《风语河岸柳》第3章 野树林(5)

'I can understand that, 'said the Rat kindly¹. 'You see, Mole², it's really not a good idea to come here alone.

我能理解，水鼠和善地说，你看，鼹鼠，独自来这儿真不是好主意。

We river bankers always come in twos or threes, if we have to come here. Of course, if you're Badger³ or Otter⁴, then there's no problem. '

我们河边动物如果有事非来不可时总是三三两两地来这儿。当然如果是獾或水獭，那就没问题。

'Surely the brave Mr Toad⁵ is happy to come here alone, isn't he?' asked the Mole.

勇敢的癞蛤蟆先生肯定高兴独自来这儿，是不是？鼹鼠问。

'Old Toad?' said the Rat, laughing loudly. 'He doesn't put his nose inside the Wild Wood-much too frightened! '

老蛤蟆？水鼠大声地笑起来，他甚至不敢把他的鼻子伸进野树林—他怕得要死！

The Mole felt a little happier when he heard this, but he was still too tired to start the journey home.

鼹鼠听了这个觉得有点儿开心，但他还是太累而不能启程回家。

So he lay down to sleep under some dry leaves, while the Rat sat next to him, patiently waiting.

于是他躺在一些干叶上睡着了，水鼠坐在他的身边耐心地等待着。

The Mole woke up feeling much better, and ready to leave.

鼹鼠醒来感到好多了，便准备离开这儿。

The Rat put his head out of the entrance of the hole, and then the Mole heard him say, 'Oh dear, oh dear! '

水鼠把头伸出洞口，这时鼹鼠听到水鼠叫到：啊呀，啊呀！

'What's the matter, Ratty?' asked the Mole.

怎么啦，阿鼠？鼹鼠问。

'Snow, 'replied the Rat. 'It's snowing hard.

下雪了，水鼠答道，雪下得可大啦。

But we can't stay here all night-it's too cold, and too dangerous.

但是我们不能在这儿呆一晚上—这太冷，而且很危险。

We'll just have to start walking, and hope. The trouble is, I don't really know where we are, and in the snow everything looks so different. '

我们得马上动身，这样还有些希望。麻烦的是，我真的不知道我们在哪儿，雪天里什么看起来都与往日不同。

It did indeed. The white blanket of snow covered everything, hiding the paths, changing the shapes of the trees and bushes.

的确是变了样。雪像白色的毛毯覆盖了一切，遮了小路，改变了树林和灌木丛的形状。

An hour later, they were wet, cold, aching with tiredness, and had no idea where they were.

一小时以后，他们又湿又冷，累得浑身酸疼，但还是不知道身在何处。

1 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

2 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。

3 badger   

v.一再烦扰，一再要求，纠缠

参考例句：

• Now that our debts are squared.Don't badger me with them any more.我们的债务两清了。从此以后不要再纠缠我了。
• If you badger him long enough,I'm sure he'll agree.只要你天天纠缠他，我相信他会同意。

4 otter   

n.水獭

参考例句：

• The economists say the competition otter to the brink of extinction.经济学家们说，竞争把海獭推到了灭绝的边缘。
• She collared my black wool coat with otter pelts.她把我的黑呢上衣镶上了水獭领。

5 toad   

n.蟾蜍，癞蛤蟆

参考例句：

• Both the toad and frog are amphibian.蟾蜍和青蛙都是两栖动物。
• Many kinds of toad hibernate in winter.许多种蟾蜍在冬天都会冬眠。