结果似乎证明我的怀疑是对的；因为已经安排好要满足我最大的愿望，要赋予我的木偶生命，而我要成为一家正规剧团的经理。

the result seemed to prove I was right in my suspicions; for it was arranged that my highest wish should be granted, that my puppets were to be gifted with life, and that I was to be the manager of a real pany.

我们为我的成功干杯，碰了碰杯。

we drank to my success, and clanked our glasses.

然后他把我所有的木偶都装进箱子，把箱子绑在我背上，我感觉自己好像在转圈，不一会儿就发现自己躺在地上了。

then he packed all my dolls into the box, and fastened it on my back, and I felt as if I were spinning round in a circle, and presently found myself lying on the floor.

我对这事儿记得很清楚。

I remember that quite well.

然后所有的木偶都从箱子里蹦了出来。

And then the whole pany sprang from the box.

灵气降临到了我们所有人身上；木偶们都变成了杰出的演员 —— 至少，他们自己是这么说的 —— 而我是他们的导演。

the spirit had e upon us all; the puppets had bee distinguished actors — at least, so they said themselves — and I was their director.

“当第一场演出的一切都准备就绪时，全体演员请求在公开露面之前和我谈谈。

“when all was ready for the first representation, the whole pany requested permission to speak to me before appearing in public.

那位跳舞的女士说，除非她单腿站立，否则剧院撑不下去；因为她是个了不起的天才，请求能被当作天才来对待。

the dancing lady said the house could not be supported unless she stood on one leg; for she was a great genius, and begged to be treated as such.

那位扮演王后的女士希望在台下也能像在台上一样被当作王后对待，否则她说自己会技艺生疏的。

the lady who acted the part of the queen expected to be treated as a queen off the stage, as well as on it, or else she said she should get out of practice.

那个负责送信的人摆起架子来和剧中扮演第一情人的人有得一拼；他宣称次要角色和主要角色一样重要，作为艺术整体的组成部分，都应得到同等的重视。

the man whose duty it was to deliver a letter gave himself as many airs as he who took the part of first lover in the piece; he declared that the inferior parts were as important as the great ones, and deserving equal consideration, as parts of an artistic whole.

剧中的男主角只肯演那些有可能博得全场掌声的角色。

the hero of the piece would only play in a part containing points likely to bring down the applause of the house.

那位 “首席女高音” 只肯在灯光是红色的时候表演，因为她说蓝色灯光不适合她的肤色。

the ‘prima donna’ would only act when the lights were red, for she declared that a blue light did not suit her plexion.

这就像是一群苍蝇在瓶子里，而我和它们一起在瓶子里；因为我是他们的导演。

It was like a pany of flies in a bottle, and I was in the bottle with them; for I was their director.

我喘不过气来，脑袋发晕，痛苦到了极点。

my breath was taken away, my head whirled, and I was as miserable as a man could be.

我现在身处其中的这群人真是新奇又古怪。

It was quite a novel, strange set of beings among whom I now found myself.

我只希望能把他们全都再装进我的箱子里，真希望自己从来没当过他们的导演。

I only wished I had them all in my box again, and that I had never been their director.

所以我直截了当地告诉他们，说到底，他们不过就是些木偶；然后他们就把我给杀了。

So I told them roundly that, after all, they were nothing but puppets; and then they killed me.

过了一会儿，我发现自己躺在房间里的床上；但我是怎么到那儿的，或者说我到底是怎么从理工学院的教授那儿脱身的，也许他知道，我可不知道。

After a while I found myself lying on my bed in my room; but how I got there, or how I got away at all from the polytechnic professor, he may perhaps know, I don’t.

月光照在地板上，箱子敞开着，木偶们全都乱七八糟地散落一地；但我可没闲着。

the moon shone upon the floor, the box lay open, and the dolls were all scattered about in great confusion; but I was not idle.

我从床上跳下来，把它们（木偶）全都塞进箱子里，有的头朝下，有的脚朝下。

I jumped off the bed, and into the box they all had to go, some on their heads, some on their feet.

然后我合上箱盖，坐在箱子上。

then I shut down the lid, and seated myself upon the box.

“现在你们得待在里面了，” 我说，“我可得小心点儿，不会再轻易希望你们变成有血有肉的人了。”

‘Now you’ll have to stay,’ said I, ‘and I shall be cautious how I wish you flesh and blood again.’

“我感觉浑身轻松，好心情又回来了，我成了最幸福的凡人。理工学院的教授把我彻底治好了。我像国王一样幸福，就坐在箱子上睡着了。

“I felt quite light, my cheerfulness had returned, and I was the happiest of mortals. the polytechnic professor had fully cured me. I was as happy as a king, and went to sleep on the box.

第二天早上 —— 准确地说，已经是中午了，因为那天我睡得特别晚 —— 我发现自己还坐在那儿，心里高兴地意识到我之前的那个愿望是多么愚蠢。

Next morning — correctly speaking, it was noon, for I slept remarkably late that day — I found myself still sitting there, in happy consciousness that my former wish had been a foolish one.

我打听理工学院教授的下落；但他就像希腊和罗马的众神一样消失不见了；从那时候起，我就成了世界上最幸福的人。

I inquired for the polytechnic professor; but he had disappeared like the Greek and Roman gods; from that time I have been the happiest man in the world.

我是个快乐的导演；因为我的剧团里没人抱怨，观众也没人抱怨，因为我总能让他们开心。

I am a happy director; for none of my pany ever grumble, nor the public either, for I always make them merry.

我可以随心所欲地安排我的剧目。

I can arrange my pieces just as I please.

我从每部喜剧里挑选出我最喜欢的部分，也没人会不高兴。

I choose out of every edy what I like best, and no one is offended.

如今被广大观众忽视的剧目，三十年前可是大受欢迎的，观众们听得入神，眼泪都顺着脸颊流下来了。

plays that are neglected now-a-days by the great public were ran after thirty years ago, and listened to till the tears ran down the cheeks of the audience.

这些就是我推出的剧目。我把它们展示给小孩子们看，他们会像三十年前爸爸妈妈们那样为此落泪。

these are the pieces I bring forward. I place them before the little ones, who cry over them as papa and mamma used to cry thirty years ago.

但我会把它们缩短，因为孩子们不喜欢长篇大论；要是有什么悲伤的情节，他们也希望能快点结束。”

but I make them shorter, for the youngsters don’t like long speeches; and if they have anything mournful, they like it to be over quickly.”