《风语河岸柳》第4章 与獾先生相遇(2)

Then the Badger¹ said, 'Now then! Tell me the news from your part of the world. How's old Toad² getting on?'

最后獾安慰道，现在好了！告诉我你们那边的消息，老蛤蟆怎么样啦？

'He's going from bad to worse, 'said the Rat sadly. 'He had another crash only last week, and a bad one. You see, he thinks he's a wonderful driver, the best in the world.

他的情况越来越糟糕了，水鼠难过地说，上星期他又撞车了，很严重。你知道，他自己认为他是驾车能手，是世界上最好的。

But he isn't. He's terrible! But he won't take lessons, he won't lis ten to anyone. '

但是他不是，他很差劲！但他不吸取教训，也听不进别人的劝告。

'How many has he had?'the Badger asked.

他已有多少了？獾问。

'Crashes, or motor³-cars?'asked the Rat.

撞车，还是汽车？水鼠问。

'Well, with Toad, it's the same thing.

不过，对于蛤蟆来说是一样的。

This is the seventh car, and the seventh crash.

这是第七辆车，也是第七次撞车。

His garage is full to the roof with bits of broken motor car! '

他的车库里堆满了撞坏的汽车残骸！

'He's been in hospital twice, 'the Mole⁴ added⁵.

他还住了两次医院，鼹鼠补充道。

'The police have arrested him for dangerous driving three or four times. And he's spending so much money! '

因为危险驾车，他被警察抓过三四次，他正在花大把的钱呢！

'That's another problem, 'the Rat went on.

那是另一个问题，水鼠接着说。

'Toad's rich, we all know that; but his money won't last for ever.

癞蛤蟆很富，我们大家都知道；但他不可能永远有钱的。

Sooner or later, one of two things will happen.

迟早总有一件事要发生。

He'll kill himself in a crash, or he'll have no money left at all.

他要么被撞死在车祸中，要么一无所有。

Badger! We're his friends-can't we do something?'

獾！我们是他的朋友——难道我们不能为他做些什么？

The Badger thought for a while. 'You know, don't you, that I can't do anything now?'he said at last.

獾想了一会儿，最后说，你知道的，难道你忘了，我现在什么也干不成吗？

'No, no, of course not, 'the Rat and the Mole said together. Everybody knew that in the animal world the winter was a time for rest and sleep.

不，不，当然不是现在，水鼠和鼹鼠齐声说。每个人都知道，在动物世界里冬季是休息和睡眠的季节，

Nobody wanted to do anything important or tiring.

没有谁想干任何重要或吃力的事情。

1 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。

2 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。

3 motor   

adj.机动的，有引擎的，汽车的；n.发动机，马达，汽车；v.（用引擎）驱动

参考例句：

• A washing machine is run by a small electric motor.洗衣机由一台小电动机驱动。
• The motor usually operates well.这台发动机通常运转良好。

4 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。

5 added   

adj.更多的，附加的，额外的

参考例句：

• They have added a new scene at the beginning.在开头他们又增加了一场戏。
• The pop music added to our enjoyment of the film.片中的流行音乐使我们对这部电影更加喜爱。