1）封面：
《The Last Chimney of Christmas Eve》
by Linda Oatman High
Illustrated by Kestutis Kasparavicius
《平安夜的最后一支烟囱》文：琳达·奥特曼·高 （著）图：卡思特提斯·卡斯帕拉维席斯 （著）
4）扉页：
《The Last Chimney of Christmas Eve》
by Linda Oatman HighIllustrated by Kestutis Kasparavicius
Boyds Mills Press
《平安夜的最后一支烟囱》文：琳达·奥特曼·高 （著） 图：卡思特提斯·卡斯帕拉维席斯 （著） Boyds Mills 出版社
6） For my Nana: Emma Millard ------L.O.H. For my sons Jonas and Gabrielius -------K.K. 献给我的宝宝：爱玛·米勒德 --------琳达·奥特曼·高 献给我的儿子乔纳斯和Gabrielius ------卡思特提斯·卡斯帕拉维席斯 7)It was Christmas Eve,and Nicholas had one last chimney to clean.He hitched the horse,then carried from the wagona ladder and a broom,brushes and scrapers and rods-chimney sweeps' tools. 今天就是平安夜了，尼古拉斯还有最后一支烟囱要清理。他拴好了马，然后从小货车上搬下梯子，拿出扫把、刷子、刮刀等清扫烟囱的工具。 9)Wearing a tailcoat of silky blackand a top hat to match,the master sweep lifted a brush bristled with whiskers as Nicholas shivered.He wore a ragged coat, and he was covered in soot.Nicholas knocked on the door. 扫烟囱工人老板穿着一身黑色的丝质燕尾服头上配了一顶高礼帽，手里举着一把毛刷而尼古拉斯却在一旁瑟瑟发抖。小尼古拉斯穿着一件破烂不堪的外套，浑身上下都是烟灰。灰头土脸的小尼古拉斯敲了敲门。11)It was answered by a man with a cup of hot cocoa in his hand."For you,"said the man.Nicholas drank,grateful for the warmth.Then it was time for Nicholas to climb. 给他们开门的是一位老人，手里正端着一杯热腾腾的可可。“这是给你准备的，”老爷爷说。小尼古拉斯非常感激这份寒冬里的温暖。喝过热可可之后，是时候开始工作了。 13)He pulled down his knitted cap,with holes for his eyes,to keep the soot from his nose.Climbing up the narrow chimney,scraping his legs and arms on the bricks。Nicholas brushed soot,working hard and fast. 小尼古拉斯拉下帽檐，遮住鼻子，以防灰尘进到里面，而在眼睛的位置正好有两个小洞，方便看东西。然后他手脚并用钻进了狭窄的烟囱里面，用刷子清扫砖缝里面的灰尘。小尼古拉斯工作起来很卖力，动作也很敏捷。 15）Climbing higher and higher,he sighed,relieved to see the nighttime sky.Heart beating hard as he rose into the stars.Nicholas took a deep breath，smelling warm mincemeatand chimney smoke and evergreen trees:the good smells of Christmas Eve.小尼古拉斯顺着烟囱越爬越高，最后他从烟囱里伸出头来，吐了一口气，哈，终于可以放心地看看夜晚的天空了。他的心怦怦乱跳，感觉就像是飞到了星星上面。小尼古拉斯深深地吸了一口气，空气中弥漫着热腾腾的馅饼的香味还有平安夜壁炉里散发出来的气味，甚至还有圣诞树的味道：这是平安夜独有的味道。 18)Church bells chimed and lanterns glowed cozily in the homes below,bringing a lump to Nicholas's throat."Someday,"he thought,"Christmas Eve will be joyful for me, the way it's meant to be."For as long as he could remember,Nicholas had been an orphan and a climbing boy. 教堂里响起了悠扬的钟声，夜空下的城市亮起了盏盏温馨的烛火，看到此时的情景，小尼古拉斯心头一阵哽咽。 “总会有一天，”他想着， “我也会度过一个幸福快乐的平安夜，生活本来就应该这样子。” 但他出生以来所有的记忆，只记得自己是个孤儿，是一个灰头土脸脏兮兮的扫烟囱的小伙计。 19) The master sweep poked Nicholas with a chimney brush,nudging him toward the edge of the roof."Stop dreaming,"he said."Get the broom."Nicholas went down the ladderand into the house to sweep. 这时候老板用打扫烟囱的刷子戳了戳小尼古拉斯，提醒他工作结束该从房顶上下去了。 “别再做梦了，”老板说。“拿上扫把下去吧。” 小尼古拉斯爬下梯子又进到屋里去打扫卫生了。 21)"For you to keep,"said the man,handing Nicholas a furry red coat."Have a merry Christmas."Nicholas's eyes widened.No one had ever given him a gift. “这是给你的圣诞礼物，”老爷爷说着，递给小尼古拉斯一件红色的毛茸茸的外套。 “圣诞节快乐哦。“ 小尼古拉斯惊讶的瞪大了眼睛。 从来没有人送过他礼物。 23)"And this,"said the man,"is for you to pass onwhen you have a child of your own."The man gave Nicholas a heavy globe of glass."A snow shaky."gasped Nicholas,quivering as he shook the globeand watched the delicate snow."I've always wished for one." “还有这个，”老爷爷接着说, “等你有了自己的孩子的时候，你可以把它送给他们做礼物。” 老爷爷递给了小尼古拉斯一个沉沉的玻璃球。 “会移动的雪景。”小尼古拉斯赞叹着说，当他摇晃这个玻璃球的时候，里面的雪花就会飘飘洒洒地落下来，实在是太精美了。 “我一直都想要这样一个礼物呢。” 25)The man waved as Nicholas walked away,wearing his red coat and holding the snow globenext to his heart."Thank you for your kindness,"called Nicholas,loading the tools."Pass it on,"answered the man."Get in the wagon,"said the master sweep. 小尼古拉斯走的时候，老爷爷送他到门口并挥手说再见，小尼古拉斯穿着他的红色的毛茸茸的外套，紧紧的把雪景球抱在胸口。 “先生您实在是太好了，非常感谢您，”小尼古拉斯边收拾工具边向老爷爷高声致谢。 “把这份祝福传递下去，”老爷爷这样回答。 “快上车，”这时老板下了命令。 28)Nicholas remembered his days as a chimney sweep,and he decided to return to the rooftops.Passing on the kindness he so long ago received.Nicholas still works all through Christmas Eve,climbing and sliding through chimneys,sometimes leaving a snippet of furryred wool snagged on the bricksfor a young chimney sweep to find. 现在，尼古拉斯已经很老了，他还记得自己当扫烟囱工人的那些日子，他决定再次回到房顶上面去。 去传递那份很久之前他曾收到过的美好祝福。 尼古拉斯还会在平安夜那天继续工作的，他不断地穿梭于各家各户的烟囱，有时候还会调皮的在砖缝里面塞进一团红色的毛茸茸的羊毛，来让那些年轻的扫烟囱的孩子们找出来. 30)Each year,as church bells chimeand lights glow cozily in the homes below,the old man Nicholas gets a lump in his throat."This,"he thinks,"is what Christmas is meant to be."Then,heart beating hard as he rises into the stars.Nicholas leaves behind the last chimney of Christmas Eve. 每年的平安夜，当教堂里祝福的钟声响起的时候，当夜空下亮起盏盏温馨的烛光的时候，白发苍苍的尼古拉斯就会鼻头一阵发酸，心里一阵哽咽。 “这，”他想着，“这才是圣诞节的意义啊。”然后，他的心又开始怦怦乱跳，身体也缓缓升到半空中，尼古拉斯恋恋不舍地离开了平安夜里的最后一只烟囱。 【完】