吹小號的天鵝 第104期:比林斯(7)

Meantime, back on the sidewalk in front of themusic store, the judge was announcing his decision.

這時候，在樂器店門前的人行道上，那個法官正在宣布他的判決。

"On the basis of the testimony," he said solemnly,

“根據(jù)證詞，”他嚴肅地說，

"I award the money to the storekeeper, to make upfor the loss of the trumpet and damage to the store.

“我要把這錢判給店主，以此償還那把遺失的小號和店鋪的損失。

I am placing the swan in the custody of the gamewarden."

我另外的判決是，這只天鵝將由這位狩獵法執(zhí)行官監(jiān)護。”

"Your Honor," said the warden,

“閣下，”這個執(zhí)法官說，

"don't forget that the storekeeper is under arrest for shooting a wild swan."

“別忘了這個店主因為槍擊了一只野天鵝該被逮捕的事。”

"It was a case of false arrest," said the judge wisely.

“這種逮捕是不合法的，”這個法官明智的說。

"The storekeeper fired his gun at the bird because he was afraid his store would be robbedagain.

“這個店主朝這只鳥開槍，是因為怕他的店再次被搶。

He did not know that the swan was bringing money to pay for the trumpet.

他不知道這只天鵝是帶著錢來為小號付帳的。

The gun was fired in self-defense.

開槍屬于自衛(wèi)。

Everyone is innocent, the swan is honest,

每個人都是無罪的，這只天鵝是誠實的，

the debt is paid, the storekeeper is rich, and the case is dismissed."

他的債還清了，這個店主發(fā)財了，這個案子了結(jié)了。”

A cheer went up from the crowd. The warden looked sulky.

人群中發(fā)出了一陣歡呼。這個執(zhí)法官顯得很惱火。

The policeman looked glum. But the storekeeper was beaming.

那個警察也滿心的不樂意。可那個店主卻樂開了花。

He was a happy man. He felt that justice had been done.

他又是快樂的人了。他覺得判決很公正。

"I have an announcement," he said.

“我有個消息要宣布，”他說，

"I am only going to keep just enough of this money to pay for the stolen trumpet and therepair bills for my store.

“我將只留下那把被偷的小號錢和我的店鋪修理費。

All the rest of the money will be given to a good cause if I can think of just the right one.

剩下的錢將被交給一個我認為最適合的地方。誰能想出一個最需要這些錢的地方?”

Can anyone think of a worthy cause that needs money?"

誰能想出一個最需要這些錢的地方?”

"The Salvation Army," suggested a woman.

“救世軍。”一個婦女說。

"No," said the storekeeper.

“不，”這個店主說。

"The Boy Scouts?" suggested a boy.

“童子軍?”一個男孩提議。

"No," said the storekeeper.

“不，”這個店主說。

"The American Civil Liberties Union?" suggested a man.

“美國公自聯(lián)?”一個男人建議。

"Nope," said the storekeeper. "Nobody has thought of just the right place for me to send thismoney."

“不，”這個店主說。“沒人能為我想出這些錢最該被送到的地方。”

"How about the Audubon Society?" asked a little fellow whose nose looked like the beak of abird.

“奧杜邦協(xié)會怎么樣?”一個鼻子長得像只鳥嘴的小家伙問。

"Great! You've got it!" cried the storekeeper.

“好極了!你說出來了!”這個店主叫起來。

"A bird has been very good to me, and now I want to do something for birds.

“鳥類一直都對我很不錯，現(xiàn)在我也想為鳥類做些什么。

The Audubon Society is kind to birds. I want this money to be used to help birds.

奧杜邦協(xié)會對鳥類很好。我想這些錢該用在幫助鳥類上。

Some birds are in real trouble. They face extinction."

有些鳥類實際上正處在困境之中。他們正面臨滅絕的命運。”

"What's extinction?" asked Alfred Gore. "Does it mean they stink?"

“滅絕是什么意思?”艾爾弗雷德·戈爾問，“就是說他們?nèi)侨擞憛拞?”

"Certainly not," said the storekeeper.

“當然不是，”這個店主說，

"Extinction is what happens when you're extinct

“滅絕就是你們被消滅的事發(fā)生了

when you don't exist anymore because there are no others like you.

那時你們都已經(jīng)不存在了，因為再沒有其他和你們一樣的生命了。

Like the passenger pigeon and the eastern Heath Hen and the Dodo and the Dinosaur."

這就像旅鴿，東部的北美松雞，還有渡渡鳥和恐龍的遭遇一樣。”