德清窑瓷羊:小学的英语故事要有中文翻译

Mark Twain, the famous American writer, like to play jokes on others. But once a joke was played on him.

①One day at a dinner party, he was asked to sit next to a large, unsmiling lady in a tight black dress. She did not even look up when Mark Twain took his seat beside her. After a while tired to make conversation. The lady told Mark Twain she felt really sad as she had an uncle and that nobody and nothing could possible make him smile or laugh.

“You bring your uncle to my lecture tonight,” said Mark Twain, “I’m sure I can make him laugh.”

Toward evening, the lady and her uncle came and sat in the first row. Mark Twain began his lecture and spoke directly at the old man. He told some rather funny stories, while amused everyone except the old man, who sat there, neither laughed nor smiled. Mark Twain told the funniest stories he knew. The wonderful lecture almost brought down the gallery. But the old man’s face was still blank. In despair, Mark Twain stopped. He felt very tired and discouraged.

Some days later, Mark Twain told a friend of his about what had happened.

“Oh,” said his friend, “I know that old man. He had been deaf for years.”
译文：
马克•吐温是美国著名的作家，喜欢跟别人开玩笑。但是，有一次，玩笑却开到了他的头上。
有一天在一个晚宴上，主人让他坐在一位身材高大、满脸严肃的女士身边，那位女士身穿黑色的紧身晚礼服。当马克•吐温坐在她身边的时候，她连笑都不笑。过了一会，马克•吐温想和她攀谈。她对马克•吐温说她有一位叔叔让她感到烦心。从来就没有任何人或者任何事能够使她的这位叔叔微笑，更别提大笑了。
“您带您叔叔来听我今晚的演讲吧。” 马克•吐温说。“我敢保证能让他笑出来。”
到了晚上，那位女士带她的叔叔来了，坐在第一排。马克•吐温开始了他的演讲，一直对着那位老人讲。他讲了一些非常有趣的故事，这些故事使所有人都笑了起来，惟独那位老人没笑。他坐在那里，一丝笑意都没有。马克•吐温讲了他所知道的最可笑的故事。这场精彩的演说让整个礼堂的人都笑翻了天。但是那位老人依然面无表情。失望之余，马克•吐温停止了演说。他感到又疲惫又沮丧。
几天后，马克•吐温向某位朋友讲述了自己的经历。
“哦”，他的朋友说到，“我知道那位老人，他已经聋了很多年了。”