第62章 老路灯 The Old Street Lamp (第1/15页)

《老路灯》，1847 年

the old Street Lamp, 1847

你听说过那盏老路灯的故事吗？

did you ever hear the story of the old street lamp?

它并不是特别有趣，但偶尔你不妨也听听看。

It is not remarkably interesting, but for once in a way you may as well listen to it.

它是一盏非常可敬的老路灯，已经服役了很多很多年，现在就要领退休金退休了。

It was a most respectable old lamp, which had seen many, many years of service, and now was to retire with a pension.

就在今晚，它最后一次坚守岗位，为街道照明。

It was this evening at its post for the last time, giving light to the street.

它的心情有点像剧院里一位老舞蹈演员的心情，这位演员正在跳最后一支舞，并且知道明天自己就会待在阁楼里，孤独又被人遗忘。

his feelings were something like those of an old dancer at the theatre, who is dancing for the last time, and knows that on the morrow she will be in her garret, alone and forgotten.

这盏路灯对第二天非常担忧，因为它知道自己得第一次到市政厅去，接受市长和市议会的检查，他们要决定它是否还适合继续服役；—— 也就是这盏路灯是否好到足以用来为郊区居民照明，或者在乡下某个工厂照明；如果不行，它就会立刻被送到一家铸铁厂去熔化掉。

the lamp had very great anxiety about the next day, for he knew that he had to appear for the first time at the town hall, to be inspected by the mayor and the council, who were to decide if he were fit for further service or not; — whether the lamp was good enough to be used to light the inhabitants of one of the suburbs, or in the country, at some factory; and if not, it would be taken at once to an iron foundry, to be melted down.

要是后一种情况发生，它可能会被变成任何东西，它非常想知道到时候自己是否还能记得曾经是一盏路灯，这让它极为苦恼。

In this latter case it might be turned into anything, and he wonde