牛津书虫系列《圣诞欢歌》Chapter1 附中英双语文本

Suddenly they all stopped ringing at the same moment，and then came a strange noise from down below．It sounded like someone pulling heavy chains across the floor．Scrooge remembered hearing that ghosts in old houses sometimes pulled chains behind them．Then a door below opened with a crash，and the noise started coming up the stairs．It was coming towards his door．
突然它们在同一时间都不响了，紧接着从下面传来了一个奇怪的声音，听上去像是有人拖着沉重的链子从地板上走过。斯克罗吉记起曾听说过有时旧房子里的鬼魂身后拖着链子。然后楼下的一间房门当啷一声开了，声音开始朝楼上走来，朝他的房门走来。
‘It's humbug still！’cried Scrooge．But the colour left his face when，without stopping，it came straight through the heavy，locked door，and appeared in front of him．It was Marley's ghost！
“又是骗人的鬼把戏！”斯克罗吉大声说道，但当声音径直地穿过厚厚的被锁着的房门出现在他面前时，他面无血色。这是马利的鬼魂！
Scrooge could see right through its body．Around its middle was a long chain，which had money-boxes，keys，bank books， and heavy purses on it．The ghost's death-cold eyes stared fixedly at Scrooge．
斯克罗吉能够看穿它的躯体。一条长长的锁链缠在腰间，上面挂着钱盒子、钥匙、存折和厚厚的钱包。鬼魂死一般冷漠的眼睛盯着斯克罗吉看。
‘Well！’said Scrooge，trying to pretend that nothing strange was happening．‘What do you want？And who are you？’
“哎！”斯克罗吉说，极力装出什么怪事也没发生的样子。“你想要什么？你是谁？”
‘In life I was your partner，Jacob Marley．’
“活着的时候我是你的合伙人，雅各布·马利。”
‘It's humbug，I tell you！’said Scrooge．‘There are no ghosts！’But when he said this，the ghost gave a terrible cry， and shook its chain in a very frightening way．At once Scrooge fell on the ground in great fear，crying，‘Yes！Yes！You are real！I see that now！Why have you come？Why do ghosts come back from the dead？Tell me，Jacob！’
“我告诉你，这是骗人的。”斯克罗吉说。“没有鬼魂！”但当他说此话时，鬼魂发出了可怕的叫声，疯狂地摇动着身上的链子。斯克罗吉吓得立刻趴倒在地板上，大声说，“是的！是的！你是真的！我现在明白了！你来干什么？为什么人死后鬼魂要回来？告诉我，雅各布！”
‘The spirit of every man who does not help other people in life has to travel endlessly through the world after his death．We have to carry the chains that we made for ourselves in our lifetime．Do you，Ebenezer Scrooge，recognize my chain？It is very like the one that you wear！’
“那些在世时不帮助他人的人，其灵魂死后都要在这个世界上永无休止地游荡。我们不得不戴着我们活着时为自己制造的锁链。埃比尼泽·斯克罗吉，你认出我的锁链了吗？它和你戴的锁链很相似！”
Scrooge looked around him，but could see no chain．‘Jacob，’he said，‘please tell me more！’
斯克罗吉向他四周看了看，但没看到锁链。“雅各布，”他说，“请你再多告诉我一些！”
‘I cannot help you much，Ebenezer！I cannot rest，I cannot stay anywhere for long．I have been dead for seven years and all that time I have been travelling on the wings of the wind！ No peace，no rest for me in death，because I was never good or kind in life！’
“我帮不上你太大的忙，埃比尼泽！我不能停下来，我不能在一个地方久留。我已经死了七年了，在这七年中，我一直借着风的翅膀飘游着！没有安宁，死了也不得休息，因为我活着的时候从来没有行善积德！”
‘But you were always a good man of business，Jacob，’said Scrooge，who was now beginning to worry about his own life．
“但你是一个精明的商人，雅各布，”斯克罗吉说，他现在开始担忧起自己的命运来。
‘Business！’cried the ghost miserably．‘Why didn't I think of people as my business？I thought only about making money，not about being kind and helpful to other people．Listen to me，Ebenezer！I am here tonight to warn you．You still have a chance to save yourself from what has happened to me．Three spirtis will come to visit you：the first tomorrow at one o'clock，the second at the same time the next night，and the third at midnight the following night．You will not see me any more，and for your own peace after death，remember what I have told you！’
“生意！”鬼魂悲惨地说。“我为什么不把人看作是我的生意？我一心想的就是赚钱，但没有想过善待别人或是帮助别人。听我说，埃比尼泽！我今晚来这儿是要警告你，你还有机会拯救你自己避免重蹈我的覆辙。有三个幽灵将来看你：第一个于明天一点钟来，第二个于次日的同一时间来，第三个于大后天的午夜来。你不会再见到我了，为了你自己死后能太平，务必记住我对你说的话！”