Indeed, a jolly little clown came walking toward them, and Dorothy could see that in spite of his pretty clothes of red and yellow and green he was completely covered with cracks, running every which way and showing plainly that he had been mended in many places.
的确,一个轻松愉快的小丑,向他们走来了,尽管他的红色、黄色和绿色的衣服非常美丽,多萝茜能够看出他身上的裂痕,每跑一步路,都可以显出他有好多地方是修补过的了。
The Clown put his hands in his pockets, and after puffing out his cheeks and nodding his head at them saucily, he said:
小丑把他的手插在衣袋里,鼓起了他微红的脸颊,顽此地向他们点头致意。他唱道:
"My lady fair, Why do you stare At poor old Mr. Joker?
“我那可笑的美人儿,你为什么看着可怜的老乔克先生发呆?
You're quite as stiff And prim as if You'd eaten up a poker!"
你这样僵硬而呆板,就像吞下了一根拨火棒!”
"Be quiet, sir!" said the Princess. "Can't you see these are strangers, and should be treated with respect?"
“先生,安静一些!”公主说;“你应当看见了他们是陌生的客人么,应当恭敬的接待他们!”
"Well, that's respect, I expect," declared the Clown, and immediately stood upon his head.
“不错,不过我希望这也是礼貌,”小丑解释道,立刻用头倒立在地上。
"Don't mind Mr. Joker," said the Princess to Dorothy. "He is considerably cracked in his head, and that makes him foolish."
“请不要介意这位乔克先生,”公主对多萝茜说:“他的头上有非常大的裂缝,这就使得他愚蠢了。”
"Oh, I don't mind him a bit," said Dorothy. "But you are so beautiful," she continued, "that I am sure I could love you dearly.
“呵,我一点儿也不介意他,”多萝茜说。“但是你是这么样的美丽,”她继续说,“我非常喜欢你,
Won't you let me carry you back to Kansas, and stand you on Aunt Em's mantel? I could carry you in my basket."
你愿意让我把你带到堪萨斯州去,让你让在爱姆婶婶的壁炉上的石架上面吗?我可以用我的篮子带走你的。”
"That would make me very unhappy," answered the china Princess.
“我会非常不愉快,”瓷公主回答说。
"You see, here in our country we live contentedly, and can talk and move around as we please.
“你要知道,这里是我们的国土,我们无忧无虑地居住着,要谈天,要在四处活动,随我们的便。
But whenever any of us are taken away our joints at once stiffen, and we can only stand straight and look pretty.
但是在我们中间不论谁被拿走了,我们的关节就会僵硬了,只能够一动不动地站着,供人们赏玩罢了。
Of course that is all that is expected of us when we are on mantels and cabinets and drawing-room tables, but our lives are much pleasanter here in our own country."
当然,人们希望我们站在炉架上和橱柜里,或是站在图书室的桌子上,却不知道我们住在自己的国土上,会觉得更加快乐呢。”
"I would not make you unhappy for all the world!" exclaimed Dorothy.
多萝茜急忙说:“不管怎么样,我还是希望你能快乐!
"So I'll just say good-bye."
所以我只好说声再会了。”
"Good-bye," replied the Princess.
“再会,”公主回答说。
They walked carefully through the china country.
他们小心翼翼地走过这个瓷器国。
The little animals and all the people scampered out of their way, fearing the strangers would break them,
那些小动物们和所有的瓷人,都在从路上逃开,他们都害怕这些陌生的人,会踏碎他们。
and after an hour or so the travelers reached the other side of the country and came to another china wall.
过了一个钟头,这些旅行者就走到了这个国度的另一面边界上,遇到了另一座瓷墙。
It was not so high as the first, however, and by standing upon the Lion's back they all managed to scramble to the top.
这一座却没有前面那一座高,只要站在狮子的背上,他们就都爬上了墙顶。
Then the Lion gathered his legs under him and jumped on the wall; but just as he jumped, he upset a china church with his tail and smashed it all to pieces.
最后狮子并紧了它的前腿,蹲下了身子,跃过了墙;不幸的是,它跃起时,尾巴带倒了一座瓷做的教堂,教堂变得粉碎。
"That was too bad," said Dorothy,
“这太糟糕了,”多萝茜说,
"but really I think we were lucky in not doing these little people more harm than breaking a cow's leg and a church. They are all so brittle!"
“但是我想我们还算运气,只弄碎了一条牛的腿和一座教堂,没有损伤更多的小百姓们。他们都是这么脆弱的!”
"They are, indeed," said the Scarecrow,
“真的,他们怎么会是这个样子,”稻草人说,
"and I am thankful I am made of straw and cannot be easily damaged. There are worse things in the world than being a Scarecrow."
“我要感谢,我是用稻草做成的,不像瓷器那样易碎。但在这个世界上,竟还有比一个稻草人更脆弱的东西。”