吹小號的天鵝 第28期:求學生涯(2)

"I'm lucky," he thought. "It's Sam."

“我太幸運了，”他想，“那正是薩姆。”

When Sam saw the swan, he laid down his ax andstood perfectly still.

薩姆一看到這只天鵝，就放下了他的斧子，一動不動地站在那里。

Louis walked up timidly, then reached down anduntied Sam's shoelace.

路易斯壯著膽子走上前去，低下頭去解薩姆的鞋帶。

"Hello!" said Sam in a friendly voice.

“你好!”薩姆用友好的口氣說。

Louis tried to say ko-hoh, but not a sound came from his throat.

路易斯想試著說吭—嗬，可他的喉嚨里卻發(fā)不出一點聲音。

"I know you," said Sam. "You're the one that never said anything and used to pull myshoelaces."

“我認識你，”薩姆說，“你是那只從不說一句話，卻喜歡拉我鞋帶的天鵝。”

Louis nodded.

路易斯點點頭。

"I'm glad to see you," said Sam. "What can I do for you?"

“見到你很高興，”薩姆說，“我能為你做些什么?”

Louis just stared straight ahead."Are you hungry?" asked Sam.Louis shook hishead."Thirsty?"Louis shook his head.

“路易斯只是直盯著前方。“你餓了嗎?”薩姆問。路易斯搖搖頭。“渴了?”路易斯又搖搖頭。

"Do you want to stay overnight with us, here at the ranch?" asked Sam.Louis nodded his headand jumped up and down.

“你想和我們一起，在這個農場過夜?”薩姆問。路易斯點點頭，蹦了一下。

"OK." said Sam. "We have plenty of room. It's just a question of getting my father'spermission."

“OK，”薩姆說，“我們有足夠的臥室。只要得到我爸爸的允許就可以了。”

Sam picked up his ax, laid a stick of wood on the chopping block, and split the stick neatlydown the middle.

薩姆拾起了他的斧子，把一根木頭放到砧板上，將其齊齊地從中間劈作兩半。

He looked at Louis."There's something wrong with your voice, isn't there?" he asked.

他看著路易斯。“你的嗓子出了毛病，對不對?”他問。

Louis nodded, pumping his neck up and down hard. He knew Sam was his friend, although hedidn't know that Sam had once saved his mother's life.

路易斯點點頭，使勁地上下晃動著脖子。他知道薩姆是他的朋友，卻不知道薩姆曾救過他媽媽的命。

In a few minutes Mr. Beaver rode into the yard on a cow pony. He got off and tied his pony toa rail.

幾分鐘后比弗先生騎著一匹牧牛馬進了院子。他下了馬，把他的馬栓到一根木樁上。

"What have you got there?" he asked Sam.

“你得到什么啦?”他問薩姆。

"It's a young Trumpeter Swan," said Sam. "He's only a few months old. Will you let me keephim a while?"

“這是一只小號手天鵝，”薩姆說，“他只有幾個月大。你能讓我留他在這里呆一會兒嗎?”

"Well," said Mr. Beaver, "I think it's against the law to hold one of these wild birds in captivity.

“嗯，”比弗先生說，“我想私養(yǎng)一只這種野禽是違法的。

But I'll phone the game warden and see what he says. If he says yes, you can keep him."

不過我可以打電話問問狩獵法執(zhí)行官，看他怎么說。如果他說行，你就可以留著他了。”

"Tell the warden the swan has something the matter with him," called Sam as his father startedtoward the house.

“告訴執(zhí)法官這只天鵝有點兒毛病，”當他的父親開始進屋時薩姆說。

"What's wrong with him?" asked his father.

“他怎么了?”他的父親問。

"He has a speech problem," replied Sam. "Something's wrong with his throat."

“他有發(fā)聲障礙，”薩姆說，“他的嗓子出了毛病。”

"What are you talking about? Who ever heard of a swan with a speech problem?"

“你在說什么呀?誰聽說過一只天鵝會有發(fā)聲障礙?”

"Well," said Sam, "this is a Trumpeter Swan that can't trumpet. He's defective. He can't makea sound."

“哦，”薩姆說，“這是一只不能吹號的號手天鵝。他是有缺陷的。他不能發(fā)聲。”