THE STORY OF BLANCHE AND VERMILION
雪儿和朱儿的故事
[161] THERE was once upon a time a widow, a very good kind of woman, who had daughters, both very amiable. The elder was called "Blanche" and the younger "Vermilion." They had received these names because one of them had the fairest complexion that was ever seen, and the other had cheeks and lips as red as coral.
从前，有一位心肠极好又非常热心的寡妇，她有两个女儿，都生得温柔可爱。大女儿叫“雪儿”，小女儿叫“朱儿”。给她俩起这两个名字，是因为她们中的一个有着人们从未见过的最白晳的肤色，另一个有着红润如珊瑚般的面颊和双唇。
One day, as the good woman was seated near the door of her cottage spinning, she perceived a poor old woman who could hardly hobble along with the assistance of her stick. "You appear to be very much tired, my good woman," said the widow; "sit down here and rest yourself awhile"; and she then desired one of her daughters to fetch her a chair. Both of them immediately rose, but Vermilion outran her sister and brought the chair.
一天，这好心肠的妇人正坐在小屋的门前纺着纱，纺着纺着，她感到有位可怜的老妇人拄着拐杖，步履蹒跚地走着，几乎都走不动了。“你看起来好累呀，我的好妇人，” 寡妇说；“来这儿坐坐，，好好歇歇吧”，然后她让女儿取把椅子来。两个姑娘都立刻站了起来，不过朱儿跑在姐姐前面拿来了椅子。
"Will you please to drink?" said the good old dame to the old woman. "With all my heart," answered she; "and I feel even as if I could eat a little if you could give me a bit of something nice." "You shall be welcome to anything that I have," said the good widow; "but, as I am poor, it will be nothing out of the common way." At the same time she desired her daughters to lay the table for the good old dame, who straightway seated herself at it.
“你要喝点东西吗？”好心的老夫人问那老妇。“非常愿意，”她回答，“要是我能吃点东西，会感觉更好一些，如果你能给我一点东西吃的话。”“我有的东西都很乐意拿来给你吃，”好心的寡妇说；“不过，因为我比较穷，家里只有平常的吃食，没有什么像样的东西拿来招待你。”说着，她让女儿们为老妇人铺好桌子，老妇人就径直坐到了桌前。
The widow then told the elder daughter to go and gather some plums from a tree that she had planted herself, and was very fond of. Blanche, instead of obeying her mother willingly, murmured, and said to herself, "So it is for this old gormandizer that I have been so very careful of my plum tree." She, however, dared not refuse to fetch a few plums, but she gave them with much reluctance and very ungraciously. "You, Vermilion," said the good woman to her younger daughter, "have no fruit to give to this good dame, for your grapes are not ripe." "That's true," said Vermilion; "but I hear my hen cackling, so she must have laid an egg, and if the gentlewoman would like a new-laid [162] egg, she is very welcome to it"; and without waiting for any answer from the old woman, she ran off to seek her egg. The moment she presented it, however, the old woman disappeared and was replaced by a beautiful lady who said to the mother: "I am about to recompense your two daughters according to their deserts. The elder shall become a great queen, and the younger a farmer's wife." With these words she struck the house with her wand; it disappeared, and in its place rose a nice, snug-looking farm. "That is your portion," she said to Vermilion. "I know that I have given each of you what you like best." Having thus said, the fairy departed; and the good woman and her two daughters remained in great surprise.
这寡妇叫大女儿去采些李子来。李子树是雪儿种下的，她非常喜爱这李子树。她没有心甘情愿地照着妈妈的话做，而是自言自语地嘟囔道：“我精心养大的李子树，倒便宜这个老家伙大吃大喝了。”不过，她又不敢不摘李子来，只是老大不情愿的，态度很是冷淡粗鲁。“你呢，朱儿，”好心的妇人对小女儿说，“你就没有水果给这位太太吃了，因为你种的葡萄还没熟呢。”“是不错，”朱儿说，“不过我听见我的母鸡在咯咯叫，她怕是下过一个蛋了。要是这位尊贵的女士愿意尝尝新鲜鸡蛋，我很乐意去拿来。”说完，她没等老妇人的回答，就跑出去找蛋了。不一会儿，她捧着蛋回来，可是，老妇人却不见了。只有一位美丽的女子在和她妈妈说话。她说：“我将给你两个女儿她们所应得的回报。大女儿将贵为王后，小女儿将成为农妇。”说完这话，她用手杖敲了敲房子，房子就不见了，而在房子的位置上，出现了一座农庄。农庄小巧整洁，真是棒极了。“这是你的那份，”她对朱儿说。“我知道我已经给了你们俩各人最想要的东西。”说完，仙女离开了，而好心的妇人和她的两个女儿还没从震惊中回过神来。
They went into the farmhouse, and were charmed with the neatness and the furniture. The chairs were only of wood, but they were so bright that one might see one's face in them as in a looking-glass. The bedding was of Irish linen, as white as snow. In the pens were sheep; four oxen and the like number of cows were in the cowhouses, and the yard was well stocked with all sorts of domestic animals, as poultry, ducks, pigeons, etc. There was also a pretty garden, planted with different kinds of fruit, vegetables, and flowers.
她们走进农庄里的农舍，只见房子里摆放着家具，到处都干净整洁，惹人喜爱。椅子就是木制的，可油光锃亮得照得出人脸来，就像是照在玻璃上一样。床上铺的是爱尔兰亚麻的被褥，雪白雪白的。羊圈里圈着羊，牛棚里有四只公牛，还有四只母牛。院子里放养着各种各样家养的动物，什么鸡呀，鸭呀，鸽子呀等等。还有一个漂亮果园，园子里种着各种水果、蔬菜和鲜花。
Blanche regarded without any feelings of jealousy the fairy's gift to her sister. Her only thoughts were concerning the pleasures she anticipated in being a queen. All at once she heard a huntsman's horn, and going to the door to see the party pass, she appeared so beautiful to the King that he resolved to marry her, and did so accordingly. Blanche, when she was become a queen, said to her sister Vermilion: "I do not wish that you should marry a farmer; come to court with me, sister; I will procure you a great lord for your husband." "I am very much obliged to you, sister," replied Vermilion, "but I am accustomed to a country life, and do not wish to change it."
雪儿倒是一点都不嫉妒仙女给妹妹的礼物。她一心沉浸在即将成为王后的快乐中。突然，她听到了猎人的号角声，就走到门边，看到一队人马经过。她出现时的样子，在国王看来简直美极了，于是他决定娶她为妻，然后他也的确那么做了。雪儿，在当了王后之后，对她妹妹朱儿说：“我可不希望你嫁给一个农夫；跟我走吧，妹妹；我要给你找个有权有势的地主做丈夫。”“我很感谢你，姐姐，”朱儿回答说，“不过我习惯过乡村生活，不希望有什么改变。”
Queen Blanche then set out, and she was so gratified that she passed several nights without sleeping, for joy. The first few months she was so taken up with fine clothes, balls, and plays that she thought of nothing else. But she soon grew [163] used to these things, and nothing now amused her; on the contrary, she was very discontented. All the ladies of the court showed her great respect when they were in her presence; but she knew that they did not like her, and that they said to each other behind her back, "See how this peasant girl plays the fine lady! The King must have had very poor taste to take such a personage for his consort." The King heard of these remarks, and they made him reflect on what he had done. He began to think that he had acted wrongly in marrying Blanche, and as his passion for her had cooled, he soon neglected her.
于是雪儿王后启驾回宫，她兴奋得好几个晚上睡不着觉，那实在是太高兴了。在头几个月里，她对华丽的服装、舞会、演出呀这些事情感兴趣极了，也无暇想别的事。可她很快对这些习已为常，就没什么事可以取悦她了。相反，她变得很不满意。宫庭里的贵妇小姐们在她面前都必恭必敬的，可她知道她们不喜欢她，背着她交头接耳地说着：“瞧这乡下丫头，装模作样的充什么贵妇！国王真是瞎了眼，才找这么个货色当配偶。”国王也耳闻了这些议论，这些议论让他怀疑起自己的选择。他开始认为自己不该娶雪儿。于是他对雪儿的热情也冷了下来，很快就不闻不问了。
When the courtiers perceived that the King no longer loved his wife, they paid her little or no attention. She was very unfortunate, for she had not a single friend to whom she could impart her grief. She observed that it was the fashion at court to sacrifice one's friend to one's interests, to smile on one's bitterest enemy, and to tell lies continually. She was obliged to be serious, because she was told that a queen ought always to look grave and majestic. 宫廷里的侍从们觉察到王后失宠，也不把她当回事了。她真是不幸极了，因为她身边连一个诉苦的朋友也没有。在宫廷里，你不能对你喜欢的人表示友好，而要向你最痛恨的敌人微笑，这就是宫廷的处事之道。她严格遵守着。而且她不得不保持严肃的形象，因为人家告诉她，王后看上去要庄重威严。She had several children, and during all this time she was constantly attended by a physician, who examined everything that she ate, and ordered everything that she liked to be removed from the table. She was allowed no salt in her soup, she was forbidden to quit the house when she felt inclined to take a walk—in a word, she was contradicted from morning until night. 她生过几个孩子，在她怀孕生子期间，一直有个医生守着她。这医生会检查她吃的一切食物，命令人家把她爱吃的都从桌子上拿走。她吃的汤，不让有盐；她想出去走走，却被禁止，只让她待在房间里。总之一句话，从早到晚，所有的事都不顺她的心。Governesses were engaged for her children, who brought them up in direct opposition to her wishes; yet she was not permitted to find fault. 孩子得由保姆带大，这保姆在带孩子上，完全不合她心意，而且她的言行还不能有一星半点的差错。Poor Queen Blanche was dying with sorrow, and she grew so thin that it was pitiable to see her. 可怜的雪儿王后忧郁成疾，瘦得可怜。She had not seen her sister once during the three years that she had been a queen, because she thought it would be demeaning her high rank to pay a visit to a farmer's wife; but when she was quite oppressed with melancholy, she came to the resolution of spending a few days in the country to restore herself. 自从她当上王后，三年来都没去看过妹妹。因为她觉得去看望一个农妇，会降低她尊贵的身份。不过，她现在实在被忧伤压得喘不过气来，才下决心要去乡下散散心。She asked leave of the King to go, who permitted her very willingly, for he thought that he should thus get rid of her for some time. She set out, and arrived in the dusk of the evening at Vermilion's farm. 她向国王请示，国王很爽快地答应了，因为他想着早晚有一天要赶走她。于是她动身前往，一路风尘仆仆，到晚上时，到达了朱儿的农庄。As [164] she was drawing near, she observed about the door a company of shepherds and shepherdesses who were dancing and merrymaking in high glee. "Alas!" said the Queen sighing, "there was once a time when I could divert myself like these poor people, and no one found fault with me." Directly she came in sight, her sister ran to embrace her. She looked so happy, she had grown so plump, that the Queen could not forbear crying when she looked at her. 她走向前，在门口就发现一群牧羊人和牧羊女在纵情舞蹈，高声欢笑。“唉！”王后叹了口气说，“以前，我也可以像这些可怜的人这样娱乐，没人会挑我的错。”她抬起眼，看见妹妹跑过来拥抱她。她看上去是那么快乐，比先前胖了好些。这时，王后看着她，再也忍不住，哭了起来。
Vermilion had married a farmer's son, who had no fortune; but he never ceased to remember that his wife had brought him all that he possessed, and he strove by his obliging disposition to show his gratitude.朱儿嫁给了一个农夫的儿子。他没什么财富，可他时刻记着他所拥有的一切都是妻子带来的，并以善施乐道的方式来表达他的感激。 Vermilion had not many servants; but those that she had were as fond of her as if she had been their mother, because she treated them well. 朱儿没有很多奴仆，可是用着的那几个很喜欢她，就好像她是他们的母亲一样， 因为她待他们很好。All her neighbors also liked her, and they were all zealous in showing their love.所有的邻居也喜欢她，热情地表达着他们对她的爱。 She had not much money, nor had she any occasion for much, for her farm yielded her corn, wine, and oil. Her herds furnished her with milk, with which she made butter and cheese. She spun the wool supplied by her sheep into the materials of clothes for herself, her husband, and her two children. 她的钱不多，也不需要更多的钱。因为她的农田给她生产出玉米、酒和油。她的牧群提供了奶，可以做成黄油和奶酪。她把羊毛纺成布料，为她自己、丈夫和两个孩子做衣服。They all enjoyed excellent health, and in the evening, when the period of working had passed, they diverted themselves with all sorts of pastimes. 他们都享有健康的身体，到了晚上，在一天劳作结束之后，他们就玩各种花样的游戏，消遣娱乐。"Alas!" cried the Queen, "the fairy made me a very evil present when she gave me a crown. Contentment is not to be found in magnificent palaces, but only in the innocent employments of a country life." “唉！”王后哭泣道，“仙女赐我王冠，是给了我不幸的礼物。富丽堂皇的宫殿没有令人满意的事情，倒是单纯的乡间生活能让人快乐满足。These words had hardly passed her lips when the fairy appeared. 话音还没落，仙女出现了。"It was not my intention, when I made you Queen, to reward, but to punish you," said the fairy to her, "for giving me your plums with so much ill will. To be truly contented and happy, you must, like your sister, possess only what is necessary, and wish for nothing more." "Ah, madam!" faltered Blanche, "you are sufficiently revenged; I entreat you to put an end to my unhappiness." “让你成为王后，不是为了奖赏你，而是为了惩罚你，这才是我的意图，”仙妇对她说，“因为你给我李子时是那样不情不愿。想要得到真正的满足和快乐，你必须，像你妹妹一样，知足，不妄求。”“啊，女士!”雪儿颤抖地说，“你已经报复得够狠了；我恳求你结束我的不幸吧。”
"It is at an end," answered the fairy. "The King, who no longer loves you, has just married another wife, and his officers will arrive here to-morrow to desire you, in his name, [165] never to return to his court." It came to pass exactly as the fairy had foretold. Blanche passed the remainder of her days with her sister Vermilion, in all happiness and reasonable pleasure, and she never thought of the court again except to thank the fairy for having brought her from it to her native village.
“已经结束了，”仙女回答。“国王不再爱你，他刚娶了另一个女人为妻。明天，他的官员就会到这儿，以他的名义要求你再不也要回他的宫庭。”事情正像仙女预言的那样发生了。雪儿和她妹妹朱儿一起度过了余生，一直过着幸福愉快的生活。她再不也去想什么宫庭，除了感谢仙女把她带出那儿，回到她土生土长的村庄。