One cold winter's day, three boys were passing by a school house.
一个寒冷的冬日，三个男孩经过一座校舍。
The oldest was a bad boy, always in trouble himself, and trying to get others into trouble.
年纪最大的那个是个坏男孩，不但自己惹麻烦，还试图把别人也扯进去。
The youngest,whose name was George, was a very good boy.
年纪最小的那个，名叫乔治，是个很乖的男孩子。
George wished to do right, but was very much wanting in courage.
乔治愿意做正确的事情，但是非常缺乏勇气。
The other boys were named Henry and James.
另外两个男孩，一个叫亨利，一个叫詹姆斯。
Asthey walked along, they talked as follows:
他们在路上走的时候，谈话内容是这样的：
Henry says: "What fun it would be to throw a snowball against the school room door, and make the teacher and scholars all jump!"
亨利说：“要是扔一个雪球去砸教室的门，让老师和学生都吓得跳起来，那该多好玩啊！”
James says: "You would jump, if you should".
詹姆斯说：“你这么做的话，跳起来的那个人就是你！”
If the teacher did not catch you and whip you, he would tell your father, and you would get a whipping then;
就算老师没有抓住你，用鞭子抽你，他也会告诉你爸爸，那样你也得挨一顿打。
and that would make you jump higher than the scholars, I think.
我想，那会让你比那些学生跳得更高。
Why, we would get so far off, before the teacher could come to the door, that he could not tell who we are.
什么呀，老师还没开门出来，我们已经跑得老远了。
Here is a snowball just as hard as ice, and George would as soon throw it against the door as not.
他根本就分辨不清我们是谁。这儿有个像冰块一样硬的雪球。而且，乔治会很乐意把它砸到门上的。
Give it to him, and see.
把雪球给他，看看怎么样。
He would not dare to throw it.
他才不敢扔呢。
Do you think George is a coward?
你以为乔治是个胆小鬼吗？
You do not know him as well as I do.
你没有我那么了解他。
Here, George, take this snowball, and show James that you are not such a coward as he thinks you are.
来，乔治，拿着这个雪球，让詹姆斯看看你并不像他所想的那样是个胆小鬼。
