第54章 小精靈山丘 The Elfin Hill(第1/13 頁)

《小精靈山丘》，1845 年

the Elfin hill, 1845

幾隻大蜥蜴在一棵老樹的裂縫裡敏捷地跑來跑去；它們彼此能很好地交流，因為它們說的是蜥蜴語。

A few large lizards were running nimbly about in the clefts of an old tree; they could understand one another very well, for they spoke the lizard language.

“小精靈山丘那邊嗡嗡響、轟隆隆的，可真吵啊，” 其中一隻蜥蜴說，“就因為這噪音，我已經兩夜沒能閤眼了；我還不如牙疼呢，因為牙疼也總是讓我睡不著覺。”

“what a buzzing and a rumbling there is in the elfin hill,” said one of the lizards; “I have not been able to close my eyes for two nights on account of the noise; I might just as well have had the toothache, for that always keeps me awake.”

“山丘裡面肯定在搞什麼名堂，” 另一隻蜥蜴說，“他們用四根紅柱子把山頂撐起來，一直撐到今天早上公雞打鳴，這樣裡面就徹底通了風，小精靈姑娘們也學了新舞蹈；肯定有什麼事兒。”

“there is something going on within there,” said the other lizard; “they propped up the top of the hill with four red posts, till cock-crow this morning, so that it is thoroughly aired, and the elfin girls have learnt new dances; there is something.”

“我跟我認識的一條蚯蚓說起過這事，” 第三隻蜥蜴說，“那條蚯蚓剛從小精靈山丘來，他在那兒的土裡日夜摸索。他聽到了很多事；雖然他看不見，可憐的傢伙，但他很清楚怎麼扭動著身子、偷偷摸摸地四處活動。小精靈山丘在等客人，還是很重要的客人呢；但客人是誰，蚯蚓不肯說，或者，也許他真的不知道。所有的鬼火都接到命令要到那兒去跳火炬舞，就是那種舞。山丘裡大量的金銀財寶都要擦拭乾淨，擺到月光下。”

“I spoke about it to an earth-worm of my acquaintance,” said a third lizard; “the earth-worm had just e from the elfin hill, where he has been groping about in the earth day and night. he has heard a great deal; although he cannot see, poor miserable creature, yet he understands very well how to wriggle and lurk about. they expect friends in the el