最后一课 The Last Lesson（第1页）

最后一课TheLastLesson

阿尔封斯·都德Alpho

阿尔封斯·都德（1840—1897），19世纪法国现实主义作家。都德生于法国南方一个破落的丝绸商人家庭。15岁起都德独自谋生，后来到巴黎，从事文艺创作，过着清苦的文人生活。1870年，普法战争爆发，都德应征入伍。1897年卒于巴黎。都德一生写过近百篇短篇小说，其中大多数作品以普法战争为背景，讴歌了法国人民的爱国情怀，主要作品有长篇小说《小东西》《达拉斯贡城的戴达伦》《不朽者》，短篇小说《最后一课》《柏林之围》，散文集《磨坊书简》等。

Istartedforschoolverylatethatmandwasidreadofasg，especiallybecauseM。HamelhadsaidthathewouldquestionusonpartidIdidnotkwordaboutthem。ForamomentIthaeofdoors。Itwassowarm，sht!Thebirdsweregattheedgeofthewoods;andintheopenfieldbackofthesawmillthePrussiansoldiersweredrilling。Itwasallmuptingthaiciples，butIhadthestre，aoschool。

Wheownhalltherewasafroin-board。Forthelasttwoyearsallourbadnewshadthere—thelostbattles，thedraft，theordersoftheandihoughttomyself，withoutstopping:

"Whatbethematternow?"

Then，asIhurriedbyasfastasIcouldgo，theblacksmith，asthere，rehebulletierme:

"Don'tgosofast，bub;you'llgettoyoursplentyoftime!"

Ithoughthewasmakingfunofme，andreachedM。Hamel'slittlegardenalloutofbreath。

Usually，whenschoolbegan，therewasagreatbustle，whichcouldbeheardoutiheopeningandgofdesks，lessoedinunison，veryloud，withourhandsoverourearstouaheteacher'sgreatrulerrappiable。"Alittlemorequite!"Butnowitwasallsostill!Ihadmotioomydeskwithoutbei，ofcourse，thatdayeverythinghadtobeasquietasSundaym。Throughthemyclassmates，alreadyintheirpladM。Hamelanddownwithhisterribleironrulerunderhisarm。Ihadtoopenthedoinbeforeeverybody。YouehowIblushedandhhtenedI>

Butnothinghappened。M。Hamelsawmeandsaidverykindly:

"Gotoyourplacequickly，littleFranz。Wewerebeginningwithoutyou。"

Ijumpedoverthebendsatdowillthen，whenIhadgotalittleht，didIseethatourteacherhadoifulgreencoat，hisfrilledshirt，aleblacksilkcap，allembroidered，thatheoionandprizedays。Besides，thewholesedseahethingthatsurprisedmemostwastosee，onthebachesthatty，thevillagepeoplesittilylikeourselves;oldHauser，withhisthree-eredhat，theformermayor，theformerpostmaster，ahersbesides。Everybodylookedsad;andHauserhadbroughtanoldprimer，thumbedattheedges，aopenohhisgreatspectagacrossthepages。

aboutitall，M。Hamelmountedhisd，inthesamegraveaonewhichhehadusedtome，said:

"My，thisisthelastlessonIshallgiveyou。TheorderhasBerlintoteaanintheschoolsofAlsadLorraierorrow。ThisisyourlastFren。Iwantyoutobeveryatte;

Whatathuhesewordsweretome!

Oh，thewretches;thatwaswhattheyhadputupattheto>

MylastFren!Why，Ihardlykowrite!Ishouldneverlearstopthere，then!Oh，howsorryIwasfornmylessbirds'eggs，slidingontheSaar!Mybooks，thathadseemedsuuisanceawhileago，soheavytrammar，andmyhistoryofthesaints，wereoldfriendsnowthatI'tgiveup。Aheideathathewasgoingaway，thatIshouldneverseehimagaiallabouthisrulerandhowkyhe>

Poorman!ItwasinhonorofthislastlessoonhisfineSundayclothes，andoodwhytheoldmenofthevillageweresittihebackoftheroom。Itwasbecausetheyweresorry，too，thattheyhadosore。Itwastheirwayofthankingourmasterforhisfortyyearsoffaithfulservidofshowingtheirrespectforthetrythatwastheirsnomore。

&hinkingofallthis，Iheardmywasmyture。WhatwouldIobeabletosaythatdreadfulrulefortheparticipleallthrough，veryloudanddwithoutoIgotmixedupowordsandstoodthere，holdingontomydesk，myheartbeating，andntolookup。IheardM。Hamelsaytome。

"Iwon'tscoldyou，littleFranz;youmustfeelbadeis!Everydaywehavesaidtoourselves:'Pshaw!I'veplentyoftime。I'lllearnittomorrow。'Andnowyouseewherewe'veeout。Ah，that'sthegreattroubleutstilltomorrow。Nowthosefellowsouttherewillhavetherighttosaytoyou:'Howisit;youpretendtobeFrendyetyoueitherspeaknorwriteyuage?'Butyouare，poorlittleFranz。We'veallagreatdealtoreproachourselveswith。

"Yourpareaohaveyoulearn。Theypreferredtoputyoutoworkonafarmoratthemills，soastohavealittlemoremoney。AndI?I'vebeentoblamealso。HaveIyoutowatermyflowersinsteadyourlessons?Aedtogofishing，didInotjustgiveyouaholiday?"

Then，fromooanother，M。Hamelwentontotalkuage，sayingthatitwasthemostbeautifullaheworld—theclearest，themostlogical;thatwemustguarditamongusait，beapeopleareenslaved，aslongastheyholdfastteitisasiftheyhadthekeytotheirprison。Thenheopenedagrammarandreadusourlesson。IwasamazedtoseehowwellIu。Allhesaidseemedsoeasy，soeasy!Ithink，too，thatIhadenedsocarefully，andthathehadneverexplaihingwithsomuce。Itseemedalmostasifthepoormaogiveusallheknewbefautitallioroke。

&hegrammar，wehadaless。ThatdayM。Hamelhadnewcopiesforus，writteifulroundhand:France，Alsace，Alsace。Theylookedlikelittleflagsfloatingeverywhereinthes，hungfromtherodatthetopofourdesks。Yououghttohaveseenhoweveryoowork，andhowquietitwas!Theonlysougofthepehepaper。Olesflewin;butnobodypaidaothem，tlestones，whhttheirfishhooks，asifthatwasFrench，too。Ohepigeonscooedverylow，andIthoughttomyself。

"WilltheymakethemsinginGermahepigeons?"

WheneverIlookedupfrIsawM。Hamelsittingmotionlessinhisdgazingfirstatohenatanother，asifhewaofixinhismindjusthlookedinthatlittles。Fancy!Forfortyyearshehadbeehesameplace，withhisgardehewindowandhisfrontofhim，justlikethat。Onlythedesksandbencheshadbeenwornsmooth;thewalhegardealler，andthehopvihehadplawihewindowstotheroof。Howitmusthavebrokeoleaveitall，poorman;tohearhissistermovingaboutintheroomabove，pagtheirtrunks!Fortheymustleavetheextday。

Buthehadthecetoheareverylessontotheverylast。Afterthewriting，wehadalessoninhistory，ahebabiestedtheirba，be，bi，bo，bu。DowhebackoftheroomoldHauserhadputoad，holdinghisprimerinbothhaheletterswiththem。Youcouldseethathe，t;hisvoicetrembledwithemotion，anditwassofuhatweallwaolaughandcry。Ah，howwellIrememberit，thatlastlesson!

Allatohechurch-clockstrucktwelve。ThehesamemomesofthePrussiaurningfromdrill，soundedunderourwindows。M。Hamelstoodup，verypale，inhiseversawhimlooksotall。

"Myfriends，"saidhe，"I—I—"Butsomething。Heotgoon。

&urheblackboard，tookapieceofd，bearingonwithallhismight，hewreashecould: