吹小號的天鵝 第101期:比林斯(4)

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

一個警察趕到了出事現(xiàn)場，把人群往后推。

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

“退后!”他大喊，“這只天鵝受傷了。讓他透透氣!”

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

“他死了，”一個小男孩說，“這只鳥兒死了。”

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

“他沒死，”那個店員說，“他只是嚇暈了。”

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

“快叫救護車!”人群中的一位女士尖叫。

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

老雄天鵝的脖子下面已經(jīng)涌出了一小灘血。

He seemed lifeless. Just then a game warden appeared.

他就像死了一樣。這時，來了一位狩獵法執(zhí)行官。

"Who shot this bird?" he demanded.

“誰朝這只鳥開的槍?”他問。

"I did," said the storekeeper.

“我，”那個店主說。

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

“那么你被逮捕了，”這個執(zhí)法官說。

"What for?" asked the storekeeper.

“為什么?”那個店主問。

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

“因為你槍擊了一只號手天鵝。這些鳥是受法律保護的。

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

你不能向一只野天鵝開槍。”

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

“噢，”這個店主回答，“ 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.

我碰巧認識這只鳥。他是一個賊。他才是你該逮捕的那個。

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

他以前來過這兒，從我的店里偷了一把小號。”

"Call an ambulance!" cried the lady.

“快叫救護車!”那個女士大叫。

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

“你手里拿的是什么?”那個警察問。

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

這個店主飛也似的把那些錢都塞回錢袋，又把那錢袋和那塊石板藏到了身后。

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

“過來，拿給我看看!”那個警察說。

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

“我也要看。”那個執(zhí)法官說。

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

“我們?nèi)枷肟?”人群中的一個家伙叫道。“那個袋子里裝的是什么?”

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

那個店主不好意思地把那錢袋和石板交給了狩獵法執(zhí)行官。

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

執(zhí)行官站直身子，戴上他的眼鏡，高聲讀著那個便條：

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

“致比林斯的店主：茲附上現(xiàn)金4420.78 美元，請查收。

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

這筆錢是用來償付那把小號和店鋪的損失的。

Sorry about the inconvenience this has caused you."

對因此給你帶來的麻煩深感歉意。”

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

當執(zhí)法官讀完錢的總數(shù)的時候，人們?nèi)似饋怼?/p>

Everyone started talking at once.

每個人都立刻議論紛紛。