《风语河岸柳》第7章 重返蛤蟆宅第(5)

Very well, then, ' said the Badger¹, sitting back comfortably and opening his newspaper. 'That is the plan, and there's nothing more for you to argue about. '

很好，那么，獾舒服地向后靠坐着，打开报纸。这就是计划，你们没有什么再争吵了吧。

All the next day the Rat hurried about, getting the guns and the knives and the sticks ready. Once the Badger lifted his head from the newspaper.

第二天一整天，水鼠忙上忙下，准备着枪、刀和棍棒。一次，獾从报纸上抬起头，说：

'We shan't need guns or knives, Ratty, 'he said. 'We four, with our sticks, will clear the dining-hall in five minutes. I could do it by myself. '

我们不需要刀枪，阿鼠。我们四个带着棍棒在五分钟内就可以清理好餐厅，其实我一个就能解决。

'Better to be safe than sorry, ' said the Rat.

最好能万无一失，免得有遗憾，水鼠答道。

At last the evening came, and the four friends went quietly along the river bank to find the entrance to the secret tunnel².

夜幕终于降临了，这四个朋友悄悄地沿着河岸找到了秘密通道的入口。

Toad³, of course, managed to fall in the river and his friends had to pull him out.

癞蛤蟆竟然掉到了河里，这也是情理中的事，他的朋友不得不将他拉了上来。

The tunnel was cold, and wet, and dark, and narrow. Poor Toad got frightened and ran into the Rat by mistake, who then nearly knocked the Mole⁴ over.

地道里又冷又湿，既黑也窄。可怜的癞蛤蟆害怕极了，不小心撞倒了水鼠，水鼠又差点碰倒了鼹鼠。

All this made a lot of noise, and the Badger, who was in front with the lantern, turned round.

这不免弄出了很多响声，獾提着灯笼走在前面，这时转过头。

' If Toad can't keep quiet, ' he whispered⁵ angrily, 'I'll leave him here alone in the dark! '

如果蛤蟆不能保持镇定，他压低声音生气地说，我就把他独个儿留在黑暗里！

After that, the Toad kept very quiet.

此后，癞蛤蟆就一直特别安静。

They could hear the noise of the party while they were still underground.

他们在宅第的地下就能听到晚会的喧闹声。

Silently⁶, they pushed open the door in the roof of the tunnel, and climbed up into the small room next to the dining-hall.

悄悄地，他们推开了地道顶上的门，然后爬进餐厅隔壁的那间小房子。

Now they could hear one of the weasels singing a very rude song about Toad the car-thief.

现在他们可以听见一只黄鼠狼正唱着一首相当粗俗的歌，什么癞蛤蟆这个盗车贼如何如何。

1 badger   

v.一再烦扰，一再要求，纠缠

参考例句：

• Now that our debts are squared.Don't badger me with them any more.我们的债务两清了。从此以后不要再纠缠我了。
• If you badger him long enough,I'm sure he'll agree.只要你天天纠缠他，我相信他会同意。

2 tunnel   

n.隧道，地下道；vi.挖隧道；vt.掘隧道于

参考例句：

• They will have to block up the entrance to the tunnel.他们将不得不封闭通往隧道的入口。
• The train passed through a tunnel.火车通过了一条隧道。

3 toad   

n.蟾蜍，癞蛤蟆

参考例句：

• Both the toad and frog are amphibian.蟾蜍和青蛙都是两栖动物。
• Many kinds of toad hibernate in winter.许多种蟾蜍在冬天都会冬眠。

4 mole   

n.胎块；痣；克分子

参考例句：

• She had a tiny mole on her cheek.她的面颊上有一颗小黑痣。
• The young girl felt very self- conscious about the large mole on her chin.那位年轻姑娘对自己下巴上的一颗大痣感到很不自在。

5 whispered   

adj.耳语的，低语的v.低声说( whisper的过去式和过去分词 )；私语；小声说；私下说

参考例句：

• She sidled up to me and whispered something in my ear. 她悄悄走上前来，对我耳语了几句。
• His ill luck has been whispered about the neighborhood. 他的不幸遭遇已在邻居中传开。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 silently   

adv.沉默地，无声地

参考例句：

• She sat in the car,silently fuming at the traffic jam.她坐在汽车里，心中对交通堵塞感到十分恼火。
• He didn't shout,he just glared at me silently.他没有喊叫，只是默默地怒视着我。