柳林風聲：Dulce Domum 重返家園

The sheep ran huddling together against the hurdles, blowing out thin nostrils and stamping with delicate fore-feet, their heads thrown back and a light steam rising from the crowded sheep-pen into the frosty air, as the two animals hastened by in high spirits, with much chatter and laughter. They were returning across country after a long day’s outing with Otter, hunting and exploring on the wide uplands where certain streams tributary to their own River had their first small beginnings; and the shades of the short winter day were closing in on them, and they had still some distance to go. Plodding at random across the plough, they had heard the sheep and had made for them; and now, leading from the sheep-pen, they found a beaten track that made walking a lighter business, and responded, moreover, to that small inquiring something which all animals carry inside them, saying unmistakably, ‘Yes, quite right; THIS leads home!’

羊群緊緊擠在一起，薄薄的鼻孔噴著氣，纖細的前蹄不停地跺著地面，仰著腦袋朝羊欄奔去。羊群里騰起一股蒸氣，冉冉上升到寒冷的空氣里。河鼠和鼴鼠邊說邊笑，興沖沖地匆匆走過羊群。一整天。他們和水獺一道在廣闊的高地上打獵探奇，那兒是注入他們那條大河的幾條山洞的源頭?，F(xiàn)在他們正穿越田野往家走。冬天短短的白晝將盡，暮色向他們逼來，可他們離家還有相當?shù)穆烦獭Ｋ麄冋怎咱勠勗诟乩飦y走時，聽到綿羊的嘩嘩聲，就尋聲走來。現(xiàn)在，他們看到從羊欄那邊伸過來一條踩平的小道，路好走多了。而且，他們憑著所有的動物天生具有的那種嗅覺，準確地知道，“沒錯，這條路是通向家的!”

‘It looks as if we were coming to a village,’ said the Mole somewhat dubiously, slackening his pace, as the track, that had in time become a path and then had developed into a lane, now handed them over to the charge of a well-metalled road. The animals did not hold with villages, and their own highways, thickly frequented as they were, took an independent course, regardless of church, post office, or public-house.

“看來，前面像是一個村莊，”鼴鼠放慢了腳步，疑疑惑惑地說。因為，那條被腳踩出來的小道，先是變成了一條小徑，然后又擴大成一條樹夾道，最后引他們走上了一條碎石子路。村莊不大合兩只動物的口味，他們平時常常過往的公路，是另一股道，避開了教堂、郵局或酒店。

‘Oh, never mind!’ said the Rat. ‘At this season of the year they’re all safe indoors by this time, sitting round the fire; men, women, and children, dogs and cats and all. We shall slip through all right, without any bother or unpleasantness, and we can have a look at them through their windows if you like, and see what they’re doing.’

“噢，沒關系，”河鼠說。“在這個季節(jié)，這個時辰，男人呀，女人呀，小孩呀，狗呀，貓呀，全都安安靜靜呆在家里烤火。咱們可以人不知鬼不覺地溜過去，不會惹事生非的。如果你愿意，咱們還可以從窗外偷瞧幾眼，看看他們都在干什么。”

The rapid nightfall of mid-December had quite beset the little village as they approached it on soft feet over a first thin fall of powdery snow. Little was visible but squares of a dusky orange-red on either side of the street, where the firelight or lamplight of each cottage overflowed through the casements into the dark world without. Most of the low latticed windows were innocent of blinds, and to the lookers-in from outside, the inmates, gathered round the tea-table, absorbed in handiwork, or talking with laughter and gesture, had each that happy grace which is the last thing the skilled actor shall capture—the natural grace which goes with perfect unconsciousness of observation. Moving at will from one theatre to another, the two spectators, so far from home themselves, had something of wistfulness in their eyes as they watched a cat being stroked, a sleepy child picked up and huddled off to bed, or a tired man stretch and knock out his pipe on the end of a smouldering log.

當他們邁著輕柔的腳步，踏著薄薄一層粉狀的雪走進村莊時，十二月中旬迅速降臨的黑夜已經籠罩了小小的村莊。除了街道兩邊昏暗的橘紅色方塊，幾乎什么也看不見。透過那些窗子，每間農舍里的爐火光和燈光，涌流到外面黑洞洞的世界。這些低矮的格子窗，多半都不掛窗簾，屋里的人也不避諱窗外的看客。他們圍坐在茶桌旁，一心一意在干手工活，或者揮動手臂大聲說笑，人人都顯得優(yōu)雅自如，那正是技藝高超的演員所渴求達到的境界——絲毫沒有意識到面對觀眾的一種自然境界。這兩位遠離自己家園的觀眾，隨意從一家劇院看到另一家劇院。當他們看到一只貓被人撫摸，一個瞌睡的小孩被抱到床上，或者一個倦乏的男人伸懶腰，并在一段冒煙的木柴尾端磕打煙斗時，他們的眼睛里不由得露出某種渴望的神情。

But it was from one little window, with its blind drawn down, a mere blank transparency on the night, that the sense of home and the little curtained world within walls—the larger stressful world of outside Nature shut out and forgotten—most pulsated. Close against the white blind hung a bird-cage, clearly silhouetted, every wire, perch, and appurtenance distinct and recognisable, even to yesterday’s dull-edged lump of sugar. On the middle perch the fluffy occupant, head tucked well into feathers, seemed so near to them as to be easily stroked, had they tried; even the delicate tips of his plumped-out plumage pencilled plainly on the illuminated screen. As they looked, the sleepy little fellow stirred uneasily, woke, shook himself, and raised his head. They could see the gape of his tiny beak as he yawned in a bored sort of way, looked round, and then settled his head into his back again, while the ruffled feathers gradually subsided into perfect stillness. Then a gust of bitter wind took them in the back of the neck, a small sting of frozen sleet on the skin woke them as from a dream, and they knew their toes to be cold and their legs tired, and their own home distant a weary way.

然而，有一扇拉上窗簾的小窗，在黑暗里，只顯出半透明的一方空白。只有在這里，家的感覺，斗室內帷簾低垂的小天地的感覺，把外面的自然界那個緊張的大世界關在門外并且遺忘掉的感覺，才最為強烈、緊靠白色的窗簾，掛著一只鳥籠，映出一個清晰的剪影。每根鐵絲，每副棲架，每件附屬物，甚至昨天的一塊舐圓了角的方糖，都清晰可辨、棲在籠子中央一根棲架上的那個毛茸茸的鳥兒，把頭深深地埋在羽翼里，顯得離他們很近，仿佛伸手就能摸到似的。他那圓滾滾的羽毛身子，甚至那些細細的羽尖，都像在那塊發(fā)光的屏上描出來的鉛筆畫。正當他倆看著，那只睡意沉沉的小東西不安地動了動，醒了，他抖抖羽毛，昂起頭。在他懶洋洋地打呵欠時，他們能看到他細小的喙張得大大的，他向四周看了看，又把頭埋進翅下，蓬松的羽毛漸漸收攏，靜止不動了。這時，一陣凜冽的風刮進他倆的后脖子，冰冷的雨雪刺痛了他們的皮膚，他們仿佛從夢中驚醒，感到腳趾發(fā)冷，兩腿酸累，這才意識到，他們離自己的家還有一段長長的跋涉。

Once beyond the village, where the cottages ceased abruptly, on either side of the road they could smell through the darkness the friendly fields again; and they braced themselves for the last long stretch, the home stretch, the stretch that we know is bound to end, some time, in the rattle of the door-latch, the sudden firelight, and the sight of familiar things greeting us as long-absent travellers from far over-sea. They plodded along steadily and silently, each of them thinking his own thoughts. The Mole’s ran a good deal on supper, as it was pitch-dark, and it was all a strange country for him as far as he knew, and he was following obediently in the wake of the Rat, leaving the guidance entirely to him. As for the Rat, he was walking a little way ahead, as his habit was, his shoulders humped, his eyes fixed on the straight grey road in front of him; so he did not notice poor Mole when suddenly the summons reached him, and took him like an electric shock.

一出村莊，茅屋立時就沒有了。在道路兩旁，他們又聞到友好的田地的氣息，穿過黑暗向他們撲來。于是他們打起精神，走上最后一段征途。這是回家的路，這段路，他們知道早晚是有盡頭的。那時，門閂咔嚓一響，眼前突然出現(xiàn)爐火，熟悉的事物像迎接久別歸來的海外游子一樣歡迎他們。他們堅定地走著，默默不語，各想各的心事。鼴鼠一心想著晚飯。天已經全黑了，四周都是陌生的田野，所以他只管乖乖地跟在河鼠后面，由著河鼠給他帶路。河鼠呢，他照常走在前面，微微佝僂著雙肩，兩眼緊盯著前面那條筆直的灰色道路。因此，他沒怎么顧到可憐的鼴鼠。就在這當兒，一聲召喚，如同電擊一般，突然觸到了鼴鼠。

We others, who have long lost the more subtle of the physical senses, have not even proper terms to express an animal’s inter-communications with his surroundings, living or otherwise, and have only the word ‘smell,’ for instance, to include the whole range of delicate thrills which murmur in the nose of the animal night and day, summoning, warning? inciting, repelling. It was one of these mysterious fairy calls from out the void that suddenly reached Mole in the darkness, making him tingle through and through with its very familiar appeal, even while yet he could not clearly remember what it was. He stopped dead in his tracks, his nose searching hither and thither in its efforts to recapture the fine filament, the telegraphic current, that had so strongly moved him. A moment, and he had caught it again; and with it this time came recollection in fullest flood.

我們人類，久已失去了較細微的生理感覺，甚至找不到恰當?shù)脑~匯，來形容一只動物與他的環(huán)境——有生命的或無生命的——之間那種息息相通的交流關系。比如說，動物的鼻孔內日夜不停地發(fā)出嗡嗡作響的一整套細微的顫動，如呼喚、警告、挑逗、排拒等等，我們只會用一個“嗅”字來概括。此刻，正是這樣一種來自虛空的神秘的仙氣般的呼聲，透過黑暗，傳到了鼴鼠身上。它那十分熟悉的呼吁，刺激得鼴鼠渾身震顫，盡管他一時還記不起那究竟是什么。走著走著。他忽然定在那兒，用鼻子到處嗅，使勁去捕捉那根細絲，那束強烈地觸動了他的電流。只一會，他就捉住它了，隨之而來的是狂潮般涌上心頭的回憶。

Home! That was what they meant, those caressing appeals, those soft touches wafted through the air, those invisible little hands pulling and tugging, all one way! Why, it must be quite close by him at that moment, his old home that he had hurriedly forsaken and never sought again, that day when he first found the river! And now it was sending out its scouts and its messengers to capture him and bring him in. Since his escape on that bright morning he had hardly given it a thought, so absorbed had he been in his new life, in all its pleasures, its surprises, its fresh and captivating experiences. Now, with a rush of old memories, how clearly it stood up before him, in the darkness! Shabby indeed, and small and poorly furnished, and yet his, the home he had made for himself, the home he had been so happy to get back to after his day’s work. And the home had been happy with him, too, evidently, and was missing him, and wanted him back, and was telling him so, through his nose, sorrowfully, reproachfully, but with no bitterness or anger; only with plaintive reminder that it was there, and wanted him.

家!這就是它們向他傳遞的信息!一連串親切的吁求，一連串從空中飄來的輕柔的觸摸。一只只無形的小手又拉又拽，全都朝著一個方向!啊，此刻，它一定就近在眼前，他的老家，自打他第一次發(fā)現(xiàn)大河，就匆匆離去，再也不曾返顧的家!現(xiàn)在，它派出了探子和信使，來尋訪他，帶他回來。自打那個明媚的早晨離家出走后，他就沉浸在新的生活里，享受這生活帶給他的一切歡樂、異趣、引人入勝的新鮮體驗;至于老家，他連想也不曾想過?，F(xiàn)在，歷歷往事，一涌而上，老家便在黑暗中清晰地呈現(xiàn)在眼前。他的家盡管矮小簡陋，陳設貧乏，卻是屬于他的，是他為自己建造的家園，是他在勞碌一天之后愉快地回歸的家園。這個家，顯然也喜歡他，思念他，盼他回來。家正在通過他的鼻子，悲切地、哀怨地向他訴說，并不憤控，并不惱怒，只是凄楚地提醒他：家就在這兒，它需要他。

The call was clear, the summons was plain. He must obey it instantly, and go. ‘Ratty!’ he called, full of joyful excitement, ‘hold on! Come back! I want you, quick!’

這呼聲是清晰的，這召喚是明確的。他必須立即服從，回去。“鼠兒!”他滿腔喜悅，興奮地喊道，“停一下!回來!我需要你，快!”

‘Oh, COME along, Mole, do!’ replied the Rat cheerfully, still plodding along.

“噢，走吧，鼴鼠，快來呀!”河鼠興沖沖地喊，仍舊不停腳地奮力朝前走。

‘PLEASE stop, Ratty!’ pleaded the poor Mole, in anguish of heart. ‘You don’t understand! It’s my home, my old home! I’ve just come across the smell of it, and it’s close by here, really quite close. And I MUST go to it, I must, I must! Oh, come back, Ratty! Please, please come back!’

“停一停吧，求求你啦，鼠兒!”可憐的鼴鼠苦苦哀求，他的心在作痛。“你不明白!這是我的家，我的老家!我剛剛聞到了它的氣味，它就近在眼前，近極了。我一定得回去，一定，一定!回來吧，鼠兒，求求你，求求你啦!”

The Rat was by this time very far ahead, too far to hear clearly what the Mole was calling, too far to catch the sharp note of painful appeal in his voice. And he was much taken up with the weather, for he too could smell something—something suspiciously like approaching snow.

這時河鼠已走在前面很遠了，沒聽清鼴鼠在喊什么，也沒聽出鼴鼠的聲音里那種苦苦哀求的尖厲的腔調。而且，他擔心要變天，因為他也聞到了某種氣味——他懷疑可能要下雪了。

‘Mole, we mustn’t stop now, really!’ he called back. ‘We’ll come for it to-morrow, whatever it is you’ve found. But I daren’t stop now— it’s late, and the snow’s coming on again, and I’m not sure of the way! And I want your nose, Mole, so come on quick, there’s a good fellow!’ And the Rat pressed forward on his way without waiting for an answer.

“鼴鼠，咱們現(xiàn)在停不得，真的停不得!”他回頭喊道。“不管你找到了什么，咱們明天再來瞧。可現(xiàn)在我不敢停下來——天已經晚了，馬上又要下雪，這條路線我不太熟悉。鼴鼠，我需要依靠你的鼻子，所以，快來吧，好小伙!”河鼠不等鼴鼠回答，只顧悶頭向前趕路。

Poor Mole stood alone in the road, his heart torn asunder, and a big sob gathering, gathering, somewhere low down inside him, to leap up to the surface presently, he knew, in passionate escape. But even under such a test as this his loyalty to his friend stood firm. Never for a moment did he dream of abandoning him. Meanwhile, the wafts from his old home pleaded, whispered, conjured, and finally claimed him imperiously. He dared not tarry longer within their magic circle. With a wrench that tore his very heartstrings he set his face down the road and followed submissively in the track of the Rat, while faint, thin little smells, still dogging his retreating nose, reproached him for his new friendship and his callous forgetfulness.

可憐的鼴鼠獨自站在路上，他的心都撕裂了。他感到，胸中有一大股傷心淚，正在聚積，脹滿，馬上就要涌上喉頭，迸發(fā)出來。不過即便面臨這樣嚴峻的考驗，他對朋友的忠誠仍毫不動搖，一刻兒也沒想過要拋棄朋友。但同時，從他的老家發(fā)出的信息在乞求，在低聲哺哺，在對他施放魔力，最后竟專橫地勒令他絕對服從。他不敢在它的魔力圈內多耽留，猛地掙斷了自己的心弦，下狠心把臉朝向前面的路，順從地追隨河鼠的足跡走去。雖然，那若隱若現(xiàn)的氣味，仍舊附著在他那逐漸遠去的鼻端，責怪他有了新朋友，忘了老朋友。

With an effort he caught up to the unsuspecting Rat, who began chattering cheerfully about what they would do when they got back, and how jolly a fire of logs in the parlour would be, and what a supper he meant to eat; never noticing his companion’s silence and distressful state of mind. At last, however, when they had gone some considerable way further, and were passing some tree-stumps at the edge of a copse that bordered the road, he stopped and said kindly, ‘Look here, Mole old chap, you seem dead tired. No talk left in you, and your feet dragging like lead. We’ll sit down here for a minute and rest. The snow has held off so far, and the best part of our journey is over.’

他費了好大勁才攆上河鼠。河鼠對他的隱情毫無覺察，只顧高高興興地跟他嘮叨，講他們回家后要干些啥。客廳里升起一爐柴火是多么愜意。晚飯要吃些什么。他一點沒留心同伴的沉默和憂郁的神情。不過后來，當他們已經走了相當一段路，經過路旁矮樹叢邊的一些樹樁時，他停下腳步，關切地說：“喂，鼴鼠，老伙計，你像是累壞了、一句話不說，你的腿像綁上了鉛似的。咱們在這兒坐下歇會兒吧。好在雪到現(xiàn)在還沒下，大半路程咱們已經走過了。”

The Mole subsided forlornly on a tree-stump and tried to control himself, for he felt it surely coming. The sob he had fought with so long refused to be beaten. Up and up, it forced its way to the air, and then another, and another, and others thick and fast; till poor Mole at last gave up the struggle, and cried freely and helplessly and openly, now that he knew it was all over and he had lost what he could hardly be said to have found.

鼴鼠凄凄慘慘地在一個樹樁上坐下，竭力想控制自己的情緒，因為他覺得自己就要哭出來了。他一直苦苦掙扎，強壓哭泣，可哭泣偏不聽話，硬是一點一點往上冒，一聲，又一聲，跟著是緊鑼密鼓的一連串，最后他只得不再掙扎，絕望地放聲痛哭起來。因為他知道，他已經失去他幾乎找到的東西，一切都完了。

The Rat, astonished and dismayed at the violence of Mole’s paroxysm of grief, did not dare to speak for a while. At last he said, very quietly and sympathetically, ‘What is it, old fellow? Whatever can be the matter? Tell us your trouble, and let me see what I can do.’

河鼠被鼴鼠那突如其來的大悲慟驚呆了，一時竟不敢開口。末了，他非常安詳而同情地說：“到底怎么回事，老伙計?把你的苦惱說給咱聽聽，看我能不能幫點忙。”

Poor Mole found it difficult to get any words out between the upheavals of his chest that followed one upon another so quickly and held back speech and choked it as it came. ‘I know it’s a—shabby, dingy little place,’ he sobbed forth at last, brokenly: ‘not like— your cosy quarters—or Toad’s beautiful hall—or Badger’s great house—but it was my own little home—and I was fond of it—and I went away and forgot all about it—and then I smelt it suddenly—on the road, when I called and you wouldn’t listen, Rat—and everything came back to me with a rush—and I WANTED it!--O dear, O dear!--and when you WOULDN’T turn back, Ratty—and I had to leave it, though I was smelling it all the time—I thought my heart would break.—We might have just gone and had one look at it, Ratty—only one look—it was close by—but you wouldn’t turn back, Ratty, you wouldn’t turn back! O dear, O dear!’

可憐的鼴鼠簡直說不出話來，他胸膛劇烈起伏，話到口中又給噎了回去。后來，他終于斷斷續(xù)續(xù)哽咽著說：“我知道，我的家是個——又窮又臟的小屋，比不上——你的住所那么舒適——比不上蟾宮那么美麗——也比不上獾的屋子那么寬大——可它畢竟是我自己的小家——我喜歡它——我離家以后，就把它忘得干干凈凈——可我忽然又聞到了它的氣味——就在路上，在我喊你的時候，可你不理會——過去的一切像潮水似的涌上我心頭——我需要它!——天哪!天哪!——你硬是不肯回頭，河鼠——我只好丟下它，盡管我一直聞到它的氣味——我的心都要碎了——其實咱們本可以回去瞅它一眼的，鼠兒——只瞅一眼就行——它就在附近——可你偏不肯回頭，鼠兒，你不肯回頭嘛!天哪!天哪!”

Recollection brought fresh waves of sorrow, and sobs again took full charge of him, preventing further speech.

回憶掀起了他新的悲傷狂濤，一陣猛烈的啜泣，噎得他說不下去了。

The Rat stared straight in front of him, saying nothing, only patting Mole gently on the shoulder. After a time he muttered gloomily, ‘I see it all now! What a PIG I have been! A pig—that’s me! Just a pig—a plain pig!’

河鼠直楞楞地盯著前面，一聲不吭，只是輕輕地拍著鼴鼠的肩。過了一會，他沮喪地喃喃說：“現(xiàn)在我全明白了!我真是只豬!——一只豬——就是我!——不折不扣一只豬——地地道道一只豬!”

He waited till Mole’s sobs became gradually less stormy and more rhythmical; he waited till at last sniffs were frequent and sobs only intermittent. Then he rose from his seat, and, remarking carelessly, ‘Well, now we’d really better be getting on, old chap!’ set off up the road again, over the toilsome way they had come.

河鼠等著，等到鼴鼠的哭泣逐漸緩和下來，不再是狂風暴雨，而變得多少有節(jié)奏了，等到鼴鼠只管抽鼻子，間或夾雜幾聲啜泣。這時，河鼠從樹樁上站起來，若無其事地說：“好啦，老伙計，咱們現(xiàn)在動手干起來吧!”說著，他就朝他們辛辛苦苦走過來的原路走去。

‘Wherever are you (hic) going to (hic), Ratty?’ cried the tearful Mole, looking up in alarm.

“你上(嗝)哪去(嗝)，鼠兒?”淚流滿面的鼴鼠抬頭望著他，驚叫道。

‘We’re going to find that home of yours, old fellow,’ replied the Rat pleasantly; ‘so you had better come along, for it will take some finding, and we shall want your nose.’

“老伙計，咱們去找你的那個家呀，”河鼠高興地說，“你最好也一起來，找起來或許要費點勁，需要借助你的鼻子呀。”

‘Oh, come back, Ratty, do!’ cried the Mole, getting up and hurrying after him. ‘It’s no good, I tell you! It’s too late, and too dark, and the place is too far off, and the snow’s coming! And—and I never meant to let you know I was feeling that way about it—it was all an accident and a mistake! And think of River Bank, and your supper!’

“噢，回來，鼠兒，回來!”鼴鼠站起來追趕河鼠。“我跟你說，這沒有用!太晚了，也太黑了，那地方太遠，而且馬上又要下雪!再說——我并不是有意讓你知道我對它的那份感情——這純粹是偶然的，是個錯誤!還是想想河岸，想想你的晚飯吧!”

‘Hang River Bank, and supper too!’ said the Rat heartily. ‘I tell you, I’m going to find this place now, if I stay out all night. So cheer up, old chap, and take my arm, and we’ll very soon be back there again.’

“什么河岸，什么晚飯，見鬼去吧!”河鼠誠心誠意地說。“我跟你說，我非去找你的家不可，哪怕在外面呆一整夜也在所不惜。老朋友，打起精神，挽著我的臂，咱們很快就會回到原地的。”

Still snuffling, pleading, and reluctant, Mole suffered himself to be dragged back along the road by his imperious companion, who by a flow of cheerful talk and anecdote endeavoured to beguile his spirits back and make the weary way seem shorter. When at last it seemed to the Rat that they must be nearing that part of the road where the Mole had been ‘held up,’ he said, ‘Now, no more talking. Business! Use your nose, and give your mind to it.’

鼴鼠仍在抽鼻子，懇求，勉勉強強由著朋友把他強拽著往回走。河鼠一路滔滔不絕地給他講故事，好提起他的情緒，使這段乏味的路程顯得短些。后來，河鼠覺得他們似乎已經來到鼴鼠當初給“絆住”的地方，就說，“現(xiàn)在，別說話了，干正事!用你的鼻子，用你的心來找。”

They moved on in silence for some little way, when suddenly the Rat was conscious, through his arm that was linked in Mole’s, of a faint sort of electric thrill that was passing down that animal’s body. Instantly he disengaged himself, fell back a pace, and waited, all attention.

他們默默地往前走了一小段路，突然，河鼠感到有一股微弱的電顫，通過鼴鼠的全身，從他挽著的胳臂傳來。他立即抽出胳臂，往后退一步，全神貫注地等待著。

The signals were coming through! Mole stood a moment rigid, while his uplifted nose, quivering slightly, felt the air.

有一刻，鼴鼠僵直地站定不動，翹鼻子微微顫動，嗅著空氣。

Then a short, quick run forward—a fault—a check—a try back; and then a slow, steady, confident advance.

然后，他向前急跑了幾步——錯了——止步——又試一次;然后，他慢慢地、堅定地、信心十足地向前走去。

The Rat, much excited, kept close to his heels as the Mole, with something of the air of a sleep-walker, crossed a dry ditch, scrambled through a hedge, and nosed his way over a field open and trackless and bare in the faint starlight.

河鼠特興奮，亦步亦趨地緊跟在鼴鼠身后。鼴鼠像夢游者似的，在昏暗的星光下，跨過一條干涸的水溝，鉆過一道樹籬，用鼻子嗅著，橫穿一片寬闊的、光禿禿沒有路徑的田野。

Suddenly, without giving warning, he dived; but the Rat was on the alert, and promptly followed him down the tunnel to which his unerring nose had faithfully led him.

猛地，沒有作出任何警告，他一頭鉆到了地下。幸虧河鼠高度警覺，他立刻也跟著鉆了下去，進到他那靈敏的鼻子嗅出的地道。

It was close and airless, and the earthy smell was strong, and it seemed a long time to Rat ere the passage ended and he could stand erect and stretch and shake himself. The Mole struck a match, and by its light the Rat saw that they were standing in an open space, neatly swept and sanded underfoot, and directly facing them was Mole’s little front door, with ‘Mole End’ painted, in Gothic lettering, over the bell-pull at the side.

地道很狹窄，憋悶，有股刺鼻的土腥味。河鼠覺得他們走了很久很久，才走到盡頭，他才能直起腰來，伸展四肢，抖抖身子。鼴鼠劃著一根火柴，借著火光，河鼠看到他們站在一塊空地上。地面掃得于干凈凈，鋪了一層沙子，正對他們的是鼴鼠家的小小前門，門旁掛著鈴索，門的上方，漆著三個黑體字：“鼴鼠居”。

Mole reached down a lantern from a nail on the wail and lit it, and the Rat, looking round him, saw that they were in a sort of fore-court. A garden-seat stood on one side of the door, and on the other a roller; for the Mole, who was a tidy animal when at home, could not stand having his ground kicked up by other animals into little runs that ended in earth-heaps. On the walls hung wire baskets with ferns in them, alternating with brackets carrying plaster statuary—Garibaldi, and the infant Samuel, and Queen Victoria, and other heroes of modern Italy. Down on one side of the forecourt ran a skittle-alley, with benches along it and little wooden tables marked with rings that hinted at beer-mugs. In the middle was a small round pond containing gold-fish and surrounded by a cockle-shell border. Out of the centre of the pond rose a fanciful erection clothed in more cockle-shells and topped by a large silvered glass ball that reflected everything all wrong and had a very pleasing effect.

鼴鼠從墻上摘下一盞燈籠，點亮了，河鼠環(huán)顧四周，看到他們是在一個前庭里。門的一側，擺著一張花園坐椅，另一側，有個石磙子。這是因為，鼴鼠在家時愛好整潔，不喜歡別的動物把他的地面蹴出一道道足痕，踢成一個個小土堆。墻上，掛著幾只金屬絲籃子，插著些羊齒植物，花籃之間隔著些托架，上面擺著泥塑像——有加里波的，有年幼的薩繆爾，有維多利亞女王，還有其他意大利英雄們。在前庭的下首，有個九柱戲場，周圍擺著條凳和小木桌，桌上印著一些圓圈，是擺啤酒杯的標志。庭院中央有個圓圓的小池塘，養(yǎng)著金魚，四周鑲著海扇貝殼砌的邊。池塘中央，矗立著一座用海扇貝殼貼面的造型奇特的塔，塔頂是一只很大的銀白色玻璃球，反照出來的東西全都走了樣，怪滑稽的。

Mole’s face-beamed at the sight of all these objects so dear to him, and he hurried Rat through the door, lit a lamp in the hall, and took one glance round his old home. He saw the dust lying thick on everything, saw the cheerless, deserted look of the long-neglected house, and its narrow, meagre dimensions, its worn and shabby contents—and collapsed again on a hall-chair, his nose to his paws. ‘O Ratty!’ he cried dismally, ‘why ever did I do it? Why did I bring you to this poor, cold little place, on a night like this, when you might have been at River Bank by this time, toasting your toes before a blazing fire, with all your own nice things about you!’

看到這些親切的物件，鼴鼠的臉上綻開了愉快的笑意。他把河鼠推進大門，點著了廳里的一盞燈，匆匆掃了一眼他的舊居。他看到，所有的東西都積滿了厚厚的一層灰塵，看到長久被他遺忘的屋子的凄涼景象，看到它的開間是那么狹小，室內陳設又是那么簡陋陳舊，禁不住又沮喪起來，頹然癱倒在椅子上，雙爪捂住鼻子。“鼠兒啊!”他悲悲戚戚地哭道，“我為什么要這么干?為什么在這樣寒冷的深夜，把你拉到這個窮酸冰冷的小屋里來!要不然，你這時已經回到河岸，對著熊熊的爐火烤腳，周邊都是你的那些好東西!”

The Rat paid no heed to his doleful self-reproaches. He was running here and there, opening doors, inspecting rooms and cupboards, and lighting lamps and candles and sticking them, up everywhere. ‘What a capital little house this is!’ he called out cheerily. ‘So compact! So well planned! Everything here and everything in its place! We’ll make a jolly night of it. The first thing we want is a good fire; I’ll see to that—I always know where to find things. So this is the parlour? Splendid! Your own idea, those little sleeping-bunks in the wall? Capital! Now, I’ll fetch the wood and the coals, and you get a duster, Mole—you’ll find one in the drawer of the kitchen table—and try and smarten things up a bit. Bustle about, old chap!’

河鼠沒有理會他悲哀的自責，只顧跑來跑去奔忙著，把各扇門打開，察看各個房間和食品柜，點著許多盞燈和蠟燭，擺得滿屋子都是。“真是一所頂呱呱的小屋!”他開心地大聲說。“多緊湊啊!設計得多巧妙啊!什么都不缺，一切都井然有序!今晚咱倆會過得很愉快的。頭一件事，是升起一爐好火，這我來辦——找東西，我最拿手?？磥?，這就是客廳啰?太好了!安裝在墻上的這些小臥榻，是你自己設計的嗎?真棒!我這就去取木柴和煤，你呢，鼴鼠，去拿一把撣子——廚桌抽屜里就有一把——把灰塵撣撣干凈。動手干起來吧，老伙計!”

Encouraged by his inspiriting companion, the Mole roused himself and dusted and polished with energy and heartiness, while the Rat, running to and fro with armfuls of fuel, soon had a cheerful blaze roaring up the chimney. He hailed the Mole to come and warm himself; but Mole promptly had another fit of the blues, dropping down on a couch in dark despair and burying his face in his duster.

同伴熱情的激勵，使鼴鼠大受鼓舞，他振作起來，認真努力地打掃擦拭。河鼠一趟又一趟抱來柴禾，不多會就升起一爐歡騰的火，火苗呼呼地直竄上煙囪。他招呼鼴鼠過來烤火取暖?？墒驱B鼠忽然又憂愁起來，沮喪地跌坐在一張?zhí)梢紊?，用撣子捂著臉。v

‘Rat,’ he moaned, ‘how about your supper, you poor, cold, hungry, weary animal? I’ve nothing to give you—nothing—not a crumb!’

“鼠兒呀，”他嗚咽道，“你的晚飯可怎么辦?你這個又冷又餓又累的可憐的動物，我沒有一點吃的招待你——連點面包屑都沒有!”

‘What a fellow you are for giving in!’ said the Rat reproachfully. ‘Why, only just now I saw a sardine-opener on the kitchen dresser, quite distinctly; and everybody knows that means there are sardines about somewhere in the neighbourhood. Rouse yourself! pull yourself together, and come with me and forage.’

“你這個人哪，怎么這樣灰溜溜!”河鼠責備他說。“你瞧。剛才我還清清楚楚看見櫥柜上有把開沙丁魚罐頭的起子，既然有起子，還愁沒有罐頭?打起精神來，跟我一道去找。”

They went and foraged accordingly, hunting through every cupboard and turning out every drawer. The result was not so very depressing after all, though of course it might have been better; a tin of sardines—a box of captain’s biscuits, nearly full—and a German sausage encased in silver paper.

他們于是翻櫥倒柜，滿屋子搜尋。結果雖不太令人滿意，倒也不太叫人失望，果然找到一聽沙丁魚，差不多滿滿一盒餅干，一段包在銀紙里的德國香腸。

‘There’s a banquet for you!’ observed the Rat, as he arranged the table. ‘I know some animals who would give their ears to be sitting down to supper with us to-night!’

“夠你開宴席的了!”河鼠一面擺飯桌，一面說。“我敢說，有些動物今晚要是能和我們一道吃晚飯，簡直求之不得啦!”

‘No bread!’ groaned the Mole dolorously; ‘no butter, no----‘

“沒有面包!”鼴鼠哭喪著臉呻吟道;“沒有黃油，沒有——”

‘No pate de foie gras, no champagne!’ continued the Rat, grinning. ‘And that reminds me—what’s that little door at the end of the passage? Your cellar, of course! Every luxury in this house! Just you wait a minute.’

“沒有鵝肝醬，沒有香擯酒!”河鼠撇著嘴嘲笑說。“我倒想起來了——過道盡頭那扇小門里面是什么?當然是你的儲藏室啰!你家的好東西全都在那兒藏著哪!你等著。”

He made for the cellar-door, and presently reappeared, somewhat dusty, with a bottle of beer in each paw and another under each arm, ‘Self-indulgent beggar you seem to be, Mole,’ he observed. ‘Deny yourself nothing. This is really the jolliest little place I ever was in. Now, wherever did you pick up those prints? Make the place look so home-like, they do. No wonder you’re so fond of it, Mole. Tell us all about it, and how you came to make it what it is.’

他走進儲藏室，不多會兒又走出來，身上沾了點灰，兩只爪子各握著一瓶啤酒，兩腋下也各夾著瓶啤酒。“鼴鼠，看來你還是個挺會享受的美食家哩，”他評論說。“凡是好吃的，一樣不少哇。這小屋比哪兒都叫人高興。喂，這些畫片，你打哪兒弄來的?掛上這些畫，這小屋更顯得像個家了。給咱說說，你是怎么把它布置成這個樣兒?”

Then, while the Rat busied himself fetching plates, and knives and forks, and mustard which he mixed in an egg-cup, the Mole, his bosom still heaving with the stress of his recent emotion, related—somewhat shyly at first, but with more freedom as he warmed to his subject—how this was planned, and how that was thought out, and how this was got through a windfall from an aunt, and that was a wonderful find and a bargain, and this other thing was bought out of laborious savings and a certain amount of ‘going without.’ His spirits finally quite restored, he must needs go and caress his possessions, and take a lamp and show off their points to his visitor and expatiate on them, quite forgetful of the supper they both so much needed; Rat, who was desperately hungry but strove to conceal it, nodding seriously, examining with a puckered brow, and saying, ‘wonderful,’ and ‘most remarkable,’ at intervals, when the chance for an observation was given him.

在河鼠忙著拿盤碟刀叉，往蛋杯里調芥末時，鼴鼠還因為剛才的感情激動而胸膛起伏，他開始給河鼠講起來，起先還有幾分不好意思，后來越講越帶勁，無拘無束了。他告訴他，這個是怎樣設計的，那個是怎樣琢磨出來的，這個是從一位姑媽那兒意外得來的，那個是一項重大發(fā)現(xiàn)，買的便宜貨，而這件東西是靠省吃儉用，辛苦攢錢買來的。說著說著，他的情緒好了起來，不由得用手去撫弄他的那些財物。他提著一盞燈，向客人詳細介紹它們的特點，把他倆都急需的晚飯都給忘到腦后了。河鼠呢，盡管他餓極了，可還強裝作若無其事的樣于，認真地點著頭，皺起眉頭仔細端詳，瞅空子就說“了不起”，“太棒了”。

At last the Rat succeeded in decoying him to the table, and had just got seriously to work with the sardine-opener when sounds were heard from the fore-court without—sounds like the scuffling of small feet in the gravel and a confused murmur of tiny voices, while broken sentences reached them—‘Now, all in a line—hold the lantern up a bit, Tommy—clear your throats first—no coughing after I say one, two, three.—Where’s young Bill?--Here, come on, do, we’re all a-waiting----‘

末了，河鼠終于把他哄回到飯桌旁，正要認真打開沙丁魚罐頭時，庭院里傳來一陣聲響——像是小腳丫兒在沙地上亂跺，還有小嗓門兒七嘴八舌在說話。有些話斷斷續(xù)續(xù)傳到他們耳中——“好，現(xiàn)在大家站成一排——托米，把燈籠舉高點——先清清你們的嗓子——我喊一、二、三以后，就不許再咳嗽——小比爾在哪?快過來，我們都等著吶——”

‘What’s up?’ inquired the Rat, pausing in his labours.

“出什么事啦?”河鼠停下手里的活，問道。

‘I think it must be the field-mice,’ replied the Mole, with a touch of pride in his manner. ‘They go round carol-singing regularly at this time of the year. They’re quite an institution in these parts. And they never pass me over—they come to Mole End last of all; and I used to give them hot drinks, and supper too sometimes, when I could afford it. It will be like old times to hear them again.’

“準是田鼠們來了，“鼴鼠回答說，露出頗為得意的神色。“每年這個時節(jié)，他們照例要上各家串門唱圣誕歌，成了這一帶的一種風尚。他們從不漏過我家——總是最后來到鼴鼠居。我總要請他們喝點熱飲料，要是供得起，還請他們吃頓晚飯。聽到他們唱圣誕歌，就像回到了過去的時光。”

‘Let’s have a look at them!’ cried the Rat, jumping up and running to the door.

“咱們瞧瞧去!”河鼠喊道，他跳起來，向門口跑去。

It was a pretty sight, and a seasonable one, that met their eyes when they flung the door open. In the fore-court, lit by the dim rays of a horn lantern, some eight or ten little fieldmice stood in a semicircle, red worsted comforters round their throats, their fore-paws thrust deep into their pockets, their feet jigging for warmth. With bright beady eyes they glanced shyly at each other, sniggering a little, sniffing and applying coat-sleeves a good deal. As the door opened, one of the elder ones that carried the lantern was just saying, ‘Now then, one, two, three!’ and forthwith their shrill little voices uprose on the air, singing one of the old-time carols that their forefathers composed in fields that were fallow and held by frost, or when snow-bound in chimney corners, and handed down to be sung in the miry street to lamp-lit windows at Yule-time.

他們一下子把門打開，眼前呈現(xiàn)出一幅美麗動人的節(jié)日景象。前庭里，在一盞牛角燈籠的幽光照耀下，八只或十只小田鼠排成半圓形站著，每人脖子上圍著紅色羊毛長圍巾，前爪深深插進衣袋，腳丫子輕輕跺著地面保暖。珠子般的亮眼睛，靦腆地互視了一眼，竊笑了一聲，抽了抽鼻子，又把衣袖拽了好一陣子。大門打開時，那個提燈籠的年紀大些的田鼠喊了聲“預備——一、二、三!”跟著尖細的小嗓就一齊唱了起來，唱的是一首古老的圣誕歌。這首歌，是他們的祖輩們在冰霜覆蓋的休耕地里，或者在大雪封門的爐邊創(chuàng)作的，一代又一代傳了下來。每逢圣誕節(jié)，田鼠們就站在泥濘的街道上，對著燈光明亮的窗子，唱這些圣詩。

CAROL

《圣誕頌歌》

Villagers all, this frosty tide, Let your doors swing open wide, Though wind may follow, and snow beside, Yet draw us in by your fire to bide; Joy shall be yours in the morning!

全村父老鄉(xiāng)親們，在這嚴寒時節(jié)，大開你們的家門，讓我們在你爐邊稍歇，盡管風雪會趁虛而入， 明朝你們將得歡樂!

Here we stand in the cold and the sleet, Blowing fingers and stamping feet, Come from far away you to greet—You by the fire and we in the street—Bidding you joy in the morning!

我們站在冰霜雨雪里，呵著手指，跺著腳跟，遠道而來為你們祝福——你們坐在火旁，我們站在街心—— 祝愿你們明晨快樂!

For ere one half of the night was gone, Sudden a star has led us on, Raining bliss and benison—Bliss to-morrow and more anon, Joy for every morning!

因為午夜前的時光，一顆星星指引我們前行，天降福祉與好運——明朝賜福，常年得福，朝朝歡樂無窮盡!

Goodman Joseph toiled through the snow—Saw the star o’er a stable low; Mary she might not further go—Welcome thatch, and litter below! Joy was hers in the morning!

善人約瑟在雪中跋涉——遙見馬廄上空星一顆;瑪麗亞無須再前行——歡迎啊，茅屋，屋頂下的產床!明晨她將得歡樂!

And then they heard the angels tell ‘Who were the first to cry NOWELL? Animals all, as it befell, In the stable where they did dwell! Joy shall be theirs in the morning!’

于是他們聽到天使說：“首先歡呼圣誕的誰?是所有的動物，因為他們棲身在馬廄，明晨歡樂將屬于他們!”

The voices ceased, the singers, bashful but smiling, exchanged sidelong glances, and silence succeeded—but for a moment only. Then, from up above and far away, down the tunnel they had so lately travelled was borne to their ears in a faint musical hum the sound of distant bells ringing a joyful and clangorous peal.

歌聲停止了，歌手們忸怩地微笑著，相互斜睨一眼，然后是一片寂靜——但只一會兒。接著，由遠遠的地面上，通過他們來時經過的隧道，隱隱傳來嗡嗡的鐘聲，丁丁當當，奏起了一首歡快的樂曲。

‘Very well sung, boys!’ cried the Rat heartily. ‘And now come along in, all of you, and warm yourselves by the fire, and have something hot!’

“唱得太好了，孩子們!”河鼠熱情地喊道。“都進屋來，烤烤火，暖和暖和，吃點熱東西!”

‘Yes, come along, field-mice,’ cried the Mole eagerly. ‘This is quite like old times! Shut the door after you. Pull up that settle to the fire. Now, you just wait a minute, while we—O, Ratty!’ he cried in despair, plumping down on a seat, with tears impending. ‘Whatever are we doing? We’ve nothing to give them!’

“對，田鼠們，快進來，”鼴鼠忙喊道。“跟過去一個樣!關上大門。把那條長凳挪到火邊?，F(xiàn)在，請稍候一下，等我們——唉，鼠兒!”他絕望地喊，頹然坐在椅子上，眼淚都快掉下來了。“咱們都干些什么呀?咱們沒有東西請他們吃!”

‘You leave all that to me,’ said the masterful Rat. ‘Here, you with the lantern! Come over this way. I want to talk to you. Now, tell me, are there any shops open at this hour of the night?’

“這個，就交給我吧，”主人氣派十足的河鼠說。“喂，這位打燈籠的，你過來，我有話問你。告訴我，這個時辰，還有店鋪開門嗎?”

‘Why, certainly, sir,’ replied the field-mouse respectfully. ‘At this time of the year our shops keep open to all sorts of hours.’

“當然，先生，”那只田鼠恭恭敬敬地回答。“每年這個季節(jié)，我們的店鋪晝夜都開門。”

‘Then look here!’ said the Rat. ‘You go off at once, you and your lantern, and you get me----‘

“那好!”河鼠說。“你馬上打著燈籠去，給我買——”

Here much muttered conversation ensued, and the Mole only heard bits of it, such as—‘Fresh, mind!--no, a pound of that will do—see you get Buggins’s, for I won’t have any other—no, only the best—if you can’t get it there, try somewhere else—yes, of course, home-made, no tinned stuff—well then, do the best you can!’ Finally, there was a chink of coin passing from paw to paw, the field-mouse was provided with an ample basket for his purchases, and off he hurried, he and his lantern.

接著他倆又低聲嘀咕了一陣，鼴鼠只零星聽到幾句，什么——“注意，要新鮮的!——不，一磅就夠了——一定要伯金斯的出品，別家的我不要——不，只要最好的——那家要是沒有，試試別家——對，當然是要家制的，不要罐頭——好吧，盡力而為吧!”然后，只聽得一串丁當聲，一把硬幣從一只爪子落進另一只爪子，又遞給田鼠一只購物的大籃子，于是田鼠提著燈籠，飛快地出去了。

The rest of the field-mice, perched in a row on the settle, their small legs swinging, gave themselves up to enjoyment of the fire, and toasted their chilblains till they tingled; while the Mole, failing to draw them into easy conversation, plunged into family history and made each of them recite the names of his numerous brothers, who were too young, it appeared, to be allowed to go out a-carolling this year, but looked forward very shortly to winning the parental consent.

其余的田鼠，在條凳上坐成一排，小腿兒懸掛著，前后擺動，盡情享受爐火的溫暖。他們在火上烤腳上的凍瘡，直烤得刺癢癢的。鼴鼠想引著他們無拘無束地談話，可沒成功，就講起家史來，要他們逐個兒報自己那許多弟弟的名字、看來，他們的弟弟因為年紀還小，今年還不讓出門唱圣誕歌，不過也許不久就能獲得父母的恩準。

The Rat, meanwhile, was busy examining the label on one of the beer-bottles. ‘I perceive this to be Old Burton,’ he remarked approvingly. ‘SENSIBLE Mole! The very thing! Now we shall be able to mull some ale! Get the things ready, Mole, while I draw the corks.’

這時，河鼠在忙著細看啤酒瓶上的商標。“看得出來，這是老伯頓牌的，”他贊許地評論說。“鼴鼠很識貨呀!是地道貨!現(xiàn)在我們可以用它來調熱甜酒了!鼴鼠，準備好家什，我來拔瓶塞。”

It did not take long to prepare the brew and thrust the tin heater well into the red heart of the fire; and soon every field-mouse was sipping and coughing and choking (for a little mulled ale goes a long way) and wiping his eyes and laughing and forgetting he had ever been cold in all his life.

甜酒很快就調好了，于是把盛酒的錫壺深深插進紅紅的火焰里;不一會，每只田鼠都在啜著，咳著，嗆著(因為一點點熱甜酒勁頭就夠大的)，又擦眼淚，又笑，忘記了他們這輩子曾經挨凍來著。

‘They act plays too, these fellows,’ the Mole explained to the Rat. ‘Make them up all by themselves, and act them afterwards. And very well they do it, too! They gave us a capital one last year, about a field-mouse who was captured at sea by a Barbary corsair, and made to row in a galley; and when he escaped and got home again, his lady-love had gone into a convent. Here, YOU! You were in it, I remember. Get up and recite a bit.’

“這些小家伙還會演戲哩，”鼴鼠向河鼠介紹說。“戲全是由他們自編自演的。演得還真棒!去年，他們給我們演了一出精彩的戲，講的是一只田鼠，在海上被北非的海盜船俘虜了，被迫在船艙里劃槳。后來他逃了出來，回到家鄉(xiāng)時，他心愛的姑娘卻進了修道院。喂，你!你參加過演出的，我記得。站起來，給咱們朗誦一段臺詞吧。”

The field-mouse addressed got up on his legs, giggled shyly, looked round the room, and remained absolutely tongue-tied. His comrades cheered him on, Mole coaxed and encouraged him, and the Rat went so far as to take him by the shoulders and shake him; but nothing could overcome his stage-fright. They were all busily engaged on him like watermen applying the Royal Humane Society’s regulations to a case of long submersion, when the latch clicked, the door opened, and the field-mouse with the lantern reappeared, staggering under the weight of his basket.

那只被點名的田鼠站起來，害羞地格格笑著，朝四周掃了一眼，卻張口結舌，一句也念不出。同伴們給他打氣，鼴鼠哄他，鼓勵他，河鼠甚至抓住他的肩膀一個勁搖晃，可什么都不管用，他硬是擺脫不了上場昏。他們圍著他團團轉，就像一幫子水手，按照皇家溺水者營救協(xié)會的規(guī)則，搶救一個長時間溺水的人那樣。這時，門閂卡嗒一聲，門開了，打燈籠的田鼠被沉甸甸的籃子壓得趔趔趄趄，走了進來。

There was no more talk of play-acting once the very real and solid contents of the basket had been tumbled out on the table. Under the generalship of Rat, everybody was set to do something or to fetch something. In a very few minutes supper was ready, and Mole, as he took the head of the table in a sort of a dream, saw a lately barren board set thick with savoury comforts; saw his little friends’ faces brighten and beam as they fell to without delay; and then let himself loose—for he was famished indeed—on the provender so magically provided, thinking what a happy home-coming this had turned out, after all. As they ate, they talked of old times, and the field-mice gave him the local gossip up to date, and answered as well as they could the hundred questions he had to ask them. The Rat said little or nothing, only taking care that each guest had what he wanted, and plenty of it, and that Mole had no trouble or anxiety about anything.

等到籃子里那些實實在在的東西一股腦傾倒在餐桌上時，演戲的事就再也沒人提了。在河鼠的調度下，每只動物都動手去干某件事或取某件東西。不消幾分鐘，晚飯就準備停當。鼴鼠仿佛做夢似的，在餐桌主位坐定，看到剛才還是空蕩蕩的桌面，現(xiàn)在堆滿了美味佳肴，看到他的小朋友們個個喜形于色，迫不及待地狼吞虎咽，他自己也放開肚皮大嚼那些魔術般變出來的食物。他心想，這次回家，想不到結果竟如此圓滿。他們邊吃邊談，說些往事。田鼠們告訴他最近的當?shù)匦侣?，還盡力回答他提出的上百個問題。河鼠很少說話，只關照客人們各得所需，多多享用，好讓鼴鼠一切不必操心。

They clattered off at last, very grateful and showering wishes of the season, with their jacket pockets stuffed with remembrances for the small brothers and sisters at home. When the door had closed on the last of them and the chink of the lanterns had died away, Mole and Rat kicked the fire up, drew their chairs in, brewed themselves a last nightcap of mulled ale, and discussed the events of the long day. At last the Rat, with a tremendous yawn, said, ‘Mole, old chap, I’m ready to drop. Sleepy is simply not the word. That your own bunk over on that side? Very well, then, I’ll take this. What a ripping little house this is! Everything so handy!’

最后，田鼠們卿卿喳喳，一迭連聲地道謝，又祝賀主人節(jié)日愉快，告辭離去了，他們的衣兜里都塞滿了紀念品，那是帶給家里的小弟妹們的。等送走最后一位客人，大門關上，燈籠的叮咚聲漸漸遠去時，鼴鼠和河鼠把爐火撥旺，拉過椅子來，給自己熱好睡前的最后一杯甜酒，就議論起這長長的一天里發(fā)生的事情。末了，河鼠打了個大大的呵欠，說，“鼴鼠，老朋友，我實在累得要死啦。‘瞌睡’這個詞兒遠遠不夠了。你自己的床在那邊是吧?那我就睡這張床了。這小屋真是妙極了!什么都特方便順手!”

He clambered into his bunk and rolled himself well up in the blankets, and slumber gathered him forthwith, as a swathe of barley is folded into the arms of the reaping machine.

河鼠爬進他的床鋪，用毯子把自己緊緊裹住，立刻沉入了夢鄉(xiāng)的懷抱，就像一行大麥落進了收割機的懷抱一樣。

The weary Mole also was glad to turn in without delay, and soon had his head on his pillow, in great joy and contentment. But ere he closed his eyes he let them wander round his old room, mellow in the glow of the firelight that played or rested on familiar and friendly things which had long been unconsciously a part of him, and now smilingly received him back, without rancour. He was now in just the frame of mind that the tactful Rat had quietly worked to bring about in him. He saw clearly how plain and simple—how narrow, even—it all was; but clearly, too, how much it all meant to him, and the special value of some such anchorage in one’s existence. He did not at all want to abandon the new life and its splendid spaces, to turn his back on sun and air and all they offered him and creep home and stay there; the upper world was all too strong, it called to him still, even down there, and he knew he must return to the larger stage. But it was good to think he had this to come back to; this place which was all his own, these things which were so glad to see him again and could always be counted upon for the same simple welcome.

倦乏的鼴鼠也巴不得快點睡覺，馬上就把腦袋倒在枕頭上，覺得非常舒心快意。不過在合眼之前，他還要環(huán)視一下自己的房間。在爐火的照耀下，這房間顯得十分柔和溫煦?；鸸忾W爍，照亮了他所熟悉的友好的物件。這些東西早就不知不覺成了他的一部分，現(xiàn)在都在笑瞇瞇毫無怨言地歡迎他回來。他現(xiàn)在的心境，正是機敏的河鼠不聲不響引他進入的那種狀態(tài)。他清楚地看到，他的家是多么平凡簡陋，多么狹小，可同時也清楚，它們對他有多么重要，在他的一生中，這樣的一種避風港具有多么特殊的意義。他并不打算拋開新的生活和明朗的廣闊天地，不打算離開陽光空氣和它們賜予他的一切歡樂，爬到地下，呆在家里。地面世界的吸引力太強大了，就是在地下，也仍不斷地召喚著他。他知道，他必須回到那個更大的舞臺上去。不過，有這么個地方可以回歸，總是件好事。這地方完全是屬于他的，這些物件見到他總是歡天喜地，不管他什么時候回來，總會受到同樣親切的接待。