《风语河岸柳》第5章 给癞蛤蟆先生的教训(5)

'I don't want you to trouble yourself about me, 'Toad¹ said, in a sad little voice.

我不想因为我而麻烦你，蛤蟆伤心地低声说。

'I was wondering if you would go down to the village and fetch the doctor.

我想你能否下楼去村里找位医生。

But no, it's not important. It's probably too late by now. '

不过算了，这已不重要了。很可能现在已经太迟了。

'Are you feeling ill, Toad? What’s the matter? '

你病啦，癞蛤蟆？怎么啦？

'I don't know… I think my heart… But you mustn't be sad, Ratty.

我不知道……我想我的心……不过你不必伤心，阿鼠。

Dear, kind friend… I have enjoyed knowing you so much… hate to say goodbye…'Toad's whisper² became slower and slower, and then stopped.

亲爱的，善良的朋友……我真高兴跟你这么熟…真不愿对你说再见…蛤蟆低低的声音越来越慢，然后停了。

The Rat felt very worried. Toad lay so still and quiet—perhaps he really was ill.

水鼠非常担心，癞蛤蟆躺在那儿安安静静的，一动不动——也许他真的病了。

The Rat wished that the other two were not so far away.

水鼠希望他们俩没跑得太远，

What should he do? He looked again at the still and silent³ Toad, and decided⁴ that he must get th doctor at once.

他该怎么办？他又看了一眼安静沉默的癞蛤蟆，决定马上去叫医生。

He hurried out, carefully locking the door behind him, and ran off to the village as fast as he could.

他急忙出去小心地锁上了门，然后尽可能快地向村子跑去。

When Toad heard the front door bang⁵, he jumped out of bed, laughing loudly.

当癞蛤蟆听到大厅前门砰地一响，他马上从床上跳下来，大声地笑起来。

He quickly put on his best suit and filled his pockets with money.

他快速地穿上最好的外套并往口袋里塞满了钞票，然后他从床上扯过床单，把它们系在一起。

Then he took the sheets off the bed, tied them together, and in minutes he had climbed down from the bedroom window and was running across the garden to-wards the fields.

几分钟后，他已从卧室的窗户爬了下来，穿过花园向野外跑去。

A few hours later he was a long way from home.

几小时以后，他已离家很远了。

As he walked happily along the road, he felt very pleased with him-self.

他高兴地走在公路上，对自己的行为非常满意。

'A clever piece of work, that was! he boasted⁶ to the trees and the fields.

那真是聪明之举！他对着树木和田野自吹道。

'Poor old Ratty! A good fellow, but not very intelligent. Badger⁷ will be so angry with him! '

可怜的老阿鼠！一个好人，但不太聪明。獾肯定要对他发火的！

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 whisper   

n.耳语，密谈，谣传，飒飒的声音；vi.耳语，密谈，飒飒地响；vt.低声说

参考例句：

• Their voices fell to a whisper.他们的话音低到成了耳语。
• I've heard a whisper that he's going to resign.我听到了一个传闻说他准备辞职。

3 silent   

adj.安静的，不吵闹的，沉默的，无言的；n.(复数)默剧

参考例句：

• Immediately on his beginning to speak,everyone was silent.他一讲话，大家顿时安静下来。
• The boys looked at the conjuror in silent wonder. 孩子们目瞪口呆地看着那魔术师。

4 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

5 bang   

n.巨响，猛击；vi.砰砰作响；vt.砰地敲，猛击

参考例句：

• Pack it up, you kids;or I'll bang your heads together!住手，你们这些小孩，再弄就揍你们！
• She fell and got a nasty bang on the knee.她摔倒了，膝盖猛撞在地上。

6 boasted   

v.有（引以为荣的事物）( boast的过去式和过去分词 )；扬言

参考例句：

• The Victorian Age is often boasted of as an age of progress. 维多利亚时代常常被夸耀为进步时代。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He boasted that he could speak six languages fluently. 他自夸自己能流利地讲6种语言。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 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。