there was once a fine gentleman, all of whose moveables were a boot-jack and a hair-comb: but he had the finest false collars in the world; and it is about one of these collars that we are now to hear a story.
从前有一位漂亮的绅士；他所有的动产只是一个脱靴器和一把梳子。但他有一个世界上*好的衬衫领子。我们现在所要听到的就是关于这个领子的故事。
it was so old, that it began to think of marriage; and it happened that it came to be washed in company with a garter.
衬衫领子的年纪已经很大，足够考虑结婚的问题。事又凑巧，他和袜带在一块儿混在水里洗。
"nay1!" said the collar. "i n*r did see anything so slender and so fine, so soft and so neat. may i not ask your name?"
"我的天！"衬衫领子说，"我从来没有看到过这么苗条和细嫩、这么迷人和温柔的人儿。请问你尊姓大名？"
"that i shall not tell you!" said the garter."
这个我可不能告诉你！"袜带说。来源:考试大网
"where do you live?" asked the collar."
你府上在什么地方？"衬衫领子问。
but the garter was so bashful, so modest, and thought it was a strange question to answer.
不过袜带是非常害羞的。要回答这样一个问题，她觉得非常困难。
"you are certainly a girdle," said the collar; "that is to say an inside girdle. i see well that you are both for use and ornament2, my dear young lady."
"我想你是一根腰带吧？"衬衫领子说——"一种*的腰带！亲爱的*，我可以看出，你既有用，又可以做装饰品！"
"i will thank you not to speak to me," said the garter. "i think i have not given the least occasion for it."
"你不应该跟我讲话！"袜带说。"我想，我没有给你任何理由这样做！"
"yes! when one is as handsome as you," said the collar, "that is occasion enough."
"咳，一个长得像你这样美丽的人儿，"衬衫领子说，"就是足够的理由了。"
"don't come so near me, i beg of you!" said the garter. "you look so much like those men-folks."
"请不要走得离我太近！"袜带说，"你很像一个男人！"
"i am also a fine gentleman," said the collar. "i have a bootjack and a hair-comb."
"我还是一个漂亮的绅士呢！"衬衫领子说。"我有一个脱靴器和一把梳子！"
but that was not true, for it was his * who had them: but he boasted.
这完全不是真话，因为这两件东西是属于他的主人的。他不过是在吹牛罢了。
"don't come so near me," said the garter: "i am not accustomed to it.""请不要走得离我太近！"
袜带说，"我不习惯于这种行为。"
"prude!" exclaimed the collar; and then it was taken out of the washing-tub. it was starched3, hung over the back of a chair in the sunshine, and was then laid on the ironing-blanket; then came the warm box-iron. "dear lady!" said the collar. "dear widow-lady! i feel quite hot. i am quite changed. i begin to unfold myself. you will burn a hole in me. oh! i offer you my hand."
"装腔作势！"衬衫领子说。这时他们就从水里被取出来，上了浆，挂在一张椅子上晒，*后就被拿到一个熨斗板上。现在一个滚热的熨斗来了。"太太！"衬衫领子说，"亲爱的寡妇太太，我现在颇感到有些热了。我现在变成了另外一个人；我的皱纹全没有了。你烫穿了我的身体，噢，我要向你求婚！"
"rag!" said the box-iron; and went proudly over the collar: for she fancied she was a steam-engine, that would go on the railroad and draw the waggons4. "rag!" said the box-iron.
"你这个老破烂！"熨斗说，同时很骄傲地在衬衫领子上走过去，因为她想象自己是一架火车头，拖着一长串列车，在铁轨上驰过去"你这个老破烂！"
the collar was a little jagged at the edge, and so came the long scissors to cut off the jagged part. "oh!" said the collar. "you are certainly the first opera dancer. how well you can stretch your legs out! it is the most graceful5 performance i have *r seen. no one can imitate you."
衬衫领子的边缘上有些破损。因此有一把剪纸的剪刀就来把这些破损的地方剪平。
"哎哟！"衬衫领子说，"你一定是一个芭蕾舞舞蹈家！你的腿子伸得那么直啊！我从来没有看见过这样美丽的姿态！世界上没有任何人能模仿你！"
"i know it," said the scissors."
这一点我知道！"剪刀说。
"you deserve to be a baroness," said the collar. "all that i have is a fine gentleman, a boot-jack, and a hair-comb. if i only had the barony!"
"你配得上做一个伯爵夫人！"衬衫领子说。"我全部的财产是一位漂亮绅士，一个脱靴器和一把梳子。我只是希望再有一个伯爵的头衔！"
"do you seek my hand?" said the scissors; for she was angry; and without * ado, she cut him, and then he was condemned6.
"难道他还想求婚不成？"剪刀说。她生气起来，结结实实地把他剪了一下，弄得他一直复元不了。