双语有声阅读：狗归原主

Finders Keepers

 

When my daughters reached the third and fourth grades，I occasionally allowed them to walk to and from school alone，if the weather permitted．It was a short distance，so I knew they were safe and no trouble would befall them．

 

One warm spring day，a small friend followed them home after school．This friend was different from any other friend they had brought home．She had short stumpy legs and long floppy¹ ears，with a fawn－colored coat and tiny freckles² sprinkled across her muzzle³．She was the cutest puppy⁴ I had ever seen．

 

When my husband got home that evening，he recognized the breed――a beagle puppy，not more than twelve weeks old，he guessed．She took to him right away and after dinner climbed into his lap to watch TV．By now the girls were both begging me to keep her．

 

She had no collar or identifying marks of any sort．I didn’t know what to do．I thought about running an ad in the lost－and－found but I really didn’t want to．It would break the kids’ hearts if someone should show up．Besides，her owners should have watched her more closely，I rationalized．

 

By the end of the week she was part of our family．She was very intelligent and good with the girls．This was a good idea，I thought．It was time the girls took responsibility for another life，so they would learn the nurturing⁵ skills they’d need if they decided⁶ to become mommies when they grew up．

 

The following week something told me to check the lost－and－found section in the local paper．One particular ad jumped out at me and my heart pounded with fear at what I read．Someone was pleading⁷ for the return of a lost beagle puppy in the vicinity⁸ of our grade school．They sounded desperate．My hand shook．I couldn’ t bring myself to pick up the phone．

 

Instead，I pretended I hadn’t seen the ad．I quickly tucked⁹ the paper away in the closet and continued with my dusting．I never said a word about it to the kids or my husband．

 

By now we had named the puppy．She looked like a Molly，so that was what we called her．She followed the girls everywhere they went．When they went outside，she was one step behind them．When they did chores，she was there to lend a hand（or should I say，paw）．

 

Homework proved a challenge with her around．More than once the teacher was given a homework page that the dog had chewed on．Each teacher was understanding and the girls were allowed to make it up．Life was definitely not the same at the Campbell household．

 

There was only one problem with this otherwise perfect picture：my conscience was bothering me．I knew in my heart I had to call that number and see if our Molly was the puppy they were desperately¹⁰ seeking．

 

It was the most difficult thing I‘ve ever done．Finally，with sweaty palms，I lifted the receiver and dialed．Secretly I was praying no one would answer，but someone did．The voice on the other end was that of a young woman．After describing the dog to her in detail，she wanted to come right over．

 

狗归原主

 

我的女儿们上三四年级的时候，如果天气好的话，我偶尔允许她们自己走着上下学。路不远，所以我想他们不会出事。

 

一个温暖的春日，放学后，有个小朋友跟着她们回了家。这位朋友跟她们带回家的任何其他朋友不一样，她有粗短的腿，松软下垂的长耳朵，长着浅黄褐色的毛，嘴上有小斑点。我从来没见过这么可爱的小狗。

那天晚上我丈夫回到家，辨认出它是条长耳短腿小猎犬，猜想它不超过３个月大。那狗对我丈夫“一见钟情”，晚饭后就爬上他的大腿，待在那儿看电视。这个时候两个女儿都哀求我把它留下。

 

那狗没有脖圈，也没有任何有关狗主的标志。我不知道该怎么办。我想到在失物招领栏上登个广告，可我又实在不愿那么做。如果有人来认领，会伤透孩子们的心。我还自我辩解地想，狗主本应该照管好它。

 

到了周末，那狗已成了我们家的一员了。它很有灵性，跟两个女孩子关系融洽。我自忖，这倒是个好主意。她们已到了为别的生命承担责任的年龄了；如果她们长大了决定要有自己的孩子，现在倒可以学学抚育幼婴的技巧。

 

第二个星期，不知怎么地我想到应该看看当地报纸上失物招领栏的广告。一条独特的广告跃入我的眼帘，提心吊胆地读着广告的内容，我的心怦怦直跳。有人央求归还在学校附近走失的一条长耳短腿小猎犬。广告词表达了原主急切的心情。我的手直发颤。我没有勇气拿起电话。

 

电话非但没打，我还假装没读到过这条广告。我赶紧把报纸塞在壁橱里，接着掸灰收拾屋子。我对丈夫和两个孩子只字未提这件事。

 

我们已经给小狗起了名字，它长得像一个叫莫利的人，于是我们就管它叫莫利。它和两个女孩子形影不离。她们出去，莫利就跟在后面差一步远。她们干家务活，它就助“一爪”之力。

 

有它在旁边，做作业就得随时防着点。不止一次，交给老师的作业纸给小狗啃过。老师们都能理解，允许孩子们补交。我们家的生活明显发生了很大变化。

 

一切都很美好，就是有一个问题：我的良心在谴责着我。我明明知道我应该拨打那个电话，查明我们的莫利是不是他们拼命在找寻的小狗。

 

打这个电话是我有生以来所做的最困难的事。终于我用发汗的手拿起话筒拨了那个号。我暗暗祈祷没有人接，但是电话还是通了。对方是个年轻妇女的声音。我详细描述了狗的情况，她表示想立刻来我家。

1 floppy   

adj.松软的，衰弱的

参考例句：

• She was wearing a big floppy hat.她戴了顶松软的大帽子。
• Can you copy those files onto this floppy disk?你能把那些文件复制到这张软盘上吗？

2 freckles   

n.雀斑，斑点( freckle的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She had a wonderful clear skin with an attractive sprinkling of freckles. 她光滑的皮肤上有几处可爱的小雀斑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• When she lies in the sun, her face gets covered in freckles. 她躺在阳光下时，脸上布满了斑点。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 muzzle   

n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默

参考例句：

• He placed the muzzle of the pistol between his teeth.他把手枪的枪口放在牙齿中间。
• The President wanted to muzzle the press.总统企图遏制新闻自由。

4 puppy   

n.小狗，幼犬

参考例句：

• You must school your puppy to obey you.你要训练你的小狗服从你。
• Their lively puppy frisks all over the house.他们的小狗在屋里到处欢快地蹦跳。

5 nurturing   

养育( nurture的现在分词 )； 培育； 滋长； 助长

参考例句：

• These delicate plants need careful nurturing. 这些幼嫩的植物需要精心培育。
• The modern conservatory is not an environment for nurturing plants. 这个现代化温室的环境不适合培育植物。

6 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。

7 pleading   

n.恳求

参考例句：

• She went down on her knees, pleading for mercy. 她双膝跪下，乞求谅解。
• His pleading melted her. 他的乞求软化了她。

8 vicinity   

n.邻近，附近地区

参考例句：

• He told us there was no hotel in the vicinity.他告诉我们说附近没有旅馆。
• There's a factory in the vicinity of the school.学校邻近有个工厂。

9 tucked   

塞进( tuck的过去式和过去分词 )； 翻折； 盖住； 卷起

参考例句：

• She tucked up her skirt and waded into the river. 她撩起裙子蹚水走进河里。
• She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears. 她把一缕散发夹到了耳后。

10 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。