《圣诞颂歌》 第四章 最后一位幽灵(4)

（单词翻译）

He looked at the spirit, whose hand was pointing at the man's covered head.

他看着幽灵，手指着那个男人被盖住的脸。

It would be easy to lift the sheet, and see who the man was. But for some reason Scrooge could not do it.

要想揭开单子看看那个男人是谁是件轻而易举的事，但由于某种原因斯克罗吉不能这样做。

'Spirit,' he said, 'this is a terrible place. Let's go!'

“幽灵，”他说，“这个地方太可怕了。咱们走吧。”

Still the ghost's unmoving finger pointed¹ at the man's head.

鬼魂一动不动的指头依旧指着男人的头。

'I understand you, but I can't look at him, spirit, I can't!' said Scrooge wildly.

“我理解你，但我不能看他，幽灵，不能！”斯克罗吉发疯似地说。

'If there's anyone in this town who feels anything at this man's death, show that person to me, spirit, please!'

“如果这个镇上有谁对这个人的死有任何感触的话，请你带我去看他，幽灵。”

For a moment the spirit lifted its dark robe² like a wing, and showed Scrooge a room, where a mother and her children were sitting.

幽灵把黑袍子掀起了一会儿，像个翅膀，带斯克罗吉看了一个屋子，里面坐着一位母亲和她的孩子们。

The young woman kept looking at the clock, and when her husband arrived, she hurried to meet him.

年轻的母亲一直看着钟表，当她的丈夫回来时，她赶快上前去迎他。

'What — what is the news?' she asked him worriedly.' Is it good! …or… or bad?'

“有什么消息吗？”她焦虑地问，“是好消息还是坏消息？”

'There is still hope, Caroline,' he replied.

“还有希望，卡罗琳。”他回答说。

'How can there be hope? If that hard, mean old man wants us to pay back the money now, they'll send us to prison!

“怎么还有希望呢？如果那个刻薄吝啬的人想让我们现在立刻还钱的话，他们就会把我们送到拘留所！

We haven't got enough to pay him!'

我们没有那么多钱还他。”

'He is dead, Caroline,' answered her husband.

“他死了，卡罗琳。”她丈夫回答说。

'Thank God for that!' cried the young woman from her heart.

“这得感谢上帝！”少妇发自内心地高声说。

The next moment she realized what she had said.

立刻她意识到她说的话不对。

'Oh, I didn't mean that. I'm sorry if anyone dies.'

“噢，我不是这个意思，谁死了我都会难过的。”

'Perhaps the person who inherits³ his business will give us more time to pay the money back.

“也许他生意的继承人会多给我们一些还钱时间。

And we'll have the money by then. Tonight we can sleep well, Caroline!'

到那时我们就能有这笔钱了。今天晚上我们能睡个好觉了，卡罗琳！”

'So, spirit,' said Scrooge in a broken voice, 'you can show me only happiness at this man's death.

“所以，幽灵，”斯克罗吉断断续续地说，“你只能让我看到这个人的死所带来的幸福。

It frightens me, spirit. Show me, please, that there can be sadness at a death.'

幽灵，这让我感到害怕，请让我看看死亡也能带来悲伤。”

The ghost took him silently⁴ through the streets, to poor Bob Cratchit's house.

鬼魂静静地带他穿过大街来到鲍勃·克拉奇蒂的房子。