精靈鼠小弟 第23期:尋找比較好的帆船

"Excuse me, sir," said Stuart to the man who was turning her, "but are you the owner of theschooner1 Wasp2?"

“請原諒，先生，”斯圖亞特對船邊的一個男人說，“你是這縱帆船的船主嗎?”

"I am," replied the man, surprised to be addressed by a mouse in a sailor suit.

“是的，”這個男人回答著，驚奇地看著這個穿水手服的老鼠。

"I'm looking for a berth3 in a good ship," continued Stuart," and I thought perhaps you might sign me on.

“我正在找一艘最好的帆船，”斯圖亞特繼續(xù)說，“我想你可能會與我簽約。”

I'm strong and I'm quick.

我既強壯又機敏。

"Are you sober?" asked the owner of the Wasp.

“你沒喝多吧?”黃蜂號的船主問。

"I do my work," said Stuart, crisply.

“我完全能能勝任這工作。”斯圖亞特爽快地回答。

The man looked sharply at him.

這個男人挑剔地看了看他。

He couldn't help admiring the trim appearance and bold manner of this diminutive4seafaring character.

但不久就被這個小水手漂亮的水手服和航海家般的勇敢氣質所打動了。

"Well," he said at length, pointing the prow5 of the Wasp out toward the center of the pond, "I'll tell you what I'll do with you.

“好吧，”他終于說著，指指池塘中心方向的一艘船，“我要告訴你我要你做什么。

You see that big racing6 sloop7 out there?

你看到那邊的大賽船了嗎?

"I do," said Stuart.

“看見了，”斯圖亞特說。

"That's the Lillian B.Womrath," said the man, "and I hate her with all my heart."

“那是莉蓮B.沃拉爾號”，那男人說，“我從心底里恨她。”

"Then so do I," cried Stuart, loyally.

“那么我也恨她，”斯圖亞特忠誠地叫道。

"I hate her because she is always bumping into my boat," continued the man,

“我恨她是因為她總是撞上我的船，”那個男人繼續(xù)說，

and because her owner is a lazy boy who doesn't understand sailing and who hardly knows a squall from a squid.

因為她的船主是一個不懂航海的懶孩子，他幾乎都不知道烏賊與烏云的分別。

"Or a jib from a jibe," cried Stuart.

“或者改舷與三角帆的分別，”斯圖亞特叫。

"Or a luff from a leech," bellowed the man.

“或者縱帆的外邊和里邊的分別。”那個男人吼。

"Or a deck from a dock," screamed Stuart.

“或者碼頭與甲板的分別。”斯圖亞特尖叫。

"Or a mast from a mist," yelled the man.

“或者霧與桅桿的分別，”那男人叫。

But hold on, now, no more of this!

好了，夠了，別再說了!

I'll tell you what we'll do.

我要告訴你我要你做什么。