The Emperor’s New Clothes

◎刘鑫/译

The Emperor’s New Clothes

◎刘鑫/译

So now the Emperor walked under his high canopy in the midst of the procession，through the streets of his capital； and all the people standing by， and those at the windows， cried out，“Oh！ How beautiful are our Emperor’s new clothes！ What a magnificent train there is to the mantle；and how gracefully the scarf hangs！”In short，no one would allow that he could not see these much admired clothes；because，in doing so， he would have declared himself either a simpleton or unfit for his office．Certainly，none of the Emperor’s various suits，had ever made so great an impression，as these invisible ones．

“But the Emperor has nothing at all on！”said a little child．

“Listen to the voice of innocence！”exclaimed his father；and what the child had said was whispered from one to another．

“But he has nothing at all on！”at last cried out all the people．

The Emperor was vexed， for he knew that the people were right； but he thought the procession must go on now！And the lords of the bedchamber took greater pains than ever，to appear holding up a train，although，in reality，there was no train to hold．

译文

皇帝的新装

这么着，皇帝就在那个富丽的华盖下游行起来了，穿过首都的街道。站在街上和窗子里的人都说：“哦，皇上的新装真是漂亮！他斗篷上的裙裾是多么美丽！他的围巾下摆多么优雅！”总之，谁也不愿意让人知道自己看不见那些备受敬仰的衣服，因为这样做，就是向别人宣布自己既是一个笨蛋也是一个不称职的官员。当然。没有任何一件皇帝的衣服曾经给人们留下过如此好的印象，就像这些看不见的衣服一样。

“可是他什么衣服也没有穿哪！”一个小孩子最后叫出声来。

“上帝哟，你听这个天真的声音！”爸爸说。于是大家把这孩子讲的话私自低声地传播开来。

“他并没有穿什么衣服！有一个小孩子说他并没有穿什么衣服哇！”

“他实在是没有穿什么衣服哇！”最后所有的老百姓都说。

皇帝有点儿发抖，因为他似乎觉得老百姓所讲的话是对的。不过他自己心里却这样想：“我必须把这游行大典举行完毕。”因此，他摆出一副更骄傲的神气，他的内臣们跟在他后面走，手中托着一个并不存在的后裾。

注释

Emperor 皇帝，君主

canopy 天篷，华盖

procession 队伍，行列

capital 首都

magnificent 高尚的；壮丽的

mantle 斗篷

scarf 围巾

declared 公然的；公开宣布的

simpleton 傻子；笨蛋

various 各种各样的；多方面的

whisper 私语

vex 使烦恼；使困惑

bedchamber 卧室，寝室

train 裙裾