03-01-06-风语河岸柳 [14]
卧室里。”
癞蛤蟆又打又叫，但还是被他俩朋友拉上了楼。
“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。”
“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。”
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。
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。
一天早上，轮到水鼠看管癞蛤蟆。他走上楼看见癞蛤蟆仍躺在床上，便轻快地问：“今天怎么样，老伙计？”
从床上传来伤感的低低的回答声：“非常感谢你，亲爱的阿鼠！不过你怎么样，还有极好的鼹鼠和亲爱的老獾？”
“好，都好，”水鼠答道。“獾和鼹鼠，”他也许不很明智地又补充说，“已出去跑步了，他们要到中饭时间才回来，所以就你和我将一起度过这个愉快的早上。”
“我不想因为我而麻烦你，”蛤蟆伤心地低声说。“我想你能否下楼去村里找位医生。不过算了，这已不重要了。很可能现在已经太迟了。”
“你病啦，癞蛤蟆？怎么啦？”
“我不知道……我想我的心……不过你不必伤心，阿鼠。亲爱的，善良的朋友……我真高兴跟你这么熟……真不愿对你说再见……”蛤蟆低低的声音越来越慢，然后停了。
水鼠非常担心，癞蛤蟆躺在那儿安安静静的，一动不动——也许他真的病了。水鼠希望他们俩没跑得太远，他该怎么办？他又看了一眼安静沉默的癞蛤蟆，决定马上去叫医生。他急忙出去小心地锁上了门，然后尽可能快地向村子跑去。
当癞蛤蟆听到大厅前门砰地一响，他马上从床上跳下来，大声地笑起来。他快速地穿上最好的外套并往口袋里塞满了钞票，然后他从床上扯过床单，把它们系在一起。几分钟后，他已从卧室的窗户爬了下来，穿过花园向野外跑去。
几小时以后，他已离家很远了。他高兴地走在公路上，对自己的行为非常满意。“那真是聪明之举！”他对着树木和田野自吹道。“可怜的老阿鼠！一个好人，但不太聪明。獾肯定要对他发火的！”
不久他来到了一座小镇，便决定在那儿的酒馆用午餐。走了那么长的路，他已经非常饿了。吃到半截，他听到了他实在是非常熟悉的声音。扑扑-扑扑！汽车停在了外面，车上的人下来走进酒馆来用餐。
癞蛤蟆兴奋得浑身发抖，他付完账冲了出去。他跑到汽车跟前绕着它来回走，用爱抚的目光盯着它。每个人都在吃午饭，街道里空无一人。
“我想知道，”癞蛤蟆自言自语，“我想知道这种汽车是不是容易发动？”
很容易就启动了，癞蛤蟆发现他坐在了驾驶室。他不知道是怎么发生的，反正一分钟之后，他已驶出了小镇，除了这美妙迷人的疯狂，他忘记了对与错，忘记了一切。
当汽车驶出数英里时，他不断地加大马力，唱着，笑着，把汽车开得越来越快。他再一次认识到他是蛤蟆——集梦想家，冒险家，还有公路上的恐怖分子于一身的癞蛤蟆！
“你是一个危险的犯人，”法官说，“你偷了昂贵的汽车，还像疯子似的驾车。真奇怪你居然没有撞倒人。最后当警察逮捕你时，你还对他们非常粗鲁。基于此，我判你入狱二十年。卫士！把犯人带下去！”
癞蛤蟆叫嚷着哭喊着，被带到一座破旧黑暗的城堡，推进了一间地下最小最黑的房子里，然后门在他身后锁上了。
■ 6 Toad' s adventures
For weeks Toad refused to eat. He lay on the floor of his prison and cried and cried. ' This is the end of every-thing, ' he said miserably, ' I shall never again be a popular and good-looking Toad, a rich and important Toad, a free and happy Toad. All my friends will forget even the name of Toad! '
But the keeper of the prison had a daughter, and she had a very kind heart. She often came to visit Toad, bringing him nice things to eat, and hot drinks. She asked him questions about his home and his old life, and because Toad loved to talk about himself, it wasn' t long before he began to sit up and answer her questions. He also realized how hungry he was, and so he ate and drank the things that she brought. And after a few days of this kindness, Toad was as loud and boastful as he had always been.
One morning the girl seemed very serious. ' Listen, Toad, 'she said, ' I have an aunt who is a washerwoman. '
' You mustn' t worry about it, ' said the Toad kindly. ' I have several aunts who ought to be washerwomen. '
' Don' t talk so much, Toad, ' said the girl. 'Now listen, I think I have a plan. ' And here she whispered in the Toad' s ear.
' What
' cried Toad. ' Me—dress as an old washer woman
Impossible! '
'All right then, ' said the girl crossly. ' You can stay in prison for the next twenty years, you ungrateful animal! '
'No, no, 'said Toad quickly. 'You are a good , kind, clever girl, and I am just a stupid toad. I shall be very happy indeed to meet your excellent aunt. '
The next evening a little business was done in the Toad's prison. Several gold coins left the Toad's pocket and disappeared into the washerwoman's purse. Soon afterwards Toad began to climb up the stairs towards the castle entrance. He was wearing an old cotton dress and a black bonnet, and carrying a large basket of washing. And his heart was beating very fast indeed.
He passed the guards, who called out a friendly 'good night' to him, and soon Toad was walking through the streets of the town. He was free! Wild with excitement, he found his way to the railway station—and then came the first problem. He had no money to buy a ticket. His wallet, his keys, his watch-everything was in the pockets of his coat, lying on the prison floor.
He had to get away from this town as quickly as he could. But how could he do it
He walked along beside one of the trains until he came to the engine. Then he stood there, crying and looking up at the engine-driver.
'Hey! ' called the driver. 'What's the matter, old lady
'
'Oh, sir! ' said Toad. ' I'm a poor unhappy washerwoman, and I've lost all my money, and I must get home tonight. ' ' Come on, then, ' said the engine-driver kindly. 'Jump up, and you can have a free ride. But don't tell anyone! '
癞蛤蟆又打又叫，但还是被他俩朋友拉上了楼。
“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。”
“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。”
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。
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。
一天早上，轮到水鼠看管癞蛤蟆。他走上楼看见癞蛤蟆仍躺在床上，便轻快地问：“今天怎么样，老伙计？”
从床上传来伤感的低低的回答声：“非常感谢你，亲爱的阿鼠！不过你怎么样，还有极好的鼹鼠和亲爱的老獾？”
“好，都好，”水鼠答道。“獾和鼹鼠，”他也许不很明智地又补充说，“已出去跑步了，他们要到中饭时间才回来，所以就你和我将一起度过这个愉快的早上。”
“我不想因为我而麻烦你，”蛤蟆伤心地低声说。“我想你能否下楼去村里找位医生。不过算了，这已不重要了。很可能现在已经太迟了。”
“你病啦，癞蛤蟆？怎么啦？”
“我不知道……我想我的心……不过你不必伤心，阿鼠。亲爱的，善良的朋友……我真高兴跟你这么熟……真不愿对你说再见……”蛤蟆低低的声音越来越慢，然后停了。
水鼠非常担心，癞蛤蟆躺在那儿安安静静的，一动不动——也许他真的病了。水鼠希望他们俩没跑得太远，他该怎么办？他又看了一眼安静沉默的癞蛤蟆，决定马上去叫医生。他急忙出去小心地锁上了门，然后尽可能快地向村子跑去。
当癞蛤蟆听到大厅前门砰地一响，他马上从床上跳下来，大声地笑起来。他快速地穿上最好的外套并往口袋里塞满了钞票，然后他从床上扯过床单，把它们系在一起。几分钟后，他已从卧室的窗户爬了下来，穿过花园向野外跑去。
几小时以后，他已离家很远了。他高兴地走在公路上，对自己的行为非常满意。“那真是聪明之举！”他对着树木和田野自吹道。“可怜的老阿鼠！一个好人，但不太聪明。獾肯定要对他发火的！”
不久他来到了一座小镇，便决定在那儿的酒馆用午餐。走了那么长的路，他已经非常饿了。吃到半截，他听到了他实在是非常熟悉的声音。扑扑-扑扑！汽车停在了外面，车上的人下来走进酒馆来用餐。
癞蛤蟆兴奋得浑身发抖，他付完账冲了出去。他跑到汽车跟前绕着它来回走，用爱抚的目光盯着它。每个人都在吃午饭，街道里空无一人。
“我想知道，”癞蛤蟆自言自语，“我想知道这种汽车是不是容易发动？”
很容易就启动了，癞蛤蟆发现他坐在了驾驶室。他不知道是怎么发生的，反正一分钟之后，他已驶出了小镇，除了这美妙迷人的疯狂，他忘记了对与错，忘记了一切。
当汽车驶出数英里时，他不断地加大马力，唱着，笑着，把汽车开得越来越快。他再一次认识到他是蛤蟆——集梦想家，冒险家，还有公路上的恐怖分子于一身的癞蛤蟆！
“你是一个危险的犯人，”法官说，“你偷了昂贵的汽车，还像疯子似的驾车。真奇怪你居然没有撞倒人。最后当警察逮捕你时，你还对他们非常粗鲁。基于此，我判你入狱二十年。卫士！把犯人带下去！”
癞蛤蟆叫嚷着哭喊着，被带到一座破旧黑暗的城堡，推进了一间地下最小最黑的房子里，然后门在他身后锁上了。
■ 6 Toad' s adventures
For weeks Toad refused to eat. He lay on the floor of his prison and cried and cried. ' This is the end of every-thing, ' he said miserably, ' I shall never again be a popular and good-looking Toad, a rich and important Toad, a free and happy Toad. All my friends will forget even the name of Toad! '
But the keeper of the prison had a daughter, and she had a very kind heart. She often came to visit Toad, bringing him nice things to eat, and hot drinks. She asked him questions about his home and his old life, and because Toad loved to talk about himself, it wasn' t long before he began to sit up and answer her questions. He also realized how hungry he was, and so he ate and drank the things that she brought. And after a few days of this kindness, Toad was as loud and boastful as he had always been.
One morning the girl seemed very serious. ' Listen, Toad, 'she said, ' I have an aunt who is a washerwoman. '
' You mustn' t worry about it, ' said the Toad kindly. ' I have several aunts who ought to be washerwomen. '
' Don' t talk so much, Toad, ' said the girl. 'Now listen, I think I have a plan. ' And here she whispered in the Toad' s ear.
' What
' cried Toad. ' Me—dress as an old washer woman
Impossible! '
'All right then, ' said the girl crossly. ' You can stay in prison for the next twenty years, you ungrateful animal! '
'No, no, 'said Toad quickly. 'You are a good , kind, clever girl, and I am just a stupid toad. I shall be very happy indeed to meet your excellent aunt. '
The next evening a little business was done in the Toad's prison. Several gold coins left the Toad's pocket and disappeared into the washerwoman's purse. Soon afterwards Toad began to climb up the stairs towards the castle entrance. He was wearing an old cotton dress and a black bonnet, and carrying a large basket of washing. And his heart was beating very fast indeed.
He passed the guards, who called out a friendly 'good night' to him, and soon Toad was walking through the streets of the town. He was free! Wild with excitement, he found his way to the railway station—and then came the first problem. He had no money to buy a ticket. His wallet, his keys, his watch-everything was in the pockets of his coat, lying on the prison floor.
He had to get away from this town as quickly as he could. But how could he do it
He walked along beside one of the trains until he came to the engine. Then he stood there, crying and looking up at the engine-driver.
'Hey! ' called the driver. 'What's the matter, old lady
'
'Oh, sir! ' said Toad. ' I'm a poor unhappy washerwoman, and I've lost all my money, and I must get home tonight. ' ' Come on, then, ' said the engine-driver kindly. 'Jump up, and you can have a free ride. But don't tell anyone! '