WITH GRANDMOTHER AT THE GREAT CHURCH
和大教堂的奶奶在一起
At last Ivor and Marya bade Grandfather goodbye until this evening, and went off to see Grandmother.
最后,伊沃和玛利亚直到晚上才和爷爷告别,并前去看望奶奶。
Down the narrow streets they went, one can almost jump across them with one mighty leap.
他们走上了一条窄街道,差不多一个迈步就可以横跨整个街道。
They came presently to the open square which is the very heart of the old city, with streets leading into it from all directions.
此刻他们来到了老城中心的开放性广场,四面八方的街区都延伸到了这里。
In the very middle of the square stands the old Cloth Hall, a long building with quaint towers at one end and an open arcade along the sides.
在广场的中间是老旧的克拉科夫纺织会馆,这座建筑很长,一端是古雅的塔楼,侧面有一个开放性的拱廊。
On the second floor under those arcades, and occupying the whole ground floor, a thriving business is carried on at little stalls.
在这些拱廊下面的第二层,并且覆盖了整个一层的是繁荣的小商铺。
There you can buy aprons, handkerchiefs, muslins, woolen goods, toys, clothing, shoes, dried fruits, candy,
你可以在那里买围裙,手帕,软棉布,毛织品,玩具,衣服,鞋子,干水果,糖果,
and all those many trifles that nobody really wants but that everybody buys. No doubt in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries,
以及所有人都不想要,但所有人都会买的不值钱物品,毫无疑问在13-14世纪,
here in the very heart of Europe, men were coming from long distances to buy and sell at the Cloth Hall at Krakow,
在欧洲的中心,人们不远万里来克拉科夫纺织会馆买卖,
and doubtless people speaking different languages were buying and selling there. For wherever there was a hall in a good-sized city suitable for the purpose,
没有怀疑的人们操着不用语言在这里买卖,不管在哪里,只要在大型城市中有适合的场馆,
the people of those times set up a yearly fair. Ivor and Marya went through the Cloth Hall and then crossed the Square to the great church
人们都会举办一年一度的集会,伊沃和玛利亚走过了纺织会馆,之后穿过广场进入大教堂,
that stood at one corner of the square. And here they visited Grandmother, who was happy to see them. No, she was not in the church,
教堂在广场的一角,他们在那里拜访了奶奶,她很高兴见到他们,不,她现在不在教堂,
but at the door of it, in an old wheel chair, for she could not walk.
而是在教堂门口,坐着轮椅车,她现在无法走路了。
Grandmother Stannik held a very exalted position there. The city had granted her permission to sit at the door of the church with her hand held out for alms. Beggar?
奶奶斯坦尼克在这里的地位很高,该城市准许她坐在教堂门前,伸手索要救济,乞丐?
No, indeed! It was because she was old, not well, and could not walk a step that she was given this privilege.
当然不是!那是因为她老了,身体不好,她无法行走,她被给予了特权。
All over Europe, at each cathedral or great church door, sits such an old woman, sometimes an old man.
在全欧洲,在每一处天主教堂或大教堂门口,都会坐着一位像这样的老妇人或是老绅士。
And when a penny was put into Grandmother's hand, her quavering voice, sweet though trembling, put up a bit of prayer for the giver,
当有人向奶奶的手上放了一便士,她的声音虽然颤抖但很甜美,她会为施舍者祈祷,
and the giver entered the church with his heart softened toward all suffering and needy people.
施舍者进入教堂,他的心对这些受苦和需要帮助的人都会变得仁慈。