第九章 小号

As the cob flew toward Billings on his powerful white wings,

在雄天鹅拍打着他那双有力的白翅膀往比林斯飞的路上，

all sorts of troublesome thoughts whirled in his head.

各种各样的烦恼把他的脑子搅得一团糟。

The cob had never gone looking for a trumpet before.

雄天鹅以前从没去找过小号。

He had no money to pay for a trumpet.

他也根本没钱去买小号。

He feared he might arrive after the shops had closed for the day.

他还怕当他飞到的时候商店都关门了。

He realized that in the whole continent of North America

他知道自己无疑是整个北美洲里

he was undoubtedly the only Trumpeter Swan who was on his way to a city to get a trumpet.

唯一的一只飞到城里找一把小号的号手天鹅。

"This is a queer adventure," he said to himself.

“这是一次奇特的冒险，”他自语，

"Yet it is a noble quest.

“然而却是一次伟大的探寻。

I will do anything to help my son Louis --even if I run into real trouble."

我要不惜一切地帮助我的儿子路易斯——哪怕我闯到真正的麻烦中去。”

Toward the end of the afternoon,

将近傍晚的时候，

the cob looked ahead and in the distance saw the churches and factories and shops and homes of Billings.

雄天鹅向前望去，远远地看见了比林斯的教堂，工厂，商店，还有住宅。

He decided to act quickly and boldly.

他决定要迅速果敢地采取行动。

He circled the city once, looking for a music store.

他绕着城市兜了一圈儿，搜寻着乐器店的位置。

Suddenly he spied one.

突然，他发现了一个。

It had a very big, wide window, solid glass.

那家商店很大，橱窗很宽，上面的玻璃也很厚。

The cob flew lower and circled so he could get a better look.

雄天鹅飞低了，在空中盘旋着想看得更清楚一些。

He gazed into the store.

他往商店里看。

He saw a drum painted gold.

他看到了一面金色的鼓。

He saw a fancy guitar with an electric cord.

他看到了一把带着电线的漂亮的吉它。

He saw a small piano. He saw banjos, horns, violins, mandolins, cymbals, saxophones, marimbaphones, cellos, and many other instruments.

他看到了一架小钢琴。他看到了班卓琴，喇叭，小提琴，曼陀林，铙钹，萨克斯，木琴，大提琴，还有很多的其他乐器。

Then he saw what he wanted: he saw a brass trumpet hanging by a red cord.

最后他看到他想要的了：他看到了一把用红绳子挂在那里的铜制小号。

"Now is my time to act!" he said to himself.

“现在是我行动的时候了！”他自语，

"Now is my moment for risking everything on one bold move,

“现在是我大胆冒险的时候了，

however shocking it may be to my sensibilities,

不管这会对我的感情造成什么样的打击，

however offensive it may be to the laws that govern the lives of men.

不管这会怎样的冒犯了支配着人类生活的法律。

Here I go! May good luck go with me!"

我来了！但愿好运气能在我这边！”

With that, the old cob set his wings for a dive.

这么想着，老雄天鹅张开他的双翅准备俯冲。

He aimed straight at the big window.

他瞄准了那个大橱窗。

He held his neck straight and stiff, waiting for the crash.

他把脖子伸直，绷得紧紧的，等着听那些哗啦声。

He dove swiftly and hit the window going full speed.

他迅猛地俯冲下来，对那个橱窗发起了全速的猛攻。

The glass broke.

玻璃碎了。

The noise was terrific.

响声极其恐怖。

The whole store shook.

整个店都被震动了。

Musical instruments fell to the floor.

乐器们全都落到地板上了。

Glass flew everywhere.

玻璃碎片飞得到处都是。

A salesgirl fainted.

一个女店员昏了过去。

The cob felt a twinge of pain as a jagged piece of broken glass cut into his shoulder,

雄天鹅感到一阵刺痛，因为有片碎玻璃割伤了他的肩膀，

but he grabbed the trumpet in his beak,

可他还是用嘴叼起那把小号，

turned sharply in the air,

在空中急急地打了一个旋儿，

flew back through the hole in the window, and began climbing fast over the roofs of Billings.

从那个橱窗大洞飞了出去，开始疾速地向比林斯的那些屋顶上空爬升。

A few drops of blood fell to the ground below.

几滴鲜血落到了下面的大地上。

His shoulder hurt.

他的肩膀受伤了。

But he had succeeded in getting what he had come for.

可他成功地拿到了他要来找的东西。

Held firmly in his bill, its red cord dangling, was a beautiful brass trumpet.

他的嘴上牢牢叼着的，那个在红绳子上晃来荡去的东西，正是一把美丽的铜制小号。