It was the best of times,
it was the worst of times,
这是最好的时代,这是最坏的时代;
it was the age of wisdom,
it was the age of foolishness,
这是智慧的时代,这是愚蠢的时代;
it was the epoch of belief,
it was the epoch of incredulity,
这是信仰的时期,这是怀疑的时期;
it was the season of light,
it was the season of darkness,
这是光明的季节,这是黑暗的季节;
it was the spring of hope,
it was the winter of despair,
这是希望之春,这是失望之冬;
we had everything before us,
we had nothing before us,
人们面前有着各样事物,人们面前一无所有;
we were all going direct to heaven,
we were all going direct the other way.
人们在直登天堂,人们在直下地狱。
—— 查尔斯·狄更斯《双城记》