美國語文第四冊 第79期：蕁麻（02）
A little cloud rose out like enchantment, and four beautiful little stems sprung up as if they were alive;
一朵云霧玫瑰般的小花長了出來，四條小小的枝莖仿佛有生命一般涌了出來。
and, now that I look again with the glass, I see an elegant little flower as nice and perfect as a lily itself.
現(xiàn)在我再用放大鏡看，能看見一朵像百合花一樣漂亮而優(yōu)雅的小花了。
Well, now examine the leaves.
很好，現(xiàn)在再看看葉子。
Oh, I see they are all covered over with little bristles;
哦，我看見葉子上面都覆蓋著一層很細(xì)小的硬毛。
and when I examine them with the glass, I see a little bag, filled with a juice like water, at the bottom of each.
當(dāng)我用放大鏡看時(shí)，能看到每根硬毛的下面都有一個(gè)小囊袋，里面充滿著像水一樣的汁液。
Ha! These are the things which stung me.
哈！這些就是蜇我的東西。
Now touch the little bag with the point of the pin.
現(xiàn)在，用大頭針的頭碰碰那個(gè)小囊袋。
When I press the bag, the juice runs up and comes out at the small point at the top;
當(dāng)我按壓它時(shí)，里面的汁液擠了上來，從頂部的小孔處流出來。
so I suppose the little thorn must be hollow inside, though it is finer than the point of my cambric needle.
所以我估計(jì)那個(gè)小刺里面應(yīng)該是空的，盡管它比我的麻紗針的針頭鋒利多了。
Have all the leaves those stings?
所有的葉子上都有這些刺嗎？
No, papa; some of the young ones are quite green and soft, like velvet, and I may handle them without any danger.
不是的，爸爸。一些嫩刺還很綠很軟，像天鵝絨，我處理它們一點(diǎn)都沒危險(xiǎn)。
Now look at the stem, and break it.
現(xiàn)在看看枝干，把它折斷。
I can easily crack it, but I can not break it asunder, for the bark is so strong that it holds it together.
我很容易就把它弄折了，但沒法讓它斷開，因?yàn)橥馄ぬ珗?jiān)韌了，總連在一起。
Well, now you see there are more curious things in the nettle than you expected.
好了，你看蕁麻里奇妙的事情比你想象的多很多吧。
Yes, indeed, I see that. But you have often told me that God makes nothing without its use;
是啊，我看到了。但是您原來經(jīng)常告訴我說上帝造的每樣?xùn)|西都有它的用處。
and I am sure I can not see any use in all these things.
我可是看不出這些能有什么用。
That we will now consider.
那是我們現(xiàn)在要來考量的事。
You saw the little flower burst open, and a cloud rose, you say, like enchantment.
你看到了小花的綻開，一片玫瑰色的云霧，你說像有魔力一樣。
Now all this is necessary for the nature of the plant.
所有這些都是植物自然生長所必需的。
