美国语文第六册 第184期:占卜者(2)
“我倒想知道，”哈特里说，“你能告诉我什么。
Your trade must be an entertaining one; sit down on this stone, and let me know something of your profession;
想必你说的话只不过博别人一乐而已。请坐在这块石头上，跟我讲讲其中的门道。
I have often thought of turning fortune teller for a week or two, myself."
我经常设想自己能做一两个星期的占卜者呢。”
"Master," replied the beggar, "I like your frankness much, for I had the humor of plain dealing in me from a child;
“先生，”乞丐答道，“我非常喜欢你的坦诚，因为从孩提时代开始，我就刻意培养自己的幽默感;
but there is no doing with it in this world,—we must do as we can; and lying is, as you call it, my profession.
但是，这个世界上真的没有幽默的窍门——我们必须竭尽全力;正如你所说的，撒谎是我的职业。
But I was in some sort forced to the trade, for I once dealt in telling the truth.
但是，在某种程度上我是被迫这样的。因为，我也曾经一句谎话不说。
I was a laborer, sir, and gained as much as to make me live.
我是个工人，挣的钱足够我生活。
I never laid by, indeed, for I was reckoned a piece of a wag, and your wags, I take it, are seldom rich, Mr. Harley."
确实，绝对不会没人理我，因为人们都把我当作爱说笑打趣的人了。而你呢，哈特利先生，我认为缺少幽默感。”
"So," said Harley, "you seem to know me."
“如此说来，”哈特利说，“你似乎很了解我啊。”
"Ay, there are few folks in the country that I don't know something of. How should I tell fortunes else?"
“哎，在这个国家里我不了解的人还不多呢。除了占卜财运，我还能说些什么呢?”
"True,—but go on with your story; you were a laborer, you say, and a wag;
“这是大实话——请接着讲你的故事吧，你说过，你是做工的，是个爱说笑打趣的人;
your industry, I suppose, you left with your old trade; but your humor you preserved to be of use to you in your new."
我猜想，你的勤奋都留给以前的工作了;不过，你的幽默感肯定能在做新工作时用上。”
"What signifies sadness, sir? A man grows lean on 't.
“忧伤指的是什么，先生?一个人在成长的过程中离不开忧伤。
But I was brought to my idleness by degrees; sickness first disabled me, and it went against my stomach to work, ever after.
但是，我的懒惰是逐渐养成的。首先，疾病使我丧失了继续工作的能力，从此我的胃老有毛病。
