柳林風聲：Mr. Badger 獾先生

THEY waited patiently for what seemed a very long time, stamping in the snow to keep their feet warm. At last they heard the sound of slow shuffling footsteps approaching the door from the inside. It seemed, as the Mole remarked to the Rat, like some one walking in carpet slippers that were too large for him and down at heel; which was intelligent of Mole, because that was exactly what it was.

他們耐著性子等，似乎等了很久很久，不住地在雪地上跺腳，好讓腳暖和一點。末了，終于聽到里面踢里趿拉的腳步聲，緩緩由遠而近，來到門邊。這聲音，正如鼴鼠對河鼠說的，像是有人趿著氈子拖鞋走路，鞋太大，而且破舊。鼴鼠很聰明，他說的絲毫不差，事實正是這樣。

There was the noise of a bolt shot back, and the door opened a few inches, enough to show a long snout and a pair of sleepy blinking eyes.

里面響起了拉門栓的聲音，門開了幾吋寬的一條縫，剛夠露出一只長長的嘴，一雙睡意惺松并眨巴著的眼睛。’

‘Now, the VERY next time this happens,’ said a gruff and suspicious voice, ‘I shall be exceedingly angry. Who is it THIS time, disturbing people on such a night? Speak up!’

“哼，下回要是再碰上這事，”一個沙啞的懷疑的聲音說，“我可真要生氣了。這是誰呀?深更半夜，這種天氣，吵醒別人的覺?說話呀!”

‘Oh, Badger,’ cried the Rat, ‘let us in, please. It’s me, Rat, and my friend Mole, and we’ve lost our way in the snow.’

“獾呀，”河鼠喊道，“求求你，讓我們進去吧。是我呀，河鼠，還有我的朋友鼴鼠，我們兩個在雪地里迷了路。”

‘What, Ratty, my dear little man!’ exclaimed the Badger, in quite a different voice.

“怎么，鼠兒，親愛的小伙子!”獾喊道，整個換了個聲調(diào)。

‘Come along in, both of you, at once. Why, you must be perished. Well I never! Lost in the snow! And in the Wild Wood, too, and at this time of night! But come in with you.’

“快進來，你們倆。哎呀，你們一定是凍壞了。真糟糕!在雪地里迷了路!而且是在深更半夜的野林里!快請進來吧。”

The two animals tumbled over each other in their eagerness to get inside, and heard the door shut behind them with great joy and relief.

兩只動物急著要擠進門去，互相絆倒了，聽到背后大門關(guān)上的聲音，都感到無比快慰。

The Badger, who wore a long dressing-gown, and whose slippers were indeed very down at heel, carried a flat candlestick in his paw and had probably been on his way to bed when their summons sounded. He looked kindly down on them and patted both their heads. ‘This is not the sort of night for small animals to be out,’ he said paternally. ‘I’m afraid you’ve been up to some of your pranks again, Ratty. But come along; come into the kitchen. There’s a first-rate fire there, and supper and everything.’

獾穿著一件長長的晨衣，腳上趿的拖鞋，果然十分破舊。他爪子里擎著一個扁平的燭臺，大概在他們敲門時，正要回臥室睡覺。他親切地低頭看著他們，拍拍他倆的腦袋。“這樣的夜晚，不是小動物們該出門的時候，”他慈愛地說，“鼠兒，恐怕你又在玩什么鬼把戲了吧。跟我來，上廚房。那兒有一爐好火，還有晚餐，應有盡有。”

He shuffled on in front of them, carrying the light, and they followed him, nudging each other in an anticipating sort of way, down a long, gloomy, and, to tell the truth, decidedly shabby passage, into a sort of a central hall; out of which they could dimly see other long tunnel-like passages branching, passages mysterious and without apparent end. But there were doors in the hall as well—stout oaken comfortable-looking doors. One of these the Badger flung open, and at once they found themselves in all the glow and warmth of a large fire-lit kitchen.

獾舉著蠟燭，踢里趿拉走在前面，他倆緊隨在后，互相會心地觸觸胳臂肘，表示有好事將臨，走進了一條長長的幽暗的破敗不堪的過道，來到一間中央大廳模樣的房間。從這里，可以看到另一些隧道，是樹枝狀分岔出去，顯得幽深神秘，望不到盡頭。不過大廳里也有許多門——厚重的橡木門，看起來很安逸。獾推開了其中的一扇門，霎時間，他們發(fā)現(xiàn)自己來到了一間爐火通紅暖意融融的大廚房。

The floor was well-worn red brick, and on the wide hearth burnt a fire of logs, between two attractive chimney-corners tucked away in the wall, well out of any suspicion of draught. A couple of high-backed settles, facing each other on either side of the fire, gave further sitting accommodations for the sociably disposed. In the middle of the room stood a long table of plain boards placed on trestles, with benches down each side. At one end of it, where an arm-chair stood pushed back, were spread the remains of the Badger’s plain but ample supper. Rows of spotless plates winked from the shelves of the dresser at the far end of the room, and from the rafters overhead hung hams, bundles of dried herbs, nets of onions, and baskets of eggs. It seemed a place where heroes could fitly feast after victory, where weary harvesters could line up in scores along the table and keep their Harvest Home with mirth and song, or where two or three friends of simple tastes could sit about as they pleased and eat and smoke and talk in comfort and contentment. The ruddy brick floor smiled up at the smoky ceiling; the oaken settles, shiny with long wear, exchanged cheerful glances with each other; plates on the dresser grinned at pots on the shelf, and the merry firelight flickered and played over everything without distinction.

地板是紅磚鋪的，已經(jīng)踩得很舊，寬大的壁爐里，燃著木柴，兩副很可愛的爐邊，深深固定在墻里，冷風絕不會倒刮進來。壁爐兩邊，面對面擺著一對高背長凳，是專為喜好圍爐長談的客人準備的。廚房正中，立著一張架在支架上不曾上漆的木板長桌，兩邊擺著長凳。餐桌的一端，一張扶手椅已推回原位，桌上還攤著獾先生吃剩的晚餐，飯菜平常，但很豐盛。廚房的一端，柜櫥上擺著一摞摞一塵不染的盤碟，沖人眨著眼;頭上的椽子上面，吊掛著一只只火腿，一捆捆干菜，一兜兜蔥頭，一筐筐雞蛋。這地方，很適合凱旋歸來的英雄們歡聚飲宴;疲勞的莊稼漢好幾十人圍坐桌旁，開懷暢飲，放聲高歌，來歡慶豐收;而富有雅興的二三好友也可以隨便坐坐，舒心愜意地吃喝、抽煙、聊天。赭紅的磚地，朝著煙霧繚繞的天花板微笑;使用日久磨得锃亮的橡木長凳，愉快地互相對視;食櫥上的盤碟，沖著碗架上的鍋盆咧嘴大笑;而那爐歡暢的柴火，閃爍跳躍，把自己的光一視同仁地照亮了屋里所有的東西。

The kindly Badger thrust them down on a settle to toast themselves at the fire, and bade them remove their wet coats and boots. Then he fetched them dressing-gowns and slippers, and himself bathed the Mole’s shin with warm water and mended the cut with sticking-plaster till the whole thing was just as good as new, if not better. In the embracing light and warmth, warm and dry at last, with weary legs propped up in front of them, and a suggestive clink of plates being arranged on the table behind, it seemed to the storm-driven animals, now in safe anchorage, that the cold and trackless Wild Wood just left outside was miles and miles away, and all that they had suffered in it a half-forgotten dream.

和善的獾把他倆推到一張高背長凳上坐下，讓他們向火，又叫他們脫下濕衣濕靴。他給他們拿來晨衣和拖鞋，并且親自用溫水給鼴鼠洗小腿，用膠布貼住傷口，直到小腿變得完好如初。在光和熱的懷抱里，他們終于感到干爽暖和了。他們把疲乏的腿高高伸在前面，聽著背后的餐桌上杯盤誘人的丁當聲，這兩只飽受暴風雪襲擊的動物，現(xiàn)在穩(wěn)坐在安全的避風港。他們剛剛擺脫的又冷又沒出路的野林，仿佛已經(jīng)離他們老遠老遠，他們遭受的種種磨難，似乎都成了一個幾乎忘掉的夢。

When at last they were thoroughly toasted, the Badger summoned them to the table, where he had been busy laying a repast. They had felt pretty hungry before, but when they actually saw at last the supper that was spread for them, really it seemed only a question of what they should attack first where all was so attractive, and whether the other things would obligingly wait for them till they had time to give them attention. Conversation was impossible for a long time; and when it was slowly resumed, it was that regrettable sort of conversation that results from talking with your mouth full. The Badger did not mind that sort of thing at all, nor did he take any notice of elbows on the table, or everybody speaking at once. As he did not go into Society himself, he had got an idea that these things belonged to the things that didn’t really matter. (We know of course that he was wrong, and took too narrow a view; because they do matter very much, though it would take too long to explain why.) He sat in his arm-chair at the head of the table, and nodded gravely at intervals as the animals told their story; and he did not seem surprised or shocked at anything, and he never said, ‘I told you so,’ or, ‘Just what I always said,’ or remarked that they ought to have done so-and-so, or ought not to have done something else. The Mole began to feel very friendly towards him.

等他們完全烘干了，獾就請他們?nèi)ゲ妥莱燥?，他已為他們備好了一頓美餐。他們早就饑腸轆轆了，可是看到晚飯真的擺在面前時，卻不知從哪下手，因為樣樣食物都叫人饞涎欲滴，吃了這樣，不知別樣會不會乖乖地等著他們?nèi)ス忸櫋：冒肷?，談話是根本顧不上了。等到談話慢慢開始時，又因為嘴里塞滿了食物，說起話來也怪為難的。好在獾對這類事毫不介意，也不注意他們是否把胳臂肘撐在桌上，或者是不是幾張嘴同時說話。他自己既不參與社交生活，也就形成了一個觀念，認為這類事無足輕重。(當然，我們知道他的看法不對，太狹隘了;因為這類事還是必要的，不過要解釋清楚為什么重要，太費時間了。)他坐在桌首一張扶手椅上，聽兩只動物談他們的遭遇，不時嚴肅地點點頭。不管他們講什么，他都不露出詫異或震驚的神色，也從不說“我關(guān)照過你們”，或者“我一直都這么說的”，或者指出他們本該干什么，不該干什么。鼴鼠對他很抱好感。

When supper was really finished at last, and each animal felt that his skin was now as tight as was decently safe, and that by this time he didn’t care a hang for anybody or anything, they gathered round the glowing embers of the great wood fire, and thought how jolly it was to be sitting up SO late, and SO independent, and SO full; and after they had chatted for a time about things in general, the Badger said heartily, ‘Now then! tell us the news from your part of the world. How’s old Toad going on?’

晚飯終于吃完了，每只動物現(xiàn)在都感到肚子飽飽的，又十分安全，不必懼怕任何人或任何事，于是他們圍坐在紅光熠熠的一大爐柴火余燼旁，心想，這么晚的時光，吃得這么飽，這么無拘無束地坐著，多么開心啊。他們泛泛地閑聊了一陣以后，獾便親切地說：“好吧，給我說說你們那邊的新聞吧。老蟾怎樣啦?”

‘Oh, from bad to worse,’ said the Rat gravely, while the Mole, cocked up on a settle and basking in the firelight, his heels higher than his head, tried to look properly mournful. ‘Another smash-up only last week, and a bad one. You see, he will insist on driving himself, and he’s hopelessly incapable. If he’d only employ a decent, steady, well-trained animal, pay him good wages, and leave everything to him, he’d get on all right. But no; he’s convinced he’s a heaven-born driver, and nobody can teach him anything; and all the rest follows.’

“唉，越來越糟啦，”河鼠心情沉重地說。鼴鼠這時蜷縮在高背凳上，烤著火，把腳后跟翹得比頭還高，也竭力做出悲傷的樣子。“就在上星期，又出了一次車禍，而且撞得很重。你瞧，他硬要親自開車，可他又特無能。要是雇一個正經(jīng)、穩(wěn)重、訓練有素的動物為他開車，付給高薪，把一切交給他，那就什么問題也沒有了。可他偏不，他自以為是個天生的、無師自通的好駕駛員，這么一來，車禍就接連不斷了。”

‘How many has he had?’ inquired the Badger gloomily.

“有多少回?”獾陰郁地問。

‘Smashes, or machines?’ asked the Rat. ‘Oh, well, after all, it’s the same thing—with Toad. This is the seventh. As for the others—you know that coach-house of his? Well, it’s piled up—literally piled up to the roof—with fragments of motor-cars, none of them bigger than your hat! That accounts for the other six—so far as they can be accounted for.’

“你是說——出的車禍，還是買的車?”河鼠問。 “噢，對蟾蜍來說，反正都是一回事。這已是第七回了。至于另外的——你見過他那間車庫吧?哼，全堆滿了——半點也不夸張，一直堆到天花板——全是汽車碎片，沒有一塊有你的帽子大!這就是另外那六次的歸宿——如果算得上是歸宿。”

‘He’s been in hospital three times,’ put in the Mole; ‘and as for the fines he’s had to pay, it’s simply awful to think of.’

“他住醫(yī)院就住過三次，”鼴鼠插嘴說;“至于他不得不付的罰款嘛，想起來都叫人害怕。”

‘Yes, and that’s part of the trouble,’ continued the Rat. ‘Toad’s rich, we all know; but he’s not a millionaire. And he’s a hopelessly bad driver, and quite regardless of law and order. Killed or ruined— it’s got to be one of the two things, sooner or later. Badger! we’re his friends—oughtn’t we to do something?’

“是啊，這是麻煩的一個方面，”河鼠接著說。“蟾蜍有錢，這我們都知道;可他并不是百萬富翁呀。說到駕駛汽車的技術(shù)，他簡直蹩腳透了，開起車來根本不顧法律和規(guī)則。他早晚不是送命就是破產(chǎn)——二者必居其一。獾呀!咱們是他的朋友，該不該拉他一把?”

The Badger went through a bit of hard thinking. ‘Now look here!’ he said at last, rather severely; ‘of course you know I can’t do anything NOW?’

獾苦苦思索了一陣，最后他嚴肅地說：“是這樣，你們當然知道，目前，我是愛莫能助呀!”

His two friends assented, quite understanding his point. No animal, according to the rules of animal-etiquette, is ever expected to do anything strenuous, or heroic, or even moderately active during the off-season of winter. All are sleepy—some actually asleep. All are weather-bound, more or less; and all are resting from arduous days and nights, during which every muscle in them has been severely tested, and every energy kept at full stretch.

兩位朋友都同意他的話，因為他們理解他的苦衷。按照動物界的規(guī)矩，在冬閑季節(jié)，不能指望任何動物去做任何費勁的或者英勇的舉動，哪怕只是比較活躍的舉動。所有的動物都昏昏欲睡，有的真的在睡。所有的動物，多多少少都由于氣候的關(guān)系，呆在家里，閉門不出。在前一段時間，所有的動物全身的肌肉都繃得緊緊的，體力都耗費到極度。所以，經(jīng)過前一段日日夜夜的辛勤勞動后，所有的動物都歇了下來。

‘Very well then!’ continued the Badger. ‘BUT, when once the year has really turned, and the nights are shorter, and halfway through them one rouses and feels fidgety and wanting to be up and doing by sunrise, if not before—YOU know!----‘

“就這樣吧!”獾說。“不過，等到新的一年開始，黑夜變短的時候，人到半夜就躺不住了，盼望天一亮就起來活動，到那時就可以——你們明白的!——”

Both animals nodded gravely. THEY knew!

兩只動物嚴肅地點點頭。他們明白!

‘Well, THEN,’ went on the Badger, ‘we—that is, you and me and our friend the Mole here—we’ll take Toad seriously in hand. We’ll stand no nonsense whatever. We’ll bring him back to reason, by force if need be. We’ll MAKE him be a sensible Toad. We’ll—you’re asleep, Rat!’

“好，到那時候，”獾接著說，“咱們——就是說，你和我，還有我們的朋友鼴鼠——咱們要對蟾蜍嚴加管束。不許他胡鬧。要讓他恢復理性，必要的話，要對他施行強制。咱們要使他變成一只明智的蟾蜍。咱們要——喂，河鼠，你睡著了!”

‘Not me!’ said the Rat, waking up with a jerk.

“沒有的事!”河鼠猛地打了個哆嗦，醒來了。

‘He’s been asleep two or three times since supper,’ said the Mole, laughing. He himself was feeling quite wakeful and even lively, though he didn’t know why. The reason was, of course, that he being naturally an underground animal by birth and breeding, the situation of Badger’s house exactly suited him and made him feel at home; while the Rat, who slept every night in a bedroom the windows of which opened on a breezy river, naturally felt the atmosphere still and oppressive.

“打吃過晚飯，他都睡過兩三次啦，”鼴鼠笑著說。他自己卻挺清醒，甚至挺精神，雖然他也不明白為什么會這樣。當然，這是因為，他原本就是一只地下生地下長的動物，獾的住宅的位置正合他心意，所以他感到舒適自在。而河鼠呢，他夜夜都睡在敞開窗戶的臥室里，窗外就是一條微風習習的河，自然會覺得這里的空氣靜止而憋悶啰。

‘Well, it’s time we were all in bed,’ said the Badger, getting up and fetching flat candlesticks. ‘Come along, you two, and I’ll show you your quarters. And take your time tomorrow morning—breakfast at any hour you please!’

“好吧，是該上床睡覺的時候了，”獾說，起身拿起平底燭臺。“你們二位跟我來，我領(lǐng)你們?nèi)ツ銈兊姆块g。明天早上不必急著起床——早餐時間任憑自便。”

He conducted the two animals to a long room that seemed half bedchamber and half loft. The Badger’s winter stores, which indeed were visible everywhere, took up half the room—piles of apples, turnips, and potatoes, baskets full of nuts, and jars of honey; but the two little white beds on the remainder of the floor looked soft and inviting, and the linen on them, though coarse, was clean and smelt beautifully of lavender; and the Mole and the Water Rat, shaking off their garments in some thirty seconds, tumbled in between the sheets in great joy and contentment.

他領(lǐng)著兩只動物來到一間長長的房間，一半像臥室，一半像貯藏室。獾的過冬貯備，確實隨處可見，占據(jù)了半間屋——一堆堆的蘋果、蘿卜、土豆，一筐筐的干果，一罐罐的蜂蜜;可是另半間地板上，擺著兩張潔白的小床，看上去很柔軟很招人喜歡。床上鋪著的被褥雖然粗糙，卻很干凈，聞著有股可愛的熏衣草香味。只用半分鐘，鼴鼠和河鼠就甩掉身上的衣服，一骨碌鉆進被子，感到無比快樂和滿意。

In accordance with the kindly Badger’s injunctions, the two tired animals came down to breakfast very late next morning, and found a bright fire burning in the kitchen, and two young hedgehogs sitting on a bench at the table, eating oatmeal porridge out of wooden bowls. The hedgehogs dropped their spoons, rose to their feet, and ducked their heads respectfully as the two entered.

遵照關(guān)懷備至的獾的囑咐，兩只困乏的動物第二天很晚才下樓去吃早飯。他們看到，爐里已經(jīng)升起明燦燦的火，有兩只小刺猬正坐在餐桌旁的板凳上，就著木碗吃麥片粥。一見他們進來，刺猬立刻放下匙子，站起來，恭恭敬敬向他們深鞠一躬。

‘There, sit down, sit down,’ said the Rat pleasantly, ‘and go on with your porridge. Where have you youngsters come from? Lost your way in the snow, I suppose?’

“行啦，坐下，坐下，”河鼠高興地說，“接著吃你們的粥吧。你們兩位小家伙是打哪來的?雪地里迷了路，是不是?”

‘Yes, please, sir,’ said the elder of the two hedgehogs respectfully. ‘Me and little Billy here, we was trying to find our way to school— mother WOULD have us go, was the weather ever so—and of course we lost ourselves, sir, and Billy he got frightened and took and cried, being young and faint-hearted. And at last we happened up against Mr. Badger’s back door, and made so bold as to knock, sir, for Mr. Badger he’s a kind-hearted gentleman, as everyone knows----‘

“是的，先生，”年紀大些的那只刺猬恭敬地說。“俺和這個小比利，正尋路去上學——媽非要我們?nèi)ド蠈W，說天氣向來是這樣——自然，我們迷了路，先生。比利他年紀小，膽兒小，他害怕，哭了。末末了，我們碰巧來到獾先生家的后門，就壯著膽子敲門，先生，因為誰都知道，獾先生他是一位好心腸的先生——”

‘I understand,’ said the Rat, cutting himself some rashers from a side of bacon, while the Mole dropped some eggs into a saucepan. ‘And what’s the weather like outside? You needn’t “sir” me quite so much?’ he added.

“這我明白，”河鼠邊說邊給自己切下幾片咸肉，同時，鼴鼠往平底鍋里打下幾只雞蛋。“外面天氣怎么樣了?你不用老管我叫‘先生’‘先生’的。”河鼠又說。

‘O, terrible bad, sir, terrible deep the snow is,’ said the hedgehog. ‘No getting out for the likes of you gentlemen to-day.’

“噢，糟透了，先生，雪深得要命，”刺猬說。“像你們這樣的大人先生，今兒個可出不了門兒。”

‘Where’s Mr. Badger?’ inquired the Mole, as he warmed the coffee-pot before the fire.

“獾先生上哪去了?”鼴鼠問，他正在爐火上溫咖啡。

‘The master’s gone into his study, sir,’ replied the hedgehog, ‘and he said as how he was going to be particular busy this morning, and on no account was he to be disturbed.’

“老爺他上書房去了，先生，”刺猬回答說，“他說他今兒上午特忙，不要人打攪他。”

This explanation, of course, was thoroughly understood by every one present. The fact is, as already set forth, when you live a life of intense activity for six months in the year, and of comparative or actual somnolence for the other six, during the latter period you cannot be continually pleading sleepiness when there are people about or things to be done. The excuse gets monotonous. The animals well knew that Badger, having eaten a hearty breakfast, had retired to his study and settled himself in an arm-chair with his legs up on another and a red cotton handkerchief over his face, and was being ‘busy’ in the usual way at this time of the year.

這個解釋，在場的每一位自然都心領(lǐng)神會。事實上，就像我們前面提到過的，一年當中你有半年過著極度緊張活躍的生活，而另外半年處在半睡或全睡的狀態(tài)，在后一段時間里，如果家里來了客人，或者有事需要辦理，你總不好老是推說自己犯困吧。這樣的解釋說多了，會叫人厭煩。幾只動物都明白，獾飽飽地吃過一頓早飯以后，回到書房，就會倒在一張扶手椅上，雙腿架在另一張扶手椅上，臉上蓋著條紅手帕，忙他在這個季節(jié)照例要“忙”的事去了。

The front-door bell clanged loudly, and the Rat, who was very greasy with buttered toast, sent Billy, the smaller hedgehog, to see who it might be. There was a sound of much stamping in the hall, and presently Billy returned in front of the Otter, who threw himself on the Rat with an embrace and a shout of affectionate greeting.

前門的門鈴大響，河鼠正嚼著抹黃油的烤面包片，滿嘴流油，就派那個小一點的刺猬比利去看是誰來了。廳里一陣跺腳聲，比利回來了，后面跟著水獺。水獺撲到河鼠身上，摟住他，大聲向他問好。

‘Get off!’ spluttered the Rat, with his mouth full.

“走開!”河鼠嘴里塞得滿滿的，忙不迭地亂喊。

‘Thought I should find you here all right,’ said the Otter cheerfully. ‘They were all in a great state of alarm along River Bank when I arrived this morning. Rat never been home all night—nor Mole either—something dreadful must have happened, they said; and the snow had covered up all your tracks, of course. But I knew that when people were in any fix they mostly went to Badger, or else Badger got to know of it somehow, so I came straight off here, through the Wild Wood and the snow! My! it was fine, coming through the snow as the red sun was rising and showing against the black tree-trunks! As you went along in the stillness, every now and then masses of snow slid off the branches suddenly with a flop! making you jump and run for cover. Snow-castles and snow-caverns had sprung up out of nowhere in the night—and snow bridges, terraces, ramparts—I could have stayed and played with them for hours. Here and there great branches had been torn away by the sheer weight of the snow, and robins perched and hopped on them in their perky conceited way, just as if they had done it themselves. A ragged string of wild geese passed overhead, high on the grey sky, and a few rooks whirled over the trees, inspected, and flapped off homewards with a disgusted expression; but I met no sensible being to ask the news of. About halfway across I came on a rabbit sitting on a stump, cleaning his silly face with his paws. He was a pretty scared animal when I crept up behind him and placed a heavy forepaw on his shoulder. I had to cuff his head once or twice to get any sense out of it at all. At last I managed to extract from him that Mole had been seen in the Wild Wood last night by one of them. It was the talk of the burrows, he said, how Mole, Mr. Rat’s particular friend, was in a bad fix; how he had lost his way, and “They” were up and out hunting, and were chivvying him round and round. “Then why didn’t any of you DO something?” I asked. “You mayn’t be blest with brains, but there are hundreds and hundreds of you, big, stout fellows, as fat as butter, and your burrows running in all directions, and you could have taken him in and made him safe and comfortable, or tried to, at all events.” “What, US?” he merely said: “DO something? us rabbits?” So I cuffed him again and left him. There was nothing else to be done. At any rate, I had learnt something; and if I had had the luck to meet any of “Them” I’d have learnt something more—or THEY would.’

“我就知道，準能在這兒找到你們的，”水獺興高采烈地說。“今天我一早去河邊，那兒的人正驚慌萬狀哩。他們說，河鼠整宿沒在家，鼴鼠也是——準是發(fā)生了什么可怕的事。自然，大雪把你們的腳印全蓋上了?？晌抑?，人們遇到麻煩時，十有八九要來找獾，或者，獾也總會了解些情況，所以我就穿過野林，穿過雪地，直奔這兒來了。哎呀呀，天氣可好啦!過雪地時，紅太陽剛剛升起，照在黑黝黝的樹干上。我在靜悄悄的林子里走著，時不時，一大團雪從樹枝上滑落下來，噗的一聲，嚇我一跳，趕忙跳開，找個地方躲起來。一夜之間，忽然冒出那么多的雪城、雪洞，還有雪橋、雪臺和雪墻——要依我，真想跟它們一連玩上幾個鐘頭。許多地方，粗大的樹枝被積雪壓斷了，知更鳥在上面蹦蹦跳跳，神氣活現(xiàn)，好像那是他們干的。一行大雁，串成一條零亂的線，在高高的灰色天空里掠過頭頂。幾只烏鴉在樹梢上盤旋，巡視了一遭，又帶著不屑一顧的神情，拍著翅膀飛回家去了。可我就是沒遇上一只頭腦清醒的動物。好向他打聽消息。大約走過林子的一半時，我遇上一只兔子，坐在樹樁上，正用爪子洗他那張傻里傻氣的臉。我悄悄溜到他背后，把一只前爪重重地搭在他肩上，這下可把他嚇掉了魂。我只好在他腦瓜上拍打兩下，才使他稍稍清醒過來。我終于從他嘴里掏出話來，他說，他們有人昨夜在野林里瞅見鼴鼠來著。他說，兔子洞里，大伙兒都七嘴八舌議論，說河鼠的好朋友鼴鼠遇上麻煩啦。說他迷了路，他們?nèi)汲鰜碜分鹚?，攆得他團團轉(zhuǎn)。‘那他們干嗎不幫他一手?’我問。‘老天爺也許沒賞你們一副好腦子，可你們有成百成千，個個長得膘肥體壯，肥得像奶油，你們的洞穴四通八達，滿可以領(lǐng)他進洞，讓他安全舒適地住下，至少可以試一試嘛。’‘什么，我們?’他只是說，‘幫助他?我們這群兔子?’我只好又給了他一記耳光，扔下他走了。沒有別的辦法。不過我好歹還是從他那兒得到了一點消息。要是我當時再遇上一只兔子，說不定還能多打聽到什么 ——起碼還能多給他們一點教訓。”

‘Weren’t you at all—er—nervous?’ asked the Mole, some of yesterday’s terror coming back to him at the mention of the Wild Wood.

“那你一丁點兒也不——呃——不緊張嗎?”鼴鼠問。提起野林，昨天的恐怖又襲上心頭。

‘Nervous?’ The Otter showed a gleaming set of strong white teeth as he laughed. ‘I’d give ‘em nerves if any of them tried anything on with me. Here, Mole, fry me some slices of ham, like the good little chap you are. I’m frightfully hungry, and I’ve got any amount to say to Ratty here. Haven’t seen him for an age.’

“緊張?”水獺大笑，露出一口閃亮堅實的白牙。“他們哪個敢碰我一碰，我就叫他吃不了兜著走!鼴鼠，好小伙，給我煎幾片火腿吧，我可餓壞了。我還有許多話要跟河鼠講。好久好久沒見到他了。”

So the good-natured Mole, having cut some slices of ham, set the hedgehogs to fry it, and returned to his own breakfast, while the Otter and the Rat, their heads together, eagerly talked river-shop, which is long shop and talk that is endless, running on like the babbling river itself.

和氣的鼴鼠切了幾片火腿，吩咐刺猬去煎，自己又回來光顧他的早飯。水獺和河鼠兩只腦袋湊在一堆，卿卿喳喳，起勁地談著他們那條河上的老話，談起來就像那滔滔不絕的河水，沒有個盡頭。

A plate of fried ham had just been cleared and sent back for more, when the Badger entered, yawning and rubbing his eyes, and greeted them all in his quiet, simple way, with kind enquiries for every one. ‘It must be getting on for luncheon time,’ he remarked to the Otter. ‘Better stop and have it with us. You must be hungry, this cold morning.’

一盤煎火腿剛掃蕩一空，盤子又送回去再添。這時獾進來了，打著呵欠，揉著眼睛，簡單地向每個人問好。“到吃午飯的時候了，留下和我們一道吃吧。早晨這么冷，你準是餓了吧。”

‘Rather!’ replied the Otter, winking at the Mole. ‘The sight of these greedy young hedgehogs stuffing themselves with fried ham makes me feel positively famished.’

“可不!”水獺回答，沖鼴鼠擠了擠眼。“看到兩只饞嘴的小刺猬一個勁往肚里填煎火腿，真叫我餓得慌。”

The hedgehogs, who were just beginning to feel hungry again after their porridge, and after working so hard at their frying, looked timidly up at Mr. Badger, but were too shy to say anything.

兩只刺猬，早上吃過麥片粥，就忙著煎炸，現(xiàn)在又覺得餓了。他們怯生生地抬頭望著獾先生，不好意思開口。

‘Here, you two youngsters be off home to your mother,’ said the Badger kindly. ‘I’ll send some one with you to show you the way. You won’t want any dinner to-day, I’ll be bound.’

“得啦，你們兩個小家伙回去找媽媽吧，”獾慈祥地說。“我派人送送你們，給你們帶路。我敢說，你們今天用不著吃午飯了。”

He gave them sixpence apiece and a pat on the head, and they went off with much respectful swinging of caps and touching of forelocks.

他給了他們每人一枚六便士銅錢，拍了拍他們的腦袋。他們必恭必敬揮著帽子，行著軍禮，走了。

Presently they all sat down to luncheon together. The Mole found himself placed next to Mr. Badger, and, as the other two were still deep in river-gossip from which nothing could divert them, he took the opportunity to tell Badger how comfortable and home-like it all felt to him. ‘Once well underground,’ he said, ‘you know exactly where you are. Nothing can happen to you, and nothing can get at you. You’re entirely your own master, and you don’t have to consult anybody or mind what they say. Things go on all the same overhead, and you let ‘em, and don’t bother about ‘em. When you want to, up you go, and there the things are, waiting for you.’

跟著，他們都坐下來吃午飯。鼴鼠發(fā)現(xiàn)，他被安排挨著獾先生坐，而那兩位還在一門心思聊他們的河邊閑話，于是乘機對獾表示，他在這兒感到多么舒適，多么自在。 “一旦回到地下，”他說，“你心里就踏實了，什么事也不會落在你頭上，什么東西也不會撲到你身上。你完完全全成了自己的主人，不必跟什么人商量合計，也不必管他們說些什么。地面上一切照常，只管由它去，不必替它們操心。要是你樂意，你就上去，它們都在那兒等著你哪。”

The Badger simply beamed on him. ‘That’s exactly what I say,’ he replied. ‘There’s no security, or peace and tranquillity, except underground. And then, if your ideas get larger and you want to expand—why, a dig and a scrape, and there you are! If you feel your house is a bit too big, you stop up a hole or two, and there you are again! No builders, no tradesmen, no remarks passed on you by fellows looking over your wall, and, above all, no WEATHER. Look at Rat, now. A couple of feet of flood water, and he’s got to move into hired lodgings; uncomfortable, inconveniently situated, and horribly expensive. Take Toad. I say nothing against Toad Hall; quite the best house in these parts, AS a house. But supposing a fire breaks out—where’s Toad? Supposing tiles are blown off, or walls sink or crack, or windows get broken—where’s Toad? Supposing the rooms are draughty—I HATE a draught myself—where’s Toad? No, up and out of doors is good enough to roam about and get one’s living in; but underground to come back to at last—that’s my idea of HOME’

獾只沖他愉快地微微一笑。“這正是我要說的，”他回答。“除了在地下，哪兒也不會有安全，不會有太平和清靜。再說，要是你的想法變了，需要擴充一下地盤，那么，只消挖一挖，掘一掘，就全齊啦!要是你嫌房子太大，就堵上一兩眼洞，又都齊啦!沒有建筑工人，沒有小販的吵鬧，沒有人爬在墻頭窺探你的動靜，指指點點，說三道四，尤其是，不會受天氣的于擾。瞧瞧河鼠吧，河水上漲一兩呎，他就得搬家，另租房子住，既不舒服，又不方便，租金還貴得嚇人。再說蟾蜍吧。蟾官嘛，我倒沒得說的，就房子來說，它在這一帶是數(shù)一數(shù)二的，可萬一起了火——蟾蜍上哪去?萬一屋瓦給大風刮掉了，或者屋墻倒塌了，裂了縫，或者窗玻璃打破了——蟾蜍上哪去?要是屋里灌冷風——我是最討厭冷風的——蟾蜍怎么辦?不。上地面，到外面去游游逛逛，弄回些過日子的東西，固然不錯，可最終還得回到地下來——這就是我對家的觀念!”

The Mole assented heartily; and the Badger in consequence got very friendly with him. ‘When lunch is over,’ he said, ‘I’ll take you all round this little place of mine. I can see you’ll appreciate it. You understand what domestic architecture ought to be, you do.’

鼴鼠打心眼兒里贊同他的看法，因此獾對他很有好感。“吃過午飯，”他說，“我領(lǐng)你各處轉(zhuǎn)轉(zhuǎn)，參觀參觀寒舍。你一定會喜歡這地方的。你懂得住宅建筑應該是個啥樣子，你懂。”

After luncheon, accordingly, when the other two had settled themselves into the chimney-corner and had started a heated argument on the subject of EELS, the Badger lighted a lantern and bade the Mole follow him. Crossing the hall, they passed down one of the principal tunnels, and the wavering light of the lantern gave glimpses on either side of rooms both large and small, some mere cupboards, others nearly as broad and imposing as Toad’s dining-hall. A narrow passage at right angles led them into another corridor, and here the same thing was repeated. The Mole was staggered at the size, the extent, the ramifications of it all; at the length of the dim passages, the solid vaultings of the crammed store-chambers, the masonry everywhere, the pillars, the arches, the pavements. ‘How on earth, Badger,’ he said at last, ‘did you ever find time and strength to do all this? It’s astonishing!’

午飯過后，當那兩位坐到爐前，就鱔魚這個話題激烈地爭論起來時，獾便點起一盞燈籠，叫鼴鼠跟隨他走。穿過大廳，他們來到一條主隧道。燈籠搖曳的光，隱隱照出兩邊大大小小的房間，有的只是些小儲藏間，有的則寬大氣派，有如蟾宮的宴會廳。一條垂直交叉的狹窄通道，把他們引向另一條長廊，這里，同樣的情況重又出現(xiàn)。整個建筑規(guī)模龐大，枝杈紛繁，幽暗的通路很長很長，儲藏室的穹頂很堅實，存滿了各種東西。處處是泥水結(jié)構(gòu)、廊柱、拱門、路面——一切一切，看得鼴鼠眼花繚亂。“我的天!”最后他說，“你怎么有時間精力干這許多事?實在令人驚訝!”

‘It WOULD be astonishing indeed,’ said the Badger simply, ‘if I HAD done it. But as a matter of fact I did none of it—only cleaned out the passages and chambers, as far as I had need of them. There’s lots more of it, all round about. I see you don’t understand, and I must explain it to you. Well, very long ago, on the spot where the Wild Wood waves now, before ever it had planted itself and grown up to what it now is, there was a city—a city of people, you know. Here, where we are standing, they lived, and walked, and talked, and slept, and carried on their business. Here they stabled their horses and feasted, from here they rode out to fight or drove out to trade. They were a powerful people, and rich, and great builders. They built to last, for they thought their city would last for ever.’

“如果這都是我干的，”獾淡淡地說，“那倒真是令人驚訝?？墒聦嵣?，我什么也沒干——我只不過依我的需要，清掃了通道和居室罷了。這類洞穴，周圍一帶還有多處。我知道，你聽不明白，讓我給你解釋。事情是這樣的：很久以前，就在這片野林覆蓋的地面上，有過一座城池——人類的城池。他們就在我們站著的這地方居住，走路，睡覺，辦事。他們在這里設(shè)馬廄，擺宴席，從這里騎馬出發(fā)去打仗，或者趕車去做生意。他們是個強大的民族，很富有，很善長建筑。他們蓋的房屋經(jīng)久耐用，因為他們以為，他們的城市是永存不滅的。

‘But what has become of them all?’ asked the Mole.

“那后來，他們?nèi)荚趺礃恿?”鼴鼠問。

‘Who can tell?’ said the Badger. ‘People come—they stay for a while, they flourish, they build—and they go. It is their way. But we remain. There were badgers here, I’ve been told, long before that same city ever came to be. And now there are badgers here again. We are an enduring lot, and we may move out for a time, but we wait, and are patient, and back we come. And so it will ever be.’

“誰知道呢?”獾說。“人們來了，繁榮興旺了一陣子，大興土木——過后又離開了。他們照例總是這樣來來去去?？晌覀兪冀K留下不走。聽說，在那座城池出現(xiàn)很久很久以前，這兒就有獾。如今呢，這兒還是有獾。我們是一批長住的動物。我們也許會遷出一段時間，可我們總是耐心等待，過后又遷回來了。永遠是這樣。”

‘Well, and when they went at last, those people?’ said the Mole.

“晤，那些人類終于離開以后又怎樣呢?”鼴鼠問。

‘When they went,’ continued the Badger, ‘the strong winds and persistent rains took the matter in hand, patiently, ceaselessly, year after year. Perhaps we badgers too, in our small way, helped a little—who knows? It was all down, down, down, gradually—ruin and levelling and disappearance. Then it was all up, up, up, gradually, as seeds grew to saplings, and saplings to forest trees, and bramble and fern came creeping in to help. Leaf-mould rose and obliterated, streams in their winter freshets brought sand and soil to clog and to cover, and in course of time our home was ready for us again, and we moved in. Up above us, on the surface, the same thing happened. Animals arrived, liked the look of the place, took up their quarters, settled down, spread, and flourished. They didn’t bother themselves about the past—they never do; they’re too busy. The place was a bit humpy and hillocky, naturally, and full of holes; but that was rather an advantage. And they don’t bother about the future, either—the future when perhaps the people will move in again—for a time—as may very well be. The Wild Wood is pretty well populated by now; with all the usual lot, good, bad, and indifferent—I name no names. It takes all sorts to make a world. But I fancy you know something about them yourself by this time.’

“他們離開以后，”獾接著說，“一年又一年，狂風暴雨不停地侵蝕這地方，我們獾說不定也推波助瀾，誰知道呢?于是這城池就往下陷，陷，陷，一點一點地坍塌了，夷平了，消失了。然后，又一點一點往上長，長，長，種子長成樹苗，樹苗長成大樹，荊棘和羊齒植物也來湊熱鬧。腐植土積厚了又流失了;冬天漲潮時溪流裹帶著泥沙，淤積起來，覆蓋了地面。久而久之，我們的家園又一次準備好了，于是我們搬了進來。在我們頭上的地面上，同樣的情況也在發(fā)生。各種動物來了，看上了這塊地方，也安居下來，繁衍興旺。動物們從不為過去的事操心，他們太忙了。這地方丘陵起伏，布滿了洞穴;這倒也有好處。將來，說不定人類又會搬進來，住一段時間，這是很可能的事，不過動物們也不為將來的事操心。野林現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)住滿了動物，他們照例總是有好有壞，也有不好不壞的——我不提他們的名。世界原是由各色各樣的生靈構(gòu)成的嘛。我想，你現(xiàn)在對他們多少也有些了解吧。”

‘I do indeed,’ said the Mole, with a slight shiver.

“正是，”鼴鼠說，微微打了個寒顫。

‘Well, well,’ said the Badger, patting him on the shoulder, ‘it was your first experience of them, you see. They’re not so bad really; and we must all live and let live. But I’ll pass the word around to-morrow, and I think you’ll have no further trouble. Any friend of MINE walks where he likes in this country, or I’ll know the reason why!’

“得啦，得啦，”獾拍拍他的肩頭說，“你這是頭回接觸他們。其實，他們也并不真那么壞;咱們活，也讓別人活嘛。不過，我明天要給他們打個招呼，那樣，你以后就不會再遇到麻煩了。在這個地區(qū)，但凡是我的朋友，都可以暢行無阻，要不然，我就要查明原因何在!”

When they got back to the kitchen again, they found the Rat walking up and down, very restless. The underground atmosphere was oppressing him and getting on his nerves, and he seemed really to be afraid that the river would run away if he wasn’t there to look after it. So he had his overcoat on, and his pistols thrust into his belt again. ‘Come along, Mole,’ he said anxiously, as soon as he caught sight of them. ‘We must get off while it’s daylight. Don’t want to spend another night in the Wild Wood again.’

他們又回到廚房時，只見河鼠正焦躁不安地來回踱步。地下的空氣壓迫他，使他神經(jīng)緊張，他像是真的擔心，要是再不回去照看那條河，河就會跑掉似的。他穿上外套，把一排手槍插在腰帶上。“來吧，鼴鼠，”他一見鼴鼠和獾，就急切地說，“咱們得趁白天的時光回去。不能在野林里再過一夜了。”

‘It’ll be all right, my fine fellow,’ said the Otter. ‘I’m coming along with you, and I know every path blindfold; and if there’s a head that needs to be punched, you can confidently rely upon me to punch it.’

“這不成問題，親愛的朋友，“水獺說。“我陪你們一道走。我就是蒙上眼睛，也認得出每一條路。要是有哪個家伙欠揍，看我不好好揍他一頓。”

‘You really needn’t fret, Ratty,’ added the Badger placidly. ‘My passages run further than you think, and I’ve bolt-holes to the edge of the wood in several directions, though I don’t care for everybody to know about them. When you really have to go, you shall leave by one of my short cuts. Meantime, make yourself easy, and sit down again.’

“河鼠，你不必煩惱，”獾平靜地說。“我的通道比你想象的要長得多。我還有許多避難孔，從幾個方向通往樹林的邊緣，只是我不愿讓外人知道就是了。你真要走的話，你們可以抄一條近道。眼下，盡管安下心來，再坐一會兒。”

The Rat was nevertheless still anxious to be off and attend to his river, so the Badger, taking up his lantern again, led the way along a damp and airless tunnel that wound and dipped, part vaulted, part hewn through solid rock, for a weary distance that seemed to be miles. At last daylight began to show itself confusedly through tangled growth overhanging the mouth of the passage; and the Badger, bidding them a hasty good-bye, pushed them hurriedly through the opening, made everything look as natural as possible again, with creepers, brushwood, and dead leaves, and retreated.

然而，河鼠還是急著要回去照看他的河，于是獾又打起燈籠，在前面領(lǐng)路，穿過一條曲曲彎彎的隧道，洞里潮濕氣悶，滴著水，一部分有穹頂，一部分是從堅硬的巖石里鑿開的。走了很累人的一段長路，似乎有好幾里長，末了，透過懸在隧道出口處雜亂的草木，終于看到了零碎的天光。獾向他們匆匆道了別，快快地把他們推出洞口，然后用藤蔓、斷枝、枯葉把洞口隱蔽好，盡可能不露痕跡，就轉(zhuǎn)身回去了。

They found themselves standing on the very edge of the Wild Wood. Rocks and brambles and tree-roots behind them, confusedly heaped and tangled; in front, a great space of quiet fields, hemmed by lines of hedges black on the snow, and, far ahead, a glint of the familiar old river, while the wintry sun hung red and low on the horizon. The Otter, as knowing all the paths, took charge of the party, and they trailed out on a bee-line for a distant stile. Pausing there a moment and looking back, they saw the whole mass of the Wild Wood, dense, menacing, compact, grimly set in vast white surroundings; simultaneously they turned and made swiftly for home, for firelight and the familiar things it played on, for the voice, sounding cheerily outside their window, of the river that they knew and trusted in all its moods, that never made them afraid with any amazement.

他們發(fā)現(xiàn)自己已站在野林的邊邊上。后面，巖石、荊棘、樹根，雜亂無章地互相堆砌纏繞，前面，是一望無際的寧靜的田野，被雪地襯得黑黝黝的一行行樹籬，鑲著田野的邊。再往前，就見那條老河在閃閃發(fā)光，冬天的太陽紅彤彤的，低懸在天邊。水獺熟悉所有的小道，他負責帶領(lǐng)他們走一條直線，來到遠處的一個柵欄門。他們在那兒歇了歇腳，回頭眺望，只見那座龐然大物的野林，密密層層，嚴嚴實實，陰陰森森，嵌在一望無際的白色原野當中，顯得好怕人。他們不約而同掉轉(zhuǎn)身來，急忙趕路回家，奔向爐火和火光映照下熟悉的東西，奔向窗外那條歡唱的河。他們熟悉那條河的種種脾性，他們信賴它，因為它絕不會做出使他們驚恐的怪異行徑。

As he hurried along, eagerly anticipating the moment when he would be at home again among the things he knew and liked, the Mole saw clearly that he was an animal of tilled field and hedge-row, linked to the ploughed furrow, the frequented pasture, the lane of evening lingerings, the cultivated garden-plot. For others the asperities, the stubborn endurance, or the clash of actual conflict, that went with Nature in the rough; he must be wise, must keep to the pleasant places in which his lines were laid and which held adventure enough, in their way, to last for a lifetime.

鼴鼠匆匆趕路，急切巴望著到家，回到他熟悉和喜愛的事物中去。這時，他才清楚地看到，他原是一只屬于耕地和樹籬的動物，與他息息相關(guān)的是犁溝，是他常來常往的牧場，是他在暮色留連忘返的樹夾道，是人們培植的花園草坪。至于嚴酷的環(huán)境，頑強的忍受，或者同狂暴的大自然進行的貨真價實的沖突較量，讓別的動物去承受吧。他必須放聰明些，老老實實廝守著他的樂土。那是他祖祖輩輩繁衍生息的所在，那里也自有它的種種探險奇遇，足夠他消遣解悶一輩子的了。