“噢，糟透了，先生，雪深得要命，”刺猬说。“像你们这样的大人先生，今儿个可出不了门儿。”
‘Where’s Mr. Badger?’ inquired the Mole, as he warmed the Coffee-pot before the fire.
“獾先生上哪去了？”鼹鼠问，他正在炉火上温咖啡。
‘The master’s gone into his study, sir,’ replied the hedgehog, ‘and he said as how he was going to be particular busy this morning, and on no account was he to be disturbed.’
“老爷他上书房去了，先生，”刺猬回答说，“他说他今儿上午特忙，不要人打搅他。”
This explanation, of course, was thoroughly understood by every one present. The fact is, as already set forth, when you live a life of intense activity for six months in the year, and of comparative or actual somnolence for the other six, during the latter period you cannot be continually pleading sleepiness when there are people about or things to be done. The excuse gets monotonous. The animals well knew that Badger, having eaten a hearty breakfast, had retired to his study and settled himself in an arm-chair with his legs up on another and a red cotton handkerchief over his face, and was being ‘busy’ in the usual way at this time of the year.
这个解释，在场的每一位自然都心领神会。事实上，就像我们前面提到过的，一年当中你有半年过着极度紧张活跃的生活，而另外半年处在半睡或全睡的状态，在后一段时间里，如果家里来了客人，或者有事需要办理，你总不好老是推说自己犯困吧。这样的解释说多了，会叫人厌烦。几只动物都明白，獾饱饱地吃过一顿早饭以后，回到书房，就会倒在一张扶手椅上，双腿架在另一张扶手椅上，脸上盖着条红手帕，忙他在这个季节照例要“忙”的事去了。
The front-door bell clanged loudly, and the Rat, who was very greasy with buttered toast, sent Billy, the smaller hedgehog, to see who it might be. There was a sound of much stamping in the hall, and presently Billy returned in front of the Otter, who threw himself on the Rat with an embrace and a shout of affectionate greeting.
前门的门铃大响，河鼠正嚼着抹黄油的烤面包片，满嘴流油，就派那个小一点的刺猬比利去看是谁来了。厅里一阵跺脚声，比利回来了，后面跟着水獭。水獭扑到河鼠身上，搂住他，大声向他问好。
‘Get off!’ spluttered the Rat, with his mouth full.
“走开！”河鼠嘴里塞得满满的，忙不迭地乱喊。
‘Thought I should find you here all right,’ said the Otter cheerfully. ‘They were all in a great state of alarm along River Bank when I arrived this morning. Rat never been home all night—nor Mole either—something dreadful must have happened, they said; and the snow had covered up all your tracks, of course. But I knew that when people were in any fix they mostly went to Badger, or else Badger got to know of it somehow, so I came straight off here, through the Wild Wood and the snow! My! it was fine, coming through the snow as the red sun was rising and showing against the black tree-trunks! As you went along in the stillness, every now and then masses of snow slid off the branches suddenly with a flop! making you jump and run for cover. Snow-castles and snow-caverns had sprung up out of nowhere in the night—and snow bridges, terraces, ramparts—I could have stayed and played with them for hours. Here and there great branches had been torn away by the sheer weight of the snow, and robins perched and hopped on them in their perky conceited way, just as if they had done it themselves. A ragged string of wild geese passed overhead, high on the grey sky, and a few rooks whirled over the trees, inspected, and flapped off Homewards with a disgusted expression; but I met no sensible being to ask the news of. About halfway across I came on a rabbit sitting on a stump, cleaning his silly face with his paws. He was a pretty scared animal when I crept up behind him and placed a heavy forepaw on his shoulder. I had to cuff his head once or twice to get any sense out of it at all. At last I managed to extract from him that Mole had been seen in the Wild Wood last night by one of them. It was the talk of the burrows, he said, how Mole, Mr. Rat’s particular friend, was in a bad fix; how he had lost his way, and “They” were up and out hunting, and were chivvying him round and round. “Then why didn’t any of you DO something?” I asked. “You mayn’t be blest with brains, but there are hundreds and hundreds of you, big, stout fellows, as fat as butter, and your burrows running in all directions, and you could have taken him in and made him safe and comfortable, or tried to, at all events.” “What, US?” he merely said: “DO something? us rabbits?” So I cuffed him again and left him. There was nothing else to be done. At any rate, I had learnt something; and if I had had the luck to meet any of “Them” I’d have learnt something more—or THEY would.’
“我就知道，准能在这儿找到你们的，”水獭兴高采烈地说。“今天我一早去河边，那儿的人正惊慌万状哩。他们说，河鼠整宿没在家，鼹鼠也是——准是发生了什么可怕的事。自然，大雪把你们的脚印全盖上了。可我知道，人们遇到麻烦时，十有八九要来找獾，或者，獾也总会了解些情况，所以我就穿过野林，穿过雪地，直奔这儿来了。哎呀呀，天气可好啦！过雪地时，红太阳刚刚升起，照在黑黝黝的树干上。我在静悄悄的林子里走着，时不时，一大团雪从树枝上滑落下来，噗的一声，吓我一跳，赶忙跳开，找个地方躲起来。一夜之间，忽然冒出那么多的雪城、雪洞，还有雪桥、雪台和雪墙——要依我，真想跟它们一连玩上几个钟头。许多地方，粗大的树枝被积雪压断了，知更鸟在上面蹦蹦跳跳，神气活现，好像那是他们干的。一行大雁，串成一条零乱的线，在高高的灰色天空里掠过头顶。几只乌鸦在树梢上盘旋，巡视了一遭，又带着不屑一顾的神情，拍着翅膀飞回家去了。可我就是没遇上一只头脑清醒的动物。好向他打听消息。大约走过林子的一半时，我遇上一只兔子，坐在树桩上，正用爪子洗他那张傻里傻气的脸。我悄悄溜到他背后，把一只前爪重重地搭在他肩上，这下可把他吓掉了魂。我只好在他脑瓜上拍打两下，才使他稍稍清醒过来。我终于从他嘴里掏出话来，他说，他们有人昨夜在野林里瞅见鼹鼠来着。他说，兔子洞里，大伙儿都七嘴八舌议论，说河鼠的好朋友鼹鼠遇上麻烦啦。说他迷了路，他们全都出来追逐他，撵得他团团转。‘那他们干吗不帮他一手？’我问。‘老天爷也许没赏你们一副好脑子，可你们有成百成千，个个长得膘肥体壮，肥得像奶油，你们的洞穴四通八达，满可以领他进洞，让他安全舒适地住下，至少可以试一试嘛。’‘什么，我们？’他只是说，‘帮助他？我们这群兔子？’我只好又给了他一记耳光，扔下他走了。没有别的办法。不过我好歹还是从他那儿得到了一点消息。要是我当时再遇上一只兔子，说不定还能多打听到什么——起码还能多给他们一点教训。”
‘Weren’t you at all—er—nervous?’ asked the Mole, some of yesterday’s terror coming back to him at the mention of the Wild Wood.
“那你一丁点儿也不——呃——不紧张吗？”鼹鼠问。提起野林，昨天的恐怖又袭上心头。
‘Nervous?’ The Otter showed a gleaming set of strong white teeth as he laughed. ‘I’d give ‘em nerves if any of them tried anything on with me. Here, Mole, fry me some slices of ham, like the good little chap you are. I’m frightfully hungry, and I’ve got any amount to say to Ratty here. Haven’t seen him for an age.’
“紧张？”水獭大笑，露出一口闪亮坚实的白牙。“他们哪个敢碰我一碰，我就叫他吃不了兜着走！鼹鼠，好小伙，给我煎几片火腿吧，我可饿坏了。我还有许多话要跟河鼠讲。好久好久没见到他了。”
So the good-natured Mole, having cut some slices of ham, set the hedgehogs to fry it, and returned to his own breakfast, while the Otter and the Rat, their heads together, eagerly talked river-shop, which is long shop and talk that is endless, running on like the babbling river itself.
和气的鼹鼠切了几片火腿，吩咐刺猬去煎，自己又回来光顾他的早饭。水獭和河鼠两只脑袋凑在一堆，卿卿喳喳，起劲地谈着他们那条河上的老话，谈起来就像那滔滔不绝的河水，没有个尽头。
A plate of fried ham had just been cleared and sent back for more, when the Badger entered, yawning and rubbing his eyes, and greeted them all in his quiet, simple way, with kind enquiries for every one. ‘It must be getting on for luncheon time,’ he remarked to the Otter. ‘Better stop and have it with us. You must be hungry, this cold morning.’
一盘煎火腿刚扫荡一空，盘子又送回去再添。这时獾进来了，打着呵欠，揉着眼睛，简单地向每个人问好。“到吃午饭的时候了，留下和我们一道吃吧。早晨这么冷，你准是饿了吧。”
‘Rather!’ replied the Otter, winking at the Mole. ‘The sight of these greedy young hedgehogs stuffing themselves with fried ham makes me feel positively famished.’
“可不！”水獭回答，冲鼹鼠挤了挤眼。“看到两只馋嘴的小刺猬一个劲往肚里填煎火腿，真叫我饿得慌。”
The hedgehogs, who were just beginning to feel hungry again after their porridge, and after working so hard at their frying, looked timidly up at Mr. Badger, but were too shy to say anything.
两只刺猬，早上吃过麦片粥，就忙着煎炸，现在又觉得饿了。他们怯生生地抬头望着獾先生，不好意思开口。
‘Here, you two youngsters be off Home to your mother,’ said the Badger kindly. ‘I’ll send some one with you to show you the way. You won’t want any dinner to-day, I’ll be bound.’
“得啦，你们两个小家伙回去找妈妈吧，”獾慈祥地说。“我派人送送你们，给你们带路。我敢说，你们今天用不着吃午饭了。”
He gave them sixpence apiece and a pat on the head, and they went off with much respectful swinging of caps and touching of forelocks.
他给了他们每人一枚六便士铜钱，拍了拍他们的脑袋。他们必恭必敬挥着帽子，行着军礼，走了。
Presently they all sat down to luncheon together. The Mole found himself placed next to Mr. Badger, and, as the other two were still deep in river-gossip from which nothing could divert them, he took the opportunity to tell Badger how comfortable and Home-like it all felt to him. ‘Once well underground,’ he said, ‘you know exactly where you are. Nothing can happen to you, and nothing can get at you. You’re entirely your own master, and you don’t have to consult anybody or mind what they say. Things go on all the same overhead, and you let ‘em, and don’t bother about ‘em. When you want to, up you go, and there the things are, waiting for you.’
跟着，他们都坐下来吃午饭。鼹鼠发现，他被安排挨着獾先生坐，而那两位还在一门心思聊他们的河边闲话，于是乘机对獾表示，他在这儿感到多么舒适，多么自在。“一旦回到地下，”他说，“你心里就踏实了，什么事也不会落在你头上，什么东西也不会扑到你身上。你完完全全成了自己的主人，不必跟什么人商量合计，也不必管他们说些什么。地面上一切照常，只管由它去，不必替它们操心。要是你乐意，你就上去，它们都在那儿等着你哪。”
The Badger simply beamed on him. ‘That’s exactly what I say,’ he replied. ‘There’s no security, or peace and tranquillity, except underground. And then, if your ideas get larger and you want to expand—why, a dig and a scrape, and there you are! If you feel your house is a bit too big, you stop up a hole or two, and there you are again! No builders, no tradesmen, no remarks passed on you by fellows looking over your wall, and, above all, no WEATHER. Look at Rat, now. A couple of feet of flood water, and he’s got to move into hired lodgings; uncomfortable, inconveniently situated, and horribly expensive. Take Toad. I say nothing against Toad Hall; quite the best house in these parts, AS a house. But supposing a fire breaks out—where’s Toad? Supposing tiles are blown off, or walls sink or crack, or windows get broken—where’s Toad? Supposing the rooms are draughty—I HATE a draught myself—where’s Toad? No, up and out of doors is good enough to roam about and get one’s living in; but underground to come back to at last—that’s my idea of Home’
獾只冲他愉快地微微一笑。“这正是我要说的，”他回答。“除了在地下，哪儿也不会有安全，不会有太平和清静。再说，要是你的想法变了，需要扩充一下地盘，那么，只消挖一挖，掘一掘，就全齐啦！要是你嫌房子太大，就堵上一两眼洞，又都齐啦！没有建筑工人，没有小贩的吵闹，没有人爬在墙头窥探你的动静，指指点点，说三道四，尤其是，不会受天气的于扰。瞧瞧河鼠吧，河水上涨一两呎，他就得搬家，另租房子住，既不舒服，又不方便，租金还贵得吓人。再说蟾蜍吧。蟾官嘛，我倒没得说的，就房子来说，它在这一带是数一数二的，可万一起了火——蟾蜍上哪去？万一屋瓦给大风刮掉了，或者屋墙倒塌了，裂了缝，或者窗玻璃打破了——蟾蜍上哪去？要是屋里灌冷风——我是最讨厌冷风的——蟾蜍怎么办？不。上地面，到外面去游游逛逛，弄回些过日子的东西，固然不错，可最终还得回到地下来——这就是我对家的观念！”
The Mole assented heartily; and the Badger in consequence got very friendly with him. ‘When lunch is over,’ he said, ‘I’ll take you all round this little place of mine. I can see you’ll appreciate it. You understand what domestic architecture ought to be, you do.’
鼹鼠打心眼儿里赞同他的看法，因此獾对他很有好感。“吃过午饭，”他说，“我领你各处转转，参观参观寒舍。你一定会喜欢这地方的。你懂得住宅建筑应该是个啥样子，你懂。”
After luncheon, accordingly, when the other two had settled themselves into the chimney-corner and had started a heated argument on the subject of EELS, the Badger lighted a lantern and bade the Mole follow him. Crossing the hall, they passed down one of the principal tunnels, and the wavering light of the lantern gave glimpses on either side of rooms both large and small, some mere cupboards, others nearly as broad and imposing as Toad’s dining-hall. A narrow passage at right angles led them into another corridor, and here the same thing was repeated. The Mole was staggered at the size, the extent, the ramifications of it all; at the length of the dim passages, the solid vaultings of the crammed store-chambers, the masonry everywhere, the pillars, the arches, the pavements. ‘How on earth, Badger,’ he said at last, ‘did you ever find time and strength to do all this? It’s astonishing!’
午饭过后，当那两位坐到炉前，就鳝鱼这个话题激烈地争论起来时，獾便点起一盏灯笼，叫鼹鼠跟随他走。穿过大厅，他们来到一条主隧道。灯笼摇曳的光，隐隐照出两边大大小小的房间，有的只是些小储藏间，有的则宽大气派，有如蟾宫的宴会厅。一条垂直交叉的狭窄通道，把他们引向另一条长廊，这里，同样的情况重又出现。整个建筑规模庞大，枝杈纷繁，幽暗的通路很长很长，储藏室的穹顶很坚实，存满了各种东西。处处是泥水结构、廊柱、拱门、路面——一切一切，看得鼹鼠眼花缭乱。“我的天！”最后他说，“你怎么有时间精力干这许多事？实在令人惊讶！”
‘It WOULD be astonishing indeed,’ said the Badger simply, ‘if I HAD done it. But as a matter of fact I did none of it—only cleaned out the passages and chambers, as far as I had need of them. There’s lots more of it, all round about. I see you don’t understand, and I must explain it to you. Well, very long ago, on the spot where the Wild Wood waves now, before ever it had planted itself and grown up to what it now is, there was a city—a city of people, you know. Here, where we are standing, they lived, and walked, and talked, and slept, and carried on their Business. Here they stabled their horses and feasted, from here they rode out to fight or drove out to trade. They were a powerful people, and rich, and great builders. They built to last, for they thought their city would last for ever.’
“如果这都是我干的，”獾淡淡地说，“那倒真是令人惊讶。可事实上，我什么也没干——我只不过依我的需要，清扫了通道和居室罢了。这类洞穴，周围一带还有多处。我知道，你听不明白，让我给你解释。事情是这样的：很久以前，就在这片野林覆盖的地面上，有过一座城池——人类的城池。他们就在我们站着的这地方居住，走路，睡觉，办事。他们在这里设马厩，摆宴席，从这里骑马出发去打仗，或者赶车去做生意。他们是个强大的民族，很富有，很善长建筑。他们盖的房屋经久耐用，因为他们以为，他们的城市是永存不灭的。
‘But what has become of them all?’ asked the Mole.
“那后来，他们全都怎么样了？”鼹鼠问。
‘Who can tell?’ said the Badger. ‘People come—they stay for a while, they flourish, they build—and they go. It is their way. But we remain. There were badgers here, I’ve been told, long before that same city ever came to be. And now there are badgers here again. We are an enduring lot, and we may move out for a time, but we wait, and are patient, and back we come. And so it will ever be.’
“谁知道呢？”獾说。“人们来了，繁荣兴旺了一阵子，大兴土木——过后又离开了。他们照例总是这样来来去去。可我们始终留下不走。听说，在那座城池出现很久很久以前，这儿就有獾。如今呢，这儿还是有獾。我们是一批长住的动物。我们也许会迁出一段时间，可我们总是耐心等待，过后又迁回来了。永远是这样。”
‘Well, and when they went at last, those people?’ said the Mole.
“晤，那些人类终于离开以后又怎样呢？”鼹鼠问。
‘When they went,’ continued the Badger, ‘the strong winds and persistent rains took the matter in hand, patiently, ceaselessly, year after year. Perhaps we badgers too, in our small way, helped a little—who knows? It was all down, down, down, gradually—ruin and levelling and disappearance. Then it was all up, up, up, gradually, as seeds grew to saplings, and saplings to forest trees, and bramble and fern came creeping in to help. Leaf-mould rose and obliterated, streams in their winter freshets brought sand and soil to clog and to cover, and in course of time our Home was ready for us again, and we moved in. Up above us, on the surface, the same thing happened. Animals arrived, liked the look of the place, took up their quarters, settled down, spread, and flourished. They didn’t bother themselves about the past—they never do; they’re too busy. The place was a bit humpy and hillocky, naturally, and full of holes; but that was rather an advantage. And they don’t bother about the future, either—the future when perhaps the people will move in again—for a time—as may very well be. The Wild Wood is pretty well populated by now; with all the usual lot, good, bad, and indifferent—I name no names. It takes all sorts to make a world. But I fancy you know something about them yourself by this time.’
“他们离开以后，”獾接着说，“一年又一年，狂风暴雨不停地侵蚀这地方，我们獾说不定也推波助澜，谁知道呢？于是这城池就往下陷，陷，陷，一点一点地坍塌了，夷平了，消失了。然后，又一点一点往上长，长，长，种子长成树苗，树苗长成大树，荆棘和羊齿植物也来凑热闹。腐植土积厚了又流失了；冬天涨潮时溪流裹带着泥沙，淤积起来，覆盖了地面。久而久之，我们的家园又一次准备好了，于是我们搬了进来。在我们头上的地面上，同样的情况也在发生。各种动物来了，看上了这块地方，也安居下来，繁衍兴旺。动物们从不为过去的事操心，他们太忙了。这地方丘陵起伏，布满了洞穴；这倒也有好处。将来，说不定人类又会搬进来，住一段时间，这是很可能的事，不过动物们也不为将来的事操心。野林现在已经住满了动物，他们照例总是有好有坏，也有不好不坏的——我不提他们的名。世界原是由各色各样的生灵构成的嘛。我想，你现在对他们多少也有些了解吧。”
‘I do indeed,’ said the Mole, with a slight shiver.
“正是，”鼹鼠说，微微打了个寒颤。
‘Well, well,’ said the Badger, patting him on the shoulder, ‘it was your first experience of them, you see. They’re not so bad really; and we must all live and let live. But I’ll pass the word around to-morrow, and I think you’ll have no further trouble. Any friend of MINE walks where he likes in this country, or I’ll know the reason why!’
When they got back to the kitchen again, they found the Rat walking up and down, very restless. The underground atmosphere was oppressing him and getting on his nerves, and he seemed really to be afraid that the river would run away if he wasn’t there to look after it. So he had his overcoat on, and his pistols thrust into his belt again. ‘Come along, Mole,’ he said anxiously, as soon as he caught sight of them. ‘We must get off while it’s daylight. Don’t want to spend another night in the Wild Wood again.’
