"Whom have I the honor of speaking?" asked the learned man.

“请问尊姓大名？”这位教授问。

"Yes! I thought as much," said the fine man. "I thought you would not know me. I have got so much body. I have even got flesh and clothes.

“咳！”这位有绅士风度的客人说，“我早就想到，您是不会认识我的！我现在成了一个具体的人，有了真正的血肉和衣服。

You certainly never thought of seeing me so well off. Do you not know your old shadow?

您从来也没有想到会看到我是这个样子。您不认识您以前的影子了吗？

You certainly thought I should never more return. Things have gone on well with me since I was last with you.

您决没有想到我会再来。自从我上次跟您在一起以后，我的一切情况进展得非常顺利。

I have, in all respects, become very well off. Shall I purchase my freedom from service? If so, I can do it";

无论在哪方面说起来，我现在算得是很富有了；如果我想摆脱奴役，赎回自由，我也可以办得到！”

and then he rattled a whole bunch of valuable seals that hung to his watch, and he stuck his hand in the thick gold chain he wore around his neck—nay!

于是他把挂在表上的一串护身符摇了一下，然后把手伸到颈项上戴着的一个很粗的金项链上去。

how all his fingers glittered with diamond rings; and then all were pure gems.

这时钻石戒指在他的手指上发出多么亮的闪光呵！而且每件东西都是真的！

"Nay; I cannot recover from my surprise!" said the learned man. "What is the meaning of all this?"

“不成，这把我弄得有点糊涂！”学者说。“这究竟是怎么一回事情？”

"Something common, is it not," said the shadow.

“决不是普通的事情！”影子说。

"But you yourself do not belong to the common order;

“不过您自己也不是一个普通的人呀。

and I, as you know well, have from a child followed in your footsteps.

您知道得很清楚，从我小时候起，我就寸步没有离开您。

As soon as you found I was capable to go out alone in the world, I went my own way.

只有当您觉得我成熟了、可以单独在这个世界上生活时，我才自找出路。

I am in the most brilliant circumstances, but there came a sort of desire over me to see you once more before you die;

我现在的境遇是再美好不过，不过我对您起了一种怀念的心情，想在您死去以前来看您一次。

you will die, I suppose?

您总会死去的！

I also wished to see this land again—for you know we always love our native land.

同时我也想再看看这些地方，因为一个人总是喜爱自己的祖国的。

I know you have got another shadow again; have I anything to pay to it or you? If so, you will oblige me by saying what it is."

我知道您现在已经有了另一个影子；要不要我对您——或者对它——付出一点什么代价呢？您只须告诉我好了。”

"Nay, is it really thou?" said the learned man. "It is most remarkable: I never imagined that one's old shadow could come again as a man."

“嗨，原来是你呀！”学者说。“这真奇怪极了！我从来没有想到，一个人以前的影子会像人一样又转回来！”