牛津書蟲系列 化學秘密 4 The seals

4 The seals

4 海豹

A few months later，John invited Mary to a meal in the new house.It was a difficult evening.He had never invited anyone to their old flat，and the children's friends nev-er came for meals.The new house was very untidy，and John was nervous about the food.He and Christine cooked a chick-en because they thought it was easy.But the chicken was tasteless and the rice was too soft.

幾個月以后，約翰邀請瑪麗到他的新居共進晚餐。這是一個不順利的夜晚。他從沒邀請過任何人到他們的舊寓所，孩子們的朋友也從未來聚過餐。新房子里非常凌亂，約翰對食物感到很擔心。他和克里斯汀認為做雞容易，于是就燒了雞。但是雞做得沒有味道，米飯也太軟了。

Mary smiled，and pretended not to notice.But the evening went badly.Christine was angry with her because she tidied up the kitchen，and Andrew was angry with her because she didn't want to watch TV.Both the children went to bed early，and thought about their mother.

瑪麗微笑著，假裝沒注意到。但是晚上過得很糟糕。克里斯汀生她的氣，因為瑪麗收拾了廚房，安德魯生她的氣是因為她不愿看電視。兩個孩子很早就上床睡覺，并且思念著他們的母親。

But Mary came again，on a Sunday，and John took them all out in their new boat.That was much better.Mary didn't know how to sail，so the children had to tell her what to do.She did what she was told，and seemed to be happy.John sat at the back of the boat，and watched his children quietly.He felt proud of them， and he thought they were proud of him too.The first time Mary and the children laughed together，John felt a big smile come onto his face.

然而瑪麗在一個星期天又來了，約翰帶著所有的人乘著他們的新船出游。這次好多了?，旣惒恢绾务{船，所以孩子們不得不告訴她如何去做。她按照指令操作，顯得很快活。約翰坐在船尾，靜靜地注視著孩子們。他為他們感到驕傲，他想他們也為他感到驕傲?，旣惡秃⒆觽兊谝淮卧谝黄饸g笑，約翰覺得他自己臉上也綻開了笑容。

It was a beautiful，sunny day in the middle of May.There was a good wind，and the sailing was fun.The boat sailed fast，over small，white-topped waves.The sky was blue and clear.They sailed down to the mouth of the river，where there were lots of small islands and sandbanks.

那是5月中旬陽光明媚的一天，微風拂面，乘船游覽很有趣。小船在泛泛微波上行駛得很快。天空蔚藍無云。他們行駛到河口，那里有很多小島和沙灘。

'Look，Dad，quick!Over there!What are they?'

“快看，爸爸!在那兒!它們是什么?”

Andrew pointed excitedly to one of the long，low sandbanks.

安德魯興奮地指著其中一個長長的低沙灘。

'Seals，'said John.'Haven't you seen them before?'

“海豹，”約翰答道。“你以前從沒見過海豹嗎?”

'No，'said Andrew.'Only in films.Not in real life.'His face was shining，excited，happy.'Do they really live here?'

“沒有，”安德魯說，“只在電影上見過。我沒有在現(xiàn)實生活中見過。”他的臉閃著光、興奮和喜悅。“它們真的住在這里嗎?”

'Yes.It's a group of seal families.The mothers come here every year to have their babies.'

“是的。那是一群海豹家族。雌海豹每年到這里來產(chǎn)下它們的幼崽。”

They sailed closer to the sandbank，until they were only about twenty metres away from the seals. Wet，shiny seal mothers lifted their heads and looked at them with their blue eyes.The baby seals were drinking milk from their mothers，climbing over them， and playing in the shallow water. Then a big father seal lifted his head and stared angrily at them.

他們駛近沙灘，一直到離海豹只有約二十米遠。濕潤光滑的海豹媽媽們抬起它們的頭，用它們的藍眼睛注視著他們。幼海豹正在吸吮它們媽媽的奶，爬過它們媽媽的背，在淺水中戲耍。這時一只大雄性海豹抬起它的頭憤怒地盯著他們。

'I think they're beautiful，'said Mary.'I never knew they lived here， so close to the town. It makes me feel really happy，just to see them.'

“我覺得它們很漂亮，”瑪麗說，“我從來不知道它們住在這里，離鎮(zhèn)這么近，僅僅是望著它們就足以使我感到非?？旎盍恕?rdquo;

'Yes，it does，doesn't it，'said Christine.'I think nothing can be really wrong with the world， if they can live here，all by themselves，with no one looking after them.'

“真是這樣，難道不是嗎?”克里斯汀說道。“我想這個世界真美好，它們能夠在此生存，完全靠自己，沒有任何人照顧它們。”

'Yes，'said Mary.'And they're really beautiful，too.Look!Did you see that little one， playing on his mother's back? I wish I could do that!'

“是的，”瑪麗說，“并且它們也確實很漂亮。看那兒!你看到那個在媽媽背上玩耍的小不點了嗎?我希望我也能那樣做!”

John smiled，as he watched Mary and his children laughing and talking together.He thought the world was a good place，too.

約翰看著瑪麗和他的孩子們在一起歡聲笑語，一邊微笑著。他也認為這個世界是一個好地方。