thoughts jump from one 事物 to another! A funeral passed through the street; a young and beautiful woman lay on a bier, decked with garlands of flowers, and attended by torches, which quite overpowered my light.

沿街房屋裡的人們都站在路邊，成群結隊，準備加入送葬的隊伍。

All along the street stood the people from the houses, in crowds, ready to join the procession.

但當火把從我面前經過，我能環顧四周時，我看到有一個人獨自站在那裡，靠著我的燈杆，在哭泣。

but when the torches had passed from before me, and I could look round, I saw one person alone, standing, leaning against my post, and weeping.

我永遠也忘不了抬頭望著我時那悲傷的眼神。”

Never shall I forget the sorrowful eyes that looked up at me.”

在這燈光最後一次亮起的時候，這些以及類似的回憶佔據了這盞老路燈的思緒。

these and similar reflections occupied the old street lamp, on this the last time that his light would shine.

哨兵換崗的時候，至少知道誰會來接替他，還能和接班人小聲說上幾句，可這路燈不知道誰會是它的繼任者，不然它就能給繼任者一些關於下雨、起霧之類的提示，還能告訴他月光會在路面上照多遠，一般風是從哪邊吹來的等等。

the sentry, when he is relieved from his post, knows at least who will succeed him, and may whisper a few words to him, but the lamp did not know his successor, or he could have given him a few hints respecting rain, or mist, and could have informed him how far the moon’s rays would rest on the pavement, and from which side the wind generally blew, and so on.

在運河上的橋邊站著三個人 —— 哦不，是三個東西，它們都想毛遂自薦來接替路燈的工作，因為它們覺得路燈可以把這個職位隨意交給它選中的任何一個。

on the bridge over the canal stood three persons, who wished to remend themselves to the lamp, for they thought he could giv