Chapter2 The Open Road大道-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《柳林风声The Wind in the Willows》

Chapter One The River Bank. 'Come on,old Badger!'shouted the Rat. The Badger trotted forward a pace or two;then grunted,'H'm!Company,' and turned his back and disappeared from view. That's just the sort of fellow he is!'observed the disappointed Rat.'Simply hates Society!Now we shan't see any more of him today.Well,tell us who's out on the river?' 'Toad's out,for one,'replied the Otter.'In his brand-new wager-boat;new togs,new everything!' The two animals looked at each other and laughed. 'Once,it was nothing but sailing,'said the Rat.'Then he tired of that and took to punting.Nothing would please him but to punt all day and every day, and a nice mess he made of it.Last year it was houseboating,and we all had to go and stay with him in his houseboat,and pretend we liked it.He was going to spend the rest of his life in a houseboat.It's all the same,whatever he takes up; he gets tired of it,and starts on something fresh.' Such a good fellow,too,'remarked the Otter reflectively.But no stability- especially in a boat!' From where they sat they could get a glimpse of the main stream across the island that separated them;and just then a wager-boat flashed into view,the rower-a short,stout figure-splashing badly and rolling a good deal,but working his hardest.The Rat stood up and hailed him,but Toad-for it was he-shook his head and settled sternly to his work He'll be out of the boat in a minute if he rolls like that,'said the Rat,sitting down again. Of course he will,'chuckled the Otter.'Did I ever tell you that good story about Toad and the lock-keeper?It happened this way.Toad...' An errant Mayfly swerved unsteadily athwart the current in the ·018· 第一章 河堤 河鼠喊道：“过来啊老獾！” ①grunt[grAnt]g(猪)发 獾向前挪了一两步，然后咕哝道：“嗳！一堆人。” 低沉的咕噜声，像猪一 样发咕噜声 说完转身就消失不见了。 “他就是这样的家伙！”河鼠失望地说道，“对社 交活动总是避之不及！好了，今天我们算是看不到他 了。那么，和我们说说，今天谁在河上？” “蟾蜍啊，”水獭回答道，“开着他崭新的赛艇，穿 着一身新衣服，什么都是新的！” 他们俩对视了一下，然后齐声大笑起来。 “有段时间，帆船是他的挚爱，除了划帆船，其他 ②punt[pAnt]k用篙撑 什么他都不做。”河鼠说道，“接着他玩厌了，喜欢上了 (方头平底船) 撑平底船，整天整夜地拿着蒿杆，撑得那叫一个高兴， 最后搞得一团糟。去年他迷恋上了船房，结果我们所有 人都不得不过去给他捧场，待在他的船房里，还得假装 我们很喜欢。那时候他还说下半辈子都要住在船房里呢。 他总是这样，做事只有三分钟热度，喜欢什么东西便一 头扎进去，腻烦了之后又会喜欢上什么新的玩意儿。” “他心倒是不坏。”水獭补充道，“就是没恒心，喜 新厌旧，特别是对船这东西！” 眼前的小岛将他们和主河道隔了开来，从他们坐的 地方，刚好能远远地警见主河道上的景致：就在那时， ③stout[staut]a.结实的， 矮胖的 一艘赛艇飞一般驶入他们的视野，只见艇上一个矮小结 ④hail [heil]v.致敬，招呼， 实的身影正在奋力地划着船，水花溅得老高，看得出他 向…欢呼 连吃奶的劲儿都用上了。看来那就是蟾蜍了，河鼠站起 ⑤errant[erant]a.(为探险 身来向他挥挥手，他摇了摇头没有回应，两眼紧盯着赛 而)漫游的，漂泊的 艇一刻都不肯放松。 ⑥mayfly[meiflai]n.蜉蝣 ⑦swerve[swav]k突然转 “他要是这么划，过不了一分钟就会掉水里的。” 向一边，突然转变，偏向 ⑧athwart['ow3:tad.横 河鼠说着坐了下来。 跨着，横越过，斜穿过 “那还用说。”水獭咯咯笑着说道，“我有没有和 你讲过那个蟾蜍和水闸看管人的故事？是这样的，蟾 蜍…” 一只离群的蜉蝣横游在水面上，一看那晃头摆尾兴 ·019· Chapter One The River Bank intoxicated fashion affected by young bloods of Mayflies seeing life.A swirl of water and a'cloop!'and the Mayfly was visible no more. Neither was the Otter. The Mole looked down.The voice was still in his ears,but the turf whereon he had sprawled was clearly vacant.Not an Otter to be seen,as far as the distant horizon. But again there was a streak of bubbles on the surface of the river. The Rat hummed a tune,and the Mole recollected that animal-etiquette forbade any sort of comment on the sudden disappearance of one's friends at any moment,for any reason or no reason whatever. 'Well,well,'said the Rat.'I suppose we ought to be moving.I wonder which of us had better pack the luncheon basket?'He did not speak as if he was frightfully eager for the treat. 'Oh,please let me,'said the Mole.So,of course,the Rat let him Packing the basket was not quite such pleasant work as unpacking the basket. It never is.But the Mole was bent on enjoying everything,and although just when he had got the basket packed and strapped up tightly he saw a plate staring up at him from the grass,and when the job had been done again the Rat pointed out a fork which anybody ought to have seen,and last of all,behold!the mustard-pot, which he had been sitting on without knowing it-still,somehow,the thing got finished at last,without much loss of temper. The afternoon sun was getting low as the Rat sculled gently homewards in a dreamy mood,murmuring poetry-things over to himself,and not paying much attention to Mole.But the Mole was very full of lunch,and self-satisfaction,and pride,and already quite at home in a boat(so he thought)and was getting a bit restless besides:and presently he said,'Ratty!Please,I want to row,now!' ·020· 第一章 河堤 奋无敌的样子就知道是个初出茅庐的年轻蜉蝣，还满心 怀揣着对新鲜事物的迷恋和憧憬。只听见“咕噜”一声， 水面打了个漩，然后那蜉蝣便消失了。 水獭也不见了踪影。 鼹鼠低头一看，水獭刚刚躺过的草地已经空无一 人，而他的话还在鼹鼠耳边回荡呢。他又抬头望了望 远处的河面，就这一眨眼的工夫，连水獭的影子都看 不见了。 ①hum [ham]v.哼唱 不过，河面上又出现了一串流动的气泡。 河鼠哼起了小调，而鼹鼠想起动物礼仪中的一条 规矩，一个动物的朋友不管在什么时候，因为什么原 因，有时甚至是毫无缘由地不辞而别，旁人都不应该 妄加评论。 “好啦好啦。”河鼠说道，“我想我们应该动身回去 了。我在想谁该收拾下这午餐篮呢？”听他这口气，好 像对这件事没什么多大兴趣。 “噢，让我来吧。”鼹鼠说道。河鼠自然就顺水推 舟让他收拾了。 收拾午餐篮可是个费力气的活儿，不像之前打开的 时候那么有趣，这种事向来都是如此。当他收拾完篮子， 牢牢地系上带子时，他看到草地上有个遗漏的盘子正幸 灾乐祸地盯着他看，当他放进盘子再次系紧带子时，河 鼠指了指落在一旁的一把叉子，谁都该看到的嘛。最后， 瞧！这芥末瓶被鼹鼠坐在屁股底下，一直都没发现。不 过鼹鼠打算一门心思地享受这一切，虽然过程曲折了 些，还好没怎么发脾气，最后都顺顺利利地搞定了。 午后的太阳不知不觉地向西边垂落，河鼠优哉游哉 地朝家的方向划着，半眯着眼，自言自语地吟着什么小 诗，全然没注意身边的鼹鼠。而鼹鼠吃饱喝足，心满意 足，觉得自己在船里已经如鱼得水了（那是他自己觉 得)，因而有点不安分了。不一会儿，他嚷道：“河鼠兄 弟！我想划划船！拜托！现在就想划！” ·021· Chapter One The River Bank The Rat shook his head with a smile.'Not yet,my young friend,'he said-'wait till you've had a few lessons.It's not so easy as it looks.' The Mole was quiet for a minute or two.But he began to feel more and more jealous of Rat,sculling so strongly and so easily along,and his pride began to whisper that he could do it every bit as well.He jumped up and seized the sculls, so suddenly that the Rat,who was gazing out over the water and saying more poetry-things to himself,was taken by surprise and fell backwards off his seat with his legs in the air for the second time,while the triumphant Mole took his place and grabbed the sculls with entire confidence. "Stop it,you silly ass!'cried the Rat,from the bottom of the boat.You can't do it!You'll have us over!' The Mole flung his sculls back with a flourish,and made a great dig at the water.He missed the surface altogether,his legs flew up above his head,and he found himself lying on the top of the prostrate Rat.Greatly alarmed,he made a grab at the side of the boat,and the next moment-Sploosh! Over went the boat,and he found himself struggling in the river. Oh my,how cold the water was,and oh,how very wet it felt.How it sang in his ears as he went down,down,down!How bright and welcome the sun looked as he rose to the surface coughing and spluttering!How black was his despair when he felt himself sinking again!Then a firm paw gripped him by the back of his neck.It was the Rat,and he was evidently laughing-the Mole could feel him laughing,right down his arm and through his paw,and so into his-the Mole's-neck. The Rat got hold of a scull and shoved it under the Mole's arm,then he did the same by the other side of him and,swimming behind,propelled the helpless animal to shore,hauled him out,and set him down on the bank,a squashy, pulpy④lump⑤of misery.. When the Rat had rubbed him down a bit,and wrung some of the wet out ·022· 第一章河堤「 河鼠笑着摇摇头说：“还不行，我年轻的朋友，等 你学会了再划吧。这可不像看起来这么容易。” 鼹鼠老实地待了一两分钟，看到河鼠划得这么有力 这么轻松，越想越嫉妒。虚荣心开始隐隐地作祟，在他 耳边低语，你也能做得这么好。突然，鼹鼠一下子跳起 来，抓过船桨。正出神望着湖面对着自己吟诵小诗的河 鼠被这突如其来的动静吓了一跳，扑通一声向后跌倒在 座位上，又一次摔得四脚朝天。而鼹鼠得意扬扬地站在 河鼠的位置上，信心满满地抓着船浆。 “快停下，你个蠢蛋！”河鼠倒在船底里大声叫道， “你还不会划船呢！你会把船弄翻的！” 鼹鼠才不管河鼠的警告，炫耀地将船桨向后一挥， 然后猛地往水里一舀，结果那浆压根儿连水面都没碰 到，他自己却脚下一滑，整个人结结实实地落在了仰面 ①prostrate[prostreit]a.平 躺倒的河鼠身上。他惊恐万分，一把抓住小船边缘，紧 卧的，卧倒在地的 接着—哗啦！ 小船翻了个底朝天，鼹鼠落到河水里没命地挣扎。 我的天！这河水真冷啊！噢！真是湿得要命啊！他 的身体不停地往下沉往下沉，耳朵里嗡嗡直响！好不容 易地他扒拉着双爪勉强浮出水面，喉咙里呛着水，想喊 ②splutter['splAto】k(因慌 张、激动等)语无伦次， 却又喊不出来，那太阳看起来多么明亮多么热情啊！又 结结巴巴 开始往下沉了，那绝望的呀真是没法形容！突然一只有 力的爪子抓住了他后脖颈，是河鼠来了！他显然在大声 笑着—鼹鼠可以感受得到，那大笑声从河鼠脸上绽放 开来，顺着他的胳膊传到爪子上，最后传到了鼹鼠的后 脖颈上。 河鼠抓起一个船桨伸到鼹鼠一只胳膊下面，又抓了 ③squashy['skwofi]a.又 湿又软的 一个伸到他另一只胳膊下面，接着从后面推着这个不知 ④pulpy[PAlpi]a.泥状的， 纸浆状的 所措的动物游到岸边，吃力地把他拖上了岸。可怜的鼹 ⑤lump [Amp]n.块，团 鼠整个儿像丢了魂一样，湿漉漉软趴趴地瘫倒在岸上， 连动弹的力气也没有了。 河鼠帮鼹鼠擦了擦全身，拧出点水来，接着说道： ·023· Chapter One The River Bank of him,he said,'Now,then,old fellow!Trot up and down the towing-path as hard as you can,till you're warm and dry again,while I dive for the luncheon basket.' So the dismal Mole,wet without and ashamed within,trotted about till he was fairly dry,while the Rat plunged into the water again,recovered the boat, righted her and made her fast,fetched his floating property to shore by degrees, and finally dived successfully for the luncheon-basket and struggled to land with it. When all was ready for a start once more,the Mole,limp and dejected,took his seat in the stern of the boat;and as they set off,he said in a low voice,broken with emotion,Ratty,my generous friend!I am very sorry indeed for my foolish and ungrateful conduct.My heart quite fails me when I think how I might have lost that beautiful luncheon-basket.Indeed,I have been a complete ass,and I know it.Will you overlook it this once and forgive me,and let things go on as before?' That's all right,bless you!'responded the Rat cheerily.'What's a little wet to a Water Rat?I'm more in the water than out of it most days.Don't you think any more about it;and,look here!I really think you had better come and stop with me for a little time.It's very plain and rough,you know-not like Toad's house at all-but you haven't seen that yet;still,I can make you comfortable. And I'll teach you to row,and to swim,and you'll soon be as handy on the water as any of us.' The Mole was so touched by his kind manner of speaking that he could find no voice to answer him;and he had to brush away a tear or two with the back of his paw.But the Rat kindly looked in another direction,and presently the Mole's spirits revived again,and he was even able to give some straight back-talk to a couple of moorhens who were sniggering to each other about his bedraggled appearance. When they got home,the Rat made a bright fire in the parlour,and planted the Mole in an armchair in front of it,having fetched down a dressing-gown ·024· 第一章 河堤 “好啦，老伙计！你沿着这条纤道好好来回跑跑，把身 子跑热了，让毛发晾晾干。我再下去捞那个午餐篮。” 鼹鼠浑身湿透，心里又愧疚得很，只能乖乖听话， 来来回回地跑到最后毛发都干透了为止。而河鼠又跳 进水里，游到小船边，把它翻了过来，接着跳上船， 敏捷地从这边划到那边，把散落在各处的东西一一捞 回来，最后又潜到水里找到了午餐篮，费劲儿地带着 它上了岸。 终于，一切搞定，又可以整装待发了。鼹鼠拖着无 力的双腿，耷拉着脑袋上了船，坐在他船尾的位置上。 当他们缓缓离岸时，他轻声说道：“河鼠兄弟，我宽容 的朋友！我刚才真是蠢透了！我对自己刚才如此不知好 歹的行为感到非常抱款。刚刚险些把那漂亮的午餐篮弄 丢，我心都疼死了。真的，我知道我就是一个不折不扣 的混蛋。但是，你能不能大人不记小人过，原凉我这一 次？我们还像以前一样好不好？” “没关系啦，老天保佑你！”河鼠开心地回答道，“对 我们河鼠来说，弄湿一点又没什么大不了的。大多数日 子里，我在河里的时间可要比在岸上的时间多得多。你 就别瞎想了。我有个主意！你要不过来和我住段日子。 我的房子挺一般的，条件有点艰苦，不像蟾蜍的大房子， 不过你还没见过那里。我保证让你住得舒舒服服的。这 样，我可以教你怎么划船，怎么游泳，过不了多久你就 能像我们一样在水上得心应手了。” 鼹鼠被河鼠这番话感动得哽咽不已，话都说不上 来，只能用爪背擦去落下的几滴眼泪。河鼠善解人意地 扭过头去假装没有看到。不一会儿工夫，鼹鼠又生龙活 虎起来，听到有群黑水鸡在一旁叽叽喳喳嘲笑他落汤鸡 ①snigger[snig]窃笑， 的样子，他还不忘回敬几句。 偷偷的笑 2bedraggle [bi'dragld]a. 一回到家，河鼠就在客厅里生起了明亮的炉火，把 全身泥污的，满身湿透 的 鼹鼠安置在火炉边的扶手椅上，拿了睡衣和拖鞋让他换 上，然后自己也坐了下来，讲起了河流上的故事。这些 ·025· Chapter One The River Bank and slippers for him,and told him river stories till supper-time.Very thrilling stories they were,too,to an earth-dwelling animal like Mole.Stories about weirs, and sudden floods,and leaping pike,and steamers that flung hard bottles-at least bottles were certainly flung,and from steamers,so presumably by them; and about herons,and how particular they were whom they spoke to;and about adventures down drains,and night-fishings with Otter,or excursions far afield with Badger.Supper was a most cheerful meal;but very shortly afterwards a terribly sleepy Mole had to be escorted upstairs by his considerate host,to the best bedroom,where he soon laid his head on his pillow in great peace and contentment,knowing that his new-found friend the River was lapping the sill of his window. This day was only the first of many similar ones for the emancipated Mole, each of them longer and fuller of interest as the ripening summer moved onward. He learnt to swim and to row,and entered into the joy of running water;and with his ear to the reed-stems he caught,at intervals,something of what the wind went whispering so constantly among them. ·026· 第一章河堤 故事对于老家在土壤里的鼹鼠来说可是惊心动魄得很。 河鼠聊起那些宏伟的大坝，突如其来的洪流，跃出水面 的飞鱼，抛掷硬质空瓶的汽船（至少那些瓶子真的是从 汽船里抛出来的，想必是汽船扔的了)，还聊到那些苍 鹭，说他们见人说人话见鬼说鬼话，又聊到在排水沟里 ①afield[e'fi:ld]ad.去野 外，在远处 的探险，和水獭一起的夜钓，和獾一起的远足旅行。讲 着讲着就到了吃晚饭的时候。晚饭特别丰盛，但吃完没 多久，鼹鼠就困得眼睛都睁不开了。体贴的河鼠陪着他 ②escort[esko:t]v.护卫， 护送，陪同 上楼，将他带到那间最考究的卧室里。鼹鼠听着他的新 朋友河流在他窗台轻轻拍打的声音，枕着软软的枕头， 平静而又幸福地进入了甜美的梦乡。 这一天仅仅是鼹鼠旅居水上生活的开始，之后的日 3 emancipate [i'mansipeit] 子随着夏日的来临开始慢慢变长，每天都充满了乐趣。 解放，释放 他学会了游泳和划船，尝到了在水上游走的乐趣，偶尔 穿过芦苇丛，耳朵贴着芦苇杆时，他总能听到风声在其 ④reed[rid]n.芦苇 中絮絮低语。 ·027·