牛津書蟲系列 黑駿馬 7 Joe Green

7 Joe Green

7 喬·格林

The rest of our journey was very easy，and the next evening we reached the house of our master's friend，where a groom took us to a comfortable stable.We stayed two or three days，then returned home.John was glad to see us，and we were glad to see him.

接下來的旅途就簡單多了，第二天晚上我們就到了主人的朋友家，一個馬夫帶我們到了一個舒適的馬廄。我們住了兩三天，然后回家。約翰又見到我們，很高興，我們也是一樣。

'I wonder who will come in my place，'said James.

“不知道誰會來頂替我呢。”詹姆斯說。

'Little Joe Green，'said John.'He's only fourteen and a half but he has a kind heart and wants to come，so I've agreed to try him for six weeks.'

“是小喬·格林，”約翰說。“他只有十四歲半，可是他善良，也愿意來，我已同意讓他試6個星期的工。”

The next day，Joe Green came to learn all he could before James left.He was a nice happy boy and always came to work singing.But then the day came when James had to leave us.

第二天，喬·格林來了。他得趕在詹姆斯走之前學(xué)會干所有的活計。他是個快活可愛的孩子，來干活時老是唱著歌。但終于還是到了詹姆斯離開我們的時候。

'I'm leaving a lot behind，'he said sadly to John.'My mother，and you，a good master and mistress，and the horses.And I shan't know anybody at the new place.'

“我舍棄了這么多，”他傷心地對約翰說。“我媽媽，你，一個好主人和太太，還有這些馬。在新的地方我誰也不認識。”

'It's hard to leave your home for the first time，'said John，'but if you get on well—which I'm sure you will——your moth-er will be proud of you.'

“第一次離家的確不容易，”約翰說，“但如果你能適應(yīng)——我相信你能——你媽媽會為你自豪的。”

Everyone was sorry to lose James，but Joe tried hard to learn，and John was pleased with him.

大家都為詹姆斯的離開而難過。不過喬在很努力地學(xué)，約翰和他在一起挺高興。

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* * *

One night I woke up to hear the stable bell ringing loudly.I heard the door open at John's house，and his feet running up to the Hall.He was back quickly.

一天夜里，我醒來時，馬廄的鈴猛響著。我聽見約翰住的房子的門開了，從腳步聲可以聽出他飛快地向大宅跑去。很快他又回來了。

'Wake up，Beauty!'he said，coming into the stable.'We must go quickly now!'And before I could think，he had the saddle on my back and the bridle on my head.

“醒醒，黑駿馬!”他說著，沖進馬廄里。“我們必須馬上走!”我還沒來得及想，他就把馬鞍備好，籠頭也給我戴上了。

The master was waiting at the Hall door with a letter in his hand.'Ride for your life，John!'he said.'Give this to Dr White，then rest your horse and be back as soon as you can.Mrs Gordon is very ill.'

主人在大宅門口等著，手里拿著一封信。“拼命跑，約翰!”他說。“把這封信交給懷特大夫，讓馬歇歇，然后再盡快趕回來。太太病得很厲害。”

Away went John and I，through the Park，through the vil-lage，and down the hill.There was a long piece of flat road by the riverside，and John said，'Now Beauty，do your best!'I needed no whip，and for two miles I galloped as fast as I could——perhaps even faster than my grandfather，who won the race at Newrmarket.When we came to the bridge，John slowed me down a little and patted my neck.'Well done，Beauty!'he said.

我和約翰沖了出來，穿過莊園，穿過村子，沖下山去。河邊的一長段路很平坦，約翰說：“現(xiàn)在，黑駿馬，你盡力吧!”我不需鞭打，盡我所能飛奔了2英里——也許比我那得了紐馬克特賽馬冠軍的爺爺跑得還快。當我們來到橋邊時，約翰讓我稍微放慢速度，拍著我的脖子說：“真不錯，黑駿馬!”

Then I was off again，as fast as before.The air was cold and the moon was bright，and it was a pleasant night.We went through a village，then a dark wood，then uphill，then down-hill，and after twelve kilometres，we came to the town.

我又跑了起來，和剛才一樣快。空氣寒冷，月光皎潔，這是一個令人愉快的夜晚。我們穿過了一個村子，然后是一片黑黢黢的林子，然后上山、下山，跑了12公里后，我們進了城。

It was three o'clock when we stopped by Dr White's door.John rang the bell，then knocked on the door like thunder.A window was pushed up and Dr White's head appeared.'What do you want?'he said.

當我們停在懷特大夫的門前時，已是凌晨3點了。約翰按了門鈴，然后把門擂得像打雷一樣響。一扇窗子被推上去，懷特大夫的頭探了出來。“你要干什么?”他說。

'Mrs Gordon is very ill，'said John.'You must come at once，or she'll die.Here's a letter.'

“高頓太太病得很厲害，”約翰說。“您必須馬上來，先生，不然她會死的!這是信。”

The doctor was soon at the door.'My horse has been out all day and is exhausted.Can I take yours?'

醫(yī)生很快出現(xiàn)在門口。“我的馬出去了一整天，已經(jīng)很累了，我能騎你的馬嗎?”

'My master told me to rest him，'said John，'but take him if you think it's best，sir.'

“我主人讓我歇一歇馬，”約翰說，“不過如果您覺得這樣最好，那就騎吧，先生。”

'I'll soon be ready，'said the doctor.

“我很快就準備好，”醫(yī)生說。

John stood by me and patted my neck.I was very hot.Then the doctor came out with his riding whip.

約翰站在我身旁，拍著我的脖子，我熱得要命。醫(yī)生帶著鞭子出來了。

'You won't need that，sir，'said John.'Black Beauty will go until he drops.'

“您不需要用鞭子，先生，”約翰說，“黑駿馬跑死也不會停下來。”

The doctor was a heavier man than John，and not so good a rider，but I did my very best.Joe was waiting at the gate and the master was at the Hall door.He did not say a word.The doctor went into the house with him，and Joe led me to the stable.

醫(yī)生比約翰重，而且騎術(shù)不太好，不過我拼盡全力。喬在大門口等著，主人則在大宅門口等著。他一言不發(fā)。醫(yī)生隨他進了房間，喬把我?guī)Щ伛R廄。

My legs were shaking and there was not a dry hair on my body.The water ran down my legs and I was hot all over.Poor Joe!He was young and knew very little.He did the best he could，cleaning my legs and my chest，but he did not put a warm cloth on me;he thought I was so hot that I would not like it.He gave me some cold water to drink，then he gave me some food and went away.

我的腿在瑟瑟發(fā)抖，全身上下沒有一根毛是于的。汗水順著腿流下來，我全身熱得要命。可憐的喬!他小小年紀，懂得很少。他盡他所能，洗干凈我的腿和胸，可是沒有給我蓋上暖和的布，他覺得我已經(jīng)很熱了，可能不會喜歡蓋布。他喂了我一些冷水和一些食物，然后就走開了。

Soon I began to shake and tremble with cold，and I ached all over.I wished John was there，but he had twelve kilometres to walk，so I tried to sleep.

很快我開始發(fā)抖，冷得直哆嚏，渾身上下都痛。我真希望約翰在，但是，他得步行12公里，我只好試著睡覺。

After a long time，I heard John at the door.I gave a low cry，and he was at my side in a moment.I could not tell him how I felt，but he seemed to know immediately.He covered me with three warm cloths，then ran for some hot water and made me a warm drink.

過了很久，我聽見約的在門口。我低低地嗚咽了一聲，他立刻來到我身旁。我沒法兒告訴他我的感覺，但他似乎立刻就明白了。他給我蓋了3塊暖和的布，跑去取了些熱水讓我趁熱喝下。

John seemed very angry.'Stupid boy!'he said to himself，over and over again.'No cloth put on，and I suppose the water was cold too.Boys are no good!'

約翰看上去很生氣。“傻小子!”他一遍又一遍地自言自語著。“一塊布也不蓋，估計水也是冷的。小孩子真不像話!”

I became very ill，and could not breathe without pain.John looked after me day and night，and my master often came to see me too.

我病得很厲害，每呼吸一下都覺得疼。約翰夜以繼日地看護我，主人也常來看望我。

'My poor Beauty，'he said one day.'My good horse，you saved your mistress's life.Yes，you saved her life.'

“我可憐的黑駿馬!”一天他說。“我的好馬，你救了你女主人的命。是啊，你救了她的命。”

I was very glad to hear that.John told my master that he never saw a horse go so fast.

我聽見這個很高興。約翰告訴主人說他從沒見過哪匹馬跑得這么快。

One night，Tom Green，Joe's father，came to help John give me my medicine，then stayed for a while.At first both men were silent，then Tom said，'John，please say a kind word to Joe.The boy is heart-broken;he can't eat his meals，and he can't smile.He knows it's his fault Beauty is ill，but he did his best.He says if Beauty dies，no one will ever speak to him again.But he's not a bad boy.'

一個晚上，湯姆·格林，喬的爸爸，來幫約翰給我喂藥，然后又多呆了會兒。起先兩個男人都沉默著，然后湯姆說：“約翰，請對喬說句好話吧。這孩子心都碎了，他吃不下飯，也不笑了。他知道黑駿馬生病是他的錯，不過他盡力而為了。他說如果黑駿馬死了，就不會有人再理他了?？伤皇莻€壞孩子。”

After a short pause，John said，'I know he meant no harm，but I'm proud of that horse，and I hate to think his life may be thrown away like this.But I'll give the boy a kind word to-morrow，if Beauty is better.'

短暫的沉默之后，約翰說：“我知道他不是故意的，但是我以這匹馬為榮，我不能忍受就這么看著他死去。不過，明天我會對這孩子說句好話，如果黑駿馬能好一點兒。”

I heard no more of this conversation，as the medicine did well and sent me to sleep，and in the morning I fell much bet-ter.

我沒再聽到下面的談話，因為藥開始起作用，我昏昏欲睡了。早上，我覺得好多了。

Joe learned quickly after this，and was so careful that John began to give him many things to do.One day，John was out and the master wanted a letter taken immediately to a gentle-man's house about five kilometres away.He told Joe to saddle me and take it.

這件事之后，喬學(xué)習進步很快，而且特別仔細。約翰開始把很多事交給他去辦。一天，約翰外出了，主人想把一封信立刻送到5公里外的一位先生家里，他吩咐喬給我備鞍，把信送去。

The letter was delivered and we were returning through a field where we saw a cart full of bricks.They were so heavy that the wheels of the cart were half-buried in the soft ground，and the horses could not move the cart at all.The man leading the horses was shouting and whipping them without stopping.

信被送到了。歸途中，我們穿過一片田野，在那兒我們看見一輛裝滿磚頭的馬車。沉重的車身壓得輪子的一半陷入了松軟的地里。馬根本拉不動車。趕車的人不斷地喊叫，抽打著馬匹。

'Don't whip the horses like that，'Joe shouted at him.'The wheels are half-buried and won't move.I'll help you take some bricks out to make the cart lighter.'

“別抽得那么狠，”喬沖趕車人喊著，“輪子一半兒陷下去了，動不了啦。我?guī)湍阈断滦┐u來，讓車輕一點。”

'Mind your own business!'said the man angrily.He was in a terrible temper and more than half-drunk.

“你少管閑事!”那人惱怒地說。他正大發(fā)脾氣，而且已醉得可以了。

Joe turned me，and we galloped towards the house of the brickmaker，Mr Clay.Joe knocked on the door.

喬讓我轉(zhuǎn)過身，我們朝著制磚人克雷先生的房子飛奔過去。喬敲了門。

The door opened.'Hallo，young man，'began Mr Clay.

門開了。“喂!小伙子，”克雷先生開口道。

'There's a man in your field whipping two horses to death!'Joe told him，his voice shaking with anger.'I told him to stop，but he wouldn't.I offered to help him lighten the cart，but he refused.I think he's drunk.Please go，sir!'

“你田里有個人快把兩匹馬抽死了!”喬告訴他，氣得聲音發(fā)抖。“我叫他住手，可他不聽。我提出幫他把車弄輕些，他也不干。我看他是醉了。您去一下吧，先生!”

'I will!'said the man，and hurried off.

“我會去的!”克雷先生說，他立刻就趕了過去。

When we got home，Joe told John all about it.

我們到家后，喬對約翰講了整個事情。

'You did the right thing，'said John.'Many people would ride by and say it was none of their business.But cruelty is everybody's business.'

“你做得對，”約翰說。“很多人會擦身而過，覺得那不關(guān)他們的事。但是制止殘暴的行為是每個人都應(yīng)該做的事。”

Just before dinner，the master sent for Joe.The drunken man was accused of cruelty to horses and Joe was wanted to tell his story to the police.

晚飯前，主人派人來叫喬。那個醉漢被指控虐待馬匹，喬被叫去向警察講述經(jīng)過。

'I'll tell it gladly，'said Joe.

“我很樂意去講一講，”喬說。

We heard afterwards that the poor horses were so exhausted and so badly beaten that the man might have to go to prison.

事后，我們聽說那兩匹可憐的馬已累得精疲力竭，還被打得半死。那人有可能要進監(jiān)獄。

Joe came across and gave me a friendly pat.'We won't al-low cruelty，will we，old friend?'he said.

喬過來友好地拍了拍我。“我們不允許殘暴的行為，是嗎，我的老朋友?”他說。

And he seemed to have grown up suddenly.

他看上去一下子長大了。