《惠廷顿和他的猫》

在著名的爱德华三世国王统治时期，有一个名叫迪克·惠廷顿的小男孩，他的父母在他很小的时候就去世了。

In the reign of the famous King Edward III. there was a little boy called Dick Whittington, whose father and mother died when he was very young.

因为可怜的迪克年纪太小，还不能干活，所以日子过得很苦；他午饭吃得很少，早饭有时甚至什么都吃不上；因为住在村子里的人确实非常穷，除了土豆皮，偶尔还有一块硬面包皮之外，实在拿不出更多的东西给他了。

As poor Dick was not old enough to work, he was very badly off; he got but little for his dinner, and sometimes nothing at all for his breakfast; for the people who lived in the village were very poor indeed, and could not spare him much more than the parings of potatoes, and now and then a hard crust of bread.

这时迪克听说了许多关于伦敦这座大城市的奇事；因为当时的乡下人以为，伦敦城里全都是体面的绅士和女士；那里整天都有人唱歌奏乐；而且街上全是用金子铺成的。

Now Dick had heard a great many very strange things about the great city called London; for the country people at that time thought that folks in London were all fine gentlemen and ladies; and that there was singing and music there all day long; and that the streets were all paved with gold.

一天，迪克正站在路标旁，一辆套着八匹马的大马车穿过了村子，每匹马的头上都系着铃铛。

One day a large waggon and eight horses, all with bells at their heads, drove through the village while Dick was standing by the sign-post.

他心想，这辆大马车一定是去美丽的伦敦城；于是他鼓起勇气，请赶车人让他跟着大马车一起走。

He thought that this waggon must be going to the fine town of London; so he took courage, and asked the waggoner to let him walk with him by the side of the waggon.

赶车人一听说可怜的迪克没有父母，又从他破旧的衣服看出他的处境不可能再坏了，就告诉他如果愿意就可以一起去，于是他们就一起出发了。

As soon as the waggoner heard that poor Dick had no father or mother, and saw by his ragged clothes that he could not be worse off than he was, he told him he might go if he would, so off they set together.

迪克平安到达了伦敦，他急着去看那些全用金子铺成的漂亮街道，甚至都没停下来向好心的赶车人道谢；他迈开双腿飞快地跑过许多街道，每时每刻都以为马上就能走到那些铺满金子的街上；因为迪克在自己的小村子里见过三次几尼金币，记得它能换很多很多零钱；所以他觉得只要自己从路面上捡起几块碎石头，就能得到想要多少就有多少的钱了。

So Dick got safe to London, and was in such a hurry to see the fine streets paved all over with gold, that he did not even stay to thank the kind waggoner; but ran off as fast as his legs would carry him, through many of the streets, thinking every moment to come to those that were paved with gold; for Dick had seen a guinea three times in his own little village, and remembered what a deal of money it brought in change; so he thought he had nothing to do but to take up some little bits of the pavement, and should then have as much money as he could wish for.

可怜的迪克跑得精疲力竭，完全忘记了他的朋友赶车人；可是最后，他发现天色暗了下来，无论走到哪里，看到的都只有泥土而不是金子，于是他坐在一处阴暗的角落里，哭着哭着睡着了。

Poor Dick ran till he was tired, and had quite forgot his friend the waggoner; but at last, finding it grow dark, and that every way he turned he saw nothing but dirt instead of gold, he, sat down in a dark corner and cried himself to sleep.

小迪克在街头过了一整夜；第二天早晨，他肚子很饿，就爬起来到处走，向遇到的每个人讨半便士，免得自己饿死；可是没有人停下来搭理他，只有两三个人给了他半便士；由于缺少食物，这个可怜的男孩很快就变得虚弱无力，头晕目眩。

Little Dick was all night in the streets; and next morning, being very hungry, he got up and walked about, and asked everybody he met to give him a halfpenny to keep him from starving; but nobody stayed to answer him, and only two or three gave him a halfpenny; so that the poor boy was soon quite weak and faint for the want of victuals.

在困境中，他向几个人乞讨，其中一个人生气地说：“快去干活，你这个懒汉。”迪克说：“我愿意去，只要您让我去，我就为您干活。”可是那个人只是骂了他一句，就走开了。

In this distress he asked charity of several people, and one of them said crossly: “Go to work, for an idle rogue.” “That I will,” says Dick, “I will to go work for you, if you will let me.” But the man only cursed at him and went on.

最后，一位面容和善的绅士看到了他那饥饿的样子。“孩子，你为什么不去干活呢？”他对迪克说。迪克回答说：“我很想去，可我不知道怎么才能找到活干。”

At last a good-natured looking gentleman saw how hungry he looked. “Why don’t you go to work my lad?” said he to Dick. “That I would, but I do not know how to get any,” answered Dick.

“如果你愿意，就跟我来吧。”绅士说，并把他带到了一片干草地。在那里，迪克手脚麻利地干活，在晒好干草之前一直过得很开心。

“If you are willing, come along with me,” said the gentleman, and took him to a hay-field, where Dick worked briskly, and lived merrily till the hay was made.

这件事之后，他发现自己的处境又和以前一样糟糕了；他又快要饿死了，便倒在了一位名叫菲茨沃伦的富商门前。

After this he found himself as badly off as before; and being almost starved again, he laid himself down at the door of Mr. Fitzwarren, a rich merchant.

没过多久，厨娘就看见了他。这个厨娘脾气很坏，正忙着为主妇和主人做晚饭；于是她冲着可怜的迪克喊道：“你在这里干什么，你这个懒骨头？

Here he was soon seen by the cook-maid, who was an ill-tempered creature, and happened just then to be very busy dressing dinner for her master and mistress; so she called out to poor Dick: “What business have you there, you lazy rogue?