Chapter5-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《水孩子The Water Babies》

ChapterV "Stern Lawgiver! yet thou dost wear The Godhead's most benignant^{} grace; Nor know we anvthing so fair As is the smile upon thy face: Flowers laugh before thee on their beds And fragrance in thy footing treads. Thou dost preserve the stars from wrong: And the most ancient heavens, through Thee, are fresh and strong." -WORDSWORTH, Ode to Duty What became of little Tom? He slipped away off the rocks into the water, as I said before. But he could not help thinking of little Ellie. He did not remember who she was: but he knew that she was a little girl. though she was a hundred times as big as he. That is no surprising: size has nothing to do with kindred. A tiny weed may be first cousin tc a great tree: and a little dog like Vick knows that Lioness is a dog too, though she is twenty times larger than herself. So Tom knew that Ellie was a little girl. and thought about her all that day, and longed to have had her to play with: but he had ·194· 第五章 严厉的立法者!你依然呈现 ① benignant bi'nianant] 上帝脑中最仁慈的恩典; 2.善良的,温厚的 我们不知道有什么能像你 脸上的微笑那样美妙: 你面前的花圃上花儿欢笑 你踏足的小径上香气环绕: 你维护星辰不失其序; 最古老的天空,因为你,新鲜而强壮。 --华兹华斯《责任颂》 小汤姆后来怎样了呢? 我前面说过,他从礁石上滑到水里去了。但他还是 忍不住想着小艾莉。他不记得她是谁,但知道她是个小 女孩,虽然可能比他要大一百倍。这并不奇怪,大小和 种类没有关系。一棵细小的水草也可能是一棵大树的近 亲;一点大的小狗威克也知道莱茵利斯也是只狗啊,尽 管她是自已二十倍大。汤姆反正就知道艾莉是个小女孩 一整天都在想着她,盼着和她一起玩。可是很快他又想 到其他的事情了。下面便是汤姆的故事,刊登在第二天 ·195· Chapterv very soon to think of something else. And here is the account of what happened to him, as it was published next morning, in the Water-proof Gazette, on the fines watered paper, for the use of the great fairy, Mrs. Bedonebyasyoudid, who reads the news very carefully every morning, and especially the police cases, as you will hear very soon. He was going along the rocks in three-fathom water, watching the pollock catch prawns, and the wrasses{ nibble barnacles off the rocks, shells and all, when he saw a round cage of green withes: and inside it. looking yery much ashamed of himself, sat his friend the lobster, twiddling his horns, instead of thumbs "What, have you been naughty, and have they put you in the lock- up?" asked Tom. The lobster felt a little indignant at such a notion, but he was too much depressed in spirits to argue: so he only said, "I can't get out." "Why did you get in?" "After that nasty piece of dead fish." He had thought it looked and smelt very nice when he was outside, and so it did, for a lobster: but now he turned round and abused it because he was angry with himself “Where did you get in?" "Through that round hole at the top." "Then why don't you get out through it?" "Because I can't:" and the lobster twiddled his horns more fiercely than ever but he was forced to confess "I have jumped upwards, downwards, backwards, and sideways, at least four thousand times: and I can't get out: I always get up underneath there, and can't find the hole." Tom looked at the trap, and having more wit than the lobster, he saw plainly enough what was the matter: as you may if you will look at a lobster-pot "Stop a bit," said Tom. "Turn your tail up to me, and I'll pull you through hindforemost, and then you won't stick in the spikes." .196. 第五章 早晨《防水报》上。《防水报》是用最好的波纹纸印刷的 是给惩恶仙女看的。她每天早上都会仔细看新闻,特别 是警察破案。这些你很快就会听说的。 那天,汤姆在三英寻深的水里,沿着礁石向前走着 观看雪鱼捉对虾;隆头鱼啄食岩石上的藤壶、贝类和其 他所有甲壳动物。 ① wrasse [raes]n. 隆头鱼 汤姆正看得津津有味,忽然看见一只绿枝条编的圆笼 子,笼子里面坐着的不是别人,正是他的朋友龙虾。它看上 去很烦躁,在那里摆弄着自已的触须,而不是他的大错子。 “怎么回事?是你淘气,被人家关起来了吧?”汤 姆问他。 汤姆这样想,让龙虾有些生气,可是他情绪非常低 落,也懒得跟汤姆争辩,就说:“我出不来了。” “你为什么进去?” “为了那块讨厌的死鱼肉。” 在笼子外面的时候,他可没有认为鱼肉讨厌,觉得 鱼肉看上去那么诱人,闻起来那么香。对于一只大龙虾 来说,确实如此。可是现在他转过身来骂鱼肉,因为他 生自己的气了。 “你是从哪里进去的?” “从上面那个圆洞进来的。” “那你为什么不从洞口出来呢?” “出不来啊。”龙虾一边说,一边把两只触须拨弄 得更加厉害了。他不得不老老实实承认。 “我向上,向下,向后,向两边,跳了至少有四千 次,还是跳不出去。总是跳在这下面,找不着洞。” 汤姆看了一下捕捉器。他本来比龙虾聪明,所以一 眼就看出是怎么回事。如果你去看一只龙虾笼子,也会 明白的。 “停一下。”汤姆说。“把你的尾巴竖起来朝着我 我把你从后面倒拖出来,那样你就不会卡在刺上了。” ·197· Chapterv But the lobster was so stupid and clumsy that he couldn't hit the hole. Like great many fox-hunters, he was very sharp as long as he was in his own country: but as soon as they get out of it they lose their heads: and so the lobster, so to speak, lost his tail. Tom reached and clawed down the hole after him. till he caught hold of him and then, as was to be expected. the clumsy lobster pulled him in head foremost "Hullo! here is a pretty business." said Tom. "Now take your great claws. and break the points off those spikes, and then we shall both get out easily." “Dear me, I never thought of that."said the lobster: "and after all the experience of life that I have had!" You see, experience is of very little good unless a man, or a lobster, has wit enough to make use of it. For a good many people, like old Polonius, have seen all the world. and yet remain little better than children after all But they had not got half the spikes away when they saw a great dark clouc over them: and lo, and behold. it was the otter How she did grin and grin when she saw Tom."Yar!" said she, "you little meddlesome wretch{}. I have you now! I will serye you out for telling the salmor where I was!"And she crawled all over the pot to get in. Tom was horribly frightened, and still more frightened when she found the hole in the top, and saueezed herself right down through it. all eves and teeth. Bu no sooner was her head inside than valiant Mr. Lobster caught her by the nose and heldon. And there they were all three in the pot, rolling over and over, and very tigh packing it was. And the lobster tore at the otter, and the otter tore at the lobster and both saueezed and thumped poor Tom till he had no breath left in his body and I don't know what would have happened to him if he had not at last got on the otter's back, and safe out of the hole. He was right glad when he got out: but he would not desert② his friend who had saved him: and the first time he saw his tail uppermost he caught hold of it .198. 第五章 可是龙虾又笨又套,连洞都找不到。就像许多猎狐 人一样,在自己家乡时感觉非常敏锐,可一离开本乡, 立刻就摸不着头脑。这只龙虾也是如此,对它来说,是 摸不着尾巴。 汤姆把身子从洞里伸下去抓它,总算抓着龙虾的尾 巴了。可是,不出所料,这个么笨的龙虾使劲一拖,连 汤姆也栽进笼子里面去了。 “哎呀,你干的好事啊。”汤姆说。“现在张开你的 大鳌,把这尖刺一个个错掉,我们两个出去就很容易了。” “天哪,我怎么就没想到啊,我白有这一生的经验了。” 你看,只有经验也没用,还要有相当的智慧充分利 用经验,不管是人,还是龙虾,都是一样。世界上有许 许多多的人,把全世界都见识过来,然而终究还是和儿 童差不了多少。 可是两人把尖刺拔了还不到一半时,眼前就来了一片 乌云罩在他们头上。他们抬头一看,嘀,原来是那只老鞭。 老看见汤姆,嘴笑得都咧开了。“嗨!”她说。“你 ① wretch [retfln. 不幸的 , 这个多管闲事的小混蛋,我可速着你了!你向鲜鱼告密 我在哪儿,现在可要给你一点厉害尝尝!”她将全身伏 在笼子上面打算钻进来。 汤姆吓坏了,等到老鞭找到上面的洞,把身子一股 脑儿从洞里挤进来,那双大眼睛,那两排钢牙,汤姆吓 得更加厉害了。可是老鞭的头刚钻进洞,这位勇敢的龙 虾先生立刻错着它的鼻子,紧紧夹着不放。 这样他们三个全在一个笼子里面,滚来滚去。笼子 里本来就很挤,龙虾揪着老鞭,老鞭操着龙虾,两个都 把汤姆挤过来,撞过去,撞过来,挤过去,把汤姆挤得 撞得气都透不过来。最后,他总算爬上了老鞭的脊背 ② desert Pdezatlv: 抛弃: 安全从洞里逃出来了。要不然,后果真的是不堪设想呢。 离弃 汤姆出来了,高兴得不得了。可他并不抛弃救他命 的朋友,所以才一看见龙虾的尾巴朝上,就赶快抓住 ·199· Chapterv and pulled with all his might But the lobster would not let go "Come along," said Tom: "don't you see she is dead?"And so she was, quite drowned and dead And that was the end of the wicked otter But the lobster would not let go. "Come along, you stupid old stick-in-the-mud."cried Tom, "or the fisherman will catch you!"And that was true, for Tom felt someone above beginning to haul up the pot. But the lobster would not let go. Tom saw the fisherman haul him up to the boat-side, and thought it was all up with him. But when Mr. Lobster saw the fisherman, he gave such a furious and tremendous snap{, that he snapped out of his hand. and out of the pot, and safe into the sea. But he left his knobbed claw behind him: for it never came into his stupid head to let go after all, so he jus shook his claw off as the easier method. It was something of a bull, that: but you must know the lobster was an Irish lobster, and was hatched off Island Magee a the mouth of Belfast Lough. Tom asked the lobster why he never thought of letting go. He said very determinedl② that it was a point of honour among lobsters. And so it is, as the Mayor of Plymouth found out once to his cost-eight or nine hundred years ago of course: for if it had happened lately it would be personal to mention it. For one day he was so tired with sitting on a hard chair, in a grand furred gown, with a gold chain round his neck, hearing one policeman after another come in and sing, "What shall we do with the drunken sailor, so early in the morning?" and answering them each exactly alike: "Put him in the round house till he gets sober, so early in the morning"- That, when it was over, he jumped up, and played leap-frog with the town- clerk till he burst his buttons, and then had his luncheon, and burst some more buttons, and then said: "It is a low spring-tide: I shall go out this afternoon and cut my capers{." .200. 第五章 使劲往外拖。 可是龙虾还不肯放。 “来呀,”汤姆说,“你没看出来她已经死了吗?” 果然不错,老鞭早已经淹死了。 这就是坏心肠的老鞭的下场。 可是龙虾还是不肯放。 “俟呀,你这个傻泥棍儿,”汤姆叫道,“再不放, 你就要被渔民抓走啦!”这是真的,汤姆已经感觉到上 面有人开始提笼子了。 可是龙虾还是不肯放。 汤姆看着笼子被渔民提到船舷边,心想龙虾这下完 蛋了。可是当龙虾先生看见渔民时,使劲猛力一挣,挣 ① snap [snxp]n. 啪嗒声 出了笼子,从渔民手中逃脱,安安全全回到了海里。可 他把自已那只长了痛节的鳌丢了,他这个笨脑袋从没有 想到松手,只好把自己的鳌甩掉。对他来说,倒是这样 便当些。这就是股牛劲;你要知道这只龙虾是爱尔兰籍的 他可是在贝尔法斯特湾入口处的麦基岛孵化出来的。 汤姆问龙虾为什么始终没有想到松手。龙虾毅然说 道,这在龙虾家族中是一个原则问题,真是这样,就如 ② determinedly [di'to:mindli]ad. 下决心 普利茅斯市长发现曾经付出的代价一样一当然署,那 地 是八九百年前了:因为如果发生在最近,提起来就有点 触犯个人隐私了。 有一天,市长坐在一张硬椅子上,实在很烦了。穿 着精致的毛袍子,脖子上套着金项圈,只听见警察们一 个接着一个进来唱着:“这么一大早,我们拿这个喝醉 的水手如何是好?”然后就听见他们一模一样地回答道 “把他放进圆屋子里,等到他清醒就好,这么一大早。’ 这个结束后,他就从椅子上跳起来,和小镇文书玩 蛙跳,玩到筋疲力尽,然后吃午饭,吃完后,再玩一会 ③ caperkeipa]n.刺山相 儿,就说:“大潮涨得不高,今天下午我要出去采刺山 相。” ·201· Chapterv Now he did not mean to cut such capers as you eat with boiled mutton. It was the commandant^{} of artillery{②} at Valetta who used to amuse himself with cutting them, and who stuck upon one of the bastions③ a notice, "No one allowed to cut capers here but me," which greatly edified{④} the midshipmen in port, and the Maltese on the Nix Mangiare stairs. But all that the mayor meant was that he would go and have an afternoon's fun, like any schoolboy, and catch lobsters with an iron hook. So to the Mewstone he went, and for lobsters he looked. And when he came to a certain crack in the rocks he was so excited that, instead of putting in his hook, he put in his hand: and Mr. Lobster was at home, and caught him by the finger, and held on. "Yah!" said the mayor, and pulled as hard as he dared: but the more he pulled the more the lobster pinched{}, till he was forced to be quiet. Then he tried to get his hook in with his other hand: but the hole was too narrow Then he pulled again: but he could not stand the pain Then he shouted and bawled^{} for help: but there was no one nearer him thar the men-of-war inside the breakwater^{. Then he began to turn a little pale: for the tide flowed, and still the lobster heldon. Then he turned auite white: for the tide was up to his knees, and still the lobster held on. Then he thought of cutting off his finger: but he wanted two things to do it with-courage and a knife: and he had got neither Then he turned quite yellow: for the tide was up to his waist, and still the lobster held on. Then he thought over all the naughty things he ever had done: all the sand which he had put in the sugar, and the sloe{}-leaves in the tea, and the water in the treacle{}, and the salt in the tobacco (because his brother was a brewer, and a man must help his own kin{}) Then he turned quite blue: for the tide was up to his breast, and still the .202· 第五章 他指的刺山相不是你今天吃的煮羊肉配料。而 ① commandant 是驻扎在瓦菜塔的一个炮兵司令,喜欢以采刺山相 Pkomandaent] n. 指挥宫 为乐,在一块堡垒上刻了一句话:“除了本司令以外, ② artillery fa:'tilari]n. 炮兵 (部队) 不许在这里采刺山相。”这句通告给港口的海军军校 ③ bastion ['baestian] n. 堡 学生和当地居民带来了很大启发。而市长的意思是他 垒 ④ edify ['edifai]v.教诲: 下午要出去,像个上学的孩子,去找找乐子,用铁错 开导 子抓龙虾。 所以他就去缪斯顿找龙虾了。当他看到岩石层里有 个大缝隙时,太兴奋了,忘了把错子伸进去,而是把手 伸进去了;正好龙虾先生在洞里,一下夹住他的手指 紧紧不放。 “俟呀!”市长叫喊道,拼命地往外拽: 可是他越 拽,龙虾就夹得越紧。最后他被迫安静下来。 pinch pintfy 控,挥 然后他用另一只手去拿错子,可是洞口太窄了。 他再一次往外拽,可是痛得受不了 于是,他大声喊叫求助,除了防波堤里的战士们 bawl bo:llv声嘶力竭 地大叫 附近没有人。 breakwater I'breikwo:ta] 他脸色开始有点苍白:因为涨潮了,龙虾还是不放 n.防波堤:防浪墙 他脸色全白了;因为潮水已经到他膝盖了,而龙虾 还是不放。 于是他想砍掉自已的手指;可是他需要两件东西才 能做到:勇气和刀。他都没有。 他的脸色变黄了;因为潮水已经没到他的腰了,而 龙虾还是不放。 他想起了做过的所有淘气的事情,在糖里掺沙子 在茶叶里放黑刺李叶子,糖浆里掺水,烟草里掺盐(因 为他弟弟是造鸣酒的,总得帮帮自已的宗亲)。 ⑧ sloe [slou]n. 黑刺李 他的脸色变青了;因为潮水已经没到他的胸口了 treacle |'tri:kl]n. 糖桨 kin kinln.亲戚 而龙虾还是不放。 .203·