吹小號的天鵝 第93期:一次關(guān)于錢的談話(2)

Then Sam explained his proposal for allowingSerena to go free instead of making a captive birdout of her.

接著薩姆解釋了他那個允許塞蕾娜自由飛走，不要讓她成為一只囚鳥的建議。

He said he thought it would be a good arrangementfor the Zoo,

他說他認為對動物園來說這是個非常合算的安排，

because any time they wanted a young TrumpeterSwan, Louis would give them one of his cygnets.

因為他們無論何時想要一只小號手天鵝，路易斯都會把他的小天鵝送給他們一只的。

The Head Man was fascinated.

這個負責人聽得入了迷。

"You mean to say you came all the way to Philadelphia to help a bird?"

“你的意思是說，你一路趕到費城就為幫助一只鳥兒?”

"Yes, sir," replied Sam. "I would go anywhere to help a bird.

“是的，先生。”薩姆回答，“為了幫助一只鳥兒，我可以到任何地方去。

Besides, Louis is special. He's an old friend.

再說，路易斯和一般的鳥不同。他是我的一個老朋友。

We went to the same school. You've got to admit he's quite a bird."

我們上的是同一所學校。你得承認他是一只很不一般的鳥。”

"He sure is," said the Head Man.

“他當然是，”這個負責人說，

"His Sunday afternoon concerts have been the biggest attraction the Zoo has ever had.

“他的星期日下午音樂會是這個動物園里有過的最引人入勝的節(jié)目。

We had a gorilla once named Bamboo--he's dead now.

我們曾經(jīng)有過一頭叫班布的大猩猩--他現(xiàn)在死了。

Bamboo was great, but Louis draws even more of a crowd than Bamboo did.

班布是了不起的，可路易斯卻比班布更能吸引游客。

We have sea lions that draw big crowds,

我們還有能吸引大量游人的海獅，

but nothing to compare with Louis when he plays that horn on Sunday afternoons. People gocrazy.

可什么都比不上在星期日下午吹喇叭的路易斯。人們都為他發(fā)狂了。

And music is good for the animals, too--it soothes them, and they forget the cares of the day.

而且音樂對動物們也有好處--它能使他們平靜下來，忘掉白天里的憂慮。

I'm going to miss Louis when he's gone. The whole Zoo will miss him terribly.

路易斯走后我會想念他的。整個動物園都會想死他的。

I wish he'd stay and keep his bride right here--it would be just great."

我希望他能留下，和他的新娘呆在這里——那樣最好。”

"Louis would pine away in captivity. He would die," replied Sam.

“路易斯會在囚禁生活中憔悴下去的。他會死的，”薩姆回答，

"He needs wild places--little ponds, swamps, cattails,

“他需要大自然--小池塘，沼澤地，香蒲，

Red-winged Blackbirds in the spring, the chorus of the frogs, the cry of the loon at night.

春天的紅翼歌鶇，青蛙的大合唱，鸊鵜在夜里的啼叫聲。

Louis is following a dream. We must all follow a dream.

路易斯正在追求一個夢。我們都應(yīng)該追隨某一個夢。

Please let Serena go, sir! Please don't clip her wing!"

請放路易斯走吧，先生!請不要剪她的翅膀!”

The Head Man closed his eyes.

這個負責人閉上了他的眼睛。

He was thinking of little lakes deep in the woods,

他正在想著密林深處的小湖，

of the color of bulrushes, of the sounds of night and the chorus of frogs.

香蒲的色彩，夜的聲響和青蛙的齊唱。

He was thinking of swans' nests, and eggs, and the hatching of eggs,

他正在想著天鵝的窩，鳥蛋，孵蛋的情景，

and the cygnets following their father in single file.

還有那些跟著他們的父親飛成一行的小天鵝們。

He was thinking of dreams he had had as a young man.

他正在想著他小時候做過的那些夢。