The Last Lesson最后一课

I was very late that morning on my way to school and was afraid of being scolded. The master had told us he would question us on verbs， and I did not know a thing about them， for I had not done my lesson.

那天早上我很晚才去上学，害怕挨训。老师说过他要问我们动词的问题。我一点也不会，因为我没有做功课。

For a moment I thought of playing truant1. The air was so warm and bright， and I could hear the blackbirds whistling on the edge of the woods， and the Prussians drilling in the meadows behind the sawmill.

一时间，我想到逃学。天气是那样暖和、那样晴朗。我可以听到乌鸫在林边树梢上鸣叫，普鲁士军人在锯木厂后面的草坪上操练。

I liked this much better than learning the rules of verbs， but I did not dare to stop， so I ran quickly towards school.

这比学习动词规则有趣多了，但我不敢停下来，就飞快地向学校跑去。

Passing the mayor’s office， I saw people standing before the little bulletin board. For two years it was there that we had received all the news of battles， of victories and defeats.

经过镇公所时，我看到人们站在小布告牌前。两年来，我们就是在这里得到会战的所有消息，有胜的，有败的。

“What is it now？” I thought， without stopping.

“现在又怎么了？”我边跑边想。

Then， as I ran along， the blacksmith， who was there reading the notice， cried out to me， “Not so fast， little one， you will reach your school soon enough.”

我正往前跑着，在那里看布告的铁匠朝我大声喊道：“小家伙，别跑那么快，你来得及赶到学校。”

I thought he was making fun of me and ran faster than ever， reaching the schoolyard quite out of breath.

我以为他是拿我开玩笑，就跑得更快了。到学校时，我已上气不接下气。

Usually at the beginning of school， the noise of desks being opened and closed， and lessons repeated at the top of the children’s voices could be heard out in the street. Occasionally2 the master beat the desk with the heavy ruler as he cried， “Silence， please silence！”

平常开始上课时，课桌的开关声和孩子们一遍遍放开嗓子念课文的声音在街上就能听到。有时，老师还一边用重重的直尺敲打讲桌，一边喊道：“安静，请安静！”

I had hoped to be able to take my seat in all this noise without being seen， but that morning the room was quiet and orderly.

我本想趁着这阵喧闹神不知鬼不觉地坐到自己的座位上，但那天早上，教室里却安静而有序。

Through the open window I saw my schoolmates already in their places. The master was walking up and down the room with the iron ruler under his arm and a book in his hand.

我从敞开的窗户看到同学们已经坐在自己的座位上，老师手里拿着一本书，胳膊下夹着铁尺，在教室里走来走去。

As I entered he looked at me kindly， and said， without scolding， “Go quickly to your place， little Franz; we are going to begin without you. You should have been here five minutes ago.”

我走进教室时，老师亲切地看着我说，语气中没有责备的意思：“快到座位上去吧，小弗朗茨。你不到我们也要开始上课了。你迟到了五分钟。”

I climbed over my bench and sat down at once at my desk. Just then I noticed， for the first time， that our master wore his fine green coat and his black silk-embroidered cap.

我跨过板凳，马上在课桌边坐下。这时，我第一次注意到，老师穿着漂亮的绿上衣，戴着黑色绣边丝帽。

But what surprised me most was to see some of the village people seated on the benches at the end of the room. One of them was holding an old spelling book on his knee; and they all looked sadly at the master.

但最让我吃惊的是，我看到一些村民坐在教室后面的凳子上，其中有个人还在膝上放着一本旧的拼写课本。他们都神情忧郁地望着老师。

While I was wondering at this， our master took his place. “Children，” he said， “this is the last time that I shall give you a lesson. An order has come from Berlin that no language but German may be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. A new master will come tomorrow who will teach you German. Today is your last lesson in French. I beg you to pay attention.”

我正对此感到纳闷，只见我们的老师走上了讲台。“孩子们，”他说道，“这是我最后一次给你们上课。柏林已经下令，阿尔萨斯和洛林的学校只能教德语。明天新老师就来教你们德语。今天是你们最后一节法语课。我请你们专心听。”

These words frightened me. This was what they had posted on the bul-letin board then！ This was what the blacksmith was reading！

这些话吓了我一跳。原来公告牌上贴的就是这个！原来铁匠看的就是这个！

My last lesson in French！ I hardly knew how to write， and I never should learn now. How I regretted the hours wasted in the woods and fields， the days when I had played and should have studied！

我的最后一节法语课！我几乎还不会写字，就再也不能学了。我真后悔浪费在树林和田野里的那些时光，真后悔本应学习却只顾玩耍的那些日子！

My books that a short time ago had seemed so tiresome3， so heavy to carry， now seemed to me like old friends.

就在刚才还看上去那么讨厌、那么沉重的课本，此时在我看来却像老朋友一样。

I was thinking of this when I heard my name called. It was my turn to recite. What would I not have given to be able to say the rules without a mistake！ But I could not say a word， and stood at my bench without daring to lift my head. Then I heard the master speaking to me.

我正想着，突然听到老师叫我的名字。轮到我背书了。唉，我要是能一点儿不错地说出动词的规则该多好！可我一个词也说不出来。我站在凳子边，不敢抬头。这时，我听到老师对我说道：

“I shall not scold you， little Franz. You are punished enough now. Every day you have said to yourself， ‘I have plenty of time. I will learn my lessons tomorrow.’ Now you see what has happened.”

“我不批评你，小弗朗茨。你现在够难过了。你每天总是对自己说：‘我有的是时间，明天再学功课。’现在你知道后果了吧。”

Then he began to talk to us about the French language， saying that it was the most beautiful tongue in the world， and that we must keep it among us and never forget it.

之后，他开始对我们讲起了法语。他说法语是世界上最美的语言，我们一定要经常讲，永远不要忘记。

Finally he took the grammar and read us the lesson. I was surprised to see how well I understood. Everything seemed easy. I believed， too， that I had never listened so attentively; and it almost seemed as if the good man were trying to teach us all he knew at this last lesson.