美国小学英语教材6:第92课 潘多拉魔盒(5)

 Had this mouth spoken, it would probably have said something like this: 如果这张嘴会说话，那么它可能会说些这个，

Do not be afraid, Pandora! What harm can there be in opening the box? Never mind that poor, simple Epimetheus! 不要害怕，潘多拉，打开箱子又会带来什么伤害呢？不要理会那个可怜简单的厄毗米修斯。

You are wiser than he, and have ten times as much spirit. Open the box, and see if you do not find something very pretty! 你比他聪明，你的灵气是他的十倍，打开盒子，看看能发现什么漂亮的事物！

The box, I had almost forgotten to say, was fastened not by a lock but by a very fine knot of gold cord. 我差点忘了说，这个盒子不是用锁封住的，而是一条非常漂亮的金色绳结。

There appeared to be no end to this knot, and no beginning. Never was a knot so cunningly twisted with so many ins and outs. 绳结似乎没有尽头，没有起始，从没见过如此巧妙编织的绳结。

And yet, by the very difficulty that there was in it, Pandora was the more tempted¹ to examine the knot, 由于绳结的复杂性，潘多拉更加想要检查这个绳结，

and just see how it was made. Two or three times already she had stooped over the box and taken the knot between her thumb and forefinger², 看看它是如何制作而成的，她在盒子前踱步了两三次，并用拇指和食指拿住绳结，

but without trying to undo³ it. I really believe, said she to herself, that I begin to see how it was done. 她没有试图解开她，她对自己说我真的相信，我开始知道这个绳结是怎么实现的了。

Nay⁴, perhaps I could tie it up again after undoing⁵ it. Even Epimetheus would not blame me for that. 而且，我或许能够在解开之后再将它捆起来，甚至厄毗米修斯也不会抱怨我。

I need not open the box, and should not, of course, without that foolish boy's consent, even if the knot were untied⁶. 没有这个傻男孩的同意，我不应该打开盒子，即使这个绳结被解开了。

It might have been better for Pandora if she had had a little work to do so as not to be so constantly thinking of this one subject. 如果潘多拉有些别的事情要做，或许这对她是件好事，她就无需老想着这个盒子。

But children led so easy a life before any Troubles came into the world that they had a great deal too much leisure. 在麻烦到达这个世界之前，孩子们的生活很惬意，他们有大量闲暇时间。

They could not be forever playing at hide-and-seek among the flower-shrubs, 他们不能永远在花丛中捉迷藏，

or at blindman's buff with garlands over their eyes, or at whatever other games had been found out while Mother Earth was in her babyhood. 或者在蒙眼捉迷藏里，用花环挡住他们的眼睛，或是任何他们可以发现的游戏，当时地球妈妈还处在婴儿期。

When life is all sport, toil⁷ is the real play. There was nothing to do. 当生活只是享乐，辛勤劳动才是真正的游戏，没有事情可做。

A little sweeping⁸ and dusting about the cottage, I suppose, and the gathering⁹ of fresh flowers and arranging them in vases 对乡村别墅进行简单清扫，收集鲜花放在花瓶中，

and poor little Pandora's day's work was over. And then, for the rest of the day, there was always the box! 可怜的小潘多拉，她一天的工作结束了，剩下的时光将围绕盒子展开。

After all, I am not quite sure that the fascinating box was not a blessing¹⁰ to Pandora in its way. 客观而言，我不确定这个美丽的盒子不是对潘多拉的祝愿。

It supplied her with so many ideas to think of, and to talk about, whenever she had anybody who would listen to her! 无论何时有人想听她说话，盒子都会给她许多可以思考和谈论的话题。

 

1 tempted   

v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）

参考例句：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。

2 forefinger   

n.食指

参考例句：

• He pinched the leaf between his thumb and forefinger.他将叶子捏在拇指和食指之间。
• He held it between the tips of his thumb and forefinger.他用他大拇指和食指尖拿着它。

3 undo   

vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销

参考例句：

• His pride will undo him some day.他的傲慢总有一天会毁了他。
• I managed secretly to undo a corner of the parcel.我悄悄地设法解开了包裹的一角。

4 nay   

adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者

参考例句：

• He was grateful for and proud of his son's remarkable,nay,unique performance.他为儿子出色的，不，应该是独一无二的表演心怀感激和骄傲。
• Long essays,nay,whole books have been written on this.许多长篇大论的文章，不，应该说是整部整部的书都是关于这件事的。

5 undoing   

n.毁灭的原因，祸根；破坏，毁灭

参考例句：

• That one mistake was his undoing. 他一失足即成千古恨。
• This hard attitude may have led to his undoing. 可能就是这种强硬的态度导致了他的垮台。

6 untied   

松开，解开( untie的过去式和过去分词 )； 解除，使自由； 解决

参考例句：

• Once untied, we common people are able to conquer nature, too. 只要团结起来，我们老百姓也能移山倒海。
• He untied the ropes. 他解开了绳子。

7 toil   

vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事

参考例句：

• The wealth comes from the toil of the masses.财富来自大众的辛勤劳动。
• Every single grain is the result of toil.每一粒粮食都来之不易。

8 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

9 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

10 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。