吹小號的天鵝 第88期:自由(2)

Serena slipped quickly into the water and glidedgracefully away. Louis followed.

塞蕾娜立刻溜進水里，姿態(tài)優(yōu)美地游走了。路易斯跟在后面。

He motioned for her to stay on the lake.

他作了一個動作，讓她繼續(xù)留在湖上。

Then he raced back to the island, grabbed histrumpet, his slate, his chalk pencil, his medal, andhis moneybag,

然后他奔回小島，掛上他的小號，石板，石筆，獎章，錢袋，

flew over the balustrade, and walked boldly into theBird House.

飛過欄桿，勇敢地闖進了鳥屋。

He was still mad. He went straight to the office of the Head Man in Charge of Birds. He rappedon the door.

他還在暴怒之中。他一直來到鳥類管理處的負責人辦公室。他猛敲著門。

"Come in!" said a voice. Louis entered.

“進來!”一個聲音說。路易斯進去了。

The Head Man was seated at his desk. "Hello, Louis!" he said.

那個負責人正坐在他的辦公桌旁。“你好，路易斯!”他說。

"What's on your mind?" asked the man.

“你有什么事?”那個男人問。

Louis placed his trumpet on the floor and took his slate and chalk pencil from his neck. "I'm inlove," he wrote.

路易斯把他的小號放到地板上，摘下了脖子上的石板石筆。“我正在熱戀中，” 他寫。

The Head Man leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. His face had afaraway look.

個負責人靠回到他的椅子上，把雙手抱在腦后。他的臉上現(xiàn)出一副迷惑不解的表情，

He gazed out of the window for a moment in silence.

這他靜靜地朝窗外望了一會兒。

"Well," he said, "it's natural that you're in love. You're young. You're talented.

“哦，”他說，“你在熱戀，這也是很自然的。你正當年輕。你有才華。

In a couple of months, spring will be here. All birds fall in love in springtime.

再過兩個月，春天就會來了。所有的鳥兒都會在春天墜入愛河。

I suppose you're in love with one of my young swans."

我猜你正在與我的一只年輕天鵝戀愛。”

"Serena," wrote Louis. "She arrived the day before yesterday.

“塞蕾娜，”路易斯寫，“她是前天來的。

I used to know her slightly, back in Montana. She loves me, too."

我以前在蒙大拿就對她有所了解。她也愛我。”

"That doesn't surprise me," said the Head Man.

“這不會令我吃驚，”這個負責人說，

"You're a very unusual young cob. Any young female swan would fall for you.

“你是一只非凡的年輕雄天鵝。任何一只年輕的雌天鵝都會愛上你的。

You're a great trumpeter--one of the best. I'm delighted to hear about this love affair, Louis.

你是一個了不起的號手--最好的之一。我很高興能聽到這場愛情，路易斯。

You and your bride can stay right here on Bird Lake and raise your family in comfort andsafety, in the oldest zoo in the United States."

你和你的新娘可以就在這個鳥湖，在這個美國最古老的動物園里安然愜意地組建你們的家庭。”

Louis shook his head. "I have other plans," he wrote.

路易斯搖搖頭。“我有另外的打算，”他寫。

Then he set his slate down and raised his trumpet.

然后他放下石板，舉起他的小號。

It was an old song by Irving Berlin. The room was filled with the sound of love.

這是一首歐文·柏林寫的老歌。房間里彌滿了這愛情的聲音。

The Head Man had a dreamy look in his eyes.

這個負責人的眼里閃出了夢幻般的光。

Louis set his horn down and took up his slate again.

路易斯放下他的小號，又拿起了他的石板。

"I am taking Serena away with me in a day or two," he wrote.

“我打算和塞蕾娜在一兩天內離開這里，”他寫。

"Oh, no you're not!" said the Head Man firmly.

“噢，不，你不能這樣!”這個負責人堅決地說，

"Serena now belongs to the Zoo. She is the property of the people of Philadelphia.

“塞蕾娜現(xiàn)在歸動物園所有。她是費城人民的財產(chǎn)。

She came here because of an act of God."

她來這兒是上帝的安排。”

"It wasn't an act of God," wrote Louis. "It was a high wind."

“這不是什么上帝的安排，”路易斯寫，“這是狂風的安排。”

"Well, anyway," said the Head Man, "she's my swan."

“好吧，隨你怎么說，”這個負責人說，“反正她是我的天鵝。”

"No, she's mine," wrote Louis. "She's mine by reason of the power of love--the greatest force onearth."

“不，她是我的，”路易斯寫，“她是我的，這是愛的力量所決定的--全世界最偉大的力量。”