美国语文第六册 第33期:受惊的艺术家(9)

The possessor was proceeding homeward, when a decrepit, lame, and humpbacked invalid, tottering along by the aid of a stick, presented himself before him.

当身体衰朽、一瘸一拐并且弯腰驼背的杜霍布赖特拄着一根棍子，踟蹰地朝前走时，拍下这幅画的高个子男人正往家走呢。杜霍布赖特走到他面前，刚要做自我介绍。

He threw him a piece of money, and waved his hand as dispensing with his thanks.

那人递给他一块钱，未及他说些感谢的话，连忙摆了摆手。

"May it please your honor," said the supposed beggar, "I am the painter of that picture!" and again he rubbed his eyes.

“感谢您的慷慨，”被当做乞丐的杜霍布赖特说，“我就是画那幅画的画家啊!”说着，他又揉揉眼睛。

The tall mall was Count Dunkelsback, one of the richest noblemen in Germany.

这位高个子男人就是敦克尔巴克伯爵，德国最富有的人之一。

He stopped, took out his pocketbook, took out a leaf, and wrote on it a few lines.

他停下脚步，伸手从衣袋里掏出支票簿，然后在上面写了几行字。

 

"Take it, friend," said he; "it is a check for your money. Adieu."

“给你，朋友，”他说，“这是你的支票。再见。”

Duhobret finally persuaded himself that it was not a dream.

到现在杜霍布赖特才说服自己，这一切不是梦。

He became the master of a castle, sold it, and resolved to live luxuriously for the rest of his life, and to cultivate painting as a pastime.

他成了城堡的主人，卖了城堡后，他决定在自己的余生要过奢侈的生活，把绘画作为消遣。

But, alas, for the vanity of human expectation!

真令人唏嘘，人类的希望竟是这样虚妄!

He had borne privation and toil; prosperity was too much for him, as was proved soon after, when an indigestion carried him off.

他生来贫困和辛勤劳作，对他来说富足竟然是不可承受之重，正如不久后所验证变得那样，奢侈的生活要了他的命。

His picture remained long in the cabinet of Count Dunkelsback, and afterward passed into the possession of the King of Bavaria.

他的那幅画一直以来躺在敦克尔巴克勋爵的壁橱里，后来辗转为巴伐利亚国王所有。