吹小號的天鵝 第92期:一次關(guān)于錢的談話

Chapter 19 A Talk About Money

第十九章 一次關(guān)于錢的談話

In almost everyone's life there is one event thatchanges the whole course of his existence.

每個人的一生中差不多都會發(fā)生一件改變其整個人生進程的事情。

The day Sam Beaver visited the Philadelphia Zoo wasthe turning point in his life.

薩姆參觀費城動物園的那一天就是他生活中的轉(zhuǎn)折點。

Up until that day, he had not been able to decidewhat he wanted to be when he grew up.

在那天以前，他從來沒有作出長大以后該做什么的決定。

The minute he saw the Zoo, all his doubts vanished. He knew he wanted to work in a zoo.

可從他看到這個動物園的那一刻起，他的所有遲疑便全部消除了。他知道他要到動物園工作。

Sam loved every living thing, and a zoo is a great storehouse of living things

薩姆喜愛每一種動物，而一個動物園就是一個巨大的動物寶庫

it has just about every creature that creeps or crawls or jumps or runs or flies or hides.

它的里面正好有爬的，跳的，跑的，飛的，還有藏著的幾乎各種各樣的動物。

Sam was eager to see them all. But he had Louis's problem to solve first.

薩姆渴望能見到他們中的每一個?？伤孟冉鉀Q路易斯的難題才行。

He must save Serena from captivity.

他必須把塞蕾娜從囚禁中釋放出來。

So he picked up his rucksack and his sleeping bag and walked into the Bird House and enteredthe office.

因此他拾起他的旅行包和睡袋走進鳥屋，來到了那間辦公室。

He walked tall and straight, as though he were on a forest trail.

他挺著腰板走著，好像他正走在森林小徑中一樣。

The Head Man liked Sam's appearance and noticed that he looked a little like an Indian.

這個負責人喜歡薩姆的樣子，還注意到薩姆看起來有點像印第安人。

"So you're Sam Beaver," said the Head Man, as Sam advanced on him.

“那么你就是薩姆·比弗了，”當薩姆朝他走來時，這個負責人說道。

"Why did you come here?" asked the Head Man.

“你為什么來這里呢?”這個負責人問。

"To defend freedom," replied Sam.

“為了維護自由，”薩姆回答，

"I heard you intended to clip the wing of a swan. I'm here to ask you not to do it."

“我聽說你要剪一只天鵝的翅膀。我到這里來是請你不要這么做的。”

Sam sat down, and they talked for a whole hour.

薩姆坐了下來，他們整整談了一個小時。

Sam assured the Head Man that Louis was an old friend.

薩姆告訴那個負責人，路易斯是他的一個老朋友。

He told about discovering the swan's nest almost three years ago in Canada,

他講了自己差不多三年前在加拿大發(fā)現(xiàn)那個天鵝窩的事，

about how Louis came into the world lacking a voice,

講了路易斯是怎么帶著不能發(fā)聲的缺陷來到這個世界上的，

about Louis's attending school in Montana and learning to read and write,

還講了路易斯在蒙大拿的學(xué)校里學(xué)習讀寫的事，

about the theft of the trumpet by Louis's father, the old cob,

另外又講了那只老雄天鵝，也就是路易斯的父親，偷竊小號的事，

and about Camp Kookooskoos and the Swan Boat in Boston.

還講了關(guān)于庫庫斯庫斯夏令營和波士頓的天鵝游艇的事。

The Head Man listened with great attention, but he wasn't sure he believed a word of thisstrange tale.

這個負責人全神貫注地聽著，但他不知道該不該相信這個奇特的故事。