吹小号的天鹅 第38期:爱情(5)

 　　When Louis's mother saw this, she went to her husband, the cob.

　　路易斯的妈妈看到这一切后，就去找她的丈夫雄天鹅了。
　　"I have news for you," she said. "Your son Louis is in love,
　　“我有个消息要告诉你，”她说，“你儿子路易斯恋爱了，
　　and the swan of his choice, the female of his desiring, pays no attention to him.
　　可是他选中的那只天鹅，就是他爱的那只雌天鹅，根本就不理他。
　　It's just as I predicted: Louis won't be able to get a mate because he has no voice.
　　这正像我曾预言的那样：因为不能发声，路易斯将找不到一位爱侣。
　　That snippety little female he's chasing after gives me a pain in the neck, the way she acts.
　　他追求的那位小雌天鹅，一副无礼的样子，难过得我脖子都痛了。
　　But just the same, I'm sorry for Louis.
　　同样，我也为路易斯感到难过。
　　He thinks she's the greatest thing on the lake, and he can't say,
　　他觉得她是这湖上最了不起的，可他却不能说
　　"Ko-hoh, I love you," and that's what she's waiting to hear."
　　‘吭—嗬，我爱你，’那正是她一直渴望听到的。”
　　"Why, this is terrible news," said the cob, "news of the most serious import.
　　“这真是个悲惨的消息，”雄天鹅说，“最可怕的消息。
　　I know what it is like to be in love.
　　我知道恋爱中的鸟儿是怎么样的。
　　Well do I remember how painful love can be, how exciting,
　　我还清楚地记得爱能使你多么痛苦，多么激动，
　　and, in the event of unsuccess, how disappointing and doleful the days and nights.
　　还有，在求爱不成的时候，又是怎样的日夜失望和忧伤。
　　But I am Louis's father, and I'm not going to take this situation lying down. I shall act.
　　我可是路易斯的父亲呀，这事儿我绝不能不理。我要采取行动了。
　　Louis is a Trumpeter Swan, noblest of all the waterfowl.
　　路易斯是一只号手天鹅，是所有水鸟中最高贵的。
　　He is gay, cheerful, strong, powerful, lusty, good, brave, handsome, reliable, trustworthy,
　　他快活，快乐，强壮，有力，活泼，善良，勇敢，漂亮，可信，诚信，
　　a great flier, a tremendous swimmer, fearless, patient, loyal, true, ambitious, desirous--"
　　是一个飞行天才，游泳健将，无畏，坚韧，忠实，真诚，有雄心，还有渴望……”
　　"Just a minute," said his wife. "You don't need to tell me all these things.
　　“等等，”他的妻子说，“你不必再对我说下去了。
　　The point is, what are you going to do to help Louis get himself a mate?"
　　问题是，你打算怎么帮路易斯找到一个爱人？”
　　"I'm leading up to that in my own graceful 2 way," replied the cob.
　　“我要用我那体面的方式办到这一切，”雄天鹅回答，
　　"You say that what this young female wants is to hear Louis say, "Ko-hoh, I love you"?"
　　“你说那只年轻的雌天鹅想听路易斯说什么，‘吭—嗬，我爱你’吗？”
　　"That's right."
　　“是的。”
　　"Then she shall hear it!" exclaimed the cob.
　　“她会听到的！”雄天鹅大叫，
　　"There are devices made by men--horns, trumpets 3, musical instruments of all sorts.
　　“人类发明了很多东西——喇叭，小号，还有各式各样的别的乐器。
　　These devices are capable of producing sounds similar to the wild sound of our trumpeting 4.
　　这些发明能模拟出我们所发出的吹号声。
　　I shall begin a search for such a device,
　　我要去找一种这样的发明物，
　　and if I have to go to the ends of the earth to find a trumpet 1 for our young son,
　　为了我们的小儿子，即使我不得不飞到地球的尽头，
　　I shall find it at last and bring it home to Louis."
　　最终也要给他找到一把小号并把它带回家交给路易斯的。”
　　"Well, if I may make a suggestion," said his wife,
　　“好吧，不过如果我可以提个建议的话，”他的妻子说，
　　"don't go to the ends of the earth, go to Billings, Montana. It's nearer."
　　“我要说你不必去什么地球的尽头了，到蒙大拿的比林斯去吧。那地方更近一点儿。”
　　"Very well, I will try Billings. I shall look for a trumpet in Billings.
　　“很好，我就去比林斯试试。我要在比林斯找到一把小号。
　　And now, without further ado, I go. There is no time to lose.
　　现在，就不必再说废话了，我走了。不能再耽搁了。
　　Springtime doesn't last forever. Love is fleeting 5. Every minute counts.
　　春天不会永远存在的。爱情正在飞逝，每分钟都不该错过。
　　I'm leaving this instant for Billings, Montana,
　　我要立刻动身去蒙大拿的比林斯，
　　a great city teeming 6 with life and with objects made by man.
　　去一个充满了生机和人造物的大城市了。
　　Good-bye, my love! I shall return!"
　　再见，我的爱人！我会回来的！”
　　"What are you going to use for money?" asked his practical wife. "Trumpets cost money."
　　“你打算怎么弄到钱呢？”他那讲求实际的妻子说，“小号是要用钱买的。”
　　"Leave that to me," replied the cob.
　　“这你就别管了，”雄天鹅回答。
　　And with that, he took off into the air.
　　说到这里，他已经飞上了天。
　　He climbed steeply, like a jet plane, then leveled off, flying high and fast toward the northeast.
　　他像架直升机一样笔直地升上去，然后开始平飞，越飞越高，越飞越快，一路朝东北方向而去。
　　His wife watched him until he was out of sight.
　　他的妻子看着他，知道他消失
　　"What a swan!" she murmured. "I just hope he knows what he's doing."
　　“一只什么样的天鹅呀！”她嘀咕道，“我真希望他知道自己在干什么。”