牛津书虫系列《星际动物园》Chapter1 附中英双语文本

Then the worst thing in my life happened．Somebody came up to me and said，'Hello．'I didn't know who it was．I could only see his eyes shining in the light of the fire．But it was the voice of a man who was much older than me．
然后我一生最糟糕的事发生了。有个人走到我面前说道：“你好。”我不知道是谁。我只能看到他的眼睛在火光下闪光。但那是一个比我大好多的男人的声音。
'Hello？'I answered．I didn't want to talk to him．
“你好？”我答道。我不想和他说话。
'I saw you in the dance，'he said．'I know you're a young girl because you were dancing like a young girl．I think you're seventeen years old．'
“我看见你跳舞了，”他说，“我知道你是个年轻的姑娘，因为你的舞姿像个年轻姑娘。我猜你有十七岁了。”
'No，I'm only sixteen，'I said．
“不，我才十六，”我说。
'Wonderful．Just what I want，'said the man．'I will marry you．You must marry me．'
“太好了。正合我意，”这个男人说，“我要娶你。你必须嫁给我。”
I couldn't believe what he was saying．This was terrible．And very bad luck．
我简直无法相信他在说什么。这太可怕了。真是倒霉透顶。
Yes，it was true a woman must marry any man who asks her on Remembering Night—by order of the Star Council．I'm sixteen so I'm a woman，not a child．I couldn't say no to this man．I was sick in my heart．
是的，在怀旧夜，女人必须嫁给向她求婚的男人，这是真的——是星际理事会定下的规矩。我已十六岁，是女人，不是孩子了。我不能拒绝这个男人。我心里一阵恶心。
'My name's Buff，'the man said．'What's your name，sweetheart？'
“我叫牛子，”这男人说。“你叫什么，亲爱的？”
'Er，my name's，er…Caterpillar，'I lied．'I'm usually called Kate．'
“呃，我叫，呃……毛虫，”我骗他道，“他们都叫我虫子。”
'Well，Kate，'Buff said，'will you marry me？'
“好，虫子，”牛子说，“你肯嫁给我吗？”
'I'm sorry，Buff．I know I'm sixteen and old enough to get married but my parents don't want me to get married yet．I'm their only daughter．'
“对不起，牛子。我知道我已十六，到了可以结婚的年龄，但我父母还不想让我结婚。他们只有我这一个女儿。”
Buff laughed．It was a horrible Iaugh．He enjoyed knowing I didn't want him．What a monster！
牛子大笑起来。笑得好可怕。知道我不喜欢他，他很开心。真是个混蛋！
Oh，thank Earth－and－animals I hadn't told him my real name！
噢，感谢地球及其动物我没告诉他我的真名！
I jumped up suddenly and ran into the crowds of people in the dark．I was safe．He couldn't find me．I went to our robot plane and sat inside until my parents came．
我突然跳起来，跑进黑暗中的人群。我安全了。他找不着我。我回到我们的智能飞船上，坐在里面直到我父母回来。
I didn't tell my parents anything．I was afraid．The Star Council said Buff was right and I was wrong，and I didn't know what my parents would do．
我什么也没对父母说。我害怕。星际理事会说牛子是对的，我是错的，我不知道我父母会怎么做。
Next morning I forgot about it．How could Buff find me？There were hundreds of girls on our planet．He didn't know my name．He had only seen my eyes．
第二天上午我就把这事儿忘了。牛子怎么能找得到我？我们的行星上有好几百个姑娘。他不知道我的名字。他只看见了我的眼睛。
Suddenly my father came into my room．'Hummingbird，'he said sadly．
忽然，我爸爸进了我的房间。“蜂鸟，”他满面愁容地说道。
'What's the matter？'I asked．'Why are you calling me Hummingbird，not Hummy？'
“怎么啦？”我问，“您为什么叫我蜂鸟，不叫蜂儿？”
'Hummingbird，ask your robot for a wedding dress．'
“蜂鸟，让你的机器人给你一套婚纱。”
'Why？Why？'But I knew the answer．
“为什么？为什么？”但我知道是怎么回事儿了。
'You will marry a gentleman called Buffalo．'
“你要嫁给一个叫水牛的男人。”
'No，father，I can't．'I started crying．'I don't want to．I'm too young．I don't want to leave you．I hate him！'
“不，爸爸，我不能。”我哭了起来。“我不要嫁人。我太小了。我不想离开您。我讨厌他！”
My father shook his head．'Please，Hummy，it's only for one year．You can't be a child forever．Lots of girls don't want to get married at first．The Star Council says we must get married as often as possible and have children．You know why．'
爸爸摇了摇头。“好了，蜂儿，不过是一年的功夫。你不能总是个孩子。好多姑娘开始都不想嫁人。星际理事会说我们必须尽量频繁地结婚，然后生孩子。你知道原因。”