It was dark and cold outside. Scrooge did not want to go anywhere, and for a moment he thought about pretending to be too ill to go out.
外面又黑又冷。斯克罗吉哪儿也不想去，所以一时间他想装成病入膏盲的样子无法出去，
But he did not like to refuse, so he said nothing, and got out of bed.
但他又不愿拒绝，所以他什么也没说就下了床。
Together they passed through the wall of the house out into the darkness.
他们一起穿过房子的墙壁来到了夜色中。
Suddenly Scrooge realized they were standing on an open country road, with fields on each side.
忽然斯克罗吉发觉他们来到了一条空旷的乡间马路上，两边都是田野。
London, the fog, and the darkness had all disappeared, and it was a clear, cold, winter day, with snow on the ground.
伦敦、浓雾和黑夜都已消失，现在是一个晴朗、寒冷的冬日，地上覆盖着积雪。
'Good Heavens!' cried Scrooge. 'I was born near here! I remember it well!'
“天哪！”斯克罗吉喊道。“我出生在这儿附近，我记得很清楚！”
The spirit looked kindly at the old man.
幽灵友善地看着这位老人。
'How strange that you've forgotten it for so many years!
“奇怪得很，这么多年你都把这忘记了！
What is that on your face? Are you crying?'
你脸上是什么？你哭了吗？”
Scrooge put a hand over his eyes.
斯克罗吉用一只手捂住他的眼。
'It's nothing—I've got a cold, that's all. Take me where you want, spirit!'
“没事儿——只是我得了感冒。幽灵，带我去你想去的地方吧！”
Scrooge recognized every field, post, and tree, as they walked along the road towards a little market town.
在他们去往一个小集镇的路上，斯克罗吉认出了每一片田野，每一处城堡和每一棵树木。
All around them were young schoolboys on horses and in farmers'carts, laughing and wishing each other a merry Christmas, as they travelled to their homes for the Christmas holiday.
他们周围到处都是学校的男孩子们，他们有的骑在马上，有的坐在农夫的马车里，在他们赶回家过圣诞节的路上，他们笑着并彼此祝愿圣诞快乐。
'They are only shadows from the past,' said the spirit. 'They cannot see us.'
“他们只不过是过去的影子，”幽灵说。“他们看不见我们。”
Scrooge knew and named all of them.
斯克罗吉全都认识他们，并能叫出他们的名字。
Why was he so delighted to see them?
为什么他看见他们这么高兴？
Why did his cold heart beat faster when they went past, shouting'Merry Christmas!'?
为什么当他们走过，高喊着“圣诞快乐”时，他冷酷的心跳得快了？
What was'merry Christmas'to Scrooge? What good had it ever done to him?
“圣诞快乐”对斯克罗吉意味着什么？它给他带来了什么好处？
'Not everyone has left the school,' said the ghost.
“不是所有的孩子们都离开了学校，”鬼魂说。
'There is one lonely child there still, one child whose friends have all gone.'
“那儿还有一个孤独的孩子，他的朋友们全都走了。”
'I know!' said Scrooge. And now he was crying openly.
“我知道！”斯克罗吉说。现在他毫不掩饰地哭了。
They turned into a smaller road, and soon came to the school.
他们拐到了一条更小的路上，不一会儿就来到了学校。
Inside, in the long, cold, silent classroom, a lonely boy sat reading near a small fire.
在那间狭长、寒冷、寂静的教室里，一个孤独的孩子正坐在微弱的火旁着书。
When he saw his poor forgotten past self, Scrooge sat down at one of the desks, put his head in his hands and cried.
当他看见自己那寒酸的、已被忘却的过去的自己时，斯克罗吉坐在一张课桌旁，双手抱头哭了。
'Poor boy! I wish — but it's too late now.'
“可怜的孩子啊！我希望——但现在太晚了。”
'What's the matter?' asked the spirit.
“什么事？”幽灵问。
'There was a boy singing Christmas carols at my door yesterday.
“昨天有一个男孩子在我的门口唱圣诞颂歌，
I'm sorry I didn't give him anything, that's all.'
很抱歉我什么也没给他，就是这事儿。”
The ghost smiled, and lifted its hand, saying, 'Let's see another past Christmas!'
鬼魂笑了，举起一只手说，“咱们再去看看另外一个昔日圣诞节。”