约翰王和修道院院长

一、三个问题

I. THE THREE QUESTIONS.

从前，英国有一位国王叫约翰。他是个坏国王；因为他对人民很严苛、很残忍，只要能顺着自己的心意，他才不管别人怎么样呢。他是英国有史以来最坏的国王。

There was once a king of England whose name was John. He was a bad king; for he was harsh and cruel to his people, and so long as he could have his own way, he did not care what became of other folks. He was the worst king that England ever had.

那时，在坎特伯雷镇上，住着一位富有的老院长。他住在一座叫作“大修道院”的大宅子里，生活非常豪华。

Now, there was in the town of Canterbury a rich old abbot who lived in grand style in a great house called the Abbey.

每天有一百位贵族和他一起吃饭；还有五十位勇敢的骑士，穿着漂亮的丝绒外衣，戴着金项链，在餐桌旁侍候他。

Every day a hundred noble men sat down with him to dine; and fifty brave knights, in fine velvet coats and gold chains, waited upon him at his table.

约翰王听说院长过得这样排场，就决定要管一管。于是，他派人去把这位老人叫来见他。

When King John heard of the way in which the abbot lived, he made up his mind to put a stop to it. So he sent for the old man to come and see him.

“你好啊，我的好院长？”国王说，“我听说你家过得比我家好多了。你怎么敢做这种事？难道你不知道，这片土地上没有人应该比国王生活得更好吗？我告诉你，谁也别想！”

“How now, my good abbot?” he said. “I hear that you keep a far better house than I. How dare you do such a thing? Don’t you know that no man in the land ought to live better than the king? And I tell you that no man shall.”

“国王啊！”院长说，“我斗胆跟您说一句，我花的全是我自己的钱。我只是想让我的朋友和跟随我的勇敢骑士们过得舒坦一点，希望您不要责怪我。”

“O king!” said the abbot, “I beg to say that I am spending nothing but what is my own. I hope that you will not think ill of me for making things pleasant for my friends and the brave knights who are with me.”

“不责怪你？”国王说，“我怎么能不怪你呢？这片辽阔土地上的一切，按理说都是我的；你怎么敢过得比我还豪华，让我丢面子？

“Think ill of you?” said the king. “How can I help but think ill of you? All that there is in this broad land is mine by right; and how do you dare to put me to shame by living in grander style than I?

别人看了，还以为你想取代我当国王呢。”

One would think that you were trying to be king in my place.”

“啊，您可千万别这么说！”院长说，“因为我——”

“Oh, do not say so!” said the abbot “For I”—

“别再说了！”国王大声喊道，“你的罪过明摆着呢。除非你能回答我三个问题，否则你的头就要被砍掉，你所有的家产也都会归我。”

“Not another word!” cried the king. “Your fault is plain, and unless you can answer me three questions, your head shall be cut off, and all your riches shall be mine.”

“国王啊，我会尽力回答的！”院长说。

“I will try to answer them, O king!” said the abbot.

“那好，”约翰王说，“现在我正戴着金王冠坐在这里，你必须准确告诉我，我到底还能活多久，一天都不能差。

“Well, then,” said King John, “as I sit here with my crown of gold on my head, you must tell me to within a day just how long I shall live.

第二，你必须告诉我，我骑马走遍全世界要多久；最后，你要告诉我，我现在心里在想什么。”

Secondly, you must tell me how soon I shall ride round the whole world; and lastly, you shall tell me what I think.”