吹小号的天鹅 第28期:求学生涯(2)

"I'm lucky," he thought. "It's Sam."

“我太幸运了，”他想，“那正是萨姆。”

When Sam saw the swan, he laid down his ax andstood perfectly still.

萨姆一看到这只天鹅，就放下了他的斧子，一动不动地站在那里。

Louis walked up timidly, then reached down anduntied Sam's shoelace.

路易斯壮着胆子走上前去，低下头去解萨姆的鞋带。

"Hello!" said Sam in a friendly voice.

“你好!”萨姆用友好的口气说。

Louis tried to say ko-hoh, but not a sound came from his throat.

路易斯想试着说吭—嗬，可他的喉咙里却发不出一点声音。

"I know you," said Sam. "You're the one that never said anything and used to pull myshoelaces."

“我认识你，”萨姆说，“你是那只从不说一句话，却喜欢拉我鞋带的天鹅。”

Louis nodded.

路易斯点点头。

"I'm glad to see you," said Sam. "What can I do for you?"

“见到你很高兴，”萨姆说，“我能为你做些什么?”

Louis just stared straight ahead."Are you hungry?" asked Sam.Louis shook hishead."Thirsty?"Louis shook his head.

“路易斯只是直盯着前方。“你饿了吗?”萨姆问。路易斯摇摇头。“渴了?”路易斯又摇摇头。

"Do you want to stay overnight with us, here at the ranch?" asked Sam.Louis nodded his headand jumped up and down.

“你想和我们一起，在这个农场过夜?”萨姆问。路易斯点点头，蹦了一下。

"OK." said Sam. "We have plenty of room. It's just a question of getting my father'spermission."

“OK，”萨姆说，“我们有足够的卧室。只要得到我爸爸的允许就可以了。”

Sam picked up his ax, laid a stick of wood on the chopping block, and split the stick neatlydown the middle.

萨姆拾起了他的斧子，把一根木头放到砧板上，将其齐齐地从中间劈作两半。

He looked at Louis."There's something wrong with your voice, isn't there?" he asked.

他看着路易斯。“你的嗓子出了毛病，对不对?”他问。

Louis nodded, pumping his neck up and down hard. He knew Sam was his friend, although hedidn't know that Sam had once saved his mother's life.

路易斯点点头，使劲地上下晃动着脖子。他知道萨姆是他的朋友，却不知道萨姆曾救过他妈妈的命。

In a few minutes Mr. Beaver rode into the yard on a cow pony. He got off and tied his pony toa rail.

几分钟后比弗先生骑着一匹牧牛马进了院子。他下了马，把他的马栓到一根木桩上。

"What have you got there?" he asked Sam.

“你得到什么啦?”他问萨姆。

"It's a young Trumpeter Swan," said Sam. "He's only a few months old. Will you let me keephim a while?"

“这是一只小号手天鹅，”萨姆说，“他只有几个月大。你能让我留他在这里呆一会儿吗?”

"Well," said Mr. Beaver, "I think it's against the law to hold one of these wild birds in captivity.

“嗯，”比弗先生说，“我想私养一只这种野禽是违法的。

But I'll phone the game warden and see what he says. If he says yes, you can keep him."

不过我可以打电话问问狩猎法执行官，看他怎么说。如果他说行，你就可以留着他了。”

"Tell the warden the swan has something the matter with him," called Sam as his father startedtoward the house.

“告诉执法官这只天鹅有点儿毛病，”当他的父亲开始进屋时萨姆说。

"What's wrong with him?" asked his father.

“他怎么了?”他的父亲问。

"He has a speech problem," replied Sam. "Something's wrong with his throat."

“他有发声障碍，”萨姆说，“他的嗓子出了毛病。”

"What are you talking about? Who ever heard of a swan with a speech problem?"

“你在说什么呀?谁听说过一只天鹅会有发声障碍?”

"Well," said Sam, "this is a Trumpeter Swan that can't trumpet. He's defective. He can't makea sound."

“哦，”萨姆说，“这是一只不能吹号的号手天鹅。他是有缺陷的。他不能发声。”