書蟲三級 鐵路少年：8.穿紅襯衣的男孩兒

8．The boy in the red shirt
8．穿紅襯衣的男孩兒

The boys from the school in Maidbridge' are having a paper-chase today,' said Bobbie, the next morning. 'Perks thinks they'll go along beside the railway line. We could go and watch.'

“今天，梅德布里奇學校的男生要舉辦循紙追捕比賽。”第二天早晨，博比說，“珀克斯說他們可能會沿鐵路線進行。我們?nèi)タ纯窗伞?rdquo;

There were men working on the railway line, and the children began by watching them. They almost forgot the paper-chase, and were surprised when a voice said, 'Let me pass, please.' It was the first boy from the school.

鐵路上有人在干活，孩子們就開始看他們工作。他們幾乎忘了循紙追捕那回事兒了，所以當聽見有人說：“請讓我過去。”的時候，他們甚至有些吃驚。說這話的是從學校跑出來的第一名男生。

He's the "hare",' explained Bobbie. 'All the other boys are the "hounds" and they have to chase after him.'

“他就是‘野兔’，”博比解釋說，“其他的男生都是‘獵狗’，他們一起來追趕他。”

There was a bag under the hare's arm. It was full of pieces of paper, which he dropped behind him for the other boys to follow. They watched as he ran into the black mouth of the tunnel.

“野兔”的胳膊下面夾著一個包。包里裝滿了紙，他把這些紙丟在身后，讓其他男生循著這些紙來追趕他。孩子們看見他跑進了隧道的大黑洞里。

The workmen watched him, too.

工人也看著他。

He shouldn't go in there,' said one.

“他不應該進去。”一個工人說。

It's only a game,' said another.

“這只是個游戲。”另一個說。

Passengers shouldn't cross the line.'

“乘客不能橫穿鐵路。”

He's not a passenger.'

“可他不是乘客。”

Then came the "hounds", following the pieces of white paper. They came down the steps at the side of the tunnel and disappeared into the darkness. The last boy was wearing a red shirt.

隨后“獵狗”們順著那些白紙追了過來。他們沿著隧道側翼的臺階下去，消失在黑暗中。跑在最后的那個男生穿著一件紅襯衣。

Will they take long to get through the tunnel?' asked Peter.

“他們需要很長時間才能穿出隧道嗎？”彼得問。

An hour or more,' guessed one of the men.

“要一小時或更久。”一個工人推測。

Let's go across the top of the hill and see them come out the other end of the tunnel,' Peter said to his sisters.

“那我們從山頂上翻過去，到隧道那頭看他們鉆出來。”彼得向他的姐妹建議。

The tunnel was cut through a hill. They climbed over stones and through narrow openings between trees, and at last they reached the very top of the hill.

這是一條穿山隧道。孩子們從亂石堆和茂密的樹叢中艱難地爬過，終于到達了山頂。

It's lovely up here,' said Bobbie, as she looked across the fields. 'It was worth the climb.'

“這山上可真美呀，”博比放眼四周的田野，感嘆說，“我們爬山也值了。”

The paper-chase is worth the climb,' said Phyllis. 'But hurry, or we'll miss it.'

“是為了看循紙追捕，才覺得爬山很值，”菲利斯說，“不過快點吧，要不然我們就看不見他們了。”

But there was plenty of time, and they had to wait at the other end of the tunnel

其實時間還早，他們只好在隧道另一端的出口處等著。

Look, here he comes!' shouted Peter at last.

“瞧，他出來了！”彼得終于大喊。

The hare came very slowly out of the shadows of the tunnel. Soon after, came the hounds. They were going slowly, too, and looked very tired.

“野兔”從隧道的陰影里慢慢地走了出來。很快，“獵狗”們也出來了。他們也走得很緩慢，看起來好像已經(jīng)是精疲力盡了。

What shall we do now?' said Bobbie.

“我們現(xiàn)在做什么？”博比說。

That's not the last,' said Peter. 'The hound in the red shirt isn't out yet.' They waited and waited, but the boy did not appear.

“還沒完呢，”彼得說，“那個穿紅襯衣的“獵狗”還沒出來呢。”他們等啊，等啊，可那個男孩兒還是沒有出現(xiàn)。

The children began to worry, and they climbed down to the mouth of the tunnel. But they couldn't see a boy in a red shirt.

孩子們開始有些擔心了，于是他們從山上爬下來到了隧道口。但是，他們還是瞧不見那個穿紅襯衣的男孩兒。

Perhaps he's had an accident,' said Peter. 'Let's go and look.'

“也許他出事兒了。”彼得說，“我們?nèi)タ纯窗伞?rdquo;

The tunnel was dark after the sunshine outside, and they walked beside the line.

因為外面的光線很強，隧道顯得格外黑，孩子們沿著鐵路線往前走。

If a train comes, stand flat against the wall,' said Peter. His voice sounded very different inside the tunnel walls.

“要是火車來了，就貼著墻站。”彼得吩咐大家。因為是在隧道里，他的聲音聽起來有些異樣。

I don't like it!' said Phyllis.

“我不喜歡這里！”菲利斯說。

There was a low noise on the railway line.

這時，鐵軌發(fā)出了低沉的顫音。

What's that?' said Peter.

“什么聲音？”彼得說。

It's a train,' said Bobbie.

“火車來了。”博比說。

Let me go back!' cried Phyllis.

“我們回去吧！”菲利斯哭著說。

It's quite safe,' said Bobbie. 'Stand back.'

“這兒很安全。”博比說，“往后站。”

The train came towards them, and the noise got louder and louder. Then it was screaming past, and they could feel the hot air and smell the smoke. They pushed themselves flat against the tunnel wall.

火車向他們駛來，聲音越來越大。然后剎那間，火車便呼嘯而過，他們能感受到熱浪、能聞到煙氣。孩子們緊貼在隧道的墻上。

Oh!' said the children, after it was gone.

“噢！”火車過后，孩子們松了一口氣。

Peter took the end of a candle from his pocket, and his hand was shaking when he lit it with a match. 'C—come on,' he said. And the three of them went deeper into the darkness of the tunnel.

彼得從口袋中掏出一小截蠟燭，在他用火柴點蠟燭的時候，手一直在顫抖。“跟——跟上來。”他說。于是，他們?nèi)齻€一起往黑暗隧道的更深處走去。

The boy in the red shirt was on the ground, beside the line. His eyes were closed and he did not move when they reached him.

那個穿紅襯衣的男孩兒躺在鐵路旁的地上。他的雙眼緊閉，三個孩子到了跟前他也沒動一動。

Is... is he dead?' asked Phyllis.

“他……他死了嗎？”菲利斯問。

Dead? No!' said Peter.

“死了？沒有！”彼得回答。

And slowly, the boy opened his eyes. 'I... I think I've broken my leg,' he said. 'How did you get here?'

漸漸地，男孩兒睜開了眼睛。“我……我想我的腿折了，”他說，“你們怎么到這兒來了？”

We saw you all go into the tunnel, and then we went across the hill to see you all come out,' explained Peter. 'The others came out, but you didn't. So we came to look for you.'

“我們看著你們都進了隧道，然后我們又從山上爬過去，看你們穿出隧道，”彼得解釋說，“其他人都出來了，你卻沒有。所以我們就過來找你了。”

You're very brave,' said the boy.

“你們可真勇敢。”男孩說道。

Can you walk, if we help you?' said Bobbie.

“如果我們幫著你，你能走嗎？”博比問。

I can try,' said the boy. He did try, but he could only stand on one foot. 'Oh, I must sit down. The pain is awful.' He sat down again and closed his eyes. The others looked at each other.

“我可以試試，”男孩兒回答。他果真試了試，但是只有一條腿能站起來。“噢，我必須坐下。太疼了。”他又坐了下來，閉上了眼睛。三個孩子面面相覷。

You must go and get help,' said Bobbie quickly. 'I'll stay with him. You take the longest bit of candle, but be quick.'

“你們得出去找人幫忙，”博比果斷地說，“我和他留在這里。你們帶上最長的那截蠟燭出去，快點兒回來。”

Peter looked worried. 'Let me stay, and you and Phyllis go.'

彼得看上去很猶豫。“讓我留下吧，你和菲利斯去找人。”

No,' said Bobbie. 'You two go—and lend me your knife. I'll try and cut his boot off before he wakes up again. Just be quick!'

“不行，”博比說，“你們兩個人去——把你的刀子借給我用一下。在他再次醒過來之前，我得想辦法把他的靴子割開脫下來。快點兒！”

Bobbie watched their figures disappear, then put her little candle beside the boy's foot. She used Peter's knife to cut off the boot, then she looked at the broken leg. 'It needs something soft under it,' she thought, and then remembered her petticoat. She took it off and carefully put it under the boy's leg.

博比目送他們的身影消失在黑暗中，然后她點著手中的小蠟燭，放在男孩兒的腳邊。她用彼得的那把刀子割開男孩兒的靴子，看了看那條摔折的腿。“這條腿需要用軟一點兒的東西墊一墊。”她腦子里閃過這樣的念頭，她又想到了自己的襯裙。她脫掉襯裙，小心地墊到男孩兒的腿下。

He woke up a few minutes later.

幾分鐘后，他醒了。

What's your name?' asked Bobbie.

“你叫什么名字？”博比問。

Jim,' he said.

“吉姆。”他回答。

Mine is Bobbie,' she said. 'Peter and Phyllis have gone to get some help.'

“我叫博比，”她說，“彼得和菲利斯出去找人幫忙了。”

Why didn't you go with them?' he said.

“那你為什么沒和他們一起去呢？”男孩說。

Someone had to stay with you,' said Bobbie. 'I must put out the candle or it will burn itself out.'

“得有人陪著你呀，”博比說，“我得吹滅蠟燭了，不然的話它會燒完的。”

Are you afraid of the dark, Bobbie?' asked Jim, when they were sitting in the darkness.

“博比，你怕黑嗎？”吉姆問，他們就坐在黑暗中。

Not—not very afraid,' said Bobbie. 'But—'

“不——不太害怕，”博比回答。“不過——”

Let's hold hands,' said Jim. He put his large hand over her small one. Then they sat and waited.

“讓我們握著彼此的手。”吉姆說著，一邊用他的大手握住了她的小手。他們坐在那里等著。

Peter and Phyllis went to a farm to get help. When the two children got back to the tunnel with the men from the farm, they found Bobbie and Jim asleep.

彼得和菲利斯到一個農(nóng)場去尋求幫助。當兩個孩子和農(nóng)場里的人一起返回隧道時，他們發(fā)現(xiàn)博比和吉姆都睡著了。

The men carried Jim on a piece of flat wood.

那些人用一塊平平的木板抬起吉姆。

Where does he live?' asked one of them.

“他住在哪里？”一個人問。

In Northumberland,' answered Bobbie. 'He told me while we were waiting.'

“在諾森伯蘭，”博比回答，“剛才等你們的時候他告訴我的。”

I'm at a school in Maid bridge,' said Jim, 'I suppose I must get back there.'

“我在梅德布里奇的一個學校讀書，”吉姆說，“我想我該先回那兒去。”

A doctor ought to see you first,' said the man.

“你應該先看醫(yī)生。”那個人說。

Bring him to our house,' said Bobbie. 'It's not far along the road. I'm sure Mother will say it's all right.'

“把他抬回我們家吧，”博比說，“沿著這條路走，我家很近。我相信媽媽會同意的。”

Mother did say it was all right, although she was a little surprised at first. Then Bobbie explained.

媽媽的確同意，盡管起初她有些吃驚。隨后博比做了解釋。

I'm sorry to be so much trouble,' Jim said to Mother as the men carried him in. His face was white with pain.

“對不起，給你們添了這么多麻煩。”被抬進屋的時候，吉姆向媽媽表示歉意。他的臉因為疼痛已經(jīng)沒有了一點血色。

Don't worry, you poor dear,' said Mother. 'You must go to bed, and I'll send for Doctor Forrest.'

“別擔心，可憐的孩子，”媽媽說，“你需要上床休息，我讓人去請福里斯特醫(yī)生。”

Mother also sent a message to Jim's school, to tell them what had happened.

與此同時，媽媽還給吉姆的學校捎去了口信，告訴他們所發(fā)生的一切。

My grandfather lives near here,' said Jim.

“我爺爺住得離這兒不遠。”吉姆說。

Then I'll write and tell him, too,' said Mother. 'I'm sure he'll want to know. What's his name?'

“那好，我也給他寫封信，把情況告訴他，”媽媽說，“我相信他也一定想知道。他叫什么名字呢？”

*　　*　　*

*　　*　　*

After breakfast the next day, someone knocked at the front door.

第二天早飯過后，有人敲前門。

That will be the doctor again,' said Mother. She went out of the kitchen and closed the door.

“肯定又是醫(yī)生。”媽媽說。她走出廚房，關上了門。

But it wasn't the doctor. The children listened as Mother and the visitor went upstairs. They heard them talking, and were sure that they knew the voice of the visitor. But who was it?

但是來者不是醫(yī)生。孩子們聽見媽媽和來人上樓的聲音。聽見他們談話，孩子們覺得來人的聲音很耳熟。但那人到底是誰呢？

After a while, the bedroom door opened and they heard Mother and the visitor come down and go into the front room of the house. Then they heard Mother calling: 'Bobbie!'

過了一會兒，臥室的門開了，他們聽見媽媽和來人下樓到了客廳里。他們聽見媽媽在喊：“博比！”

Mother was in the hall. 'Jim's grandfather has come,' she said. 'He wants to see you all.'

媽媽就在廳里。“吉姆的爺爺來了，”她說，“他想見見你們。”

They followed Mother into the other room, and there sat—THEIR OWN OLD GENTLEMAN.

他們跟著媽媽來到了另一間房子里，這里竟然坐著——他們的那位老先生。

Oh, it's you!' cried Bobbie.

“哦，是您呀！”博比大叫。

How wonderful!' said Peter. 'But you're not going to take Jim away, are you? I was hoping he could stay.'

“太棒了！”彼得說，“不過您不會把吉姆帶走吧，您會嗎？我想讓他留下來。”

The old gentleman smiled. 'No,' he said. 'Your mother is very kind. She has agreed to let Jim stay here. I thought of sending a nurse, but your mother was good enough to agree to be his nurse herself.'

老先生微笑著。“不，”他說，“你們的媽媽非常好，她已經(jīng)同意讓吉姆留在這里了。我本來想派一個護士過來，可是你們的媽媽說她自己就能照料好他。”

But what about her writing?' said Peter, before anyone could stop him. 'There won't be anything for him to eat if she doesn't write.'

“那媽媽還怎么寫故事呀？”大家還沒來得及阻止，彼得就把這句話說出來了，“要是她不寫故事了，他就沒有東西吃了。”

The old gentleman smiled kindly at Mother. 'She has agreed to stop her writing for a while, and become Head Nurse of my hospital.'

老先生望著媽媽，臉上露出慈祥的微笑。“她已經(jīng)同意暫時不寫故事，到我的醫(yī)院來做護士長了。”

Oh!' said Phyllis. 'Will we have to go away from the white house, and the railway and everything?'

“哦！”菲利斯說，“我們就要從白色小屋搬出來，離開鐵路，離開這里的一切了嗎？”

No, no, darling,' Mother said quickly. 'The hospital is here, at this house.'

“不，不，親愛的孩子們，”媽媽馬上說，“醫(yī)院就在這里，就在我們家。”

And my unlucky Jim is the only one needing a nurse,' said the old gentleman. 'But there will be a maid and someone to cook the meals until Jim is well.'

“我可憐的孫子吉姆是惟一需要護理的人，”老先生說，“不過在吉姆康復之前，我會派一個女傭，再派一個人過來做飯的。”

Then will Mother start writing again?' asked Peter.

“那么等吉姆好了以后，媽媽就又可以寫故事了嗎？”彼得問。

Perhaps something nice will happen, and she won't have to,' said the old gentleman. 'Take care of your mother, my dears. She's a woman in a million. Now, perhaps Bobbie can take me to the door?'

“也許福星降臨，她就不用再寫故事了，”老先生說，“好好照顧你們的媽媽，孩子們。她可是個萬里挑一的好媽媽?，F(xiàn)在，也許博比可以把我送到門口？”

The two of them went outside, and the old gentleman said, 'I got your letter, my child, but it wasn't necessary. When I read about your father in the newspapers at the time, I began trying to find out things. I haven't done much yet, but I have hopes, my dear—I have hopes.'

兩個人走出房間之后，老先生說：“孩子，我已經(jīng)收到了你的來信，其實你沒必要給我寫信。我剛在報紙上看到你爸爸的事情時，就已經(jīng)開始著手調查事情的真相了。雖然我還沒有什么收獲，但是我充滿信心，親愛的孩子——我充滿信心。”

Oh!' said Bobbie, crying a little.

“哦！”博比說，抽泣起來。

But keep your secret a little longer,' he said.

“不過你暫時還要保密。”他說。

You don't think Father did it, do you?' said Bobbie. 'Oh, say you don't!'

“你不認為是我爸爸干的，對嗎？”博比說，“哦，請告訴我，你不這么認為！”

I'm sure he didn't,' said the old gentleman.

“我堅信他沒干。”老先生說。

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