[睡前故事之轻松学英文]皇帝的新装4

上一期，我们讲到皇帝派了一名他最亲信的大臣去打探情况，结果这位老大臣什么也没看到，他开始怀疑自己是不是不称职，为了怕被人知道，他撒谎说两个骗子织出来的布料很好看，并记下骗子给他的描述以便回去跟皇上汇报。 The Emperor now sent another officer of his court to see how the men were getting on， and to ascertain whether the cloth would soon be ready． It was just the same with this gentleman as with the minister； he surveyed the looms on all sides， but could see nothing at all but the empty frames． 过了不久，皇帝派了另一位诚实的官员去看看，布是不是很快就可以织好。他的运气并不比头一位大臣的好：他看了又看，但是那两架空空的织机上什么也没有，他什么东西也看不出来。 "Does not the stuff appear as beautiful to you， as it did to my lord the minister?" asked the impostors of the Emperor's second ambassador； at the same time making the same gestures as before， and talking of the design and colors which were not there． “您看这段布美不美？”两个骗子问。他们指着一些美丽的花纹，并且作了一些解释。事实上什么花纹也没有。 "I certainly am not stupid！" thought the messenger． "It must be， that I am not fit for my good， profitable office！ That is very odd； however， no one shall know anything about it．" And accordingly he praised the stuff he could not see， and declared that he was delighted with both colors and patterns． "Indeed， please your Imperial Majesty，" he said to his sovereign when he returned， "the cloth which the weavers are preparing is extraordinarily magnificent．" “我并不愚蠢！”这位官员想。“这大概是因为我不配担当现在这样好的官职吧？这也真够滑稽，但是我决不能让人看出来！”因此他就把他完全没有看见的布称赞了一番，同时对他们说，他非常喜欢这些美丽的颜色和巧妙的花纹。“是的，那真是太美了，”他回去对皇帝说。 The whole city was talking of the splendid cloth which the Emperor had ordered to be woven at his own expense． And now the Emperor himself wished to see the costly manufacture， while it was still in the loom． Accompanied by a select number of officers of the court， among whom were the two honest men who had already admired the cloth， he went to the crafty impostors， who， as soon as they were aware of the Emperor's approach， went on working more diligently than ever； although they still did not pass a single thread through the looms． 城里所有的人都在谈论这美丽的布料。 当这布还在织的时候，皇帝就很想亲自去看一次。他选了一群特别圈定的随员——其中包括已经去看过的那两位诚实的大臣。这样，他就到那两个狡猾的骗子住的地方去。这两个家伙正以全副精神织布，但是一根线的影子也看不见。 "Is not the work absolutely magnificent?" said the two officers of the crown， already mentioned． "If your Majesty will only be pleased to look at it！ What a splendid design！ What glorious colors！" and at the same time they pointed to the empty frames； for they imagined that everyone else could see this exquisite piece of workmanship． “您看这不漂亮吗？”那两位诚实的官员说。“陛下请看，多么美丽的花纹！多么美丽的色彩！”他们指着那架空空的织机，因为他们以为别人一定会看得见布料的。