吹小號(hào)的天鵝 第98期:比林斯

Chapter 20 Billings

第二十章 比林斯

On a bright clear day in January, Louis and Serenacame home to the Red Rock Lakes.

在一月的某個(gè)清爽的日子里，路易斯和塞蕾娜回到了紅石湖的家。

From among the thousands of waterfowl,

從數(shù)以千計(jì)的水鳥當(dāng)中，

they quickly found the members of their ownfamilies--their fathers and mothers and sisters andbrothers.

他們很快地找到了他們自己的家庭成員--他們的父母和哥哥姐姐們。

It was a noisy homecoming. Everybody wanted to say hello at once. Ko-hoh, ko-hoh, ko-hoh!

好一場沸反盈天的歸家呀。誰都想馬上說你們好?？?mdash;嗬，吭—嗬，吭—嗬!

The wanderers were home at last.

游子終于回家了。

Louis's father, the old cob, made a graceful speech--rather long, but sincere.

路易斯的父親，那只老雄天鵝，發(fā)表了一通言辭優(yōu)美的演說--相當(dāng)?shù)拈L，但句句出自肺腑。

Louis raised his trumpet and played "There's no place like home. Home, home sweet home!"

路易斯舉起他的小號(hào)，吹起了那句“世上沒有一個(gè)地方比得上我的家。家，家，可愛的家!”

There was a great deal of gossip among the waterfowl about Louis's having persuaded Serenato be his wife.

路易斯使塞蕾娜成為他妻子的事在水鳥中間早已有了無數(shù)的傳聞。

Everybody congratulated the happy couple.

大家都來向這幸福的一對(duì)兒道賀。

And all the brothers and sisters of Louis and Serena gathered around and looked at Louis'spossessions.

路易斯的所有哥哥姐姐還有塞蕾娜都聚到一起，打量著路易斯的那些東西。

They were much impressed by his worldly goods.

他們?nèi)急凰呢?cái)產(chǎn)打動(dòng)了。

They liked the lifesaving medal, they loved the sound of the trumpet,

他們喜歡那枚救生獎(jiǎng)?wù)拢麄儛勐犇切√?hào)聲，

and they were eager to see the money in the moneybag.

他們還迫切地想見識(shí)一下那個(gè)錢袋里的錢。

But Louis did not open the bag. Instead, he took his father and mother to one side.

可路易斯卻沒有打開錢袋，而是把他的父母帶到了別的地方。

They all three stepped out on shore, where Louis slipped the moneybag off his neck and, with abow, handed it to the old cob.

他們?nèi)齻€(gè)上岸后，路易斯從脖子上摘下錢袋，鞠了一躬，然后才把它遞給那只老雄天鵝。

Four thousand four hundred and twenty dollars and seventy-eight cents.

里面共有四千四百二十美元七十八美分。

Then Louis took his slate and wrote a note to the owner of the music store in Billings

然后路易斯拿過他的石板給比林斯的樂器店店主寫了個(gè)便條。

so his father would have something to show him when he got there.

這樣一來，當(dāng)他的父親飛到那里時(shí)就可以把它拿給那個(gè)店主看了。

The note said: To the Storekeeper of Billings: Enclosed please find $4,420.78.

便條上說：致比林斯的店主：茲附上現(xiàn)金4420.78 美元，請查收。

It will pay you for the trumpet and the damage to the store.

這筆錢是用來償付那把小號(hào)和店鋪的損失的。

Sorry about the inconvenience this has caused you.

對(duì)因此給你帶來的麻煩深感歉意。

The old cob was not able to count money, and he was not able to read,

老雄天鵝不會(huì)數(shù)錢，也不會(huì)閱讀，

but he took the moneybag and the slate and hung them around his neck.

可他還是接過錢袋和石板，把它們掛到自己的脖子上。

He felt sure he could now pay his debt for the stolen trumpet.

他確信他現(xiàn)在能為這把偷來的小號(hào)償債了。