雙語·王子與貧兒 小引
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- 中文
Preface
I will set down a tale as it was told to me by one who had it of his father, which latter had it of his father, this last having in like manner had it of his father—and so on, back and still back, three hundred years and more, the fathers transmitting it to the sons and so preserving it.It may be history, it may be only a legend, a tradition.It may have happened, it may not have happened：but it could have happened.It may be that the wise and the learned believed it in the old days；it may be that only the unlearned and the simple loved it and credited it.
THE AUTHOR
小引
我要照人家給我講的那樣，敘述一個故事。講這故事的人是從他的父親那兒聽來的，他的父親又是從“他的”父親那兒聽來的，這位父親的父親還是一樣，也是從“他的”父親那兒聽來的——一代又一代地一直往上推，總共有三百多年之久，老是父親傳給兒子，把這故事流傳下來。這也許是歷史上的事情，也許只是無稽的傳說。這里面所說的事情也許曾經(jīng)發(fā)生過，也許沒有發(fā)生過，不過那是可能發(fā)生過的。也許從前那些博學多才的人相信這個故事；也許只有那些無知無識和腦筋簡單的人才喜歡它，相信它。
慈悲的美德……
蘊含著雙重的幸福；
它既能使施惠者感到欣慰，
又能降福于受惠者。
它有超乎一切的無上魅力：
比君主的王冠
更能顯示帝王的光彩。
——《威尼斯商人》
