美国小学英语教材3:第13课 不会哭的公主(4)

 　　When Marigold reached the castle¹, she felt frightened. 玛丽戈尔德到达城堡的时候，她有些害怕。

　　But she thought of her sick mother at home and of the princess² who always laughed. 不过一想到家中生病在床的妈妈，还有那个大笑不止的公主。

　　So she walked up the steps and knocked at the door. 她还是走上台阶，用手敲了敲门。

　　A servant answered her knock. 一位仆人开了门。

　　When he saw Marigold standing³ there, he said in a loud, cross voice, "Go to the back door, where you belong!" 当他看到玛丽戈尔德站在那儿的时候，他不耐烦地大声说，去后门，那才是你应该去的地方。

　　Marigold went around to the back door and knocked. 玛丽戈尔德绕到了后门再次敲门。

　　The servant who came this time looked at the little girl and her basket and said, "We have no food to give away today." 这次出来开门的仆人看了看小姑娘和她的篮子说，我们今天没有食物施舍。

　　And he started to shut the door in the child's face. 他一边说着一边当上孩子的面准备关上门。

　　Just at that time the queen⁴ happened to be in the kitchen. 这时王后碰巧在厨房。

　　She saw Marigold and came to the door. 她看到了玛丽戈尔德便来到门前。

　　"What is it, my child?" the queen asked kindly⁵. 怎么了，我的孩子？王后和蔼地问道。

　　For poor little Marigold stood there looking very frightened and unhappy. 可怜的小玛丽戈尔德站在那儿，看起来非常害怕而且很不开心。

　　"I have come to the palace to make the princess cry, dear Queen," answered Marigold, making a very low bow⁶. 亲爱的王后，我来到王宫是想让公主哭出来，玛丽戈尔德回答，同时她深深地鞠了一躬。

　　The queen smiled and said, "How can a little girl like you hope to do what so many wise men could not do?" 王后笑了笑说，像你这样的一个小姑娘怎么能做到许多智者都没能做到的事情呢？

　　But Marigold was so sure she could make the princess cry that at last the queen invited the little girl to come in. 但是玛丽戈尔德很确信自己能让公主哭出来，于是，王后便让这个小姑娘进了王宫。

　　"You won't hurt the princess?" the queen asked. 你不会伤害到公主吧？

　　She smiled as she spoke⁷, for Marigold had such a kind little face that the queen knew she would never hurt anyone. 王后笑着问道。因为玛丽戈尔德有张稚嫩而善良的面孔，王后知道她是不会伤害任何人的。

　　Then the queen took Marigold to her daughter's room. 王后带玛丽戈尔德去了自己女儿的屋子。

　　The princess was very happy to see a nice little girl instead of the old men who so often came to visit her. 公主看到来的是一位小姑娘，而不是经常来看她的那些长者，她很是开心。

　　When the queen saw how pleased her daughter was, she shut the door and left the children together. 王后见自己的女儿非常高兴，她关上了门，让两个孩子待在一起。

1 castle   

n.城堡，象棋中的车；vt.置于城堡中，筑城堡防御

参考例句：

• We had to give up the castle.我们不得不放弃这座城堡了。
• He took a photograph of the castle.他拍了一张这个城堡的照片。

2 princess   

n.公主，王妃，公爵夫人

参考例句：

• The princess grew up happily.公主很快乐地长大了。
• She was the people's princess.她是人民的王妃。

3 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

4 queen   

n.女王，皇后；(纸牌、国际象棋中的)王后

参考例句：

• She sounds like a queen!她听起来像是一个王后！
• The evil queen is very angry.邪恶的皇后非常生气。

5 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

6 bow   

n.弓，船头，鞠躬；v.鞠躬，弯腰

参考例句：

• There's a flag on the bow of his boat.在他的船头有一面旗子。
• We bow to the teacher.我们向老师鞠个躬。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。