牛津书虫系列《风雨河岸柳》Chapter1 附中英双语文本

“噢，说起来容易，”鼹鼠有点嗔怪地说。河，对他来说是很陌生的，他不知道怎样才能到达河对岸。
The Rat said nothing, and disappeared. Then he appeared again, in a little blue and white boat, which came quickly across the river towards the Mole. It stopped by the bank, and a moment later the Mole, to his great surprise and excitement, found himself actually sitting in a real boat.
水鼠一声没吭便不见了，不久又出现了，坐在一条蓝白相间的小船上，它很快地向鼹鼠这边驶来，靠岸边停了下来。不一会儿，鼹鼠满怀好奇和兴奋地发现他自己确确实实地坐在了一条真正的船上。
'Do you know, 'he said, as the Rat began to row away from the bank, 'I've never been in a boat before in all my life. '
“你知道吗，”当水鼠将船划离河岸时，鼹鼠对他说，“我这辈子还从未坐过船呢。”
'What?' cried the Rat. 'My dear fellow, you haven't lived! Believe me, 'he went on seriously, 'there is nothing-really nothing-nicer than just messing about in boats. You can go up river, down river, stay where you are, it really doesn't matter. There's always something to do, but you don't have to do it if you don't want to. You can do what you like. Look here! If you're not busy today, why don't we spend the day on the river together?'
“什么？”水鼠叫道。“我亲爱的伙计，你算白活了！相信我，”他一本正经地继续着，“没有什么——真的没有什么——比在船上打发时光更惬意。你可以划向河的上游，或下游，还可以随意停下来，一点问题也没有。总有事做，但如果你不想去做也不用勉强，你可以干你愿意干的事。看这儿！如果你今天没事，我们为什么不一起在河上玩它一整天呢？”
The Mole had listened to all this with great interest. Now he sat back in the comfortable seat and said, 'What a wonderful day this is! Let's start at once! '
鼹鼠带着极大的兴趣听完了这一切。然后，他向后靠坐在那张舒服的座位上回答道：“这将是多么美妙的一天！我们现在就出发吧！”
But first the Rat went into his hole, and after a while came out carrying a very large and heavy lunch basket. This went in to the boat, under the Mole's feet, and then the Rat began to row down river. The two friends talked from time to time, but mostly the Mole just watched the river dreamily, enjoying the sounds and the smells and the sunlight. At last they turned off the big river into a little side river that came down to join it. The Rat stopped the boat and they got out on to a bank of soft green grass under tall willow trees. It was very quiet and very peaceful.
但是水鼠先回到了洞里，一会儿又出来了，提着一只又大又沉的午餐篮。他把篮子移进船内鼹鼠的脚下，然后开始向下游划去。这俩朋友时不时地聊着天，但更多的时候，鼹鼠仅仅是神思恍惚地注视着河水，享受着自然界的音响，气味，还有阳光。最后他们划离主河道转入一条与大河交汇的小支流。后来水鼠把船停了下来，他们就一起上了岸。岸上高大的柳树掩映着一片松软的绿油油的草地，非常安怡恬静。
The Mole sat down and looked around him. 'What a beautiful place! 'he said happily.
鼹鼠坐下来，看了看他的周围，愉快地说道：“多么美丽的地方！”
'Time for lunch, 'said the Rat, opening the basket. 'Come on, Mole! Let's get to work. '
“该用午餐了，”水鼠边说边打开篮子，“快点，鼹鼠！过来准备吧。”
The Mole was happy to obey, because he was very hungry indeed after all his cleaning earlier in the day. And what a lunch it was! There were cold meats and egg sandwiches, cooked chicken and tomatoes, apples and bananas and a large cake.
鼹鼠高兴地服从吩咐，经过一早上的大扫除，他确实非常饿。这是一顿多么丰富的午餐啊！有冷肉和鸡蛋三明治，有炸鸡和西红柿、苹果、香蕉，还有一大块蛋糕。
When at last they could eat no more, the Mole lay back and watched the river lazily. After a while he sat up.'I can see a long line of bubbles in the water, 'he said. 'I wonder what it is. '
最后他们再也吃不下了，鼹鼠躺倒在地，懒懒地看着河水。不一会儿，他坐了起来说：“我看见水里有一长串水泡，那是什么？”
'Bubbles? Oho! 'said the Rat, and he called out across the river in a friendly kind of way.
“水泡？哦噢！”水鼠友好地向河水那儿叫道。
The bubbles stopped and turned. Soon a wet whiskery nose appeared above the edge of the bank, and the Otter pulled him self out and shook the water from his coat.
水泡没了，又转到了另一个地方。很快一个湿漉漉的长着胡须的鼻子出现在河岸边，水獭爬上了岸，抖动着外衣上的水。