And she gave up her beautiful hair，and received in return the white locks of the old woman. Then they went into Deaths vast hothouse，where flowers and trees grew together in wonderful profusionprofusion n.丰富。 Blooming hyacinthshyacinth n.[植］风信子，洋水仙，水葫芦，under glass bells，and peonies，like strong trees. There grew waterplants，some quite fresh，and others looking sickly，which had watersnakes twining round them，and black crabs clinging to their stems. There stood noble palmtrees，oaks，and plantains，and beneath them bloomed thyme and parsley. Each tree and flower had a name； each represented a human life，and belonged to men still living，some in China，others in Greenland，and in all parts of the world. Some large trees had been planted in little pots，so that they were crampedcramped adj.狭促的，难辨的，难懂的 for room，and seemed about to burst the pot to pieces，while many weak little flowers were growing in rich soil，with moss all around them，carefully tended and cared for. The sorrowing mother bent over the little plants，and heard the human heart beating in each，and recognized the beatings of her childs heart among millions of others.
于是她把她美丽的黑头发交给了老太婆，同时作为交换，得到了她那雪白蓬乱的头发。这样，她们就走进死神的大温室中去。这儿树和花奇形怪状地繁生在一起。玻璃钟底下培养着美丽的风信子，大朵的、耐寒的牡丹花在盛开。在各种不同的水生植物中，有许多还很新鲜，有很多已经半枯萎了，水蛇在它们上面盘绕着，黑螃蟹紧紧地钳着它们的梗子。那儿还有很多美丽的棕榈树、梧桐树和栎树。那儿还有芹菜花和盛开的麝香草。每一种花和每一棵树都有一个名字，它们每一棵都代表着一个人的生命：这些人还是活着的，有的在格林兰，有的在中国，散布在全世界。有一些大树栽在小花盆里，因此都显得很挤，几乎把花盆都要胀破了。在肥沃的土地上有许多块地方还种着很多娇弱的小花，它们周围长着一些青苔：人们在仔细地照管和培养它们。不过这个悲哀的母亲在那些最小的植物上弯下腰来，静听着它们的心跳。在这些无数的花中，她能听见她的孩子的心跳。
“That is it.” she cried，stretching out her hand towards a little crocusflower which hung down its sickly head.
“我找到了！”她叫着，同时把双手向一朵蓝色的早春花伸过去，这朵花有些病了正在把头垂向一边。
“Do not touch the flower，” exclaimed the old woman； “but place yourself here，and when Death comes—I expect him every minute—do not let him pull up that plant，but threaten him that if he does you will serve the other flowers in the same manner. This will make him afraid，for he must account to God for each of them. None can be uprooted，unless he receives permission to do so.”
“请不要动这朵花！”那个老太婆说，”不过请你等在这儿。当死神到来的时候——请不要让他拔掉这棵花——我想他随时可以到来。你能威胁他说，如果你那样做的，你就要把所有的植物都拔掉，那么他就会害怕的。他必须为这些植物对上帝负责。在他没得到上帝的许可之前，谁也不能拔掉它们。”
There rushed through the hothouse a chill of icy coldness，and the blind mother felt that Death had arrived.
这时忽然有一阵冷风吹进房间中来了。这个没有眼睛的母亲看不到，这就是死神的光临。
“How did you find your way hither？” asked he； “How could you come here faster than I have？”
“你如何找到这块地方的？”他说，“你怎么比我还来得早？”
“I am a mother！” she answered.
“因为我是一个母亲呀！”她说道。
And Death stretched out his hand towards the delicate little flower，but she held her hands tightly round it，and held it fast at the same time，with the most anxious care，lest she should touch one of the leaves. Then Death breathed upon her hands，and she felt his breath colder than the icy wind，and her hands sank down powerless.
死神向这朵娇柔的小花伸出长手来，但是她用双手紧紧抱着它不放。同时她又非常焦急，害怕弄坏了它的一片花瓣。于是死神就朝着她的手吹。她觉得这比寒风还要冷。于是她的手垂了下来，一点儿气力也没有。
“You cannot prevail against me！” said Death.
“你怎样也反抗不了我的！”死神说道。
“But a God of mercy can！” said she.
“不过我们的上帝可以的！”她说道。
“I only do his will，” replied Death. “I am his gardener. I take all His flowers and trees，and transplant them into the gardens of Paradise in an unknown land. How they flourishflourish vi.繁荣，茂盛，活跃，手舞足蹈，兴旺，处于旺盛时期vt.挥动，夸耀n.茂盛，兴旺，华饰，繁荣 there，and what that garden resembles，I may not tell you.”
“我只是执行他的命令！”死神说，“我是他的园丁。我把他所有的花和树移植到天国，到那个神秘国土里的乐园中去。但是它们怎样在那里生长，怎样在那儿生活，我可不敢告诉你！”
“Give me back my child！” said the mother，weeping and imploring； and she seized two beautiful flowers in her hands，and cried to Death，“I will tear up all your flowers，for I am in despair.”
“请把我的孩子还给我吧！”母亲说，她哀求着说。忽然她用双手抓住近旁两朵美丽的花，大声对死神说：“我要把你的花全都拔掉，因为我现在没有路走！”
“Do not touch them！” said Death. “You say you are unhappy； and would you make another mother as unhappy as yourself？”
“不准动它们！”死神说，“你说你很痛苦，可是你现在却要让一个别的母亲也感到一样地痛苦！”
“Another mother！” cried the poor woman，setting the flowers free from her hands.
“一个别的母亲？”这个可怜的母亲说道。她马上松开了那两棵花。
“There are your eyes.” said Death. “I fished them up out of the lake for you. They were shining brightly，but I knew not they were yours. Take them back—they are clearer now than before—and then look into the deep well which is close by here. I will tell you the names of the two flowers which you wished to pull up； and you will see the whole future of the human beings they represent，and what you were about to frustratefrustrate v.挫败，阻挠，使感到灰心，阻止 and destroy.”
“这是你的眼珠。”死神说。“我已经把它们从湖里捞了出来，它们特别明亮。我不知道这原来就是你的，收回去吧。它们现在比以前更加明亮，请你朝你身边的那个井底望一下吧。我要把你想要拔的这两棵花的名字告诉你：那么你就会知道它们的整个的未来，整个的人间生活；那么你就会知道，你到底摧毁什么东西。”
Then she looked into the well，and it was a glorious sight to behold how one of them became a blessing to the world，and how much happiness and joy it spread around. But she saw that the life of the other was full of care and povertypoverty n.贫穷，贫困，贫乏，缺少，misery and woe.
她向井底下望。她真感到莫大的愉快，看见一个生命是多么幸福，看见它的周围是一片多么愉快和欢乐的气象。她又看那另一个生命：它是忧愁和贫困、苦难和悲哀的化身。
“Both are the will of God！” said Death.
“这两种命运全是上帝的意志！”死神说。
“Which is the unhappy flower，and which is the blessed one？” she said.
“它们之中哪一朵是幸福之花，哪一朵是受难之花呢？”她问道。
“That I may not tell you，” said Death； “but thus far you may learn，that one of the two flowers represents your own child. It was the fate of your child that you saw，—the future of your own child.”
“我不能告诉你。”死神回答说，“不过有一点你可以知道：这两朵花之中有一朵是你自己的孩子。你刚刚所看到的就是你的孩子的命运——你亲生孩子的未来是怎样。”
Then the mother screamed aloud with terror，“Which of them belongs to my child？ Tell me that. Deliver the unhappy child. Release it from so much misery. Rather take it away. Take it to the kingdom of God. Forget my tears and my entreatiesentreaty n.恳求，乞求，forget all that I have said or done.”
母亲惊恐得叫了起来。“它们哪一朵是我的孩子呢？请您告诉我吧！请把我的孩子从苦难中救出来吧！请您救救那天真的孩子吧！还是请您把他带走吧！把他带到上帝的国度中去！请忘记我的眼泪，我的请求，原谅我刚才所说的和做的一切事吧！”
“I do not understand you.” said Death. “Will you have your child back？ or shall I carry him away to a place that you do not know？”
“我不懂你的意思！”死神说，“你想要我把他带到一个你所不知道的地方去呢，还是让把你的孩子抱回去呢？”
Then the mother wrung her hands，fell on her knees，and prayed to God，“Grant not my prayers，when they are contrary to Thy will，which at all times must be the best. Oh，hear them not.” and her head sank on her bosom.
这时母亲扭着双手，双膝跪了下来，向我们的上帝祈祷：“您的意愿永远是好的。请不要理睬我所作的违反您的意志的祈祷！请不要理睬我！请不要理睬我！”于是她把头低低地垂了下来。
Then Death carried away her child to the unknown land.
死神带着她的孩子飞到那个不知名的国度中去了。
