牛津书虫系列《风雨河岸柳》Chapter5 附中英双语文本

“你应该知道这件事总有一天会发生的，蛤蟆，”獾解释说。“我们警告过你多次而你从来不听。你正在花光你所有的钱财，又总是给警察找麻烦，因为你开车像疯子。你跟我到另一个房间去，在那儿你会听到你自己的一些荒唐事。你出来后将会变个样。”
He took Toad into a room off the hall and closed the door. The Rat shook his head.' We won't save Toad by just talking to him, ' he said. 'He'll say anything— and then just go and do what he likes. '
他带癞蛤蟆离开大厅走进一个房间关上了门。水鼠摇着头，说：“仅仅跟他谈谈是救不了他的，他将会作一些许诺——然后又去干他喜欢干的事。”
After about an hour the door opened, and a very sad and sorry Toad came out, followed by the Badger.
大约过了一小时，门开了，一只很伤心、很愧疚的癞蛤蟆走了出来，獾跟在他的后面。
' My friends, ' said the Badger, looking pleased, ' I' am happy to tell you that Toad now realizes how silly he has been. He has promised never to get into a motor-car again. '
“朋友们，”獾看起来很开心，“我高兴地告诉你们癞蛤蟆现在已认识到他曾经有多愚蠢。他已发誓再也不走进汽车。”
'That is very good news, ' said the Mole seriously.
“这倒是非常不错的消息，”鼹鼠一本正经地说。
'Very good indeed, 'the Rat said, watching Toad's face carefully.
“的确不赖，”水鼠边说边审视着癞蛤蟆脸上的表情。
'Now, Toad, ' continued the Badger, 'I'd like you to repeat your promise in front of your friends. '
“好了，蛤蟆，”獾接着说，“我要你在你朋友面前重复你的诺言。”
There was a long, long silence.
接下来是一段长长的沉默。
' No! ' said Toad suddenly. ' No, I won't. I'm not sorry, and I haven't been silly at all. It was all wonderful! And I won't promise anything! '
“不！”癞蛤蟆突然说。“不，我不。我不感到愧疚，我一点儿也不愚蠢。那整个太精彩了！我才不发什么誓呢！”
'What?' cried the Badger. 'But in there you told me—'
“什么？”獾叫道。“但是在那儿你告诉我——”
'Yes, yes, I know, 'said Toad quickly. ' You argue so beautifully, dear Badger, and I can't stop myself agreeing with you. But I' ve been thinking about it. I love driving, I' m a wonderful driver, and I promise you I' ll go on driving for ever! Poop-poop! '
“是的，是的，我知道，”癞蛤蟆赶快说，“你说得那么至情至理，亲爱的獾，我就忍不住答应你了。但是我一直在想这个问题。我喜欢开车，我是了不起的驾车手，我发誓我将继续永远开车！扑扑-扑扑！”
' I told you so, didn' t I? ' the Rat said to the Mole.
“我告诉过你吧，是不是？”水鼠对鼹鼠说。
' Very well, ' said the Badger . ' If you won' t listen to reason, we' ll have to try another way. We' re going to stay with you in your house until you become sensible. Take him upstairs, you two, and lock him in his bedroom, '
“很好，”獾说，“如果你不听忠告，我们将不得不采取另一种方法。我们打算和你呆在你的屋里直到你清醒过来。带他上楼去，你们俩，把他锁在卧室里。”
So Toad, fighting and shouting, was pulled upstairs by his two friends.
癞蛤蟆又打又叫，但还是被他俩朋友拉上了楼。
' It' s for your own good, Toady, you know, ' said the Rat kindly. ' We' ll all have good times together again soon, when this—this madness has passed. '
“这是为你好，蛤蟆兄，你知道，”水鼠和善地说。“当这种——这种疯狂过去时，我们又可以一起享受美好时光了。”
' We' ll take good care of you, Toad, ' added the Mole. ' No more trouble with the police. No more crashes, and weeks in hospital, '
“我们会好好照顾你的，蛤蟆，”鼹鼠接着说。“你不再会给警察找麻烦，不会再撞车，不再会几星期呆在医院了。”
Then began a very tiring few weeks for the three friends. Day and night they guarded Toad , and one of them was always with him. They talked to him and tried to amuse him, hoping that he would forget his motor-car madness.
接下来三个朋友开始了几星期的辛苦行动。他们日夜看管着癞蛤蟆，并且总有一个人和他在一起。他们和他聊天，想方设法逗他开心，希望他会忘记他那驾车狂热。
But Toad did not seem to get better. He often put the bed-room chairs together to look like a motor-car. Then he sat in the front one and pretended to drive, making terrible engine noises all the time. His friends tried to interest him in other things, but Toad just became sad and silent.
但是癞蛤蟆似乎并没有变好。他时常把卧室里的椅子摆成汽车状，然后他坐在前面的椅子上假装开车，还不停地发出刺耳的引擎声。当他的朋友试着用别的事情以引起他的兴趣时，他却只是在那儿一言不发，显得很伤感。