吹小號的天鵝 第89期:自由(3)

The Head Man became thoughtful. "You can't takeSerena from the Zoo. She will never fly again.

這個負責人開始沉思了。“你不能從這動物園里把塞蕾娜帶走。她永遠也不能再飛了。

My keepers clipped one of her wings a few minutesago."

我的管理員已經在幾分鐘前剪壞了她的一只翅膀。”

"They tried to," wrote Louis, "but I beat them up."

“他們曾經想這么干，”路易斯寫，“可我揍了他們。”

The Head Man looked surprised. "Was it a goodfight?"

這個負責人顯得很吃驚。“戰(zhàn)斗很激烈嗎?”

"It was a fair fight," replied Louis.

“那是一場公平的交戰(zhàn)，”路易斯回答。

"They were sneaking up on her from behind, so I sneaked up on them from behind.

“他們在她身后偷襲，因此我也偷偷地跟在他們身后。

They hardly knew what hit them."

他們幾乎都不知道是被什么揍倒的。”

The Head Man chuckled. "I wish I'd seen it," he said.

負責人格格地笑起來。“真希望我能親眼看見這一切，”他說。

"But look here, Louis, you've got to realize the position I'm in.

“不過看這兒，路易斯，你明白我在這兒該采取什么立場。

I have a duty to the people of Philadelphia.

我要對費城的民眾負責。

Within the last couple of months, I've acquired two rare birds by accident--you and Serena.

在最近的兩個月以來，我意外地得到了兩只珍稀的鳥兒——你和塞蕾娜。

Two Trumpeter Swans! One arrived here blown by a gale, the other to keep a nightclubengagement.

兩只號手天鵝!一個是被狂風卷過來的，另一個是和夜總會簽了約的。

The whole business is most unusual for a zoo. I have my responsibility to the public.

對動物園來說，整個事情都是最不尋常的。我對公眾負有責任。

It is my duty as Head Man in Charge of Birds to see that Serena stays.

作為鳥類管理處的負責人，我有責任讓塞蕾娜留在這里。

You yourself, of course, are free to leave when you want to,

至于你自己，當然啦，如果愿意的話是可以自由離去的，

because Mr. Lucas insisted that you remain free when we arranged for your Sunday concerts.

因為盧卡斯先生堅決要用我們?yōu)槟阏匍_的星期日音樂會換取你的自由。

But in Serena's case...well, Louis, she's got to have her left wing tip amputated.

可是塞蕾娜嘛……嗯，路易斯，她左翅的翅膀尖必須被剪掉。

The Zoo can't afford to lose a young, beautiful, valuable Trumpeter Swan just because youhappen to be in love.

動物園絕不能僅僅因為你湊巧愛上了她，就得失去一只年輕的，美麗的，無價的號手天鵝。

Besides, I think you're making a great mistake. If you and Serena stay here, you'll be safe.

此外，我想你正在犯一個嚴重的錯誤。如果你和塞蕾娜留在這里，你們都會安全的。

You'll have no enemies. You'll have no worries about your children.

你們將不會有敵人。你們將不必為你們的孩子擔心。

No fox, no otter, no coyote will ever attack you with intent to kill.

沒有狐貍，沒有水獺，也沒有郊狼來襲擊你們，打算把你們殺死。

You'll never go hungry. You'll never get shot.

你們永遠也不會挨餓的。你們永遠也不會遭到槍擊。

You'll never die of lead poisoning from eating the shotgun pellets that are on the bottom of allnatural lakes and ponds.

你們永遠也不會因誤食了沉在所有自然的湖泊或池塘底部的鳥槍彈丸而死于鉛毒。

Your cygnets will be hatched each spring and will live a long life in perfect ease and comfort.What more can a young cob ask?"

你們在每年春天孵出的小天鵝都將終生活在極其安逸舒適的環(huán)境里。一只年輕的雄天鵝還能再圖什么呢?”

"Freedom," replied Louis on his slate. "Safety is all well and good: I prefer freedom."

“自由，”路易斯在他的石板上回答。“安全的確不錯;可我更想要自由。”