有十二个仆人被指派在这些时候照顾她，每个仆人都用一根系在她腿上的丝线牵着她。
twelve servants were appointed to attend her on these occasions, who each held her by a silken string fastened to her leg.
这种飞翔肯定没什么乐趣。
there was certainly not much pleasure in this kind of flying.
全城都在谈论这只奇妙的鸟，当两个人相遇时，一个人说 “夜”，另一个人说 “莺”，他们就明白是什么意思了，因为没有别的话题可谈。
the whole city spoke of the wonderful bird, and when two people met, one said “nightin,” and the other said “gale,” and they understood what was meant, for nothing else was talked of.
十一个小贩的孩子以她的名字命名，但他们中没有一个能唱出一个音符。
Eleven peddlers’ children were named after her, but not of them could sing a note.
一天，皇帝收到一个大包裹，上面写着 “夜莺”。
one day the emperor received a large packet on which was written “the Nightingale.”
“毫无疑问，这是一本关于我们这只着名鸟儿的新书。” 皇帝说。
“here is no doubt a new book about our celebrated bird,” said the emperor.
但它不是一本书，而是放在一个匣子里的一件艺术品，一只人造夜莺，做得像真的一样，全身镶满了钻石、红宝石和蓝宝石。
but instead of a book, it was a work of art contained in a casket, an artificial nightingale made to look like a living one, and covered all over with diamonds, rubies, and sapphires.
这只人造夜莺一旦上紧发条，就能像真夜莺一样唱歌，还能上下摆动它那闪烁着金银光芒的尾巴。
As soon as the artificial bird was wound up, it could sing like the real one, and could move its tail up and down, which sparkled with silver and gold.
它的脖子上挂着一条丝带，上面写着 “中国皇帝的夜莺与日本皇帝的夜莺相比相形见绌。”
Round its neck hung a piece of ribbon, on which was written “the Emperor of china’s nightingale is poor pared with that of the Emperor of Japan’s.”
“这非常漂亮，” 所有看到它的人都惊叹道，带来这只人造夜莺的人被授予 “皇家夜莺进贡总管” 的头衔。
“this is very beautiful,” exclaimed all who saw it, and he who had brought the artificial bird received the title of “Imperial nightingale - bringer - in - chief.”
“现在它们必须一起唱歌，” 宫廷里的人说，“那将是多么美妙的二重唱啊。”
“Now they must sing together,” said the court, “and what a duet it will be.”
但是它们配合得不好，因为真夜莺按照自己自然的方式唱歌，而人造夜莺只唱华尔兹。
but they did not get on well, for the real nightingale sang in its own natural way, but the artificial bird sang only waltzes.
“这不是缺点，” 乐师说，“非常符合我的口味。” 于是它只得单独唱歌，并且和真鸟一样成功；
“that is not a fault,” said the music - master, “it is quite perfect to my taste,” so then it had to sing alone, and was as successful as the real bird;
而且，它看起来漂亮多了，因为它像手镯和胸针一样闪闪发光。
besides, it was so much prettier to look at, for it sparkled like bracelets and breast - pins.
它把同样的曲调唱了三十三遍都不累；
three and thirty times did it sing the same tunes without being tired;
人们还想再听一遍，但是皇帝说活的夜莺应该唱点什么。
the people would gladly have heard it again, but the emperor said the living nightingale ought to sing something.
但是她在哪里呢？
but where was she?
当她从开着的窗户飞出去，飞回自己绿色的树林时，没有人注意到她。
No one had noticed her when she flew out at the open window, back to her own green woods.
“多么奇怪的行为，” 当发现她飞走了时皇帝说；
“what strange conduct,” said the emperor, when her flight had been discovered;
所有的朝臣都责备她，说她是个非常忘恩负义的家伙。
and all the courtiers blamed her, and said she was a very ungrateful creature.
“但我们毕竟有了最好的鸟。” 一个人说，然后他们又让鸟唱歌，尽管这已经是他们第三十四次听同样的曲子了，而且即便如此他们还没学会，因为这曲子相当难。
“but we have the best bird after all,” said one, and then they would have the bird sing again, although it was the thirty - fourth time they had listened to the same piece, and even then they had not learnt it, for it was rather difficult.
但是乐师高度赞扬这只鸟，甚至断言它比真夜莺更好，不仅在它的装饰和漂亮的钻石方面，而且在它的音乐能力方面。
but the music - master praised the bird in the highest degree, and even asserted that it was better than a real nightingale, not only in its dress and the beautiful diamonds, but also in its musical power.
“因为您必须明白，我的君主和皇帝，对于一只真夜莺，我们永远不知道它要唱什么，但是对于这只鸟，一切都是确定的。
“For you must perceive, my chief lord and emperor, that with a real nightingale we can never tell what is going to be sung, but with this bird everything is settled.
它可以被拆开并解释，这样人们就可以理解华尔兹是如何构成的，以及为什么一个音符接着一个音符。”
It can be opened and explained, so that people may understand how the waltzes are formed, and why one note follows upon another.”
“这正是我们所想的。” 他们都回答道，然后乐师得到许可在接下来的周日向民众展示这只鸟，皇帝命令民众都要到场听它唱歌。
“this is exactly what we think,” they all replied, and then the music - master received permission to exhibit the bird to the people on the following Sunday, and the emperor manded that they should be present to hear it sing.
当他们听到它唱歌时，他们就像喝醉了的人一样；
when they heard it they were like people intoxicated;
然而，一定是喝了茶的缘故，这完全是中国人的习俗。
however it must have been with drinking tea, which is quite a chinese custom.
他们都说：“哦！” 并且竖起食指点头，但是一个听过真夜莺唱歌的穷苦渔夫说：“它听起来够动听的，而且旋律都一样；
they all said “oh!” and held up their forefingers and nodded, but a poor fisherman, who had heard the real nightingale, said, “it sounds prettily enough, and the melodies are all alike;
然而似乎缺少了点什么，我也说不太清楚。”
yet there seems something wanting, I cannot exactly tell what.”
在这之后，真夜莺被逐出了这个帝国，而人造夜莺被放在靠近皇帝床边的一个丝绸垫子上。
And after this the real nightingale was banished from the empire, and the artificial bird placed on a silk cushion close to the emperor’s bed.
和它一起收到的金银珠宝礼物都放在这只鸟的周围，它现在被提升为 “皇家小厕所歌手” 的头衔，并且排在左边第一位；
the presents of gold and precious stones which had been received with it were round the bird, and it was now advanced to the title of “Little Imperial toilet Singer,” and to the rank of No.
1 on the left hand;
因为皇帝认为心脏所在的左边是最尊贵的，皇帝的心和其他人的心在同一个位置。
for the emperor considered the left side, on which the heart lies, as the most noble, and the heart of an emperor is in the same place as that of other people.
乐师写了一部长达二十五卷的关于人造夜莺的着作，内容非常博学、冗长，还充满了最难的汉字；
the music - master wrote a work, in twenty - five volumes, about the artificial bird, which was very learned and very long, and full of the most difficult chinese words;
然而所有人都说他们读过并且理解了这部着作，因为害怕被认为愚蠢而被践踏身体。
yet all the people said they had read it, and understood it, for fear of being thought stupid and having their bodies trampled upon.
于是一年过去了，皇帝、宫廷里的人和所有其他中国人都熟悉了人造夜莺歌声中的每一个小转折；
So a year passed, and the emperor, the court, and all the other chinese knew every little turn in the artificial bird’s song;
也正是因为这个原因，他们更喜欢它了。
and for that same reason it pleased them better.
他们能跟着鸟一起唱歌，他们也经常这么做。
they could sing with the bird, which they often did.
街头的孩子们唱着：“吱 - 吱 - 吱，咯，咯，咯。” 皇帝本人也能唱。
the street - boys sang, “Zi - zi - zi, cluck, cluck, cluck,” and the emperor himself could sing it also.
这真的非常有趣。
It was really most amusing.
一天晚上，当人造夜莺正在尽情歌唱，皇帝躺在床上听着的时候，鸟的内部发出了 “嗡嗡” 声。
one evening, when the artificial bird was singing its best, and the emperor lay in bed listening to it, something inside the bird sounded “whizz.”
然后一个弹簧断了。
then a spring cracked.
“呼呼呼”，所有的轮子都转动起来，然后音乐停止了。
“whir - r - r - r” went all the wheels, running round, and then the music stopped.
皇帝立刻从床上跳起来，叫来了他的御医；
the emperor immediately sprang out of bed, and called for his physician;
但是他能做什么呢？
but what could he do?
然后他们找来了一个钟表匠；
then they sent for a watchmaker;
经过大量的讨论和检查后，这只鸟被大致修好了；
and, after a great deal of talking and examination, the bird was put into something like order;
但他说必须非常小心地使用它，因为发条筒已经磨损了，如果不损坏音乐装置就不可能安装新的筒。
but he said that it must be used very carefully, as the barrels were worn, and it would be impossible to put in new ones without injuring the music.
现在大家都非常悲伤，因为这只鸟每年只能被允许演奏一次；
Now there was great sorrow, as the bird could only be allowed to play once a year;
而且即使这样对它内部的装置也是很危险的。
and even that was dangerous for the works inside it.
然后乐师发表了一小段讲话，满是晦涩难懂的词汇，并宣称这只鸟还和以前一样好；
then the music - master made a little speech, full of hard words, and declared that the bird was as good as ever;
当然，没有人反驳他。
and, of course no one contradicted him.
五年过去了，然后这片土地上遭遇了一场真正的灾难。
Five years passed, and then a real grief came upon the land.
中国人真的很爱戴他们的皇帝，而他现在病得很重，人们都觉得他活不成了。
the chinese really were fond of their emperor, and he now lay so ill that he was not expected to live.
已经选出了一位新皇帝，站在街上的人们问侍从贵族老皇帝的情况；
Already a new emperor had been chosen and the people who stood in the street asked the lord - in - waiting how the old emperor was;
但他只是说：“呸！” 然后摇了摇头。
but he only said, “pooh!” and shook his head.
皇帝冰冷苍白地躺在他的御床上；
cold and pale lay the emperor in his royal bed;
整个宫廷都以为他死了，每个人都跑去向他的继任者致敬。
the whole court thought he was dead, and every one ran away to pay homage to his successor.
侍从们出去谈论这件事，女仆们则邀请同伴来喝咖啡。
the chamberlains went out to have a talk on the matter, and the ladies’ - maids invited pany to take coffee.
大厅和走廊都铺上了布，这样就听不到脚步声了，一切都寂静无声。
cloth had been laid down on the halls and passages, so that not a footstep should be heard, and all was silent and still.
但是皇帝还没有死，尽管他脸色苍白、僵硬地躺在他华丽的床上，床上有长长的天鹅绒窗帘和沉重的金流苏。
but the emperor was not yet dead, although he lay white and stiff on his gorgeous bed, with the long velvet curtains and heavy gold tassels.
一扇窗户开着，月光照在皇帝和人造夜莺身上。
A window stood open, and the moon shone in upon the emperor and the artificial bird.
可怜的皇帝，发现胸口有一股奇怪的重压让他几乎无法呼吸，他睁开眼睛，看到死神坐在那里。
the poor emperor, finding he could scarcely breathe with a strange weight on his chest, opened his eyes, and saw death sitting there.
他戴上了皇帝的金王冠，一只手拿着皇帝的宝剑，另一只手拿着他美丽的旗帜。
he had put on the emperor’s golden crown, and held in one hand his sword of state, and in the other his beautiful banner.
床的周围，透过长长的天鹅绒窗帘窥视着的，是许多奇怪的脑袋，有些非常丑陋，有些则看起来可爱又温和。
All around the bed and peeping through the long velvet curtains, were a number of strange heads, some very ugly, and others lovely and gentle - looking.
这些是皇帝的善恶之举，当死神坐在他的心头时，它们都呈现在他眼前。
these were the emperor’s good and bad deeds, which stared him in the face now death sat at his heart.
“你还记得这个吗？”
“do you remember this?”
“你还记得那个吗？”
“do you recollect that?”
他们一个接一个地问着，这让他想起了那些让他额头冒汗的事情。
they asked one after another, thus bringing to his remembrance circumstances that made the perspiration stand on his brow.
“我什么都不知道。” 皇帝说。
“I know nothing about it,” said the emperor.
“音乐！音乐！” 他叫道；
“music! music!” he cried;
“那面大大的中国鼓！这样我就听不到他们说的话了。”
“the large chinese drum! that I may not hear what they say.”
但是他们仍然继续说着，死神像中国人那样对他们所说的一切点头。
but they still went on, and death nodded like a chinaman to all they said.
“音乐！音乐！” 皇帝大喊。
“music! music!” shouted the emperor.
“你这只珍贵的小金鸟，唱吧，求求你唱吧！我给了你金子和昂贵的礼物；
“You little precious golden bird, sing, pray sing! I have given you gold and costly presents;
我甚至把我的金拖鞋挂在你的脖子上。
I have even hung my golden slipper round your neck.
唱吧！唱吧！” 但是鸟儿仍然沉默着。
Sing! sing!” but the bird remained silent.
没有人给它上发条，所以它一个音符都唱不出来。
there was no one to wind it up, and therefore it could not sing a note.
死神继续用他冰冷、空洞的眼睛盯着皇帝，房间里可怕地寂静着。
death continued to stare at the emperor with his cold, hollow eyes, and the room was fearfully still.
突然，从开着的窗户传来了甜美的音乐声。
Suddenly there came through the open window the sound of sweet music.
外面，在一棵树的树枝上，坐着那只活的夜莺。
outside, on the bough of a tree, sat the living nightingale.
她听说了皇帝的病，所以来给他唱希望和信任之歌。
She had heard of the emperor’s illness, and was therefore e to sing to him of hope and trust.
当她唱歌的时候，阴影变得越来越淡；
And as she sung, the shadows grew paler and paler;
皇帝血管里的血液流动得更快了，给他虚弱的四肢带来了生机；
the blood in the emperor’s veins flowed more rapidly, and gave life to his weak limbs;
甚至死神自己也在听，并且说：“继续唱，小夜莺，继续唱。”
and even death himself listened, and said, “Go on, little nightingale, go on.”
“那么你会把那把漂亮的金剑和那面华丽的旗帜给我吗？
“then will you give me the beautiful golden sword and that rich banner?
你会把皇帝的王冠给我吗？” 鸟儿说。
and will you give me the emperor’s crown?” said the bird.
于是死神为了一首歌放弃了每一件宝物；
So death gave up each of these treasures for a song;
夜莺继续唱歌。
and the nightingale continued her singing.
她歌唱宁静的墓地，那里生长着白色的玫瑰，接骨木树在微风中散发着香气，清新甜美的草被哀悼者的泪水打湿。
She sung of the quiet churchyard, where the white roses grow, where the elder - tree wafts its perfume on the breeze, and the fresh, sweet grass is moistened by the mourners’ tears.
然后死神渴望去看看他的花园，便化作一股冰冷的白色薄雾从窗户飘了出去。
then death longed to go and see his garden, and floated out through the window in the form of a cold, white mist.
“谢谢，谢谢，你这只神圣的小鸟。
“thanks, thanks, you heavenly little bird.
我很了解你。
I know you well.
我曾经把你逐出我的王国，然而你用你甜美的歌声把那些邪恶的面孔从我的床边赶走，把死神从我的心里赶走。
I banished you from my kingdom once, and yet you have charmed away the evil faces from my bed, and banished death from my heart, with your sweet song.
我该如何报答你呢？”
how can I reward you?”
“你已经报答我了，” 夜莺说。
“You have already rewarded me,” said the nightingale.
“我永远不会忘记我第一次唱歌给你听时，让你流下了眼泪。
“I shall never forget that I drew tears from your eyes the first time I sang to you.
这些是让歌手心中欢喜的珠宝。
these are the jewels that rejoice a singer’s heart.
但是现在睡吧，再次变得强壮健康起来。
but now sleep, and grow strong and well again.
我会再唱歌给你听的。”
I will sing to you again.”
当她唱歌的时候，皇帝进入了甜美的梦乡；
And as she sung, the emperor fell into a sweet sleep;
那是多么温和又提神的睡眠啊！当他醒来时，他已经恢复精力，身体强壮了，阳光明亮地透过窗户照进来；
and how mild and refreshing that slumber was! when he awoke, strengthened and restored, the sun shone brightly through the window;
但是他的仆人没有一个回来 —— 他们都以为他死了；
but not one of his servants had returned — they all believed he was dead;
只有夜莺还坐在他旁边唱歌。
only the nightingale still sat beside him, and sang.
“你必须永远和我在一起，” 皇帝说。
“You must always remain with me,” said the emperor.
“你想唱歌的时候就唱；
“You shall sing only when it pleases you;
我要把那只人造鸟砸成一千块碎片。”
and I will break the artificial bird into a thousand pieces.”
“不；
“No;
不要那样做，” 夜莺回答说；
do not do that,” replied the nightingale;
“这只鸟在它还能唱的时候表现得很好。
“the bird did very well as long as it could.
仍然把它留在这里吧。
Keep it here still.
我不能住在宫殿里筑巢；
I cannot live in the palace, and build my nest;
但是让我能随时来。
but let me e when I like.
我会在晚上坐在你窗外的树枝上唱歌给你听，这样你就会快乐，心中充满喜悦的想法。
I will sit on a bough outside your window, in the evening, and sing to you, so that you may be happy, and have thoughts full of joy.
我会唱歌给你听那些快乐的人和受苦的人；
I will sing to you of those who are happy, and those who suffer;
那些隐藏在你周围的好人和坏人。
of the good and the evil, who are hidden around you.
这只小鸣禽会从你和你的宫廷飞到渔夫的家和农民的小屋。
the little singing bird flies far from you and your court to the home of the fisherman and the peasant’s cot.
我爱你的心胜过你的王冠；
I love your heart better than your crown;
然而王冠周围也萦绕着某种神圣的东西。
and yet something holy lingers round that also.
我会来的，我会唱歌给你听；
I will e, I will sing to you;
但是你必须答应我一件事。”
but you must promise me one thing.”
“任何事都行，” 皇帝说，他穿上皇袍，手握沉重的金剑，手按在胸口站着。
“Everything,” said the emperor, who, having dressed himself in his imperial robes, stood with the hand that held the heavy golden sword pressed to his heart.
“我只要求一件事，” 她回答说；
“I only ask one thing,” she replied;
“不要让任何人知道你有一只告诉你一切的小鸟。
“let no one know that you have a little bird who tells you everything.
最好保密。” 说完，夜莺飞走了。
It will be best to conceal it.” So saying, the nightingale flew away.
仆人们现在进来照看死去的皇帝；
the servants now came in to look after the dead emperor;
瞧！他就站在那里，令他们惊讶的是，他说：“早上好。”
when, lo! there he stood, and, to their astonishment, said, “Good morning.”