e has a turning lathe of his own, and it is a great amusement to him.”

“我能相信嗎？”

球問道。

“can I believe it?”

asked the ball.

“如果我沒說實話，就讓我再也轉不起來吧。” 陀螺說。

“may I never be whipped again,” said the top, “if I am not telling you the truth.”

“你確實很會為自己說話。” 球說；“但我不能接受你的求婚。

我差不多已經和一隻燕子訂婚了。”

“You certainly know how to speak for yourself very well,” said the ball; “but I cannot accept your proposal.

I am almost engaged to a swallow.

每次我飛到空中，他就會把頭探出鳥巢，問：‘你願意嗎？’而我已經在心裡默默地回答‘願意’了，這就跟已經訂了一半婚差不多啦；不過我保證永遠不會忘記你。”

Every time I fly up in the air, he puts his head out of the nest, and says, ‘will you?’ and I have said, ‘Yes,’ to myself silently, and that is as good as being half engaged; but I will promise never to forget you.”

“這對我可沒什麼好處。” 陀螺說；之後它們就再也沒和對方說過話。

“much good that will be to me,” said the top; and they spoke to each other no more.

第二天，小男孩把球拿了出去。

Next day the ball was taken out by the boy.

陀螺看到它像鳥兒一樣高高地飛在空中，直到完全看不見了。

the top saw it flying high in the air, like a bird, till it would go quite out of sight.

每次它落回地面再彈起時，都會比之前跳得更高，要麼是因為它渴望向上飛，要麼是因為它身體裡有塊西班牙軟木塞的緣故。

Each time it came back, as it touched the earth, it gave a higher leap than before, either because it longed to fly upwards, or from having a Spanish cork in its body.

但第九次它飛到空中後，就再也沒回來。

but the ninth time it rose in the air, it remained away, and did not return.

小男孩到處找它，但都徒勞無功