回头看。屋子里很干净，好像是有些脚上不粘灰尘的小雾人儿住在这儿。可他们没看见自己的女儿。他们盯着屋里的一切看了很久，终于鼓起勇气，轻轻地敲了敲窗户。老太婆看上去像一直在等他们，这时站起来，非常和气地大声说：“只管进来，我已经认识你们了。”他们走进屋，老太婆又说：“要是三年前你们不误把自己善良可爱的孩子赶出家门，那也就用不着走这么远的路了。只是这对她也没什么坏处。三年来她的任务是放鹅。因此她没学坏，而是保持着纯洁的心灵。你们却一直生活在焦虑不安中，受到了足够的惩罚。”说完，她走到另一扇门前，喊道：“出来吧，我的女儿。”门开了，身穿绸裙服的公主走了出来。只见她满头金发，两眼炯炯有神，仿佛一位从天而降的天使。

She went up to her father and mother， fell on their necks and kissed them. There was no help for it， they all had to weep for joy. The young count stood near them， and when she perceived him she became as red in the face as a mossrose， she herself did not know why. The king said， “My dear child， I have given away my kingdom， what shall I give you.”“She needs nothing.” said the old woman. “I give her the tears that she has wept on your account. They are precious pearls， finer than those that are found in the sea， and worth more than your whole kingdom， and I give her my little house as paymentpayment n.付款， 支付， 报酬， 偿还， 报应， 惩罚 for her services.” When the old woman had said that， she disappeared from their sight. The walls rattled a little， and when the king and queen looked round， the little house had changed into a splendid palace， a royal table had been spread， and the servants were running hither and thither.

她朝自己的父母走去，搂住他们亲吻。没有其他的办法，大伙儿全都高兴得哭了。年轻的伯爵站在他们旁边，姑娘一见他，脸就跟原野上的玫瑰一样红，自己却不明白为什么。国王开口了：“亲爱的孩子，我的王国已经送人了，我该拿什么给你呢？”“她什么也不需要，”老太婆说，“我要把她为你们流的眼泪还给她。那全是一颗颗珍珠，比海里采撷的还要美，比你的整个的王国更值钱。另外，我还要把这座小屋，作为她在这儿劳动的报酬送给她。”说完这些话，老太婆便从他们眼前消失了。四周的墙壁有点儿嘎嘎作响，他们转头一望，小屋已变成座华丽的宫殿，御膳桌已经摆好，许多仆人正往来忙碌着。

The story goes still further， but my grandmother， who related it to me， had partly lost her memory， and had forgotten the rest. I shall always believe that the beautiful princess married the count， and that they remained together in the palace， and lived there in all happiness so long as God willed it. Whether the snowwhite geese， which were kept near the little hut， were verily young maidens no one need take offence， whom the old woman had taken under her protection， and whether they now received their human form again， and stayed as handmaidshandmaid n.女佣人， 侍女 to the young queen， I do not exactly know， but I suspect it. This much is certain， that the old woman was no witch， as people thought， but a wise woman， who meant well. Very likely it was she who， at the princesss birth， gave her the gift of weeping pearls instead of tears. That does not happen nowadays， or else the poor would soon become rich.

故事还没讲完，可给我讲它的祖母记忆已很差，她把以后的情节忘了。我总相信，美丽的公主和伯爵结了婚，一起住在那座宫殿里，过幸福美满的生活，直到老死。当初小屋前养的那群雪白的鹅，是否全是些被老太太收养的少女——请别多心——现在有没有恢复人形，留在年轻的皇后身边当使女，我都不清楚，但我猜想是的。不过有一点确切无疑，老太太不是人们说的巫婆，而是位好心肠的女智者。很可能是她，在公主出世时恩赐她哭起来不掉泪，而是落下一颗颗珍珠。如今这种事不再有了，否则穷人也会很快富起来。