小王子 第28期:忘却羞愧

 The next planet was inhabited by a tippler.

小王子所访问的下一个星球上住着一个酒鬼。

This was a very short visit, but it plunged¹ the little prince into deep dejection.

访问时间非常短，可是它却使小王子非常忧伤。

"What are you doing there?" he said to the tippler, whom he found settled down in silence before a collection of empty bottles and also a collection of full bottles.

“你在干什么？”小王子问酒鬼，这个酒鬼默默地坐在那里，面前有一堆酒瓶子，有的装着酒，有的是空的。

"I am drinking," replied the tippler, with a lugubrious² air.

“我喝酒。”他阴沉忧郁地回答道。

"Why are you drinking?" demanded the little prince.

“你为什么喝酒？”小王子问道。

"So that I may forget," replied the tippler.

“为了忘却。”酒鬼回答。

"Forget what?" inquired the little prince, who already was sorry for him.

小王子已经有些可怜酒鬼。他问道：“忘却什么呢？”

"Forget that I am ashamed," the tippler confessed, hanging his head.

酒鬼垂下脑袋坦白道：“为了忘却我的羞愧。”

"Ashamed of what?" insisted the little prince, who wanted to help him.

“你羞愧什么呢？”小王子很想救助他。

"Ashamed of drinking!" The tippler brought his speech to an end, and shut himself up in an impregnable silence.

“我羞愧我喝酒。”酒鬼说完以后就再也不开口了。

And the little prince went away, puzzled.

小王子迷惑不解地离开了。

"The grown-ups are certainly very, very odd," he said to himself, as he continued on his journey.

在旅途中，他自言自语地说道：“这些大人确实真叫怪。”

1 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

2 lugubrious   

adj.悲哀的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• That long,lugubrious howl rose on the night air again!夜空中又传来了那又长又凄凉的狗叫声。
• After the earthquake,the city is full of lugubrious faces.地震之后，这个城市满是悲哀的面孔。