第11章

In the theater, great excitement reigned.

剧院里充斥着热烈激动的气氛。

Fire Eater (this was really his name) was very ugly, but he was far from being as bad as he looked.

木偶戏班班主吃火人（他就叫这么个名字）相貌丑陋，但其实他的心肠远比他的长相善良。

Proof of this is that, when he saw the poor Marionette being brought in to him, struggling with fear and crying, "I don't want to die! I don't want to die!" he felt sorry for him and began first to waver and then to weaken.

事实上，当他看见可怜的皮诺乔给带到他面前，吓得拼命挣扎哭喊：“我不要死，我不要死！”的时候。他就立马可怜起他来，开始心软动摇。

Finally, he could control himself no longer and gave a loud sneeze.

他最终没能忍住，就大声打了一个喷嚏。

At that sneeze, Harlequin, who until then had been as sad as a weeping willow, smiled happily and leaning toward the Marionette, whispered to him:

花衣小丑一直伤心得像被压弯腰的垂柳，可一听见打喷嚏，马上笑容满面，向皮诺乔弯过身来，轻轻跟他咬耳朵说：

"Good news, brother mine! Fire Eater has sneezed and this is a sign that he feels sorry for you. You are saved!"

“好消息，兄弟，班主打喷嚏了，这表示他已经感动，在可怜你，你有救了！”

木偶奇遇记

For be it known, that, while other people, when sad and sorrowful, weep and wipe their eyes, Fire Eater, on the other hand, had the strange habit of sneezing each time he felt unhappy.

因为要知道，当有些人感到难过悲伤的时候，就会哭泣揉眼睛，可吃火人不同，当他难过的时候就会有一个奇怪的习惯——打喷嚏。

The way was just as good as any other to show the kindness of his heart.

这也是他表达心软的与众不同的方式。

After sneezing, Fire Eater, ugly as ever, cried to Pinocchio:

打过喷嚏以后，木偶戏班班主还是装出很凶的样于，对皮诺乔叫道：

"Stop crying! Your wails give me a funny feeling down here in my stomach and--E--tchee! --E--tchee!" Two loud sneezes finished his speech.

“别哭了！你一直哇哇哭，听得我肚子里难受极了，几乎，几乎……啊嚏，啊嚏……”又打了两个大喷嚏。

"God bless you!" said Pinocchio.

“长命百岁！”皮诺乔说。

"Thanks! Are your father and mother still living?" demanded Fire Eater.

“谢谢！你爸爸妈妈都在世吗？”吃火人问他。

"My father, yes. My mother I have never known."

“爸爸活着，但我从来没见过妈妈。”

"Your poor father would suffer terribly if I were to use you as firewood.

“我这会儿要是把你扔到炭火里，谁知道你的老父亲要多么伤心啊！

Poor old man! I feel sorry for him! E--tchee! E--tchee! E--tchee!"

可怜的老头！我很同情他！……啊嚏，啊嚏，啊嚏！”

Three more sneezes sounded, louder than ever.

他又连打了三个喷嚏，比刚才的都要响。

"God bless you!" said Pinocchio.

“长命百岁！”皮诺乔说。

"Thanks! However, I ought to be sorry for myself, too, just now.

“谢谢！不过你也得同情同情我呀。

My good dinner is spoiled. I have no more wood for the fire, and the lamb is only half cooked.

因为你看，我的晚餐毁了。我的羊羔肉才半熟，木柴却没有了。

Never mind! In your place I'll burn some other Marionette. Hey there! Officers!"

算了！站在你的立场上我会烧另一个木偶来代替。喂，守卫的！”

At the call, two wooden officers appeared, long and thin as a yard of rope, with queer hats on their heads and swords in their hands.

一声命今，马上来了两个木头守卫，他们又高又瘦，就像院子里的绳子一样，头戴奇怪的帽子，手里握着剑。

Fire Eater yelled at them in a hoarse voice:

木偶戏班班主用嘶哑的声音地对他们喊道：

"Take Harlequin, tie him, and throw him on the fire. I want my lamb well done!"

“给我把这个花衣小丑抓住，捆得牢牢的，扔到火里去，我要让我这只羊烤得香香的！”

Think how poor Harlequin felt! He was so scared that his legs doubled up under him and he fell to the floor.

诸位想象一下这个可怜的花衣小丑吧！他吓得两条腿一弯，跪在了地上。