吹小号的天鹅 第88期:自由(2)

Serena slipped quickly into the water and glidedgracefully away. Louis followed.

塞蕾娜立刻溜进水里，姿态优美地游走了。路易斯跟在后面。

He motioned for her to stay on the lake.

他作了一个动作，让她继续留在湖上。

Then he raced back to the island, grabbed histrumpet, his slate, his chalk pencil, his medal, andhis moneybag,

然后他奔回小岛，挂上他的小号，石板，石笔，奖章，钱袋，

flew over the balustrade, and walked boldly into theBird House.

飞过栏杆，勇敢地闯进了鸟屋。

He was still mad. He went straight to the office of the Head Man in Charge of Birds. He rappedon the door.

他还在暴怒之中。他一直来到鸟类管理处的负责人办公室。他猛敲着门。

"Come in!" said a voice. Louis entered.

“进来!”一个声音说。路易斯进去了。

The Head Man was seated at his desk. "Hello, Louis!" he said.

那个负责人正坐在他的办公桌旁。“你好，路易斯!”他说。

"What's on your mind?" asked the man.

“你有什么事?”那个男人问。

Louis placed his trumpet on the floor and took his slate and chalk pencil from his neck. "I'm inlove," he wrote.

路易斯把他的小号放到地板上，摘下了脖子上的石板石笔。“我正在热恋中，” 他写。

The Head Man leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. His face had afaraway look.

个负责人靠回到他的椅子上，把双手抱在脑后。他的脸上现出一副迷惑不解的表情，

He gazed out of the window for a moment in silence.

这他静静地朝窗外望了一会儿。

"Well," he said, "it's natural that you're in love. You're young. You're talented.

“哦，”他说，“你在热恋，这也是很自然的。你正当年轻。你有才华。

In a couple of months, spring will be here. All birds fall in love in springtime.

再过两个月，春天就会来了。所有的鸟儿都会在春天坠入爱河。

I suppose you're in love with one of my young swans."

我猜你正在与我的一只年轻天鹅恋爱。”

"Serena," wrote Louis. "She arrived the day before yesterday.

“塞蕾娜，”路易斯写，“她是前天来的。

I used to know her slightly, back in Montana. She loves me, too."

我以前在蒙大拿就对她有所了解。她也爱我。”

"That doesn't surprise me," said the Head Man.

“这不会令我吃惊，”这个负责人说，

"You're a very unusual young cob. Any young female swan would fall for you.

“你是一只非凡的年轻雄天鹅。任何一只年轻的雌天鹅都会爱上你的。

You're a great trumpeter--one of the best. I'm delighted to hear about this love affair, Louis.

你是一个了不起的号手--最好的之一。我很高兴能听到这场爱情，路易斯。

You and your bride can stay right here on Bird Lake and raise your family in comfort andsafety, in the oldest zoo in the United States."

你和你的新娘可以就在这个鸟湖，在这个美国最古老的动物园里安然惬意地组建你们的家庭。”

Louis shook his head. "I have other plans," he wrote.

路易斯摇摇头。“我有另外的打算，”他写。

Then he set his slate down and raised his trumpet.

然后他放下石板，举起他的小号。

It was an old song by Irving Berlin. The room was filled with the sound of love.

这是一首欧文·柏林写的老歌。房间里弥满了这爱情的声音。

The Head Man had a dreamy look in his eyes.

这个负责人的眼里闪出了梦幻般的光。

Louis set his horn down and took up his slate again.

路易斯放下他的小号，又拿起了他的石板。

"I am taking Serena away with me in a day or two," he wrote.

“我打算和塞蕾娜在一两天内离开这里，”他写。

"Oh, no you're not!" said the Head Man firmly.

“噢，不，你不能这样!”这个负责人坚决地说，

"Serena now belongs to the Zoo. She is the property of the people of Philadelphia.

“塞蕾娜现在归动物园所有。她是费城人民的财产。

She came here because of an act of God."

她来这儿是上帝的安排。”

"It wasn't an act of God," wrote Louis. "It was a high wind."

“这不是什么上帝的安排，”路易斯写，“这是狂风的安排。”

"Well, anyway," said the Head Man, "she's my swan."

“好吧，随你怎么说，”这个负责人说，“反正她是我的天鹅。”

"No, she's mine," wrote Louis. "She's mine by reason of the power of love--the greatest force onearth."

“不，她是我的，”路易斯写，“她是我的，这是爱的力量所决定的--全世界最伟大的力量。”