精灵鼠小弟 第21期:鼠小弟乘公交
斯图亚特从不需付车费，因为他还太小，坐车不必付一角硬币。
The only time he had ever attempted to carry a dime, he had rolled the coin along like ahoop while he raced along beside it;
只有一次，他才试过付一角钱。他把那角硬币像轮子一样在边上滚着的时候，
but it had got away from him on a hill and had been snatched up by an old woman with no teeth.
突然那硬币滚到一个小坡上，被一个没牙的老太太捡去了。
After that experience Stuart contented himself with the tiny coins which his father made for him out of tin foil.
有了那一次的经验后，他让他父亲给了他做了一些特制的小硬币，并把它们用锡纸包了起来。
They were handsome little things, although rather hard to see without putting on your spectacles.
它们因此变成了漂亮的小东西，虽然如果不戴眼睛你就很难看到。
When the conductor came around to collect the fares, Stuart fished in his purse and pulled out a coin no bigger than the eye of a grasshopper.
当售票员来收车费时，斯图亚特就从他的锡纸钱袋里拿出一枚他那没有蚂蚱眼睛大的硬币来。
"What's that you're offering me?" asked the conductor.
“你给我的是什么?”售票员问。
"It's one of my dimes," said Stuart.
“这是我的一角硬币，”斯图亚特说。
"Is it, now?" said the conductor.
“这是什么?”售票员说。
Well, I'd have a fine time explaining that to the bus company.
好吧，我会向汽车公司很好的解释的。
Why, you're no bigger than a dime yourself.
可你为什么要付钱呢，你并不比一角硬币高多少。
"Yes I am," replied Stuart angrily.
“不对，”斯图亚特生气地回答。
I'm more than twice as big as a dime.
我比一角硬币高两倍呢。
A dime only comes up to here on me.
一角硬币只到我这里。
And Stuart pointed to his hip.
斯图亚特指指他的屁股。
"Furthermore," he added, "I didn't come on this bus to be insulted."
“此外，”他继续说，“我也不想在这汽车上受侮辱。”
"I beg pardon," said the conductor.
“请原谅，”售票员说。
You'll have to forgive me, for I had no idea that in all the world there was such a small sailor.
请你原谅我，因为我从不知道这世界上还有你这么小的水手哩。
"Live and learn," muttered Stuart, tartly, putting his change purse back in his pocket.
“活到老学到老，”斯图亚特尖刻地嘀咕着，把他的零钱放进了口袋。
