he already possessed a costly block of that stone.

多年來，它一直躺在院子裡，是他父母的財產。

It had been lying for years, the property of his parents, in the courtyard.

玻璃碎片、攀緣的野草和洋薊的殘株堆積在它周圍，玷汙了它的純淨；但在表面之下，這塊石頭像山上的雪一樣潔白；普緒克將從這塊石頭中誕生。”

Fragments of glass, climbing weeds, and remains of artichokes had gathered about it and sullied its purity; but under the surface the block was as white as the mountain snow; and from this block the psyche was to arise.”

現在，有一天早晨 —— 明亮的星星沒有講述這件事，但我們知道發生了 —— 一群高貴的羅馬人來到了這條狹窄的小巷。

Now, it happened one morning — the bright Star tells nothing about this, but we know it occurred — that a noble Roman pany came into the narrow lane.

馬車在小巷的盡頭停了下來，這群人步行朝著房子走去，去觀賞這位年輕雕塑家的作品，因為他們偶然聽說過他。

the carriage stopped at the top of the lane, and the pany proceeded on foot towards the house, to inspect the young sculptor’s work, for they had heard him spoken of by chance.

這些尊貴的客人是誰呢？

And who were these distinguished guests?

可憐的年輕人啊！或者也可以稱他為幸運的年輕人。

poor young man! or fortunate young man he might be called.

當她的父親對她說 “這是你的生動寫照” 時，這位高貴的年輕女士站在房間裡，燦爛地微笑著。

the noble young lady stood in the room and smiled radiantly when her father said to her, “It is your living image.”

那種微笑是無法複製的，就像那種神情無法重現一樣，她投向年輕藝術家的那種奇妙的神情。

that smile could not be copied, any more than the look could be reproduced, the wonderful look which she cast upon the young artist.

那是一種熾熱的眼神，似乎一下子既讓他振奮又讓他自慚形穢。