I ran up, and ran down, peeped into the highest windows, into the saloons, and on the roofs, I peeped in where no one could peep,

我跑上跑下，我通过最高的窗子向客厅里面望去；我通过屋顶向谁也望不见的地方望去；

and I saw what no one else saw, what no one else should see!

我看到谁也没有见过和谁也不应该见到的东西。

This is, in fact, a base world!

事实上，这是一个卑鄙肮脏的世界！

I would not be a man if it were not now once accepted and regarded as something to be so!”

要不是大家认为做一个人是件了不起的事情，我决不愿意做一个人。”

“I saw the most unimaginable things with the women, with the men, with parents, and with the sweet, matchless children;

“我看到一些在男人、女人、父母和‘亲爱无比的’孩子们中间发生的最不可思议的事情。

I saw," said the shadow, "what no human being must know, but what they would all so willingly know—what is bad in their neighbor.

我看到谁也不知道、但是大家却非常想知道的事情——他们的邻居做的坏事。

Had I written a newspaper; it would have been read!

如果我把这些事情写出来在报纸上发表的话，那么看的人可就多了！

But I wrote directly to the persons themselves, and there was consternation in all the towns where I came.

但是我只直接写给一些有关的人看，因此我到哪个城市，哪个城市就会引发一阵恐慌。

They were so afraid of me, and yet they were so excessively fond of me.

人们那么害怕我，结果他们都变得非常喜欢我。

The professors made a professor of me; the tailors gave me new clothes—I am well furnished;

教授推选我为教授；裁缝送给我新衣服穿，我什么也不缺。

the master of the mint struck new coin for me, and the women said I was so handsome! And so I became the man I am.

造币厂长为我造钱；女人们说我长得帅气！——这么一来，我就成为现在这样的一个人了。

And now I bid you farewell. Here is my card—I live on the sunny side of the street, and am always at home in rainy weather!"

咳，现在我要告别了。这是我的名片；我住在有太阳的那一边。下雨的时候我总在家里。”

And so away went the shadow.

影子告别了。

"That was most extraordinary!" said the learned man.

“这真是稀奇。” 学者说。

Years and days passed away, then the shadow came again. "How goes it?" said the shadow.

许多岁月过去了。影子又来拜访。“您好吗？”他问。

"Alas!" said the learned man. "I write about the true, and the good, and the beautiful, but no one cares to hear such things;

“哎呀！”学者说，“我正在写关于真、关于善、关于美的文章。但是谁也不愿意听这类的事儿；

I am quite desperate, for I take it so much to heart!"

我简直有些失望，因为这使我难过。”

"But I don't!" said the shadow. "I become fat, and it is that one wants to become!

“但是我却不这样，”影子说。“我正长得心宽体胖——一个人应该这样才成。

You do not understand the world. You will become ill by it. You must travel!

你不了解这个世界，因此你快要病了。你应该去旅行一下。

I shall make a tour this summer; will you go with me? I should like to have a travelling companion!

这个夏天我将要到外面去跑跑；你也来吗？我倒很希望有一位旅伴呢。

Will you go with me, as shadow?

您愿不愿作为我的影子，跟我一道来？

It will be a great pleasure for me to have you with me; I shall pay the travelling expenses!"

有您在一起，对我来说将是一桩莫大的幸事。我愿意负担您的一切旅行费用。”

"Nay, this is too much!" said the learned man.

“这未免有点太过分了！”学者说。

"It is just as one takes it!" said the shadow. "It will do you much good to travel!

“这要看您对这个问题取一种什么态度，”影子回答说，“旅行一次会对您有很大的好处。

Will you be my shadow? You shall have everything free on the journey!"

如果您愿意做我的影子，那么您将得到一切旅行的利益，而却没有旅行的负担。”

"Nay, that is too bad!" said the learned man.

“这未免有点太那个了！”学者说。

"But it is just so with the world!" said the shadow, "and so it will be!" and away it went again.

“世事就是如此呀！”影子说，“而且将来也会是如此！”于是影子就走了。