The Tale of Ginger and Pickles

Once upon a time there was a village shop. The name over the window was "Ginger and Pickles."

从前有一家村子里的小铺子。窗户上方挂着的招牌写着“金杰与皮克尔斯”。

It was a little small shop just the right size for Dolls—Lucinda and Jane Doll-cook always bought their groceries at Ginger and Pickles.

这是一家小小的铺子，个头正好适合玩偶——露辛达和简·多尔库克向来都在金杰与皮克尔斯家买杂货。

The counter inside was a convenient height for rabbits. Ginger and Pickles sold red spotty pocket-handkerchiefs at a penny three farthings.

铺子里的柜台高度正好适合兔子。金杰与皮克尔斯家卖的红点子手帕，一便士三法寻一条。

They also sold sugar, and snuff and galoshes.

他们还卖糖、鼻烟和橡胶套鞋。

In fact, although it was such a small shop it sold nearly everything—except a few things that you want in a hurry—like bootlaces, hair-pins and mutton chops.

事实上，这铺子虽小，却几乎什么都卖——除了那些你急着要用、却偏偏没有的东西——比如鞋带、发夹和羊排。

Ginger and Pickles were the people who kept the shop. Ginger was a yellow tom-cat, and Pickles was a terrier.

金杰和皮克尔斯就是这铺子的老板。金杰是只黄色的公猫，皮克尔斯是只㹴犬。

The rabbits were always a little bit afraid of Pickles.

兔子们总是有点怕皮克尔斯。

The shop was also patronized by mice—only the mice were rather afraid of Ginger.

铺子里还有老鼠光顾——只不过老鼠们对金杰倒是相当害怕。

Ginger usually requested Pickles to serve them, because he said it made his mouth water.

金杰通常都请皮克尔斯来招呼老鼠顾客，他说这样能省得自己看了流口水。

"I cannot bear," said he, "to see them going out at the door carrying their little parcels."

“我实在受不了，”他说道，“看着它们提着自己的小包裹走出门去。”

"I have the same feeling about rats," replied Pickles, "but it would never do to eat our own customers; they would leave us and go to Tabitha Twitchit's."

“我对老鼠也是同样的感觉，”皮克尔斯答道，“可总不能把自己的顾客吃掉呀，那样他们就都跑去塔比莎·特威切特家买东西了。”

"On the contrary, they would go nowhere," replied Ginger gloomily.

“正相反，他们哪儿也不会去的，”金杰闷闷不乐地答道。

(Tabitha Twitchit kept the only other shop in the village. She did not give credit.)

（塔比莎·特威切特开着村里唯一另一家铺子。她可不赊账。）

Ginger and Pickles gave unlimited credit.

金杰与皮克尔斯家倒是可以无限赊账。

Now the meaning of "credit" is this—when a customer buys a bar of soap, instead of the customer pulling out a purse and paying for it—she says she will pay another time.

所谓“赊账”，意思是这样的——顾客买一块肥皂的时候，不用掏出钱包当场付钱，只需说改天再付就是了。

And Pickles makes a low bow and says, "With pleasure, madam," and it is written down in a book.

于是皮克尔斯便低头一鞠躬，说道：“乐意之至，夫人，”然后把这笔账记在本子上。

The customers come again and again, and buy quantities, in spite of being afraid of Ginger and Pickles.

顾客们一次又一次地来，买了不少东西，尽管他们心里都有点怕金杰和皮克尔斯。

But there is no money in what is called the "till."

可是那个所谓的“钱匣子”里，却始终一分钱都没有。

The customers came in crowds every day and bought quantities, especially the toffee customers. But there was always no money; they never paid for as much as a pennyworth of peppermints.

顾客们每天都成群结队地来，买走大量东西，尤其是买太妃糖的顾客最多。可是钱始终没有；他们连一便士的薄荷糖都没付过钱。

But the sales were enormous, ten times as large as Tabitha Twitchit's.

不过生意做得极为兴隆，比塔比莎·特威切特家足足多出十倍。

As there was always no money, Ginger and Pickles were obliged to eat their own goods.

因为始终收不到钱，金杰和皮克尔斯只好把自家的货物吃掉充饥。

Pickles ate biscuits and Ginger ate a dried haddock.

皮克尔斯吃饼干，金杰则吃一条腌鳕鱼干。

They ate them by candle-light after the shop was closed.

他们总是等铺子打烊后，就着烛光吃。

When it came to Jan. 1st there was still no money, and Pickles was unable to buy a dog licence.

到了一月一号，钱还是分文没有，皮克尔斯连一张狗牌照都办不起。

"It is very unpleasant, I am afraid of the police," said Pickles.

“这可真让人烦心，我怕警察找上门来，”皮克尔斯说道。

"It is your own fault for being a terrier; I do not require a licence, and neither does Kep, the Collie dog."

“那是你自己不该当条㹴犬，我就不用办牌照，牧羊犬凯普也不用。”

"It is very uncomfortable, I am afraid I shall be summoned. I have tried in vain to get a licence upon credit at the Post Office;" said Pickles. "The place is full of policemen. I met one as I was coming home."

“这可真让人难受，我怕会被传唤呢。我想去邮局赊一张牌照，也是白费力气，”皮克尔斯说道。“那地方到处都是警察。我回家路上就碰见了一个。”

"Let us send in the bill again to Samuel Whiskers, Ginger, he owes 22/9 for bacon."

“咱们再给塞缪尔·惠斯克斯寄一次账单吧，金杰，他还欠着二十二先令九便士的培根钱呢。”

"I do not believe that he intends to pay at all," replied Ginger.

“我看他压根就没打算付这笔钱，”金杰答道。

"And I feel sure that Anna Maria pockets things—Where are all the cream crackers?"

“而且我敢肯定安娜·玛丽亚偷偷把东西塞进自己口袋了——那些奶油饼干都到哪儿去了？”

"You have eaten them yourself," replied Ginger.

“是你自己吃掉的呀，”金杰答道。

Ginger and Pickles retired into the back parlour.

金杰和皮克尔斯退回了后堂。

They did accounts. They added up sums and sums, and sums.

他们开始算账。加了一笔又一笔，算了一遍又一遍。

"Samuel Whiskers has run up a bill as long as his tail; he has had an ounce and three-quarters of snuff since October."

“塞缪尔·惠斯克斯欠下的账，都快跟他的尾巴一样长了；他从十月起就用掉了一又四分之三盎司的鼻烟。”

"What is seven pounds of butter at 1/3, and a stick of sealing wax and four matches?"

“七磅黄油，一先令三便士一磅，再加一根火漆和四根火柴，一共该是多少钱？”

"Send in all the bills again to everybody 'with comp'ts,'" replied Ginger.

“把账单再给每一位都送去一份，写上‘敬候赐复’吧，”金杰答道。

After a time they heard a noise in the shop, as if something had been pushed in at the door. They came out of the back parlour. There was an envelope lying on the counter, and a policeman writing in a note-book!

过了一会儿，他们听见铺子里传来一阵响动，好像有什么东西从门口塞了进来。他们从后堂走了出来。只见柜台上放着一个信封，还有一名警察正在笔记本上写着什么呢！

Pickles nearly had a fit, he barked and he barked and made little rushes.

皮克尔斯差点没吓晕过去，冲着他一阵狂吠，还不时猛地扑上去几下。

"Bite him, Pickles! bite him!" spluttered Ginger behind a sugar-barrel, "he's only a German doll!"

“咬他呀，皮克尔斯！咬他呀！”金杰躲在一只糖桶后面，结结巴巴地喊道，“他不过是个德国玩偶罢了！”

The policeman went on writing in his notebook; twice he put his pencil in his mouth, and once he dipped it in the treacle.

那警察依旧自顾自地在笔记本上写着；有两次他把铅笔放进嘴里舔了舔，还有一次竟蘸了蘸糖浆。

Pickles barked till he was hoarse. But still the policeman took no notice. He had bead eyes, and his helmet was sewed on with stitches.

皮克尔斯叫得嗓子都哑了。可那警察还是理都不理。他的眼睛是两颗玻璃珠子，头盔也是用针线缝上去的。

At length on his last little rush—Pickles found that the shop was empty. The policeman had disappeared.

到最后一次猛冲过去时——皮克尔斯发现铺子里已经空无一人了。那警察不知何时已经不见了。

But the envelope remained.

不过那个信封还留在原地。

"Do you think that he has gone to fetch a real live policeman? I am afraid it is a summons," said Pickles.

“你说他是不是去叫真正的活警察了？我怕这是张传票，”皮克尔斯说道。

"No," replied Ginger, who had opened the envelope, "it is the rates and taxes, £3 19 11-3/4."

“不是，”金杰说道，他已经拆开了信封，“这是地税和赋税账单，一共三镑十九先令十一又四分之三便士。”

"This is the last straw," said Pickles, "let us close the shop."

“这可真是压垮骆驼的最后一根稻草了，”皮克尔斯说道，“咱们把铺子关了吧。”

They put up the shutters, and left. But they have not removed from the neighbourhood. In fact some people wish they had gone further.

他们关上了百叶窗，就此离开了铺子。不过他们倒也没搬离这一带。事实上，有些人还巴不得他们搬得更远些呢。

Ginger is living in the warren. I do not know what occupation he pursues; he looks stout and comfortable.

金杰如今就住在兔子窝里。我也不知道他现在靠什么营生；不过看起来倒是养得挺壮实、挺舒坦的。

Pickles is at present a gamekeeper.

皮克尔斯眼下当上了猎场看守人。

The closing of the shop caused great inconvenience. Tabitha Twitchit immediately raised the price of everything a half-penny; and she continued to refuse to give credit.

铺子一关门，可给大伙儿添了不少麻烦。塔比莎·特威切特立刻把所有东西的价钱都涨了半便士，而且照旧不肯赊账。

Of course there are the trades-men's carts—the butcher, the fish-man and Timothy Baker.

当然啦，还有那些走街串巷的货郎车——卖肉的、卖鱼的，还有面包师提摩西。

But a person cannot live on "seed wigs" and sponge-cake and butter-buns—not even when the sponge-cake is as good as Timothy's!

可是人总不能光靠“种子小饼”、海绵蛋糕和黄油小面包过日子呀——就算提摩西的海绵蛋糕做得再好吃也不行！

After a time Mr. John Dormouse and his daughter began to sell peppermints and candles.

过了些日子，约翰·睡鼠先生和他女儿开始卖起薄荷糖和蜡烛来。

But they did not keep "self-fitting sixes"; and it takes five mice to carry one seven inch candle.

可他们家不备“自适配六号”蜡烛；而且得五只老鼠才能抬得动一根七英寸长的蜡烛。

Besides—the candles which they sell behave very strangely in warm weather.

再说，他们卖的那些蜡烛，一到暖和天气就会闹出各种古怪毛病来。

And Miss Dormouse refused to take back the ends when they were brought back to her with complaints.

睡鼠小姐还不肯收回那些顾客拿来投诉的蜡烛头。

And when Mr. John Dormouse was complained to, he stayed in bed, and would say nothing but "very snug;" which is not the way to carry on a retail business.

约翰·睡鼠先生每逢有人来投诉，就干脆躺在床上不出来，嘴里只反复说着“真舒服”这句话，这可不是做零售生意该有的样子。

So everybody was pleased when Sally Henny Penny sent out a printed poster to say that she was going to re-open the shop—"Henny's Opening Sale! Grand co-operative Jumble! Penny's penny prices! Come buy, come try, come buy!"

于是等到萨莉·亨尼·潘尼贴出一张印刷海报，宣布她打算重新开张这家铺子时，大伙儿都高兴坏了——海报上写着：“亨尼盛大开业！合作大甩卖！便士价，件件便士！快来买，快来试，快来买呀！”

The poster really was most 'ticing.

那张海报写得实在是诱人极了。

There was a rush upon the opening day. The shop was crammed with customers, and there were crowds of mice upon the biscuit canisters.

开张那天，铺子里挤满了顾客，饼干罐子上更是爬满了成群结队的老鼠。

Sally Henny Penny gets rather flustered when she tries to count out change, and she insists on being paid cash; but she is quite harmless.

萨莉·亨尼·潘尼一算找零就手忙脚乱的，她坚持只收现金；不过她这人倒是一点害处都没有。

And she has laid in a remarkable assortment of bargains.

而且她还进了不少稀奇古怪的便宜货。

There is something to please everybody.

总有点什么，能让每个人都称心如意。