第40章 玫瑰精靈 The Elf of the Rose，(第4/10 頁)

buried it with the body in the soft earth under the linden-tree.

“現在他走了，很快就會被遺忘。” 邪惡的哥哥想，“他再也不會回來了。他要去翻山越海進行一次長途旅行；一個人在這樣的旅途中很容易丟掉性命。我妹妹會以為他死了；因為他回不來了，她也不敢向我問起他。”

“Now he is gone, and will soon be forgotten,” thought the wicked brother; “he will never e back again. he was going on a long journey over mountains and seas; it is easy for a man to lose his life in such a journey. my sister will suppose he is dead; for he cannot e back, and she will not dare to question me about him.”

然後他用腳把幹樹葉撒在薄薄的泥土上，在黑暗中回了家；

then he scattered the dry leaves over the light earth with his foot, and went home through the darkness;

但他並不是一個人，正如他所想的那樣 —— 小精靈跟著他。他坐在一片乾枯的捲起的椴樹葉裡，這片樹葉是在這個邪惡的人挖墳墓的時候從樹上掉到他頭上的。現在帽子戴在頭上，裡面非常黑，小精靈對這邪惡的行為既害怕又憤怒，渾身發抖。

but he went not alone, as he thought, — the little elf acpanied him. he sat in a dry rolled-up linden-leaf, which had fallen from the tree on to the wicked man’s head, as he was digging the grave. the hat was on the head now, which made it very dark, and the little elf shuddered with fright and indignation at the wicked deed.

天剛破曉，邪惡的人就到家了；他摘下帽子，走進妹妹的房間。

It was the dawn of morning before the wicked man reached home; he took off his hat, and went into his sister’s room.

美麗、容光煥發的女孩躺在那裡，夢著她深愛的人，而她現在以為他正在翻山越海遠行。

there lay the beautiful, blooming girl, dreaming of him whom she loved so, and who was now, she supposed, travelling far away over mountain and sea.

她邪惡的哥哥站在她身旁，發出只有惡魔才會發出的可怕的笑聲。