LESSON 26 Androcles and the lion

第二十六课 奴隶与狮子

Once at Carthage there was a slave named Androcles, who was so badly treated by his master that he resolved to run away from him.

从前在迦太基，有一个名叫安德鲁克斯的奴隶，主人虐待他，所以他打算逃跑。

He therefore secretly left his master's house, and hid himself in a forest, some miles distant from the city.

于是，有一天他悄悄地离开了主人的房子，躲在距离那座城市几英里的一个大森林里。

After wandering about for some time, he came to a large cavern,

在森林里转了一阵子之后，他来到一个大山洞前，

and, overcome by hunger and fatigue, he lay down in it, and soon fell fast asleep.

他实在抵挡不住饥饿和疲乏，躺倒在山洞里，很快就睡了过去。

He was suddenly awakened by the roar of a wild beast;

忽然之间，他被一声野兽的吼叫惊醒。

and running to the mouth of the cavern, he was met by a great lion, which stood right in his way, and made it impossible for him to escape!

他急忙跑到洞口，发现洞外站着一头雄狮，面对面地堵住了他的路，让他连逃跑的可能都没有！

Androcles expected nothing else than to be at once torn to pieces; but, to his great surprise, the lion came gently towards him, without showing any signs of rage.

安德鲁克斯觉得他除了马上会被撕成碎片之外，没有别的出路。但是，他惊奇地发现那头狮子正温柔地靠近他，没有一点凶狠的样子。

 

It gave forth at the same time a low and mournful sound, as if it were begging his assistance.

它靠过来时，喉咙里发出一声低沉而痛苦的呜咽，好像正在乞求他的帮助。

As the lion approached him, he noticed that it limped with one of its legs, and that the foot was swollen, as if it had been wounded.

当狮子终于靠近之后，安德鲁克斯才发现它是跛着一条腿挪过来的，它的那只脚肿着，好像受了伤。

He then went up to the lion, and taking hold of the wounded paw, examined it as a surgeon would examine a patient.

于是，他走向那头狮子，握住它受伤的脚掌，像医生对待病人一样仔细检查伤势。

He was not long in finding out the cause of the swelling; for he saw in the ball of the foot a very large thorn.

他很快发现了这头狮子脚掌肿胀的原因，它的脚掌底部扎着一根大刺。

The slave extracted the thorn, and pressed out of the wound a quantity of matter; which gave the lion immediate relief.

奴隶帮助狮子把刺拔了出来，又替它把伤口处的脓水挤了出来，狮子马上就从痛苦中解脱出来。

Thereupon the lion began to show his gratitude by every means in his power.

这之后，狮子用力所能及的的各种方式表达了对奴隶的感激之情。

He jumped about like a playful spaniel, wagged his great tail, and licked the hands and feet of his physician.

它像是一条顽皮的西班牙猎犬一样高高地跃起，朝着奴隶使劲地摇着尾巴，还舔着它的医生的手脚。