双语美文赏析之《夏洛特的网》Chapter 9

　　以下是新东方在线英语学习网给大家整理的双语美文赏析之《夏洛特的网》Chapter 9，多多阅读可以提升大家的语感，一起行动起来吧!

　　A spider's web is stronger than it looks. Although it is made of thin, delicate strands, the web is not easily broken. However, a web gets torn every day by the insects that kick around in it, and a spider must rebuild it when it gets full of holes. Charlotte liked to do her weaving during the late afternoon, and Fern liked to sit nearby and watch. One afternoon she heard a most interesting conversation and witnessed a strange event.

　　一张蜘蛛网实质上要比它看上去的样子要结实。虽然它是用精细的丝线织成的，但却不太容易被弄破。可是，一个蜘蛛网每天都要被那些昆虫又撞又踢，所以里面还是会出现残破的地方。如果里面的破洞太多了，蜘蛛就得重新把网织好才行。夏洛喜欢在傍晚织网，芬也喜欢坐在旁边看她织。一天下午，芬听到了一场最有趣的谈话，并目睹了一起奇怪的事件。

　　“You have awfully hairy legs, Charlotte,” said Wilbur, as the spider busily worked at her task.

　　“你长着可怕而又多毛的长腿，夏洛，”当夏洛正在忙着她的工作时，威伯说。

　　“My legs are hairy for a good reason,” replied Charlotte. “Furthermore, each leg of mine has seven sections—the coxa, the trochanter, the femur, the patella, the tibia, the metatarsus, and the tarsus.”

　　“我的腿上有毛，是有原因的，”夏洛回答。“此外，我的每条腿都由七节骨头构成——髋骨，坐骨，大腿骨，膝盖骨，胫骨，跗骨，蹠骨。”

　　Wilbur sat bolt upright, “You're kidding,” he said.

　　威伯猛地坐了起来。“你骗人。”他说。

　　“No, I'm not, either.”

　　“不，我一点儿也没骗你。”

　　“Say those names again, I didn't catch them the first time.”

　　“把那几个名字再说一遍，我没记住。”

　　“Coxa, trochanter, femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, and tarsus.”

　　“髋骨，坐骨，大腿骨，膝盖骨，胫骨，跗骨，蹠骨。”

　　“Goodness!” said Wilbur, looking down at his own chubby legs. “I don't think my legs have seven sections.”

　　“天哪!”威伯说着，往下看看自己的胖腿。“我不信我的腿上有七根骨头。”

　　“Well,” said Charlotte, “you and I lead different lives. You don't have to spin a web. That takes real leg work.”

　　“哦，”夏洛说，“你和我的生活方式不同。你不用织网，那可全是用腿干的活儿。”

　　“I could spin a web if I tried,” said Wilbur, boasting. “I've just never tried.”

　　“如果我学学，也能会织网，”威伯吹嘘道。“我只是从没学过而已。”

　　“Let's see you do it,” said Charlotte. Fern chuckled softly, and her eyes grew wide with love for the pig.

　　“让我看看你能否学会，”夏洛说。芬圆睁着眼睛满是爱意地看着威伯，偷偷地笑了。

　　“O.K.,” replied Wilbur. “You coach me and I'll spin one. It must be a lot of fun to spin a web. How do I start?”

　　“好的。”威伯回答。“你教我织一张网吧。织网一定是特别好玩的。我先要怎么做呢?”

　　“Take a deep breath!” said Charlotte, smiling. Wilbur breathed deeply.

　　“深呼吸!”夏洛微笑着说。威伯深吸了一口气。

　　“Now climb to the highest place you can get to, like this.”

　　“现在爬到你能到的最高地方去，就像这样。”

　　Charlotte raced up to the top of the doorway. Wilbur scrambled to the top of the manure pile.

　　夏洛跑到了门框的最上端。威伯爬到了牛粪堆的最上面。

　　“Very good!” said Charlotte. “Now make an attachment with your spinnerets, hurl yourself into space, and let out a dragline as you go down!”

　　“很好!”夏洛说，“现在用你的丝囊造丝把自己用力抛向空中，下落时把丝线抽出来!”

　　Wilbur hesitated a moment, then jumped out into the air. He glanced hastily behind to see if a piece of rope was following him to check his fall, but nothing seemed to be happening in his rear, and the next thing he knew he landed with a thump. “Ooomp!” he grunted.

　　威伯犹豫了一下，然后朝空中跳去。他扭身回望，看后面是否有一小根能阻止他下落的粘线，可却发现后部似乎什么变化都没有，接着他便听到了自己重重地撞在地上的声音。“嗷姆!”他咕噜着抱怨道。

　　Charlotte laughed so hard her web began to sway.

　　夏洛笑得连她的网都摇晃起来。

　　“What did I do wrong?” asked the pig, when he recovered from his bump.

　　“我哪一步做错了?”清醒过来以后，威伯问道。

　　“Nothing,” said Charlotte. “It was a nice try.”

　　“都没错，”夏洛说，“你练得很好。”

　　“I think I'll try again,” said Wilbur, cheerfully. “I believe what I need is a little piece of string to hold me.”

　　“我想我该再试一次。”威伯又来劲儿了。“我相信这一次我只需要一段能拴住我的绳子就够了。”

　　The pig walked out to his yard. “You there, Templeton?” he called. The rat poked his head out from under the trough.

　　威伯走到院子里。“你在吗，坦普尔曼?”他喊道。老鼠从食槽下探出了头。

　　“Got a little piece of string I could borrow?” asked Wilbur. “I need it to spin a web.”

　　“我能向你借一小根绳子吗?”威伯请求。”我要用它来织网。”

　　“Yes, indeed,” replied Templeton, who saved string. “No trouble at all. Any thing to oblige.” He crept down into his hole, pushed the goose egg out of the way, and returned with an old piece of dirty white string. Wilbur examined it.

　　“好的，可以。”有绳子的坦普尔曼回答。“这事儿很容易，你不必客气。”他推开洞口的那只鹅蛋，钻进了洞里，一会儿就抓着一根脏旧的白绳子出来了。威伯检查了一下。

　　“That's just the thing,” he said. “Tie one end to my tail, will you, Templeton?”

　　“就是这东西，”他说。“坦普尔曼，请你把绳子的一头系到我的尾巴上，好吗?”

　　Wilbur crouched low, with his thin, curly tail toward the rat. Templeton seized the string, passed it around the end of the pig's tail, and tied two half hitches. Charlotte watched in delight. Like Fern, she was truly fond of Wilbur, whose smelly pen and stale food attracted the flies that she needed, and she was proud to see thathe was not a quitter and was willing to try again to spin a web.

　　威伯趴下来，把他那根又细又弯的尾巴朝向老鼠那边。坦普尔曼抓住绳子，把它绕到威伯的尾巴尖上，打了两个结。夏洛开心地看着这一切。像芬一样，她也是真心的喜欢威伯，这不只是因为他那肮脏的猪圈与尿的臭味儿能招来她需要的苍蝇，还因为她骄傲地看出他不是一个懦夫，勇于一再的学习织网。

　　While the rat and the spider and the little girl watched, Wilbur climbed again to the top of the manure pile, full of energy and hope.

　　就在老鼠，蜘蛛和小女孩的注视下，威伯又满怀着活力与希望爬到牛粪堆的顶上。

　　“Everybody watch!” he cried. And summoning all his strength, he threw himself into the air, headfirst. The string trailed behind him. But as he had neglected to fasten the other end to anything, it didn't really do any good, and Wilbur landed with a thud, crushed and hurt. Tears came to his eyes. Templeton grinned. Charlotte just sat quietly. After a bit she spoke.

　　“大家看着!”他叫着，拼着全身的力气，头朝前往空中跳去。绳子虽然系在他身后，但是他忘了把另一头拴到什么地方了，这可真糟糕，威伯砰的一声就着了陆，把自己跌伤了。泪水开始在他的眼眶打转了。坦普尔曼呲着牙大笑起来。夏洛沉默了片刻，才开始说话。

　　“You can't spin a web, Wilbur, and I advise you to put the idea out of your mind. You lack two things needed for spinning aweb.”

　　“你不能织网，威伯，我劝你把这念头从脑子里赶出去吧。你缺少织网所必需的两种东西。”

　　“What are they?” asked Wilbur, sadly.

　　“那都是什么?”威伯丧气地问。

　　“You lack a set of spinnerets, and you lack know-how. But cheer up, you don't need a web. Zucherman supplies you with three big meals a day. Why should you worry about trapping food?”

　　“你缺少一副丝囊，你也缺乏织网的技巧。但是振作些，你不需要织网，反正祖克曼先生每天都给你提供三顿大餐。你又何必为捕食的事情操心?”

　　Wilbur sighed. “You're ever so much cleverer and brighter thanI am, Charlotte. I guess I was just trying to show off. Serves me right.”

　　威伯悲叹。“你比我要聪明伶俐得多，夏洛。可我也想显一显我的能耐。我这是活该。”

　　Templeton untied his string and took it back to his home. Charlotte returned to her weaving.

　　坦普尔曼把他的绳子解下来，带回了他的家。夏洛又继续她的织网工作了。

　　“You needn't feel too badly, Wilbur,” she said. “Not many creatures can spin webs. Even men aren't as good at it as spiders, although they think they're pretty good, and they'll try anything. Did you ever hear of the Queensborough Bridge?”

　　“你不必太难过，威伯，”她说。“不是所有的动物都会织网的。即使人类也不能织得像蜘蛛一样好，虽然他们自认很优秀，可以学会任何事情。你听说过昆斯伯勒大桥吗?”

　　Wilbur shook his head. “Is it a web?”

　　威伯摇摇头。“那是一张网吗?”

　　“Sort of,” replied Charlotte. “But do you know how long it took men to build it? Eight whole years. My goodness, I would have starved to death waiting that long. I can make a web in a single evening.”

　　“有点儿像吧，”夏洛回答。“你知道人们用了多久才建成它的吗?整整八年。我的老天，如果我的网等那么久才能织成，我早饿死了。我只用一个晚上就能织出一张网。”

　　“What do people catch in the Queensborough Bridge—bug?” asked Wilbur.

　　“人们在昆斯伯勒大桥上抓什么——虫子吗?”威伯问。

　　“No,” said Charlotte. “They don't catch anything. They just keep trotting back and forth across the bridge thinking there is something better on the other side. If they'd hang head-down at the top of the thing and wait quietly, maybe something good would comealong. But no—with men it's rush, rush, rush, every minute. I'm glad I'm a sedentary spider.”

　　“不，”夏洛说。“他们什么也不抓。他们只是觉得那上面比别的地方更好，所以就不停地在上面来回疾驰。如果他们头朝下静静地挂在桥上等着，也许会等来一些好东西吧。可他们却不这么做——人们总是在桥上狂奔，狂奔，狂奔，每分钟都是如此。我很高兴我只是一只定居的蜘蛛。”

　　“What does sedentary mean?” asked Wilbur.

　　“定居是什么意思?”威伯问。

　　“Means I sit still a good part of the time and don't go wandering all over creation. I know a good thing when I see it, and my web is a good thing. I stay put and wait for what comes. Gives me a chance to think.”

　　“就是说，我大部分时间都可以静静地呆着，不必满世界乱跑。当我一眼望去，就会发现什么是好东西，我的网就是一个好东西。因为在织网或等待什么东西飞来时，我总有我充分思考的机会。”

　　“Well, I'm sort of sedentary myself, I guess,” said the pig. “I have to hang around here whether I want to or not. You know where I'd really like to be this evening?”

　　“哦，那么我也是一种定居的动物，我猜，”威伯说。“因为不管喜不喜欢我都得呆在这儿。你知道今天晚上我最想去哪里吗?”

　　“Where?”

　　“哪里?”

　　“In a forest looking for beechnuts and truffles and delectable roots, pushing leaves aside with my wonderful strong nose, searching and sniffing along the ground, smelling, smelling, smelling…”

　　“我想去大森林里寻找柏子，麦蕈，还有令我开心的树根，用我那奇妙而又强壮的鼻子把腐叶都清走，沿着地面搜索，吸取，闻呀，闻呀，闻呀……"

　　“You smell just the way you are,” remarked a lamb who had just walked in. I can smell you from here. You're the smelliest creature in the place.”

　　“好像你正在森林里闻似的，”刚走进来的羊羔挖苦道，“我从这里就能闻到你的味儿。你是这地方最臭的动物。”

　　Wilbur hung his head. His eyes grew wet with tears. Charlotte noticed his embarrassment and she spoke sharply to the lamb.

　　威伯伤心地垂下了头。他的眼睛被泪水打湿了。看到他难过的样子，夏洛毫不客气地讥讽起羊羔来。

　　“Leave Wilbur alone!” she said. “he has a perfect right to smell, considering his surroundings. You're no bundle of sweet peas yourself. Furthermore, you are interrupting a very pleasant conversation. What were we talking about, Wilbur, when we were so rudely interrupted?”

　　“用不着你管威伯!”她说。“生活在这种环境里，他已经算是很干净的了。你自己也不是什么甜豌豆。此外，你正在打搅我们之间的愉快谈话。我们谈到哪儿了，威伯，在我们的谈话被无礼打断之前?”

　　“Oh, I don't remember,” said Wilbur. “It doesn't make any difference. Let's not talk any more for a while, Charlotte. I'm getting sleepy. You go ahead and finish fixing your web and I'll just lie here and watch you. It's a lovely evening.” Wilbur stretched out on his side.

　　“噢，我不记得了，”威伯说。“这没什么关系。我们别再谈下去了，夏洛。我有点儿困了。你还是继续把你的网修补完吧，我就躺在这儿看你织。这是一个多么可爱的夜晚。”威伯伸了个懒腰躺下了。

　　Twilight settled over Zuckerman's barn, and a feeling of peace.

　　薄暮的余晖把祖克曼先生的谷仓笼罩在宁静、平和的气氛里。

　　Fern knew it was almost suppertime but she couldn't bear to leave.

　　芬知道差不多到晚饭时间了，却还是舍不得离去。

　　Swallows passed on silent wings, in and out of the doorways, bringing food to their young ones. From across the road a bird sang“Whippoorwill, whippoorwill!” Lurvy sat down under an apple tree and lit his pipe; the animals sniffed the familiar smell of strong tobacco. Wilbur heard the trill of the tree toad and the occasional slamming of the kitchen door. All these sounds made him feel comfortable and happy, for he loved life and loved to be a part of the world on a summer evening. But as he lay there he remembered what the old sheep had told him. The thought of death came to him and he began to tremble with fear.

　　燕子无声地拍着翅膀，从门口飞进飞出，一遍遍的给他们的孩子衔来食物。小路那边有一只夜鸱在唱：“威普威噢，威普威噢!”鲁维坐在一棵苹果树下，吸着他的烟斗;动物们都闻到了那种熟悉的刺鼻的烟草味儿。威伯听到了树蟾的颤音和不时传来的开关厨房门的声音。所有的这些声音都让他感觉惬意而又幸福，因为他热爱生活，愿意成为这夏夜世界的一分子。但是，当他躺在那里时，他忽然记起了老羊告诉过他的话。他开始想到了死，就害怕得哆嗦起来。

　　“Charlotte?” he said, softly.

　　“夏洛?”他轻轻地说。

　　“Yes, Wilbur?”

　　“什么事，威伯?”

　　“I don’t want to die.”

　　“我不想死。”

　　“Of course you don’t,” said Charlotte in a comforting voice.

　　“你当然不想，”夏洛安慰道。

　　“I just love it here in the barn,” said Wilbur. “I love everything about this place.”

　　“我爱谷仓。”威伯说。“我爱这里的一切。”

　　“Of course you do,” said Charlotte. “We all do.”

　　“当然，”夏洛说。”我们都爱这里。”

　　The goose appeared, followed by her seven goslings. They thrust their little necks out and kept up a musical whistling, like a tiny troupe of pipers. Wilbur listened to the sound with love in his heart.

　　母鹅出现了，身后跟着她的七只小鹅。他们歪着他们的小脖子，哼着同样的旋律，就像一小队吹笛手。威伯满是爱意地听着这种声音。

　　“Charlotte?” he said.

　　“夏洛?”他说。

　　“Yes?” said the spider.

　　“嗯?”蜘蛛说。

　　“Were you serious when you promised you would keep them from killing me?”

　　“你曾承诺过不让他们杀我，你是认真的吗?”

　　“I was never more serious in my life. I am not going to let you die, Wilbur.”

　　“在我一生中还从没这么认真过呢。我不会让你死的，威伯。”

　　“How are you going to save me?” asked Wilbur, whose curiosity was very strong on this point.

　　“你打算怎么救我呢?”强烈想知道这点的威伯问。

　　“Well,” said Charlotte, vaguely, “I don't really know. But I'm working on a plan.”

　　“唔，”夏洛含混地说，“我还不知道呢。但是我正在制订计划。”

　　“That's wonderful,” said Wilbur. “How is the plan coming, Charlotte? Have you got very far with it? Is it coming along pretty well?” Wilbur was trembling again, but Charlotte was cool and collected.

　　“好极了，”威伯说，“这计划的开始是怎么样的，夏洛?你已经想出很多步骤了吗?它进展得非常顺利吗?”威伯又打了一个冷战，可夏洛还是非常冷静。

　　“Oh, it's coming all right,” she said, lightly. “The plan is still in its early stages and hasn't completely shaped up yet, but I'm working on it.

　　“哦，计划就快弄好了，”她轻声地说，“这计划还刚刚开头，没有成形，不过我会弄好的。”

　　“When do you work on it?” begged Wilbur.

　　“你什么时候能想好?”威伯乞求。

　　“When I'm hanging head-down at the top of my web. That’s when I do my thinking, because then all the blood is in my head.”

　　“在我倒挂在我的网上的时候吧。那时我才能想事情，因为那时全身的血才会涌到我的脑袋里。”

　　“I'd be only too glad to help in any way I can.”

　　“我非常愿意在我力所能及的范围内帮你。”

　　“Oh, I'll work it out alone,” said Charlotte. “I can think better if I think alone.”

　　“哦，我将一个人解决它，”夏洛说，“我一个人时会想出更好的办法。”

　　“All right,” said Wilbur. “But don't fail to let me know if there's anything I can do to help, no matter how slight.

　　“好吧，”威伯说，“但是如果有什么我能做的，不管是多么小的事儿，你也别忘了告诉我。”

　　“Well,” replied Charlotte, “you must try to build yourself up. I want you to get plenty of sleep, and stop worrying. Never hurry and never worry! Chew your food thoroughly and eat every bit of it, except you must leave just enough for Templeton. Gain weight and stay well — that’s the way you can help. Keep fit, and don’tlose your nerve. Do you think you understand?

　　“好的，”夏洛回答，“你必需加强你的信心。我要你保持充足的睡眠，不要再担忧了。永远也不要着急和担心!慢慢地吃光你的每一点食物，除了你剩给坦普尔曼的那些。把自己吃胖，好好活着——这就是你能帮我做的。保持健康，不要气馁。你明白了吗?”

　　"Yes, I understand,” said Wilbur.

　　“是的，我懂了，”威伯说。

　　“Go along to bed, then,” said Charlotte. “Sleep is important.”

　　“那么上床休息吧，”夏洛说，“睡眠是很重要的。”

　　Wilbur trotted over to the darkest corner of his pen and threw himself down. He closed his eyes. In another minute he spoke.

　　威伯迅速地跑到猪圈里最黑的角落，躺了下来。他闭上了眼睛。几分钟后他又说开了。

　　“Charlotte?” he said.

　　“夏洛?”他说。

　　“Yes, Wilbur?”

　　“什么事，威伯?”

　　“May I go out to my trough and see if I left any of my supper? I think I left just a tiny bit of mashed potato.”

　　“我可以到食槽去看看是否还有剩下的晚餐吗?我想我还剩了点儿土豆泥。”

　　“Very well,” said Charlotte. “But I want you in bed again without delay.”

　　“可以，”夏洛说，“不过吃完你得立刻回来睡觉。”

　　Wilbur started to race out to his yard.

　　威伯颠颠地向他的院子跑去。

　　“Slowly, slowly!” said Charlotte. “Never hurry and never worry!”

　　“慢点儿，慢点儿!”夏洛说。“永远不要着急和担心!”

　　Wilbur checked himself and crept slowly to his trough. He found a bit of potato, chewed it carefully, swallowed it, and walked back to bed. He closed his eyes and was silent for a while.

　　威伯硬生生的放慢了脚步，开始缓缓地往食槽爬。他找到一小块土豆，便细细地咀嚼，咽下，然后才回到了床上。他闭上眼，沉默了一小会儿。

　　“Charlotte?” he said, in a whisper.

　　“夏洛?”他低语道。

　　“Yes?”

　　“什么事?”

　　“May I get a drink of milk? I think there are a few drops of milk left in my trough.”

　　“我可以喝点儿牛奶吗?我想我的食槽里还剩几滴牛奶呢。”

　　“No, the trough is dry, and I want you to go to sleep. No more talking! Close your eyes and go to sleep!”

　　“不，食槽已经空了，我要你马上睡觉。不许再讲话!闭上眼睡觉!”

　　Wilbur shut his eyes. Fern got up from her stool and started for home, her mind full of everything she had seen and heard.

　　威伯闭上了眼。芬从她的小凳上站起来，开始往家走，她看见、听到的每一件事都装到了脑子里。

　　“Good night, Charlotte!” said Wilbur.

　　“晚安，夏洛!”威伯说。

　　“Good night, Wilbur!”

　　“晚安，威伯!”

　　There was a pause.

　　又静了一会儿。

　　“Good night, Charlotte!”

　　“晚安，夏洛!”

　　“Good night, Wilbur!”

　　“晚安，威伯!”

　　“Good night!”

　　“晚安!”

　　“Good night!”

　　“晚安!”