AChristmasCarol圣诞颂歌CHAPTER2.pdf

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1、A Christmas Carol 圣诞颂歌 CHAPTER 2 An Uncharitable Man 第二章 一个无情的人 Almost immediately after Scrooges nephew left,two other people came in.They were large,good-looking men who,with their hats off,went into Scrooges office.They had papers in their hands.”Scrooge and Marleys,I believe,”said one of the men

2、.“Am I speaking to Mr.Scrooge or Mr.Marley?”斯克罗吉的侄子刚一走，另外两个人就进来了。他们都是身材高大、相貌英俊的男人，脱帽走进了斯克罗吉的办公室。他们手里拿着文件。”我想是斯克罗吉和马利的酒吧。”其中一个人说。“你是斯克罗吉先生还是马利先生?”“Mr.Marley died seven years ago,this very night,”Scrooge replied.“先生。“马利七年前的今天晚上死了，”斯克罗吉回答说。“Then we are sure you will be as generous as he was,”said one o

3、f the gentlemen,handing Scrooge his name card.“At this time of the year,it is usual for people to give generously to the poor.Thousands of people,Mr.Scrooge,do not have enough food or warm clothing.Many have no homes.”“那么我们相信你会像他一样慷慨的，”其中一位绅士说着把名片递给了斯克罗吉。“每年的这个时候，人们通常都会向穷人慷慨解囊。斯克罗吉先生，成千上万的人没有足够的食物和暖

4、和的衣服。许多人无家可归。”“Are there no prisons?”asked Scrooge.“没有监狱吗?”斯克罗吉问。“Plenty of prisons,”said the man.“有很多监狱。”那人说。“And are there no workhouses?”demanded Scrooge.“Places where the poor can work for their bread?”“难道没有济贫院吗?”要求斯克罗吉。“穷人可以为他们的面包工作的地方?”“Yes,there are,”replied the man,“I wish I could say they w

5、ere not needed.”“是的，有，”那人回答，“我希望我能说它们不需要。”“I was afraid,from what you said at first,that something had happened to them,”said Scrooge.“Im very glad to hear that there are still such places.”“听你一开始说的，我很担心他们发生了什么事，”斯克罗吉说。“我很高兴听到还有这样的地方。”“They are not happy places for the poor to be,”the man said.“Some

6、 of us are collecting money to buy good food and clothes for these people.We are doing this now because it is at Christmas time that the poor are so unhappy.They see that they do not have what most other people have.How much will you give,Mr.Scrooge?”“对穷人来说，这不是快乐的地方，”那人说。“我们中的一些人正在筹集资金，为这些人买好的食物和衣服。

7、我们现在这样做是因为在圣诞节期间，穷人是如此不快乐。他们看到自己没有大多数人拥有的东西。你能给多少钱，斯克罗吉先生?”“Nothing!”Scrooge replied.“没什么!”斯克罗吉回答。“You wish to give secretly?”“你想偷偷地给吗?”“I wish to be left alone,”said Scrooge.“That is my answer.I dont enjoy Christmas,and I cant afford to make other people happy.I give some money to pay for prisons a

8、nd workhouses,and that is enough.”“我想一个人呆着，”斯克罗吉说。这就是我的回答。我不喜欢圣诞节，我也没钱让别人快乐。我给一些钱付监狱和济贫院的钱，这就够了。”“Many would rather die than go to such places.”“许多人宁愿死也不愿去这些地方。”“If they would rather die,”said Scrooge,“they had better do it.We have too many people already.Their problems are not my business.Its enoug

9、h for a man to understand his own business and not have to spend time with other peoples.Good afternoon,gentlemen!”“如果他们宁愿死，”斯克罗吉说，“他们最好这样做。我们已经有太多的人了。他们的问题与我无关。一个人能了解自己的事就够了，不必花时间在别人的事上。下午好,先生们!”Knowing that it would be useless to argue,the men left,and Scrooge got on with his work.知道争辩是无用的，人们就离开了。

10、斯克罗吉继续干他的工作。Outside,the fog and darkness thickened.It became even colder.In the street,workmen had lit a great fire in a metal basket around which poor men and boys were warming their hands.The shops were full of holly and berries,and they were doing good business as people bought everything they ne

11、eded for the Christmas holiday.A child came to the door of Scrooges office and began to sing a Christmas carol,but at the first sound of“God bless you,merry gentleman!May nothing you dismay!”Scrooge picked up a stick and shook it at the child who quickly ran off.外面，雾越来越浓，夜色越来越浓。天气变得更冷了。在街上，工人们在一个金属篮

12、子里生了一大堆火，穷苦的男人和孩子们围着它取暖。商店里摆满了冬青和浆果，人们购买圣诞节所需的一切物品，生意兴隆。一个孩子走到斯克罗吉的办公室门口开始唱圣诞颂歌，但听到的第一个声音是“上帝保佑你，快乐的先生!”但愿不会让你沮丧!”斯克罗吉捡起一根棍子朝孩子摇了摇，孩子很快就跑掉了。When the time came for Scrooge to close his office for the day,he said to his clerk,“Youll want a holiday all day tomorrow,I suppose?”当斯克罗吉要关闭一天的办公室时，他对职员说:“我猜你

13、想明天一天都放假?”“If that is convenient,sir.”“如果方便的话，先生。”“Its not convenient,”said Scrooge,“and its not fair.If I were to take money from your wages for it,youd think yourself ill used.But you dont think me ill-used,when I pay a days wages for no work.”“这不方便，”斯克罗吉说，“也不公平。如果我为此从你的工钱里拿钱，你会认为自己被滥用了。我付了一天的工资却没

14、有干活，你不会认为我受到了虐待吧?”The clerk said that Christmas Day was only once a year.店员说圣诞节一年只有一次。“A poor excuse,”said Scrooge.“But I suppose you must have the whole day.Be here all the earlier the next morning.The clerk promised that he would,and Scrooge walked out.The clerk ran home as fast as he could to play with his son.“一个可怜的借口。”斯克罗吉说。“但我想你必须有一整天的时间。第二天早上早点来。职员答应了他会的，斯克罗吉便走了出去。这个职员以最快的速度跑回家去和他的儿子玩。