《风语河岸柳》第6章 癞蛤蟆地冒险经历(5)

If there's a need the world to save,

如果世界需要人拯救，

Then send for Mr Toad¹!

那么去找蛤蟆先生！

There's none so clever, none so brave,

没有谁如此聪明，如此勇敢，

As famous Mr Toad!

像著名的蛤蟆先生！

There was a lot more of it, and it got more and more boastful as it went on.

还有许多诸如此类的歌词，反正是吹得越来越离谱。

He came to a road and began to walk along it, hoping for an-other free ride.

他上了公路并沿着路向前走，希望再次搭个便车。

After a time he saw a small cloud of dust coming up the road behind him, and he heard the noise, that beautiful noise, of a motor-car.

过不多久，他看见身后有一团尘雾卷来，而且还听到了那种声音，那种美妙的引擎之声。

He stood in the middle of the road and when the car saw him, it began to slow down.

他站在公路中间，司机看见他便开始减速。

And then a terrible thing happened. Toad recognized the car and the people in it. And what is worse, the people recognized Toad.

然后一件可怕的事发生了。癞蛤蟆认出了汽车和车里的人。更糟糕的是，这些人也认出了他。

'It's the car thief! 'they shouted. 'The criminal² who has escaped from prison! Stop him! Catch him! '

那是汽车盗贼！他们叫道，是刚从监狱里逃出来的犯人！截住他！抓住他！

Toad turned and ran.

癞蛤蟆转身就跑。

He picked up his skirts and ran faster than he had ever run in his life.

他提着裙摆以他一生中最快的速度向前跑。

But the people from the car were now running after him, shouting and screaming at him to stop.

但是车上的人穷追不舍，在他身后喊着叫着喝令他站住。

They chased⁴ him through a wood, across fields, up a hill, and down into a valley.

他们追着他跑过树林，穿过田野，越过山峦，又追进了山谷。

Once Toad looked back and saw that two policemen had joined the chase³.

有次癞蛤蟆回头瞥了一眼，看见又有两名警察加入这次追捕。

He tried to run even faster, but he was a fat animal and his legs were short, and the people were catching⁵ up with him.

他想跑得更快些，但是可怜他身材矮胖双腿短小，根本无法甩开他们 。

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 criminal   

n.罪犯，犯人，刑事；adj.犯了罪的，罪的，有罪的

参考例句：

• He is a habitual criminal.他是一个惯犯。
• We captured the criminal.我们捕获了那个犯人。

3 chase   

vt.追逐，追赶，追求；n.追赶

参考例句：

• The police grabbed the robbers after a long chase.警察经过长距离追赶后逮住了抢劫犯。
• Would you chase me if I did?如果我逃开了，你会来追吗？

4 chased   

vt.追捕（chase的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The boy chased his sister in and out among the bushes. 那个男孩在灌木丛里跟着他姐姐追过来追过去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The enemy chased the decoys down to the place of ambush. 敌人将诱骗者一直追到伏兵所在地。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。