《风语河岸柳》第7章 重返蛤蟆宅第(1)

Chapter 7 Return to Toad¹ Hall

第7章 重返蛤蟆宅第

The Rat got hold of Toad's neck, pulled him out of the water, and took him into his hall.

水鼠抓住癞蛤蟆的脖子将他拉出水面，然后把他带回客厅。

'Oh Ratty! ' cried Toad. 'I've done so many wonderful things since I last saw you! The dangers that I've been in!

噢，阿鼠！癞蛤蟆叫道，最后那次见你之后，我做了好多了不起的事！险情层出不穷！

I was put in prison-escaped, of course! Pushed into a canal-swam safely away!

我被投入监狱—逃出来了，当然！被推进了运河—安全游上了岸！

Stole a horse- sold it for a lot of money! Oh, I am a clever Toad, and—'

偷了一匹马—卖了好多钱！噢，我真是聪明的癞蛤蟆，而且—

'Toad, ' said the Water Rat, very seriously, 'stop boasting²!

癞蛤蟆，水鼠很严肃地打断道，不要再吹牛了！

Go, upstairs at once, wash yourself, and put on some of my clothes. I've never seen anything as wet and dirty as you are. '

快上楼，洗洗干净换上我的衣服。我从来没见过谁像你这样又湿又脏的。

Toad went upstairs a little crossly, but he was pleased to get out of the washerwoman's dress.

癞蛤蟆有点温怒地上楼了，但是他还是很乐意脱掉这身洗衣婆的装扮。

He came down very clean and tidy, and ready to tell the Rat all about his adventures-how clever, how brave, how successful he had been.

他一身整洁干净地下楼了，准备告诉水鼠他的冒险经历—他是多么聪明，多么勇敢，多么成功。

The Rat gave him lunch, and listened, unsmiling, while Toad talked and talked and talked.

水鼠给他取来午餐，不苟言笑地听癞蛤蟆在那儿滔滔不绝。

When at last he finished, the Rat looked up.

最后癞蛤蟆结束了，水鼠抬头看着他。

'I have to tell you, Toad, ' he said slowly, 'that I feel ashamed³— yes, ashamed, to have a criminal⁴, an escaped prisoner⁵, for my friend.

我得告诉你，癞蛤蟆，他慢慢地说着，我感到羞耻—是的，羞耻有一位朋友是犯人，一位逃出来的犯人。

Can't you see that none of this is exciting or amusing⁶? '

难道你看不出这一切一点也不有趣，一点也不令人兴奋吗？

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 boasting   

v.有（引以为荣的事物）( boast的现在分词 )；扬言；粗堑石头

参考例句：

• He's always boasting about how clever his children are. 他总是自吹他的小孩是多么聪明。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This chap likes to exaggerate and is good at nothing but boasting. 这个人言过其实，就会吹牛皮放大炮。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 ashamed   

adj.感到惭愧，感到害臊，因为羞耻或勉强作某事

参考例句：

• He is ashamed to show his face at the club.他不好意思在俱乐部露脸。
• You ought to be ashamed of your foolish behaviour.你应当为自己的愚蠢行为而感到羞耻。

4 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。

5 prisoner   

n.俘虏，囚犯，被监禁的人

参考例句：

• The soldier reported that a prisoner was at large.士兵报告说一名囚犯在逃。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

6 amusing   

adj.有有趣的，好玩的

参考例句：

• The girl was amusing herself with a doll.那女孩在玩洋娃娃自娱。
• He related some amusing stories in his childhood to his children.他向孩子们述说了他少年时代的一些趣事。