Cap O' Rushes

Well, there was once a very rich gentleman, and he'd three daughters, and he thought he'd see how fond they were of him. So he says to the first, “How much do you love me, my dear?”

从前有位非常富有的绅士，他有三个女儿，他想看看她们究竟有多爱他。于是他对大女儿说：“亲爱的，你有多爱我？”

“Why,” says she, “as I love my life.”

“哎呀，”她说，“我爱您如同爱惜自己的生命。”

“That's good,” says he.

“很好，”他说。

So he says to the second, “How much do you love me, my dear?”

于是他又问二女儿：“亲爱的，你有多爱我？”

“Why,” says she, “better nor all the world.”

“哎呀，”她说，“胜过世上的一切。”

“That's good,” says he.

“很好，”他说。

So he says to the third, “How much do you love me, my dear?”

于是他又问三女儿：“亲爱的，你有多爱我？”

“Why, I love you as fresh meat loves salt,” says she.

“我爱您，就像鲜肉离不开盐一样，”她说。

Well, he was that angry. “You don't love me at all,” says he, “and in my house you stay no more.” So he drove her out there and then, and shut the door in her face.

这下他可气坏了。“你根本就不爱我，”他说，“我家里容不下你了。”于是他当场把她赶出家门，砰的一声关上了大门。

Well, she went away on and on till she came to a fen, and there she gathered a lot of rushes and made them into a kind of a sort of a cloak with a hood, to cover her from head to foot, and to hide her fine clothes. And then she went on and on till she came to a great house.

于是她一路走啊走，来到一片沼泽地，在那里采了一大把灯芯草，编成了一件带兜帽的斗篷，把自己从头到脚都遮起来，好藏起她那身华贵的衣裳。然后她又一路走啊走，来到一座大宅院前。

“Do you want a maid?” says she.

“你们要女佣吗？”她问。

“No, we don't,” said they.

“不，我们不要，”他们说。

“I haven't nowhere to go,” says she; “and I ask no wages, and do any sort of work,” says she.

“我无处可去，”她说，“我不要工钱，什么活儿都能干，”她说。

“Well,” says they, “if you like to wash the pots and scrape the saucepans you may stay,” said they.

“好吧，”他们说，“如果你愿意洗锅刷碗，倒是可以留下，”他们说。

So she stayed there and washed the pots and scraped the saucepans and did all the dirty work. And because she gave no name they called her “Cap o' Rushes.”

于是她就留了下来，洗锅刷碗，干各种脏活累活。因为她不肯说出自己的名字，大家就叫她“灯芯草帽”。

Well, one day there was to be a great dance a little way off, and the servants were allowed to go and look on at the grand people. Cap o' Rushes said she was too tired to go, so she stayed at home.

后来有一天，附近要办一场盛大的舞会，仆人们都被准许去看那些贵人的排场。灯芯草帽说自己太累了，不想去，便留在了家里。

But when they were gone she offed with her cap o' rushes, and cleaned herself, and went to the dance. And no one there was so finely dressed as her.

可等他们都走了，她脱下灯芯草斗篷，把自己梳洗打扮一番，也去了舞会。到场的人里没有一个穿得比她更华丽。

Well, who should be there but her master's son, and what should he do but fall in love with her the minute he set eyes on her. He wouldn't dance with any one else.

碰巧主人家的少爷也在场，他一眼看见她，便爱上了她，谁也不愿再与别人跳舞。

But before the dance was done Cap o' Rushes slipt off, and away she went home. And when the other maids came back she was pretending to be asleep with her cap o' rushes on.

可是舞会还没结束，灯芯草帽就悄悄溜走，回家去了。等其他女佣回来时，她已经戴上灯芯草帽，装作睡着了。

Well, next morning they said to her, “You did miss a sight, Cap o' Rushes!”

第二天早上，她们对她说：“灯芯草帽，你可错过了好戏！”

“What was that?” says she.

“什么好戏？”她问。

“Why, the beautifullest lady you ever see, dressed right gay and ga'. The young master, he never took his eyes off her.”

“哎呀，你从没见过那么标致的姑娘，打扮得花枝招展的。少爷啊，眼睛一刻都没离开过她。”

“Well, I should have liked to have seen her,” says Cap o' Rushes.

“哎，那我倒真想见见她，”灯芯草帽说。

“Well, there's to be another dance this evening, and perhaps she'll be there.”

“今晚还有一场舞会呢，说不定她还会去。”

But, come the evening, Cap o' Rushes said she was too tired to go with them. Howsoever, when they were gone, she offed with her cap o' rushes and cleaned herself, and away she went to the dance.

可到了晚上，灯芯草帽又说自己太累了，不愿跟他们一起去。不过等他们走了以后，她脱下灯芯草斗篷，梳洗打扮一番，又去了舞会。

The master's son had been reckoning on seeing her, and he danced with no one else, and never took his eyes off her. But, before the dance was over, she slipt off, and home she went, and when the maids came back she, pretended to be asleep with her cap o' rushes on.

少爷本盼着能再见到她，果然他谁也不与别人跳舞，眼睛始终没离开过她。可是舞会还没散场，她又悄悄溜走，回家去了，等女佣们回来时，她又戴着灯芯草帽装睡。

Next day they said to her again, “Well, Cap o' Rushes, you should ha' been there to see the lady. There she was again, gay and ga', and the young master he never took his eyes off her.”

第二天她们又对她说：“哎，灯芯草帽，你真该去看看那位姑娘。她又来了，打扮得花枝招展的，少爷的眼睛还是一刻都没离开过她。”

“Well, there,” says she, “I should ha' liked to ha' seen her.”

“哎呀，”她说，“我倒真想见见她。”

“Well,” says they, “there's a dance again this evening, and you must go with us, for she's sure to be there.”

“是啊，”她们说，“今晚还有一场舞会，你一定得跟我们一起去，她肯定还会来。”

Well, come this evening, Cap o' Rushes said she was too tired to go, and do what they would she stayed at home. But when they were gone she offed with her cap o' rushes and cleaned herself, and away she went to the dance.

到了这天晚上，灯芯草帽又说自己太累了不想去，任凭她们怎么劝，她还是留在了家里。可等她们走了以后，她脱下灯芯草斗篷，梳洗打扮一番，又去了舞会。

The master's son was rarely glad when he saw her. He danced with none but her and never took his eyes off her. When she wouldn't tell him her name, nor where she came from, he gave her a ring and told her if he didn't see her again he should die.

少爷见到她，喜出望外。他谁也不与别人跳舞，眼睛始终没离开过她。她既不肯告诉他姓名，也不肯说自己从哪里来，他便送了她一枚戒指，并对她说，若是再见不到她，他必死无疑。

Well, before the dance was over, off she slipped, and home she went, and when the maids came home she was pretending to be asleep with her cap o' rushes on.

舞会还没结束，她又悄悄溜走，回家去了，等女佣们回来时，她又戴着灯芯草帽装睡。

Well, next day they says to her, “There, Cap o' Rushes, you didn't come last night, and now you won't see the lady, for there's no more dances.”

第二天她们对她说：“哎，灯芯草帽，你昨晚没来，往后也见不着那位姑娘了，因为再也没有舞会了。”

“Well I should have rarely liked to have seen her,” says she.

“唉，我倒真想见见她啊，”她说。

The master's son he tried every way to find out where the lady was gone, but go where he might, and ask whom he might, he never heard anything about her. And he got worse and worse for the love of her till he had to keep his bed.

少爷想尽办法要打听那位姑娘的下落，可无论他走到哪里，问遍了谁，都打听不出她的半点消息。他因为思念她而日渐憔悴，终于病倒在床。

“Make some gruel for the young master,” they said to the cook. “He's dying for the love of the lady.” The cook she set about making it when Cap o' Rushes came in.

“给少爷煮点粥吧，”他们对厨娘说，“他为了那位姑娘，都快要害相思病死了。”厨娘正准备煮粥，灯芯草帽走了进来。

“What are you a-doing of?”, says she.

“你在做什么呢？”她问。

“I'm going to make some gruel for the young master,” says the cook, “for he's dying for love of the lady.”

“我要给少爷煮点粥，”厨娘说，“他为了那位姑娘的爱，都快要死了。”

“Let me make it,” says Cap o' Rushes.

“让我来煮吧，”灯芯草帽说。

Well, the cook wouldn't at first, but at last she said yes, and Cap o' Rushes made the gruel. And when she had made it she slipped the ring into it on the sly before the cook took it upstairs.

厨娘起初不肯，但最后还是答应了，灯芯草帽便煮了粥。粥煮好后，她趁厨娘还没端上楼去，偷偷把戒指放进了粥里。

The young man he drank it and then he saw the ring at the bottom.

少爷喝了粥，看见碗底躺着一枚戒指。

“Send for the cook,” says he.

“把厨娘叫来，”他说。

So up she comes.

于是厨娘上楼来了。

“Who made this gruel here?” says he.

“这粥是谁煮的？”他问。

“I did,” says the cook, for she was frightened.

“是我，”厨娘说，她这是被吓着了。

And he looked at her,

他盯着她看，

“No, you didn't,” says he. “Say who did it, and you shan't be harmed.”

“不，不是你，”他说。“说出是谁煮的，我不会为难你。”

“Well, then, 'twas Cap o' Rushes,” says she.

“好吧，那是灯芯草帽煮的，”她说。

“Send Cap o' Rushes here,” says he.

“把灯芯草帽叫来，”他说。

So Cap o' Rushes came.

于是灯芯草帽来了。

“Did you make my gruel?” says he.

“这粥是你煮的吗？”他问。

“Yes, I did,” says she.

“是的，是我煮的，”她说。

“Where did you get this ring?” says he.

“这枚戒指你是从哪里得来的？”他问。

“From him that gave it me,” says she.

“是送我戒指的那个人给的，”她说。

“Who are you, then?” says the young man.

“那么你到底是谁？”少爷问。

“I'll show you,” says she. And she offed with her cap o' rushes, and there she was in her beautiful clothes.

“我这就让你瞧瞧，”她说。于是她脱下灯芯草帽，露出了她那身华贵的衣裳。

Well, the master's son he got well very soon, and they were to be married in a little time. It was to be a very grand wedding, and every one was asked far and near. And Cap o' Rushes' father was asked. But she never told anybody who she was.

少爷很快就痊愈了，没过多久，他们便要成婚了。这是一场极为盛大的婚礼，远近的人都被请了来。灯芯草帽的父亲也在被邀之列。可她始终没有告诉任何人自己的身份。

But before the wedding she went to the cook, and says she:

但在婚礼之前，她去找厨娘，说：

“I want you to dress every dish without a mite o' salt.”

“我要你把每一道菜都做得不放一点盐。”

“That'll be rare nasty,” says the cook.

“那可太难吃了，”厨娘说。

“That doesn't signify,” says she.

“没关系，”她说。

“Very well,” says the cook.

“好的，”厨娘说。

Well, the wedding-day came, and they were married. And after they were married all the company sat down to the dinner. When they began to eat the meat, that was so tasteless they couldn't eat it. But Cap o' Rushes' father he tried first one dish and then another, and then he burst out crying.

婚礼那天到了，他们成了婚。婚礼之后，宾客们都坐下来用餐。他们开始吃肉时，发现肉淡而无味，简直难以下咽。可灯芯草帽的父亲尝了这道菜，又尝了那道菜，突然放声大哭起来。

“What is the matter?” said the master's son to him.

“出了什么事？”少爷问他。

“Oh!” says he, “I had a daughter. And I asked her how much she loved me. And she said 'As much as fresh meat loves salt.' And I turned her from my door, for I thought she didn't love me. And now I see she loved me best of all. And she may be dead for aught I know.”

“唉！”他说，“我曾有个女儿。我问她有多爱我，她说：‘就像鲜肉离不开盐一样。’我以为她不爱我，就把她赶出了家门。如今我才明白，她其实最爱我。可如今她说不定已经不在人世了，我也无从知晓。”

“No, father, here she is!” says Cap o' Rushes. And she goes up to him and puts her arms round him.

“不，父亲，她就在这儿！”灯芯草帽说。她走上前去，双臂环抱住了他。

And so they were happy ever after.

从此他们幸福地生活在了一起。