Chapter11 The Nest of the Missel Thrush槲鹑的巢穴-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《秘密花园The Secret Garden》

ChapterXI The Nest of the Missel Thrush① For two or three minutes he stood looking round him, while Mary watched him. and then he began to walk about softly, even more lightly than Mary had walked the first time she had found herself inside the four walls. His eyes seemed to be taking in everything -the gray trees with the gray creepers^②} climbing over them and hanging from their branches, the tangle on the walls and among the grass. the evergreen alcoves with the stone seats and tall flower urns standing in them "I never thought I'd see this place." he said at last, in a whisper "Did you know about it?" asked Mary She had spoken aloud and he made a sign to her “We must talk low," he said, "or some one'll hear us an' wonder what's to do inhere." "Oh! I forgot!" said Mary, feeling frightened and putting her hand quickly against her mouth. "Did you know about the garden?"she asked again wher she had recovered herself. Dickon nodded "Martha told me there was one as no one ever went inside." he answered. "Us used to wonder what it was like." He stopped and looked round at the lovely gray tangle about him, and his ·174· ①missel thrush【鸟类】转 第十一章 鹤的巢穴 他在那里站了足有两三分钟,不停打量着周遭的一 切,玛丽则在一旁看着他。然后,他便开始轻手轻脚地 走动起来,一举一动甚至比玛丽第一次来到这片花园时 还要更加轻柔。他贪婪地欣赏着园中的风景一灰色的 ②creeper ['kri:paln.【植物】 葡匈植物 树干上爬满了灰色的蔓生植物,一些藤蔓还自枝干中柔 柔垂下;墙壁上和草地上到处都是纠缠作一团的枝叶 四季常青的凉亭中伫立着石凳和高脚花瓶。 “我从来没想过自已能亲眼见到这个地方。”最终 他叹息一般地说道。 “你知道这里?”玛丽问道。 他朝她做了一个手势,提醒她她的嗓门太大了。 “我们得小点声儿说话,”他说,“不然别人会听见 的,还会好奇我们到底在这地方干什么呢。” “哦!我忘了!”玛丽吓了一大跳,立马用手挡在 了嘴巴上。“你以前听说过这座花园?”当她镇定下来后 便又问了一遍。 迪康点了点头。 “玛莎跟我说过,庄园里有一座从来没人进去过的 园子。”他回答,“我们还经常想象这里到底会是什么样 儿的嘲。” 他不再说话,静静打量着周围那些惹人喜爱的灰色 ·175· ChapterXr The Nest of the MissefThrusf round eyes looked queerly happy “Eh! the nests as'll be here come springtime,"he said. "It'd be th'safes nestin' place in England. No one never comin'near an' tangles o' trees an' roses to build in. I wonder all th' birds on th'moor don't build here." Mistress Mary put her hand on his arm again without knowing it "Will there be roses?" she whispered. "Can you tell? I thought perhaps they were all dead." "Eh! No! Not them- not all of 'em!" he answered. "Look here!" He stepped over to the nearest tree - an old, old one with gray lichen{①} all over its bark, but upholding a curtain of tangled sprays and branches. He took a thick knife out of his pocket and opened one of its blades. “There's lots o'dead wood as ought to be cut out."he said. "An' there's a lot o' old wood, but it made some new last year. This here's a new bit," and he touched a shoot which looked brownish green instead of hard, dry gray. Mary touched it herself in an eager, reverent^{②} way. "That one?" she said. "Is that one quite alive quite?" Dickon curyed his wide smiling mouth "It's as wick as you or me," he said: and Mary remembered that Martha hac told her that "wick"meant"alive"or"lively." "I'm glad it's wick!" she cried out in her whisper. "I want them all to be wick. Let us go round the garden and count how many wick ones there are." She quite panted with eagerness, and Dickon was as eager as she was. They went from tree to tree and from bush to bush. Dickon carried his knife in his .176. 第十一章 懈的巢六 藤蔓,一双圆溜溜的眼睛里满是不同寻常的喜悦。 “哎!等到了春天,这儿肯定会有好多鸟巢的,” 他说,“这地方肯定是全英格兰最安全的筑巢地点。根 本就没人会到这儿来,树上的弯弯结结和那些裔薇花从 也都是再好不过的位置了。要我说啊,整个旷野上的鸟 儿都该跑到这儿来。” 女王玛丽不知不觉地又把手搭到了他的胳膊上。 “这里还会有蒿薇花吗?”她小声问道,“你能看 出来吗?我本来以为它们有可能都死了呢。” ① lichen ['laikanln. 【植物】 “啊!没有!那些就没有--还有活着的!”他回 地衣 答,“你看这儿!” 他走到了离自已最近的那棵树旁。那是一棵很老很 老的树了,树干上遍布着青灰色的苔薛,藤蔓与树枝同 帘幕一般垂在空中。他从衣兜里拘出一把颇有几分厚度 的小刀,出了其中一片刀刃。 “这棵树上好些部分都死了,你得把它们割断才 ② reverent 'revorontl a. 虚 行。”他说,“上面大部分都是上了年头的木头,但也有 诚的 一些是去年才长出来的。这边这块就挺新的。”他用手 点了点,那截新枝看上去并不是干枯坚硬的灰色,而是 棕绿色的。 玛丽带着几分渴切与虔诚,自己也伸出手摸了摸 “那棵呢?”她问道,“那棵也还活着吗--一点 都没死?” 迪康笑得更开心了。 “它跟咱俩一样,燃着。”他肯定道。玛丽记得 玛莎曾经告诉过她,“燃着”的意思就是“活着的”,或 是“充满生命力的”。 “它还燃着真是太好了!”她小小声地惊叫了一下 “我希望它们都是燃着的。我们绕着花园看一圈吧,看 看还有多少花草是燃着的。” 她全身上下都洋溢着一种恳切的情绪,而迪康也同 她一样恳切。他们查看了一棵又一棵的大树,一片又一 片的灌木。迪康始终将那把小刀拿在手里,向玛丽展示 ChapterXr The Nest of the MissefThrush hand and showed her things which she thought wonderful “They've run wild."he said. "but th' strongest ones has fair thrived on it. The delicatest ones has died out, but th' others has growed an' growed, an' spread an' spread, till they's a wonder. See here!" and he pulled down a thick gray, dry-looking branch. "A body might think this was dead wood, but I don't believe it is- down to th' root. I'll cut it low down an' see." He knelt and with his knife cut the lifeless-looking branch through, not far above the earth. "There!" he said exultantly①}. "I told thee so. There's green in that wood yet. Look at it." Mary was down on her knees before he spoke, gazing with all her might{②}. "When it looks a bit greenish an' juicy like that, it's wick,"he explained "When th' inside is dry an'breaks easy, like this here piece I've cut off, it's done for. There's a big root here as all this live wood sprung out of, an' if th' old wood's cut off an' it's dug round, and took care of there'll be -"he stopped and lifted his face to look up at the climbing and hanging sprays above him - “there'll be a fountain o' roses here this summer." They went from bush to bush and from tree to tree. He was very strong and clever with his knife and knew how to cut the dry and dead wood away, and could tell when an unpromising bough③ or twig had still green life in it. In the course of half an hour Mary thought she could tell too, and when he cut through a lifeless-looking branch she would cry out joyfully under her breath when she caught sight of the least shade of moist green. The spade, and hoe, and fork were very useful. He showed her how to use the fork while he dug about roots with the spade and stirred the earth and let the air in .178. 第十-章 懈鸦的巢六 着那些在她看来无比美妙的东西。 “它们一直都没人打理,”迪康开口说道,“但是那 些生命力旺盛的还是活下来了。那些脆弱的植物死了, 不过其他植物却越来越多,越长越高,直到长得无比壮 观。你看这地方!”他将一截粗壮的干枯枝干拉了下来。 “有人可能会觉得这段木头早就死透了,可我就不这么 觉得--起码根儿还活着。我得割到头儿看一眼。” 他跪在地上,用刀子划断泥土上面一段看上去了无 生气的树枝。 ① exultantly ig'zaltantlil ad “你看吧!”他欢呼雀跃道,“我就跟你说了。这 欣喜地,欢欣鼓舞地 段木头里还有绿意呢。就在这儿。” ② with all one's might 竭尽 全力地 在他开口之前,玛丽便已经跪了下来,全神贯注地 盯着那里。 “植物要是像这样透着点绿色,还隐隐有汗水冒出 来的话,就还燃着。”他解释道,“但是吧,如果里面 都干巴巴的,还一折就断的话,就像我割下来的这根似 的,那它就没救儿了。这边有一块粗壮的根茎,所有活 着的木头都是打这儿冒出来的,要是你把所有枯了的木 头都弄断,再给周围松松土,照顾照顾的话-”他打 住了话头,抬起脸看向周身或向上攀爬,或悠然下垂的 藤蔓,“今年夏天,这儿就能长出一大片蓄薇花了。” ③bough bauln. 树枝(尤 他们查看着一片又一片的灌木,一棵又一棵的大 指主枝) 树。他的刀子用得既有力,又灵巧:既清楚知道应当如 何将那些枯死了的枝干割断,也能明白分辨出哪些看上 去似乎没什么希望了的枝干中仍存绿意。大约半个小时 之后,玛丽便觉得自已也能辨认出哪些是枯木,哪些还 有生机了,而当迪康割断一根看上去死气沉沉的枝干 让她看到内里带着一丝潮湿绿意的木头时,她便会欢快 却又轻声细语地欢呼出声。那些铁锹、锄头和叉子都很 是有用。在他用铁锹在根茎附近挖洞松土,试图让空气 钻进去的时候,他便会指导她在这种情况下应该怎么用 又子。 ·179· ChapterXr The Nest of the MissefThrush They were working industriously round one of the biggest standard roses when he caught sight of something which made him utter an exclamation of surprise. "Why!" he cried, pointing to the grass a few feet away. "Who did that there?" It was one of Mary's own little clearings^{①} round the pale green points. "I did it."said Mary. "Why, I thought tha'didn't know nothin' about gardenin'." he exclaimed "I don't." she answered, "but they were so little, and the grass was so thick and strong, and they looked as if they had no room to breathe. So I made a place for them. I don't even know what they are." Dickon went and knelt down by them, smiling his wide smile "Tha'was right," he said. “A gardener couldn't have told thee better They'll grow now like Jack's bean-stalk{②. They're crocuses an' snowdrops, an' these here is narcissuses," turning to another patch③},"an here's daffydowndillys Eh! they will be a sight." He ran from one clearing to another "Tha' has done a lot o'work for such a little wench." he said. looking he over. "I'm growing fatter," said Mary,"and I'm growing stronger. I used always to be tired. When I dig I'm not tired at all. I like to smell the earth when it's turned up." "It's rare good for thee,"he said, nodding his head wisely. "There's naugh as nice as th' smell o'good clean earth, except th' smell o' fresh growin' things when th' rain falls on 'em. I get out on th'moor many a day when it's rainin'an I lie under a bush an' listen to th' soft swish{④} o' drops on th' heather an' I jus sniff an' sniff. My nose end fair quivers like a rabbit's, mother says." .180· 第十一章 懈鸦的巢六 两个人正在一棵最高壮的独干蓄薇旁辛勤劳作着 这时,他突然看到了什么,满带惊喜地发出了一声赞叹 “这是怎么回事!”他指着几英尺外的一片草地惊 呼了一声,“那是谁做的?” 那是当初玛丽做的,她在那些浅绿色的小尖尖周围 清理出了一小片空地。 ①clearing ['kliorinln. 空地 “是我。”玛丽回答。 “哎呀呀,我还以为你一点都不知道怎么打理园子 。”他感叹了一句。 “我是不知道,”她答道,“但是它们那么小,那些 草又那么厚,长得还那么壮,搞得它们好像连呼吸的地 方都没有了。所以我就把周围清理了一下。我甚至连它 们是什么都不知道。” 迪康走过去,在那些植物旁边蹲下,绽开了笑脸。 “你做得对,”他说,“就算是园丁的话肯定也会告 ②bean-stalkn. 豆茅 ③patch [paetfln. 与周围环 诉你要这么做的。现在呢,它们就会像杰克的魔豆一样 境不同的部分 嘈嘈往上蹄了。这些是番红花和雪花莲,这边这个就是 水仙花,”说着,他又转向了另一片地,“长在这里的就 是早水仙了。哎呀!这地方以后肯定壮观极了。” 他从一片空地跑到另一片空地。 “你这么个小姑娘,干的活计倒是不少。”他看着 她这样说道。 “我比刚来的时候胖了,”玛丽说,“而且也会变得 越来越有力气的。我以前动不动就会觉得累,现在挖土 的时候都一点也不累。我也喜欢翻土的时候泥土的味 道。” “这可真难得,”他心领神会地点了点头,这样说 道,“没有什么比干净土壤的味道更好闻了,也就是雨 ④ swish [swifln. 刚刚声. 后新冒出头儿来植物的味道还能跟它比一比。我经常 鸣声,哗哗声 在下雨的时候跑到旷野上去,躺在树丛底下,听着雨 滴轻轻落在石梢花上的腑响声,自己就在那儿闻啊闻 的。娘就经常说,我鼻头儿一动一动的时候跟只兔子 似的。” ·181· ChapterXr The Nest of the MissefThrush "Do you never catch cold?" inquired Mary, gazing at him wonderingly. She had never seen such a funny boy, or such a nice one “Not me."he said. grinning. "I never ketched cold since I was born. I wasn' brought up nesh enough. I've chased about th' moor in all weathers same as th' rabbits does. Mother says I've sniffed up too much fresh air for twelve year' tc ever get to sniffn' with cold. I'm as tough as a white-thorn knobstick{}." He was working all the time he was talking and Mary was following him and helping him with her fork or the trowel "There's a lot of work to do here!" he said once, looking about quite exultantly. "Will you come again and help me to do it?" Mary begged. "I'm sure I can help, too. I can dig and pull up weeds, and do whatever you tell me. Oh! do come, Dickon!" "I'll come every day if tha'wants me, rain or shine,"he answered stoutly "It's the best fun I ever had in my life - shut in here an' wakenin' up a garden." "If you will come." said Mary, "if you will help me to make it alive I'll- I don't know what I'll do," she ended helplessly. What could you do for a boy like that? "I'll tell thee what tha'll do," said Dickon, with his happy grin."Tha'll get fat an' tha'll get as hungry as a young fox an' tha'll learn how to talk to th' robin same as I do. Eh! we'll have a lot o'fun." He began to walk about, looking up in the trees and at the walls and bushes with a thoughtful expression "I wouldn't want to make it look like a gardener's garden, all clipped an spick an' span{②}, would you?" he said. "It's nicer like this with things runnin' ·182. 第十一章 懈的巢六 “你从来都不会感冒吗?”玛丽一边好奇地盯着他 一边问道。她从来没有见过这么有意思,还这么好相处 的男孩子。 “我才不会感冒,”他笑着说道,“我自打出生起 就没感冒过。我不是让人捧在手心里长大的,打小儿就 跟兔子似的,不管什么天儿都往旷野上跑。我娘说了 ① knobstick=knobkerrie knobkerrie ['nob.keri] n. 我这十二年吸进去的新鲜空气太多了,凉气都进不去 圆头棒 了。所以啊,我就跟那长了白刺的圆头儿棍子似的那么 结实。” 他一面说着,手中的工作也始终没停,而玛丽则一 直跟在他的身后,拿着叉子或是铲子帮帮忙。 “这儿要做的活计还真是不少!”有一次,他便这 般开心地说道。 “你还会再过来吗?帮我打理这座花园?”玛丽恳 求道,“我也会帮忙的。我能挖土,还能把野草拔出来, 你让我做什么我就做什么。真的!来吧,迪康!” “如果你希望我来的话,那我就每天都过来,无论 刮风还是下雨,”他坚定地回答道,“这是我这辈子干过 的最有意思的事儿了一一就这么与世隔绝,唤醒一座花 园。” “要是你能来的话,”玛丽说,“要是你能帮我让这 里重新焕发生机的话,我就一一我也不知道我就要怎么 样。”她无助地顿了一下。你能为那样一个男孩子做些 什么呢? “我会告诉你你要做什么的,”迪康带着笑脸欢快 地说道,“你要长胖一点,每天饿得像只狐狸崽子似的 你还要学着怎么像我一样同那只知更鸟说话。啊!我们 ② spick andspan极干净的 肯定会玩儿得很好的!” 他开始走来走去,一脸沉思状地抬头看着大树、围 墙和树从。 “我不希望把这里弄成像一个园丁打理出的花园 到处都修剪得规规整整、干干净净的,你觉得呢?”他 说。“像这样就挺好的,一切都是自已原本的样子,植 ·183·