施蛰存·《寒暑计》英译

壁上挂着寒暑计。天冷了，里面的水银下降；暖了，它上升。没有差错。

人说它是一个好的寒暑计。

一天，它怀疑了它的生活：“我为什么要随着气候行动呢。我愿意向上，就向上；我愿意向下，就向下。甚至我愿意休息，休息就得了。我似乎应当尊重自己的趣味。”

它决定了这样的自己尊重，不再留意着外面的空气了。

它在壁上自由行动。

于是人说它是一个废物，把它摔在地上了。

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The Thermometer

There was a thermometer hanging on the wall. The mercury dropped when it got cold, and rose when it got warm. It was operating with unerring accuracy.

People called it a good thermometer.

One day, however, it became skeptical of its own lifestyle. “Why should I act by always keeping pace with weather?” it thought aloud. “I’ll rise or drop as I please. I’ll take a rest whenever I want to. It seems I should follow my own inclination.”

So it decided on acting on its own, and no longer paid attention to weather.

It became a maverick on the wall.

Consequently, people called it trash and threw it away to the ground.