Dawn came at last, and the rim1 of a lemon-coloured sun rose up behind the roof-tops somewhere
behind Victoria Station.
A while later, Sophie felt a little of its warmth on her back and was grateful.
In the distance, she heard a church clock striking. She counted the strikes. There were seven.
She found it almost impossible to believe that she, Sophie, a little orphan2 of no real importance
in the world, was at this moment actually sitting high above the ground on the window-sill of the
Queen of England’s bedroom, with the Queen herself asleep in there behind the curtain not more than
five yards away.
The very idea of it was absurd.
No one had ever done such a thing before.
It was a terrifying thing to be doing.
What would happen if the dream didn’t work?
No one, least of all the Queen, would believe a word of her story.
It seemed possible that nobody had ever woken up to find a small child sitting behind the
curtains on his or her window-sill.
The Queen was bound to get a shock.
Who wouldn’t?
With all the patience of a small girl who has something important to wait for, Sophie sat
motionless on the window-sill.
How much longer? she wondered.
What time do Queens wake up?
Faint stirrings and distant sounds came to her from deep inside the belly3 of the Palace.
Then, all at once, beyond the curtains, she heard the voice of the sleeper4 in the bedroom. It was a
slightly blurred5 sleep-talker’s voice. ‘Oh no!’ it cried out. ‘No! Don’t – Someone stop them! – Don’t
let them do it! – I can’t bear it! – Oh please stop them! – It’s horrible! – Oh, it’s ghastly! – No! No!
No!…’
She is having the dream, Sophie told herself. It must be really horrid6. I feel so sorry for her. But
it has to be done.
After that, there were a few moans. Then there was a long silence.
Sophie waited. She looked over her shoulder. She was terrified that she would see the man with
the dog down in the garden staring up at her. But the garden was deserted7. A pale summer mist hung
over it like smoke. It was an enormous garden, very beautiful, with a large funny-shaped lake at the
far end. There was an island in the lake and there were ducks swimming on the water.
Inside the room, beyond the curtains, Sophie suddenly heard what was obviously a knock on the
door. She heard the doorknob being turned. She heard someone entering the room.
‘Good morning, Your Majesty8,’ a woman was saying. It was the voice of an oldish person.
There was a pause and then a slight rattle9 of china and silver.
‘Will you have your tray on the bed, ma’am, or on the table?’
‘Oh Mary! Something awful has just happened!’ This was a voice Sophie had heard many times
on radio and television, especially on Christmas Day. It was a very well-known voice.
‘Whatever is it, ma’am?’
‘I’ve just had the most frightful10 dream! It was a nightmare! It was awful!’
‘Oh, I am sorry, ma’am. But don’t be distressed11. You’re awake now and it will go away. It was
only a dream, ma’am.’
‘Do you know what I dreamed, Mary? I dreamed that girls and boys were being snatched out of
their beds at boarding-school and were being eaten by the most ghastly giants! The giants were
putting their arms in through the dormitory windows and plucking the children out with their fingers!
One lot from a girls’ school and another from a boys’ school! It was all so… so vivid, Mary! it was so
real!’
There was a silence. Sophie waited. She was quivering with excitement. But why the silence?
Why didn’t the other one, the maid, why didn’t she say something?
‘What on earth’s the matter, Mary?’ the famous voice was saying.
There was another silence.
‘Mary! You’ve gone as white as a sheet! Are you feeling ill?’
There was suddenly a crash and a clatter12 of crockery which could only have meant that the tray
the maid was carrying had fallen out of her hands.
‘Mary!’ the famous voice was saying rather sharply. ‘I think you’d better sit down at once! You
look as though you’re going to faint! You really mustn’t take it so hard just because I’ve had an
awful dream.’
‘That… that… that isn’t the reason, ma’am.’ The maid’s voice was quivering terribly.
‘Then for heaven’s sake what is the reason?’
‘I’m very sorry about the tray, ma’am.’
‘Oh, don’t worry about the tray. But what on earth was it that made you drop it? Why did you
go white as a ghost all of a sudden?’
‘You haven’t seen the papers yet, have you, ma’am?’
‘No, what do they say?’
Sophie heard the rustling13 of a newspaper as it was being handed over.
‘It’s like the very dream you had in the night, ma’am.’
‘Rubbish, Mary. Where is it?’
‘On the front page, ma’am. It’s the big headlines.’
‘Great Scott!’ cried the famous voice. ‘Eighteen girls vanish mysteriously from their beds at
Roedean School! Fourteen boys disappear from Eton! Bones are found underneath14 dormitory
windows!’
Then there was a pause punctuated15 by gasps16 from the famous voice as the newspaper article was
clearly being read and digested.
‘Oh, how ghastly!’ the famous voice cried out. ‘It’s absolutely frightful! Bones under the
windows! What can have happened? Oh, those poor children!’
‘But ma’am… don’t you see, ma’am…’
‘See what, Mary?’
‘Those children were taken away almost exactly as you dreamed it, ma’am!’
‘Not by giants, Mary’
‘No, ma’am. But the bit about the girls and boys disappearing from their dormitories, you
dreamed it so clearly and then it actually happened. That’s why I came over all queer, ma’am.’
‘I’m coming over a bit queer myself, Mary.’
‘It gives me the shakes, ma’am, when something like that happens, it really does.’
‘I don’t blame you, Mary.’
‘I shall get you some more breakfast, ma’am, and have this mess cleared up.’
‘No! Don’t go, Mary! Stay here a moment!’
Sophie wished she could see into the room, but she didn’t dare touch the curtains. The famous
voice began speaking again. ‘I really did dream about those children, Mary. It was clear as crystal.’
‘I know you did, ma’am.’
‘I don’t know how giants got into it. That was rubbish.’
‘Shall I draw the curtains, ma’am, then we shall all feel better. It’s a lovely day.’
‘Please do.’
With a swish, the great curtains were pulled aside.
The maid screamed.
Sophie froze to the window-ledge.
The Queen, sitting up in her bed with The Times on her lap, glanced up sharply. Now it was her
turn to freeze. She didn’t scream as the maid had done. Queens are too self-controlled for that. She
simply sat there staring wide-eyed and white-faced at the small girl who was perched on her window-
sill in a nightie.
Sophie was petrified17.
Curiously18 enough, the Queen looked petrified, too. One would have expected her to look
surprised, as you or I would have done had we discovered a small girl sitting on our window-sill first
thing in the morning. But the Queen didn’t look surprised. She looked genuinely frightened.
The maid, a middle-aged19 woman with a funny cap on the top of her head, was the first to
recover. ‘What in the name of heaven do you think you’re doing in here?’ she shouted angrily to
Sophie.
Sophie looked beseechingly20 towards the Queen for help.
The Queen was still staring at Sophie. Gaping21 at her would be more accurate. Her mouth was
slightly open, her eyes were round and wide as two saucers, and the whole of that famous rather
lovely face was filled with disbelief.
‘Now listen here, young lady, how on earth did you get into this room?’ the maid shouted
furiously.
‘I don’t believe it,’ the Queen was murmuring. ‘I simply don’t believe it.’
‘I’ll take her out, ma’am, at once,’ the maid was saying.
‘No, Mary! No, don’t do that!’ The Queen spoke22 so sharply that the maid was quite taken aback.
She turned and stared at the Queen. What on earth had come over her? It looked as though she was in
a state of shock.
‘Are you all right, ma’am?’ the maid was saying.
When the Queen spoke again, it was in a strange strangled sort of whisper. ‘Tell me, Mary,’ she
said, ‘tell me quite truthfully, is there really a little girl sitting on my window-sill, or am I still
dreaming?’
‘She is sitting there all right, ma’am, as clear as daylight, but heaven only knows how she got
there! Your Majesty is certainly not dreaming it this time!’
‘But that’s exactly what I did dream!’ the Queen cried out. ‘I dreamed that as well! I dreamed
there would be a little girl sitting on my window-sill in her nightie and she would talk to me!’
The maid, with her hands clasped across her starched23 white bosom24, was staring at her mistress
with a look of absolute disbelief on her face. The situation was getting beyond her. She was lost. She
had not been trained to cope with this kind of madness.
‘Are you real?’ the Queen said to Sophie.
‘Y-y-yes, Your Majesty,’ Sophie murmured.
‘What is your name?’
‘Sophie, Your Majesty.’
‘And how did you get up on to my window-sill? No, don’t answer that! Hang on a moment! I
dreamed that part of it, too! I dreamed that a giant put you there!’
‘He did, Your Majesty’ Sophie said.
The maid gave a howl of anguish25 and clasped her hands over her face.
‘Control yourself, Mary’ the Queen said sharply. Then to Sophie she said, ‘You are not serious
about the giant, are you?’
‘Oh yes, Your Majesty. He’s out there in the garden now.’
‘Is he indeed,’ the Queen said. The sheer absurdity26 of it all was helping27 her to regain28 her
composure. ‘So he’s in the garden, is he?’ she said, smiling a little.
‘He is a good giant, Your Majesty’ Sophie said. ‘You need not be frightened of him.’
‘I’m delighted to hear it,’ said the Queen, still smiling.
‘He is my best friend, Your Majesty.’
‘How nice,’ the Queen said.
‘He’s a lovely giant, Your Majesty.’
‘I’m quite sure he is,’ the Queen said. ‘But why have you and this giant come to see me?’
‘I think you have dreamed that part of it, too, Your Majesty’ Sophie said calmly.
That pulled the Queen up short.
It took the smile right off her face.
She certainly had dreamed that part of it. She was remembering now how, at the end of her
dream, it had said that a little girl and a big friendly giant would come and show her how to find the
nine horrible man-eating giants.
But be careful, the Queen told herself. Keep very calm. Because this is surely not very far from
the place where madness begins.
‘You did dream that, didn’t you, Your Majesty?’ Sophie said.
The maid was out of it now. She just stood there goggling29.
‘Yes,’ the Queen murmured. ‘Yes, now you come to mention it, I did. But how do you know
what I dreamed?’
‘Oh, that’s a long story, Your Majesty’ Sophie said. ‘Would you like me to call the Big Friendly
Giant?’
The Queen looked at the child. The child looked straight back at the Queen, her face open and
quite serious. The Queen simply didn’t know what to make of it. Was someone pulling her leg? she
wondered.
‘Shall I call him for you?’ Sophie went on. ‘You’ll like him very much.’
The Queen took a deep breath. She was glad no one except her faithful old Mary was here to see
what was going on. ‘Very well,’ she said. ‘You may call your giant. No, wait a moment. Mary, pull
yourself together and give me my dressing-gown and slippers30.’
The maid did as she was told. The Queen got out of bed and put on a pale pink dressing-gown
and slippers.
‘You may call him now,’ the Queen said.
Sophie turned her head towards the garden and called out, ‘BFG! Her Majesty the Queen would
like to see you!’
The Queen crossed over to the window and stood beside Sophie.
‘Come down off that ledge,’ she said. ‘You’re going to fall backwards31 any moment.’
Sophie jumped down into the room and stood beside the Queen at the open window. Mary, the
maid, stood behind them. Her hands were now planted firmly on her hips32 and there was a look on her
face which seemed to say, ‘I want no part of this fiasco.’
‘I don’t see any giant,’ the Queen said.
‘Please wait,’ Sophie said.
‘Shall I take her away now, ma’am?’ the maid said.
‘Take her downstairs and give her some breakfast,’ the Queen said.
Just then, there was a rustle33 in the bushes beside the lake.
Then out he came!
Twenty-four feet tall, wearing his black cloak with the grace of a nobleman, still carrying his
long trumpet34 in one hand, he strode magnificently across the Palace lawn towards the window.
The maid screamed.
The Queen gasped35.
Sophie waved.
The BFG took his time. He was very dignified36 in his approach. When he was close to the
window where the three of them were standing37, he stopped and made a slow graceful38 bow. His head,
after he had straightened up again, was almost exactly level with the watchers at the window.
‘Your Majester,’ he said. ‘I is your humbug39 servant.’ He bowed again.
Considering she was meeting a giant for the first time in her life, the Queen remained
astonishingly self-composed. ‘We are very pleased to meet you,’ she said.
Down below, a gardener was coming across the lawn with a wheelbarrow. He caught sight of
the BFG’s legs over to his left. His gaze travelled slowly upwards40 along the entire height of the
enormous body. He gripped the handles of the wheelbarrow. He swayed. He tottered41. Then he keeled
over on the grass in a dead faint. Nobody noticed him.
‘Oh, Majester!’ cried the BFG. ‘Oh, Queen! Oh, Monacher! Oh, Golden Sovereign! Oh, Ruler!
Oh, Ruler of Straight Lines! Oh, Sultana! I is come here with my little friend Sophie… to give you
a…’ The BFG hesitated, searching for the word.
‘To give me what?’ the Queen said.
‘A sistance,’ the BFG said, beaming.
The Queen looked puzzled.
‘He sometimes speaks a bit funny, Your Majesty,’ Sophie said. ‘He never went to school.’
‘Then we must send him to school,’ the Queen said. ‘We have some very good schools in this
country.’
‘I has great secrets to tell Your Majester,’ the BFG said.
‘I should be delighted to hear them,’ the Queen said. ‘But not in my dressing-gown.’
‘Shall you wish to get dressed, ma’am?’ the maid said.
‘Have either of you had breakfast?’ the Queen said.
‘Oh, could we?’ Sophie cried. ‘Oh, please! I haven’t eaten a thing since yesterday!’
‘I was about to have mine,’ the Queen said, ‘but Mary dropped it.’
The maid gulped42.
‘I imagine we have more food in the Palace,’ the Queen said, speaking to the BFG. ‘Perhaps you
and your little friend would care to join me.’
‘Will it be repulsant snozzcumbers, Majester?’ the BFG asked.
‘Will it be what?’ the Queen said.
‘Stinky snozzcumbers,’ the BFG said.
‘What is he talking about?’ the Queen said. ‘It sounds like a rude word to me.’ She turned to the
maid and said, ‘Mary, ask them to serve breakfast for three in the… I think it had better be in the
Ballroom43. That has the highest ceiling.’ To the BFG, she said, ‘I’m afraid you will have to go through
the door on your hands and knees. I shall send someone to show you the way.’
The BFG reached up and lifted Sophie out of the window. ‘You and I is leaving Her Majester
alone to get dressed,’ he said.
‘No, leave the little girl here with me,’ the Queen said. ‘We’ll have to find something for her to
put on. She can’t have breakfast in her nightie.’
The BFG returned Sophie to the bedroom.
‘Can we have sausages, Your Majesty?’ Sophie said. ‘And bacon and fried eggs?’
‘I think that might be managed,’ the Queen answered, smiling.
‘Just you wait till you taste it!’ Sophie said to the BFG. ‘No more snozzcumbers from now on!’
女王
天终于亮了，柠檬色的太阳从维多利亚火车站那边的屋顶后面升起来。过了一会儿，索
菲觉得背部有点暖洋洋的，真是谢天谢地。
远处，她听到教堂钟声敲响了。她数了一下，是七响。
简直无法相信，她，索菲，一个在世界上毫不起眼的小孤女，这时候竟然坐在离地面很
高的英国女王卧室的窗台上，女王本人就在窗帘里面睡觉，离她不到五码远。
这件事想一想都觉得荒唐。
以前从来没有人这样做过。
做这样的事太可怕了。
如果这个梦不起作用，后果会怎么样呢？没有人，尤其是女王，会相信她说的每一个
字。
很可能，从来没有人醒来拉开窗帘，会发现一个小女孩坐在他的窗台上面。女王一定会
大吃一惊。
谁不会大吃一惊呢？
索菲用一个小姑娘的最大耐心，一动不动地坐在窗台上，因为她有重要的事情等着办。
“还要待多久？”她想。
女王什么时候会醒来呢？
她感到王宫深处有模模糊糊的动静传来。接着忽然之间，她听到了窗帘后面卧室里正在
睡觉的人的声音，这是有点含混的说梦话的声音，“噢，不！”那个声音叫起来，“不！不
要……快来阻止他们……太可怕了……噢，太恐怖了……不！不！不……”
“她在做那个梦了。”索菲心里说，“这个梦一定特别恐怖！我为她感到难过，可非这样不
可。”
接着是几声呻吟。接着是很长的沉寂。索菲等着。她回过头去看。她怕会看见那个牵着
狗的人在下面的花园里抬头看她。但是花园里没有人。夏天灰色的雾像烟一样笼罩着整座花
园。这是一座巨大的花园，非常美丽，远处有个形状好玩的湖。湖上有一座岛，鸭子在湖水
上游来游去。
房间里面，索菲忽然听到了敲门的声音。她听见门把手的转动声，有人走进房间里来
了。
“早安，女王陛下。”一个女人的声音说。是一位上了岁数的女人的声音。
沉默了一会儿，接着是瓷器和银器发出的很轻的声音。
“您要让您的托盘放在床上还是桌子上？”
“噢，玛丽！刚才出了可怕的事情！”这是索菲在收音机和电视机里听到过不知多少次的
声音，特别是在圣诞节。这是非常熟悉的声音。
“是什么事啊，陛下？”
“我刚做了一个最可怕的梦！是个噩梦！太恐怖了！”
“噢，我真难过，陛下。不过不要苦恼。您现在醒了，一切会过去的。这只是一个梦罢
了，陛下。”
“你知道我梦见了什么吗，玛丽？我梦见许多女孩和男孩被最可怕的巨人从他们寄宿学校
的床上抓起来吃掉！那些巨人把他们的胳膊伸进宿舍窗口，用他们的手指头把孩子们夹出
来！一群是从女童学校，一群是从男童学校！一切全都那么……活生生的。玛丽！一切全都
那么真实！”
一阵沉默。索菲等着。她激动得浑身发抖。但为什么沉默？为什么那女仆不说话？
“什么事啊，玛丽？”那熟悉的声音在说话。
又是一阵沉默。
“玛丽！你的脸色白得像张纸！你觉得不舒服吗？”
忽然传来一阵瓷器的稀里哗啦声，这肯定是那女仆的托盘从她手里掉下来了。
“玛丽！”那熟悉的声音说得很急，“我想你最好马上坐下来！你的样子像马上要昏倒了！
你实在不必只因为我做了一个噩梦就那么当真。”
“不……不……不是为了这个，陛下。”女仆的声音哆嗦得厉害。
“那么天哪，是为了什么呢？”
“托盘的事我非常抱歉，陛下。”
“噢，别去管那托盘了。可到底是什么事让你把它摔了呢？为什么你的脸白得像张鬼
脸？”
“您还没看报吧，陛下？”
“没有，上面说些什么？”
索菲听见报纸递上去的簌簌声。
“说的就是您夜里做的那个梦，陛下。”
“胡说，玛丽。在哪里？”
“在头版，陛下。大字标题。”
“天哪！”熟悉的声音叫道，“十八个女生从她们的罗迪安女子学校的床上神秘失踪！十四
个男生从伊顿公学失踪！在宿舍窗下发现骨头！”
接下来是一阵沉默，等到终于明白了新闻的意思，这沉默随即又被喘息声打断了。
“噢，多么可怕啊！”那熟悉的声音叫出来，“这太可怕了！骨头在窗下！还能出什么事
呢？噢，那些可怜的孩子！”
“可是陛下……您没看出来吗，陛下……”
“看出来什么，玛丽？”
“那些孩子被抓走，几乎完全跟您梦里看到的一样，陛下！”
“他们不是被巨人抓走的，玛丽。”
“不是，陛下。可是女生和男生从他们的宿舍失踪，您在梦里看得那么清楚，这件事真发
生了。因此我觉得奇怪，陛下。”
“我自己也有点奇怪，玛丽。”
“发生这样的事，我浑身都发抖了，真发抖了。”
“我不怪你，玛丽。”
“我这就再给您把早餐端来，陛下，并且把这些东西打扫干净。”
“不！不要走开，玛丽！在这里待一会儿！”
索菲很希望能往房间里看看，可是她不敢碰窗帘。熟悉的声音又说起话来：“我真正梦见
了那些孩子，玛丽，清楚得像水晶。”
“我知道您梦见了，陛下。”
“我不知道怎么夹进了巨人。那是胡说八道。”
“我把窗帘拉开好吗，陛下？这样我们都会好过些。今天是个晴朗的日子。”
“请拉开吧。”
“哧”的一声，两边大窗帘都被拉开了。
女仆一声尖叫。
索菲在窗台上僵住了。
女王在她的床上坐着，《泰晤士报》放在她的膝盖上，她一下子抬起头来，现在轮到她
僵住了。她不像女仆那样尖叫，不论什么事情，女王们都太能控制自己了。她只是坐在那
里，脸色发白，瞪大了眼睛看着这个穿着睡袍坐在她窗台上的小女孩。
索菲吓呆了。
说实在的，女王看上去也吓呆了。本以为她看上去会吃一惊，因为换上你或者我，早上
第一件事竟发现有一个小女孩坐在我们的窗台上，我们也会吃一惊的。可女王看上去不是吃
一惊。她看上去真真正正是吓呆了。
女仆，一个头戴一顶滑稽帽子的中年女人，首先恢复过来，“天哪，你在这里干什
么？”她生气地对索菲大叫。
索菲用哀求的眼光向女王求助。
女王还在盯住索菲看，说盯住她目瞪口呆可能更准确些。她的嘴微微张开，眼睛瞪得又
圆又大，像两只茶杯碟子，那张著名的脸充满了不自信的神情。
“现在听我说，小姐，你是怎么到这房间里来的？”那女仆气呼呼地大叫着。
“我不相信，”女王念叨着，“我就是不相信。”
“我来把她带走，陛下，马上带走。”那女仆说。
“不，玛丽！不，别这样做！”女王说得这样严厉，女仆不禁很吃惊。她转过脸来看着女
王。女王这是怎么啦？看上去她好像受到了打击。
“您没事吧，陛下？”女仆说。
等到女王重新开口说话，她说的是一种很奇怪的悄悄话，嗓子像给扼住了。“告诉我，玛
丽，”她说，“老老实实地告诉我，是真有一个小女孩坐在我的窗台上，还是我仍旧在做梦？”
“没错，她是坐在那里，陛下，清清楚楚。不过只有天知道，她怎么会在那里！这一回陛
下您绝对不是在做梦！”
“可这正是我在梦里曾经看见的！”女王叫起来，“我在梦里也看到了这番情景！在我的梦
里也是一个穿睡袍的小女孩坐在我的窗台上和我说话！”
女仆把双手在她涂了粉的胸口前面握住，用绝对不相信的神情看着女王。这情况完全超
出她的理解范围。她被弄糊涂了。她对如何应付这种发疯的情况完全没有受过训练。
“你是真的吗？”女王对索菲说。
“是……是……是的，陛下。”索菲喃喃地说。
“你叫什么名字？”
“叫索菲，陛下。”
“你怎么到我窗台上面来的？不，先别回答！先等一等！我在梦里也看到了那一幕！我梦
见一个巨人把你放在那里！”
“他是把我放在这里，陛下。”索菲说。
女仆发出一声痛苦的大叫，在脸前面握住了双手。
“控制住你自己，玛丽！”女王严厉地说。接着她问索菲：“关于巨人的话，你不是当真的
吧，对吗？”
“噢，是当真的，陛下。这会儿他正在外面的花园里。”
“他真在那里？”女王说。这整件事荒唐成这样，倒帮助她重新恢复了冷静。“那么说，他
是在花园里，对吗？”她说，微微地笑着。
“他是个好巨人，陛下，”索菲说，“您不用怕他。”
“我很高兴听见这句话。”女王说，还是那么笑眯眯的。
“他是我最好的朋友，陛下。”
“那太好了。”女王说。
“他是一个可爱的巨人，陛下。”
“我完全相信他是的。”女王说，“可你和这巨人为什么来见我呢？”
“我想您也梦见了那一段，陛下。”索菲镇静地说。
这句话让女王一下子停下了。
她脸上的微笑完全消失了。
她当然也梦见了那一段。她现在记起来了，在那个梦的结尾，有一个小女孩和一个好心
眼儿巨人会来告诉她，怎样可以找到那九个可怕的吃人巨人。
可女王心里说，得小心。要保持极端镇静，因为这离发疯一定不太远。
“您真梦见了，对吗，陛下？”索菲说。
女仆这时候已经被彻底弄糊涂了。她站在那里瞪大了眼睛看着。
“对，”女王喃喃地说，“对，你现在提起了它，我是梦见了。可我梦见了什么，你是怎么
知道的？”
“噢，这故事说来就话长了，陛下，”索菲说，“您要我把好心眼儿巨人叫来吗？”
女王看着这女孩，女孩勇敢地回看女王，她的脸坦率真诚，十分严肃。女王简直不知道
这件事怎么理解才好。是有人跟她在开玩笑，她想。
“要我把他叫来吗？”索菲说下去，“您会非常喜欢他的。”
女王深深地吸了口气。她很高兴，除了她忠心的老玛丽，没有别人在场看到正在发生什
么事。“很好，”她说，“你可以把你的巨人叫来。不，稍微等一等。玛丽，你冷静下来，把我
的梳妆袍和拖鞋拿给我。”
女仆照她吩咐的做了。女王下床，穿上淡红色的梳妆袍和拖鞋。
“现在你可以叫他了。”女王说。
索菲把头转向花园，叫道：“好心眼儿巨人！女王陛下想见你！”
女王走到窗口，站在索菲旁边。
“你从窗台上下来，”女王说，“你随时会向后跌下去的。”
索菲跳到房间里，站在打开的窗子前面，紧挨着女王。
玛丽站在她们背后。现在她的双手紧摸着自己的屁股，脸上那副样子像在说：“我可不想
介入这可笑的事。”
“我没看到什么巨人嘛。”女王说。
“请等一等。”索菲说。
“现在要我把她带走吗，陛下？”女仆说。
“带她到楼下去吃早餐。”女王说。
就在这时候，湖边的灌木丛发出了簌簌的响声。
好心眼儿巨人走出来了。
二十四英尺高，穿着黑色大氅，一副贵族派头，一只手还拿着那把长小号，威风凛凛地
大踏步穿过王宫的草地，向窗子走来。
女仆尖叫。
女王倒抽一口冷气。
索菲招手。
好心眼儿巨人一路庄严地走过来。走近三个人站着的窗口时，他停下脚步，姿势优雅地
慢慢鞠了一个躬。重新站直以后，他的头几乎正好平着窗口那三个正在看着他的人。
“陛下，”他说，“我是您卑微的仆人。”他又鞠了一个躬。
考虑到女王是第一次看到巨人，她保持镇静的能耐还是相当惊人的。“我们很高兴看到
你。”她说。
窗子下面，一个园丁正推着一辆手推车穿过草地。他一眼看到了好心眼儿巨人的两条
腿。他慢慢地抬起头一路看上去，看到了他整座塔似的身体。尽管他紧紧地抓住手推车的把
手，但还是摇摇晃晃、踉踉跄跄地倒在草地上完全不省人事了。
“噢，陛下！”好心眼儿巨人叫道，“噢，女王！噢，君主！噢，元首！噢，统治者！噢，
领袖！噢，苏丹！我和我的小朋友索菲到这儿来……是要给您……”好心眼儿巨人犹豫着寻找
着合适的词语。
“给我什么？”女王说。
“一个忙。”好心眼儿巨人兴高采烈地说。
女王傻了。
“他要给您帮个忙，他说话有时候有点滑稽，陛下，”索菲说，“他从来没有上过学。”
“那我们必须送他进学校。”女王说，“我们这个国家有非常好的学校。”
“我有重大的秘密要告诉陛下您。”好心眼儿巨人说。
“我很高兴听到它们，”女王说，“不过不是穿着我的梳妆袍听你说。”
“您想梳妆吗，陛下？”女仆说。
“你们两个吃过早餐没有？”女王说。
“噢，我们可以吃吗？”索菲叫道，“噢，请让我们吃吧！我从昨天起就什么也没有吃过
了！”
“我刚才正要吃我的早餐，”女王说，“可玛丽把它掉在地上了。”
女仆喘不过气来。
“我想王宫里还有吃的。”女王对好心眼儿巨人说，“也许你和你的小朋友会愿意跟我一起
吃吧。”
“会是讨厌的大鼻子瓜吗，陛下？”好心眼儿巨人说。
“会是什么？”女王说。
“难吃的大鼻子瓜。”好心眼儿巨人说。
“他在说什么啊？”女王说，“听上去像句粗话。”她转向女仆说：“玛丽，请他们准备三个
人的早餐，在……我想最好在舞厅吃。那里天花板最高。”她对好心眼儿巨人说：“我看你只
好两手着地地爬进门了。我这就派人给你带路。”
好心眼儿巨人伸手进来把索菲抱出窗子。“你我先离开女王陛下，让她一个人梳妆更
衣。”他说。
“不，把小姑娘留在这里，”女王说，“我们要找点什么给她穿上。她不能穿着睡袍吃早
餐。”
好心眼儿巨人于是把索菲放回卧室里来。
“我们可以吃香肠吗，陛下？”索菲说，“还有熏肉和煎鸡蛋？”
“我想可以做到。”女王微笑着回答。
“你就等着尝尝它们吧，”索菲对好心眼儿巨人说，“从现在起，你可以不要再吃大鼻子瓜
了！”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
rim
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| n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界 | |
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orphan
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| n.孤儿；adj.无父母的 | |
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belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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4
sleeper
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| n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺 | |
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5
blurred
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| v.（使）变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）难以区分；模模糊糊；迷离 | |
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6
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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7
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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8
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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9
rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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10
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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11
distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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12
clatter
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| v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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13
rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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14
underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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15
punctuated
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| v.（在文字中）加标点符号，加标点( punctuate的过去式和过去分词 )；不时打断某事物 | |
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16
gasps
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| v.喘气( gasp的第三人称单数 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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17
petrified
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| adj.惊呆的；目瞪口呆的v.使吓呆，使惊呆；变僵硬；使石化(petrify的过去式和过去分词) | |
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18
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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19
middle-aged
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| adj.中年的 | |
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beseechingly
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| adv. 恳求地 | |
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21
gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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22
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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23
starched
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| adj.浆硬的，硬挺的，拘泥刻板的v.把（衣服、床单等）浆一浆( starch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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25
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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26
absurdity
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| n.荒谬，愚蠢；谬论 | |
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27
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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28
regain
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| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
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29
goggling
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| v.睁大眼睛瞪视， （惊讶的）转动眼珠( goggle的现在分词 ) | |
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30
slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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31
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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32
hips
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| abbr.high impact polystyrene 高冲击强度聚苯乙烯，耐冲性聚苯乙烯n.臀部( hip的名词复数 )；[建筑学]屋脊；臀围（尺寸）；臀部…的 | |
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33
rustle
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| v.沙沙作响；偷盗(牛、马等)；n.沙沙声声 | |
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34
trumpet
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| n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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36
dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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humbug
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| n.花招，谎话，欺骗 | |
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40
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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tottered
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| v.走得或动得不稳( totter的过去式和过去分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠 | |
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42
gulped
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| v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的过去式和过去分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
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ballroom
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| n.舞厅 | |
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