牛津書蟲系列 黑駿馬 13 My last home

13 My last home

13 我最后的家

I was sold to a farmer at the horse fair，but it was his young grandson who persuaded him to buy me.

我在馬市上被賣給了一個農(nóng)夫，不過是他的小孫子說服他買我的。

The two of them walked past me and，seeing kindness in the farmer's face， I lifted my head， put my ears forward and tried to look my best.

他們兩個從我身邊走過。看到農(nóng)夫臉上的善意，我抬起頭，把耳朵豎起來，盡量使自己看上去好看一點。

The farmer stopped and looked at me.'There's a horse，Willie， that has known better days，'he said.

農(nóng)夫停下腳看著我。“這兒有一匹馬，威利，他有過好日子，”他說。

'Poor thing!'said the boy.'Do you think he was ever a car-riage horse，grandfather?'

“可憐的馬!”男孩說。“你是說他曾是一匹拉馬車的馬嗎，爺爺?”

'Oh，yes，' said the farmer.'Look at his fine head and the shape of his neck and shoulder.'He reached out a hand and patted me on the neck.I put out my nose in answer to his kindness，and the boy gently put his hand against my face.

“哦，是啊，”農(nóng)夫說。“看他優(yōu)美的頭部和他脖子、肩膀的線條。”他伸手拍拍我的脖子。我伸過鼻子回應(yīng)他的好意，男孩把他的手輕輕地放在我的臉上。

'Look how well he understands kindness，'said the boy.'Won't you buy him，and make him young and strong again?'

“看他多能理解別人的好意，”男孩說。“你為什么不買了他，讓他重新年輕、強壯起來呢?”

The man who was selling me said，'The boy can recognize a good horse，sir.This one isn't old，just tired and thin from too much work.In six months，he'll be fine.'

賣我的人開口了：“這孩子識貨，先生。這馬不老，只是干活太多，才這么又累又瘦。6個月后他就會好的。”

Five pounds changed hands and，soon after，I was taken to my new home.The farmer gave orders for me to have hay and oats every night and morning，and I was let out into a large field in the daytime.Willie，the young boy，was responsible for me， and he came to see me every day， bringing carrots or apples.

5英鎊過了手，很快我就被帶回了新的家。農(nóng)夫讓我每天早晚吃草和燕麥，白天準(zhǔn)我出去到大片田野中。威利，那男孩子，對我很負(fù)責(zé)。他每天來看我，給我?guī)砗}卜或蘋果。

During that winter，the rest，the good food，the soft grass and gentle running and trotting all helped to make me feel quite young again.When the spring came，the farmer tried me with a carriage， and I did the work quite easily.

冬天里，休息和良好的食物;柔軟的草和輕快的小跑都令我重新感到年輕。春天來到的時候，農(nóng)夫試著讓我拉車，我干得相當(dāng)輕松。

'He's growing young，Willie，' he said.'We'll give him some gentle work and look for a good home for him.'

“他越來越年輕了，威利，”他說，“我們會給他些輕活干干，再為他找個好去處。”

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One day during this summer，the groom cleaned and dressed me with special care，and Willie seemed half-worried and half-excited as he got into the carriage with his grandfather.

夏季里的一天，馬夫仔細地給我清洗過，又給我打扮了，威利看上去半喜半憂，和爺爺一起坐進馬車。

'I hope the ladies like him，'said the farmer.

“我希望小姐們喜歡他，”農(nóng)夫說。

A kilometre or two beyond the village，we came to a pretty house，and Willie went to knock on the door.He asked if Miss Blomefield and Miss Ellen were at home.They were，and Willie stayed with me while the farmer went into the house.He came back about ten minutes later with three ladies.They seemed to like me， but one of them， worried by my knees， won-dered if I was safe.

出村一兩公里，我們來到了一棟美麗的房子前面，威利上前去敲門。他問布勞姆菲爾德小姐和愛倫小姐是否在家。她們在，農(nóng)夫就進了屋子，威利則和我呆在一起。10分鐘后農(nóng)夫回來了，還帶著3位小姐。她們看上去很喜歡我，可其中的一個有些擔(dān)心我的膝蓋，拿不準(zhǔn)我是否安全。

'It's true his knees were broken once，'said the farmer，'but we don't know why he fell.It was probably a careless driver，and not the horse's fault at all. He seems very safe to me.If you like him，you can try him for a few weeks，'he went on.'Then your driver will see what he thinks of him.'

“他的膝蓋確實摔壞過一次，”農(nóng)夫說，“我們也不知道他是怎么摔的?？赡苁莻€粗心的車夫，而根本不是這馬的過錯。在我看來，他非常安全。如果你們喜歡他，可以試幾個星期，”他繼續(xù)道，“那樣你們的車夫就能知道他怎么樣了。”

One of the three ladies—a tall， white-faced lady， who held the arm of a younger woman—said，'You have always given us good advice about our horses， so we accept your offer to try him.'

3位小姐之一——一位高高的、臉色白白的小姐——挽著另一位小姐的胳膊說：“你以往總是對我們的馬提出好建議，所以我們就接受你的提議試試他吧。”

The next morning， a young man came for me.He looked pleased until he saw my knees， then he said，'I'm surprised you suggested this horse to my ladies.'

第二天一早，一個年輕人來了。他看上去很愉快，但看到我的膝蓋時，他不太高興，說：“我真驚訝你推薦這匹馬給我的小姐們。”

'You're only taking him to try him，' said the farmer.'If he's not as safe as any horse you ever drove， send him back，young man.'

“你就試試他好了，”農(nóng)夫說，“如果他不如你駕馭過的其他馬安全，就退給我，年輕人。”

I was taken to a comfortable stable， given some food， then left to myself

我被帶到了一個舒適的馬廄，吃了點東西，然后就自己呆著。

The next day， the groom was cleaning my face when he said，'That's just like the star that Black Beauty had on his forehead.I wonder where he is now.'He looked more closely at me.'White star on the forehead，one white foot—and a lit-tle white place on his back!It must be Black Beauty!Beauty!Do you know me?I'm little Joe Green，who almost killed yon!'And he began patting me all over my back.

第二天，馬夫給我洗著臉，說：“他前額上的星記真像黑駿馬。也不知他現(xiàn)在在哪兒。”他更仔細地看看我。“前額上的白星，一只白蹄——背上的一小塊白!一定是黑駿馬!黑駿馬!你還認(rèn)識我嗎?我是小喬·格林，差點兒讓你送命的那個!”他開始拍我的后背。

I could not say I remembered him，as he was now a fine young man with a black moustache and a deep voice.But I was sure he knew me， and that he was Joe Green， and I was very glad.I put my nose up to him and tried to say that we were friends.I never saw a man so pleased.

我沒法兒說我想起了他，因為他現(xiàn)在是個有著黑胡子和深沉嗓音的英俊的小伙子啦。但我肯定他認(rèn)識我，那么他就是喬·格林。我非常高興。我向他抬起鼻子，想說我們是朋友。我還沒見過有誰這么高興過。

That afternoon， I was harnessed to a carriage for Miss Ellen to try me.Joe Green went with her and told her that he was sure I was Mr Gordon's old Black Beauty.

那天下午，我被套上車，讓愛倫小姐試試我。喬·格林和她一起去并告訴她他肯定我是高頓先生以前的黑駿馬。

'I shall write to Mrs Gordon and tell her that her favourite horse has come to us，'said Miss Ellen.'How pleased she will be!'

“我要寫信給高頓夫人，說她心愛的黑駿馬來到了我們身邊。”愛倫小姐說。“她會多么高興啊!”

I have now lived in this happy place a whole year.Joe is the best and kindest of grooms.My work is easy and pleasant，and I feel my strength coming back again.

我現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)在這個快樂的地方生活了整整一年。喬是最好最善良的馬夫。我的工作輕松愉快，我覺得我的力氣又回來了。

The ladies have promised that they will never sell me， and so I have nothing to fear;and here my story ends.My troubles are all over，and I am at home;and often，before I am quite awake，I dream I am still in the field at Birtwick，standing with my old friends under the apple trees.

小姐們保證她們永遠也不會賣掉我，所以我什么也不用怕了;我的故事也就此打祝那些麻煩都過去了，我現(xiàn)在是在家里。經(jīng)常地，在我的睡夢中，我夢見自己還在伯特威克的田野中，和我的老朋友們一起站在蘋果樹下。