吹小号的天鹅 第99期:比林斯(2)

 "I shall go," he said to his wife. "I shall redeem¹ my honor.

“我马上就走，”他对他的妻子说，“我要去赎回我的名誉。

I shall return to Billings, the scene of my crime--a great city, teeming² with life--"

我要回到比林斯，回到我的犯罪现场--一个很大的城市，充满了生机--”

"We've heard that before," remarked his wife.

“这话我们早就听过了，”他的妻子提醒道，

"Just take the money and the note and beat it for Billings as fast as you can go.

“带着钱和便条尽快往比林斯扑扇你的翅膀就够了。

And when you get there, for heavens' sakes be careful!

你到那里时一定要小心点，看在老天的份上！

The owner of that music store has a gun.

那个乐器店的店主有枪。

He will remember that the last time he saw a swan coming at him he got robbed.

他会想起眼瞅着一只扑向他的天鹅把他抢了的那一次的。

So watch yourself! You're on a dangerous mission."

所以你千万要当心！你执行的可是一项危险的任务。”

吹小号的天鹅

"Danger!" said the old cob. "Danger! I welcome danger and adventure.

“危险！”老雄天鹅说，“危险！我愿意接受危险和冒险的挑战。

Danger is my middle name. I would risk my life to redeem my honor and recapture my sense of decency³.

危险是我的第二个名字。为了赎回我的名誉，为了寻回我那品行端正的感觉，我情愿拿我的生命冒险。

I shall pay my debt and blot⁴ out the foul⁵ mark that sullies my good name.

我要付清我的债务，洗去辱没了我的美名的污点。

I shall rid myself forever of the shame that comes from thievery and wrongdoing. I shall--"

我要让自己永远不再蒙受偷盗和犯罪的耻辱。我要--”

"If you don't stop talking," said his wife, "you won't get to Billings before the stores close."

“如果你再不住口的话，”他的妻子说，“你在商店关门之前绝飞不到比林斯。”

"You are right, as usual," replied the cob. He adjusted the moneybag and the slate⁶ for flight.

“你说得对，像往常一样，”雄天鹅回答。他摆正钱袋和石板的位置，准备起飞。

Then he took off into the air and headed toward the northeast, flying fast and high.

接着他飞到空中，又快又高地朝东北方向飞去。

His wife and son watched him until he faded from view.

他的妻子和儿子目送着他，直到他从视野中消失为止。

"What a swan!" said his wife. "You have a good father, Louis.

“一只多棒的天鹅！”他的妻子说，“你有个好爸爸，路易斯。

I hope nothing happens to him. To tell you the truth, I'm worried."

我希望他不会出什么事。实话告诉你吧，我真的很担心。”

The old cob flew fast and far.

雄天鹅飞得又快又远。

When he spied the churches and factories and shops and homes of Billings, he circled once,

当他瞥见比林斯的教堂，工厂，商店和住宅时，便兜了一圈儿，

then began his downward glide--straight for the music store.

然后才开始向下滑翔--直奔那家乐器店。

"My hour has come," he said to himself.

“我的时刻到来了，”他自语，

"My moment of truth is at hand.

“这是我的诚实即将得到证实的时刻。

I shall soon be out of debt,

我马上就会无债一身轻，

out from under the cloud of shame and dishonor that has cast a shadow over my life for lo these many months."

远离羞愧和耻辱在这些月里投射到我生命里的阴云了。”

1 redeem   

v.买回，赎回，挽回，恢复，履行（诺言等）

参考例句：

• He had no way to redeem his furniture out of pawn.他无法赎回典当的家具。
• The eyes redeem the face from ugliness.这双眼睛弥补了他其貌不扬之缺陷。

2 teeming   

adj.丰富的v.充满( teem的现在分词 )；到处都是；（指水、雨等）暴降；倾注

参考例句：

• The rain was teeming down. 大雨倾盆而下。
• the teeming streets of the city 熙熙攘攘的城市街道

3 decency   

n.体面，得体，合宜，正派，庄重

参考例句：

• His sense of decency and fair play made him refuse the offer.他的正直感和公平竞争意识使他拒绝了这一提议。
• Your behaviour is an affront to public decency.你的行为有伤风化。

4 blot   

vt.弄脏（用吸墨纸）吸干；n.污点，污渍

参考例句：

• That new factory is a blot on the landscape.那新建的工厂破坏了此地的景色。
• The crime he committed is a blot on his record.他犯的罪是他的履历中的一个污点。

5 foul   

adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规

参考例句：

• Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
• What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！

6 slate   

n.板岩，石板，石片，石板色，候选人名单；adj.暗蓝灰色的，含板岩的；vt.用石板覆盖，痛打，提名，预订

参考例句：

• The nominating committee laid its slate before the board.提名委员会把候选人名单提交全体委员会讨论。
• What kind of job uses stained wood and slate? 什么工作会接触木头污浊和石板呢？