val of a newspaper, which did not, however, contain much worth reading, and while it is still going on we will pay a visit to the ante-room, in which cloaks, sticks, and goloshes were carefully placed.

這裡坐著兩個少女，一個年輕，一個年長，彷彿她們是來等著陪她們的女主人回家的；但仔細一看，很容易就會發現她們不是普通的僕人。

here sat two maidens, one young, and the other old, as if they had e and were waiting to acpany their mistresses home; but on looking at them more closely, it could easily be seen that they were no mon servants.

她們的身形太優雅了，膚色太嬌嫩了，衣服的裁剪也太精美了。

their shapes were too graceful, their plexions too delicate, and the cut of their dresses much too elegant.

她們是兩個仙女。

they were two fairies.

年輕的那個不是幸運女神本人，而是幸運女神的一個侍從的侍女，她帶著一些不太重要的禮物。

the younger was not Fortune herself, but the chambermaid of one of Fortune’s attendants, who carries about her more trifling gifts.

年長的那個名叫憂慮，看起來相當憂鬱；她總是親自去處理自己的事情；因為她知道這樣事情才能被妥善地完成。

the elder one, who was named care, looked rather gloomy; she always goes about to perform her own business in person; for then she knows it is properly done.

她們在互相講述著她們白天去了哪裡。

they were telling each other where they had been during the day.

幸運女神的使者只辦了幾件不重要的事情；比如，她讓一頂新帽子免遭雨淋，為一個誠實的人從一個徒有虛名的人那裡得到一個鞠躬等等；但畢竟她有一些不同尋常的事情要講。

the messenger of Fortune had only transacted a few unimportant matters; for instance, she had preserved a new bonnet from a shower of rain, and obtained for an honest man a bow from a titled nobody, and so on; b