Over at the ball, the Prince did not know what to think. “Why do you have that sad look on your face?” the Queen said to her son. “Look around you! You could not ask for finer maidens than these.”
在舞會上，王子不知道該怎么想。“你為什么一臉悲傷呢?”王后對兒子說。“看看你的周圍!你找不到比她們更好的姑娘了。”
“I know, Mother,” said the Prince. Yet he knew something was wrong. He had met many of the young women. Yet after he said “hello,” one by one, he could find nothing more to say.
“我知道，媽媽。”王子說。然而他知道出了問題。他見過許多年輕女子。然而，在他一個(gè)接一個(gè)地說“你好”之后，他找不出更多的話來。
"Look!" Someone pointed to the front door. “Who is that?”
“看!”有人指著前門。“那是誰?”
All heads turned. Who was that lovely maiden stepping down the stairs? She held her head tall and looked as if she belonged. But no one knew her.
所有人都轉(zhuǎn)過頭去。走下樓梯的那位可愛的少女是誰?她昂著頭，看上去好像屬于這里。但是沒有人認(rèn)識她。
“There is something about her,” said the Prince to himself. “I will ask her to dance.” And he walked over to Cinderella.
“她身上有些東西。”王子自言自語道。“我要請她跳舞。”他走到灰姑娘身邊。
“Have we met?” said the Prince.
“我們見過?王子說。
“I am pleased to meet you now,” said Cinderella with a bow.
“我很高興現(xiàn)在見到你，”灰姑娘鞠了一躬說。
“I feel as if I know you,” said the Prince. “But of course, that is impossible.”
“我覺得我好像認(rèn)識你。”王子說。“當(dāng)然，那是不可能的。”
“Many things are possible,” said Cinderella, “if you wish them to be true.”
“很多事情都是可能的，”灰姑娘說，“只要你希望它們是真的。”
The Prince felt a leap in his heart. He and Cinderella danced. When the song was over, they danced again. And then they danced again, and yet again. Soon the other maidens at the ball grew jealous. “Why is he dancing all the time with her?” they said. “How rude!”
王子感到心頭一跳。他和灰姑娘跳舞。歌曲結(jié)束后，他們又跳了起來。然后他們又跳了一遍又一遍。不久舞會上的其他姑娘開始嫉妒起來。“他為什么總是和她跳舞?””他們說。“多么粗魯!”
But all the Prince could see was Cinderella. They laughed and talked, and they danced some more. In fact, they danced for so long that Cinderella did not see the clock.
但是王子看到的只有灰姑娘。他們有說有笑，還跳了更多的舞。事實(shí)上，他們跳了很長時(shí)間，以至于灰姑娘都沒有看到鐘。
“Dong!” said the clock.
“咚!鐘響了。
Cinderella looked up.
灰姑娘抬頭。
“Dong!” went the clock again.
“咚!時(shí)鐘又響了。
She looked up again. “Oh, my!” she cried out. “It is almost midnight!”
她又抬起頭來。“哦,我的天!她喊道。“快半夜了!”
“Dong!” rung the clock.
“咚!鐘響了。
“Why does that matter?” said the Prince.
“這有什么關(guān)系?”王子說。
“Dong!” called the clock.
“咚!鐘響了。
“I must go!” said Cinderella.
“我必須走了!”灰姑娘說。
“Dong!” went the clock.
“咚!鐘響了。
“But we just met!” said the Prince. “Why leave now?”
“可我們才剛認(rèn)識啊!”王子說。“為什么走了?”
“Dong!” rung the clock.
“咚!鐘響了。
“I must GO!” said Cinderella. She ran to the steps.
“我必須走!”灰姑娘說。她跑向臺階。
“Dong!” said the clock.
“咚!鐘響了。
“I cannot hear you,” said the Prince. “The clock is too loud!”
“我聽不見。”王子說。“鐘太響了!”
“Dong!” rung the clock.
“咚!鐘響了。
“Goodbye!” said Cinderella. Up, up the stairs she ran.
“再見!”灰姑娘說。她跑上樓梯。
“Dong!” went the clock.
“咚!時(shí)鐘又響了。
“Please, stop for a moment!” said the Prince.
“請停一下!”王子說。
“Oh, dear!” she said as one glass slipper fell off her foot on the stair. But Cinderella kept running up.
“哦,天吶!一只水晶鞋從她的腳上掉到樓梯上時(shí)，她說。但是灰姑娘不停地跑。
“Dong!” said the clock.
“咚!時(shí)鐘又響了。
“Please wait a moment!” said the Prince.
“請等一等!”王子說。
“Dong!” rung the clock.
“咚!時(shí)鐘又響了。
“Goodbye!” Cinderella turned one last time. Then she rushed out the door.
“再見!”灰姑娘最后一次轉(zhuǎn)身。然后她沖出門去。
“Dong!” The clock was quiet. It was midnight.
“咚!”時(shí)鐘靜了下來。午夜到了。
“Wait!” called the Prince. He picked up her glass slipper and rushed out the door. He looked around but could not see her blue dress anywhere. “This is all I have left from her,” he said, looking down at the glass slipper. He saw that it was made in a special way, to fit a foot like none other. “Somewhere there is the other glass slipper,” he said. “And when I find it, I will find her, too. Then I will ask her to be my bride!”
“等等！”王子叫道。他拿起她的水晶鞋，沖出門去。他環(huán)顧四周，但哪兒也看不到她的藍(lán)色連衣裙。“這是她留給我的所有東西，”他低頭看著水晶鞋說道。他看到它是以一種特殊的方式制作的，獨(dú)一無二地適合一只腳。“另一只水晶鞋就在某個(gè)地方，”他說。“當(dāng)我找到它的時(shí)候，我也會找到她。那我就請她做我的新娘！”
