吹小号的天鹅 第95期:一次关于钱的谈话(4)

"It's still a lot of money for a bird," he said.

“对一只鸟来说这还是一大笔钱呀，”他说，

"What's he going to do with it all?"

“他打算用它们干什么?”

"He will give it to his father, the old cob."

“他将把它们交给他的父亲，那只老雄天鹅。”

"And what's he going to do with it?"

“他又打算用它们干什么?”

"He will fly back to the music store in Billings andgive it to the owner, to pay for the stolen trumpet."

“他将飞回比林斯的那家乐器店，把钱交给那个店主，付清那把被偷的小号钱。”

"Give all of it?"

“全都给他?”

"Yes."

“是的。”

"But a trumpet isn't worth four thousand four hundred and twenty dollars and seventy-eightcents."

“可一把小号根本不值四千四百二十美元七十八美分呀。”

"I know," said Sam. "But there was some damage to the store itself.

“我知道，”萨姆说，“不过那个店本身还遭到了破坏。

The old cob was going like the dickens when he crashed through the plate-glass window.

老雄天鹅在冲进厚玻璃窗时简直就像个恶魔一样。

He shook things up pretty badly."

他震下来的那些东西都摔得相当厉害。”

"Yes," said the Head Man. "But it still wouldn't take all that money to make things right."

“是的，”这个负责人说，“可就是加上这些赔偿也不用花那么多的钱呀。”

"I guess not," said Sam. "But Louis has no use for money anymore,

“我想也不用，”萨姆说，“不过钱对路易斯来说不再有用处了，

so he's going to turn it all over to the owner of the music store."

所以他打算把它们都交给那个乐器店的店主。”

The subject of money seemed to interest the Head Man greatly.

钱这个话题似乎大大地勾起了这个负责人的兴趣。

He thought how pleasant it would be not to have any more use for money.

他想，钱都不再有任何用处时会有多么快活呀。

He leaned back in his chair.

他靠回到他的椅子上。

He found it hard to believe that one of his swans had been able to save more than fourthousand dollars

他觉得这事很难相信，他的一只天鹅居然能攒了四千多美元，

and that the money was right out there, hanging around his neck in a moneybag.

而这些钱又正好在他脖子上挂着的钱袋里。

"When it comes to money," he said, "birds have it easier than men do.

“在钱这个问题上，”他说，“鸟要比人省心得多。

When a bird earns some money, it's almost all clear profit.

一只鸟儿在赚到点钱的同时，几乎就等于得到了和他所赚的钱同样多的纯利润。

A bird doesn't have to go to a supermarket and buy a dozen eggs and a pound of butter

一只鸟儿不必去超市买一打鸡蛋和一磅黄油，

and two rolls of paper towels and a TV dinner and a can of Ajax

两卷纸巾，一份电视便餐，一桶埃阿斯，

and a can of tomato juice and a pound and a half of ground round steak

一罐番茄汁，一磅半绞好的细牛臀肉，

and a can of sliced peaches and two quarts of fat-free milk and a bottle of stuffed olives.

一罐桃子片，两夸脱脱脂奶，一瓶填馅橄榄。

A bird doesn't have to pay rent on a house, or interest on a mortgage.

一只鸟不必付房租，或者抵押借款利息。

A bird doesn't insure its life with an insurance company and then have to pay premiums onthe policy.

一只鸟不用去保险公司买人寿险然后再按规定支付保险费。

A bird doesn't own a car and buy gas and oil and pay for repairs on the car

一只鸟不必有车，不必买汽油石油，付修车费，

and take the car to a car wash and pay to get it washed.

也不必去洗车和付洗车费。

Animals and birds are lucky. They don't keep acquiring things, the way men do.

野兽和鸟类都是幸运的。它们不必不停地收集东西，就像人们那样。

You can teach a monkey to drive a motorcycle,

你可以教一只猴子开摩托车，

but I have never known a monkey to go out and buy a motorcycle."

可我从没听说过有哪只猴子会去买一辆摩托车回来。”