Chapter9 Wayfarers All南国赶路人-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《柳林风声The Wind in the Willows》

Chapter Nine Wayfarers All The Water Rat was restless,and he did not exactly know why.To all appearances the summer's pomp was still at fullest height,and although in the tilled acres green had given way to gold,though rowans were reddening,and the woods were dashed here and there with a tawny fierceness,yet light and warmth and colour were still present in undiminished measure,clean of any chilly premonitions of the passing year.But the constant chorus of the orchards and hedges had shrunk to a casual evensong from a few yet unwearied performers; the robin was beginning to assert himself once more;and there was a feeling in the air of change and departure.The cuckoo,of course,had long been silent;but many another feathered friend,for months a part of the familiar landscape and its small society,was missing too,and it seemed that the ranks thinned steadily day by day.Rat,ever observant of all winged movement,saw that it was taking daily a southing tendency;and even as he lay in bed at night he thought he could make out,passing in the darkness overhead,the beat and quiver of impatient pinions, obedient to the peremptory call. Nature's Grand Hotel has its Season,like the others.As the guests one by one pack,pay,and depart,and the seats at the table d'hote shrink pitifully at each succeeding meal;as suites of rooms are closed,carpets taken Up,and waiters sent away;those boarders who are staying on,en pension,until the next ·208· 第九章。 南国赶路人 河鼠整天坐立不安的，但却不知到底是因为什么。 表面上看，虽然庄稼地里的绿意已被金色所代替，花楸 ①rowan['rauan]n.花揪 一天比一天红，森林里东一笔西一笔地染上了气势汹汹 (一种山梨) ②tawny['to:ni]a.黄褐色 的黄褐色，但夏日盛世的气焰仍毫不减弱，光线、气温 的，茶色的 和色彩依旧没有消退的迹象，看不出一年行将逝去的萧 3 premonition [prima'nifan] n预告，征兆 瑟预兆。不过，果园里和树篱上从不停歇的大合唱已经 变得稀稀拉拉，只有少数几个不知疲倦的演唱者偶尔唱 上一两曲黄昏之歌，知更鸟又开始大出风头了。空气里 弥漫着一股变迁和离别的气息。布谷鸟自然有很长时 ④cuckoo[kuku]:n.布谷 间没什么动静了，其他有羽毛的朋友们也渐渐淡出了视 鸟，杜鹃鸟 野。过去的几个月里，他们都是这片熟悉土地上的一部 分，是这个小圈子里的一份子，昔日庞大的队伍现在正 一天天萎缩下去。河鼠一直很在意所有鸟儿的行踪，发 现每天都有鸟儿往南飞去，甚至当他晚上躺在床上时， 他觉得自己也能听到急不可耐的鸟儿服从着不可违抗的 ⑤pinion[pinjan]n.翅膀， 鸟翼 召唤扑腾着翅膀掠过漆黑的夜空。 6 peremptory [pa'remptari] a.不需讲清原因的，不 大自然这个大酒店和其他酒店一样，也有旺季和 容置辩的 淡季的。现在旅客们一个接一个整理好行李，结账离 开，餐桌每上完一顿饭，椅子就要撤去一批，套房一间 间地关闭，地毯被收了起来，服务员也被遣散了。而那 些长期住在酒店、等待着来年全面开业的客人们，眼瞅 ·209· Chapter Nine Wayfarers All year's full reopening,cannot help being somewhat affected by all these flittings and farewells,this eager discussion of plans,routes and fresh quarters,this daily shrinkage in the stream of comradeship,One gets unsettled,depressed, and inclined to be querulous.Why this craving for change?Why not stay on quietly here,like us,and be jolly?You don't know this hotel out of the season,and what fun we have among ourselves,we fellows who remain and see the whole interesting year out.MI very true,no doubt,the others always reply;we quite envy you-and some other year perhaps-but just now we have engagements-and there's the bus at the door-our time is up!So they depart,with a smile and a nod,and we miss them,and feel resentful.The Rat was a self-sufficing@sort of animal,rooted to the land,and whoever went,he stayed;still,he could not help noticing what was in the air,and feeling some of its influence in his bones. It was difficult to settle down to anything seriously,with all this flitting going on.Leaving the water-side,where rushes stood thick and tall in a stream that was becoming sluggish and low,he wandered countrywards,crossed a field or two of pasturage already looking dusty and parched,and thrust into the great realm of wheat,yellow,wavy and murmurous,full of quiet motion and small whisperings.Here he often loved to wander,through the forest of stiff strong stalks that carried their own golden sky away over his head-a sky that was always dancing,shimmering,softly talking;or swaying strongly to the passing wind and recovering itself with a toss and a merry laugh.Here,too,he had many small friends,a society complete in itself,leading full and busy lives, but always with a spare moment to gossip and exchange news with a visitor. Today,however,though they were civil enough,the field-mice and harvest- mice seemed preoccupied.Many were digging and tunnelling busily;others, gathered together in small groups,examined plans and drawings of small flats, stated to be desirable and compact,and situated conveniently near the Stores. ·210· 第九章南国赶酪人【 着平日里的伙伴们离开的离开，告别的告别，或在热烈 讨论着计划、路线和新居，心情难免会受到影响。他们 变得焦虑不安，郁郁寡欢，爱发牢骚，抱怨着你们为什 么就这么喜欢改变呢？为什么不能像我们一样老老实实 Dquerulous ['kwerulos]a. 易怒的，暴躁的，爱发牢 地待在这里，开开心心的哪里不好了？你们可不知道这 骚的 酒店在淡季时候的模样，也不知道我们这些留下来的动 物们一起度过了整整一年，玩得有多开心。但打定主意 要离开的动物们总会回答，说得没错，我们可羡慕你们 了…也许哪一年我们也留下…不过今年我们已经约 好了…车已经停在门口…是时候出发了！然后他们 微笑着点点头离开了，撇下其他动物在原地苦苦思念他 ②self-sufficing 们，心中窝了一肚子怨气。河鼠是个性格独立不受人牵 [selfsa'faisin]a.自立的， 制的动物，他扎根在这片土地上，不管身边的动物来也 过于自信的 好去也罢，他都一直待在那儿，哪儿也不去。可尽管如 此，他还是情不自禁地注意到空气中的那股气息，感受 到自己已经被深深地影响了。 四下里都是送别的节奏，想要静下心来做点正事实 3 pasturage ['pa:stjurid3]n. 在是太难了。河边上的灯芯草长得又高又密，河水变 牧草，牧场，放牧 浅了，流得也慢了。河鼠离开了河堤，漫步朝田野走 去，穿过一两片布满灰尘的干巴巴的牧场，一头钻进小 麦的海洋里。金灿灿的麦浪沙沙作响，到处都是静默的 动作和呢喃细语。他很喜欢这里，经常过来散步，那坚 硬粗壮的麦秆像树林一样，顶起了他头上那片金色的天 空一—那天空无时不刻地舞动着，熠熠发光，柔声细语 地说着什么；或是随着一阵劲风剧烈地摇摆，风过后猛 地一转，大笑着又恢复了原样。在这个麦田小圈子里， 他也有不少朋友过着忙碌又充实的生活，不过忙归忙， 总有时间和来访的客人说说闲话，交流交流新鲜事。但 是今天却有些不同，田鼠和巢鼠虽然客客气气的，但都 忙得顾不上和他说话了。他们有些忙着挖地洞和地道， 有些一小群一小群地聚集在一起，研究着小公寓的计划 和图纸，这些公寓规划得宜居而紧凑，定位在商店旁边， ·211· Chapter Nine Wayfarers All Some were hauling out dusty trunks and dress-baskets,others were already elbow-deep packing their belongings;while everywhere piles and bundles of wheat,oats,barley,beechmast and nuts lay about ready for transport. 'Here's old Ratty!'they cried as soon as they saw him.'Come and bear a hand,Rat,and don't stand about idle!' 'What sort of games are you up to?'said the Water Rat severely.'You know it isn't time to be thinking of winter quarters yet,by a long way!' 'Oh yes,we know that,'explained a field-mouse rather shamefacedly;'but it's always as well to be in good time,isn't it?We really must get all the furniture and baggage and stores moved out of this before those horrid machines begin clicking round the fields;and then,you know,the best flats get picked up so quickly nowadays,and if you're late you have to put up with anything;and they want such a lot of doing up,too,before they're fit to move into.Of course,we're early,we know that;but we're only just making a start.' 'Oh,bother starts,'said the Rat.'It's a splendid day.Come for a row,or a stroll along the hedges,or a picnic in the woods,or something.' 'Well,I think not today,thank you,'replied the field-mouse hurriedly. 'Perhaps some other day-when we've more time-' The Rat,with a snort of contempt,swung round to go,tripped over a hat-box, and fell,with undignified remarks. 'If people would be more careful,'said a field-mouse rather stiffly,'and look where they're going,people wouldn't hurt themselves-and forget themselves. Mind that hold-all,Rat!You'd better sit down somewhere.In an hour or two we may be more free to attend to you.' 'You won't be"free",as you call it,much this side of Christmas,I can see that,'retorted the Rat grumpily,as he picked his way out of the field. He returned somewhat despondently to his river again-his faithful, steady-going old river,which never packed up,flitted,or went into winter quarters. In the osiers which fringed the bank he spied a swallow sitting.Presently it ·212· 第九章南国赶路人 很是便利。还有一些往外拖拽着落满灰尘的行李箱，其 他的己经在那儿埋头整理着自己的行李。遍地都是一堆 堆一捆捆小麦、燕麦、大麦、毛山榉坚果和果仁，堆放 在那里准备运走。 “河鼠兄弟来了！”他们一见到他就叫起来，“河鼠， 过来搭把手啊，别在那儿晃悠着什么都不做啊！” “你们这是搞什么鬼？”河鼠严肃地说道，“你们 该知道现在还不是考虑冬天住所的时候，还早着呢！” ①shamefacedly [∫eimfeistli]ad..羞愧 “噢是，我们知道。”一个田鼠不好意思地解释道， 地，羞怯地，谦卑地 “不过早点做准备总是没错的，是不是？我们必须赶在 那可怕的机器咔哒咔哒开进麦田之前，把所有的家具、 行李和储备粮从这里搬走。再说，你也知道的，现在好 的公寓都是先到先得，要是去晚了，只能分到什么就是 什么了。而且，他们在搬进去之前还要好好收拾一下。 所以喽，我们知道现在时间还早，不过也只是刚开个头 而已。” “噢，开个什么头啊，”河鼠说道，“今天这天多好。 和我一起去划船吧，或去树篱那儿散散步，或者去森林 里野餐，总之去干点什么别的事情吧。” “嗯，今儿个还是不去了，谢谢你。”田鼠匆忙地 回答道，“改天吧…等我们空一些的时候…” 河鼠轻蔑地哼了一声，转头想走，结果被一个帽盒 绊倒，一跟头栽倒在地上，他咒骂了一句爬起身来。 “要是人们能多留点心，”一个田鼠生硬地说道， “走路留神看道，他们就不会伤着自己，也不会失了体 面。河鼠，小心那个旅行包！你最好去什么地方坐一会 儿。再过一两个钟头，我们也许会有时间陪陪你。” ②retort[ri'tx:t]v.反驳，回 “我看呐，你们在圣诞节之前都不会‘有时间' 嘴： ③despondently 了。”河鼠没好气地反驳道，然后小心地走出了麦田。 [di'spondantli]ad.意志 他沮丧地回到了河边，他那忠诚稳重的老河永远都 消沉地，沮丧地 不会收拾行李去远行，或者搬进什么冬天住所里去。 无意间，他瞅见河堤边的一排柳树丛中栖着一只燕 ·213· Chapter Nine Wayfarers All was joined by another,and then by a third;and the birds,fidgeting restlessly on their bough,talked together earnestly and low. What,already?'said the Rat,strolling up to them.'What's the hurry?I call it simply ridiculous.' 'O,we're not off yet,if that's what you mean,'replied the first swallow. We're only making plans and arranging things.Talking it over,you know-what route we're taking this year,and where we'll stop,and so on.That's half the fun!' 'Fun?'said the Rat;'now that's just what I don't understand.If you've got to leave this pleasant place,and your friends who will miss you,and your snug homes that you've just settled into,why,when the hour strikes I've no doubt you'll go bravely,and face all the trouble and discomfort and change and newness,and make believe that you're not very unhappy.But to want to talk about it,or even think about it,till you really need- 'No,you don't understand,naturally,'said the second swallow.First,we feel it stirring within us,a sweet unrest;then back come the recollections,one by one,like homing pigeons.They flutter through our dreams at night,they fly with us in our wheelings and circlings by day.We hunger to enquire of each other,to compare notes and assure ourselves that it was all really true,as one by one the scents and sounds and names of long-forgotten places come gradually back and beckon to us.' 'Couldn't you stop on for just this year?'suggested the Water Rat wistfully. 'We'll all do our best to make you feel at home.You've no idea what good times we have here,while you are far away.' 'I tried "stopping on"one year,'said the third swallow.'I had grown so fond of the place that when the time came I hung back and let the others go on without me.For a few weeks it was all well enough,but afterwards,Oh the weary length of the nights!The shivering,sunless days!The air so clammy and chill,and not an insect in an acre of it!No,it was no good;my courage ·214· 第九章 南国赶路人 子，一会儿又飞来一只，跟着又飞来了第三只。他们在 树枝上焦躁不安，认真地低声交谈着。 “什么，这么快？”河鼠踱着步子来到他们面前，“这 么急干嘛？我觉得这实在是很愚蠢。” “噢，如果你是说这么快走，我们还没呢。”第一 只燕子回答道，“我们只是安排安排。你知道，聊聊我 们今年的路线，歇脚的地方之类的。旅程里一半的乐趣 就是这个了。” “乐趣？”河鼠说道，“你看，这我就不明白了。 如果你们非离开这美丽的地方不可，非离开想念你们的 朋友们、离开你们刚刚搬进不久的温馨的家不可，哎呀， 等到了不得不走的时候，你们肯定会勇敢地直面所有艰 难险阻、变幻莫测的新环境，强打起精神来上路的。但 是还没到非走不可的时候，你们就满脑子想着这件事， 甚至还聚在一起谈论…” “你不能理解，这很正常。”第二个燕子说道，“我 和你说说我们的感受吧。一开始，我们内心有种蠢蠢欲 动的感觉，一种甜蜜的不安感，然后回忆像信鸽一样， 一个接一个地飞了回来，他们在夜里拍着翅膀在我们的 梦中翱翔，白天就和我们一道滑翔飞旋。那味道，那 声音，那被遗忘已久的地名都慢慢地重现在我们的记忆 中，和我们招手示意。所以我们就急不可耐地想要问问 彼此，交流信息，让自己确信所有这一切都是真实的。” “难道你们就不能留下来，就今年一年？”河鼠满 怀期待地建议道，“我们会想方设法让你们过得舒适惬意 的。你们飞得老远，都不知道我们在这儿玩得有多开心。” “我有一年试过‘留下来’。”第三个燕子说道，“我 当时太爱这个地方了，于是到了该走的时候，我没和别 的燕子一起，而是留了下来。前几个星期一切都挺好的， ①clammy[klami]a.湿粘 但是后来，噢，那长得望不到头的夜晚！那没有阳光冻 的，湿冷的 得浑身战栗的日子！空气又冷又湿，一整亩田地里连一 只虫子都找不到！妈呀，当时糟糕透了，我没有勇气再 ·215· Chapter Nine Wayfarers All broke down,and one cold,stormy night I took wing,flying well inland on account of the strong easterly gales.It was snowing hard as I beat through the passes of the great mountains,and I had a stiff fight to win through;but never shall I forget the blissful feeling of the hot sun again on my back as I sped down to the lakes that lay so blue and placid below me,and the taste of my first fat insect!The past was like a bad dream;the future was all happy holiday as I moved southwards week by week,easily,lazily,lingering as long as I dared, but always heeding the call!No,I hadhad my warning;never again did I think of disobedience.' Ah,yes,the call of the South,of the South!'twittered the other two dreamily. 'Its songs,its hues,its radiant air!Oh,do you remember-'and,forgetting the Rat,they slid into passionate reminiscence,while he listened fascinated,and his heart burned within him.In himself,too,he knew that it was vibrating at last,that chord hitherto dormant and unsuspected.The mere chatter of these southern- bound birds,their pale and second-hand reports,had yet power to awaken this wild new sensation and thrill him through and through with it;what would one moment of the real thing work in him-one passionate touch of the real southern sun,one waft of the authentic odour?With closed eyes he dared to dream a moment in full abandonment,and when he looked again the river seemed steely and chill,the green fields grey and lightless.Then his loyal heart seemed to cry out at his weaker self for its treachery. 'Why do you ever come back,then,at all?'he demanded of the swallows jealously.'What do you find to attract you in this poor drab little country?' And do you think,'said the first swallow,That the other call is not for us too,in its due season?The call of lush meadow-grass,wet orchards,warm,insect- haunted ponds,of browsing cattle,of haymaking,and all the farm-buildings clustering round the House of the Perfect Eaves?' ·216· 第九章南国赶路人 待下去，于是在一个暴风雨的寒夜，我借着强劲的东风 ①gale[geil]r.大风，狂风 展翅往内陆的深处飞去。当我飞越那些高山时，雪下得 很大，我奋力拼搏了一番才度过了难关。最后我俯身冲 下湖泊，感受暖融融的阳光晒在背上，看到宁静碧蓝的 湖泊躺在身下，而且总算吃到了一条肥硕的虫子，那滋 味！那种幸福的感觉我这辈子都忘不了！过去的一切就 像一场噩梦，而随着我一周一周往南飞去，未来全是美 好的假期，我飞得随意而悠闲，想逗留多久就逗留多久， 只是得留心南方的召唤！所以我不会再留下来了，我已 经尝过苦果了，再也不会违抗那召唤了。” ②hue [hju:]n,颜色，色彩 “啊，是的，南方的召唤，南方！”其他两只燕子 做梦似的叽叽喳喳叫着，“南方的歌谣，南方的色彩， 南方透亮明朗的空气！噢，你记不记得…”然后他们 完全忘记了河鼠的存在，自顾自地陷入他们热烈的回忆 ③dormant['do:mant)a.休 眠的，静止的，睡眠状态 中，而河鼠听得出神，内心像有团火焰在燃烧一样。他 的 知道在他心里那根一直静止未知的心弦也被撩拨了起 来。光是这几只南飞鸟儿口中那苍白无力的二手故事就 已经摇醒了河鼠心中那如痴如狂的新奇感觉，让他兴奋 得浑身躁动，那要是真让他亲自去体验一番，感受南方 阳光的热情抚摸，南方熏风轻柔的吹拂，那该是怎么样 的一番滋味？他闭上双眼，抛开一切，在南方的幻梦中 徜徉了那么一瞬间，当他再次睁开眼晴时，眼前的河流 似乎变得像钢铁般冷冰冰的，绿色的田野也变得暗淡无 光。这时，他那忠诚的内心似乎在大叫斥责着他的懦弱 ④drab[dreb]a.沉闷的， 和背叛。 单调的，枯燥无味的 “那你们还回来干什么？”他酸溜溜地问燕子，“这 5 haymaking ['hei.meikin] .制备干草 毫无生气的小地方还有什么吸引你们的？” ⑥cluster[klAsta]v.成群 地聚集于，成丛地覆盖 “你认为，”第一只燕子说道，“在时节来临的时候， 我们就不会感受到其他的召唤吗？那丰饶的草地，湿 润的果园，满是虫子的温暖池塘，那吃草的牛群，翻 晒的干草，那有着完美屋檐的农舍集群，它们都会召 唤我们。” ·217·