TheRockingHorseWinner原文+译文.docx

TheRockingHorseWinner原文+译文.docx

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TheRockingHorseWinner原文+译文

TheRocking-HorseWinner

  Therewasawomanwhowasbeautiful,whostartedwithalltheadvantages,yetshehadnoluck.Shemarriedforlove,andtheloveturnedtodust.Shehadbonnychildren,yetshefelttheyhadbeenthrustuponher,andshecouldnotlovethem.Theylookedathercoldly,asiftheywerefindingfaultwithher.Andhurriedlyshefeltshemustcoverupsomefaultinherself.Yetwhatitwasthatshemustcoverupsheneverknew.Nevertheless,whenherchildrenwerepresent,shealwaysfeltthecenterofherheartgohard.Thistroubledher,andinhermannershewasallthemoregentleandanxiousforherchildren,asifshelovedthemverymuch.Onlysheherselfknewthatatthecenterofherheartwasahardlittleplacethatcouldnotfeellove,no,notforanybody.Everybodyelsesaidofher:

"Sheissuchagoodmother.Sheadoresherchildren."Onlysheherself,andherchildrenthemselves,knewitwasnotso.Theyreaditineachother'seyes.Therewereaboyandtwolittlegirls.Theylivedinapleasanthouse,withagarden,andtheyhaddiscreetservants,andfeltthemselvessuperiortoanyoneintheneighborhood.Althoughtheylivedinstyle,theyfeltalwaysananxietyinthehouse.Therewasneverenoughmoney.Themotherhadasmallincome,andthefatherhadasmallincome,butnotnearlyenoughforthesocialpositionwhichtheyhadtokeepup.Thefatherwentintotowntosomeoffice.Butthoughhehadgoodprospects,theseprospectsnevermaterialized.Therewasalwaysthegrindingsenseoftheshortageofmoney,thoughthestylewasalwayskeptup.Atlastthemothersaid:

"IwillseeifIcan'tmakesomething."Butshedidnotknowwheretobegin.Sherackedherbrains,andtriedthisthingandtheother,butcouldnotfindanythingsuccessful.Thefailuremadedeeplinescomeintoherface.Herchildrenweregrowingup,theywouldhavetogotoschool.Theremustbemoremoney,theremustbemoremoney.Thefather,whowasalwaysveryhandsomeandexpensiveinhistastes,seemedasifheneverwouldbeabletodoanythingworthdoing.Andthemother,whohadagreatbeliefinherself,didnotsucceedanybetter,andhertasteswerejustasexpensive.Andsothehousecametobehauntedbytheunspokenphrase:

Theremustbemoremoney!

Theremustbemoremoney!

Thechildrencouldhearitallthetime,thoughnobodysaiditaloud.TheyhearditatChristmas,whentheexpensiveandsplendidtoysfilledthenursery.Behindtheshiningmodernrocking-horse,behindthesmartdoll'shouse,avoicewouldstartwhispering:

"Theremustbemoremoney!

Theremustbemoremoney!

"Andthechildrenwouldstopplaying,tolistenforamoment.Theywouldlookintoeachother'seyes,toseeiftheyhadallheard.Andeachonesawintheeyesoftheothertwothattheytoohadheard."Theremustbemoremoney!

Theremustbemoremoney!

"Itcamewhisperingfromthespringsofthestill-swayingrocking-horse,andeventhehorse,bendinghiswooden,champinghead,heardit.Thebigdoll,sittingsopinkandsmirkinginhernewpram,couldhearitquiteplainly,andseemedtobesmirkingallthemoreself-consciouslybecauseofit.Thefoolishpuppy,too,thattooktheplaceoftheteddy-bear,hewaslookingsoextraordinarilyfoolishfornootherreasonbutthatheheardthesecretwhisperalloverthehouse:

"Theremustbemoremoney!

"Yetnobodyeversaiditaloud.Thewhisperwaseverywhere,andthereforenoonespokeit.Justasnooneeversays:

"Wearebreathing!

"inspiteofthefactthatbreathiscomingandgoingallthetime."Mother,"saidtheboyPauloneday,"whydon'twekeepacarofourownWhydowealwaysuseuncle's,orelseataxi""Becausewe'rethepoormembersofthefamily,"saidthemother."Butwhyarewe,mother""Well--Isuppose,"shesaidslowlyandbitterly,"it'sbecauseyourfatherhasnoluck."Theboywassilentforsometime.

"Isluckmoney,mother"heaskedrathertimidly."No,Paul.Notquite.It'swhatcausesyoutohavemoney.""Oh!

"saidPaulvaguely."IthoughtwhenUncleOscarsaidfilthylucker,itmeantmoney.""Filthylucredoesmeanmoney,"saidthemother."Butit'slucre,notluck.""Oh!

"saidPaulvaguely."Thenwhatisluck,mother""It'swhatcausesyoutohavemoney.Ifyou'reluckyyouhavemoney.That'swhyit'sbettertobebornluckythanrich.Ifyou'rerich,youmayloseyourmoney.Butifyou'relucky,youwillalwaysgetmoremoney.""Oh!

WillyouAndisfathernotlucky""Veryunlucky,Ishouldsay,"shesaidbitterly.Theboywatchedherwithunsureeyes."Why"heasked."Idon'tknow.Nobodyeverknowwhyonepersonisluckyandanotherunlucky.""Don'ttheyNobodyatallDoesnobodyknow""PerhapsGod.ButHenevertells.""Heoughtto,then.Andaren'tyouluckyeither,mother""Ican'tbe,ifImarriedanunluckyhusband.""Butbyyourself,aren'tyou""IusedtothinkIwas,beforeImarried.NowIthinkIamveryunluckyindeed.""Why""Well--nevermind!

PerhapsI'mnotreally,"shesaid.Thechildlookedather,toseeifshemeantit.Buthesaw,bythelinesofhermouth,thatshewasonlytryingtohidesomethingfromhim."Well,anyhow,"hesaidstoutly,"I'maluckyperson.""Why"saidhismother,withasuddenlaugh.Hestaredather.Hedidn'tevenknowwhyhehadsaidit."Godtoldme,"heasserted,brazeningitout."IhopeHedid,dear!

"shesaid,againwithalaugh,butratherbitter."Hedid,mother!

""Excellent!

"saidthemother,usingoneofherhusband'sexclamations.Theboysawshedidnotbelievehim;or,rather,thatshepaidnoattentiontohisassertion.Thisangeredhimsomewhat,andmadehimwanttocompelherattention.Hewentoffbyhimself,vaguely,inachildishway,seekingfortheclueto"luck."Absorbed,takingnoheedofotherpeople,hewentaboutwithasortofstealth,seekinginwardlyforluck.Hewantedluck,hewantedit,hewantedit.Whenthetwogirlswereplayingdollsinthenursery,hewouldsitonhisbigrocking-horse,chargingmadlyintospace,withafrenzythatmadethelittlegirlspeerathimuneasily.Wildlythehorsecareeredthewavingdarkhairoftheboytossed,hiseyeshadastrangeglareinthem.Thelittlegirlsdarednotspeaktohim.Whenhehadriddentotheendofhismadelittlejourney,heclimbeddownandstoodinfrontofhisrocking-horse,staringfixedlyintoitsloweredface.Itsredmouthwasslightlyopen,itsbigeyewaswideandglassy-bright."Now!

"hewouldsilentlycommandthesnortingsteed."Now,takemetowherethereisluck!

Nowtakeme!

"AndhewouldslashthehorseontheneckwiththelittlewhiphehadaskedUncleOscarfor.Heknewthehorsecouldtakehimtowheretherewasluck,ifonlyheforcedit.Sohewouldmountagain,andstartonhisfuriousride,hopingatlasttogetthere.Heknewhecouldgetthere."You'llbreakyourhorse,Paul!

"saidthenurse."He'salwaysridinglikethat!

Iwishhe'dleaveoff!

"saidhiseldersisterJoan.Butheonlyglareddownontheminsilence.Nursegavehimup.Shecouldmakenothingofhim.Anyhowhewasgrowingbeyondher.OnedayhismotherandhisUncleOscarcameinwhenhewasononeofhisfuriousrides.Hedidnotspeaktothem.

"Hallo,youyoungjockey!

Ridingawinner"saidhisuncle."Aren'tyougrowingtoobigforarocking-horseYou'renotaverylittleboyanylonger,youknow,"saidhismother.ButPaulonlygaveablueglarefromhisbig,ratherclose-seteyes.Hewouldspeaktonobodywhenhewasinfulltilt.Hismotherwatchedhimwithananxiousexpressiononherface.Atlasthesuddenlystoppedforcinghishorseintothemechanicalgallop,andsliddown."Well,Igotthere!

"heannouncedfiercely,hisblueeyesstillflaring,andhissturdylonglegsstraddlingapart."Wheredidyougetto"askedhismother."WhereIwantedtogo,"heflaredbackather."That'sright,son!

"saidUncleOscar."Don'tyoustoptillyougetthere.What'sthehorse'sname""Hedoesn'thaveaname,"saidtheboy."Getsonwithoutallright"askedtheuncle."Well,hehasdifferentnames.HewascalledSansovinolastweek.""Sansovino,ehWontheAscot.Howdidyouknowhisname""Healwaystalksabouthorse-raceswithBassett,"saidJoan.Theunclewasdelightedtofindthathissmallnephewwaspostedwithalltheracingnews.Bassett,theyounggardener,whohadbeenwoundedintheleftfootinthewarandhadgothispresentjobthroughOscarCresswellwhosebatmanhehadbeenwasaperfectbladeofthe"turf".Helivedintheracingevents,andthesmallboylivedwithhim.OscarCresswellgotitallfromBassett."MasterPaulcomesandasksme,soIcan'tdomorethantellhim,sir,"saidBassett,hisfaceterriblyserious,asifhewerespeakingofreligiousmatters."Anddoesheeverputanythingonahorsehefancies""Well--Idon'twanttogivehimaway--he'sayoungsport,afinesport,sir.WouldyoumindaskinghimhimselfHesortoftakesapleasureinit,andperhapshe'dfeelIwasgivinghimaway,sir,ifyoudon'tmind."Bassettwasseriousasachurch.Theunclewentbacktohisnephewandtookhimoffforarideinthecar."Say,Paul,oldman,doyoueverputanythingonahorse"theuncleasked.Theboywatchedthehandsomemanclosely."Why,doyouthinkIoughtn'tto"heparried."Notabitofit.IthoughtperhapsyoumightgivemeatipfortheLincoln."Thecarspedonintothecountry,goingdowntoUncleOscar'splaceinHampshire."Honorbright"saidthenephew."Honorbright,son!

"saidtheuncle."Well,then,Daffodil.""Daffodil!

Idoubtit,sonny.WhataboutMirza""Ionlyknowthewinner,"saidtheboy."That'sDaffodil.""Daffodil,eh"Therewasapause.Daffodilwasanobscurehorsecomparatively."Uncle!

""Yes,son""Youwon'tletitgoanyfurther,willyouIpromisedBassett.""Bassettbedamned,oldman!

What'shegottodowithit""We'repartners.We'vebeenpartnersfromthefirst.Uncle