On the stroke of two the band struck up, and at the same moment the mayor, the prefect, the judge, the _provveditore_, and many other gentlemen, all dressed in black, mounted the stairs on the right, and seated themselves on the red chairs at the front of the platform. The band ceased playing. The director of singing in the schools advanced with a _baton_ in his hand. At a signal from him all the boys in the pit rose to their feet; at another sign they began to sing. There were seven hundred singing a very beautiful song,--seven hundred boys' voices singing together; how beautiful! All listened motionless: it was a slow, sweet, limpid song which seemed like a church chant. When they ceased, every one applauded; then they all became very still. The distribution of the prizes was about to begin. My little master of the second grade, with his red head and his quick eyes, who was to read the names of the prize-winners, had already advanced to the front of the stage. The entrance of the twelve boys who were to present the certificates was what they were waiting for. The newspapers had already stated that there would be boys from all the provinces of Italy. Every one knew it, and was watching for them and gazing curiously towards the spot where they were to enter, and the mayor and the other gentlemen gazed also, and the whole theatre was silent.

两点一到，乐队开始奏乐。同时市长、知事、判事及其他的绅士们都着了黑礼服，从右边走上舞台，坐在正面的红椅子上。学校中教唱歌的先生拿了指挥棒站在前面，他座里的孩子因了他的信号一齐起立，一见那第二个信号就唱起歌来。七百个孩子一齐唱着，真是好歌，大众都肃静地听着，那是静穆开朗的歌曲，好像教会里的赞美歌。唱完了，一阵拍手，接着又即肃静。奖品授予就此开始了。我三年级时的那个赤发敏眼的小身材的先生走到舞台前面来，预备着朗读受奖者的姓名。大家都焦急地盼望那拿奖状的十二个少年登场，因为报纸早已刊登了今年由意大利全国各区选出代表的消息，所以从市长、绅士们到一般的观者都望眼将穿似的注视着舞台的入口，场内又复静肃起来。

All at once the whole twelve arrived on the stage at a run, and remained standing there in line, with a smile. The whole theatre, three thousand persons, sprang up simultaneously, breaking into applause which sounded like a clap of thunder. The boys stood for a moment as though disconcerted. "Behold Italy!" said a voice on the stage. All at once I recognized Coraci, the Calabrian, dressed in black as usual. A gentleman belonging to the municipal government, who was with us and who knew them all, pointed them out to my mother. "That little blond is the representative of Venice. The Roman is that tall, curly-haired lad, yonder." Two or three of them were dressed like gentlemen; the others were sons of workingmen, but all were neatly clad and clean. The Florentine, who was the smallest, had a blue scarf round his body. They all passed in front of the mayor, who kissed them, one after the other, on the brow, while a gentleman seated next to him smilingly told him the names of their cities: "Florence, Naples, Bologna, Palermo." And as each passed by, the whole theatre clapped. Then they all ran to the green table, to take the certificates. The master began to read the list, mentioning the schoolhouses, the classes, the names; and the prize-winners began to mount the stage and to file past.

忽然，十二个少年上了舞台，一列排立。都在那里微笑。全场三千人同时起立，拍手如雷，十二个少年手足无措地站着。“请看意大利的气象！”场中有人这样喊。格拉勃利亚少年仍旧穿着平常的黑服。和我们同坐的一位市政所的人完全认识这十二个少年，他一一地说给我的母亲听。十二人之中，有两三个是绅士打扮，其余都是工人的儿子，服装很随便。最小的弗罗伦萨的孩子，缠着青色的项巾。少年们通过市长前面，市长一一吻他们的额，坐在旁边的绅士把他们的出生地告诉市长。每一人通过，满场都拍手。等他们走近绿色的桌子去取奖状，我的先生就把受奖者的学校名、级名、姓名朗读起来。受奖者从右面上舞台去