Chapter9 The Never Bird永无鸟-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《彼得潘Peter Pan》

Chapter 9 T#e Never Brd The last sounds Peter heard before he was auite alone were the mermaids retiring one by one to their bedchambers under the sea. He was too far away to hear their doors shut: but every door in the coral{ caves where they live rings a tiny bell when it opens or closes (as in all the nicest houses on the mainland) and he heard the bells. Steadily the waters rose till they were nibbling{②} at his feet: and to pass the time until they made their final gulp, he watched the only thing moving on the lagoon. He thought it was a piece of floating paper, perhaps part of the kite, and wondered idly③}how long it would take to drift ashore{④}. Presently he noticed as an odd thing that it was undoubtedly out upon the lagoon with some definite purpose, for it was fighting the tide, and sometimes winning: and when it won. Peter, always svmpathetic{}to the weaker side. could not help clapping: it was such a gallant piece of paper It was not really a piece of paper: it was the Never bird, making desperate efforts to reach Peter on her nest. By working her wings, in a way she had learned since the nest fell into the water, she was able to some extent to guide her strange craft. but by the time Peter recognised her she was very exhausted She had come to save him, to give him her nest, though there were eggs in it. I rather wonder at the bird. for though he had been nice to her, he had alsc sometimes tormented{*} her. I can suppose only that, like Mrs Darling and the rest of them, she was melted{}because he had all his first teeth .154· 第九章 永无鸟 湍湖上只剩彼得一个人了,他最后听到的声音,是 美人鱼们回海底卧室去休息时发出的声响。因为距离太 遥远,他没有听到她们关门的声音。不过,她们住的珊 ① coral [korolln. 珊瑚 瑚洞的门上装有拎铛,每当她们开门或关门时,拎铛都 会发出叮当声(这和英国最讲究的房子是一样的),他 听到了拎档的声音。 ②nibble nibllv 一点点地 海水一点点地涨上来了,直到没过了彼得的脚。在 咬 海水将他吞没之前,为了打发最后的时间,他注视着唯 一个在渴湖上游动的东西。他想那可能是张漂浮着的 ③ idly Caidlilad. 无所事事 纸片,或是那个风筝的一部分。他无所事事地在估算着 地 ④ ashore [a'fo:]ad. 上岸 那东西需要多久才能漂到岸边 突然,他发现这东西有些不同寻常,它漂在湖上, sympathetic L.simpa'oetik 像是有什么目的。因为它在与海浪较量,偶尔还能取 a.同情的 胜。当它获胜的时候,喜欢同情弱者的彼得会禁不住地 为它拍手叫好,多么勇敢的一张纸片! 其实,那不是张纸片,而是一只永无鸟。她正乘坐 着自己的鸟巢拼命地向彼得划过来。自从她的巢落到水上 以后,她就学会了用翅膀划水,现在她已经能勉强地驾驳 她那只奇特的小船了。不过,当彼得认出她来时,她已经 非常疲惫了。她是来救彼得的,要把自己的巢让给他,虽 然巢里还有鸟蛋。我觉得这鸟真是奇怪,虽然彼得以前待 torment I'to:ment]v: 折麾 她挺好的,可有时也会折磨她。所以,我只能猜想,这只 melt melt]v 心软 鸟也许像达林夫人或其他女性一样,看到彼得是一个孔牙 未换的小孩子,就不由自主地心软了吧。 ·155· Chapter9 The Never Bird She called out to him what she had come for, and he called out to her what was she doing there: but of course neither of them understood the others language. In fanciful^{} stories people can talk to the birds freely, and I wish for the moment I could pretend that this was such a story, and say that Peter replied intelligently to the Never bird: but truth is best, and I want to tell only what really happened. Well, not only could they not understand each other, but they forgot their manners. "I-want-you -to-get -into -the -nest,"the bird called, speaking as slowly and distinctly{②} as possible, and - then -you - can- drift-ashore, but I-am-too-tired-to-bring-it-any-nearer so-you-must-try-to-swim-to-it." "What are you quacking about?" Peter answered “Why don't you let the nest drift as usual?" "I-want-you-"the bird said, and repeated it all over Then Peter tried slow and distinct "What - are - you - quacking - about?" and so on. The Never bird became irritated: they have very short tempers "You dunderheaded{③} little jay④," she screamed, "why don't you do as I tell you?" Peter felt that she was calling him names, and at a venture he retorted hotly “So are you!" Then rather curiously they both snapped out the same remark "Shut up!" “Shut up!" Nevertheless the bird was determined to save him if she could, and by one last mighty{} effort she propelled the nest against the rock. Then up she flew; deserting her eggs, so as to make her meaning clear. Then at last he understood, and clutched the nest and waved his thanks tc the bird as she fluttered overhead. It was not to receive his thanks, however, that .156. 第九章 永无鸟 那只鸟向彼得大叫,想要说明她的来意;而彼得也 大声问,想知道那只鸟来这里干什么。不过,他们彼此 ① fanciful ['frensifalla. 奇幻 都听不懂对方的语言。在奇幻故事里,人是可以和鸟自 的 由交谈的。我希望在我们的故事里,事情也是如此,那 样的话,彼得就可以和永无鸟顺畅地交流。但是,我们 还得尊重现实,讲述实际发生的事情。好了,实际上他 们不但听不懂彼此在讲些什么,还把应该有的礼貌都忘 记了。 “我--想--让--你--到--我--的- ② distinctly [di'stinktli] ad 巢--里--来,”那只鸟喊道,尽力把话说得既缓 清楚地 慢而清楚,“然--后,你--就--可--以- 漂--到--岸--上--去,可--是--我--太 -累--了,不--能--再--靠--近--了, 你-得--想--办--法--自--己--游- 过-来。” “你在吼吼说什么呢?”彼得回答说:“为什 么不让你的巢像以前那样随风漂流呢?” “我--想--让--你--”那只鸟又把刚刚的 话重复了一遍。 ③ dunderheaded Idanda'he did]a.蠢的 彼得还是没听懂,他只得既缓慢又清楚地喊 ④jay [d3ei]n. "喋不休的 “你--在--吼--吼------说- 些--什--么--呀?”还有其他诸如此类的话。 永无鸟非常恼火,他们是急脾气。 “你这个木头脑袋的小笨蛋,”她尖声叫道, “你 为什么不照我的意思去做?” 彼得马上意识到她是在骂自己,干是他气冲冲地回 敬她: “骂的是你自己吧!” mighty maitila. 巨大的 之后,他们非常奇特地对骂了同一句话: “你给我闭嘴!” “你给我闭嘴! 。 不过,即便如此,这只鸟还是决意要救彼得。她竭 尽全力做了最后一次努力,终于让鸟巢靠上了岩石。然 后,她飞了起来,丢下了她的蛋,表明了自已的来意。 这下,彼得终于明白了。他抓住了鸟巢,向空中的 鸟挥手表示感谢。然而,永无鸟一直在空中盘旋,她不 ·157· Chapter9 The Never Bird she hung there in the sky: it was not even to watch him get into the nest: it was to see what he did with her eggs. There were two large white eggs, and Peter lifted them up and reflected. The bird covered her face with her wings, so as not to see the last of her eggs: but she could not help peeping between the feathers^{①}. I forget whether I have told you that there was a stave{②} on the rock, driven into it by some buccaneers③} of long ago to mark the site of buried treasure. The children had discovered the glittering hoard{}. and when in mischievous mood used to fling showers of moidores, diamonds, pearls and pieces of eight to the gull${}, who pounced^{} upon them for food, and then flew away, raging at the scurvy{} trick that had been played upon them. The stave was still there, and on it Starkey had hung his hat, a deep tarpaulin{}, watertight, with a broad brim. Peter put the eggs into this hat and set it on the lagoon. It floated beautifully The Never bird saw at once what he was up to, and screamed her admiration of him: and, alas^{}, Peter crowed his agreement with her. Then he got into the nest, reared the stave in it as a mast^{}, and hung up his shirt for a sail. At the same moment the bird fluttered down upon the hat and once more sat snugly{} on her eggs. She drifted in one direction, and he was borne off in another, both cheering. Of course when Peter landed he beached his barque^{} in a place where the bird would easily find it: but the hat was such a great success that she abandoned the nest. It drifted about till it went to pieces, and often Starkey came to the shore of the lagoon, and with many bitter feelings, watched the bird sitting on his hat. As we shall not see her again, it may be worth mentioning here that all Never birds now build in that shape of nest, with a broad brim^{③}on which the youngsters^{}take an airing. Great were the rejoicings^{} when Peter reached the home under the ground almost as soon as Wendy, who had been carried hither and thither*}by the kite. Every boy had adventures to tell: but perhaps the biggest adventure of al was that they were several hours late for bed. This so inflated^{} them that they did various dodgy{} things to get staying up still longer, such as demanding bandages: but Wendy, though glorying in having them all home again safe and sound. was scandalised”by the lateness of the hour, and cried. "To bed .158. 第九章 永无鸟 是为了接受彼得的感谢,也不是要看他怎样爬进巢里, 而是要看看彼得会怎样对待她的蛋 巢里有两只白色的大鸟蛋,彼得把它们捧了起来, 心想该怎么处理它们呢。那鸟用翅膀捂住脸,不敢看自 己的蛋的下场,可她还是忍不住从羽毛缝里向外偷看。 ① feather [feoaln. 羽毛 我忘记是否告诉过你们,流因岩石上有块木板。 ② stave [steiv]n. 侧板 是很久以前海盗们钉在那儿的,用来标记他们藏宝的位 ③ buccaneer I.baka'nialn. 海 置。孩子们发现了闪闪发光的宝藏,经常顺手抓起一把 盗 把金币、钻石、珍珠之类的东西掷向海鸥,海鸥以为这 ④ hoard ho:d]n. 储藏物 些是食物,于是扑了过来,发现这是恶作剧之后,它们 gull [qAlln. 海鸥 非常恼火,生气地飞走了。木板还在老地方,上面挂着 pounce Ipauns]v: 猛扑 seurvy ['sko:vila. 卑鄙的 斯塔基的帽子,那是一顶宽沿、高高的防水帆布帽子。 ⑧ tarpaulin [ta:po:lin] n. 防 彼得把鸟蛋放进这顶帽子里,然后把帽子放在湖面,于 水帆布 是帽子就美美地漂了起来。 彼得所做的一切立刻让永无鸟看到了,她尖声鸣叫 着向彼得表示钦佩,彼得用欢呼表示回应。然后,他跳 alas [o'laesl int. 哎吗 进巢里,把木板竖起来做桅杆,衬衫挂起来做风帆。这 mast [ma:stln. 桅杆 时永无鸟落到了帽子上,又一次安稳地坐在那里开始孵 蛋。鸟儿朝一个方向漂去,而彼得朝另一个方向漂去, snugly [snaalilad. 安稳舒 两人都十分开心。 适地 彼得上岸后, baraue [ba:k]n. 三桅帆 很自然地将鸟巢放在一处容易被永 船,这里指那个鸟果 无鸟发现的地方。不过,那顶用帽子做的巢实在是太棒 了,那只鸟竞然抛弃了原来的巢。那个鸟巢在水上漂来 漂去,直到散落成了碎片。后来,斯塔基每次来到渴湖 上,就会看见那只鸟在他的帽子上孵蛋,这可把他气得 不轻。因为我们后来不会再见到永无鸟,因此我要在这 brim brim]n. 边缘 里提一句,现在,所有的永无鸟都把巢筑成有一道宽边 的样子,这样幼鸟可以在帽檐儿上散步。 youngster ['jansto]n. 少 年,这里指小鸟 彼得和乘着风筝的温迪几乎同时回到了他们地下 rejoicing [ri'dsoisinl n. 喜 的家。一家人重聚,真是快乐无比。每个男孩都有自己 悦 的冒险故事要讲,不过,今晚最大的冒险,大概是他们 hither and thither 到处 inflate fin'fleitlv 使..... 已经比正常的上床睡觉时间晚了好几个小时。他们对此 得意 都非常得意,用各种小手段磨磨蹭拖延时间,比如要 dodgy [dod3i]a. 不老实 求包扎伤口之类的。不过,尽管温迪对他们都安全到家 的 scandalize ['skaendali:z] v 感到满心欢喜,但是时间真的是太晚了,于是她喊道: 使....反感 “去睡觉!去睡觉!”她的口吻很严厉,孩子们不得 ·159· Chapter9 The Never Bird to bed," in a voice that had to be obeyed. Next day, however, she was awfully tender, and gave out bandages to every one: and they played till bedtime at limping^{}about and carying their arms in slings^{②}. .16o: 第九章 永无鸟 不听话。不过,到了第二天,她又温柔似水了。她给每 个孩子都包扎了伤口,孩子们有破着脚的,有吊着胳臂 ①limp llimp]v 行 的,他们快乐地玩要着直到该上床睡觉了。 ②sling [slin]n. 吊臂带 ·161·