John Smith stayed with Pocahontas for some days. She learnt some English, and he learnt more of her language. Soon they were good friends.
約翰·史密斯與波卡洪塔斯在一起待了一些日子。她學(xué)會了一些英語,而他也學(xué)會了更多的印第安語。他們很快就成了好朋友。
But Powhatan's men watched Smith carefully, and he could not leave the village. Then one day Powhatan said, 'You can go home to Jamestown, John Smith. But you must give me two of your big guns.'
但是波瓦坦的手下把史密斯看得很緊,他無法離開村子。一天,波瓦坦說:“約翰·史密斯,你可以回到詹姆斯敦。但你必須送給我兩門你們的大炮。”
John Smith did not like this, but he could not say no. So he went back to Jamestown, and Pocahontas, Opekankanu, and some Indians went with him.
約翰·史密斯并不愿意這樣做,但他別無選擇。于是波卡洪塔斯、奧皮坎卡努和一些印第安人跟他一同回到了詹姆斯敦。
In Jamestown Wingfield was not happy. 'We can't give our big guns to the Indians!' he said. 'Then they can kill us, with our guns!'
到了詹姆斯敦后,溫菲爾德十分不悅。“我們不能把大炮送給印第安人!”他說,“那樣的話,他們就能用我們的槍炮殺我們了!”
'It's all right,' said Smith. 'Wait.'
“不會有事的,”史密斯說,“等著瞧吧。”
He took Opekankanu and his men to the guns on the town walls. 'Now watch,' he said. He put some gunpowder and some stones in the gun. 'Put your hands over your ears,' he said, 'and look at that tree.'
他帶著奧皮坎卡努和隨同的印第安人來到了架在城墻上的大炮前。“現(xiàn)在看好了,”他說。他把一些火藥和石頭塞進了大炮,然后說:“用手掩住耳朵,看著那棵樹。”
BANG! Pocahontas closed her eyes. Then she opened them, and looked at the tree. It wasn't there!
砰!波卡洪塔斯閉上了眼睛。然后她睜開雙眼,看那棵樹。樹卻不見了!
'What happened?' she asked. 'Where's the tree? '
“發(fā)生什么事了?”她問道,“樹到哪兒去了?”
'I killed it with this gun,' Smith said. He looked at Opekankanu. 'This gun can kill ten men, Opekankanu. Remember that. So, take your two guns.
“我用這門大炮把它給消滅了,”史密斯說。他望著奧皮坎卡努。“這門大炮能殺死十個人,奧皮坎卡努。請記好。好吧,帶走你的兩門大炮吧。”
But the guns were very big, and of course, the Indians could not move them.
但是大炮太大了,印第安人當(dāng)然沒辦法挪動它們。
'Look,' said Smith. 'You can't carry these guns through the forest. But I can give you some gunpowder for Powhatan. Here, take it. Be very careful with it.'
“看,”史密斯說,“你們沒法帶著這些大炮穿越森林。但我可以讓你們帶給波瓦坦一些火藥。在這兒,拿去吧??梢f小心這個東西。”
'Thank you,' Opekankanu said. 'But one day, we want these big guns too. They are very important for us.'
“謝謝,”奧皮坎卡努說,“但總有一天,我們也會需要這些大炮。它們對我們來說非常重要。”
'Perhaps,' said Smith. 'But we want to be your friends, and friends are better than guns.'
“或許吧,”史密斯說,“但我們希望成為你們的朋友,朋友要比槍炮好多了。”
* * *
* * *
That winter, Pocahontas came to Jamestown every week with food for the Englishmen. She learnt many interesting things in Jamestown.
那年冬天,波卡洪塔斯每星期都來詹姆斯敦,給英國人帶來食物。她在詹姆斯敦了解到很多有趣的事物。
'Look at this, Pocahontas,' John Smith said one day. He had a compass in his hand.
一天,約翰·史密斯說:“瞧瞧這個,波卡洪塔斯。”他的手里拿著一個指南針。
'What is it?' Pocahontas asked. She tried to put her finger on the arrow in the compass, but she couldn't.
“這是什么?”波卡洪塔斯問道。她想把手指放到指南針的箭頭上,卻放不上去。
'It's a compass. The arrow always points to the north,' Smith said. 'Where is the north? Do you know?'
“這是指南針。它的箭頭總是指向北方,”史密斯說,“哪里是北方?你認(rèn)得出嗎?”
'Of course I know. All my people know that. '
“我當(dāng)然認(rèn)得出了。我們這兒所有的人都認(rèn)得出。”
'Well, look — the arrow in the compass knows it too!'
“好吧,看——指南針里的箭頭也認(rèn)得出北方!”
'Why can't I put my finger on it?'
“為什么我不能把手指放到箭頭上面?”
Smith smiled. 'Because of the glass. You can see through glass, but you can't put your finger through it.'
史密斯笑了。“因為有玻璃。你可以透過玻璃看到里面,但你的手指卻不能透過玻璃觸摸到里面。”
'Yes,' she said slowly. 'But — what is a compass for?'
“的確是這樣,”她慢慢地說道,“不過——指南針是用來做什么的?”
'It helps us in our ships when we can't see the sky,' he said. 'Which way do we go? Where is the north? The compass tells us all that.'
“當(dāng)我們在船上看不清天空的時候,它就起作用了,”他說,“我們應(yīng)該走哪一條路?哪兒是北方?指南針會告訴我們這一切。”
Pocahontas was interested in everything. She loved to talk to John Smith, and she learnt many things about England and the English.
波卡洪塔斯對一切都充滿了興趣。她很喜歡與約翰·史密斯交談,她還了解到很多跟英國和英國人有關(guān)的事情。
* * *
* * *
In March and April 1608, two more ships came to Jamestown. Powhatan asked Pocahontas about them.
1608年的3月和4月,又有兩艘船來到了詹姆斯敦。波瓦坦向波卡洪塔斯問起此事。
'How many Englishmen are there now?' he asked.
“現(xiàn)在有多少個英國人了?”他問道。
'There were thirty-eight before the ships came, father. But now there are about a hundred and fifty.'
“在這些船到來之前有三十八個人,父親。但目前大約已有一百五十人了。”
'It's spring now. They must sow corn and vegetables in their fields. Are they doing that?'
“現(xiàn)在是春天。他們一定得在地里種上谷物和蔬菜。他們在種地嗎?”
'Yes, father. But they aren't very good at it. This is a new country for them. They don't understand it.'
“是的,父親。但他們不太會種。對他們來說,這是一個新的地區(qū)。他們還不太了解這里怎么種地。”
'But they must have corn!' Powhatan was angry. 'They need food for the winter. We can't give them our corn every year! And we kill animals, birds, and fish for our food — the English must learn to do that too!'
“可他們必須得有谷物呀!”波瓦坦很生氣。“他們需要過冬的食物。我們總不能每年都把自己的谷物送給他們吧!我們還靠打獵、射鳥、捕魚來獲取食物——英國人也必須要學(xué)會這些才行!”
'They are learning, father,' Pocahontas said. 'But most of these men come from towns in England. They don't know about these things.'
“他們是在學(xué)習(xí),父親,”波卡洪塔斯說,“但他們中的大多數(shù)人都來自英國的城鎮(zhèn),對這些事還一竅不通呢。”
'Well, they live here now, so they must learn, 'said Powhatan. 'Or they must give me guns. We have a lot of food in our village, but we need guns. I can give the Englishmen food, but they must give me guns first. Tell that to your English friends, Pocahontas!'
“可是,現(xiàn)在他們生活在這里,因此他們必須要學(xué)會,”波瓦坦說,“否則他們就得送給我槍炮。我們的村子里有很多食物,但我們需要槍炮。我可以送給英國人食物,但他們必須先給我槍炮才行。去把這些都告訴你的英國朋友,波卡洪塔斯!”