It may not be known to all the admirers of the genius of Albert Durer, that that famous engraver was endowed with a "better half,"
对所有崇拜阿尔伯特·丢勒艺术天才的人来说他们也许不晓得的是，那位著名雕刻家有“贤内助”，
so peevish in temper, that she was the torment not only of his own life, but also of his pupils and domestics.
由于他脾气乖戾，因此她不但在他自己的生活中饱受折磨，而且累及他的学生和家庭。
Some of the former were cunning enough to purchase peace for themselves by conciliating the common tyrant,
他从前的学生都非常狡猾，通过取悦这位共同的暴君来达到相安无事的目的，
but woe to those unwilling or unable to offer aught in propitiation.
可是对那些倒霉蛋来说，他们不愿意或者说无法提供任何让他满意的东西。
Even the wiser ones were spared only by having their offenses visited upon a scapegoat.
甚至更明智的人也只有通过惩罚替罪羊，来发泄心中的不快。
This unfortunate individual was Samuel Duhobret, a disciple whom Durer had admitted into his school out of charity.
这位不幸的家伙叫萨缪尔·杜霍布赖特，丢勒出于慈悲心肠才允许忝列门下。
He was employed in painting signs and the coarser tapestry then used in Germany.
他受雇于在标牌上在粗制挂毯上涂色，然后将这些产品运往德国。
He was about forty years of age, little, ugly, and humpbacked;
他大约四十岁上下的样子，身材矮小，相貌丑陋，而且背驼得厉害。
he was the butt of every ill joke among his fellow disciples, and was picked out as an object of especial dislike by Madame Durer.
在丢勒的这些学徒中间，杜霍布赖特是大家恶作剧的对象，每个恶毒的笑话都离不开他，尤其不受丢勒夫人喜欢，是她的眼中钉。
But he bore all with patience, and ate, without complaint, the scanty crusts given him every day for dinner, while his companions often fared sumptuously.
杜霍布赖特耐心地忍受着这一切，毫无怨言地承受下来，每天晚餐只给他很少的圆面包，而他的同伴则吃得很丰盛。
Poor Samuel had not a spice of envy or malice in his heart.
可怜的萨缪尔在心里竟然没有一丝妒忌和怨恨。
He would, at any time, have toiled half the night to assist or serve those who were wont oftenest to laugh at him, or abuse him loudest for his stupidity.
在任何时候，他都埋头干到半夜三更，来协助或为那些经常嘲笑他、高声骂他笨蛋的人打下手。
