Once upon a time there was a little chimney sweep named Tom who lived in a city in northern England. He could not read or write and he never washed or said his prayers. He had never been taught to do these things. Mr. Grimes， his master， made him work hard， fed him little， and beat him.

　　从前有一个清扫烟囱的小男孩，他的名字叫汤姆，住在英格兰北部的一个城市里。他不识字。也不会写字，从来不知冲洗，也不会做祷告，因为从来没有人教他做这些事情。他的主人格兰姆斯先生，只叫他拼命干活。给他吃得很少。而且还要打他。

　　One summer day， they were called to clean the chimneys at Harthover——a grand place owned by the rich Sir John. On the way， a mysterious woman with a red petticoat walked with them for a while.

　　夏季的一天，他们受雇到哈特霍弗去清扫烟囱，那里是富有的约翰爵士的一大片产业。在路上有个穿红裙的神秘女人跟着他们走了一阵子。

　　Harthover House was as big as a whole street of ordinary houses. It had many large and crooked chimneys that were connected to each other. While inside one of them， Tom got lost and came down the wrong chimney into a bedroom.

　　哈特合弗府邸很大。有着平常老百姓住家的整条街道那么大，上面有许多大而弯曲的烟囱彼此相连在一起。汤姆钻进去之后就迷了路，他走错了一个烟囱竟下到了一间卧室。

　　Under the snow white coverlet， upon the snow-white pillow， lay the most beautiful little girl that Tom had ever seen. Her cheeks were almost as white as the pillow， and her hair was like threads of gold spread all about over the bed. She might have been as old as Tom， or maybe a year or two older： but Tom did not think of that. He thought only of her delicate skin and golden hair， and wondered whether she were a real live person， or one of the wax dolls he had seen in the shops. But when he saw her breathe， he made up his mind that she was alive， and stood staring at her， as if she had been an angel out of heaven.

　　在雪白的被单下，雪白的枕头上，躺着一个汤姆有生以来从未见过的最漂亮的小女孩。她的双额几乎同枕头一样白，头发像金线般铺洒在床上。她可能和汤姆一样年纪，或许大一两岁，但是汤姆并不注意这些，只想着她那细嫩的皮肤和一头金发，心想不知她是个真人、还是在店铺里见过的蜡娃娃。但当见到她在呼吸时，他这才肯定她是个活人。汤姆站在那里目不转睛地看着她，就住她是从天而降的天使。

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