At one time no one could travel on an English road faster than four miles an hour. That was the law until 1896. A man had to walk in front of a car which could not go faster than the man. At night the man had to carry a red lamp.
曾经没有人能在英国公路上以超过每小时四英里的速度行驶。这是1896年以前的法律。必须有个人走在车前面，车不能比人快。晚上，还得提着一盏红灯。
Once Charles Rolls brought a car from France to England, but he wanted to drive faster than four miles an hour. In order to have no trouble with the police, he had a talk with some of the police officers, who ordered their policemen to look the other way when the car came along the road. This was a good plan in the country, but not so easy to follow in the busy streets of London.
有一次，查尔斯·罗尔斯从法国带了一辆车回英国，但他想以每小时四英里以上的速度行驶。为了不给警察带来麻烦，他与一些警官进行了交谈，警官让他们的警察在汽车沿路行驶时注意另一个方向。这在乡村是一个好方案，但在伦敦繁忙的街道上却不那么容易实施。
One night Rolls and some friends started from London on their journey to Cambridge. One of the men walked in front with the red lamp, but he walked as fast as he could. The police became very interested in walls and shop-fronts when they heard the car, and not one of them saw it.
一天晚上，罗尔斯和一些朋友从伦敦出发前往剑桥。其中一个人提着红灯走在前面，他走得非常快。警察听见车声时，他们对墙壁和商店门面非常感兴趣，没有一个人看见它。
They reached a hill; but what a waste of time it was to drive down the hill at four miles an hour! Rolls was getting ready to jump into the car; but then he noticed a policeman who was not looking the other way. The slow car reached him.
他们到达一座小山；但以每小时四英里的速度开车下山真是浪费时间！罗尔斯准备上车；但他注意到一个警察没有朝另一个方向看。车慢慢驶到了警察面前。
“Good evening,” said the policeman, looking at the car.
“晚上好，”警察看着车说。
“Good evening,” said Rolls, holding the lamp.
“晚上好，”罗尔斯拿着灯说。
“One of these horseless things,” said the policeman, looking at it with interest.
“这是个不用马拉的玩意，”警察饶有兴趣地看着它说。
“Yes,” said Rolls, and waited.
“是的，”罗尔斯说，然后等着。
“I’ve often wanted a ride in one; but of course policemen can’t buy things like that.” He turned and looked hopefully in Rolls’s face.
“我经常想搭一辆车，但警察当然买不起这个。”他转过身来，满怀希望地看着罗尔斯的脸。
“Jump in,” said Rolls.
“上车，”罗尔斯说。
“Thanks,” said the policeman, and did so. “Now,” he said, sitting down, “you can let it go just as you like down this hill. There isn’t another policeman on this road for a mile and a half.”
“谢谢，”警察说完并照做。“现在，”他坐下来说，“你可以随心所欲地开它下山。这条路上一英里半内再也没有警察了。”
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