马克吐温最佳短篇小说 12 The Stolen White Elephant

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　　Chapter 1The following curious history was related to me by a chance railway acquaintance. He was a gentleman more than seventy years of age, and his thoroughly¹ good and gentle face and earnest and sincere manner imprinted² the unmistakable stamp of truth upon every statement which fell from his lips. He said:

　　You know in what reverence³ the royal white elephant of Siam is held by the people of that country. You know it is sacred to kings, only kings may possess it, and that it is, indeed, in a measure even superior to kings, since it receives not merely honor but worship. Very well; five years ago, when the troubles concerning the frontier line arose between Great Britain and Siam, it was presently manifest that Siam had been in the wrong. Therefore every reparation was quickly made, and the British representative stated that he was satisfied and the past should be forgotten. This greatly relieved the King of Siam, and partly as a token of gratitude⁴, partly also, perhaps, to wipe out any little remaining vestige⁵ of unpleasantness which England might feel toward him, he wished to send the Queen a present--the sole sure way of propitiating⁶ an enemy,according to Oriental ideas. This present ought not only to be a royal one, but transcendently royal. Wherefore, what offering could be so meet as that of a white elephant? My position in the Indian civil service was such that I was deemed peculiarly worthy⁷ of the honor of conveying the present to her Majesty⁸. A ship was fitted out for me and my servants and the officers and attendants of the elephant, and in due time I arrived in New York harbor and placed my royal charge in admirable quarters in Jersey⁹ City. It was necessary to remain awhile in order to recruit the animal's health before resuming the voyage.

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