2015英语专八翻译英译汉练习:慈禧与猴

【原文】

In the following year, a formal peace pact was signed. About amonth later, Cixi left Xi’an at last. She was utterly fearful offoreigners just as she was extremely arro-gant toward her owncountrymen. She stopped far a long time in Henan and halted inBaoding for quite a few days before finally arriving in Beijing.According to unofficial accounts，an amusing episode tookplace during this long and drawn out journey. When a local official offered a monkey to her as agift，she was so pleased that she ordered a yellow mandarin jacket to be conferred upon themonkey.later, a eunuch heard some officials complaining that people were considered less worthythan a monkey and went to inform Cixi，who realized that her order had been indeed a little toowhimsical. So she issued another edict granting each of the escorting officials a yellow mandarinjacket. Upon the receipt of such an unusual favor the officials did not know whether they shouldthank Cixi or rather the monkey for it.

【译文】

第二年正式签署和约，随后过了一个月慈禧才终于从西安动身。她对外国人万分惧怕，正像她对国人无比傲慢一样。她在河南停留了很长一段时间，到了保定又逗留多日，好不容易才回到北京。据野史记载，在这漫长的旅途中还发生了一件趣事。一位地方官员送给慈禧一只猴子，她颇为高兴，竟下旨给那只猴子穿黄马褂。后来太监报告说，有的官员发出了“人不如猴”的感慨，慈禧这才发现自己的决定有些荒唐，于是又下旨给随行官员每人一件黄马褂。得到这殊荣之后，大家真不知道该感谢慈禧还是感谢那只猴子。