《两位少女》，1854 年
two maidens, 1854
你见过一种 “少女” 吗？
have you ever seen a maiden?
我指的是我们那些铺路工所说的 “少女”，就是他们用来夯平道路上铺路石的一种东西。
I mean what our pavers call a maiden, a thing with which they ram down the paving-stones in the roads.
这种 “少女” 完全是用木头做的，底部很宽，还围着几圈铁环。
A maiden of this kind is made altogether of wood, broad below, and girt round with iron rings.
顶部比较窄，有一根木棍横穿腰部，这根木棍就成了 “少女” 的双臂。
At the top she is narrow, and has a stick passed across through her waist, and this stick forms the arms of the maiden.
棚屋里就立着两个这样的 “少女”。
In the shed stood two maidens of this kind.
它们和铲子、手推车、独轮车以及卷尺等放在一起；而所有这些物件都听说了一个消息，就是这些 “少女” 不能再叫 “少女” 了，而要叫 “手夯”，这个词在铺路工当中是最新的、也是唯一正确的叫法，用来称呼我们从过去就一直熟知的那种叫做 “少女” 的东西。
they had their place among shovels, hand-carts, wheelbarrows, and measuring-tapes; and to all this pany the news had e that the maidens were no longer to be called “maidens,” but “hand-rammers,” which word was the newest and the only correct designation among the pavers for the thing we all know from the old times by the name of “the maiden.”
现在，在我们人类当中，有某些人被称作 “解放了的女性”，比如，机构的负责人、专业单腿站立的舞蹈演员、女帽商以及护士；而棚屋里的这两个 “少女” 就把自己和这类 “解放了的女性” 联系到了一起。
Now, there are among us human creatures certain individuals who are known as “emancipated women,” as, for instance, principals of institutions, dancers who stand professionally on one leg, milliners, and sick-nurses; and with this class of emancipated women the two maidens in the shed associated themselves.
在铺路工当中它们是 “少女”，并且决定不放弃这个光荣的称呼，不让自己被误称为 “夯”。
they were “maidens” among the paver folk, and determined not to give up this honorable appellation, and let themselves be miscalled “rammers.
“‘少女’是人的称呼，而‘手夯’是个物件，我们可不想被叫做物件 —— 那是在侮辱我们。”
“maiden is a human name, but hand-rammer is a thing, and we won’t be called things — that’s insulting us.”
“我的爱人可能会打算放弃婚约，” 最年轻的那个说道，她已经和一把铺路工用的锤子订了婚；而锤子是那种能像机器一样把大木桩打进地里的东西，所以它做的事和十个 “少女” 以类似方式做的事规模一样大。
“my lover would be ready to give up his engagement,” said the youngest, who was betrothed to a paver’s hammer; and the hammer is the thing which drives great piles into the earth, like a machine, and therefore does on a large scale what ten maidens effect in a similar way.
“他想娶我这个‘少女’，但要是我成了‘手夯’，他还会不会要我就不好说了，所以我不会让我的名字被改掉。”
“he wants to marry me as a maiden, but whether he would have me were I a hand-rammer is a question, so I won’t have my name changed.”
“而我，” 年长些的那个说，“宁愿把我的两条胳膊都折断。”
“And I,” said the elder one, “would rather have both my arms broken off.”
但是独轮车却有不同的看法；独轮车被认为是有点分量的，因为它觉得自己是马车的四分之一，毕竟它是靠一个轮子行走的。
but the wheelbarrow was of a different opinion; and the wheelbarrow was looked upon as of some consequence, for he considered himself a quarter of a coach, because he went about upon one wheel.
“我必须提请你们注意，” 它说，“‘少女’这个名字太普通了，远没有‘手夯’或者‘捣实器’那么文雅，后一个名字也有人提议过，要是用了它，你们就能被归入印章那一类了；想想国家的大印吧，它盖下皇家印章，让法律生效！不，就你们的情况而言，我会放弃我的少女名。”
“I must submit to your notice,” he said, “that the name ‘maiden’ is mon enough, and not nearly so refined as ‘hand-rammer,’ or ‘stamper,’ which latter has also been proposed, and through which you would be introduced into the category of seals; and only think of the great stamp of state, which impresses the royal seal that gives effect to the laws! No, in your case I would surrender my maiden name.”
“不，当然不！” 年长的那个叫道。“我年纪太大了，做不到。”
“No, certainly not!” exclaimed the elder. “I am too old for that.”
“我猜你们从来没听说过所谓的‘欧洲的必要性’吧？” 诚实的卷尺说道。
“I presume you have never heard of what is called ‘European necessity?’” observed the honest measuring tape.
“人必须能够让自己适应时代与环境，如果有规定说‘少女’得被称作‘手夯’，那么，她就必须被称作‘手夯’，赌气是没用的，因为凡事都有个度。”
“one must be able to adapt one’s self to time and circumstances, and if there is a law that the ‘maiden’ is to be called ‘hand-rammer,’ why, she must be called ‘hand-rammer,’ and no pouting will avail, for everything has its measure.”
“不；要是非得改的话，” 年轻些的那个说，“我宁愿被叫做‘小姐’，因为这多少能让人联想到少女。”
“No; if there must be a change,” said the younger, “I should prefer to be called ‘missy,’ for that reminds one a little of maidens.”
“但我宁愿被剁碎成木屑。” 年长些的那个说。
“but I would rather be chopped to chips,” said the elder.
最后，它们都去干活了。
At last they all went to work.
少女们被推着走 —— 也就是说，它们被放进一辆独轮车里，这算是一种优待；但它们依旧被称作 “手夯”。
the maidens rode — that is, they were put in a wheelbarrow, and that was a distinction; but still they were called “hand-rammers.”
“少 ——！” 它们在人行道上被颠簸时说道。“少 ——！” 它们差点就把整个 “少女” 这个词全说出来了；但它们突然打住，把最后一个音节咽了回去；因为经过深思熟虑，它们觉得抗议有失尊严。
“mai —!” they said, as they were bumped upon the pavement. “mai —!” and they were very nearly pronouncing the whole word “maiden;” but they broke off short, and swallowed the last syllable; for after mature deliberation they considered it beneath their dignity to protest.
但它们总是互相称呼对方为 “少女”，并且赞美过去的好时光，那时一切事物都有其恰当的名称，是少女的就被叫做少女。
but they always called each other “maiden,” and praised the good old days in which everything had been called by its right name, and those who were maidens were called maidens.
它们就保持原样；因为那把锤子真的和年轻些的那个解除了婚约，因为除了要一个真正的少女做新娘，别的什么都不合他的意。
And they remained as they were; for the hammer really broke off his engagement with the younger one, for nothing would suit him but he must have a maiden for his bride.