14 Christmas Eve平安夜-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《101条花斑狗The Hundred and One Dalmatians》

14 Christmas Eve Meanwhile,the Dalmatian army was swinging along the road in fine style.Though cold,the night was very still.The pups were rested and hopeful.And the fact that a tired little dog could take a rest with the Cadpig in her cart made tired little dogs feel less tired.Indeed,Missis at first had to insist on the smaller pups taking turns to rest.But progress was not really fast.There were so many pauses while the pups who pulled the cart were changed,pauses while pups got in and out of the cart;and every half-mile,the whole army had a rest.Still,all went wonderfully well until they were within half a mile of the village where they were to spend the day. There was a hint of dawn in the sky now,but Pongo felt sure they could reach the village before it was dangerously light.He quickened the pace slightly and told the pups to think of breakfast ahead of them at the bakery. It was soon after this that the Cadpig called out:'Look!Little painted houses on wheels!' Pongo saw them at the same moment and he knew they were not ·240· 14 平安夜 ①swing/sw1o/g(人、马车等) 这时，花斑狗大军沿路大摇大摆地走着，很 大摇大摆地走 是壮观。尽管寒冷，夜间依然非常寂静。小狗们 已经休息好，并且充满希望。小狗跑累了可以在 “小赖猪”的小车上休息一下，这使累了的小狗觉 得不那么累了。一开始，密西斯确实不得不坚持 让一些较小的小狗轮流休息。然而前进的速度实 际上并不快。拖车的小狗换班时离开小车由别的 狗进去接替，得停那么多次：于是每隔半英里， 整个队伍便休息一次。一直走到离他们要度过白 天的那个小村子不到半英里的地方为止，一切都 非常顺利。 这时天空已曙光微露，但是庞果确信能赶在 天色危险地大亮之前抵达村庄。他稍微加快步伐， 并且叫小狗们去想前面的面包店里正有早饭等待 着他们。 此后不久，“小赖猪”叫道：“瞧！带轮子的 油漆小房子！” 庞果同时也看见它们了，他知道这不是房子 ·241· The HundredandOne Dalmatians houses.They were caravans. He had seen them once when out with Mr Dearly and had heard Mr Dearly say that Gipsies2 lived in caravans and gipsies sometimes stole valuable dogs. 'Halt!'said Pongo,instantly. Could they get past the caravans without being seen?He wasn't going to risk it.Between them and the nearest caravan was an open gate. He would lead the puppies through it and take them through the fields until they were well past the caravans.Swiftly he gave his instructions, which were handed on from pup to pup:'We are to keep dead quiet and follow Pongo through the gate.' And thus did the owner of one of the keenest brains in Dogdom make one of his few mistakes.For in the caravan nearest to them,an old Gipsy woman was awake and looking out of the little back window.She saw the approaching Dalmatians and at once woke her husband.He was beside her at the window just as Pongo led the way into the field. The old Gipsy woman never read newspapers so she knew nothing about the stolen puppies.But she knew that here were many valuable dogs.And she knew something else,which Pongo did not know.There is a connexion between Dalmatians and Gipsies.Many people believe that it was the Gipsies who first brought Dalmatians to England,long, long ago.And nothing like as long ago as that,there were Gipsies who travelled round England with Dalmatians trained to do tricks.And these performing dogs earned money for the Gipsies.The old woman could remember such dogs and she thought how splendid it would be if all these Dalmatians could be trained as money earners. 'Quick!Close the gate!'she said to her husband.She spoke in the strange Gipsy language,which is called Romany5.The only other way out of that field is through a break in the hedge.I will rouse the ·242· 101条花斑句 caravan /kaeravaen/n.(吉 它们是大篷车队。 卜赛人等的)有篷马车，大 篷车 以前和甜来先生一起出去时，他见过它们， 2 Gipsy /'d3ips/n吉普赛人 还曾听甜来先生说过，吉普赛人住在大篷车里， 吉普赛人常常偷窃值钱的狗。 “停下！”庞果急忙说。 他们能经过车队而不被发现吗？他不准备冒 险。在他们和最近的一辆大篷车之间是一扇敞开 的门。他要带领小狗穿过门，带他们越过田野， 直到把车队远远抛在后面。他迅速下达命令，命 令由小狗们传递下去：“我们要保持绝对安静，跟 着庞果穿过门。” 就这样，狗王国中具有最敏锐脑子的狗犯了 一次少有的错误。因为在离他们最近的那辆大篷 车中，一个吉卜赛老婆子是醒着的，正从小后窗 朝外面张望。她看见走近来的花斑狗，即刻叫醒 了她的丈夫。他就在她身旁的窗子边，这时庞果 正把队伍带进田野。 吉卜赛老婆子从不看报，所以一点儿不知道 小狗被偷的事。但她知道这儿有许多值钱的狗。 而且她还知道庞果所不知道的一些事。花斑狗和 ③connexion/k'nekfon/n.联 系，连结 吉卜赛人之间有点联系。很多人相信，很久很久 以前是吉卜赛人首先把花斑狗带到英国的。比这 个稍近一些时候，有些吉卜赛人带着受过训练的 ④trick /trik/L.戏法 花斑狗在英国各地行骗。这些会演把戏的狗为吉 卜赛人挣钱。老婆子可能记得这种狗，她想，要 是把所有这些花斑狗训练成能赚钱的狗，那该 5 Romany'romon/L吉普赛 落 多好。 hedge /hedz/(用灌木等 “快！关上门！”她对丈夫说。她说的是古怪 构成的树篱，（树枝等编成 的吉卜赛话，这种语言叫作吉卜赛语。“走出这 的)篱笆 片田野只有另一条路，那就是穿过篱笆的一个豁 ·243· The HundredandOne Dalmatians camp and we will all stop the dogs there and catch them.' In less than two minutes,the whole gipsy encampment was awake. Children cried,dogs barked,horses neighed2.It was still so dark that it took Pongo five minutes to find the break in the hedge.And when he found it,he also found the way barred 3.All the gipsies were there, with sticks and ropes④， "Back to the gate,as fast as you can!'he cried to the pups. But when they reached the gate,it was closed.They were trapped. Pongo barked loudly,hoping that some Gipsy dog might help him. Many Gipsy dogs barked in answer,but they had all been shut up in the caravans in case they should fight the Dalmatians.In any case,they only barked in Romany,so they could not understand a word Pongo said. But someone else did.Suddenly Pongo heard the high neigh of a horse,close at hand-and,oh,most wonderful,the horse could neigh normally,as well as in Romany.It understood Pongo and he understood it.Horses are nearly always friendly to Dalmatians-perhaps because of those days when Dalmatians were trained to follow carriages.This horse was not old enough to remember such days but he took an instant liking to Pongo,Missis,and all the pups.If these pleasant creatures wished to come out of the field,nothing could be easier.He strolled up,opened the gate with his long,strong teeth and swung it back.Out poured the puppies. 'Lead them past the caravans as fast as you can!'Pongo shouted to Missis,and waited to see the last pup out of the field. 'What a very large family you and your wife have,'said the horse. 'My wife and I have never had more than the one.Well,good luck to you.' ·244· 101条花斑狗 口。我要叫醒营地里的人，我们要在那儿把狗堵 ①encampment 住，抓住他们。” /n'kampmant/.扎营地， 露营地 不到两分钟，整个吉卜赛营地里的人都醒了。 2 neigh/nelg.(马)晴 孩子哭，狗叫，马嘶鸣。天依然很黑，庞果花了 3 bar /ba:/阻挡，拦住 五分钟才找到篱笆的豁口。他找到后才发现出路 ④rope /raup/n.绳 被堵住了。所有吉卜赛人都在那儿，拿着木棍和 绳索。 “尽快回到门口去！”他对小狗们喊道。 5 be trapped陷入困境 但当他们到达大门时，门已关上了。他们被 困住了。 庞果大声吠叫，希望有些吉卜赛狗能帮助他。 许多吉卜赛狗叫着回答，但是他们全被关在大篷 车里，以防他们和花斑狗搏斗。不管怎样，他们 只能用吉卜赛语吠叫，所以他们对庞果说的话一 点都听不懂。 不过也有听懂的。庞果突然听到一匹马尖声 嘶鸣起来，而且近在咫尺一哦，太妙了，那匹 马既能用正常的话嘶鸣，也能用吉卜赛语嘶鸣。 他听懂了庞果的吠叫，庞果也听懂了他的嘶鸣。 马几乎总是和花斑狗友好相处的一也许是因为 在过去的日子里，花斑狗是训练来跟随马车的。 这匹马并不那么老，还不记得那些日子，不过他 立刻喜欢上了庞果、密西斯和所有小狗。要是这 些可爱的动物想走出田野的话，再没有什么比这 更容易了。他漫步走了过来，用他坚强有力的长 牙把门朝后拉开。小狗像潮水般涌出。 “领着他们尽快经过车队！”庞果对密西斯叫 道，他自己等着直看到最后一条小狗走出田野。 “你和你的妻子有那么大的一家子，”马说，“我 的妻子和我至多只有一匹马驹。嗯，祝你们好运。” ·245· The HundredandOne Dalmatians He waved aside Pongo's thanks and then,being a very tidy horse,he carefully closed the gate again.So never did the gipsies-all waiting at the break in the hedge-know how their prisoners got away. Helter-skelter along the road went Missis,the puppies and, finally,Pongo.(The pups who drew the Cadpig's cart stuck faithfully5 to their task.)The shut-in Romany dogs heard them and shook the caravans in their efforts to get out.Volleys of furious barking came from the little windows. 'The caravans bark but the dogs move on,'remarked Pongo, when he felt they were out of danger A few minutes later they reached the village where they were to sleep.The Sheepdog's friend,a handsome Collie,was waiting to welcome them. 'No talk until you're safely hidden,'he said.'It's almost light.' Quickly they followed him across the village green to three old, gabled houses.The baker's was in the middle,between the butcher's and the chimney-sweep's The baker and the butcher and the sweep were all widowers and,as it was Sunday,had already gone to spend Christmas with their married daughters,which was just as well. The baker's shop would not have been nearly big enough to house all the pups but luckily there was a large bakehouse at the back.And soon every pup was safely in and enjoying a splendid sausage roll 3.Pongo and Missis chatted to the Collie while they ate.He shook his head worriedly when he heard about the gipsies. 'A narrow escape,'he said.'The trouble is that Dalmatians are such noticeable dogs.Ninety-nine of you together are spectacular though I mean it as a compliment5.You'd be so much safer if you were black.' Like that nice little pup over there,'said Missis. ·246· 101条花斑狗 D wave aside谢绝 他拒不接受庞果的道谢，因为他是一匹非常 2 tidy /'taid/a.整洁的，整齐 的，爱整洁的 有条不紊的马，所以又仔细地关上门。这样全都 3 break /brelk/i裂可 守候在篱笆豁口处的吉普赛人永远不会知道他们 helter-skelter /'helta-'skelta/ 的俘虏是怎样逃走的。 ad.手忙脚乱地，慌幢张张 地，狼狈地，混乱地 密西斯、小狗和压阵的庞果沿着马路慌乱地 5 faithfully /ferfol/ad.忠实 走着。（拖着“小赖猪”小车的小狗忠实地坚守 地：诚心诚意地 职责。)关在大篷车上的吉普赛狗听见了他们的声 shut--inP∫Atun/a.关在里面 的 音，尽力撞击着马车想跑出来。小窗子里传来一 ⑦volley /vpl/n(质问、咒骂 阵阵狂怒的吠叫声。 等的)迸发，连发 8 remark/r'ma:k/h.评论，谈 “车队里的狗在叫，但是狗在继续前进。”庞 论 果说，这时他感到已经脱离危险了。 ⑨be out of danger脱离险境 几分钟后他们抵达了要在那儿睡觉的那个村 Collie'knl/i.柯利狗〔苏 格兰长毛牧羊狗] 庄。牧羊狗的朋友，一条漂亮的长毛大牧羊狗正 等在那里迎接他们。 “在你们安全地躲藏好以前，别出声，”他说， Igreen/gri:n/h.草地 “天差不多已经亮了。” 他们赶快跟着他穿过村外草地，来到了三幢 B chimney-sweep 'tfrmni--swip/n扫烟囱的 人字形屋顶的老房子中。面包师住在中间，两边 工人 是屠夫和扫烟囱工人的房子。面包师、屠夫和扫 烟囱工人全是鳏夫，因为这天是星期天，已经到 他们已婚的女儿那里度圣诞节去了，这下正好。 Boll/r3ul/n.面包卷 面包店并非大得足够容纳所有小狗，不过幸 亏后面有一间很大的烘房。每条小狗很快都安全 地到了屋内，而且各自得到一只可口的香肠面包 卷。庞果和密西斯边吃边和大牧羊狗聊天。他听 到有关吉普赛人的情况时，忧心忡忡地直摇头。 1 spectacular /spek'taek jola a场面富丽的，杜观的 “九死一生，”他说，“麻烦的是花斑狗是一 compliment /'komplimant/ 种那么引人注目的狗。你们九十九条狗聚在一起 恭维话，赞辞：敬意 是个惊人的场面一不过我的本意是赞叹。要是 你们都是黑狗就安全多了。” ·247· The HundredandOne Dalmatians 'What pup?'The Collie looked across the bakehouse,then said sharply2:'That pup doesn't belong in this village.who are you,my lad?Where have you come from?' The black pup did not answer.Instead,he came running to Missis and butted3 her in the stomach. 'Here,hold hard,young man!'said Missis.Then she gasped ‘Goodness,itis！It isn't!It is Roly Poly！' The fat puppy who was always getting into mischief had found his way into a shed at the back of the sweep's house and had a fight with a bag of soot⑤ 'Mercy,you'll need some washing!'said his mother. Then it was that one of the keenest brains in Dogdom had one of its brainiest waves. Roly Poly,said Pongo,'was there a lot of soot at the sweep's?' 'Bags and bags,said Roly Poly. 'Then we are all going to be black dogs,said Pongo. 'Your husband is a genius,'said the Collie to Missis,as he showed them all into the sweep's shed. There was any amount of soot-waiting to have done with it whatever sweeps do do with soot. Ten dogs forward at a time！'commanded Pongo..‘Pups roll⑦！ Pups rub noses！' In a very short time there were ninety-seven pitch black pups. 'And now,my love,'said Pongo to Missis.'Let us take a roll in the soot.' Frankly,Missis did not fancy it.She hated soiling her gleaming white hair and losing its smart contrast with her beautiful black spots. But when Pongo had helped her with the final touches he said:'Why, ·248· 101条花斑句 D backhouse /baekhaus/n. “像那条漂亮的小狗一样。”密西斯说。 面包的房间 ②sharply /'fa:pl/ad.高音 “什么小狗？”大牧羊狗向烤面包的房间看去， 地；锐声地 然后尖声叫道：“那条小狗不是这村的。你是谁， 小家伙？你从哪里来？” 3 butt /bAt/K.碰撞 小黑狗没作声。反而向密西斯跑来，撞她的 肚子。 “嗨，别撞，小伙子！”密西斯说。接着她气 喘吁吁地叫道；“天啊，是他！不是别的狗！是 ④hed /fed/n.小星：棚屋 胖娃娃！” 3soot/sUt/n煤烟（灰） 老是喜欢淘气的胖小狗走进了扫烟囱工人房 子背后的一间小屋，和一袋煤灰打了一架。 “天哪，得舔舔你了！”他母亲说。 这时狗王国中脑子最灵敏的狗灵机一动。 “胖娃娃，”庞果说，“扫烟囱工人那里有许 多煤灰吗？” “好多好多袋。”“胖娃娃”说。 “那么我们全都要变成黑狗。”庞果说。 6 genius"d3i:njas/h.天才人 “你的丈夫是个天才。”大牧羊狗把他们都领 物，才子，奇才 进扫烟囱工人的小屋时，对密西斯说。 这里有大量煤灰一正等着和清除煤灰有关 的任何大扫除来把它清扫掉。 ⑦olr/%滚转，旋转 “十条狗一次！”庞果盼附道，“小狗打滚！ 小狗擦鼻子！” pitch black漆黑（的】 在很短时间里就有了九十七条乌黑的小狗。 “现在，亲爱的，”庞果对密西斯说，“让我 们在煤灰里滚一下吧。” gleaming /gli:muga.闪烁的 老实说，密西斯不喜欢这样。她不愿弄脏发 0 smart/smot/a漂亮的 亮的白毛，失去和美丽的黑斑的鲜明对照。但当 庞果帮着她，为她涂上最后几下时，他说：“嗨， ·249·