吹小号的天鹅 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 Serena came home to the Red Rock Lakes.

在一月的某个清爽的日子里，路易斯和塞蕾娜回到了红石湖的家。

From among the thousands of waterfowl,

从数以千计的水鸟当中，

they quickly found the members of their own families--their fathers and mothers and sisters and brothers.

他们很快地找到了他们自己的家庭成员--他们的父母和哥哥姐姐们。

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

好一场沸反盈天的归家呀。谁都想马上说你们好。吭—嗬，吭—嗬，吭—嗬！

The wanderers were home at last.

游子终于回家了。

Louis's father, the old cob, made a graceful¹ speech--rather long, but sincere².

路易斯的父亲，那只老雄天鹅，发表了一通言辞优美的演说--相当的长，但句句出自肺腑。

Louis raised his trumpet³ and played "There's no place like home. Home, home sweet home!"

路易斯举起他的小号，吹起了那句“世上没有一个地方比得上我的家。家，家，可爱的家！”

There was a great deal of gossip⁴ among the waterfowl about Louis's having persuaded Serena to be his wife.

路易斯使塞蕾娜成为他妻子的事在水鸟中间早已有了无数的传闻。

Everybody congratulated the happy couple.

大家都来向这幸福的一对儿道贺。

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

路易斯的所有哥哥姐姐还有塞蕾娜都聚到一起，打量着路易斯的那些东西。

They were much impressed by his worldly goods.

他们全都被他的财产打动了。

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

他们喜欢那枚救生奖章，他们爱听那小号声，

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

他们还迫切地想见识一下那个钱袋里的钱。

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

可路易斯却没有打开钱袋，而是把他的父母带到了别的地方。

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

他们三个上岸后，路易斯从脖子上摘下钱袋，鞠了一躬，然后才把它递给那只老雄天鹅。

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 slate⁵ and wrote a note to the owner of the music store in Billings

然后路易斯拿过他的石板给比林斯的乐器店店主写了个便条。

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

这样一来，当他的父亲飞到那里时就可以把它拿给那个店主看了。

The note said: To the Storekeeper of Billings: Enclosed⁶ please find $4,420.78.

便条上说：致比林斯的店主：兹附上现金4420.78 美元，请查收。

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

这笔钱是用来偿付那把小号和店铺的损失的。

Sorry about the inconvenience this has caused you.

对因此给你带来的麻烦深感歉意。

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

老雄天鹅不会数钱，也不会阅读，

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

可他还是接过钱袋和石板，把它们挂到自己的脖子上。

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

他确信他现在能为这把偷来的小号偿债了。

1 graceful   

adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的

参考例句：

• His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
• The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。

2 sincere   

adj.真诚的，诚挚的，诚恳的

参考例句：

• He is sincere and easy to get along with.他为人诚恳，很好相处。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

3 trumpet   

n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘

参考例句：

• He plays the violin, but I play the trumpet.他拉提琴，我吹喇叭。
• The trumpet sounded for battle.战斗的号角吹响了。

4 gossip   

n.流言蜚语，爱说长道短的人；vi.传播流言

参考例句：

• She broadcast the gossip all over the town.她将这个流言传遍全镇。
• They spread a lot of tacky gossip about his love life.关于他的爱情生活，他们散播了许多不堪的闲言闲语。

5 slate   

n.板岩，石板，石片，石板色，候选人名单；adj.暗蓝灰色的，含板岩的；vt.用石板覆盖，痛打，提名，预订

参考例句：

• The nominating committee laid its slate before the board.提名委员会把候选人名单提交全体委员会讨论。
• What kind of job uses stained wood and slate? 什么工作会接触木头污浊和石板呢？

6 enclosed   

adj.被附上的；（用墙等）围住的；封闭的；与外界隔绝的v.（用墙、篱笆等）把…围起来( enclose的过去式和过去分词 )；把…装入信封；附入；（尤指墙、篱笆等 ）围住

参考例句：

• The yard had been enclosed with iron railings. 院子用铁栅栏围了起来。
• Do not use this substance in an enclosed space. 切勿在不透气的地方使用此物质。