《风语河岸柳》第5章 给癞蛤蟆先生的教训(4)

So Toad¹, fighting and shouting, was pulled upstairs by his two friends.

癞蛤蟆又打又叫，但还是被他俩朋友拉上了楼。

'It's for your own good, Toady², you know, 'said the Rat kindly³.

这是为你好，蛤蟆兄，你知道，水鼠和善地说。当这种—这种疯狂过去时，

'We'll all have good times together again soon, when this—this madness has passed.'

我们又可以一起享受美好时光了。

'We'll take good care of you, Toad, 'added the Mole⁴.'No more trouble with the police.

我们会好好照顾你的，蛤蟆，鼹鼠接着说。你不再会给警察找麻烦，不会再撞车，

No more crashes, and weeks in hospital, '

不再会几星期呆在医院了。

Then began a very tiring few weeks for the three friends. Day and night they guarded Toad, and one of them was always with him.

接下来三个朋友开始了几星期的辛苦行动。

They talked to him and tried to amuse him, hoping that he would forget his motor-car madness.

他们日夜看管着癞蛤蟆，并且总有一个人和他在一起。他们和他聊天，想方设法逗他开心，希望他会忘记他那驾车狂热。

But Toad did not seem to get better.

但是癞蛤蟆似乎并没有变好。

He often put the bed-room chairs together to look like a motor-car.

他时常把卧室里的椅子摆成汽车状，

Then he sat in the front one and pretended to drive, making terrible engine noises all the time.

然后他坐在前面的椅子上假装开车，还不停地发出刺耳的引擎声。

His friends tried to interest him in other things, but Toad just became sad and silent.

当他的朋友试着用别的事情以引起他的兴趣时，他却只是在那儿一言不发，显得很伤感。

One day the Rat was the guard for the morning. He went upstairs and found Toad still in bed, 'How are you today, old fellow?'he asked brightly.

一天早上，轮到水鼠看管癞蛤蟆。他走上楼看见癞蛤蟆仍躺在床上，便轻快地问：今天怎么样，老伙计？

A sad whisper came from me bed, 'Thank you so much, dear Ratty! But how are you, and the excellent Mole, and dear old Badger⁵?'

从床上传来伤感的低低的回答声：非常感谢你，亲爱的阿鼠！不过你怎么样，还有极好的鼹鼠和亲爱的老獾？

'Fine, fine, 'replied the Rat. 'Badger and Mole, 'he added, perhaps not very sensibly, 'have gone out for a run round.

好，都好，水鼠答道。獾和鼹鼠，他也许不很明智地又补充说，已出去跑步了，

They'll be out until lunch-time, so you and I will spend a pleasant morning together. '

他们要到中饭时间才回来，所以就你和我将一起度过这个愉快的早上。

1 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。

2 toady   

v.奉承；n.谄媚者，马屁精

参考例句：

• He flung it in my teeth that I was a toady.他责备我是个马屁精。
• Arrogance has no defense against a toady.傲慢防不了谄媚者。

3 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。

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 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。