绿野仙踪 第111期:奥芝的秘密(4)

 The Lion thought it might be as well to frighten the Wizard,  那狮子想道，最好是去恐吓一下那魔术家，

so he gave a large, loud roar, which was so fierce and dreadful that Toto jumped away from him in alarm and tipped over the screen that stood in a corner.  所以就高声地吼着，那是怎样猛烈而且可怕的呛哮，吓得托托从狮子身旁跑开，撞在那安放在角落里的屏风上。

As it fell with a crash they looked that way, and the next moment all of them were filled with wonder.  屏风拍挞一声倒下来，他们全都很好奇。

For they saw, standing¹ in just the spot the screen had hidden, a little old man, with a bald head and a wrinkled face, who seemed to be as much surprised as they were.  因为他们看见站在屏风后面，是一个秃了头、皱了脸的、又矮小又丑的老头儿，那老头儿也和他们一样，非常吃惊。

The Tin Woodman, raising his axe², rushed toward the little man and cried out, "Who are you?" 铁皮人举起了他的斧头，向这个矮小的老头儿冲过去，并大叫道：“你是谁？”

"I am Oz, the Great and Terrible," said the little man, in a trembling voice.  “我是伟大的可怕的奥芝，”那矮小的老头儿用一种颤动的声音说。

"But don't strike me--please don't--and I'll do anything you want me to." “但是请不要伤害我——我可以为你们做任何事情。”

Our friends looked at him in surprise and dismay. 他们惊异而失望地看着他。

"I thought Oz was a great Head," said Dorothy. 多萝茜说：“我想奥芝是一个大头怪兽。”

"And I thought Oz was a lovely Lady," said the Scarecrow. 稻草人说：“我想奥芝是一个可爱的美丽的贵妇人。”

"And I thought Oz was a terrible Beast," said the Tin Woodman. 铁皮人说：“我想奥芝是一只恐怖的巨兽。”

"And I thought Oz was a Ball of Fire," exclaimed the Lion. 狮子解释着说：“我想奥芝是一个燃着的火球。”

"No, you are all wrong," said the little man meekly³. "I have been making believe." “不，你们看到的都不是我本人，”矮小的老人温和谦逊地说。“那都是假的。”

"Making believe!" cried Dorothy. "Are you not a Great Wizard?" “假的？”多萝茜喊着。“你并不是魔术师奥芝？”

"Hush⁴, my dear," he said. "Don't speak so loud, or you will be overheard--and I should be ruined. I'm supposed to be a Great Wizard." “我的朋友们，静一点儿，轻一点儿，”他说，“说话声音不要那么大，不然你们的话被人偷听了去——我就完蛋了。我是假扮做一个魔术师的。”

"And aren't you?" she asked. “你真的不是伟大的奥芝吗？”她问。

"Not a bit of it, my dear; I'm just a common man." “我的亲爱的，的确不是的；我和你一样是一个普通的人。”

1 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。

2 axe   

n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减

参考例句：

• Be careful with that sharp axe.那把斧子很锋利，你要当心。
• The edge of this axe has turned.这把斧子卷了刃了。

3 meekly   

adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地

参考例句：

• He stood aside meekly when the new policy was proposed. 当有人提出新政策时，他唯唯诺诺地站 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He meekly accepted the rebuke. 他顺从地接受了批评。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 hush   

int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静

参考例句：

• A hush fell over the onlookers.旁观者们突然静了下来。
• Do hush up the scandal!不要把这丑事声张出去！