"COME and hire me," I cried, while in the morning I was walking on the stone-paved road.
早晨,我在石铺的路上走时,我叫道:“谁来雇用我呀。”
Sword in hand, the King came in his chariot.
皇帝坐着马车,手里拿着剑走来。
He held my hand and said, "I will hire you with my power."
他拉着我的手,说道:“我要用权力来雇用你。”
But his power counted for nought, and he went away in his chariot.
但是他的权力算不了什么,他坐着马车走了。
In the heat of the midday the houses stood with shut doors.
正午炎热的时候,家家户户的门都闭着。
I wandered along the crooked lane.
我沿着屈曲的小巷走去。
An old man came out with his bag of gold.
一个老人带着一袋金钱走出来。
He pondered and said, "I will hire you with my money."
他斟酌了一下,说道:“我要用金钱来雇用你。”
He weighed his coins one by one, but I turned away.
他一个一个地数着他的钱,但我却转身离去了。
It was evening. The garden hedge was all aflower.
黄昏了,花园的篱上满开着花。
The fair maid came out and said, "I will hire you with a smile."
美人走出来,说道:“我要用微笑来雇用你。”
Her smile paled and melted into tears, and she went back alone into the dark.
她的微笑黯淡了,化成泪容了,她孤寂地回身走进黑暗里去。
The sun glistened on the sand, and the sea waves broke waywardly.
太阳照耀在沙地上,海波任性地浪花四溅。
A child sat playing with shells.
一个小孩坐在那里玩贝壳。
He raised his head and seemed to know me, and said, "I hire you with nothing."
他抬起头来,好像认识我似的,说道:“我雇你不用什么东西。”
From thenceforward that bargain struck in child's play made me a free man.
从此以后,在这个小孩的游戏中做成的买卖,使我成了一个自由的人。
(THE END)
(完)