A CURIOUS DECISION
A poor chimney-sweeper, who had not enough money to buy a meal, stopped one hot summer day at noon before an eating-house, and remained regaling his nose with the smell of the victuals. The master of the shop told him several times to go away, but the sweep(1) could not leave the savory smell, though unable to purchase the taste of the food. At last the cook came out of the shop, and taking hold of the sweep, declared that, as he had been feeding upon(2) the smell of his victuals, he should not go away without paying half the price of a dinner. The poor fellow said that he neither could nor would pay, and that he would ask the first person who should pass, whether it was not an unreasonable and un- just demand.
The case was referred to a policeman,(3) who happened to pass at that moment. He said to the sweep: "As you have been feasting one of your senses with the odor of this man's meat(4), it is but just you should make him some recompense; therefore you shall(5), in your turn, regale one of his senses, which seems to be more insatiable than your appetite. How much money have you ?"
"I have but two pence in all the world, sir, and I must buy me some bread."
"Never mind," answered tile officer, "take your two pence between your hands; now rattle them loudly."
The sweep did so, and the officer, turning to the cook, said: "Now, sir, 1 think he has paid you: the smell of you victuals regaled his nostrils; the sound of his money has tick- led your ears."
This decision gave more satisfaction to the bystanders than to the cook, but it was the only payment he could obtain.
Anonymous
注释:
(1) the sweep： 扫烟囱的工人。
(2) feed upon(on)...： 以……为食物。
(3) The case was referred to a policeman： 此事提交警察处理。to refer…to：把……提交。
(4) meat： 这里作"食物"解．
(5) you shall： shall用于陈述句的第二、第三人称时，表示说话者的意向，命令，允诺，警告等。这里作"应该"解。在现代英语中，表示这种意思时，一般都用should代替shall。
汉译：
奇妙的载决
佚名作者
有一个贫穷的扫烟囱工人，穷得连一顿饭也买不起。一个炎热的夏天中午，他在一家餐馆前停下来，站在那儿用鼻子贪婪地嗅着食物的香味。餐馆老板儿次叫他走开，但他虽然没有能力买食物来尝尝，却又舍不得离开这令人馋涎欲滴的香味。最后，厨师从店堂内走了出来，一把抓住那个扫烟囱工人，说他闻饱了菜肴的捍味，硬要他付一半饭钱，不然，就不放他走。那个穷汉子说他既付不起，也不愿意付，并且提出要请第一个过路人来评一评这样的要求是否公道合理。
这时候，一个警察碰巧从旁边经过，这事就告到了他那里。警察对扫烟囱工人说："既然你的一个感官享受了这人烹调的食物的香味，你就应该给他一定的报酬，这是公平合理的；所以现在该轮到你使他的一个感官得到享受，他的这一感官看来比的胃口更难以满足。你身上有多少钱？"
"总共只有两个便士，我还要买面包吃呢，先生。"
"不要紧，"警察回答道，"把你的两个便士用双手捂着；现在使劲把它们咔嗒咔嗒地摇出声音来。"
扫烟囱的工人这样做了。于是警察转身对厨师说："先生，我想现在他给了你报酬了；你那食物的香味给了他鼻子以享受；他那钱币的响声也饱了斧耳福。"
这一裁决使旁观者大为满意，厨师虽然不满意，但他也只能得到这样的报酬了。
