柳林風聲：The Reture of Ulysses 榮歸故里

When it began to grow dark, the Rat, with an air of excitement and mystery, summoned them back into the parlour, stood each of them up alongside of his little heap, and proceeded to dress them up for the coming expedition. He was very earnest and thoroughgoing about it, and the affair took quite a long time. First, there was a belt to go round each animal, and then a sword to be stuck into each belt, and then a cutlass on the other side to balance it. Then a pair of pistols, a policeman’s truncheon, several sets of handcuffs, some bandages and sticking-plaster, and a flask and a sandwich-case. The Badger laughed good-humouredly and said, ‘All right, Ratty! It amuses you and it doesn’t hurt me. I’m going to do all I’ve got to do with this here stick.’ But the Rat only said, ‘PLEASE, Badger. You know I shouldn’t like you to blame me afterwards and say I had forgotten ANYTHING!’

天快黑了。河鼠面露興奮而詭秘的神色，把伙伴們召回客廳，讓各人站到自己的一小堆軍械前面，動手武裝他們，來迎接即將開始的征戰(zhàn)。他干得非常認真，一絲不茍，花去了好長時間。他先在每人腰間系一根皮帶。皮帶上插一把劍，又在另一側插一把彎刀，以求平衡。然后發(fā)給每人一對手槍，一根警棍。幾副手銬，一些繃帶和膠布，還有一只杯子、一個盛三明治的盒子。獾隨和地笑著說：“好啦，鼠兒!這讓你高興，又于我無損。其實我只消用這根木棒，就能做我該做的一切。”河鼠只是說：“請原諒，獾!我只是希望，事后你不責怪我，說我忘帶什么東西!”

When all was quite ready, the Badger took a dark lantern in one paw, grasped his great stick with the other, and said, ‘Now then, follow me! Mole first, ‘cos I’m very pleased with him; Rat next; Toad last. And look here, Toady! Don’t you chatter so much as usual, or you’ll be sent back, as sure as fate!’

諸事準備就緒，獾一手提著一盞暗燈，一手握著他那根大棒，說：“現(xiàn)在跟我來!鼴鼠打頭陣，因為我對他很滿意。河鼠其次;蟾蜍殿后。聽著，小蟾兒!你可不許像平時那樣嘮叨，要不，一準把你打發(fā)回去!”

The Toad was so anxious not to be left out that he took up the inferior position assigned to him without a murmur, and the animals set off. The Badger led them along by the river for a little way, and then suddenly swung himself over the edge into a hole in the river-bank, a little above the water. The Mole and the Rat followed silently, swinging themselves successfully into the hole as they had seen the Badger do; but when it came to Toad’s turn, of course he managed to slip and fall into the water with a loud splash and a squeal of alarm. He was hauled out by his friends, rubbed down and wrung out hastily, comforted, and set on his legs; but the Badger was seriously angry, and told him that the very next time he made a fool of himself he would most certainly be left behind.

蟾蜍生怕給留下，只好一聲不吭地接受指派給他的次等位置，四只動物便出發(fā)了。獾領著大伙兒沿河走了一小段路，然后，他突然攀住河岸，身子擺動幾下，蕩進了一個略高出水面的洞?？吹解颠M了洞，鼴鼠和河鼠也一聲不響地蕩進了洞。輪到蟾蜍時，他偏要滑倒。撲通一聲跌進水里，還驚恐地尖叫一聲。朋友們拽他上來，把他從頭到腳匆匆揉搓一過，擰了擰濕衣服，安慰幾句，扶他站起來。獾可真火了。他警告蟾蜍說。要是下次再出洋相，準定把他丟下。

So at last they were in the secret passage, and the cutting-out expedition had really begun!

他們終于進了那條秘密通道，真正踏上了突襲的捷徑。

It was cold, and dark, and damp, and low, and narrow, and poor Toad began to shiver, partly from dread of what might be before him, partly because he was wet through. The lantern was far ahead, and he could not help lagging behind a little in the darkness. Then he heard the Rat call out warningly, ‘COME on, Toad!’ and a terror seized him of being left behind, alone in the darkness, and he ‘came on’ with such a rush that he upset the Rat into the Mole and the Mole into the Badger, and for a moment all was confusion. The Badger thought they were being attacked from behind, and, as there was no room to use a stick or a cutlass, drew a pistol, and was on the point of putting a bullet into Toad. When he found out what had really happened he was very angry indeed, and said, ‘Now this time that tiresome Toad SHALL be left behind!’

地道里很冷，低矮狹窄，陰暗漸濕，可憐的蟾蜍禁不住哆嗦起來，一半由于害怕前面可能遇到的不測，一半由于他渾身濕透。燈籠在前面，離他很遠，在黑暗中。他落到了后面。這時，他聽到河鼠警告說：“快跟上，蟾蜍!”便猛地往前一沖，竟撞倒了河鼠，河鼠又撞倒了鼴鼠，鼴鼠又撞倒了獾，引起一陣大亂。獾以為背后遭到了襲擊，由于洞內狹窄，使不開棍棒，便拔出手槍，正要朝蟾蜍射擊。等真相大白后，他不禁大怒，說：“這回，可惡的蟾蜍必須留下!”

But Toad whimpered, and the other two promised that they would be answerable for his good conduct, and at last the Badger was pacified, and the procession moved on; only this time the Rat brought up the rear, with a firm grip on the shoulder of Toad.

蟾蜍嗚嗚咽咽哭了起來，另兩只動物答應，他們將負責照看好蟾蜍，讓他好好表現(xiàn)，獾才消了氣，隊伍又繼續(xù)前進。不過這回換了河鼠斷后，他牢牢地抓住蟾蜍的雙肩。

So they groped and shuffled along, with their ears pricked up and their paws on their pistols, till at last the Badger said, ‘We ought by now to be pretty nearly under the Hall.’

就這樣，他們摸索著蹣跚前行，耳朵豎起，爪子按在手槍上。最后獾說：“咱們現(xiàn)在差不離到了蟾宮底下。”

Then suddenly they heard, far away as it might be, and yet apparently nearly over their heads, a confused murmur of sound, as if people were shouting and cheering and stamping on the floor and hammering on tables. The Toad’s nervous terrors all returned, but the Badger only remarked placidly, ‘They ARE going it, the Weasels!’

忽然，他們聽到低沉的嘈雜聲，似乎很遠，但顯然就在頭頂上，像有許多人在喊叫，歡呼，在地板上跺腳，用拳頭捶桌子。蟾蜍的神經(jīng)質的恐懼又襲上心來，可獾只是平靜地說：“他們正鬧騰哩，這群黃鼠狼!”

The passage now began to slope upwards; they groped onward a little further, and then the noise broke out again, quite distinct this time, and very close above them. ‘Ooo-ray-ooray-oo-ray-ooray!’ they heard, and the stamping of little feet on the floor, and the clinking of glasses as little fists pounded on the table. ‘WHAT a time they’re having!’ said the Badger. ‘Come on!’ They hurried along the passage till it came to a full stop, and they found themselves standing under the trap-door that led up into the butler’s pantry.

地道這時開始向上傾斜，他們又摸索著走了一小段，然后，嘈雜聲忽又出現(xiàn)，這回很清晰，很近，就在頭頂上。“烏啦烏啦烏啦烏啦!”他們聽到歡呼聲，小腳掌跺地板聲，小拳頭砸桌子時杯盤的丁當聲。“瞧他們鬧得多歡喲!”獾說。“來呀!”他們順著地道疾走，來到地道的盡頭，發(fā)現(xiàn)他們已站在通向配膳室的那道活門的下面。

Such a tremendous noise was going on in the banqueting-hall that there was little danger of their being overheard. The Badger said, ‘Now, boys, all together!’ and the four of them put their shoulders to the trap-door and heaved it back. Hoisting each other up, they found themselves standing in the pantry, with only a door between them and the banqueting-hall, where their unconscious enemies were carousing.

宴會廳里的喧囂響聲震天;他們沒有被聽到的危險。獾說：“好!弟兄們，一齊使勁!”他們四個同時用肩膀頂住活門，把它掀開，依次被舉了上去。他們來到了配膳室，和宴會廳只隔著一道門，而敵人正在狂歡作樂，毫無覺察。他們從地道里爬出來時，喧鬧聲簡直震耳欲聾。

The noise, as they emerged from the passage, was simply deafening. At last, as the cheering and hammering slowly subsided, a voice could be made out saying, ‘Well, I do not propose to detain you much longer’—(great applause)--‘but before I resume my seat’--(renewed cheering)—‘I should like to say one word about our kind host, Mr. Toad. We all know Toad!’--(great laughter)--‘GOOD Toad, MODEST Toad, HONEST Toad!’ (shrieks of merriment).

后來，歡呼聲和敲擊聲漸漸弱了，可以聽出一個聲音在說：“好啦，我不打算多占你們的時間，”——(熱烈鼓掌)——“不過，在我坐下之前，”(又是一陣歡呼)——“我想為我們好心的主人蟾蜍先生說一兩句好話。我們都認識蟾蜍!”——(哄堂大笑)——“善良的蟾蜍，謙恭的蟾蜍，誠實的蟾蜍!”——(尖聲哄笑)

‘Only just let me get at him!’ muttered Toad, grinding his teeth.

“我非過去揍他不可!”蟾蜍咬牙切齒地低聲說。

‘Hold hard a minute!’ said the Badger, restraining him with difficulty. ‘Get ready, all of you!’

“再堅持一分鐘!”獾說，好不容易才穩(wěn)住蟾蜍。“大伙兒都做好準備!”

‘—Let me sing you a little song,’ went on the voice, ‘which I have composed on the subject of Toad’--(prolonged applause). Then the Chief Weasel—for it was he—began in a high, squeaky voice—

“我給你們唱一支小曲兒，”那聲音又說，“這是我為蟾蜍編的。”(經(jīng)久不息的掌聲)接著，那個說話的黃鼠狼頭子就吱吱喳喳尖著嗓子唱起來——

‘Toad he went a-pleasuring Gaily down the street—‘

“蟾蜍出門上大街，得意洋洋尋開心……”

The Badger drew himself up, took a firm grip of his stick with both paws, glanced round at his comrades, and cried—

獾挺直了身子，兩手緊緊摸著大棒，向伙伴們掃了一眼，喊道——

‘The hour is come! Follow me!’

“到時候了，跟我來!”

And flung the door open wide.

他猛地把門推開。

My!

好家伙!

What a squealing and a squeaking and a screeching filled the air!

滿屋子的尖叫、吱喳、嚎啕!

Well might the terrified weasels dive under the tables and spring madly up at the windows! Well might the ferrets rush wildly for the fireplace and get hopelessly jammed in the chimney! Well might tables and chairs be upset, and glass and china be sent crashing on the floor, in the panic of that terrible moment when the four Heroes strode wrathfully into the room! The mighty Badger, his whiskers bristling, his great cudgel whistling through the air; Mole, black and grim, brandishing his stick and shouting his awful war-cry, ‘A Mole! A Mole!’ Rat; desperate and determined, his belt bulging with weapons of every age and every variety; Toad, frenzied with excitement and injured pride, swollen to twice his ordinary size, leaping into the air and emitting Toad-whoops that chilled them to the marrow! ‘Toad he went a-pleasuring!’ he yelled. ‘I’LL pleasure ‘em!’ and he went straight for the Chief Weasel. They were but four in all, but to the panic-stricken weasels the hall seemed full of monstrous animals, grey, black, brown and yellow, whooping and flourishing enormous cudgels; and they broke and fled with squeals of terror and dismay, this way and that, through the windows, up the chimney, anywhere to get out of reach of those terrible sticks.

四位好漢憤怒地沖進宴會廳，就在這可怕的一剎那，發(fā)生了一場大恐慌，嚇得魂不附體的黃鼠狼們紛紛鉆到桌子底下，沒命地跳窗奪路而逃，白鼬們亂哄哄地直奔壁爐，全都擠在煙囪里動彈不得。桌子東倒西歪，杯盤摔得粉碎。力大無窮的獾，絡腮胡子根根倒豎，手中的大棒在空中呼呼揮舞;臉色陰沉嚴峻的鼴鼠掄著木棒，高呼令人膽寒的戰(zhàn)斗口號：“鼴鼠來了!鼴鼠來了!”河鼠腰間鼓鼓囊囊塞滿了各式武器，堅決果敢;奮不顧身地投入戰(zhàn)斗;蟾蜍呢，由于自尊心受傷而發(fā)狂，身軀漲得比平時大出一倍，他騰空而起，發(fā)出癩蛤蟆那哇哇的怪叫，嚇得敵人毛骨悚然，手腳冰涼。“叫你唱‘蟾蜍尋開心’!”他大吼道。“我就要拿你們尋開心!”他向黃鼠狼頭子直撲過去。其實他們才四個，可是那些驚慌失措的黃鼠狼覺得，整個大廳似乎滿是可怖的動物，灰色的、黑色的、棕色的、黃色的，怒吼狂叫，揮舞著巨大無比的棍棒。他們嚇得魂飛魄散，恐怖地尖叫著，跳出窗子，竄上煙囪，四面逃竄，不管什么地方，只要能躲開那些可怕的棍棒。

The affair was soon over. Up and down, the whole length of the hall, strode the four Friends, whacking with their sticks at every head that showed itself; and in five minutes the room was cleared. Through the broken windows the shrieks of terrified weasels escaping across the lawn were borne faintly to their ears; on the floor lay prostrate some dozen or so of the enemy, on whom the Mole was busily engaged in fitting handcuffs. The Badger, resting from his labours, leant on his stick and wiped his honest brow.

戰(zhàn)斗很快就結束了。四個朋友在大廳里上下搜索，只要一個腦袋露出來，就上去給它一棒。不出五分鐘，屋里就掃蕩一空。驚恐萬狀的黃鼠狼在草地上逃竄時發(fā)出的尖叫聲，透過破碎的窗子，隱隱傳到他們耳中。地板上，橫七豎八躺著幾十個敵人，鼴鼠正忙著給他們戴上手銬。獾勞累了一場，靠在大棒上休息，擦著他那忠厚的額上的汗。

‘Mole,’ he said,’ ‘you’re the best of fellows! Just cut along outside and look after those stoat-sentries of yours, and see what they’re doing. I’ve an idea that, thanks to you, we shan’t have much trouble from them to-night!’

“鼴鼠，”他說，“你是好樣的!勞你抄近道出去，瞧瞧那些白鼬守衛(wèi)，看他們都在干什么;我估摸，由于你的功勞。咱們今晚不致受他們騷擾了。”

The Mole vanished promptly through a window; and the Badger bade the other two set a table on its legs again, pick up knives and forks and plates and glasses from the debris on the floor, and see if they could find materials for a supper. ‘I want some grub, I do,’ he said, in that rather common way he had of speaking. ‘Stir your stumps, Toad, and look lively! We’ve got your house back for you, and you don’t offer us so much as a sandwich.’ Toad felt rather hurt that the Badger didn’t say pleasant things to him, as he had to the Mole, and tell him what a fine fellow he was, and how splendidly he had fought; for he was rather particularly pleased with himself and the way he had gone for the Chief Weasel and sent him flying across the table with one blow of his stick. But he bustled about, and so did the Rat, and soon they found some guava jelly in a glass dish, and a cold chicken, a tongue that had hardly been touched, some trifle, and quite a lot of lobster salad; and in the pantry they came upon a basketful of French rolls and any quantity of cheese, butter, and celery. They were just about to sit down when the Mole clambered in through the window, chuckling, with an armful of rifles.

鼴鼠馬上跳窗出去。獾指示另兩個扶起一張桌子，從地上的殘渣中撿出一些刀叉杯盤，又叫他們看看能不能找到一些食物，拼湊出一頓晚飯。“我需要吃點什么，真的，”他用慣常的平平常常的語氣說，“動彈動彈，蟾蜍，活躍起來!我們替你奪回了宅子，可你連塊三明治也沒招待我們呀。”蟾蜍心里有些委屈，因為獾沒有像對鼴鼠那樣贊揚他，沒有說他是好樣的，戰(zhàn)斗得很英勇。因為他對自己的表現(xiàn)頗為得意，特別是他沖那黃鼠狼頭子直撲過去，一棍子將他打到桌子那邊去了。不過，他還是和河鼠一道四下里搜尋，不一會，他們就找到一玻璃碟子的番石榴醬，一只冷雞，一只還沒怎么動過的口條，一些葡萄酒蛋糕，不少的龍蝦沙拉。在配膳室里，他們發(fā)現(xiàn)了一籃子法式面包卷，一些乳酪、黃油和芹菜。他們剛要坐下來開吃，就見鼴鼠抱著一堆來復槍，格格笑著從窗口爬進來。

‘It’s all over,’ he reported. ‘From what I can make out, as soon as the stoats, who were very nervous and jumpy already, heard the shrieks and the yells and the uproar inside the hall, some of them threw down their rifles and fled. The others stood fast for a bit, but when the weasels came rushing out upon them they thought they were betrayed; and the stoats grappled with the weasels, and the weasels fought to get away, and they wrestled and wriggled and punched each other, and rolled over and over, till most of ‘em rolled into the river! They’ve all disappeared by now, one way or another; and I’ve got their rifles. So that’s all right!’

“據(jù)我看，全結束啦，”他報告說，“那些白鼬本來就驚惶不安，一聽到大廳里的叫嚷騷動聲，有的就扔下來復槍逃之夭夭。另一些堅守了一會兒，可當黃鼠狼朝他們奔來時，他們以為自己被出賣了。于是白鼬揪住黃鼠狼不放，黃鼠狼拼命想掙脫逃跑，互相扭打在一起，用拳頭狠揍對方，在地上滾來滾去，多數(shù)都滾到了河里!現(xiàn)在他們不是跑了就是掉進河里，全都不見了。我把他們的來復槍都弄回來了。所以，那個方面，全妥啦!”

‘Excellent and deserving animal!’ said the Badger, his mouth full of chicken and trifle. ‘Now, there’s just one more thing I want you to do, Mole, before you sit down to your supper along of us; and I wouldn’t trouble you only I know I can trust you to see a thing done, and I wish I could say the same of every one I know. I’d send Rat, if he wasn’t a poet. I want you to take those fellows on the floor there upstairs with you, and have some bedrooms cleaned out and tidied up and made really comfortable. See that they sweep UNDER the beds, and put clean sheets and pillow-cases on, and turn down one corner of the bed-clothes, just as you know it ought to be done; and have a can of hot water, and clean towels, and fresh cakes of soap, put in each room. And then you can give them a licking a-piece, if it’s any satisfaction to you, and put them out by the back-door, and we shan’t see any more of THEM, I fancy. And then come along and have some of this cold tongue. It’s first rate. I’m very pleased with you, Mole!’

“太好了，頂頂了不起!”獾說，嘴里塞滿了雞肉和葡萄酒蛋糕。“現(xiàn)在，鼴鼠，我只求你再辦一件事，然后就坐下來和我們一道吃晚飯。我本不想再麻煩你，可托你辦事，我能放心。我希望對我認識的每個人都能這樣說就好了。河鼠若不是一位詩人，我會差他去的。我要你把地板上躺著的這些家伙帶到樓上，命他們把幾間臥室打掃干凈，收拾妥帖。叫他們務必掃床底下，換上干凈的床單枕套，掀開被子的一角，該怎么做，你知道的。每間臥室里備好一罐熱水，干凈毛巾，新開包的肥皂。然后，要是你想解解氣，可以給他們每人一頓拳腳;再攆出后門。我估摸，今后沒有一個家伙再敢露面了。完事之后，就過來吃點這種冷口條。這可是頭等美味。我對你非常滿意，鼴鼠!”

The goodnatured Mole picked up a stick, formed his prisoners up in a line on the floor, gave them the order ‘Quick march!’ and led his squad off to the upper floor. After a time, he appeared again, smiling, and said that every room was ready, and as clean as a new pin. ‘And I didn’t have to lick them, either,’ he added. ‘I thought, on the whole, they had had licking enough for one night, and the weasels, when I put the point to them, quite agreed with me, and said they wouldn’t think of troubling me. They were very penitent, and said they were extremely sorry for what they had done, but it was all the fault of the Chief Weasel and the stoats, and if ever they could do anything for us at any time to make up, we had only got to mention it. So I gave them a roll a-piece, and let them out at the back, and off they ran, as hard as they could!’

好性子的鼴鼠拾起一根棍子，把他的俘虜們排成一行，命令他們“快步走!”把他的一小隊人馬帶上樓去了。過了一陣子，他又下來，微笑著說，每間房都準備好了，打掃得干干凈凈。他又說：“我用不著揍他們，總的來說，我想他們今晚挨揍挨夠了。我把這話告訴他們，他們表示同意，說再也不騷擾我們了。他們很懊悔，對過去的所作所為深感歉疚，說那是黃鼠狼頭子和白鼬的錯，又說如果今后可以為我們出力，將功補過，我們只消言語一聲。所以，我給了他們一人一個面包卷，放他們出后門，他們就一溜煙似的溜啦。”

Then the Mole pulled his chair up to the table, and pitched into the cold tongue; and Toad, like the gentleman he was, put all his jealousy from him, and said heartily, ‘Thank you kindly, dear Mole, for all your pains and trouble tonight, and especially for your cleverness this morning!’ The Badger was pleased at that, and said, ‘There spoke my brave Toad!’ So they finished their supper in great joy and contentment, and presently retired to rest between clean sheets, safe in Toad’s ancestral home, won back by matchless valour, consummate strategy, and a proper handling of sticks.

說罷，鼴鼠把椅子拉到餐桌旁，埋頭大嚼起冷口條來。蟾蜍呢，到底不失紳士風度，把一肚子嫉妒拋在一邊，誠心誠意地說：“親愛的鼴鼠，實在謝謝你啦，感謝你今晚的辛苦勞累，特別要感謝你今早的聰明機智!”獾聽了很高興，說：“我勇敢的蟾蜍說得好呀!”于是，他們歡天喜地心滿意足地吃完了晚飯，立刻上樓，鉆進干凈的被窩，睡覺去了。他們安安穩(wěn)穩(wěn)地睡在蟾蜍祖?zhèn)鞯姆孔永铮@是他們以無比的勇氣、高超的韜略和嫻熟地運用棍棒奪回的。

The following morning, Toad, who had overslept himself as usual, came down to breakfast disgracefully late, and found on the table a certain quantity of egg-shells, some fragments of cold and leathery toast, a coffee-pot three-fourths empty, and really very little else; which did not tend to improve his temper, considering that, after all, it was his own house. Through the French windows of the breakfast-room he could see the Mole and the Water Rat sitting in wicker-chairs out on the lawn, evidently telling each other stories; roaring with laughter and kicking their short legs up in the air. The Badger, who was in an arm-chair and deep in the morning paper, merely looked up and nodded when Toad entered the room. But Toad knew his man, so he sat down and made the best breakfast he could, merely observing to himself that he would get square with the others sooner or later. When he had nearly finished, the Badger looked up and remarked rather shortly: ‘I’m sorry, Toad, but I’m afraid there’s a heavy morning’s work in front of you. You see, we really ought to have a Banquet at once, to celebrate this affair. It’s expected of you—in fact, it’s the rule.’

第二天早上，蟾蜍照例睡過了頭，下樓來吃早飯時，晚得不成體統(tǒng)。他發(fā)現(xiàn)，桌上只剩下一堆蛋殼，幾片冰涼的發(fā)皮了的烤面包，咖啡壺里空了四分之三，別的就沒什么了。這叫他挺來氣，因為不管怎么說，這是他自己的家呀!透過餐廳的法式長窗，他看見鼴鼠和河鼠坐在草坪里的藤椅上，笑得前仰后合，兩雙小短腿在空中亂踢蹬，分明是在講故事。獾呢，他坐在扶手椅上，聚精會神在讀晨報。蟾蜍進屋時，他只抬眼沖他點了點頭。蟾蜍深知他的為人，只好坐下來，湊合著吃一頓算了，只是暗自嘟囔著，早晚要跟他們算帳。他快吃完時，獾抬起頭來，簡短地說：“對不起，蟾蜍，不過今天上午你恐怕會有好些活要干。你瞧，咱們應該馬上舉行一次宴會，，來慶祝這件大事。這事必須你來辦，這是規(guī)矩。”

‘O, all right!’ said the Toad, readily. ‘Anything to oblige. Though why on earth you should want to have a Banquet in the morning I cannot understand. But you know I do not live to please myself, but merely to find out what my friends want, and then try and arrange it for ‘em, you dear old Badger!’

“嗯，好吧!”蟾蜍欣然答道。“只要你高興，一切遵命。只是我不明白，舉行宴會為什么非得在上午不可。不過，我這個人活著，不是為自己過得快活，而只是為了知道朋友們需要什么，盡力去滿足他們，你這親愛的老獾頭喲!”

‘Don’t pretend to be stupider than you really are,’ replied the Badger, crossly; ‘and don’t chuckle and splutter in your coffee while you’re talking; it’s not manners. What I mean is, the Banquet will be at night, of course, but the invitations will have to be written and got off at once, and you’ve got to write ‘em. Now, sit down at that table—there’s stacks of letter-paper on it, with “Toad Hall” at the top in blue and gold—and write invitations to all our friends, and if you stick to it we shall get them out before luncheon. And I’LL bear a hand, too; and take my share of the burden. I’LL order the Banquet.’

“別裝傻了，”獾不高興地說。“而且，不要一邊說話，一邊把咖啡嘬得吱吱喳喳響，這不禮貌。我是說，宴會當然要在晚上舉行，可是請柬得馬上寫好發(fā)出去，這就得由你來辦?，F(xiàn)在就坐到那張書桌前，桌上有一疊信箋，信箋上印有藍色和金色的‘蟾宮’字樣，給咱們所有的朋友寫邀請信。要是你不停地寫，那么在午飯前，咱們就能把信發(fā)出去。我也要幫忙，分擔部分勞務，宴會由我來操辦。”

‘What!’ cried Toad, dismayed. ‘Me stop indoors and write a lot of rotten letters on a jolly morning like this, when I want to go around my property, and set everything and everybody to rights, and swagger about and enjoy myself! Certainly not! I’ll be—I’ll see you----Stop a minute, though! Why, of course, dear Badger! What is my pleasure or convenience compared with that of others! You wish it done, and it shall be done. Go, Badger, order the Banquet, order what you like; then join our young friends outside in their innocent mirth, oblivious of me and my cares and toils. I sacrifice this fair morning on the altar of duty and friendship!’

“什么!”蟾蜍苦著臉說。“這么美好的早晨，要我關在屋里寫一堆勞什子的信!我想在我的莊園里四處轉轉，整頓整頓所有的東西、所有的人，擺擺架子，痛快痛快!不干!我要，我要看……不過，等一等，當然我要干，親愛的獾!我自己的快樂或方便，比起別人的快樂和方便，又算得了什么!既然你要我這么辦，我照辦就是。獾，你去籌備宴會吧，隨你想預訂什么菜都行。然后到外面去和我們的年輕朋友們一道說說笑笑，忘了我，忘了我的憂愁和勞苦吧!為了神圣的職責和友誼，我甘愿犧牲這美好的早晨!”

The Badger looked at him very suspiciously, but Toad’s frank, open countenance made it difficult to suggest any unworthy motive in this change of attitude. He quitted the room, accordingly, in the direction of the kitchen, and as soon as the door had closed behind him, Toad hurried to the writing-table. A fine idea had occurred to him while he was talking. He WOULD write the invitations; and he would take care to mention the leading part he had taken in the fight, and how he had laid the Chief Weasel flat; and he would hint at his adventures, and what a career of triumph he had to tell about; and on the fly-leaf he would set out a sort of a programme of entertainment for the evening—something like this, as he sketched it out in his head:--

獾疑惑地望著蟾蜍，可蟾蜍那直率坦誠的表情，很難使他想到這種突然轉變的背后，會有什么不良的動機。于是他離開餐廳，向廚房走去。門剛關上，蟾蜍就急忙奔書桌去。他一定要寫邀請信，一定不忘提到他在那場戰(zhàn)斗中所起的主導作用，提到他怎樣把黃鼠狼頭子打翻在地;他還要略略提到他的歷險，他那戰(zhàn)無不勝的經(jīng)歷，有多少可說的呀。在請柬的空白頁上，他還要開列晚宴的余興節(jié)目。他在腦子里打著這樣一個腹稿：

SPEECH . . . . BY TOAD.

《講演》——蟾蜍作

(There will be other speeches by TOAD during the evening.)

(晚宴期間，蟾蜍還要作其他講話)

ADDRESS . . . BY TOAD

《致詞》 -----蟾蜍

SYNOPSIS—Our Prison System—the Waterways of Old England—Horse-dealing, and how to deal—Property, its rights and its duties—Back to the Land—A Typical English Squire.

《學術報告》——我們的監(jiān)獄制度——古老英國的水道——馬匹交易及其方法——財產(chǎn)、產(chǎn)權與義務——榮歸故里典型的英國鄉(xiāng)紳。

SONG . . . . BY TOAD. (Composed by himself.)

《歌曲》-----蟾蜍(本人自編)

OTHER COMPOSITIONS BY TOAD will be sung in the course of the evening by the . . . COMPOSER.

《其他歌曲》 在晚宴期間由詞曲作者本人演唱。

The idea pleased him mightily, and he worked very hard and got all the letters finished by noon, at which hour it was reported to him that there was a small and rather bedraggled weasel at the door, inquiring timidly whether he could be of any service to the gentlemen. Toad swaggered out and found it was one of the prisoners of the previous evening, very respectful and anxious to please. He patted him on the head, shoved the bundle of invitations into his paw, and told him to cut along quick and deliver them as fast as he could, and if he liked to come back again in the evening, perhaps there might be a shilling for him, or, again, perhaps there mightn’t; and the poor weasel seemed really quite grateful, and hurried off eagerly to do his mission.

這個想法，使他大為得意，于是他努力寫信，到中午時分，所有的信都寫完了。這時，有人通報說，門口來了一只身材瘦小衣著檻褸的黃鼠狼，怯生生地問他能不能為先生們效勞。蟾蜍大搖大擺地走出去瞧，原來是頭天晚上被俘的一只黃鼠狼，現(xiàn)在正必恭必敬地巴望討他的歡心哩。蟾蜍拍了拍他的腦袋，把那一沓子邀請信塞在他爪子里，吩咐他抄近道，火速把信送出去。要是他愿意晚上再來，也許給他一先令酬勞，也許沒有?？蓱z的黃鼠狼受寵若驚，匆匆趕去執(zhí)行任務了。

When the other animals came back to luncheon, very boisterous and breezy after a morning on the river, the Mole, whose conscience had been pricking him, looked doubtfully at Toad, expecting to find him sulky or depressed. Instead, he was so uppish and inflated that the Mole began to suspect something; while the Rat and the Badger exchanged significant glances.

另三只動物在河上消磨了一上午，歡歡喜喜談笑風生地回來吃午飯：鼴鼠覺得有些對不住蟾蜍，不放心地望著他，生怕他會是一臉慍色、郁郁不樂。誰知，蟾蜍竟是一副盛氣凌人、趾高氣揚的樣子。鼴鼠不禁納悶，感到其中必有緣由。河鼠和獾，則會心地互換了一下眼色。

As soon as the meal was over, Toad thrust his paws deep into his trouser-pockets, remarked casually, ‘Well, look after yourselves, you fellows! Ask for anything you want!’ and was swaggering off in the direction of the garden, where he wanted to think out an idea or two for his coming speeches, when the Rat caught him by the arm.

上午飯剛吃完，蟾蜍就把雙爪深深插進褲兜，漫不經(jīng)心地說：“好吧，伙計們，你們自己照顧自己吧，需要什么，只管吩咐!”說罷，就大搖大擺朝花園走去。他要在那里好好構思一下今晚的演說內容。這時，河鼠抓住了他的胳臂。

Toad rather suspected what he was after, and did his best to get away; but when the Badger took him firmly by the other arm he began to see that the game was up. The two animals conducted him between them into the small smoking-room that opened out of the entrance-hall, shut the door, and put him into a chair. Then they both stood in front of him, while Toad sat silent and regarded them with much suspicion and ill-humour.

蟾蜍立刻猜到河鼠的來意，想要掙脫;可是當獾緊緊抓住他的另一只胳臂時，他明白，事情敗露了。兩只動物架著他，帶到那間通向門廳的小吸煙室，關上門，把他按在椅子上。然后，他倆都站在他前面，蟾蜍則一言不發(fā)地坐著，心懷鬼胎、沒好氣地望著他們。

‘Now, look here, Toad,’ said the Rat. ‘It’s about this Banquet, and very sorry I am to have to speak to you like this. But we want you to understand clearly, once and for all, that there are going to be no speeches and no songs. Try and grasp the fact that on this occasion we’re not arguing with you; we’re just telling you.’

“聽著，蟾蜍，”河鼠說，“是有關宴會的事。很抱歉，我不得不這樣跟你說話。不過，我們希望你明白，宴會上不搞講演，不搞唱歌。你要放清醒些，我們不是和你討論，而是通知你這個決定。”

Toad saw that he was trapped. They understood him, they saw through him, they had got ahead of him. His pleasant dream was shattered.

蟾蜍知道，自己落進了圈套。他們了解他，把他看得透透的。他們搶在了他頭里。他的美夢破滅了。

‘Mayn’t I sing them just one LITTLE song?’ he pleaded piteously.

“我能不能就唱一支小歌?”他可憐巴巴地央求道。

‘No, not ONE little song,’ replied the Rat firmly, though his heart bled as he noticed the trembling lip of the poor disappointed Toad.

“不行，一支小歌也不能唱，”河鼠堅定地說，盡管他看到可憐的蟾蜍那顫抖的嘴唇，也怪心疼的。

‘It’s no good, Toady; you know well that your songs are all conceit and boasting and vanity; and your speeches are all self-praise and— and—well, and gross exaggeration and—and----‘

“那沒好處，小蟾兒;你很清楚，你的歌全是自吹自擂，你的講話全是自我炫耀，全是全是全是粗鄙的夸張，全是全是——”

‘And gas,’ put in the Badger, in his common way.

“胡吹，”獾干脆地說。

‘It’s for your own good, Toady,’ went on the Rat. ‘You know you MUST turn over a new leaf sooner or later, and now seems a splendid time to begin; a sort of turning-point in your career. Please don’t think that saying all this doesn’t hurt me more than it hurts you.’

“小蟾兒，這是為你好呀，”河鼠繼續(xù)說。“你知道，你早晚得洗心革面，而現(xiàn)在正是重敲鑼鼓另開張的大好時機，是你一生的轉折點。請相信，說這話，我心里也不好受，一點不比你好受。”

Toad remained a long while plunged in thought. At last he raised his head, and the traces of strong emotion were visible on his features. ‘You have conquered, my friends,’ he said in broken accents. ‘It was, to be sure, but a small thing that I asked—merely leave to blossom and expand for yet one more evening, to let myself go and hear the tumultuous applause that always seems to me—somehow—to bring out my best qualities. However, you are right, I know, and I am wrong. Hence forth I will be a very different Toad. My friends, you shall never have occasion to blush for me again. But, O dear, O dear, this is a hard world!’

蟾蜍沉思了良久。最后，他抬起頭，臉上顯出深深動情的神色。“我的朋友們，你們贏了，”他斷斷續(xù)續(xù)地說。“其實，我的要求很小很小，只不過是讓我再盡情表現(xiàn)和發(fā)揮一個晚上，讓我放手表演一番，聽聽那雷鳴般的掌聲，因為我覺得，那掌聲似乎體現(xiàn)了我最好的品德。不過，你們是對的，而我錯了。從今以后，我一定要重新做人。朋友們，你們再也不會為我臉紅了。唉，老天爺，做人真難哪!”

And, pressing his handkerchief to his face, he left the room, with faltering footsteps.

說完，他用手帕捂住臉，踉踉蹌蹌地走出房間。

‘Badger,’ said the Rat, ‘_I_ feel like a brute; I wonder what YOU feel like?’

“獾，”河鼠說，“我覺得自己簡直是個狠心狼;不知道你感覺怎樣?”

‘O, I know, I know,’ said the Badger gloomily. ‘But the thing had to be done. This good fellow has got to live here, and hold his own, and be respected. Would you have him a common laughing-stock, mocked and jeered at by stoats and weasels?’

“是啊，我明白，我明白，”獾憂郁地說。“可我們非這樣做不可。這位好好先生必須在這兒住下去，站穩(wěn)腳跟，受人尊敬。難道你愿意看著他成為大伙兒的笑柄，被白鼬和黃鼠狼奚落嗎?”

‘Of course not,’ said the Rat. ‘And, talking of weasels, it’s lucky we came upon that little weasel, just as he was setting out with Toad’s invitations. I suspected something from what you told me, and had a look at one or two; they were simply disgraceful. I confiscated the lot, and the good Mole is now sitting in the blue boudoir, filling up plain, simple invitation cards.’

“當然不，”河鼠說。“說到黃鼠狼;那只給蟾蜍送信的小黃鼠狼，碰巧被咱們遇上了，真夠運氣的。我從你的話里，猜到這里準有文章，就抽查了一兩封信。果然，那些信簡直寫得活現(xiàn)眼。我把它們全沒收了，好鼴鼠這會兒正坐在梳妝室里，填寫簡單明了的請?zhí)ā?rdquo;

At last the hour for the banquet began to draw near, and Toad, who on leaving the others had retired to his bedroom, was still sitting there, melancholy and thoughtful. His brow resting on his paw, he pondered long and deeply. Gradually his countenance cleared, and he began to smile long, slow smiles. Then he took to giggling in a shy, self-conscious manner. At last he got up, locked the door, drew the curtains across the windows, collected all the chairs in the room and arranged them in a semicircle, and took up his position in front of them, swelling visibly. Then he bowed, coughed twice, and, letting himself go, with uplifted voice he sang, to the enraptured audience that his imagination so clearly saw.

舉行宴會的時間快到了。蟾蜍一直離開朋友們，獨自躲到他的臥室里，這時還坐在那兒，悶悶不樂，苦苦思索。他用爪子撐住額頭，久久地凝想。漸漸地，他面色開朗起來，臉上緩緩露出笑意。然后，他有點害羞地、難為情地格格笑了起來。末了，他站起來，鎖上房門，拉上窗簾，把房里所有的椅子擺成一個半圓形，自己立在正前方，身子漲得鼓鼓的。然后，他鞠了一躬，咳了兩聲，對著想象中的興高采烈的觀眾，放開嗓子唱起來。

TOAD’S LAST LITTLE SONG!

《蟾蜍的最后一支小歌》

The Toad—came—home! There was panic in the parlours and bowling in the halls, There was crying in the cow-sheds and shrieking in the stalls, When the Toad—came—home!

蟾蜍回來啦!客廳里，驚慌萬狀，門廳里，哀號成片，牛棚里;哭聲不絕，馬廄里，尖叫震天。蟾蜍回來啦。

When the Toad—came—home! There was smashing in of window and crashing in of door, There was chivvying of weasels that fainted on the floor, When the Toad—came—home!

蟾蜍歸來的時候，碎窗破門而入，黃鼠狼遭追擊，紛紛暈倒在地。當蟾蜍回來的時候!

Bang! go the drums! The trumpeters are tooting and the soldiers are saluting, And the cannon they are shooting and the motor-cars are hooting, As the—Hero—comes!

鼓聲響咚咚!號角齊鳴，士兵歡呼，炮彈橫飛，汽車嘟嘟，當——英雄——歸來!

Shout—Hoo-ray! And let each one of the crowd try and shout it very loud, In honour of an animal of whom you’re justly proud, For it’s Toad’s—great—day!

歡呼呀——烏啦!讓人人高聲歡呼，向備受尊崇的動物致敬，因為這是蟾蜍——盛大的——節(jié)日!”

He sang this very loud, with great unction and expression; and when he had done, he sang it all over again.

蟾蜍歌聲嘹亮，唱得熱情洋溢，感情充沛。一遍唱完，又從頭唱了一遍。

Then he heaved a deep sigh; a long, long, long sigh.

然后，他深深嘆了口氣，很長很長很長的一口氣。

Then he dipped his hairbrush in the water-jug, parted his hair in the middle, and plastered it down very straight and sleek on each side of his face; and, unlocking the door, went quietly down the stairs to greet his guests, who he knew must be assembling in the drawing-room.

然后，他把發(fā)刷浸在水里打濕，把頭發(fā)從中分開，垂在面頰兩邊，用刷子刷得平塌塌、光溜溜的。他開了門鎖，靜靜地走下樓，去迎接賓客們。他知道，他們一定都聚集在客廳里了。

All the animals cheered when he entered, and crowded round to congratulate him and say nice things about his courage, and his cleverness, and his fighting qualities; but Toad only smiled faintly, and murmured, ‘Not at all!’ Or, sometimes, for a change, ‘On the contrary!’ Otter, who was standing on the hearthrug, describing to an admiring circle of friends exactly how he would have managed things had he been there, came forward with a shout, threw his arm round Toad’s neck, and tried to take him round the room in triumphal progress; but Toad, in a mild way, was rather snubby to him, remarking gently, as he disengaged himself, ‘Badger’s was the mastermind; the Mole and the Water Rat bore the brunt of the fighting; I merely served in the ranks and did little or nothing.’ The animals were evidently puzzled and taken aback by this unexpected attitude of his; and Toad felt, as he moved from one guest to the other, making his modest responses, that he was an object of absorbing interest to every one.

他進來的時候，所有的動物都高聲歡呼，圍攏來祝賀他，說許多好話贊美他的勇敢、聰明和戰(zhàn)斗精神。蟾蜍只是談淡地笑笑，低聲道：“沒什么!”或者換個說法：“哪里，正相反!”水獺正站在爐毯上，對一群貴客描述，假如他當時在場，會怎樣做?？吹襟蛤?，他大叫一聲跑過來，甩開兩臂，一把摟住他的脖子，要拉他在屋里英雄式地繞場一周?？墒求蛤軠睾偷乇硎静恍?。掙脫了他的雙臂，婉轉地說：“獾才是出謀劃策的主帥，鼴鼠和河鼠是戰(zhàn)斗的主力軍，而我，只不過是行伍里的一名小卒子，干得很少，可以說沒干什么。”蟾蜍這種出人意外的表現(xiàn)，使動物們大惑不解，不知所措。當蟾蜍一一走到客人面前;做出謙虛的表示時，他覺得，自己成了每位客人深感興趣的目標。

The Badger had ordered everything of the best, and the banquet was a great success. There was much talking and laughter and chaff among the animals, but through it all Toad, who of course was in the chair, looked down his nose and murmured pleasant nothings to the animals on either side of him.

獾把一切安排得盡善盡美，晚宴獲得了巨大成功。動物們歡聲笑語不絕?？墒钦麄€晚上，端坐主位的蟾蜍，卻始終雙眼低垂，目不斜視，對左右兩側的動物，低聲說些無關痛癢的客套話。

At intervals he stole a glance at the Badger and the Rat, and always when he looked they were staring at each other with their mouths open; and this gave him the greatest satisfaction. Some of the younger and livelier animals, as the evening wore on, got whispering to each other that things were not so amusing as they used to be in the good old days; and there were some knockings on the table and cries of ‘Toad! Speech! Speech from Toad! Song! Mr. Toad’s song!’ But Toad only shook his head gently, raised one paw in mild protest, and, by pressing delicacies on his guests, by topical small-talk, and by earnest inquiries after members of their families not yet old enough to appear at social functions, managed to convey to them that this dinner was being run on strictly conventional lines.

他偶爾偷瞄獾和河鼠一眼。這時，他倆總是張大嘴巴，互相對視一下，這使蟾蜍深感快意。晚宴進行到一定時候;一些年輕活潑的動物就交頭接耳，說這回晚會不像往年開得那么熱鬧有趣。有人敲桌子，喊道：“蟾蜍，講話呀!蟾蜍來段演說呀!唱支歌呀!蟾蜍先生來支歌呀!”可蟾蜍只是輕輕地搖搖頭，舉起只爪子，溫和地表示反對，只一個勁勸客人們多進美食，和他們聊家常，關切地問候他們家中尚未成年不能參加社交活動的成員，設法讓他們知道，這次晚宴是嚴格遵照傳統(tǒng)方式進行的。

He was indeed an altered Toad!

蟾蜍真的變了!

After this climax, the four animals continued to lead their lives, so rudely broken in upon by civil war, in great joy and contentment, undisturbed by further risings or invasions. Toad, after due consultation with his friends, selected a handsome gold chain and locket set with pearls, which he dispatched to the gaoler’s daughter with a letter that even the Badger admitted to be modest, grateful, and appreciative; and the engine-driver, in his turn, was properly thanked and compensated for all his pains and trouble. Under severe compulsion from the Badger, even the barge-woman was, with some trouble, sought out and the value of her horse discreetly made good to her; though Toad kicked terribly at this, holding himself to be an instrument of Fate, sent to punish fat women with mottled arms who couldn’t tell a real gentleman when they saw one. The amount involved, it was true, was not very burdensome, the gipsy’s valuation being admitted by local assessors to be approximately correct.

這次盛會之后，四只動物繼續(xù)過著歡快愜意的生活，這種生活曾一度被內戰(zhàn)打斷，但以后再也沒有受到動亂或入侵的干擾。蟾蜍和朋友們商量后，選購了一條漂亮的金項鏈，配有一只鑲珍珠的小匣子，外加一封連獾也承認是謙虛知恩的感謝倍，差人送給獄卒的女兒?；疖囁緳C也因他付出的辛勞和遭到的風險，得到了適當?shù)某曛x和補償。在獾的嚴厲敦促下，就連那位船娘，也費了頗大周折找到，適當?shù)刭r償了她的馬錢。盡管蟾蜍對此暴跳如雷，極力申辯說，他是命運之神派來懲罰那個臂上長色斑的胖女人的，因為她明白面對一位紳士，卻有眼不識泰山。酬謝和賠償?shù)目傤~，說實在的，倒也不算太高。那吉卜賽人對馬的估價，據(jù)當?shù)卦u估員說，大體上符合實際。

Sometimes, in the course of long summer evenings, the friends would take a stroll together in the Wild Wood, now successfully tamed so far as they were concerned; and it was pleasing to see how respectfully they were greeted by the inhabitants, and how the mother-weasels would bring their young ones to the mouths of their holes, and say, pointing, ‘Look, baby! There goes the great Mr. Toad! And that’s the gallant Water Rat, a terrible fighter, walking along o’ him! And yonder comes the famous Mr. Mole, of whom you so often have heard your father tell!’ But when their infants were fractious and quite beyond control, they would quiet them by telling how, if they didn’t hush them and not fret them, the terrible grey Badger would up and get them. This was a base libel on Badger, who, though he cared little about Society, was rather fond of children; but it never failed to have its full effect.

在長長的夏日黃昏，四位朋友有時一起去野林散步。野林現(xiàn)在已被他們整治得服服帖帖了。他們高興地看到，野林居民們怎樣恭恭敬敬向他們問好，黃鼠狼媽媽們怎樣教導她們的小崽子，把小家伙們帶到洞口，指著四只動物說：“瞧，娃娃!那位是偉大的蟾蜍先生!他旁邊是英勇的河鼠，一位無畏的戰(zhàn)士。那一位，是著名的鼴鼠先生，你們的父親常說起的!”要是娃娃們使性子，不聽話，媽媽們就嚇唬說，要是他們再鬧，再煩人，可怕的大灰獾就會把他們抓走。其實，這是對獾的莫大誣蔑，因為獾雖不大喜歡同人交往，卻挺喜歡孩子的。不過，黃鼠狼媽媽這樣說，總是很奏效的。