牛津书虫系列《牙齿和爪子》Chapter1 附中英双语文本

“为我做一件事，斯莱德尼·瓦什塔，”康拉丁轻声说。但是他说这话时没有抱什么希望。她会赢，他想，她总是赢。一会儿她就要从小屋出来，对他发号施令。会有人来拿走我的好上帝——再不是上帝了，只是木箱里的一只棕色雪貂。然后我的生活里就没有了重要的东西……医生是对的，我将生病死去。她将赢，她总是赢……在痛苦中，康拉丁开始唱他的上帝之歌：
Sredni Vashtar went into battle．His thoughts were red thoughts and his teeth were white．
斯莱德尼·瓦什塔上战场，他的思想鲜红牙齿雪亮。
his enemies called for peace but be brought them death．
敌人乞求和平，他将他们灭亡。
Sredni Vashtar the Beautiful．
美丽的斯莱德尼·瓦什塔。
Suddenly he stopped singing and went nearer to the window．The door of the shed was still open． Slowly， very slowly the minutes went by． Conradin watched the birds on the grass．He counted them， always with one eye on that open door． The unsmiling housekeeper came in with the tea things． Still Sonradin stood and watched and waited． Hope was growing，like a small， sick flower， in his heart． Very softly he sang his song again， and his hope grew and grew． And then he saw a very wonderful thing．
突然他停止歌唱，走近窗户。小屋的门还开着。慢慢地，非常慢地过了几分钟。康拉丁望着草地上的小鸟，数着它们，一只眼睛却总是看着那扇开着的门。毫无笑容的管家端着茶点进来，康拉丁还是站着、看着、等着。希望在增长，像心里一朵生病的小花。他又非常轻声地唱起了歌，希望又增长了。然后他看见了一个非常奇妙的东西。
Out of the shed came a long， low， yellow－and－brown animal． There were red， wet stains around its mouth and neck．
从小屋出来一只又长又矮的黄棕色动物，它的嘴和脖于周围有湿红的血斑。
'Sredni Vashtar！' said Conradin softly． The ferret－god made its way to the bottom of the garden． It stopped for a moment， then went quietly into the long grass and disappeared for ever．
“斯莱德尼·瓦什塔！”康拉丁柔声说。雪貂上帝走向花园深处。它停顿片刻，然后悄悄地走进深远的草丛，永远地消失了。
'Tea is ready，' said the housekeeper． 'Where is your aunt？'
“茶点好了，”管家说，“你姑妈在哪儿？”
'She went down to the shed，' said Conradin．
“她下楼去小屋了，”康拉丁说。
And， while the housekeeper went down to call the aunt，Conradin took the toasting－fork out of the dining－room cupboard． He sat by the fire and toasted a piece of bread for himself． While he was toasting it and putting butter on it，Conradin listened to the noises beyond the dining room door．First there were loud screams-that was the housekeeper．Then there was the cook's answering cry．Soon there came the sound of several pairs of feet． They were carrying something heavy into the house．
于是，管家下楼去叫姑妈时，康拉丁从餐厅的壁柜里拿出面包叉。他坐在炉火旁给自己烤了一片面包。正当他烤着面包、在上面抹黄油时，康拉丁听着餐室外的吵闹声。先是尖叫声——那是管家，然后是厨子的喊叫声。一会儿传来几个人的脚步声。他们正往屋里拍个很沉的东西。
'Who is going to tell that poor child？' said the housekeeper．
“谁去告诉那可怜的孩子？”管家说。
'Well， someone will have to，'answered the cook． And，while they were arguing， Conradin made himself another piece of toast．
“哎，总得有人去，”厨子回答。当他们在争论的时候，康拉丁又给自己烤了一片面包。