书虫二级《新森林的孩子们》：2、森林里的生活

2．Life in the Forest
2．森林里的生活

The next morning Jacob rode to the town of Lymington. There he heard that the King was in prison again and that Cromwell's soldiers were going back to London. Jacob bought cottage clothes for the children and a few things for the house. Then he put everything on his horse and walked back home through the forest.

第二天早上雅各布骑马去了利明顿镇。他在那里听说国王又入狱了，克伦威尔的士兵们要返回伦敦了。雅各布给孩子们买了农家衣物，还买了一些家用品。然后他把所有的东西放到他的马上，穿过森林走回家。

While he walked, he thought about the children. They were so young, and alone in a dangerous world — he was their only friend. But he was an old man, and perhaps would not live long. He knew he must teach them how to find food and do everything for themselves.

他一边走一边想着孩子们。他们年纪这么小，又独自处在这个危险的世界上——他是他们唯一的朋友。但是他已经是个老人了，可能活不了多久了。他知道自己必须教会他们如何寻找食物，如何自己处理一切事情。

After dinner, he called the children round him. 'Now, remember, you are my grandchildren and your name is Armitage, not Beverley. I've bought you some cottage clothes to wear, and you must all learn to work and live like a forester's children. Edward is the oldest and he must come out with me into the forest and learn how to hunt. Then we'll have meat to eat every day. Humphrey, you must look after the horse and the pigs, and bring water from the river every day. Alice dear, you must light the fire, clean the house and wash the clothes, and you and Humphrey will both learn how to cook. And little Edith will look after the chickens and look for the eggs every morning — will you, Edith?'

晚饭之后，他把孩子们叫到身边。“现在要记住，你们是我的孙子和孙女，你们姓阿米蒂奇，不姓贝弗利。我给你们买了些农家衣服穿，你们全都必须学会像个护林人的孩子一样干活和过日子。爱德华是老大，他必须和我一起去森林里学习打猎，这样我们就每天都有肉吃了。汉弗莱，你必须照看好马和猪，并且每天从河里打水回来。亲爱的艾丽斯，你必须生炉火、打扫屋子和洗衣服，你和汉弗莱都要学做饭。小伊迪丝要喂鸡，每天早上找鸡蛋——你愿意做吗，伊迪丝？”

Yes,' said Edith. 'I liked the chickens at Arnwood.'

“愿意，”伊迪丝说，“我在安伍德的时候就喜欢小鸡。”

There was no more meat in the cottage and so the next morning Jacob and Edward, with the dog Smoker, went out into the forest. They walked quietly and did not speak. The red deer of the forest could see, hear and smell very well, and it was hard to get near them.

农舍里没有肉了，所以第二天早上雅各布和爱德华就带着大狗斯莫克尔去了森林里。他们悄悄地走着，没有说话。森林里的红鹿的视觉、听觉和嗅觉都非常灵敏，很难接近它们。

After more than a mile, Jacob dropped down to the ground, and through the trees Edward saw three deer. Jacob moved silently forward on his hands and knees, and Edward and Smoker followed him. Slowly they got nearer, but then suddenly the deer, who were quietly eating grass, put up their heads and walked away.

走出一英里开外之后，雅各布突然趴到地上，爱德华透过树丛看到了三只鹿。雅各布手和膝盖着地，悄无声息地向前挪动，爱德华和斯莫克尔跟在他后面。他们慢慢靠近了，但是突然间，刚才还在安静地吃草的鹿抬起头来走开了。

Jacob turned. 'You see, Edward, hunting is slow work. Now we must go through the woods around the other side of the deer and try again.'

雅各布转过身。“你看，爱德华，打猎是个慢活。现在我们必须穿过树林，从鹿群的另一侧再试试看。”

What frightened them, do you think?' asked Edward.

“你觉得是什么吓着它们了？”爱德华问。

When you were following me, I think you put your knee on a piece of stick and it broke.'

“你刚才跟着我的时候，我想你的膝盖压到了一根树枝，把它弄断了。”

Yes, but that made only a little noise.'

“没错，但那只是很小的声音。”

Only a little noise will frighten a red deer,' said Jacob kindly. 'But these mistakes can happen to anyone, and you will learn. Now — not a word, and not a sound!'

“很小的声音也会把一只红鹿吓跑，”雅各布温和地说，“但是任何人都可能犯这种错误，你会学会的，现在——一句话也别说了，一点儿声音也别出！”

In half an hour they found the deer again, and again Jacob dropped down to the ground and moved forward without a sound. At last, he lifted his gun and shot one of the deer behind the shoulder. The deer dropped to its knees and fell dead, and the other deer ran away.

半个小时之后他们又发现了鹿，雅各布又趴到地上，静悄悄地向前挪动。最后，他举起枪朝其中一只鹿的后背开了一枪。那只鹿跪倒在地上死了，其他的鹿纷纷逃散。

This is a fine deer and the meat will be good,' said Jacob. 'We're about five miles from the cottage, Edward, but Smoker will take you home, and you can come back with White Billy. He must carry the meat home for us.'

“这是只很好的鹿，它的肉应该不错，”雅各布说，“爱德华，我们现在离农舍大概有5英里，但是斯莫克尔会带你回家的，然后你可以和白比利一起回来。他必须帮我们把肉运回家去。”

It was a good beginning to their new life, and the next day Jacob rode to Lymington to sell some of the meat. With the money he bought things for the vegetable garden, a big bag of oatmeal for the winter, and a gun for Edward.

这是他们新生活的一个好的开始。第二天，雅各布骑马去利明顿卖了一些肉，他用那些钱买了菜园里需要的东西，一大袋冬天吃的燕麦片和一支给爱德华的枪。

*　*　*

*　*　*

That winter was long and cold, and they stayed in the cottage most of the time. Alice learned how to cook and to mend clothes. Edith learned to read and write, and to make oatmeal bread and cook it on the stones by the fire. Humphrey was clever with his hands, and learned how to make things out of wood. Edward learned how to shoot and to look after his gun. They were all busy and happy, but Edward sometimes felt angry. He kept his father's sword by his bed and often cleaned it. He hated Cromwell and his soldiers, and he wanted to fight for the King.

那个冬天又长又冷，他们大部分时间都待在农舍里。艾丽斯学会了做饭和补衣服。伊迪丝学会了看书和写字，还学会了做燕麦面包和在炉火旁的石头上烤面包。汉弗莱的手很巧，他学会了用木头制作东西。爱德华学会了射击和照看他的枪。他们都很忙碌，也很快乐，但是爱德华有时候会感到愤怒。他把父亲的剑放在床边，经常擦拭。他恨克伦威尔和他的士兵，他想为国王作战。

In the month of May, the leaves came out and the forest began to look green again. 'And now, Edward,' said Jacob one day, 'we need more meat, both to eat and to sell. So let's get our guns and go out. You can shoot first.'

到了5月，树叶长出来了，森林又重新披上绿色。“现在，爱德华，”有一天雅各布说，“我们需要更多的肉，用来吃和卖钱。所以我们带上枪出去打猎吧。你可以先开枪。”

They walked four or five miles before they saw a deer. 'Stay here, while I go through the trees with Smoker,' said Jacob quietly. 'Then I'll stand up, and the deer will run towards you. Remember, shoot it behind the shoulder.'

他们走了四五英里后看到了一只鹿。“你待在这里，我和斯莫克尔从树丛中穿过去，”雅各布轻轻地说，“然后我会站起来，鹿就会朝你跑过来。记住，要打它的后背。”

Edward waited quietly, and after a time the deer ran out of the trees in front of him. He lifted his gun, shot the deer behind the shoulder, and it fell to the ground.

爱德华静静地等着，过了一会儿，那只鹿从他前面的树丛跑了出来。他举起枪，朝鹿的后背开了枪，那只鹿就倒在了地上。

Well done!' said Jacob, when he came back. 'You killed your first deer! And it's a fine one, too. Soon I shall leave the hunting to you, and put my gun up on the wall!'

“干得好！”雅各布回来说，“这是你打的第一只鹿！而且这也是一只很好的鹿。很快我就可以把打猎的事交给你，把我的枪挂到墙上了！”

The spring was a busy time for everyone at the cottage. In the field they planted potatoes and lots of different vegetables. Little Edith was busy with her chickens, and Humphrey built a chicken-house, and a house for the pigs. Jacob sold some of the deer meat and bought a little cart. White Billy was not very happy about this at first, but he soon learned to pull the cart behind him, and it was a great help with all the farm work.

春天对于农舍里的每个人来说都是个繁忙的季节。他们在地里种了土豆和许多各种各样的蔬菜。小伊迪丝忙着照看她的鸡，汉弗莱造了一个鸡舍和一个猪圈。雅各布卖了一些鹿肉，买了一辆小马车。白比利一开始对此不太高兴，但是他很快就学会了把这辆车拉在身后，这给所有的农活都帮了大忙。

Humphrey loved the work on the farm. He was always making plans to do new things, and he was now very clever at building things out of wood. It was hard work. First he had to cut down a tree, and then cut the wood into pieces for building. One day he began to build a cow-house.

汉弗莱喜欢干农场上的活儿。他总是在计划着做新的东西，现在他非常精通用木头做东西了。这是件苦差事。首先他必须砍倒一棵树，然后把木头砍成几块用来建造。有一天，他开始动工造一个牛棚。

We need a cow to give us milk,' he said to the others. 'I'm going to catch one of the forest cows.'

“我们需要一头牛挤奶喝，”他对其他人说，“我打算去逮一头森林里的牛。”

Edward laughed, but Jacob said, 'The forest cows are very wild, and can be dangerous. You must be careful.'

爱德华大笑，雅各布却说：“森林里的牛非常野蛮，可能会有危险。你一定要小心。”

June arrived, and they began to cut the long grass, to keep for food for the animals in winter. The girls helped too, and White Billy was busy every day, pulling home the new cart full of summer grass.

6月到了，他们开始割长草，用作牲畜们冬天的食物，女孩子们也帮忙，白比利则每天都忙着把装满夏草的新马车拉回家。

Humphrey did not forget about his cow. He finished building the cow-house and began to spend an hour or more every day out in the forest. He was watching the wild cows. Early one morning he came running home.

汉弗莱没有忘记他的牛。他盖完了牛棚，就开始每天花一个小时或更多的时间待在森林里。他在观察野牛。一天清晨，他跑回家来。

Jacob, Edward, come with me! Bring Smoker, too.'

“雅各布，爱德华，跟我来！把斯莫克尔也带上。”

Why, what's the matter?'

“为什么，出什么事了？”

I've found a cow! She's left the other cows because of her new-born calf. So she's alone, and we can catch her.'

“我找到了一头牛！她为了刚出生的小牛离开了其他的牛，所以落单了，我们可以逮住她。”

But how?' asked Edward.

“可是怎么逮呢？”爱德华问。

I'll tell you later. I must get White Billy and the cart.' Jacob and Edward followed him, and soon they were driving the cart through the forest.

“过一会儿我会告诉你的。我必须准备好白比利和马车。”雅各布和爱德华跟着他，很快他们就驾着马车穿行在森林里了。

Smoker will jump up at the cow,' explained Humphrey, 'and keep her away from us while we put the calf in the cart. When we drive away, the cow will follow her baby.'

“斯莫克尔会跳起来扑向母牛，”汉弗莱解释道，“在我们把小牛放到车上的时候把母牛与我们隔开来。我们驾车离开的时候，母牛就会跟着她的孩子。”

The cow was lying near her calf, but when she saw them, she got up and shook her head angrily from side to side.

母牛正躺在她的小牛旁边，但一看到他们，她就站了起来，愤怒地左右摇摆着脑袋。

Go, Smoker, go!' Jacob called to his dog, and Smoker jumped at the cow, driving her back into the trees away from her calf. Edward and Humphrey quickly lifted the calf into the cart, and got in themselves.

“上，斯莫克尔，上！”雅各布冲着他的狗喊道，斯莫克尔扑向母牛，把她赶回到树丛里，离开了她的小牛。爱德华和汉弗莱飞快地抬起小牛放进车里，他们自己也上了车。

Then Jacob hurried back and got in too. 'Drive off, Humphrey,' he said. 'I'll call Smoker now, and the cow will follow us. Here, Smoker, here!'

然后雅各布快速回来也上了车。“赶车，汉弗莱，”他说，“我现在要叫回斯莫克尔，母牛会跟着我们的。这里，斯莫克尔，这里！”

Smoker came running out of the trees at once. The cow followed and ran wildly after the cart, calling loudly to her calf. Before long they were back at the cottage.

斯莫克尔立刻跑出树丛。母牛在后面疯狂地跟着马车跑，向她的小牛大声叫着。没多久他们就回到了农舍。

There's Alice and Edith running out!' cried Jacob. 'Go back inside, Alice! The cow is dangerous!'

“艾丽斯和伊迪丝正往外跑呢！”雅各布喊道，“回屋里去，艾丽斯！母牛很危险！”

Humphrey drove the cart into the field. Smoker kept the cow away while they carried the calf into the cow-house. Then they left, and the cow followed its calf inside.

汉弗莱把马车赶到空地里。斯莫克尔把母牛拦住，他们便趁机把小牛抱进牛棚。然后他们一走开，母牛就跟着她的小牛进去了。

There!' said Humphrey. 'Let's leave her with the calf. Tomorrow I'll cut some grass for her.'

“进去了！”汉弗莱说，“我们让她和小牛待在一起吧。明天我会给她割些草来。”

Every day for a fortnight Humphrey brought grass to the cow, and every day she was a little quieter. After a month, Humphrey began to take milk from the cow.

接下来的两周里，汉弗莱每天都给母牛送草，母牛一天比一天安静下来。一个月之后，汉弗莱开始从母牛身上挤奶了。

I have learned how to shoot deer,' said Edward. 'But Humphrey has caught a cow and given us milk. You are cleverer than I am, brother!'

“我学会了怎么打鹿，”爱德华说，“但是汉弗莱逮住了一头奶牛，让我们有牛奶喝。你比我聪明，弟弟！”