吹小号的天鹅 第104期:比林斯(7)
这时候，在乐器店门前的人行道上，那个法官正在宣布他的判决。
"On the basis of the testimony," he said solemnly,
“根据证词，”他严肃地说，
"I award the money to the storekeeper, to make upfor the loss of the trumpet and damage to the store.
“我要把这钱判给店主，以此偿还那把遗失的小号和店铺的损失。
I am placing the swan in the custody of the gamewarden."
我另外的判决是，这只天鹅将由这位狩猎法执行官监护。”
"Your Honor," said the warden,
“阁下，”这个执法官说，
"don't forget that the storekeeper is under arrest for shooting a wild swan."
“别忘了这个店主因为枪击了一只野天鹅该被逮捕的事。”
"It was a case of false arrest," said the judge wisely.
“这种逮捕是不合法的，”这个法官明智的说。
"The storekeeper fired his gun at the bird because he was afraid his store would be robbedagain.
“这个店主朝这只鸟开枪，是因为怕他的店再次被抢。
He did not know that the swan was bringing money to pay for the trumpet.
他不知道这只天鹅是带着钱来为小号付帐的。
The gun was fired in self-defense.
开枪属于自卫。
Everyone is innocent, the swan is honest,
每个人都是无罪的，这只天鹅是诚实的，
the debt is paid, the storekeeper is rich, and the case is dismissed."
他的债还清了，这个店主发财了，这个案子了结了。”
A cheer went up from the crowd. The warden looked sulky.
人群中发出了一阵欢呼。这个执法官显得很恼火。
The policeman looked glum. But the storekeeper was beaming.
那个警察也满心的不乐意。可那个店主却乐开了花。
He was a happy man. He felt that justice had been done.
他又是快乐的人了。他觉得判决很公正。
"I have an announcement," he said.
“我有个消息要宣布，”他说，
"I am only going to keep just enough of this money to pay for the stolen trumpet and therepair bills for my store.
“我将只留下那把被偷的小号钱和我的店铺修理费。
All the rest of the money will be given to a good cause if I can think of just the right one.
剩下的钱将被交给一个我认为最适合的地方。谁能想出一个最需要这些钱的地方?”
Can anyone think of a worthy cause that needs money?"
谁能想出一个最需要这些钱的地方?”
"The Salvation Army," suggested a woman.
“救世军。”一个妇女说。
"No," said the storekeeper.
“不，”这个店主说。
"The Boy Scouts?" suggested a boy.
“童子军?”一个男孩提议。
"No," said the storekeeper.
“不，”这个店主说。
"The American Civil Liberties Union?" suggested a man.
“美国公自联?”一个男人建议。
"Nope," said the storekeeper. "Nobody has thought of just the right place for me to send thismoney."
“不，”这个店主说。“没人能为我想出这些钱最该被送到的地方。”
"How about the Audubon Society?" asked a little fellow whose nose looked like the beak of abird.
“奥杜邦协会怎么样?”一个鼻子长得像只鸟嘴的小家伙问。
"Great! You've got it!" cried the storekeeper.
“好极了!你说出来了!”这个店主叫起来。
"A bird has been very good to me, and now I want to do something for birds.
“鸟类一直都对我很不错，现在我也想为鸟类做些什么。
The Audubon Society is kind to birds. I want this money to be used to help birds.
奥杜邦协会对鸟类很好。我想这些钱该用在帮助鸟类上。
Some birds are in real trouble. They face extinction."
有些鸟类实际上正处在困境之中。他们正面临灭绝的命运。”
"What's extinction?" asked Alfred Gore. "Does it mean they stink?"
“灭绝是什么意思?”艾尔弗雷德·戈尔问，“就是说他们惹人讨厌吗?”
"Certainly not," said the storekeeper.
“当然不是，”这个店主说，
"Extinction is what happens when you're extinct
“灭绝就是你们被消灭的事发生了
when you don't exist anymore because there are no others like you.
那时你们都已经不存在了，因为再没有其他和你们一样的生命了。
Like the passenger pigeon and the eastern Heath Hen and the Dodo and the Dinosaur."
这就像旅鸽，东部的北美松鸡，还有渡渡鸟和恐龙的遭遇一样。”
