LESSON 18 The gate without a latch

第十八课 没有锁的门

There was a farmer, who had a little gate, which opened from his yard into a field. This little gate wanted a latch, and therefore could not be fastened.

有一个农夫，他有一个小小的门，打开可以从他的院子到田地里。这个小小的门因此无法固定想要上个栓。

When he passed through the gate, he was very careful to pull it after him; but other people were not always so mindful. Even with all his care, the wind would often blow it open again after he had closed it.

当他穿过大门，他把它在他非常小心；但其他人并不总是如此在意。即使他所有的关怀，风经常吹他又闭开。

The result was, that the gate was generally either flapping backwards and forwards in the wind, or standing wide open.

结果是，那门通常都是扑在风中向后和向前，或大开着。

In this way the poultry were always getting out; and the sheep and lambs were always getting in. It took up half the children's time to run after the chickens and drive them back into the yard, and to send the sheep and the lambs back into the field.

这样的家禽总是出去；和绵羊和羊羔总是站在。它占据了一半的孩子的时间去追鸡赶回到院子里，并把绵羊和羊羔回场。

The farmer's wife was always telling him that he ought to get the latch mended; but he used to say that it would cost sixpence, and that it was not worth while. He said that the children might as well be driving the sheep and the poultry in and out of the yard and the field as be doing nothing. So the gate remained without the latch.

农夫的妻子总是告诉他，他应该获得锁存器修补；但他曾经说要花六便士，那是不值得的。他说，孩子们可以驾驶羊和家禽进出院子和场做什么。因此，门没有锁。

One day a fat pig got out of its sty, and, pushing open the gate, ran into the field, and thence wandered into a thick wood. The pig was soon missed and a hue-and-cry was raised after it.

一天，一只胖猪走出猪圈，推开门，跑到现场，然后走进一片茂密的树林。猪很快就错过了和大声疾呼之后。

The farmer was in the act of tying up a horse in the stable; but he left it, to run after the pig.

农民在拴马的稳定的行为；但他离开它，运行后的猪。

His wife was ironing some clothes in the kitchen; and she left her work, to follow her husband.

他的妻子是熨烫衣服在厨房里；她离开了她的工作，跟随丈夫。

The daughter was stirring some broth over the fire; and she left it, to run after her mother.

女儿在火上搅拌一些肉汤；她离开了，去追她的妈妈。

The farmer's sons and his man joined in the chase after the pig; and away they all went, men and women, pellmell, to the wood.

农夫的儿子和他的人加入了追猪；他们都去了，男人和女人，杂乱，对木。

But the man, making more haste than good speed, sprained his ankle in jumping over a fence. The farmer and his sons were obliged to give up chasing the pig, to carry the man back to the house. The good woman and her daughter also returned to assist the poor man who was hurt.

但男人，比速度更快，扭伤了脚踝，跳过篱笆。农夫和他的儿子被迫放弃追逐猪，带人回到家里。好女人和她的女儿也回到了帮助穷人的人受伤。

When they got back to the house, they found that the broth had boiled over,—that the dinner was spoiled; and that two shirts, which had been hanging before the fire, were scorched and utterly ruined.

他们回到家的时候，他们发现在肉汤煮过了，那晚餐被毁了；这两件衬衫，一直挂在火中，被彻底毁了。

The farmer scolded his wife and the girl, for being so careless as not to take the shirts and the broth from the fire before they left the kitchen.

农民骂他的妻子和女儿，是不是把衬衫从汤的火在他们离开厨房这么粗心。

He then went to his stable, where he found that the horse, which he had left loose, had kicked a fine colt and broken its leg. The servant was kept in the house for a fortnight, by the hurt to his ankle.

然后他去稳定，在那里他发现马，他离开松，踢了一个小马和断了腿。仆人被关在屋子里呆了两个星期，由脚踝受伤。

Thus, besides the injury done to the farmer's man, the farmer lost two weeks' work from his servant, a fine colt, a fat pig, and his two best shirts, to say nothing of the loss of his dinner—all for the want of a sixpenny latch!

因此，除了伤害了农民的人，农民从他的仆人两周的工作丢了，一个小马，一个胖猪，和他的两个最好的衬衫，说，对于想要一个便宜的锁他的晚餐都损失什么！

In this way were two good old proverbs verified:(—

这样，两个老谚语验证了：—

For want of a nail the wheel comes off.

想要一个钉车轮脱落。

Safe bind, safe find.

安全绑定，安全找到。

QUESTIONS

问题

Why was the yard gate often left open? What was always happening? What did the farmer's wife tell him? What did he say? What happened when the pig got out of its sty? Who joined in the chase? What made them stop? What did they find on coming back to the house?

为什么院子大门常打开？什么是经常发生的事情？那农夫的妻子告诉他吗？他说了什么？发生了什么事时，猪的猪圈了吗？谁参加了追逐？是什么让他们停下来？他们发现在回到家做了什么？