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Two young, near-sighted fellows, Chang and Ching,
常和庆是两个年轻的近视眼，
Over their chopsticks idly chattering,
饭桌上闲谈时，
Fell to disputing which could see the best;
争执起谁的眼力好，
At last, they agreed to put it to the test.
最后他们决定来较量；
Said Chang,A marble tablet, so I hear,
常说，在大理石板，我听到，
Is placed upon the Bo-hee temple near,
附近有个武夷庙，
With an inscription on it.
碑上刻着碑文，
Let us go And read it (since you boast your optics so),
我们去看看，碑文（既然你吹嘘你的眼力好），
Standing together at a certain place
站在石碑前面一定距离，
In front, where we the letters just may trace;
刚好看见上面文字的地方，
Then he who quickest reads the inscription there,
谁最快读出碑上的文字，
The palm for keenest eyes henceforth shall bear.
谁的视力就最好。
"Agreed," said Ching, but let us try it soon:
庆说，同意，我们尽快比，
Suppose we say tomorrow afternoon.
明天下午怎么样？
"Nay, not so soon," said Chang;
常说，不用这么早，我还有
I'm bound to go tomorrow a day's ride from Hoang-Ho,
一天的行程，骑马从黄河出发，
And sha'n't be ready till the following day:
后天才能回来，
At ten A. M., on Thursday, let us say.
周四上午十点再较量吧。
So't was arranged; but Ching was wide-awake:
这样决定了，庆睡不着觉：
Time by the forelock he resolved to take;
天刚蒙蒙亮他就出发了；
And to the temple went at once, and read,
到了庙前看石碑上写着，
Upon the tablet, To the illustrious dead, The chief of mandarins, the great Goh-Bang.
这里埋葬着杰出的满洲首领，伟大的国邦。
Scarce had he gone when stealthily came Chang,
他刚刚离开常就偷偷溜来，
Who read the same; but peering closer,
他也看到了同样的碑文，可他更仔细，
he spied in a corner what Ching failed to see—The words,
发现碑角上写着——这是庆没看到的。
This tablet is erected here by those to whom the great Goh-Bang was dear.
这个石碑是敬爱国邦的人所立。
