美国语文第四册 第129期:安妮的梦(4)

 　　"It is very wonderful," said Annie. "Is it nice to be a sprite?" “太奇妙了，”安妮说，“做精灵好吗？”

　　Oh, yes, we are very gay. All last night we had a fine time sparkling in the moonlight. 噢，好，我们很开心。昨天整晚我们在月光下闪耀，过得快乐极了。

　　I wore a long wreath full of ice pearls and diamonds. Here is a piece of it. 我戴着长长的镶满冰珍珠和钻石的花环。这是其中一颗。

　　Before long we shall be water sprites again. I see the sun is coming this way. 我们不久就会重新变成水精灵。我看到太阳朝这边来了。

　　"Shall you dread¹ to be melted?" inquired Annie. “你害怕融化吗？”安妮问道。

　　"No, indeed," answered the sprite. "I like to change my form now and then." “不，实际上，”小精灵回答道，“我愿意不时换换体形。”

　　A thought flashed across Annie's brain. 一个念头掠过安妮的大脑。

　　What if she should breathe on the frost and not wait for the sun to melt it. In a moment more she had done so. 要是在霜上呼气，不等太阳融化它会怎么样。不一会，她果然这么做了。

　　Down fell a great number of the tiny mountains and castles, carrying with them a multitude of frost sprites, and all that could be seen was a drop of water on the window sill. 大量微小的山脉和城堡坍塌了，带着大量的霜精灵，窗玻璃上只看到一滴水。

　　"Oh, dear! have I hurt them?" she exclaimed. “噢，天哪！我伤到你们了吗？”她惊叫道。

　　"No, no," replied a chorus of many small voices from the drop of water, we are only water sprites again. “没有，没有，”水滴中很多小的声音齐声回答，我们又变成水精灵了。

　　Nothing hurts us; we merely change. 什么也不能伤害我们，我们只是变化了体形。

　　"But you are always pretty little things," said Annie. "I wish—" “可是你们永远是可爱的小精灵，”安妮说，“我希望——”

　　Here a ring at the doorbell woke Annie. 这时门铃声唤醒了梦中的安妮。

　　She started up to find the family had returned from their visit, which all declared was a delightful² one. 家人已经做客回来了，他们都说过得很开心。

　　But Annie said she did not believe they had enjoyed their visit better than she had her half hour's dream. 可是安妮说她不信他们过得比她半小时的梦还快乐。

1 dread   

vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧

参考例句：

• We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
• Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。

2 delightful   

adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的

参考例句：

• We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday.上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。
• Peter played a delightful melody on his flute.彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。