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IITHEOPENROAD第二章：大路‘Ratty,’saidtheMolesuddenly,onebrightsummermorning,‘ifyouplease,Iwanttoaskyouafavour.’一个阳光明媚的夏日早晨，鼹鼠忽对河鼠说：“鼠兄，我想求你帮个忙。”TheRatwassittingontheriverbank,singingalittlesong.Hehadjustcomposedithimself,sohewasverytakenupwithit,andwouldnotpayproperattentiontoMoleoranythingelse.Sinceearlymorninghehadbeenswimmingintheriver,incompanywithhisfriendstheducks.Andwhentheducksstoodontheirheadssuddenly,asduckswill,hewoulddivedownandtickletheirnecks,justunderwheretheirchinswouldbeifduckshadchins,tilltheywereforcedtocometothesurfaceagaininahurry,splutteringandangryandshakingtheirfeathersathim,foritisimpossibletosayquiteALLyoufeelwhenyourheadisunderwater.Atlasttheyimploredhimtogoawayandattendtohisownaffairsandleavethemtomindtheirs.SotheRatwentaway,andsatontheriverbankinthesun,andmadeupasongaboutthem,whichhecalled‘DUCKS’DITTY.’Allalongthebackwater,Throughtherushestall,Ducksarea-dabbling,Uptailsall!河鼠正坐在岸边，吟唱一支小曲儿。这曲子是他自己编的，所以唱得很带劲，没怎么留意鼹鼠或别的事儿。一大早，他就和鸭子朋友们在河里游泳来着。鸭子一惯总喜欢猛地头朝下脚朝上拿大顶。这时，河鼠就潜到水下，在鸭子的下巴（要是鸭子有下巴的话）下面的脖子上挠痒痒，弄得鸭子只好赶紧钻出水面，扑打着羽毛，气急败坏地冲他嚷嚷。因为，要是你的头倒插在水里，你自然不可能痛痛快快发泄你一腔怒火。后来，他们只得央求他走开，去管自己的事，别干涉他们。河鼠这才走开了，在河岸上坐着晒太阳，编一首有关鸭子的歌。歌名叫：《鸭谣》——Ducks’tails,drakes’tails,Yellowfeeta-quiver,YellowbillsalloutofsightBusyintheriver!SlushygreenundergrowthWheretheroachswim—Herewekeepourlarder,Coolandfullanddim.Everyoneforwhathelikes!WEliketobeHeadsdown,tailsup,Dabblingfree!HighintheblueaboveSwiftswhirlandcall—WEaredowna-dabblingUptailsall!沿着静水湾，‘Idon’tknowthatIthinksoVERYmuchofthatlittlesong,Rat,’observedtheMolecautiously.Hewasnopoethimselfanddidn’tcarewhoknewit;andhehadacandidnature.懂诗的人。而且，他天性坦诚，喜欢实话实说。‘Nordon’ttheducksneither,’repliedtheRatcheerfully.‘Theysay,“WHYcan’tfellowsbeallowedtodowhattheylikeWHENtheylikeandAStheylike,insteadofotherfellowssittingonbanksandwatchingthemallthetimeandmakingremarksandpoetryandthingsaboutthem?WhatNONSENSEitallis!”That’swhattheduckssay.’“鸭子也不懂得，”河鼠开朗地说，“他们说：‘干吗不让人家在高兴的时候做他们高兴做的事？别人干吗要坐在岸上对人家横挑鼻子竖挑眼，还要编歌嘲笑人家？尽是胡说八道！’这就是鸭子们的论调。”‘Soitis,soitis,’saidtheMole,withgreatheartiness.“说得对嘛．说得对嘛，”鼹鼠打心眼儿里赞同。‘No,itisn’t!’criedtheRatindignantly.“不，说得不对！”河鼠气愤地喊道。‘Wellthen,itisn’t,itisn’t,’repliedtheMolesoothingly.‘ButwhatIwantedtoaskyouwas,won’tyoutakemetocallonMr.Toad?I’veheardsomuchabouthim,andIdosowanttomakehisacquaintance.’“好啦，就算不对，就算不对，”鼹鼠息事宁人地说。“可是我想问问你，你能不能领我去拜访蟾蜍先生？他的事，我听说得多了，特想和他认识认识。”‘Why,certainly,’saidthegood-naturedRat,jumpingtohisfeetanddismissingpoetryfromhismindfortheday.‘Gettheboatout,andwe’llpaddleupthereatonce.It’sneverthewrongtimetocallonToad.Earlyorlatehe’salwaysthesamefellow.Alwaysgood-tempered,alwaysgladtoseeyou,alwayssorrywhenyougo!’“当然啰！”好脾气的河鼠说着，一跃而起，把诗呀什么的全都抛到脑后，一整天再也没想起。“去把船划出来，咱们马上就去他家。你想拜访蟾蜍，随时都可以。不管是早是晚，蟾蜍都一个样，总是乐呵呵的。你去看他，他老是高兴，你要走，他老是恋恋不舍！”‘Hemustbeaveryniceanimal,’observedtheMole,ashegotintotheboatandtookthesculls,whiletheRatsettledhimselfcomfortablyinthestern.“他准是个非常和善的动物，”鼹鼠说。他跨上了船，提起双桨。河鼠呢，他安安逸逸地坐到了船尾。‘Heisindeedthebestofanimals,’repliedRat.‘Sosimple,sogood-natured,andsoaffectionate.Perhapshe’snotveryclever—wecan’tallbegeniuses;anditmaybethatheisbothboastfulandconceited.Buthehasgotsomegreatqualities,hasToady.’“他的确是个再好不过的动物，”河鼠说。“特单纯，特温和，特重感情。或许不太聪明——不可能人人都是天才嘛。他或许爱吹牛，有些自高自大。可蟾儿，他的优点确实不少。”Roundingabendintheriver,theycameinsightofahandsome,dignifiedoldhouseofmellowedredbrick,withwell-keptlawnsreachingdowntothewater’sedge.绕过一道河湾，迎面就见一幢美丽、庄严、古色古香的老红砖房；房前是修理得平平整整的草坪，一直延伸到河边。‘There’sToadHall,’saidtheRat;‘andthatcreekontheleft,wherethenotice-boardsays,“Private.Nolandingallowed,”leadstohisboat-house,wherewe’llleavetheboat.Thestablesareovertheretotheright.That’sthebanqueting-hallyou’relookingatnow—veryold,thatis.Toadisratherrich,youknow,andthisisreallyoneofthenicesthousesintheseparts,thoughweneveradmitasmuchtoToad.’“那就是蟾宫，”河鼠说。“左边有一条小河汊，牌子上写着：‘私人河道，不得在此登岸’。这河汊直逼他的船坞，咱们要在那儿停船上岸。右边是马厩。你现在看到的是宴会厅——年代很久了。你知道，蟾蜍相当有钱，这幢房子确实是这一带一所最讲究的房屋，不过，我们从不向蟾蜍这样表示。”Theyglidedupthecreek,andtheMoleslippedhisscullsastheypassedintotheshadowofalargeboat-house.Heretheysawmanyhandsomeboats,slungfromthecrossbeamsorhauleduponaslip,butnoneinthewater;andtheplacehadanunusedandadesertedair.小船徐徐驶进河汉，来到一所大船坞的屋顶下。鼹鼠把桨收进船舱。这里，他们看到许多漂亮的小船，有的挂在横梁上，有的吊在船台上，可是没有一只船是在水里。这地方显得有种冷落废弃的气氛。TheRatlookedaroundhim.‘Iunderstand,’saidhe.‘Boatingisplayedout.He’stiredofit,anddonewithit.Iwonderwhatnewfadhehastakenupnow?Comealongandlet’slookhimup.Weshallhearallaboutitquitesoonenough.’河鼠环顾四周。“我明白了，”他说。“看来他玩船已经玩够了，厌倦了，再也不玩了。不知道他现在又迷上了什么新玩意儿？走，咱们瞧他去。一切很快就会明白的。”Theydisembarked,andstrolledacrossthegayflower-deckedlawnsinsearchofToad,whomtheypresentlyhappeneduponrestinginawickergarden-chair,withapre-occupiedexpressionofface,andalargemapspreadoutonhisknees.他们离船上岸，穿过各色鲜花装点的草坪，寻找蟾蜍。不多时，他们就遇到了他。蟾蜍坐在一张花园藤椅上，脸上一副全神贯注的神情，盯着膝上的一张大地图。‘Hooray!’hecried,jumpinguponseeingthem,‘thisissplendid!’Heshookthepawsofbothofthemwarmly,neverwaitingforanintroductiontotheMole.‘HowKINDofyou!’hewenton,dancingroundthem.‘Iwasjustgoingtosendaboatdowntheriverforyou,Ratty,withstrictordersthatyouweretobefetcheduphereatonce,whateveryouweredoing.Iwantyoubadly—bothofyou