吹小号的天鹅 第63期:波士顿(3)

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　　当天鹅游艇在码头靠岸，乘客们下了船之后，等着乘下一班船的人早已排成长队了。

　　Business was booming². Another boat was being made ready, to accommodate³ the crowds.

　　生意兴隆起来了。为了接待更多的游客，另一艘游船也被准备好了。

　　Everyone wanted to ride the Swan Boats behind a real live swan playing a trumpet⁴.

　　人人都想乘坐一艘有真正的活天鹅跟在后面吹小号的游艇。

　　It was the biggest happening in Boston in a long time.

　　这可是波士顿好久未曾有过的大事。

　　People like strange events and queer⁵ happenings,人人都喜欢新奇的事件和古怪的事情，

　　and the Swan Boat, with Louis out front leading the way, suddenly became the most popular attraction in Boston.

　　因此，有路易斯在前面开道的天鹅游艇，一下子变成了波士顿最时髦最吸引人的东西。

　　"You're hired," said the Boatman, when Louis climbed out onto the bank.

　　“你被雇用了，”当路易斯爬到岸上时，游艇老板说。

　　"With you playing the trumpet, I can double my business.

　　“有你在此吹小号的话，我的生意就能扩大两倍。

　　I can triple⁶ it. I can quadruple it. I can quintuple it. I can...I can...I can sextoople it.

　　能扩大三倍。能扩大四倍。能扩大五倍。能…能…我能扩大六倍。

　　Anyway, I'll give you a steady job."

　　不管怎么说，我都要给你一个固定的工作。”

　　Louis lifted his slate⁷. "What salary?" he asked.

　　路易斯举起了他的石板。“薪水多少？”他问。

　　The Boatman gazed around at the crowds waiting to get aboard.

　　游艇老板盯着周围等待乘船的游人。

　　"A hundred dollars a week," he said.

　　“一周一百美元，”他说。

　　"I'll pay you a hundred dollars every Saturday if you'll swim ahead of the boats and play your horn. Is it a deal?"“如果你能游在船前吹你的喇叭的话，我就每星期六付你一百美元。就这么定了？”

　　Louis nodded his head. The man seemed pleased but puzzled.

　　路易斯点点头。这个人似乎很高兴，可又有些迷惑。

　　"If it isn't too much to ask," said the Boatman, "would you mind telling me why you're so interested in money?"“如果你不介意我多嘴，” 游艇老板说，“你可以告诉我你为什么对钱这么感兴趣吗？”

　　"Everybody is," replied Louis on his slate.

　　“每个人都是如此，”路易斯在他的石板上回答。

　　"Yeah, I know," said the Boatman. "Everybody likes money. It's a crazy world.

　　“是的，我知道，”游艇老板说。“人人都喜欢钱。这真是个疯狂的世界。

　　But, I mean, why would a swan need money?

　　不过，我的意思是说，为什么一只天鹅也需要钱？你You can get your meals just by dipping down and pulling up tasty plants at the bottom of the lake. What do you need money for?"只要潜到水下，把湖底那些美味的植物叼出来就可以大吃一顿了。你还要钱干什么？”

　　Louis erased⁸ his slate. "I'm in debt," he wrote.

　　路易斯擦去石板上的字。“我欠着债呢，”

　　And he thought about his poor father who had stolen the trumpet and about the poor storekeeper in Billings who had been robbed and whose store had been damaged.

　　他又写。写到这里他想到了他那偷了小号的可怜的父亲，还有比林斯的那位其店铺遭劫并被损坏的可怜的店主。

　　Louis knew he must go on earning money until he could pay off what he owed.

　　路易斯知道他必须继续挣钱直到他能够付清他的欠款为止。

　　"O.k.," said the Boatman, addressing the crowd, "this swan says he's in debt. All aboard for the next ride!"“OK，”游艇老板说着，对着人群喊起来，“这只天鹅说他欠人家钱。所有人都可以坐下一班船！”

　　And he began selling tickets. The Boatman owned several boats, all of them shaped like a swan.

　　然后他开始卖票了。游艇老板拥有好几艘船，全都是形似天鹅的那种。

　　Pretty soon every boat was full and money was flowing in.

　　不久，每艘船上都挤满了人，金钱也随之滚滚而来。

 

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