绿野仙踪 第115期:奥芝的秘密(8)

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"No more than in any other city," replied Oz; "but when you wear green spectacles¹, why of course everything you see looks green to you.  “不，它和其它任何城市一样，”奥芝回答说；“因为欠们戴上绿眼镜，你们看起来，每一种东西当然都绿的了。

The Emerald City was built a great many years ago, for I was a young man when the balloon brought me here, and I am a very old man now.  这翡翠城是在很多年以前建的，因为当轻气球把我带到这里时，我还很年轻，现在我是很老了。

But my people have worn green glasses on their eyes so long that most of them think it really is an Emerald City,  但是我的人民，在他们的眼眼上一直戴着绿眼镜，因此他们大多数人都认为，这真是一个翡翠城，

and it certainly is a beautiful place, abounding² in jewels and precious metals,  理所当然也是一个美好的地方，拥有宝石和珍贵的金属，

every good thing that is needed to make one happy.  还有很多好东西可用，每个人都感到很幸福。

I have been good to the people, and they like me; but ever since this Palace was built,  我善待百姓，他们也喜欢我；但是自从筑成这个宫殿以后，

I have shut myself up and would not see any of them. 我就一直待在宫里，与外界隔绝了。

"One of my greatest fears was the Witches, for while I had no magical powers at all I soon found out that the Witches were really able to do wonderful things.  “那些女巫们是我最大的忧患，因为那时候，我还根本没有魔术的能力，我立刻知道那些女巫们都是具有神奇的魔力。

There were four of them in this country, and they ruled the people who live in the North and South and East and West. 有四个女巫在这个国土上，她们管理着百姓，住在北方和南方，以及东方和西方。

Fortunately, the Witches of the North and South were good,  幸运的是，住在北方和南方的是善良的女巫，

and I knew they would do me no harm;  我知道她们不会伤害我；

but the Witches of the East and West were terribly wicked³,  但是住在东方和西方的女巫，却是异常凶残，

and had they not thought I was more powerful than they themselves, they would surely have destroyed me.  如果她们知道我根本不具有魔力，她们必然会来杀死我。

As it was, I lived in deadly fear of them for many years;  真的很久以来，我一直非常害怕她们；

so you can imagine how pleased I was when I heard your house had fallen on the Wicked Witch of the East.  所以你们可以理解，当我听说你的屋子，掉在东方坏女巫的身上，把她压死时，我是多么快活。

When you came to me, I was willing to promise anything if you would only do away with the other Witch;  当你们来到我这里，我愿意答应任何条件，只要你们愿意去消灭另外一个坏女巫；

but, now that you have melted her, I am ashamed to say that I cannot keep my promises." 现在你溶化了她，但是，只能请你们原谅，我根本不能实践我的诺言。”

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