评论
打印
“And pray what would satisfy you?” asked the stranger. “I should be glad to know.” Midas paused and thought deeply for a while. He had a feeling that this stranger, with such a golden, good-humored smile, had come with the power to grant his wishes. Therefore, he had but to speak in order to obtain whatever thing it might come into his head to ask. So he thought and thought and thought without being able to imagine anything big enough. At last, a bright idea occurred to King Midas. It seemed really as bright as the glistening metal which he loved so much.
“祈祷什么能让你满足？”这个陌生人问。“我很乐意知道。”迈达斯停顿了一下，沉思了一会儿。他有一种感觉，这个陌生人，带着这样一种金灿灿的、愉快的微笑，有能力实现他的愿望。因此，他不得不开口说话，以便得到他想问的任何事情。所以他想了又想，却想不出什么足够大的东西。最后，迈达斯国王想到了一个好主意。它看起来真的像他非常喜欢的闪闪发光的金属一样明亮。
Raising his head, he looked the stranger in the face.
他抬起头，直视着陌生人的脸。
“Well, Midas,” observed his visitor, “I see that you have at length hit upon something that will satisfy you. Tell me your wish.”
“那么，迈达斯，”陌生访客注意到他的动作，“我看你终于找到了一件使你满意的事。告诉我你的愿望。”
“It is only this,” replied Midas. “I am weary of collecting my treasures with so much trouble, and beholding the heap so small after I have done my best. I wish everything that I touch to be changed to gold.”
“是这样的，”迈达斯回答道。“我已经厌倦了费那么大的劲去收集我的财宝，而在我尽了最大的努力之后，却只看到这么小的一堆财宝。我希望我接触的每一样东西都能变成金子。”
“The Golden Touch!” exclaimed the stranger. “You certainly deserve credit, friend Midas, for striking on so brilliant an idea. But are you quite sure that this will satisfy you?”
“点金术！”陌生人惊呼道。“迈达斯朋友，你能想出这么好的主意，当然值得称赞。但是你能肯定这会使你满意吗？”
“How could it fail?” said Midas.
“怎么不会呢？”迈达斯反问道。
“And will you never regret the possession of it？”
“你永远不会为拥有它而后悔吗？”
“I ask for nothing else to make me perfectly happy,” said Midas.
“我别无所求，只想让自己快乐无比，”迈达斯说道。
“Be it as you wish, then,” replied the stranger, waving his hand in farewell. “Tomorrow, at sunrise, you will find yourself gifted with the Golden Touch.”
“那就如你所愿吧，”陌生人答道，挥手告别。“明天，在太阳升起的时候，你会发现自己能点石成金。”
