吹小号的天鹅 第101期:比林斯(4)

 A policeman hurried to the scene and started to hold the crowd back.

一个警察赶到了出事现场，把人群往后推。

"Stand back!" he shouted. "The swan is wounded. Give him air!"

“退后！”他大喊，“这只天鹅受伤了。让他透透气！”

"He's dead," said a little boy. "The bird is dead."

“他死了，”一个小男孩说，“这只鸟儿死了。”

"He is not dead," said the salesman. "He's scared."

“他没死，”那个店员说，“他只是吓晕了。”

"Call an ambulance!" screamed a lady in the crowd.

“快叫救护车！”人群中的一位女士尖叫。

A small pool of blood formed under the neck of the old cob.

老雄天鹅的脖子下面已经涌出了一小滩血。

He seemed lifeless. Just then a game warden¹ appeared.

他就像死了一样。这时，来了一位狩猎法执行官。

"Who shot this bird?" he demanded.

“谁朝这只鸟开的枪？”他问。

"I did," said the storekeeper.

“我，”那个店主说。

"Then you're under arrest," said the warden.

“那么你被逮捕了，”这个执法官说。

"What for?" asked the storekeeper.

“为什么？”那个店主问。

"For shooting a Trumpeter Swan. These birds are protected by law.

“因为你枪击了一只号手天鹅。这些鸟是受法律保护的。

You can't pull a gun on a wild swan."

你不能向一只野天鹅开枪。”

"Well," replied the storekeeper, "you can't arrest me, either.

“噢，”这个店主回答，“ 那你也不能逮捕我。

I happen to know this bird. He's a thief. He's the one you should arrest.

我碰巧认识这只鸟。他是一个贼。他才是你该逮捕的那个。

He's been here before, and he stole a trumpet² from my store."

他以前来过这儿，从我的店里偷了一把小号。”

"Call an ambulance!" cried the lady.

“快叫救护车！”那个女士大叫。

"What's that you've got in your hand?" asked the policeman.

“你手里拿的是什么？”那个警察问。

The storekeeper quickly stuffed the money back into the moneybag and held the bag and the slate³ behind his back.

这个店主飞也似的把那些钱都塞回钱袋，又把那钱袋和那块石板藏到了身后。

"Come on, show it to me!" said the cop.

“过来，拿给我看看！”那个警察说。

"I want to see it, too," said the warden.

“我也要看。”那个执法官说。

"We all want to see it!" cried a fellow in the crowd. "What's in that bag?"

“我们全都想看！”人群中的一个家伙叫道。“那个袋子里装的是什么？”

The storekeeper sheepishly handed the moneybag and the slate to the game warden.

那个店主不好意思地把那钱袋和石板交给了狩猎法执行官。

The warden stood straight, put on his glasses, and read the note in a loud voice:

执行官站直身子，戴上他的眼镜，高声读着那个便条：

"To the Storekeeper of Billings: Enclosed please find four thousand four hundred and twenty dollars and seventy-eight cents.

“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。”

At the mention of the sum of money, the crowd gasped⁴.

当执法官读完钱的总数的时候，人们全喘了起来。

Everyone started talking at once.

每个人都立刻议论纷纷。

1 warden   

n.监察员，监狱长，看守人，监护人

参考例句：

• He is the warden of an old people's home.他是一家养老院的管理员。
• The warden of the prison signed the release.监狱长签发释放令。

2 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。

3 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？

4 gasped   

v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要

参考例句：

• She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
• People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》