《风语河岸柳》第3章 野树林(4)

All this time the Rat, warm and comfortable, was sleeping in front of his fire. When he woke up, he looked round for his friend, but the Mole¹ was not there.

这段时间里，水鼠正舒服地睡在暖暖的火炉前。当他醒来，看看四周，没有看到他的朋友。

He called out' Moly! 'several times, and when he heard no answer, he got up and went out into the hall.

他叫了几声阿鼹！，没有回答，他便站了起来，走进客厅。

The Mole's hat was missing², and so were his boots.

鼹鼠的帽子不见了，靴子也不在。

The Rat left the house and looked around.

水鼠走出屋子，四处看了看。

The ground was soft from rain, and he could see clearly which way the Mole had gone-straight towards the Wild wood.

雨后的地面很松软，他能清楚地看见鼹鼠所走的路线—直指野树林。

The Rat stood thinking for a moment, looking very serious.

水鼠显得非常严肃，站在那儿想了一会儿。

Then he went back into the house, took a gun and a thick heavy stick, and hurried away across the fields.

然后他转身回到屋里，取了一杆枪和一根粗重的木棍，穿过田野向树林奔去。

Inside the wood it was nearly dark, and the whistling³ and the pattering began almost at once.

树林里几乎漆黑一片，哨声和啪嗒声几乎是同时开始。

But when the faces in the holes saw the Rat's gun and his thick heavy stick, they disappeared immediately, and everything became still and quiet.

但是当洞里的脸看见水鼠手中的枪和粗棍时，便马上消失了，一切又恢复了平静。

Patiently, the Rat began to search the wood from end to end, calling all the time, 'Moly, Moly! Where are you? It's me-it's old Rat! '

水鼠开始耐心地在树林里搜寻，并一直叫着：阿鼹，阿鼹！你在哪里？是我—我是老阿鼠！

At last, to his great happiness, he heard a little answering cry, and soon he found the Mole in his hiding-place in the tree.

最后他非常非常高兴地听到了低低的带有哭腔的回答声，很快他便在树底里找到了鼹鼠的藏身处。

'Oh, Ratty! 'cried the Mole. 'I'm so pleased to see you! I've been so frightened, I can't tell you! '

噢，阿鼠！鼹鼠哭叫着，我真高兴见到你！我好害怕，我都不知该怎么说！

1 mole   

n.胎块；痣；克分子

参考例句：

• She had a tiny mole on her cheek.她的面颊上有一颗小黑痣。
• The young girl felt very self- conscious about the large mole on her chin.那位年轻姑娘对自己下巴上的一颗大痣感到很不自在。

2 missing   

adj.遗失的，缺少的，失踪的

参考例句：

• Check the tools and see if anything is missing.检点一下工具，看有无丢失。
• All the others are here;he's the only one missing.别人都来了，就短他一个。

3 whistling   

n.吹笛，吹口哨，啸声v.吹口哨( whistle的现在分词 )；鸣笛；呼啸着前进；空指望

参考例句：

• The bomb exploded, sending shrapnel whistling through the trees. 炸弹爆炸了，弹片呼啸着穿过树林。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He came home for dinner whistling cheerfully. 他欢快地吹着口哨回家吃饭。 来自《简明英汉词典》