第一章 王子和贫儿的诞生

CHAPTER I The Birth of the Prince and the Pauper

In the ancient city of London, on a certain autumn day in the second quarter of the sixteenth century, a boy was born to a poor family of the name of Canty, who did not want him. On the same day another English child was born to a rich family of the name of Tudor, who did want him. All England wanted him too. England had so longed for him, and hoped for him, and prayed God for him, that, now that he was really come, the people went nearly mad for joy. Mere acquaintances hugged and kissed each other and cried. Everybody took a holiday, and high and low, rich and poor, feasted and danced and sang, and got very mellow; and they kept this up for days and nights together. By day, London was a sight to see, with gay banners waving from every balcony and housetop, and splendid pageants marching along. By night, it was again a sight to see, with its great bonfires at every corner, and its troops of revellers making merry around them. There was no talk in all England but of the new baby, Edward Tudor, Prince of Wales, who lay lapped in silks and satins, unconscious of all this fuss, and not knowing that great lords and ladies were tending him and watching over him: and not caring, either. But there was no talk about the other baby, Tom Canty, lapped in his poor rags, except among the family of paupers whom he had just come to trouble with his presence.

在十六世纪上半叶后期的某个秋天，古城伦敦里，有一户姓坎蒂的贫穷人家生下了一个男婴，但这家人并不想要他。同一天，在一户姓都铎的富裕人家里诞生了另一个英国婴儿，这家人确实想要他。所有英国人也都盼着他呢。英国人早已盼着他的诞生，期待着他的诞生，为他向上帝祷告。如今， 他真的诞生了，人们高兴得几近疯狂。仅仅是泛泛之交的人也相互拥抱、亲吻，大声欢呼着。不管高低贵贱，不论富裕贫穷，人人都放假了。大家举行宴会，跳舞唱歌，喝得醉醺醺的，不分昼夜地聚会狂欢。白天的伦敦蔚为奇观，家家户户的阳台和屋顶上飘舞着色彩鲜艳的国旗，还有壮观的游行队伍沿街而过。夜晚，伦敦仍是一番胜景，每个角落里都燃着熊熊篝火，狂欢的人群围着火堆尽情欢乐。整个英国都在谈论这个新生的婴儿: 威尔士王子爱德华·都铎。他被裹在绫罗绸缎里，没有觉察到这些大惊小怪，也不知道尊贵的贵族老爷和太太们在照料和看守着他，而他对此也并不在意。但是，除了在那个穷人的家里，没人会谈论起另一个婴儿: 那裹在破衣烂衫里的汤姆·坎蒂，因为他的出生对这家人来说就是个麻烦。

CHAPTER II Tom's Early Life