吹小号的天鹅 第19期:路易斯(3)

The cob stood quietly, thinking about what his wifehad just told him.

雄天鹅静静地站在那里，想着他妻子刚才告诉他的话。

He was a brave, noble bird, and already he wasbeginning to work out a plan for his little son Louis.

他是一只勇敢的，高贵的鸟儿，因此他已经开始为他的小儿子路易斯制定下一步的计划了。

"If it's really true that Louis has no voice," said thecob to himself,

“如果路易斯真的没有嗓子的话，”雄天鹅自语，

"then I shall provide him with a device of some sort,to enable him to make a lot of noise.

“我就要给他找出某种方法，使他可以发出许多声音。

There must be some way out of this difficulty.

一定有某种解决这些难题的方法的。

After all, my son is a Trumpeter Swan; he should have a voice like a trumpet.

不管怎么说，我儿子都是一个号手天鹅;他应该具有小号般嘹亮的嗓音。

But first I will test him to make certain that what his mother says is true."

不过首先我得检验一下他妈妈说的是不是真的。”

The cob was unable to sleep that night.

雄天鹅那天晚上再也睡不着了。

He stood on one leg, quietly, but sleep never came.

他用一条腿静静地站着等了又等，可睡意却怎么都不来。

Next morning, after everyone had enjoyed a good breakfast, he led Louis apart from the others.

第二天早上，在每个人都美美地吃了一顿丰盛的早餐后，他单独把路易斯领到了一边。

"Louis," he said, "I wish to speak to you alone.

“路易斯，”他说，“我希望能单独和你谈谈。

Let's just you and I take a swim by ourselves to the other end of the pond, where we can talkprivately without being interrupted."

让我们两个游到池塘的那一头去吧，在那里我们才可以进行一场不被打扰的私人谈话。”

Louis was surprised by this. But he nodded his head and followed his father, swimming stronglyin his wake.

路易斯对此感到很惊奇。不过他还是点点头跟着父亲使劲地游了过去。

He did not understand why his father wanted to speak to him alone, without his brothers andsisters.

他不明白父亲为什么想单独和他说话，不让他的哥哥姐姐们在场。

"Now!" said the cob, when they reached the upper end of the pond.

“现在!”当他们来到池塘上游的尽头时，雄天鹅说，

"Here we are, gracefully floating, supremely buoyant, at some distance from the others, inperfect surroundings

“我们来到了这里，优美地浮在水面，感觉极其轻松，和其他人保持着一定的距离，四周的环境完美无暇

--a fine morning, with the pond quiet except for the song of the blackbirds, making the airsweet."

一个多么美好的早晨，池塘是多么的宁静，四周只有乌鸫那令空气变得甜美的歌声。”

"I wish my father would get to the point," thought Louis.

“我希望我的爸爸能说到正题上。”路易斯想。

"This is an ideal place for our conference," continued the cob.

“这里是我们交谈的理想场所，”雄天鹅继续道，

"There is something I feel I should discuss with you very candidly and openly--something thatconcerns your future.

“有件事情，我觉得该和你坦率地公开地商讨一下--一件和你的将来有关的事情。

We need not range over the whole spectrum of bird life but just confine our talk to the oneessential thing that is before us on this unusual occasion."

我们无须谈及鸟类生活的整个范围，只要把我们的谈话限定到一件基本的事情上就可以了，这件事是由于一个不寻常的原因才摆到我们面前的。”

"Oh, I wish my father would get to the point," thought Louis, who by this time was getting verynervous.

“噢，我希望我的父亲快一点谈到正题。”这时已经变得分外紧张的路易斯想。

"It has come to my attention, Louis," continued the cob, "that you rarely say anything.

“我已经注意到了，路易斯，”雄天鹅继续说道，“你几乎什么话都不说。

In fact, I can't recall ever hearing you utter a sound.

实际上，我根本想不起什么时候听你发过声。

I have never heard you speak, or say ko-hoh, or cry out, either in fear or in joy.

我从没听过你讲话，或是说‘吭—嗬’，或者大叫，无论你在欢喜还是害怕的时候。

This is most unusual for a young Trumpeter.

对一个年轻的号手天鹅来说，这一点是最反常的。

It is serious. Louis, let me hear you say beep.Go ahead, say it! Say beep!"

这事情很严重。路易斯，让我听到你说‘哔’。开始吧，说呀!说‘哔’!”