第64章 幸福的家庭 The Happy Family (第2/7页)

the two last venerable old snails.

它们自己都不知道自己有多大年纪了，但它们清楚地记得曾经有过很多同类；它们来自异国他乡的一个家族，这片整片森林都是为它们以及它们的同类而种的。

they themselves knew not how old they were, but they could remember very well that there had been many more; that they were of a family from foreign lands, and that for them and theirs the whole forest was planted.

它们从来没出过这片林子，但它们知道世界上还有别的东西，有一种叫庄园的地方，在那儿它们会被煮熟，然后变黑，接着被放在银盘子里；但再往后会发生什么它们就不知道了；或者说，实际上被煮熟然后放在银盘子里到底是怎么回事，它们根本想象不出来；但据说那是很美妙的，而且特别高雅。

they had never been outside it, but they knew that there was still something more in the world, which was called the manor-house, and that there they were boiled, and then they became black, and were then placed on a silver dish; but what happened further they knew not; or, in fact, what it was to be boiled, and to lie on a silver dish, they could not possibly imagine; but it was said to be delightful, and particularly genteel.

它们问过金龟子、蟾蜍和蚯蚓，可它们谁也没法给它们提供任何信息 —— 它们当中没有一个被煮过或者被放在银盘子里过。

Neither the chafers, the toads, nor the earth-worms, whom they asked about it could give them any information, — none of them had been boiled or laid on a silver dish.

这两只老白蜗牛觉得自己是世界上第一批有身份的家伙；这片森林是为它们种的，那个庄园存在也是为了能把它们煮熟然后放在银盘子里。

the old white snails were the first persons of distinction in the world, that they knew; the forest was planted for their sake, and the manor-house was there that they might be boiled and laid on a silver dish.

现在它们过着非常孤独却又幸福的生活；由于它们自己没有孩子，就收养了一只普通的小蜗牛，把它当作亲生的来抚养；