"I do not wish to be observed," complained the cob.
“我不希望被誰觀察,”雄天鵝抱怨,
"I did not travel all this immense distance into the heart of Canada to be observed.
“我可不是為了被誰觀察才從大老遠的地方趕到加拿大腹地的。
Furthermore, I don't want you to be observed--except by me.
此外,我也不想你被誰觀察--除了我以外。
You're laying an egg--that is, I hope you are--and you are entitled to privacy.
你正在下蛋 --我是說,我希望你如此--你應(yīng)該有天鵝隱私權(quán)。
It has been my experience that all boys throw stones and sticks--it is their nature.
據(jù)我的經(jīng)驗,所有的男孩子都喜歡丟石頭和樹枝--那是他們的天性。
I'm going over to strike that boy with my powerful wing, and he'll think he has been hit with a billy club. I'll knock him cold!"
我要飛過去用我有威力的翅膀揍他,他沒準(zhǔn)會以為是被一根警棍打了呢。我要把他打懵!”
"Now, just wait a minute!" said the swan.
“不,還是等等再說!”雌天鵝說,
"There's no use starting a fight. This boy is not bothering me at the moment. He's not bothering you either."
“打架是沒用的。這個男孩現(xiàn)在并沒惹我。他也沒惹你呀。”
"But how did he get here?" said the cob, who was no longer talking in a whisper but was beginning to shout.
“可他是怎么到這里來的呢?”雄天鵝不再耳語了,而是大吼起來,
"How did he get here? Boys can't fly, and there are no roads in this part of Canada. We're fifty miles from the nearest highway."
“他是怎么來這兒的?男孩子不能飛,加拿大的這一帶也沒有公路。我們離最近的高速公路還有五十英里呢。”
"Maybe he's lost," said the swan.
“可能他迷路了吧,”雌天鵝說,
"Maybe he's starving to death.
“可能他快餓死了。
Maybe he wants to rob the nest and eat the eggs, but I doubt it. He doesn't look hungry.
也可能他是打算洗劫我們的窩,吃掉那些蛋,不過我懷疑事實并非如此。他看起來不像很餓的樣子。
Anyway, I've started this nest, and I have three beautiful eggs, and the boy's behaving himself at the moment,
總之,我已經(jīng)造了一個窩,生了三個美麗的蛋,這個男孩此刻也很老實,
and I intend to go right ahead and try for a fourth egg."
我打算接著生第四個蛋了。”
"Good luck, my love!" said the cob. "I shall be here at your side to defend you if anything happens. Lay the egg!"
“祝你好運,我親愛的!”雄天鵝說,“我就在你身邊守護你,如果有什么意外的話。生蛋吧!”
For the next hour, the cob paddled slowly round and around the tiny island, keeping watch.
接下來的一小時里,雄天鵝慢慢地圍著小島游了一圈又一圈,不停地觀察著。
His wife remained quietly on the nest.
他的妻子還是安靜地呆在窩里。
Sam sat on his log, hardly moving a muscle.
薩姆坐在他的木頭上,幾乎紋絲不動。
He was spellbound at the sight of the swans.
他完全被眼前的這兩只天鵝迷住了。
They were the biggest water birds he had ever seen.
他們是他見過的最大的水鳥。
He had heard their trumpeting and had searched the woods and swamps until he had found the pond and located the nest.
他循著他們的吹號聲在森林和沼澤中尋找了半天,才發(fā)現(xiàn)了這個池塘并找到了天鵝的窩。
Sam knew enough about birds to know that these were Trumpeters.
薩姆的鳥類知識非常豐富,因此他一看就知道這種鳥兒叫號手天鵝。
Sam always felt happy when he was in a wild place among wild creatures.
每當(dāng)和自然界的野生動物們呆在一起,薩姆總會有種幸福的感覺。
Sitting on his log, watching the swans, he had the same good feeling some people get when they are sitting in church.
坐在他的木頭上觀察著這兩只天鵝的時候,他和某些坐在教堂里的人一樣,能獲得同樣美妙的感受。