柳林風(fēng)聲：Toad's Adventures 蟾蜍歷險(xiǎn)記

When Toad found himself immured in a dank and noisome dungeon, and knew that all the grim darkness of a medieval fortress lay between him and the outer world of sunshine and well-metalled high roads where he had lately been so happy, disporting himself as if he had bought up every road in England, he flung himself at full length on the floor, and shed bitter tears, and abandoned himself to dark despair. ‘This is the end of everything’ (he said), ‘at least it is the end of the career of Toad, which is the same thing; the popular and handsome Toad, the rich and hospitable Toad, the Toad so free and careless and debonair! How can I hope to be ever set at large again’ (he said), ‘who have been imprisoned so justly for stealing so handsome a motor-car in such an audacious manner, and for such lurid and imaginative cheek, bestowed upon such a number of fat, red-faced policemen!’ (Here his sobs choked him.) ‘Stupid animal that I was’ (he said), ‘now I must languish in this dungeon, till people who were proud to say they knew me, have forgotten the very name of Toad! O wise old Badger!’ (he said), ‘O clever, intelligent Rat and sensible Mole! What sound judgments, what a knowledge of men and matters you possess! O unhappy and forsaken Toad!’ With lamentations such as these he passed his days and nights for several weeks, refusing his meals or intermediate light refreshments, though the grim and ancient gaoler, knowing that Toad’s pockets were well lined, frequently pointed out that many comforts, and indeed luxuries, could by arrangement be sent in—at a price—from outside.

蟾蜍被關(guān)進(jìn)了一個(gè)陰森森臭哄哄的地牢，他知道，一座暗無(wú)天日的中世紀(jì)城堡，把他和外面的世界隔絕開(kāi)來(lái)了。外面那個(gè)世界，陽(yáng)光燦爛，碎石子道路縱橫交錯(cuò)，前不久，他還在那兒盡情玩樂(lè)，好不快活，就像全英國(guó)的道路都被他買(mǎi)下了似的。想到這，他一頭撲倒在地上，流著辛酸的淚，完全陷入了絕望。“一切的一切全完啦，”他哀嘆道，“至少是，蟾蜍的前途完啦，反正是一樣。那個(gè)名聲顯赫、漂亮體面的蟾蜍，富有好客的蟾蜍，自由自在、無(wú)憂無(wú)慮、溫文爾雅的蟾蜍，完啦!我膽大妄為，偷了人家一輛漂亮汽車(chē)，又厚著臉皮，粗暴無(wú)禮，對(duì)一大幫紅臉膛的胖警察胡說(shuō)八道，坐牢是我罪有應(yīng)得，哪還有獲釋的希望!”抽泣噎住了他的喉嚨，“我真蠢哪，現(xiàn)在，我只有在這個(gè)地牢里苦熬歲月。有一天，那些曾經(jīng)以認(rèn)識(shí)我為榮的人，連我蟾蜍的名字都給忘了!老獾多明智呀，河鼠多機(jī)靈呀，鼴鼠多懂事呀!你們的判斷多么正確!你們看人看事，多透徹呀!唉，我這個(gè)不幸的、孤苦無(wú)依的蟾蜍喲!”他就這樣晝夜不停地哀嘆，一連過(guò)了好幾個(gè)星期，不肯吃飯，也不肯吃點(diǎn)心。那位板著面孔的老獄卒知道他的口袋里裝滿(mǎn)了錢(qián)，一個(gè)勁兒提醒他，只要肯出價(jià)，就能為他從監(jiān)獄外面搞到許多好東西，甚至還有奢侈品，可他硬是什么都不吃。

Now the gaoler had a daughter, a pleasant wench and good-hearted, who assisted her father in the lighter duties of his post. She was particularly fond of animals, and, besides her canary, whose cage hung on a nail in the massive wall of the keep by day, to the great annoyance of prisoners who relished an after-dinner nap, and was shrouded in an antimacassar on the parlour table at night, she kept several piebald mice and a restless revolving squirrel. This kind-hearted girl, pitying the misery of Toad, said to her father one day, ‘Father! I can’t bear to see that poor beast so unhappy, and getting so thin! You let me have the managing of him. You know how fond of animals I am. I’ll make him eat from my hand, and sit up, and do all sorts of things.’

卻說(shuō)，這獄卒有個(gè)女兒，她是位心腸慈善的可愛(ài)姑娘。在監(jiān)獄里幫著父親干點(diǎn)輕便雜活。她特別喜歡動(dòng)物，養(yǎng)著一只金絲雀，鳥(niǎo)籠子每天就掛在厚厚的城堡墻上一只釘子上。鳥(niǎo)的鳴唱，吵得那些想在午飯后打個(gè)盹兒的犯人苦惱不堪。夜晚，鳥(niǎo)籠就用布罩罩著，放在廳里的桌子上。她還養(yǎng)著幾只花斑鼠，和一只不停地轉(zhuǎn)著圈兒的松鼠。這位好心的姑娘很同情蟾蜍的悲慘處境。有一天，她對(duì)父親說(shuō)：“爹!我實(shí)在不忍心看著這只可憐的動(dòng)物那么受罪，您瞧他多瘦呀。您讓我來(lái)管他吧。您知道，我是多么喜歡動(dòng)物。我要親手喂他東西吃，讓他坐起來(lái)，干各種各樣的事。”

Her father replied that she could do what she liked with him. He was tired of Toad, and his sulks and his airs and his meanness. So that day she went on her errand of mercy, and knocked at the door of Toad’s cell.

她父親回答說(shuō)，她愿意拿蟾蜍怎么辦都可以，因?yàn)樗呀?jīng)煩透了蟾蜍。他討厭他那副陰陽(yáng)怪氣、裝腔作勢(shì)的卑劣相。于是有一天，她就敲開(kāi)蟾蜍囚室的門(mén)，去做行善的事。

‘Now, cheer up, Toad,’ she said, coaxingly, on entering, ‘and sit up and dry your eyes and be a sensible animal. And do try and eat a bit of dinner. See, I’ve brought you some of mine, hot from the oven!’

“好啦。蟾蜍，打起精神來(lái)，”她一進(jìn)門(mén)就說(shuō)，“坐起來(lái)，擦干眼淚，做個(gè)懂事的動(dòng)物。試試看，吃口飯吧。瞧，我給你拿來(lái)一點(diǎn)我的飯菜，剛出爐的，還熱著吶。”

It was bubble-and-squeak, between two plates, and its fragrance filled the narrow cell. The penetrating smell of cabbage reached the nose of Toad as he lay prostrate in his misery on the floor, and gave him the idea for a moment that perhaps life was not such a blank and desperate thing as he had imagined. But still he wailed, and kicked with his legs, and refused to be comforted. So the wise girl retired for the time, but, of course, a good deal of the smell of hot cabbage remained behind, as it will do, and Toad, between his sobs, sniffed and reflected, and gradually began to think new and inspiring thoughts: of chivalry, and poetry, and deeds still to be done; of broad meadows, and cattle browsing in them, raked by sun and wind; of kitchen-gardens, and straight herb-borders, and warm snap-dragon beset by bees; and of the comforting clink of dishes set down on the table at Toad Hall, and the scrape of chair-legs on the floor as every one pulled himself close up to his work. The air of the narrow cell took a rosy tinge; he began to think of his friends, and how they would surely be able to do something; of lawyers, and how they would have enjoyed his case, and what an ass he had been not to get in a few; and lastly, he thought of his own great cleverness and resource, and all that he was capable of if he only gave his great mind to it; and the cure was almost complete.

這是用兩只盤(pán)子扣著的一份土豆加卷心菜，香氣四溢，充滿(mǎn)了狹小的牢房。蟾蜍正慘兮兮地伸開(kāi)四肢躺在地上，卷心菜那股濃烈的香味鉆進(jìn)了他的鼻孔，一時(shí)間使他感到，生活也許還不像他想象的那樣空虛絕望。不過(guò)，他還是悲傷地哭個(gè)沒(méi)完，踢蹬著兩腿，不理會(huì)她的安慰。聰明的姑娘暫時(shí)退了出去，不過(guò)當(dāng)然，她帶來(lái)的熱菜的香氣還留在牢房里。蟾蜍一邊抽泣，一邊用鼻子聞，同時(shí)心里想著，漸漸地想到了一些使他激動(dòng)的新念頭，想到俠義行為，想到詩(shī)歌，還有那些等著他去完成的業(yè)績(jī);想到廣闊的草地，陽(yáng)光下，微風(fēng)里，在草地上吃草的牛羊;想到菜園子，整齊的花壇，被蜜蜂團(tuán)團(tuán)圍住的暖融融的金魚(yú)草;還想到蟾宮里餐桌上碗碟那悅耳的丁當(dāng)聲，和人們拉攏椅子就餐時(shí)椅子腳擦著地板的聲音。狹小的囚室里的空氣仿佛呈現(xiàn)出玫瑰色。他想起了自己的朋友們，他們準(zhǔn)會(huì)設(shè)法營(yíng)救他的;他想到律師，他們一定會(huì)對(duì)他的案子感興趣的。他是多么愚蠢，當(dāng)時(shí)為什么不請(qǐng)幾位律師。末了，他想到自己原是絕頂聰明，足智多謀，只要肯動(dòng)動(dòng)自己那偉大的腦筋，世間萬(wàn)事他都能辦到。想到這里，所有的苦惱幾乎一掃而光了。

When the girl returned, some hours later, she carried a tray, with a cup of fragrant tea steaming on it; and a plate piled up with very hot buttered toast, cut thick, very brown on both sides, with the butter running through the holes in it in great golden drops, like honey from the honeycomb. The smell of that buttered toast simply talked to Toad, and with no uncertain voice; talked of warm kitchens, of breakfasts on bright frosty mornings, of cosy parlour firesides on winter evenings, when one’s ramble was over and slippered feet were propped on the fender; of the purring of contented cats, and the twitter of sleepy canaries. Toad sat up on end once more, dried his eyes, sipped his tea and munched his toast, and soon began talking freely about himself, and the house he lived in, and his doings there, and how important he was, and what a lot his friends thought of him.

幾個(gè)鐘頭以后，姑娘又回來(lái)了。她端著一個(gè)托盤(pán)。盤(pán)里放著一杯冒著熱氣的香茶，還有堆得老高的一盤(pán)熱騰騰的黃油烤面包。面包片切得厚厚的，兩面都烤得焦黃，熔化的黃油順著面包的孔眼直往下滴，變成金黃色的大油珠，象蜂巢里淌出來(lái)的蜜。黃油烤面包的氣味，簡(jiǎn)直在向蟾蜍講話，說(shuō)得清清楚楚，半點(diǎn)不含糊。它講到暖融融的廚房，明亮的霜晨的早餐;講到冬日黃昏漫游歸來(lái)，穿拖鞋的腳擱在爐架上，向著一爐舒適的旺火;講到心滿(mǎn)意足的貓兒打著呼嚕，昏昏欲睡的金絲雀在啁啾。蟾蜍又一次坐起身來(lái)，抹去眼淚，啜起了茶，嚼開(kāi)了烤面包，無(wú)拘無(wú)束地對(duì)姑娘談起了他自己，他的房子，他在那里都干些什么，他是一位何等顯要的人物，他的朋友們多么敬重他。

The gaoler’s daughter saw that the topic was doing him as much good as the tea, as indeed it was, and encouraged him to go on.

獄卒的女兒看到，這個(gè)話題像茶點(diǎn)一樣，對(duì)蟾蜍大有裨益，就鼓勵(lì)他說(shuō)下去。

‘Tell me about Toad Hall,’ said she. ‘It sounds beautiful.’

“給我說(shuō)說(shuō)你的蟾宮吧，”她說(shuō)。“看來(lái)那是個(gè)美麗的地方。”

‘Toad Hall,’ said the Toad proudly, ‘is an eligible self-contained gentleman’s residence very unique; dating in part from the fourteenth century, but replete with every modern convenience. Up-to-date sanitation. Five minutes from church, post-office, and golf-links, Suitable for----‘

“蟾宮嘛，”蟾蜍驕傲地說(shuō)，“是一所合格的獨(dú)門(mén)獨(dú)戶(hù)的紳士住宅。它別具一格，一部分是在14世紀(jì)建成的，不過(guò)現(xiàn)在安裝了頂方便的現(xiàn)代化設(shè)施。有最新款式的衛(wèi)生設(shè)備。離教堂、郵局、高爾夫球場(chǎng)都很近，只消走五分鐘就到。適合于——”

‘Bless the animal,’ said the girl, laughing, ‘I don’t want to TAKE it. Tell me something REAL about it. But first wait till I fetch you some more tea and toast.’

“上天保佑你這動(dòng)物，”姑娘大笑著說(shuō)。“我又不打算買(mǎi)下它。給我講講房子的具體情況吧。不過(guò)先等一下，我再給你拿點(diǎn)茶和烤面包來(lái)。”

She tripped away, and presently returned with a fresh trayful; and Toad, pitching into the toast with avidity, his spirits quite restored to their usual level, told her about the boathouse, and the fish-pond, and the old walled kitchen-garden; and about the pig-styes, and the stables, and the pigeon-house, and the hen-house; and about the dairy, and the wash-house, and the china-cupboards, and the linen-presses (she liked that bit especially); and about the banqueting-hall, and the fun they had there when the other animals were gathered round the table and Toad was at his best, singing songs, telling stories, carrying on generally. Then she wanted to know about his animal-friends, and was very interested in all he had to tell her about them and how they lived, and what they did to pass their time. Of course, she did not say she was fond of animals as PETS, because she had the sense to see that Toad would be extremely offended. When she said good night, having filled his water-jug and shaken up his straw for him, Toad was very much the same sanguine, self-satisfied animal that he had been of old. He sang a little song or two, of the sort he used to sing at his dinner-parties, curled himself up in the straw, and had an excellent night’s rest and the pleasantest of dreams.

她一溜小跑走開(kāi)、很快又端來(lái)一盤(pán)吃的。蟾蜍貪饞地一頭扎進(jìn)烤面包，情緒多少恢復(fù)過(guò)來(lái)。他給她講他的船倉(cāng)、魚(yú)塘、圍墻里的菜園;講他的豬圈、馬廄、鴿房、雞舍;講他的牛奶棚、洗衣房、瓷器柜、熨衣板(這玩意她特喜歡);講他的宴會(huì)廳，他怎樣招待別的動(dòng)物圍坐餐桌旁，而他蟾蜍如何意氣風(fēng)發(fā)，神采飛揚(yáng)。又唱歌。又講故事，諸如此類(lèi)。然后，她又要他談他的動(dòng)物朋友們的情況，津津有味地聽(tīng)他講他們?cè)鯓舆^(guò)活，怎樣娛樂(lè)消遣，一切一切。當(dāng)然，她沒(méi)有說(shuō)她是把動(dòng)物當(dāng)寵物來(lái)喜愛(ài)，因?yàn)樗滥菚?huì)使蟾蜍大為反感。末了，她給他把水罐盛滿(mǎn)，把鋪草抖松，向他道了晚安。這時(shí)，他已經(jīng)恢復(fù)到原先那個(gè)沾沾自喜、洋洋得意的蟾蜍了。他唱了一兩支小曲兒，就是他過(guò)去在宴會(huì)上常唱的那種歌，蜷曲著身子躺在稻草里，美美地睡了一夜，還做了許多頂愉快的好夢(mèng)。

They had many interesting talks together, after that, as the dreary days went on; and the gaoler’s daughter grew very sorry for Toad, and thought it a great shame that a poor little animal should be locked up in prison for what seemed to her a very trivial offence. Toad, of course, in his vanity, thought that her interest in him proceeded from a growing tenderness; and he could not help half-regretting that the social gulf between them was so very wide, for she was a comely lass, and evidently admired him very much.

打那以后，沉悶的日子過(guò)了一天又一天，他們經(jīng)常在一起談得很投機(jī)。獄卒的女兒越來(lái)越替蟾蜍抱不平，她覺(jué)得，這么一只可憐的小動(dòng)物，為了一件微不足道的過(guò)失，就給關(guān)在監(jiān)牢里，太不應(yīng)該了。蟾蜍呢，他的虛榮心又抬頭了，以為她關(guān)心自己，是出于對(duì)自己滋生了戀情。只是他認(rèn)為，他倆之間社會(huì)地位太懸殊，他不能不為此感到遺憾，因?yàn)樗莻€(gè)挺招人喜歡的小妞兒，而且顯然對(duì)他一往情深。

One morning the girl was very thoughtful, and answered at random, and did not seem to Toad to be paying proper attention to his witty sayings and sparkling comments.

有天早上，那女孩像是有心事似的，回答他的問(wèn)題時(shí)有點(diǎn)心不在焉。蟾蜍覺(jué)得。他那連篇的機(jī)智妙語(yǔ)和才氣橫溢的評(píng)論，并沒(méi)引起她應(yīng)有的注意。

‘Toad,’ she said presently, ‘just listen, please. I have an aunt who is a washerwoman.’

“蟾蜍，”她開(kāi)門(mén)見(jiàn)山地說(shuō)。“你仔細(xì)聽(tīng)著。我有個(gè)姑母，是個(gè)洗衣婦”

‘There, there,’ said Toad, graciously and affably, ‘never mind; think no more about it. I have several aunts who OUGHT to be washerwomen.’

“好啦。好啦，”蟾蜍溫文和藹地說(shuō)，“這沒(méi)關(guān)系，別去想它啦。我也有好幾位姑母，本來(lái)都要做洗衣婦的。”

‘Do be quiet a minute, Toad,’ said the girl. ‘You talk too much, that’s your chief fault, and I’m trying to think, and you hurt my head. As I said, I have an aunt who is a washerwoman; she does the washing for all the prisoners in this castle—we try to keep any paying business of that sort in the family, you understand. She takes out the washing on Monday morning, and brings it in on Friday evening. This is a Thursday. Now, this is what occurs to me: you’re very rich—at least you’re always telling me so—and she’s very poor. A few pounds wouldn’t make any difference to you, and it would mean a lot to her. Now, I think if she were properly approached—squared, I believe is the word you animals use—you could come to some arrangement by which she would let you have her dress and bonnet and so on, and you could escape from the castle as the official washerwoman. You’re very alike in many respects—particularly about the figure.’

“蟾蜍，你安靜一會(huì)兒好不好，”那女孩說(shuō)。“你太多嘴多舌了，這是你的大毛病。我正在考慮一個(gè)問(wèn)題，你攪亂我的思路。我剛才說(shuō)，我有位姑母，她是個(gè)洗衣婦。她替這所監(jiān)獄里所有的犯人洗衣服——我們照例總把這類(lèi)來(lái)錢(qián)的活兒留給自家人，這你明白。她每星期一上午把要洗的衣服取走。星期五傍晚把洗好的衣服送回來(lái)。今兒是星期四。你瞧，我想到這么個(gè)招兒：你很有錢(qián)——至少你老是這樣對(duì)我說(shuō)——而她很窮。幾鎊錢(qián)，對(duì)你來(lái)說(shuō)不算回事，可對(duì)她卻大有用場(chǎng)。要是多多少少打點(diǎn)打點(diǎn)她——也就是你們動(dòng)物常說(shuō)的，籠絡(luò)籠絡(luò)她，我想，你們也許可以做成一筆交易：她讓你穿上她的衣裳，戴上她的布帽什么的。你呢，裝扮成專(zhuān)職洗衣婦，就可以混出監(jiān)獄。你們倆有許多地方挺相像——特別是身材差不多。”

‘We’re NOT,’ said the Toad in a huff. ‘I have a very elegant figure— for what I am.’

“我和她根本不相像，”蟾蜍沒(méi)好氣地說(shuō)。“我身材多優(yōu)美呀——就蟾蜍而言。”

‘So has my aunt,’ replied the girl, ‘for what SHE is. But have it your own way. You horrid, proud, ungrateful animal, when I’m sorry for you, and trying to help you!’

“我姑母也一樣——就洗衣婦而言。”女孩說(shuō)：“隨你的便。你這個(gè)可惡的、驕傲的、忘恩負(fù)義的東西!我還為你難過(guò)，想幫你一把哩!”

‘Yes, yes, that’s all right; thank you very much indeed,’ said the Toad hurriedly. ‘But look here! you wouldn’t surely have Mr. Toad of Toad Hall, going about the country disguised as a washerwoman!’

“好，好，沒(méi)關(guān)系;多謝你的好意啦，”蟾蜍連忙說(shuō)。“不過(guò)，問(wèn)題是，你總不能讓蟾宮的蟾蜍先生裝成洗衣婦，滿(mǎn)世界跑吧!”

‘Then you can stop here as a Toad,’ replied the girl with much spirit. ‘I suppose you want to go off in a coach-and-four!’

“那你就老老實(shí)實(shí)呆在這兒，當(dāng)你的蟾蜍去吧。”女孩怒沖沖地說(shuō)。“我看，你大概是想坐上四匹馬拉的車(chē)出去吧!”

Honest Toad was always ready to admit himself in the wrong. ‘You are a good, kind, clever girl,’ he said, ‘and I am indeed a proud and a stupid toad. Introduce me to your worthy aunt, if you will be so kind, and I have no doubt that the excellent lady and I will be able to arrange terms satisfactory to both parties.’

誠(chéng)實(shí)的蟾蜍總是樂(lè)于認(rèn)錯(cuò)的，他說(shuō)：“你是一位善良、聰明的好姑娘，我確實(shí)是只又驕傲又愚蠢的蟾蜍。請(qǐng)多關(guān)照，把我介紹給你尊敬的姑母吧。我相信，令姑母大人和在下一定能達(dá)成雙方都滿(mǎn)意的協(xié)議。”

Next evening the girl ushered her aunt into Toad’s cell, bearing his week’s washing pinned up in a towel. The old lady had been prepared beforehand for the interview, and the sight of certain gold sovereigns that Toad had thoughtfully placed on the table in full view practically completed the matter and left little further to discuss. In return for his cash, Toad received a cotton print gown, an apron, a shawl, and a rusty black bonnet; the only stipulation the old lady made being that she should be gagged and bound and dumped down in a corner. By this not very convincing artifice, she explained, aided by picturesque fiction which she could supply herself, she hoped to retain her situation, in spite of the suspicious appearance of things.

第二天傍晚，女孩把她的姑母領(lǐng)進(jìn)蟾蜍的牢房，還帶上本周要洗的衣服，用毛巾包好，別針別住。這次會(huì)見(jiàn)，事先已經(jīng)向老太太打過(guò)招呼，而蟾蜍又細(xì)心周到地把一些金幣放在桌上顯眼的地方，于是談判馬到成功，無(wú)需多費(fèi)唇舌。蟾蜍的金幣換來(lái)了一件印花棉布裙衫、一條圍裙、一條大圍巾，還有一頂褪了色的黑布女帽。老太太提出的唯一條件，就是把她的嘴堵上，捆綁起來(lái)，扔在墻角。她解釋說(shuō)，憑著這樣一種不太可信的偽裝，加上她自己編造的一套有聲有色的情節(jié)，她希望能保住自己的飯碗，盡管事情顯得十分可疑。

Toad was delighted with the suggestion. It would enable him to leave the prison in some style, and with his reputation for being a desperate and dangerous fellow untarnished; and he readily helped the gaoler’s daughter to make her aunt appear as much as possible the victim of circumstances over which she had no control.

蟾蜍欣然接受了這個(gè)建議。這能使他多少氣派地離開(kāi)監(jiān)獄，而不辱沒(méi)他那個(gè)危險(xiǎn)的亡命之徒的英名。于是他很樂(lè)意地幫助獄卒的女兒，把她的姑母盡量偽裝成一個(gè)身不由己的受害者。

‘Now it’s your turn, Toad,’ said the girl. ‘Take off that coat and waistcoat of yours; you’re fat enough as it is.’

“現(xiàn)在，蟾蜍，該輪到你了，”女孩說(shuō)。“脫掉你身上的外衣和馬甲;你已經(jīng)夠胖的了。”

Shaking with laughter, she proceeded to ‘hook-and-eye’ him into the cotton print gown, arranged the shawl with a professional fold, and tied the strings of the rusty bonnet under his chin.

她一面笑得前仰后合，一面動(dòng)手給他穿上印花棉布裙衫，緊緊地扣上領(lǐng)扣，披上大圍巾，打了一個(gè)符合洗衣婦身份的褶，又把褪色的女帽的帶子系在下巴底下。

‘You’re the very image of her,’ she giggled, ‘only I’m sure you never looked half so respectable in all your life before. Now, good-bye, Toad, and good luck. Go straight down the way you came up; and if any one says anything to you, as they probably will, being but men, you can chaff back a bit, of course, but remember you’re a widow woman, quite alone in the world, with a character to lose.’

“你跟她簡(jiǎn)直一模一樣了，”她格格笑著說(shuō)，“只是我敢說(shuō)，你這輩子還從沒(méi)這么體面過(guò)。好啦，蟾蜍，再見(jiàn)吧，祝你好運(yùn)。順著你進(jìn)來(lái)時(shí)的路一直走;要是有人跟你搭訕——他們很可能會(huì)的，因?yàn)樗麄兌际悄腥寺?mdash;—你當(dāng)然也可以跟他們打打趣兒，不過(guò)要記住，你是一位寡婦，孤身一人在世上過(guò)活，可不能丟了名聲呀。”

With a quaking heart, but as firm a footstep as he could command, Toad set forth cautiously on what seemed to be a most hare-brained and hazardous undertaking; but he was soon agreeably surprised to find how easy everything was made for him, and a little humbled at the thought that both his popularity, and the sex that seemed to inspire it, were really another’s. The washerwoman’s squat figure in its familiar cotton print seemed a passport for every barred door and grim gateway; even when he hesitated, uncertain as to the right turning to take, he found himself helped out of his difficulty by the warder at the next gate, anxious to be off to his tea, summoning him to come along sharp and not keep him waiting there all night. The chaff and the humourous sallies to which he was subjected, and to which, of course, he had to provide prompt and effective reply, formed, indeed, his chief danger; for Toad was an animal with a strong sense of his own dignity, and the chaff was mostly (he thought) poor and clumsy, and the humour of the sallies entirely lacking. However, he kept his temper, though with great difficulty, suited his retorts to his company and his supposed character, and did his best not to overstep the limits of good taste.

蟾蜍揣著一顆怦怦亂跳的心，邁著盡可能堅(jiān)定的步子，小心翼翼地走出牢房，開(kāi)始一場(chǎng)看來(lái)最輕率最風(fēng)險(xiǎn)的行動(dòng)。不過(guò)，他很快就驚喜地發(fā)現(xiàn)，道道關(guān)卡都一帆風(fēng)順地通過(guò)了?？墒且幌氲剿倪@份好人緣，以及造成這種好人緣的性別，實(shí)際上都是另外一個(gè)人的，又不免多少感到屈辱。洗衣婦的矮胖身材，她身上那件人們熟悉的印花布衫，對(duì)每扇上了閂的小門(mén)和森嚴(yán)的大門(mén)，仿佛都是一張通行證。甚至在他左右為難，不知該往哪邊拐時(shí)，下一道門(mén)的衛(wèi)兵就會(huì)幫他擺脫困境，高聲招呼他快些過(guò)去。因?yàn)槟切l(wèi)兵急著要去喝茶，不愿整夜在那兒等著。主要的危險(xiǎn)，倒是他們拿俏皮話跟他搭訕，他自然不能不當(dāng)機(jī)立斷作出恰如其分的回答。因?yàn)轶蛤苁莻€(gè)自尊心很強(qiáng)的動(dòng)物，他們的那些打渾逗趣，他認(rèn)為多數(shù)都很無(wú)聊笨拙，毫無(wú)幽默感可言。不過(guò)，費(fèi)了很大勁，總算耐下性子，使自己的回答適合對(duì)方和他喬裝的人物的身份，情趣高雅而不出格。

It seemed hours before he crossed the last courtyard, rejected the pressing invitations from the last guardroom, and dodged the outspread arms of the last warder, pleading with simulated passion for just one farewell embrace. But at last he heard the wicket-gate in the great outer door click behind him, felt the fresh air of the outer world upon his anxious brow, and knew that he was free!

仿佛過(guò)了好幾個(gè)鐘頭，他才穿過(guò)最后一個(gè)院子，辭謝了最后一間警衛(wèi)室里盛情的邀請(qǐng);躲開(kāi)了最后一名看守佯裝要和他擁抱訣別而伸出的雙臂。最后，他終于聽(tīng)到監(jiān)獄大門(mén)上的便門(mén)在他身后咔噠一聲關(guān)上了，感到外面世界的新鮮空氣吹拂在他焦慮的額上，他知道，他自由了!

Dizzy with the easy success of his daring exploit, he walked quickly towards the lights of the town, not knowing in the least what he should do next, only quite certain of one thing, that he must remove himself as quickly as possible from the neighbourhood where the lady he was forced to represent was so well-known and so popular a character.

這次大膽的冒臉，這樣輕而易舉就獲得了成功，使得他頭腦發(fā)暈。他朝鎮(zhèn)里的燈光快步走去，絲毫不知道下一步該怎么辦，腦子里只有一個(gè)念頭，就是必須盡快離開(kāi)鄰近地區(qū)，因?yàn)樗黄妊b扮的那位太太，在這一帶是人人熟識(shí)和喜歡的一個(gè)人物。

As he walked along, considering, his attention was caught by some red and green lights a little way off, to one side of the town, and the sound of the puffing and snorting of engines and the banging of shunted trucks fell on his ear. ‘Aha!’ he thought, ‘this is a piece of luck! A railway station is the thing I want most in the whole world at this moment; and what’s more, I needn’t go through the town to get it, and shan’t have to support this humiliating character by repartees which, though thoroughly effective, do not assist one’s sense of self-respect.’

他邊走邊想，忽然注意到，不遠(yuǎn)處，在鎮(zhèn)子的一側(cè)，有一些紅綠燈在閃爍，機(jī)車(chē)的噴氣聲，車(chē)輛進(jìn)岔道的撞擊聲，也傳進(jìn)了他的耳朵。“啊哈!”他想，“真走運(yùn)!這會(huì)兒，火車(chē)站是我在世上最渴望的東西;而且，到火車(chē)站去不需要穿過(guò)鎮(zhèn)子，用不著再裝扮這個(gè)丟人現(xiàn)眼的角色，用不著再花言巧語(yǔ)跟人周旋了，盡管那很管用，可有損一個(gè)人的尊嚴(yán)。”

He made his way to the station accordingly, consulted a time-table, and found that a train, bound more or less in the direction of his home, was due to start in half-an-hour. ‘More luck!’ said Toad, his spirits rising rapidly, and went off to the booking-office to buy his ticket.

他徑直來(lái)到火車(chē)站，看了看行車(chē)時(shí)刻表，看到有一趟大致開(kāi)往他家那個(gè)方向的車(chē)，半小時(shí)以后就開(kāi)車(chē)。“又交上好運(yùn)啦!”蟾蜍說(shuō)，他來(lái)了精神頭，到售票處去買(mǎi)票。

He gave the name of the station that he knew to be nearest to the village of which Toad Hall was the principal feature, and mechanically put his fingers, in search of the necessary money, where his waistcoat pocket should have been. But here the cotton gown, which had nobly stood by him so far, and which he had basely forgotten, intervened, and frustrated his efforts. In a sort of nightmare he struggled with the strange uncanny thing that seemed to hold his hands, turn all muscular strivings to water, and laugh at him all the time; while other travellers, forming up in a line behind, waited with impatience, making suggestions of more or less value and comments of more or less stringency and point. At last—somehow—he never rightly understood how—he burst the barriers, attained the goal, arrived at where all waistcoat pockets are eternally situated, and found—not only no money, but no pocket to hold it, and no waistcoat to hold the pocket!

他報(bào)了離蟾宮最近的車(chē)站的名稱(chēng)。他本能地把手伸進(jìn)馬甲的兜里去掏錢(qián)。那件棉布衫，直到這一刻一直在忠實(shí)地為他效勞，他卻忘恩負(fù)義，把它忘掉了?，F(xiàn)在這件衣裳橫插一手，阻礙他掏錢(qián)。像做惡夢(mèng)似的，他拼命撕扯那怪東西，可那東西仿佛抓牢了他的手，還不住地嘲笑他，使他耗盡全身的力氣而不能得逞。其他旅客在他后面排成長(zhǎng)隊(duì)，等得不耐煩了，向他提出有用或沒(méi)用的建議，或輕或重的批評(píng)。末末了，不知怎么搞的——他也鬧不清是怎么回事——他突破了重重障礙，終于摸到了他素來(lái)裝錢(qián)的地方，不料卻發(fā)現(xiàn)，非但沒(méi)有錢(qián)，連裝錢(qián)的口袋也沒(méi)有，甚至連裝口袋的馬甲也沒(méi)啦!

To his horror he recollected that he had left both coat and waistcoat behind him in his cell, and with them his pocket-book, money, keys, watch, matches, pencil-case—all that makes life worth living, all that distinguishes the many-pocketed animal, the lord of creation, from the inferior one-pocketed or no-pocketed productions that hop or trip about permissively, unequipped for the real contest.

他驚恐萬(wàn)分，想起他把他的外衣和馬甲，連同他的錢(qián)包、錢(qián)、鑰匙、表、火柴、鉛筆盒，一切的一切，全都丟在地牢里了。正是這些東酉，使一個(gè)人活得有價(jià)值，使一個(gè)擁有許多口袋的動(dòng)物、造物的寵兒。有別于只擁有一個(gè)口袋或根本沒(méi)有口袋的低等動(dòng)物，他們只配湊合著蹦蹦跳跳，卻沒(méi)有資格參加真正的競(jìng)賽。

In his misery he made one desperate effort to carry the thing off, and, with a return to his fine old manner—a blend of the Squire and the College Don—he said, ‘Look here! I find I’ve left my purse behind. Just give me that ticket, will you, and I’ll send the money on to-morrow? I’m well-known in these parts.’

他狼狽不堪，只得孤注一擲。他又?jǐn)[出自己原有的優(yōu)雅風(fēng)度——一種鄉(xiāng)村紳士和名牌大學(xué)院長(zhǎng)兼有的氣派——說(shuō)：“唉!我忘帶錢(qián)包啦，請(qǐng)把票給我好嗎?明天我就差人把錢(qián)送來(lái)。在這一帶我是知名人士。”

The clerk stared at him and the rusty black bonnet a moment, and then laughed. ‘I should think you were pretty well known in these parts,’ he said, ‘if you’ve tried this game on often. Here, stand away from the window, please, madam; you’re obstructing the other passengers!’

售票員把他和他那頂褪色的黑布女帽盯了片刻，然后哈哈大笑說(shuō)：“我相信你在這一帶定會(huì)出名的，要是你老耍這套鬼花招。聽(tīng)著，太太，請(qǐng)你離開(kāi)窗口，你妨礙別的旅客買(mǎi)票!”

An old gentleman who had been prodding him in the back for some moments here thrust him away, and, what was worse, addressed him as his good woman, which angered Toad more than anything that had occurred that evening.

一位老紳士已經(jīng)在他后背戳了好一陣子，這時(shí)干脆把他推到一邊，更不像話的是，竟管蟾蜍叫他的好太太，這比那晚發(fā)生的任何事都更令他惱火。

Baffled and full of despair, he wandered blindly down the platform where the train was standing, and tears trickled down each side of his nose. It was hard, he thought, to be within sight of safety and almost of home, and to be baulked by the want of a few wretched shillings and by the pettifogging mistrustfulness of paid officials. Very soon his escape would be discovered, the hunt would be up, he would be caught, reviled, loaded with chains, dragged back again to prison and bread-and-water and straw; his guards and penalties would be doubled; and O, what sarcastic remarks the girl would make! What was to be done? He was not swift of foot; his figure was unfortunately recognisable. Could he not squeeze under the seat of a carriage? He had seen this method adopted by schoolboys, when the journey-money provided by thoughtful parents had been diverted to other and better ends. As he pondered, he found himself opposite the engine, which was being oiled, wiped, and generally caressed by its affectionate driver, a burly man with an oil-can in one hand and a lump of cotton-waste in the other.

他一肚子委屈，滿(mǎn)心的懊喪，漫無(wú)目的地沿著火車(chē)?？康脑屡_(tái)往前走，眼淚順著兩腮滾落下來(lái)。他心想，眼看就要到手的安全和歸家，想不到只因?yàn)槿鄙賻讉€(gè)臭錢(qián)，因?yàn)檐?chē)站辦事員吹毛求疵，故意刁難。就全告吹了，多倒霉喲。他逃跑的事很快就會(huì)被發(fā)現(xiàn)。跟著就是追捕，被抓住;受辱罵，戴上鐐銬，拖回監(jiān)獄，又回到那面包加白水加稻草地鋪的苦日子。他會(huì)加倍受到看管和刑罰。哎呀，那姑娘該怎樣嘲笑他啊!可他天生不是個(gè)飛毛腿，跑不快，他的體形又很容易被人辨認(rèn)出來(lái)。怎么辦?能不能藏在車(chē)廂座位底下呢?他見(jiàn)過(guò)一些小學(xué)生，把關(guān)懷備至的父母給的車(chē)錢(qián)全都花在別的用途上，就用這辦法混車(chē)，他是不是也能如法炮制?他一邊合計(jì)著，不覺(jué)已走到一輛機(jī)車(chē)跟前。一位壯實(shí)的司機(jī)，一手拿著油壺，一手摸著塊棉紗團(tuán)，正備加愛(ài)護(hù)地給機(jī)車(chē)擦拭，上油。

‘Hullo, mother!’ said the engine-driver, ‘what’s the trouble? You don’t look particularly cheerful.’

“你好，大娘!”司機(jī)說(shuō)，“遇到麻煩了嗎?你像是不大高興。”

‘O, sir!’ said Toad, crying afresh, ‘I am a poor unhappy washerwoman, and I’ve lost all my money, and can’t pay for a ticket, and I must get home to-night somehow, and whatever I am to do I don’t know. O dear, O dear!’

“唉，先生，”蟾蜍說(shuō)，又哭了起來(lái)，“我是個(gè)不幸的窮洗衣婦，所有的錢(qián)都丟失了，沒(méi)錢(qián)買(mǎi)火車(chē)票，可我今晚非趕回家不可，不知道咋辦才好。老天爺呀!”

‘That’s a bad business, indeed,’ said the engine-driver reflectively. ‘Lost your money—and can’t get home—and got some kids, too, waiting for you, I dare say?’

“太糟了，”司機(jī)思忖著說(shuō)。“錢(qián)丟了——回不了家——家里還有幾個(gè)孩子在等你吧?”

‘Any amount of ‘em,’ sobbed Toad. ‘And they’ll be hungry—and playing with matches—and upsetting lamps, the little innocents!--and quarrelling, and going on generally. O dear, O dear!’

“一大幫孩子，”蟾蜍抽泣著說(shuō)。“他們準(zhǔn)要挨餓的——要玩火柴的——要打翻油燈的，這幫小傻瓜!——會(huì)吵架的。吵個(gè)沒(méi)完。老天爺!老天爺!”

‘Well, I’ll tell you what I’ll do,’ said the good engine-driver. ‘You’re a washerwoman to your trade, says you. Very well, that’s that. And I’m an engine-driver, as you well may see, and there’s no denying it’s terribly dirty work. Uses up a power of shirts, it does, till my missus is fair tired of washing of ‘em. If you’ll wash a few shirts for me when you get home, and send ‘em along, I’ll give you a ride on my engine. It’s against the Company’s regulations, but we’re not so very particular in these out-of-the-way parts.’

“好吧，我給你出個(gè)主意，”好心的火車(chē)司機(jī)說(shuō)。“你說(shuō)你是干洗衣這行當(dāng)?shù)?，那很好。我呢，你瞧，是個(gè)火車(chē)司機(jī)。開(kāi)火車(chē)是個(gè)臟活。我穿臟的襯衣一大堆，我太太洗都洗煩了。要是你回家以后，替我洗幾件襯衣，洗好給我送來(lái)，我就讓你搭我的機(jī)車(chē)。這是違反公司規(guī)章的，不過(guò)這一帶很偏僻，要求不那么嚴(yán)。”

The Toad’s misery turned into rapture as he eagerly scrambled up into the cab of the engine. Of course, he had never washed a shirt in his life, and couldn’t if he tried and, anyhow, he wasn’t going to begin; but he thought: ‘When I get safely home to Toad Hall, and have money again, and pockets to put it in, I will send the engine-driver enough to pay for quite a quantity of washing, and that will be the same thing, or better.’

蟾蜍的愁苦一下子變成了狂喜，他急急忙忙爬進(jìn)駕駛室。自然啰，他這輩子沒(méi)洗過(guò)一件襯衣，就是想洗也不會(huì)，所以，他壓根兒就不打算洗。不過(guò)他合計(jì)，“等我平安回到蟾宮，有了錢(qián)，有了盛錢(qián)的口袋，我就給司機(jī)送錢(qián)去，夠他洗好些衣裳的，那還不是一樣，說(shuō)不定更好哩。”

The guard waved his welcome flag, the engine-driver whistled in cheerful response, and the train moved out of the station. As the speed increased, and the Toad could see on either side of him real fields, and trees, and hedges, and cows, and horses, all flying past him, and as he thought how every minute was bringing him nearer to Toad Hall, and sympathetic friends, and money to chink in his pocket, and a soft bed to sleep in, and good things to eat, and praise and admiration at the recital of his adventures and his surpassing cleverness, he began to skip up and down and shout and sing snatches of song, to the great astonishment of the engine-driver, who had come across washerwomen before, at long intervals, but never one at all like this.

信號(hào)員揮動(dòng)了他望眼欲穿的那面小旗，火車(chē)司機(jī)拉響了歡快的汽笛?；疖?chē)隆隆駛出了站臺(tái)。車(chē)速越來(lái)越快，蟾蜍看到兩旁實(shí)實(shí)在在的田野、樹(shù)叢、矮籬、牛、馬，飛一般地從他身邊閃過(guò)。他想到，每過(guò)一分鐘，他就離蟾宮更近，想到同情他的朋友、衣袋里丁當(dāng)作響的錢(qián)幣、軟軟的床、美味的食物，想到人們對(duì)他的歷險(xiǎn)故事和過(guò)人的聰明齊聲贊嘆，——想到這—切，他禁不住蹦上蹦下，大聲喊叫，斷斷續(xù)續(xù)地唱起歌來(lái)?；疖?chē)司機(jī)大為驚詫?zhuān)驗(yàn)橄匆聥D他以前偶爾也碰到過(guò)，但這樣一位洗衣婦，他可是從沒(méi)見(jiàn)過(guò)。

They had covered many and many a mile, and Toad was already considering what he would have for supper as soon as he got home, when he noticed that the engine-driver, with a puzzled expression on his face, was leaning over the side of the engine and listening hard. Then he saw him climb on to the coals and gaze out over the top of the train; then he returned and said to Toad: ‘It’s very strange; we’re the last train running in this direction to-night, yet I could be sworn that I heard another following us!’

他們已經(jīng)駛過(guò)了許多哩的路程，蟾蜍在考慮到家后吃什么晚餐。這時(shí)，他注意到司機(jī)把頭探出窗外，用心聽(tīng)著什么，臉上露出疑惑的神情，隨后。司機(jī)又爬上煤堆.越過(guò)車(chē)頂向后張望。一回到車(chē)?yán)?，他?duì)蟾蜍說(shuō)：“真怪，今晚這條線上，我們是最后一班車(chē)，可是我敢保證，我聽(tīng)到后面還有一輛車(chē)開(kāi)過(guò)來(lái)!”

Toad ceased his frivolous antics at once. He became grave and depressed, and a dull pain in the lower part of his spine, communicating itself to his legs, made him want to sit down and try desperately not to think of all the possibilities.

蟾蜍馬上收起了他那套輕浮的滑稽動(dòng)作，變得嚴(yán)肅憂郁起來(lái)。脊梁骨下半截一陣隱隱的痛感，一直傳到兩腿，使他只想坐小來(lái)，竭力不去想各種可能發(fā)生的情況。

By this time the moon was shining brightly, and the engine-driver, steadying himself on the coal, could command a view of the line behind them for a long distance.

這時(shí)，月亮照耀得通明，司機(jī)設(shè)法在煤堆上站穩(wěn)了，可以看清他們后面長(zhǎng)長(zhǎng)的路軌。

Presently he called out, ‘I can see it clearly now! It is an engine, on our rails, coming along at a great pace! It looks as if we were being pursued!’

他立刻喊道：“現(xiàn)在我看清楚了!是一輛機(jī)車(chē).在我們同一條軌道上，飛快地開(kāi)過(guò)來(lái)了!他們像是在追我們!”

The miserable Toad, crouching in the coal-dust, tried hard to think of something to do, with dismal want of success.

倒霉的蟾蜍蹲在煤末里，絞盡腦汁想脫身之計(jì)，可硬是一籌莫展。

‘They are gaining on us fast!’ cried the engine-driver. And the engine is crowded with the queerest lot of people! Men like ancient warders, waving halberds; policemen in their helmets, waving truncheons; and shabbily dressed men in pot-hats, obvious and unmistakable plain-clothes detectives even at this distance, waving revolvers and walking-sticks; all waving, and all shouting the same thing—“Stop, stop, stop!”’

“他們很快就攆上咱們了!”司機(jī)說(shuō)。“機(jī)車(chē)上滿(mǎn)是奇奇怪怪的人!有的像古代的衛(wèi)兵，手里晃著戟;有的是戴鋼盔的警察，手里揮著警棍;還有一些是穿得破破爛爛戴高禮帽的人，拿著手槍和手杖，即使隔這么遠(yuǎn)，也可以斷定那是便衣偵探;所有的人都揮著家伙，喊著同一句話：‘停車(chē)，停車(chē)，停車(chē)!’”

Then Toad fell on his knees among the coals and, raising his clasped paws in supplication, cried, ‘Save me, only save me, dear kind Mr. Engine-driver, and I will confess everything! I am not the simple washerwoman I seem to be! I have no children waiting for me, innocent or otherwise! I am a toad—the well-known and popular Mr. Toad, a landed proprietor; I have just escaped, by my great daring and cleverness, from a loathsome dungeon into which my enemies had flung me; and if those fellows on that engine recapture me, it will be chains and bread-and-water and straw and misery once more for poor, unhappy, innocent Toad!’

這時(shí)，蟾蜍一下子跪在煤堆里，舉起兩只合攏的爪子，哀求道：“救救我吧，求求你，親愛(ài)的好心的司機(jī)先生，我向你坦白一切!我不是那個(gè)簡(jiǎn)單的洗衣婦!也沒(méi)有什么天真的或者淘氣的孩子在家等我!我是一只蟾蜍——是赫赫有名受人愛(ài)戴的蟾蜍先生，我是一位地產(chǎn)主。我憑著極大的勇氣和智慧，剛剛從一座可憎的地牢里逃了出來(lái)。我坐牢，是由于仇人陷害。要是再給那輛機(jī)車(chē)上的人抓住，我這個(gè)可憐、不幸、無(wú)辜的蟾蜍，就會(huì)再次陷入戴枷鎖、吃面包、喝白水、睡草鋪的悲慘境地!”

The engine-driver looked down upon him very sternly, and said, ‘Now tell the truth; what were you put in prison for?’

火車(chē)司機(jī)非常嚴(yán)厲地低頭望著他，說(shuō)：“你老實(shí)告訴我，坐牢是因?yàn)槭裁?”

‘It was nothing very much,’ said poor Toad, colouring deeply. ‘I only borrowed a motorcar while the owners were at lunch; they had no need of it at the time. I didn’t mean to steal it, really; but people— especially magistrates—take such harsh views of thoughtless and high-spirited actions.’

“沒(méi)什么大不了的事，”可憐的蟾蜍說(shuō)，滿(mǎn)臉通紅。“我只不過(guò)在車(chē)主吃午飯的時(shí)候，借用一下他們的汽車(chē);他們當(dāng)時(shí)用不著它。我并不是有意偷車(chē)，真的;可是有些人——特別是地方官們——竟把這種粗心大意的魯莽行為看得那么嚴(yán)重。”

The engine-driver looked very grave and said, ‘I fear that you have been indeed a wicked toad, and by rights I ought to give you up to offended justice. But you are evidently in sore trouble and distress, so I will not desert you. I don’t hold with motor-cars, for one thing; and I don’t hold with being ordered about by policemen when I’m on my own engine, for another. And the sight of an animal in tears always makes me feel queer and softhearted. So cheer up, Toad! I’ll do my best, and we may beat them yet!’

火車(chē)司機(jī)神情非常嚴(yán)肅.他說(shuō)：“恐怕你確實(shí)是一只壞蟾蜍，我有權(quán)把你交給法律去制裁。不過(guò)你現(xiàn)在顯然是處在危難中，我不會(huì)見(jiàn)死不救。一來(lái)，我不喜歡汽車(chē);二來(lái)，我在自己的機(jī)車(chē)上不愛(ài)聽(tīng)警察們支使。再說(shuō)，看到一只動(dòng)物流眼淚，我于心不忍。所以，打起精神來(lái)，蟾蜍!我要盡最大的努力搭救你，咱們興許還能挫敗他們!”

They piled on more coals, shovelling furiously; the furnace roared, the sparks flew, the engine leapt and swung but still their pursuers slowly gained. The engine-driver, with a sigh, wiped his brow with a handful of cotton-waste, and said, ‘I’m afraid it’s no good, Toad. You see, they are running light, and they have the better engine. There’s just one thing left for us to do, and it’s your only chance, so attend very carefully to what I tell you. A short way ahead of us is a long tunnel, and on the other side of that the line passes through a thick wood. Now, I will put on all the speed I can while we are running through the tunnel, but the other fellows will slow down a bit, naturally, for fear of an accident. When we are through, I will shut off steam and put on brakes as hard as I can, and the moment it’s safe to do so you must jump and hide in the wood, before they get through the tunnel and see you. Then I will go full speed ahead again, and they can chase me if they like, for as long as they like, and as far as they like. Now mind and be ready to jump when I tell you!’

他們一個(gè)勁兒往鍋爐里添煤;爐火呼呼地吼，火花四濺，機(jī)車(chē)上下顛動(dòng)，左右搖晃，可是追攆的機(jī)車(chē)還是漸漸逼近了。司機(jī)用廢棉紗擦了擦額頭，嘆口氣說(shuō)：“這樣怕不行，蟾蜍。你瞧，他們沒(méi)有負(fù)重，跑起來(lái)輕快，而且他們的機(jī)車(chē)更優(yōu)良。咱們只有一個(gè)法子，這是你逃脫的唯一機(jī)會(huì)，好好聽(tīng)我說(shuō)。前方不遠(yuǎn)，有一條很長(zhǎng)的隧道，過(guò)了隧道，路軌要穿過(guò)一座密林。過(guò)隧道時(shí)，我要加足馬力，可后面的人因?yàn)榕鲁鍪鹿?，?huì)放慢速度。一過(guò)隧道，我就關(guān)汽，來(lái)個(gè)急剎車(chē)。等車(chē)速慢到可以安全跳車(chē)時(shí)，你就跳下去，在他們鉆出隧道、看到你以前，跑進(jìn)樹(shù)林里藏起來(lái)。然后我再全速行駛，引他們來(lái)追我，隨他們想追多久就追多遠(yuǎn)好啦?，F(xiàn)在注意，做好準(zhǔn)備，我叫你跳車(chē)，就跳!”

They piled on more coals, and the train shot into the tunnel, and the engine rushed and roared and rattled, till at last they shot out at the other end into fresh air and the peaceful moonlight, and saw the wood lying dark and helpful upon either side of the line. The driver shut off steam and put on brakes, the Toad got down on the step, and as the train slowed down to almost a walking pace he heard the driver call out, ‘Now, jump!’

他們又添了些煤，火車(chē)像子彈一樣射進(jìn)隧洞，機(jī)車(chē)轟隆隆狂吼著往前直沖，末了，他們從隧道另一端射出來(lái)，又駛進(jìn)新鮮空氣和寧?kù)o的月光。只見(jiàn)那座樹(shù)林橫躺在路軌的兩側(cè)，顯得非常樂(lè)意幫忙的樣子。司機(jī)關(guān)上汽門(mén)，踩住剎車(chē)，蟾蜍站到踏板上，火車(chē)速減慢到差不多和步行一樣時(shí)，他聽(tīng)到司機(jī)一聲喊：“現(xiàn)在，跳!”

Toad jumped, rolled down a short embankment, picked himself up unhurt, scrambled into the wood and hid.

蟾蜍跳了下去，一骨碌滾過(guò)一段短短的路基，從地上爬起來(lái)，居然一點(diǎn)沒(méi)傷著。他爬進(jìn)樹(shù)林，藏了起來(lái)。

Peeping out, he saw his train get up speed again and disappear at a great pace. Then out of the tunnel burst the pursuing engine, roaring and whistling, her motley crew waving their various weapons and shouting, ‘Stop! stop! stop!’ When they were past, the Toad had a hearty laugh—for the first time since he was thrown into prison.

他從樹(shù)林里往外窺望，只見(jiàn)他坐的那輛火車(chē)又一次加速行進(jìn)，轉(zhuǎn)眼間就消失不見(jiàn)了。接著，從隧道里沖出那輛追車(chē)，咆哮著，尖聲?shū)Q著笛，車(chē)上那幫雜合人群搖晃著各自不同的武器，高喊“停車(chē)!停車(chē)!停車(chē)!”等他們駛了過(guò)去時(shí)，蟾蜍禁不住哈哈大笑——自打入獄以來(lái)，他還是第一次笑得這樣痛快。

But he soon stopped laughing when he came to consider that it was now very late and dark and cold, and he was in an unknown wood, with no money and no chance of supper, and still far from friends and home; and the dead silence of everything, after the roar and rattle of the train, was something of a shock. He dared not leave the shelter of the trees, so he struck into the wood, with the idea of leaving the railway as far as possible behind him.

可是，他很快就笑不起來(lái)了，因?yàn)樗氲?，這時(shí)已是深夜，又黑又冷，他來(lái)到了一座不熟悉的樹(shù)林，身無(wú)分文，吃不上晚飯，仍舊遠(yuǎn)離朋友和家。火車(chē)震耳的隆隆聲消逝以后，這里的一切像死一般寂靜，怪嚇人的。他不敢離開(kāi)藏身的樹(shù)叢，覺(jué)得離鐵路越遠(yuǎn)越好，于是深深鉆進(jìn)林子。

After so many weeks within walls, he found the wood strange and unfriendly and inclined, he thought, to make fun of him. Night-jars, sounding their mechanical rattle, made him think that the wood was full of searching warders, closing in on him. An owl, swooping noiselessly towards him, brushed his shoulder with its wing, making him jump with the horrid certainty that it was a hand; then flitted off, moth-like, laughing its low ho! ho! ho; which Toad thought in very poor taste. Once he met a fox, who stopped, looked him up and down in a sarcastic sort of way, and said, ‘Hullo, washerwoman! Half a pair of socks and a pillow-case short this week! Mind it doesn’t occur again!’ and swaggered off, sniggering. Toad looked about for a stone to throw at him, but could not succeed in finding one, which vexed him more than anything. At last, cold, hungry, and tired out, he sought the shelter of a hollow tree, where with branches and dead leaves he made himself as comfortable a bed as he could, and slept soundly till the morning.

在監(jiān)獄里蹲了這么久，他感到樹(shù)林特生疏，特不友好，像成心在拿他取笑逗樂(lè)似的。夜鴛單調(diào)的嘎嘎聲，使他覺(jué)得林中布滿(mǎn)了搜索他的衛(wèi)兵，從四面八方向他包抄過(guò)來(lái)。一只貓頭鷹，悄沒(méi)聲地猝然向他撲來(lái)，翅膀擦著他的肩頭，嚇得他跳了起來(lái)，心驚膽戰(zhàn)地想，那準(zhǔn)是一只手;接著又像飛蛾一樣輕輕掠過(guò)、發(fā)出一串低沉的“嗬!嗬!嗬!”的笑聲，聽(tīng)起來(lái)非常下流。有一回，他碰上一只狐貍，那狐貍停下來(lái)，譏諷地朝他上下打量了一番，說(shuō)：“喂，洗衣婆!這星期少了我一只襪子，一個(gè)枕套!下次留神別再犯!”說(shuō)罷，竊笑著搖搖擺擺走開(kāi)了。蟾蜍四處看，想找塊石頭打他，可就是找不到，更把他氣壞了。末了，又冷，又餓，又乏，他找到一個(gè)樹(shù)洞，躲了進(jìn)去，設(shè)法用樹(shù)枝和枯葉鋪了一張將就舒適的床，沉沉睡著了，直睡到天明。