How oft the commonest of tasks looks long and tiresome1 till begun. To use your wits, is all it asks, start doing, and it's done.

　　They brought John Brown a box, fresh from the workman's hands. Twas work that took the eye, so neatly2, cleanly done. This charming little box delighted everyone.

　　Then in comes a mechanic. Oh yes, these things he understands. He glances at the box. 'This box has got some trick. You see it has no lock. And yet I warrant you, I'll have it open quick. You boobies over there, don't mock! Just wait! I'll find the catch, then show the trick to you. In matters of this kind I know a thing or two.'

　　He sets to work, leaves nothing untried. He turns it round on every side; he guesses and he guesses. One knob and then the next, and then the handle presses. John looks at him and all the while Just shakes his head and James and Ned whisper among themselves and smile. From time to time some onlooker3 will say: 'Not that way! No, not there!'

　　But harder still and harder he puzzles, he perspires4, till damped is all his ardour. He gives it up and puts it on the shelf. And why not raise the lid? He never tried that way! This was a box that opened of itself.

　　最普通的工作,沒(méi)動(dòng)手之前，總覺(jué)得費(fèi)心費(fèi)力。其實(shí)只要開(kāi)動(dòng)腦筋，考慮好了，一做就成。

　　有人拿了一只剛做好的箱子。箱子做得細(xì)致又大方，讓人眼前一亮。這箱子如此漂亮，人人都喜歡。

　　這時(shí)，一個(gè)機(jī)械師來(lái)了。不錯(cuò)，他還懂得這玩意兒，他看了一眼小箱子說(shuō)道：“這箱子有點(diǎn)名堂，你瞧，連鎖都看不到；然而我擔(dān)保，我能立刻打開(kāi)它。站在一邊的蠢才別恥笑，等著瞧吧！我一定會(huì)找到竅門，把秘密告訴大家的。說(shuō)到機(jī)械，我多少也懂點(diǎn)門道。”

　　于是，他動(dòng)手在小箱子上到處摸索，翻來(lái)轉(zhuǎn)去，琢磨了又琢磨，試試這個(gè)釘，又摸摸那個(gè)紐，然后按按把手。這時(shí)候啊，有人緊瞅著他，有人搖頭，相顧而笑。旁觀者不時(shí)地說(shuō)著話：“不是那樣,不，不，不在那里！”

　　他拼命地琢磨，渾身大汗，出得氣都泄了。終于，他放棄了，把小箱子放到架子上。為什么不掀起蓋子呢？他從來(lái)沒(méi)有這樣試過(guò)。其實(shí)，這是一個(gè)沒(méi)有鎖可以自己打開(kāi)的箱子。