13 The Little Blue Cart蓝色小车-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《101条花斑狗The Hundred and One Dalmatians》

13 The Little Blue Cart Pongo was dreaming he was back in Regent's Park running after a stick thrown by Mr Dearly,when a light tap on his shoulder woke him. It was Lieutenant Willow. 'The Colonel's compliments and would you and your lady please come to him?' Missis was sleeping peacefully.Pongo woke her gently,wondering what dream she would be leaving and if the dark barn would look as strange to her as it had to him a moment earlier.She sprang up at once,dazed and anxious. All well,'said the cat,soothingly.'Food and shelter are arranged for two days ahead.Reception for the Midnight Barking was excellent. Please follow me now.' She made no mention of the Baddun brothers with their lanterns, searching the heath.It was still quite dark as they left the barn and crossed the farmyard.The cat led them to the back door of a large white farm-house. 'Help me to push the door,'she said.'The Colonel has unbolted it.' ·228· 13 ①cart/ka:t/n.手推车 蓝色小车 庞果梦见他回到了摄政公园，在追一根被甜 来先生扔出去的木棍，这时谁在他的肩膀上轻轻 2即cp/n.拍 一拍把他惊醒了。那是柳中尉。 “上校向你问好，请你和夫人去他那儿好吗？” 3 compliment /'komplimant/ [以问候 密西斯正安静地睡着。庞果轻轻唤醒了她， 不知她做了什么样的梦，也不知道她对这个黑暗 的谷仓是不是像他刚才那样感到奇怪。她立刻跳 了起来，睡眼惺忪，焦急不安。 ④spring up跳起 “一切都很好，”猫安慰地说，“以后两天的 食物和藏身的地方都安排妥了。午夜吠叫听得非 常清楚。现在请随我来。” 她没提巴腾兄弟拿着提灯在石南丛生的荒野 搜索的事。 他们离开谷仓，走过农场院子时，天依然漆 黑一片。猫领着他们来到一幢很大的白色农场房 屋的后门。 “帮我推开门，”她说，“上校已把门门拉开了。” ·229· The HundredandOne Dalmatians The door opened easily.They went through a kitchen and along a passage,at the end of which was an open door and a glimmer of light.The cat led them through the doorway and they found themselves in a nursery lit by a night-light.At the far end,the Sheepdog stood beside a little painted bed in which was a very wide-awake two-year-old boy. 'This is my pet,Tommy,'said the Colonel.'He very much wants to meet you.' Pongo and Missis went to the little boy and he patted them both. Then he made some odd,chuckling noises.They did not sound like Human nor did they sound like Dog.But the Sheepdog seemed to understand them and Tommy seemed to understand what the Sheepdog answered.Pongo decided this was quite a new language,half-Dog,half- Human. 'Tommy wishes to lend you something,'said the Colonel.'He knows how much you need it and is most anxious to help you.See,here it is.' Pongo and Missis then saw a little wooden cart,painted blue.It was made like a real farm cart,with four high wheels and a wooden railing all round it to keep the hay in-it was full of hay now.At the front was a long piece of wood with a wide cross-bar at the end of it,so that Tommy could drag the cart about. 'You can choose two pups exactly the right size,'said the Colonel, 'and they can use the long piece of wood as a shaft 5in between them-and take the cross-bar in their mouths.Then they can pull the cart forward.And if needed,pups at the back can push with their noses.Your smallest daughter can travel comfortably in the hay,and any puppy who is tired can sit beside her and take a rest.' ·230· 101条花斑狗 门很容易地推开了。他们穿过厨房，沿着走 ①passage尸pesd3/n通路， 走廊 廊走过去，走廊尽头有一扇敞开的门，里面闪烁 2 glimmer /glima/n.微光， 着微光。猫带领他们进了门，他们发现自己来到 薄光，闪光 3nursery /'n3sar/i.育儿室 了点着一盏夜灯的育儿室。房间尽头，牧羊狗站 在一张漆过的小床边，床上躺着一个完全清醒的 两岁男孩。 “这是我的宠物汤米，”上校说，“他非常想 见你们。” 庞果和密西斯朝小男孩走去，他拍拍他们俩。 ④chuckling'tkln/a.咕咕 接着他发出一种古怪的含糊不清的声音。这既不 咯咯的 像人的声音，也不像狗的声音。不过牧羊狗似乎 能听懂，汤米好像也理解牧羊狗的回答。庞果断 定这完全是一种半狗半人的新语言。 “汤米想借给你们一样东西，”上校说，“他 知道你们多么需要它，他很想帮助你们。瞧，这 就是。” 庞果和密西斯于是见到一辆漆成蓝色的木制 小车。做得像一辆真正的农场大车一样，有四个 高高的轮子，四周围着木栏，使车上堆着的干草 不会掉下来一现在那上面已放满了干草。小车 的前部有一根长木片，木片末端有一根宽横杆， 使汤米能拖着小车到处走。 “你可选两条身材相仿的小狗，”上校说， shaft/小a:ft/n.车辕 “他们可用那根长木片作辕一夹在他们中间一 把横杆咬在嘴里，便能拖着小车前进。如果需要， 后面的小狗还可用鼻子推。你们最小的女儿可躺 在干草中舒舒服服地旅行，别的小狗累了也可坐 在她身边休息。” ·231· The HundredandOne Dalmatians Pongo and Missis examined the pretty cart delightedly.They were too big to get between it and the cross-bar them-selves but they felt sure plenty of the bigger pups would fit. "But does he really want us to take it?'asked Missis. The Sheepdog then spoke to Tommy who nodded his head again and again,while talking his extraordinary language. 'His name and address are painted on the side,'said the Sheepdog, 'and he would be glad if it can be returned one day.But if that isn't possible,he will quite understand.' 'If we ever get home,I feel sure Mr Dearly will return it,'said Pongo.'Please tell Tommy how very grateful we are.' The Sheepdog translated this to Tommy who smiled more than ever and made more chuckling noises. He says he is pleased you are pleased,and would like to see all the puppies.I think it would be safe to march them all past his window when you leave-which should be soon now? So they said good-bye to Tommy,and then the Sheepdog,going backwards,pulled the cart along the passage and out through the back door.He had quite a job. 'It's lucky my little pet sleeps on the ground floor,'he said.'It's because our stairs are so steep.I could never have got this cart down them.' They went back to the barn and woke the pups,and all the bigger ones came outside and tried the cart on3 for size.(The moon was lower now but still gave plenty of light.)One family of eight fitted perfectly, and a dozen other pups could manage quite well,so Pongo arranged that all these should travel close to the cart and take it in turns to pull it,two at a time.The Cadpig was enchanted and settled down in the hay so that pups could practise pulling. ·232· 101条花斑狗 庞果和密西斯高兴地查看这辆漂亮的小车。 他们自己太大了，无法进去亲自咬住横杆，可是 他们确信有许多稍大的小狗是合适的。 “他真的愿意我们把它拉走？”密西斯问。 于是牧羊狗又对汤米说了，他一再点头，而 extraordinary/iks'tro:dnri, 且讲着他那奇特的语言。 ks'tra:din3rm/a,特别的 “边上漆着他的姓名和地址，”牧羊狗说， “假如有一天能还他，他会很高兴的。但是如果无 法归还，他也会完全谅解。” “只要我们回到家里，我认为甜来先生一定会 归还的，”庞果说，“请告诉汤米，我们是多么感 谢他。” 牧羊狗向汤米翻译了这句话，他比以前笑得 更欢了，还发出更多的咯咯声音。 “他说你们感到高兴使他很高兴，他想见见所 有小狗。我想稳妥的办法是你们离开时全从他的 窗前走过一现在离开的时间快到了？" 于是他们向汤米道了别，接着牧羊狗回去 拖着小车沿着走廊，出了后门。他确实费了很大 的劲。 ②deep/stip/a.陡的 “幸亏我的小宠物睡在底层，”他说，“这是 因为我们的楼梯很陡，否则我绝不可能把这小车 弄下楼。” 他们回到谷仓，叫醒小狗，所有稍大的小狗都 3yon尝试 到了外面，试着他们的身体大小是否适合拉车。 (现在月亮比刚才已经落了一些，不过仍放射着明 亮的光芒。)有一家子八条狗完全适合拉车，另外 还有十来条小狗也很合适，因此庞果安排这些小狗 一路上都在小车附近，两条一次轮流拖车。“小赖 猪”高兴地坐在干草上，让小狗们练习拖车。 ·233· The HundredandOne Dalmatians While this was happening,Pongo was told the plans made by Midnight Barking.Only five miles was to be travelled before dawn- which would not be for over three hours-to a village where a friend of the Colonel's lived at a bakery. 'And next door is a butcher's,so food will be all right,'said the Colonel.'Then you'll do another five miles as soon as it's dark tomorrow-but my friend will tell you all about that.I hope to get you to London in ten or twelve days,billeting you where you can be safely hidden and fed.The last stages of the march will be the most difficult, but there are warehouses,if we can get in touch with their watchdogs. There's a Great Dane somewhere near Hampstead working on that already.Fine fellow.I hear he's a Brigadier-General3' Ten days or even longer!Missis felt her heart sink. Pongo,'she said suddenly,'when is Christmas Day?' 'The day after tomorrow,'said the Colonel.'No,bless me,it's tomorrow-because it's Christmas Eve already,even if it isn't light yet. Don't worry,Mrs Pongo.You shall have some Christmas dinner.' But it was not food Missis was thinking about,but the Dearlys,all alone for Christmas.Sometimes she forgot them for an hour or two,but never for very long.She thought now of that last evening when she had rested her head on Mrs Dearly's knee,trying to make her understand- and of the warm,white drawing-room,where there was to have been a Christmas tree,with presents for the three dogs and the fifteen pups. Missis had heard the Dearlys planning it. Pongo guessed his wife's thoughts-which was easy to do because his own were much the same.'Never mind,Missis,he said.'We'll be home by next Christmas.' The pups who were to take turns at pulling the little blue cart were now quite good at it. 'Then off you go,'said the Colonel.'But first,our cows have ·234 101条花斑狗 与此同时，庞果得知了午夜吠叫时制订的计 划。破晓前只走五英里一不超过三个小时路 程一到一个小村，那儿的面包店里住着上校的 ①bakery /beikar/n.面包糕 一个朋友。 点饼干店 “隔壁是个屠夫的家，所以食物没有问题，” 上校说，“明天天一黑，你们再走五英里一我 的朋友会告诉你一切的。我希望把你们安顿在可 ②billet/brlrt/为…指定宿 以安全地隐藏起来并能得到食物的地方，让你们 营地，为…分配宿舍 在十天或十二天内抵达伦敦。行军的最后几站将 是最困难的，但是有一些货栈，假如能和那里的 看门狗取得联系的话就好了。在汉普斯特附近的 ③Brigadier-General 某个地方有一只大丹麦狗已在做这工作了。好狗 /briga'dia-'d3enoral/n. 哪。我听说他是陆军准将。” 军准将 十天甚至更长！密西斯觉得自己的心沉下去了。 “庞果，”她突然说，“什么时候是圣诞节？” “后天，”上校说，“不，天哪，现在已经是明 天了—因为今天已经是圣诞前夜了，虽说天还没 亮。别担心，庞果夫人。你们会吃上圣诞晚餐的。” 不过密西斯惦记的不是食物，而是甜来夫妇 冷冷清清地过圣诞节。有时她忘记他们一两个小 时，但决不会很久。现在她想到了最后一晚把头 靠在甜来夫人膝上，企图使她明白一也想到了 温暖洁白的客厅里将有一棵圣诞树，挂着给三条 大狗和十五条小狗的礼物。密西斯曾经听见甜来 夫妇这样计划来着。 庞果猜出妻子的心事一这太容易猜到了， 因为他自己也有同样想法。“没关系，密西斯，” take turns at doing something 他说，“明年圣诞节我们会在家里的。” 轮流做某事 轮流拖着蓝色小车的小狗们现在已相当熟练 了。 ·235· The HundredandOne Dalmatians asked you in to have a drink with them.' He led Pongo,Missis,and all the pups into the dim cowshed, where the hay still smelt of summer weather.The head cows,Blossom2 and Clover3,were waiting to welcome them and tell them how to drink at the milk-bar.The pups found this easy,especially those who could remember being fed by their mothers-though the smaller pups had to stand on their hind legs and be supported by other pups.The long,warm drink of milk made a splendid breakfast. At last,after all their kind hostesses had been thanked,it was time to start. Tommy stood at his window peering into the moonlight,watching the march-past.Pongo and Missis wrinkled their noses at him,in their best smile;every pup turned its head-except the Cadpig who lay on her back in the hay-filled cart and waved all her four paws. Pongo said to Missis:'How different Tommy is from the bad little boy who threw a stone at us.' Missis said:'The bad little boy was only bad because he had never known dogs.'And she was probably right. ·236· 101条花斑狗 “那么你们出发吧，”上校说，“首先，我们 ①cowshed"kaofed/.牛舍 的母牛请你们进去喝点奶。” 牛棚 他领着庞果、密西斯和全体小狗进入了阴暗 ②blossom/blDs3m/n.花[特 指果树花]，此处为奶牛名 的牛栏，那儿的干草仍散发着夏季的气息。母牛 的头儿“花朵”和“苜蓿”正等候着迎接他们， 并告诉他们怎样在挤奶栏喝奶。小狗们发觉这挺 容易，尤其是还记得起母亲给他们吃奶的那些小 狗一不过有些较小的小狗不得不用后腿直立起 来，还要靠别的小狗扶着。长时间地喝温暖的牛 奶真是上等的早餐。 最后，在谢过全体好心的女主人以后，动身 的时候到了。 汤米站在窗子旁张望着外面的月光，看着队 列通过。庞果和密西斯朝他皱皱鼻子露出最愉快 的笑容；每条小狗都转过头一只有“小赖猪” 3 clover'klv/.首蓿，t 处为奶牛名 例外，她仰卧在堆满干草的小车中，挥舞着四只 ④milk-bar /milk-ba:/n.挤奶 爪子。 栏 庞果对密西斯说：“汤米和向我们扔石头的那 个坏小孩多么不同啊。” 密西斯说：“坏小孩只是因为还不了解狗才坏 的。”她说的或许是对的。 上校把他们带到十字路口，叫他们上路。 “我真想能和你们一起去，可我有工作在身。” 他说。接着他匆匆说了再见，便和骑在他背上的 猫很快地走了，庞果只得在他们身后吠叫着道谢。 上校吠叫着回答说，“幸运”上士现在可以是中 尉了，随即飞奔而去。庞果惊讶地注视着，不知 道是什么事非得这么急忙地去完成。很久以后， 他才知道了真相。 ·237·