PETER THE GREAT （Ⅰ）
Emperor of Russia，went in disguise to Holland，to learn the art of ship-building，in order to be able to construct a navy for himself.He introduced that art into his country，and by his energy and good sense laid the foundation of its later prosperity.The following scene befweer pefer and stammitz，a shipbuilder，is supposed to have occurred while he was in Holland.
Peter.（Disguised as a carpenter.）Well，before I quit this place，I may let you into my secret.
Stanmitz.And do you think of leaving us？
Pet.I have now been absent from my native country a twelvemonth.I have acquired some knowledge of shipbuilding，the object for which I came here，and it is time I should return home.
Sta .Our master，Von Block，will be sorry to lose you，because you are the most industrious fellow in the yard；and I shall be sorry，because-because，Peter，I like you.
Pet.And I don’t dislike you.
Sta.Peter，I think I may venture to tell you a secret.
Pet.Why，surely you have done nothing to be ashamed of？
Sta.No，not ashamed；but I‘m considerably afraid.Know，then，thatI was born at Moscow.
Pet.Well there is no crime in being born at Moscow；besides，that was no fault of yours.
Sta .That’s not it.Listen！It happened，one day，that a party of soldiers halted near my mother‘s hut；the commanding officer presently cast an eye at me，and was so amazingly taken with my appearance，that he requested I’d make one of his company.I was about to decline；but he assured me that the Czar Peter （our namesake，you know），having particular occasion for my services，would take it as an offense if I refused the invitation；so he forthwith clapped a musket on my shoulder，and marched me off.
Pet.Ay，you were enlisted.
Sta .Enlisted！why，I can‘t say but I was.Now，I was always an independent sort of fellow，fond of my own way，and couldn’t stomach being ordered about against my inclination.
Pet.（Aside.）So，so！This fellow is a deserter！
Sta .I put up with it a long while，though；till，one bitter cold morning in December，just at three o‘clock，I was roused from my comfortable，warm sleep，to turn out and mount guard on the bleak，blustering corner of a rampart，in the snow.It was too bad，wasn’t it？
Pet.I don‘t doubt you would rather have been warm in bed.
Sta.Well，as I couldn’t keep myself warm，I laid down my musket and began to walk；then I began to run，and-will you believe it？I didn‘t stop running till I found myself five leagues away from the outposts！
Pet.So，then，you are a deserter！
Sta.A deserter！You call that being a deserter，do you？Well，putting this and that together，I shouldn’t wonder if I were a deserter.
Pet.Do you know，my dear fellow，that if you are discovered you will be shot？
Sta.I‘ve some such idea.Indeed，it occurred to me at the time；so，thinking it hardly worth while to be shot for being so short a distanceas only five leagues away from my post，I made the best of my way toSaardam；and here I am.
Pet.This is an awkward affair，indeed，and if the burgomaster were informed of it-however，be assured your secret is safe in my keeping.
Sta .I don’t doubt you，for I suspect you‘re in a similar scrape yourself.
Pet.I？Ridiculous！
Sta.There’s something very mysterious about you at any rate.But，I say，you will keep my secret？
Pet.O！trust me for that.
Sta.Because，if it should get to the ears of any of the agents of theCzar，I should be in rather a bad fix，you know.
Pet.The Czar shall know no more about it than he does now，if I can help it；so don‘t be afraid.He himself，they say，is rather fond of walking away from his post.
Sta.Ha，ha！Is he？Then he has no business to complain of me forrunning away？
Pet.You must look out for him，though.They say he has a way of finding out everything.Don’t be too sure of your secret.
Sta.Come，now；he‘s in Russia，and I’m in Holland；and I don‘t see where’s the danger unless you mean to blab.
Pet.Fellow-workman，do you take me for a traitor？
Sta.Not so，Peter；but，if I am ever taken up here as a deserter，youwill have been the only one to whom I have told my secret.
Pet.A fig for the Czar！
Sta.Don‘t say that，he’s a good fellow，is Peter the Czar；and you‘llhave to fight me if you say a word in his dispraise.
Pet.O！if that’s the case，I‘ll say no more.
中文阅读
沙皇彼得大帝去荷兰微服私访，学习荷兰的造船技术，要为自己建造一支海军队伍。他把这项技术引进沙俄，凭借自己旺盛的精力和超强的理解力为当下的繁荣昌盛打下了良好的基础。下面这一场讲述了他在荷兰的故事。
彼得（乔装成木匠）啊，在我离开这地方以前，我可能会让你知道我的秘密。
斯坦米茨你要离开我们吗？
彼得我现在离开我的祖国已经有十二个月了。我已经学到了造船的一些知识，这就是我此行的目的，我该回去了，现在是时候了。
斯坦米茨我们的主人，冯·布朗克会为失去你而难过的，因为在这个造船场里你是最勤奋的。我也会难过的，因为……因为，彼得，我喜欢你。
彼得我也不讨厌你。
斯坦米茨彼得，我想我要大着胆子向你透露一个秘密。
彼得什么？你肯定没做过什么难以启齿的事吧？
斯坦米茨不，不是羞愧，可是我特别害怕。你知道吗？我生在莫斯科。
彼得啊，生在莫斯科又不是犯罪，再说，这又不是你的错。
斯坦米茨不是这样的，你听我说，有一天，一队士兵碰巧在我妈妈的小屋附近停下休息，他们的指挥官瞟了我一眼，就被我的相貌吸引住了，他要求我加入他的连队。我要谢绝，可是他非常肯定地对我说，沙皇彼得（同名，你知道的）会在特殊的场合让我派上用场，如果我拒绝邀请的话，沙皇会视之为冒犯。就这样，随即他把一支枪放到我肩上，让我随军出发了。
彼得唉，你就这么入伍了。
斯坦米茨是的！我不能这么讲，可是我的确就是这样入伍的。现在，我一直是那种独立的家伙，喜欢以自己的方式生活，不能忍受有悖于我个人喜好的命令。
彼得（侧身私语）那么……这么说，这家伙是个逃兵？
斯坦米茨我忍受了很长时间，可是，在十二月的一个天寒地冻的早晨，才三点钟的时候，我就被叫醒了，从温暖舒适的床上爬起来，去一个荒凉的山坡上执勤。外面冰天雪地，寒风呼号。这真是太糟糕了，是不是？
彼得我并不怀疑你宁愿待在温暖的被窝里。
斯坦米茨啊，我没法保证自己不挨冻，于是放下面具离开了，开始是走着，然后我就开始跑。你信吗？我不停地跑，一直跑到--最后跑到了离前哨五里远的地方！
彼得你就这么成了个逃兵！
斯坦米茨是的，一个逃兵！你管这种人叫逃兵，是吗？啊，综合考虑一下，我不知道我算不算个逃兵。
彼得你知道吗？我亲爱的小伙子，如果你被发现了，你会被处死的。
斯坦米茨我明白。实际上，当时事发偶然，所以，后来经过认真考虑，我想，那里虽然离我的哨所只有五公里，但我的罪也够被抓捕枪决了，所以，倒不如趁此机会离开那里到萨达姆去。就这样，我到了这里。
彼得这事真是太荒唐了，如果把这事向市长报告了的话--不过，你不用担心，我不会泄密的。
斯坦米茨我不怀疑你，因为我怀疑你的处境和我相似。
彼得我？太可笑了！
斯坦米茨不管怎样，你有些事非常神秘。可我觉得你还是会替我保密的，对吗？
彼得哦！请相信我。
斯坦米茨你也知道，这件事要是传到沙皇的任何一个间谍的耳朵里，我都会遭殃的。
彼得如果我能帮什么忙的话，沙皇不会比现在知道得更多了，所以，不要害怕。他们说，沙皇本人也非常喜欢逃离自己的岗位。
斯坦米茨哈哈！是真的吗？那他就不该抱怨我出逃了，是不是啊？
彼得可是，你一定要提防他，他们说他有手段能够洞悉一切，别以为你的秘密就密不透风。
斯坦米茨嗨，现在他在沙俄，我在荷兰，我看不出有什么危险，除非你故意泄露。
彼得我的工友，你看我是背信弃义的人吗？
斯坦米茨不是啊，彼得，不过，我如果在这里被当做逃兵抓起来的话，我的秘密也只告诉过你一个人，你是唯一的知情人。
彼得沙皇可真没用啊！
斯坦米茨可别这么说，他是个好人，若你说他的坏话，我就得跟你吵了。
彼得哦！如果是这样，我就什么也不说了。
PETER THE GREAT （Ⅱ）