牛津書蟲系列 黑駿馬 2 Birtwick Park

2 Birtwick Park

2 伯特威克莊園

I was beginning to grow handsome.My coat was fine and soft， and was a shiny black. I had one white foot，and a pretty white star on my forehead. When I was four years old，Mr Gordon came to look at me.He looked closely at my eyes，my mouth， and my legs， and then I had to walk and trot and gallop for him.

我開始長得英俊了。我的毛細膩柔軟，油黑油黑的，有一只腳是白色的，前額上還有一顆漂亮的白星。在我4歲時，高頓先生來看我。他仔細地看了我的眼睛、嘴巴和腿，然后我為他表演了走步、小跑和奔馳。

'When he has been trained，'Mr Gordon said to my master，'he will do very well.'

“把他訓練一下，”高頓先生對我的主人說，“他會做得很好。”

My master liked to train his horses himself before selling them，and the next day my training began.

我的主人喜歡在賣馬前親自馴馬，于是第二天我的訓練開始了。

To train a horse is to teach him to wear a saddle，and to carry a man，woman or child on his back.The horse must also learn to wear a collar， and to stand still when it is put on;then to have a carriage fixed behind him， and to go fast or slow，whichever his driver wishes. He must never bite or kick or talk to other horses， and must always do what his master tells him，however tired or hungry he feels.

訓練一匹馬，要教他學會配戴馬鞍，馱男人、女人和小孩。這匹馬還得學會戴軛具，在套軛具時，得站穩(wěn)了不能移動;然后還得學會在身后套上一輛馬車，按趕車人的意思快走或慢走。他永遠不得踢、咬或者和其他馬閑聊，而且不管多累多餓，都必須永遠服從主人。

Like all horses that have grown up，I had to wear a bit and bridle.A bit is a great piece of cold hard metal， as thick as a man's finger，which is pushed into a horse's mouth between his teeth and over his tongue， with the ends coming out at the corners. It is held there by straps which go over the horse's head，under his neck，round his nose and under his chin.Reins，which the rider holds，are fastened to each end of the bit.Slowly， with my master's kind words and gentle ways， I learned to wear my bit and bridle.

和所有成年的馬一樣，我得戴上嚼口和籠頭。馬嚼口是一大片又冷又硬的金屬，像人的手指那么厚，塞進馬嘴，卡在上下兩排牙齒之間，舌頭之上，末端從嘴角伸出來。勒住嚼口的繩子繞著馬頭，經過脖子下面，圍著鼻子和下巴頦兒。馬夫手里的韁繩緊緊系住嚼口的兩端。慢慢地，在我主人的好言好語和溫柔的動作引導下，我學會了戴嚼口和籠頭。

Next there was the saddle.My master put it on my back very gently， then fixed the straps under my body， speaking qui-etly to me all the time.Then one morning， he got on my back and rode me round the field on the soft grass.He did this every day until I was used to it. Then he took me to the village where a man fixed metal shoes on to each hoof.My feet felt heavy and strange，but I got used to this，too.

下一步是戴馬鞍。主人非常輕柔地把它放到我的背上，把繩子在我的肚皮下系祝他一直輕輕地跟我說著話。然后一天早上，他騎上我在軟軟的草上繞著田野走了走。他每天都這樣，直到我習慣了為止。然后他帶我到村里的一個人那兒，給我的每只腳都釘上了掌。我的腳覺得又沉又怪，不過后來我連這個也習慣了。

There were more new things to wear.First，a heavy collar on my neck，and a bridle with great side pieces against my eyes，called blinkers.With these on，I could only see in front of me.But in time I got used to everything，and could do my work as well as my mother.

還有好多新東西要戴。首先，是脖子上重重的軛具，還有籠頭，帶著一大塊擋住我的眼睛的叫作馬眼罩的東西。戴上它們，我只能看見我前方的東西。但漸漸地我適應了這一切，而且能把活干得和媽媽一樣好了。

For a fortnight， my master sent me to a neighbour's farm for another kind of training， which was very useful to me.One field was next to the railway and had sheep and cows in it， and I was put in among them.I shall never forget the first train that thundered by， and how I galloped to the far side of the field，trembling with fear at this terrible noise.But after a few days I cared as little as the sheep and cows when a train passed by.

有兩周的時間，主人把我送到鄰居的農場里進行另一項訓練，這對我非常有用。這是一片靠近鐵路的田野，有羊，有牛，我被放到他們中間。我永遠忘不了當?shù)谝惠v火車轟鳴而過的時候，我是如何害怕得渾身顫抖，如何飛也似地逃得遠遠的。不過幾天以后，再有火車過時，我已和那些牛羊一樣若無其事了。

It was early in May when a man came to take me away to Mr Gordon's house.My master said，'Goodbye，Darkie.Be a good horse，and always do your best.'I put my nose into his hand and he patted me kindly，and then I left my first home.

5月初，一個男人來帶我去高頓先生家。我主人說：“再見了，小黑，做一匹好馬，永遠全力而為。”我把鼻子放在他手里，他親切地拍了拍我，然后我就離開了我的第一個家。

* * *

* * *

Mr Gordon's house，which was called the Hall，stood in Birtwick Park，near the village.We went into the Park through a large gate，then trotted along a smooth road between some trees to the house and gardens.Beyond this were the stables.

高頓先生的房子叫作大宅，就在村子附近的伯特威克莊園。我們穿過一個大門走進去，小跑著經過一條平坦的通向房子和花園的林間路，盡頭是一排馬廄。

There was room for many horses and carriages.My stable had four good stalls and a large window.It was very pleasant.The first stall was called a loose box，where a horse is not tied up all the time but is free to move around as he likes.It is a great thing to have a loose box.The groom put me into it and gave me some oats.Then he patted me，spoke kindly，and went away.In the stall next to mine stood a little fat grey pony.

這里很大，能容得下很多馬匹和馬車。我的馬廄分成挺像樣的4個欄，還有一扇大窗。真體面。第一欄叫作“放飼馬房”，在這兒馬不拴著，想怎么走動都可以。有這么一個自由的空間真是太好了。馬夫牽我進屋，喂了我一些燕麥。然后他拍拍我，溫和地說了幾句就走了。在我隔壁是一匹胖乎乎的小灰馬。

'Hello，'I said.'What is your name?'

“你好，”我說，“你叫什么名字?”

'Merrylegs，'he said，turning round.'I'm very handsome.I carry the young ladies on my back， and sometimes I take Mrs Gordon out in one of the carriages.Are you going to live next to me in the box?'

“樂腿兒，”他說著轉過身來。“我很漂亮。我馱著小姐們，有時還拉車帶高頓夫人出去。你要住在我隔壁嗎?”

'Yes，'I said.

“是的，”我說。

'Then I hope you are well-behaved，'he said.'I don't like anyone who bites.'

“那我希望你舉止得體，”他說，“我不喜歡愛咬人的馬。”

A horse's head looked over from the stall beyond.It was a tall brown mare， and she did not look pleased.'So it's you who has turned me out of my bx，'she said.

一匹馬的頭從那邊的欄里探出來，那是一匹高高的棕色母馬。她看上去不太高興。“這么說就是你把我從我的欄里趕出來的了，”她說。

'I'm sorry，'I said，'but the man put me in here，so it is not my fault.I don't want to argue with anyone;I just wish to live in peace.

“對不起，”我說，“但是是那個人把我放在這兒的，這可不是我的錯。我不想和誰吵架，只想平平安安地過日子。”

Later，Merrylegs told me about the tall brown mare.

后來，樂腿兒給我講了高個兒棕色母馬的事情。

'Ginger has a bad habit of biting people，'he explained.'One day，she bit James in the arm，and Miss Flora and Miss Jessie， the children， were afraid to come into the stable after that.If you don't bite， I hope they'll start to come again.'

“金兒有個壞毛病，就是愛咬人，”他說。“一天，她咬了詹姆斯的胳膊，后來弗勞拉小姐、潔茜小姐和其他孩子就不敢到馬廄來了。如果你不咬，我希望他們會再來。”

I told him I never bit anything except grass and could not understand why Ginger bit people.

我告訴他我除了青草以外，什么都不咬，也想不透金兒為什么咬人。

'No one was ever kind to her before she came here，'said Merrylegs.'John and James do all they can to please her，and our master is never unkind.I'm twelve years old， and I know that there isn't a better place for a horse all round the country than this.John has been here fourteen years and is the best groom there ever was.And you never saw a kinder stableboy than James.There was no reason for Ginger to bite anyone.It's her own fault that she did not stay in the box.'

“她來這兒之前沒人對她好過。”樂腿兒說。“約翰和詹姆斯想盡辦法逗她樂，我們主人也從沒有對她不好。我12歲了，我可知道對一匹馬來說，附近再沒一個地方比這兒更好了。約翰在這兒14年了，是有史以來最棒的馬夫。詹姆斯呢，你也找不到比他更好的馬童了。金兒沒有理由咬任何人。她不能呆在馬廄里，這是她的錯。”

The name of the groom was John Manly.The next morning， he got out his brushes and gave me a good grooming，then put a saddle on me.He rode me slowly at first，then at a trot， then at a gallop.As we came back through the Park， we met Mr and Mrs Gordon.They stopped and John jumped off.

馬夫叫約翰·曼利。第二天早上，他用刷子把我好好刷洗了一通，然后給我備上了鞍。他起先騎上我慢慢地走，然后是小跑，再后是飛奔。我們穿過莊園回來時，碰上了高頓先生和太太。他們停住腳，約翰跳了下來。

'Well，John， how does he go?'said Mr Gordon.

“啊，約翰，他怎么樣?”高頓先生說。

'He's a fine horse，sir，'said John.'He's fast，but the light-est touch of the rein will guide him.They were shooting birds near Highwood，and a gun went off closeby. He pulled up a lit-tle，but I just held the rein and he wasn't frightened at all. It's my opinion he was never frightened or beaten when he was young.'

“先生，他是匹好馬。”約翰說。“他速度很快，輕輕地一碰韁繩就知道往哪兒走。有人在樹林附近打鳥，有一槍就響在旁邊，他嚇了一小跳，可是我只管抓著韁繩，他就一點兒也不怕了。我覺得他小時候可能從沒受過驚嚇，也沒挨過打。”

'Good，'said Mr Gordon.'I'll ride him tomorrow.'

“好啊，”高頓先生說，“我明天騎騎他。”

I remembered my mother's advice， and the next day I tried to do exactly what my master wanted me to do.He was a very good rider，and when he came home his wife was waiting for him at the door.

我還記著媽媽的話，第二天我努力按主人的意思做。他是個非常好的騎手。他回家時，他的太太在門口等著他。

'How do you like him， my dear?'she asked.

“親愛的，你覺得他怎么樣?”她問。

'I have never ridden a more pleasant horse，'answered Mr Gordon.'What shall we call him?'

“我還從沒騎過這么讓人喜歡的馬呢，”高頓先生說。“我們叫他什么名字呢?”

'What about Blackbird，like your uncle's old horse?'said his wife.

“就跟你叔叔以前的那匹一樣，叫黑鳥怎么樣?”他太太問。

'He's far handsomer than Blackbird，'said Mr Gordon.

“他可比黑鳥漂亮多了，”高頓先生說。

'Yes，'she said，'he's quite a beauty， and he has a kind， in-telligent face.Shall we call him Black Beauty?'

“是啊，”她說，“他真美，他有一張善良、聰明的臉。我們叫他黑駿馬怎么樣?”

'Black Beauty—why，yes，I think that's a very good name，'said Mr Gordon.

“黑駿馬——咦，對呀，我覺得這是個非常好的名字。”高頓先生說。

John went into the stable and told James.

約翰走進馬廄把這一切告訴了詹姆斯。

'I'd call him Rob Roy，'said James，'if it did not remind ev-eryone of the past.I never saw two horses more alike.'

“我愿意叫他羅伯·羅伊，”詹姆斯說，“要是這不會讓人想起過去那段事的話。我從沒見過兩匹馬這么相像過。”

'That's not surprising，'said John.'Didn't you know that Farmer Grey's old Duchess was the mother of them both?'

“那不奇怪，”約翰說，“你不知道這兩匹馬的媽媽都是農夫格雷的老杜琪絲嗎?”

So poor Rob Roy who was killed at the hunt was my brother! Now I understood why my mother was so unhappy when he died.

原來，在那場狩獵中死去的可憐的羅伯·羅伊是我哥哥!現(xiàn)在我明白了為什么他死時我媽媽那么不高興了。

John was very proud of me，and seemed to know just how a horse feels.And James was kind，too.

約翰十分以我為榮，而且好像知道馬的心思。詹姆斯也很好。

A day or two later，I went out in the carriage with Ginger.I wondered how we would get on together， but I found it easy to trot along beside her.

一兩天后，我和金兒一起拉車出去。我開始還擔心我們能不能相處得好，后來發(fā)現(xiàn)和她一起小跑還是挺自在的。

Merrylegs was a happy little pony and was everyone's favourite.We were soon great friends and I became quite happy in my new home.

樂腿兒是一匹樂呵呵的小馬駒，也是大家的寶貝。我們很快成了好朋友，我在新家里逐漸開心起來。