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THEFURTHERADVENTURESOFTOAD第十章：蟾蜍历险续记Thefrontdoorofthehollowtreefacedeastwards,soToadwascalledatanearlyhour;partlybythebrightsunlightstreaminginonhim,partlybytheexceedingcoldnessofhistoes,whichmadehimdreamthathewasathomeinbedinhisownhandsomeroomwiththeTudorwindow,onacoldwinter’snight,andhisbedclotheshadgotup,grumblingandprotestingtheycouldn’tstandthecoldanylonger,andhadrundownstairstothekitchenfiretowarmthemselves;andhehadfollowed,onbarefeet,alongmilesandmilesoficystone-pavedpassages,arguingandbeseechingthemtobereasonable.Hewouldprobablyhavebeenarousedmuchearlier,hadhenotsleptforsomeweeksonstrawoverstoneflags,andalmostforgottenthefriendlyfeelingofthickblanketspulledwelluproundthechin.树洞的大门朝东，因此蟾蜍一早就醒了，部分是由于明亮的阳光射进来，照在他身上，部分是由于他的脚趾尖冻得生疼，使他梦见自己睡在他那间带都铎式窗子的漂亮房间的床上。他梦见那是一个寒冷的冬夜，他的被子全都爬了起来，一个劲儿抱怨说受不了这寒冷，全都跑下楼到厨房烤火去了。他也光着脚跟在后面，跑过好几哩长冰凉的石铺道路，一路跟被子争论，请它们讲点道理。若不是因为他在石板地上的干草堆里睡过好几星期，几乎忘记了厚厚的毛毯一直捂到脖子的温馨感觉，他兴许还会醒得更早。Sittingup,herubbedhiseyesfirstandhiscomplainingtoesnext,wonderedforamomentwherehewas,lookingroundforfamiliarstonewallandlittlebarredwindow;then,withaleapoftheheart,rememberedeverything—hisescape,hisflight,hispursuit;remembered,firstandbestthingofall,thathewasfree!他坐起来，揉了揉眼睛，又揉了揉那双冻得直叫苦的脚尖，闹不清自己究竟在哪。他四下里张望，寻找他熟悉的石头墙和装了铁条的小窗；然后，他的心蓦地一跳，什么都想起来了——他越狱逃亡，被人追撵，而最大的好事是，他自由了！Free!Thewordandthethoughtalonewereworthfiftyblankets.Hewaswarmfromendtoendashethoughtofthejollyworldoutside,waitingeagerlyforhimtomakehistriumphalentrance,readytoservehimandplayuptohim,anxioustohelphimandtokeephimcompany,asitalwayshadbeenindaysofoldbeforemisfortunefelluponhim.Heshookhimselfandcombedthedryleavesoutofhishairwithhisfingers;and,histoiletcomplete,marchedforthintothecomfortablemorningsun,coldbutconfident,hungrybuthopeful,allnervousterrorsofyesterdaydispelledbyrestandsleepandfrankandhearteningsunshine.自由！单是这个字眼和这个念头，就值五十条毛毯。外面那个欢乐的世界，正热切地等待他的胜利归来，准备为他效劳，向他讨好，急着给他帮助，给他作伴，就像他遭到不幸前的那些老时光一样。想到这，他感到通身热乎乎的。他抖了抖身子，用爪子梳理掉毛发里的枯树叶。梳洗完毕，他大步走进舒适的早晨的阳光，虽然冷，但充满信心，虽然饿，但充满希望。昨天的紧张恐惧，全都被一夜的休息睡眠和诚恳热情的阳光一扫而光。Hehadtheworldalltohimself,thatearlysummermorning.Thedewywoodland,ashethreadedit,wassolitaryandstill:thegreenfieldsthatsucceededthetreeswerehisowntodoashelikedwith;theroaditself,whenhereachedit,inthatlonelinessthatwaseverywhere,seemed,likeastraydog,tobelookinganxiouslyforcompany.Toad,however,waslookingforsomethingthatcouldtalk,andtellhimclearlywhichwayheoughttogo.Itisallverywell,whenyouhavealightheart,andaclearconscience,andmoneyinyourpocket,andnobodyscouringthecountryforyoutodragyouofftoprisonagain,tofollowwheretheroadbeckonsandpoints,notcaringwhither.ThepracticalToadcaredverymuchindeed,andhecouldhavekickedtheroadforitshelplesssilencewheneveryminutewasofimportancetohim.在这个夏天的早晨，周围整个世界都属于他一人。他穿过带露的树林时，林中静悄悄。走出树林，绿色的田野也都属他一人，随他想干什么。来到路上，到处是冷冷清清．那条路像一只迷途的狗，正急着要寻个伴儿。蟾蜍呢，他却在寻找一个会说话的东西，能指点他该往哪去。是啊，要是一个人轻松自在，心里没鬼，兜里有钱，又没人四处搜捕你，要抓你回监狱，那么你信步走来，随便走哪条路，上哪里去，都一个样。可讲实际的蟾蜍却忧心忡忡，每分钟对他来说都事关重要，而那条路却硬是不开口，你拿它毫无办法，恨不得喘它几脚才解气。Thereservedrusticroadwaspresentlyjoinedbyashylittlebrotherintheshapeofacanal,whichtookitshandandambledalongbyitssideinperfectconfidence,butwiththesametongue-tied,uncommunicativeattitudetowardsstrangers.‘Botherthem!’saidToadtohimself.‘But,anyhow,onething’sclear.TheymustbothbecomingFROMsomewhere,andgoingTOsomewhere.Youcan’tgetoverthat.Toad,myboy!’Sohemarchedonpatientlybythewater’sedge.这个沉默不语的乡间道路，不一会就有了一个怯生生的小兄弟，一条小渠。它和道路手拉手，肩并肩慢慢往前走，它对道路绝对信赖，可对陌生人都同样闭紧了嘴，一声不吭。“真讨厌！”蟾蜍自言自语说。“不过有一点是清楚的，它俩一定是从什么地方来，到什么地方去的。这一点，蟾蜍，小伙子，你总没法否认吧。”于是他耐着性子沿着小渠大步朝前走去。Roundabendinthecanalcameploddingasolitaryhorse,stoopingforwardasifinanxiousthought.Fromropetracesattachedtohiscollarstretchedalongline,taut,butdippingwithhisstride,thefurtherpartofitdrippingpearlydrops.Toadletthehorsepass,andstoodwaitingforwhatthefatesweresendinghim.绕过一个河湾，只见走过来一匹孤零零的马，那马向前佝偻着身子，像在焦虑地思考什么。一根长绳连着他的轭具，拽得紧紧的，马往前走时，绳子不住地滴水，较远的一端更是掉着珍珠般的水滴。蟾蜍让过马，站着等候，看命运会给他送来什么。Withapleasantswirlofquietwateratitsbluntbowthebargeslidupalongsideofhim,itsgailypaintedgunwalelevelwiththetowing-path,itssoleoccupantabigstoutwomanwearingalinensun-bonnet,onebrawnyarmlaidalongthetiller.一只平底船滑了过来，和他并排行进。船尾在平静的水面搅起一个可爱的旋锅。船舷漆成鲜艳的颜色，和纤绳齐高。船上唯一的乘客，是一位胖大的女人。头戴一顶麻布遮阳帽，粗壮有力的胳臂倚在舵柄上。‘Anicemorning,ma’am!’sheremarkedtoToad,asshedrewuplevelwithhim.“早晨天气真好呀，太太！”她把船驾到蟾蜍身旁时，跟他打招呼。‘Idaresayitis,ma’am!’respondedToadpolitely,ashewalkedalongthetow-pathabreastofher.‘IdareitISanicemorningtothemthat’snotinsoretrouble,likewhatIam.Here’smymarrieddaughter,shesendsofftomepost-hastetocometoheratonce;sooffIcomes,notknowingwhatmaybehappeningorgoingtohappen,butfearingtheworst,asyouwillunderstand,ma’am,ifyou’reamother,too.AndI’veleftmybusinesstolookafteritself—I’minthewashingandlaunderingline,youmustknow,ma’am—andI’veleftmyyoungchildrentolookafterthemselves,andamoremischievousandtroublesomesetofyoungimpsdoesn’texist,ma’am;andI’velostallmymoney,andlostmyway,andasforwhatmaybehappeningtomymarrieddaughter,why,Idon’tliketothinkofit,ma’am!’“是的，太太，”蟾蜍沿着纤路和她并肩往前走，彬彬有礼地回答。“我想，对那些不像我这样遇到麻烦的人，确实是一个美好的早晨。你瞧，我那个出了嫁的女儿给我寄来一封十万火急的信，要我马上去她那儿，所以我就赶紧出来了。也不知道她那里出了什么事儿，或者要出什么事儿