第二章

In that very instant, a loud knock sounded on the door.

正在这节骨眼，有人笃笃笃敲门。

"Come in," said the carpenter, not having an atom of strength left with which to stand up.

“进来”，老木匠说，他连重新站起来的力气也没有了。

At the words, the door opened and a dapper little old man came in.

话音未落，门开了，进来了一个精干利落的小老头。

His name was Geppetto, but to the boys of the neighborhood he was Polendina, on account of the wig he always wore which was just the color of yellow corn.

他的名字叫做杰佩托，可街坊邻居的孩子要想逗他发顿脾气，就叫他的外号“老玉米糊”，他有这么个外号，因为他那头黄色假发活像玉米糊。

Geppetto had a very bad temper. Woe to the one who called him Polendina!

杰佩托脾气挺坏，谁叫他“老玉米糊”就得倒大霉！

He became as wild as a beast and no one could soothe him.

他一下子凶得像只野兽，谁也没法让他平息下来。

"Good day, Mastro Antonio," said Geppetto. "What are you doing on the floor?"

“您好，安东尼奥师傅。”杰佩托说，“您坐在地上干吗呀？”

"I am teaching the ants their A B C's."

“我吗，我在教蚂蚁字母哪。”

"Good luck to you!"

“祝您成功！”

"What brought you here, friend Geppetto?"

“倒是什么把您给带到我这儿来啦，杰佩托老朋友。”

"My legs. And it may flatter you to know, Mastro Antonio, that I have come to you to beg for a favor."

“是我的腿把我带来了呗，您知道，安东尼奥师傅，我是来求您给我帮个忙的。”

"Here I am, at your service," answered the carpenter, raising himself on to his knees.

“随时乐意为您效劳。”老木匠回答说，跪了起来。

"This morning a fine idea came to me."

“今天早晨，我脑子里忽然想出了一个好主意。”

"Let's hear it."

“咱们倒来听听看。”

"I thought of making myself a beautiful wooden Marionette.

“我想亲手给自己做个漂亮的木偶。

It must be wonderful, one that will be able to dance, fence, and turn somersaults.

它一定是非常棒的，会跳舞，会耍剑，还会翻跟头。

With it I intend to go around the world, to earn my crust of bread and cup of wine. What do you think of it?"

我要带着它周游世界，挣块面包吃吃，混杯酒喝喝。您看怎么样。”

"Bravo, Polendina!" cried the same tiny voice which came from no one knew where.

“好极了，老玉米糊！”还是那个很细很细的声音不却从哪儿叫起来。

On hearing himself called Polendina, Mastro Geppetto turned the color of a red pepper and, facing the carpenter, said to him angrily:

杰佩托这位老朋友一听人家叫他老玉米糊，脸登时气红了，红得像个红辣椒。他向老木匠一下子转过脸来，气呼呼地说：

"Why do you insult me?"

“您干吗得罪我？”

"Who is insulting you?"

“谁得罪您了？”

"You called me Polendina."

“您叫我老玉米糊！”

"I did not."

“我没有！”

"I suppose you think _I_ did! Yet I KNOW it was you."

“难道是我叫了吗？我说是您叫了。”

"No!"

“我没叫！”

"Yes!"

“您叫了！”

"No!"

“我没叫！”

"Yes!"

“您叫了！”

And growing angrier each moment, they went from words to blows, and finally began to scratch and bite and slap each other.

他们越来越激动，结果从动口到动手，两个打了起来，又抓又咬，互相拍打。

When the fight was over, Mastro Antonio had Geppetto's yellow wig in his hands and Geppetto found the carpenter's curly wig in his mouth.

等到一架打完，杰佩托那头黄色假发到了安东尼奥师傅的手上，老木匠那头卷曲的假发却在杰佩托的嘴里。