美国小学英语教材5:第22课 邮件必须送达(4)

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　　Frye looked over the ponies¹ with a shrewd eye. 弗莱用敏锐的目光打量着那些小马。

　　"Good horses, those," he voiced his opinion. “这些都是好马，”他发表了自己的意见。

　　"Any one of them suits me, but I'd like to have the best." “任何一匹都适合我，但我只想要最好的。”

　　"Then," said William Saunders quickly, "you will take that bay pony² over there in the corner. “那么，”威廉·桑德斯很快地说，“你可以骑在角落里的那匹海湾小马。

　　I've ridden them all, and he's my favorite. 这些马我都骑过，那匹小马是我的最爱。

　　I should like to see you pick him. 我希望看到你选择他。

　　Please, Mr. Frye. 拜托了，弗莱先生。

　　I know horses, and there isn't a better pony in the settlement." 我了解马，在这没有更好的马了。”

　　Frye nodded solemnly. 弗莱郑重地点了点头。

　　"The bay it is, lad,"he agreed. “就要海湾的小马吧，小伙子，”他同意了。

　　"I'll rope him, and we'll slick him down between us; “我将把它捆起来，我们俩合力把他拉上来；

　　see that he is fed and watered, and you shall ride him to the station for me." 等它吃饱喝足，你把它送到驿站来吧。”

　　Long before the train from the East, drawn³ by a queer, wood-burning locomotive, was due, every man, woman, and child in the settlement had gathered to see Johnny Frye start off on his first trip. 从东方开来的火车，是由一个古怪的、烧木头的火车头拖着的，早在火车到达之前，这个地方的所有男人、女人和孩子都聚集在一起，看约翰尼·弗莱开始他的第一次行程。

　　There were several speeches, everybody shook Frye's hand a last time, and they settled down to await the train. 中间有几次演讲，每个人最后一次和弗莱握了手，他们坐下来等火车。

　　At a spot where the baggage and mail car usually came to a stop, William Saunders stood holding the bay pony. 在行李和邮车通常停靠的地方，威廉·桑德斯站在那里牵着那匹海湾小马。

　　On the ground near by lay Frye's saddle. 旁边的地上放着弗莱的马鞍。

　　The rider himself, in a new flannel⁵ shirt, buckskin trousers, high boots, and wide-brimmed hat, caressed⁶ the pony's nose, making friends with the animal. 骑手本人身穿法兰绒衬衫、鹿皮裤子，脚穿高筒靴，头戴宽边帽，抚摸着小马的鼻子，与小马交上了朋友。

　　Far down the shining twin rails of steel sounded the piercing whistle of the locomotive. 在火车头的刺耳的汽笛声中，那两根闪闪发光的钢轨在很远的地方响了起来。

　　Frye seized his s addle⁴, clapped it upon the pony's back, tightened⁷ it with quick, skillful motions, saw that the bridle⁸ was in place, his rifle in its holster and pistols in his belt, and sprang into the saddle just as the train came in. 弗莱抓起他的马鞍，拍了拍小马的后背，迅速而熟练地把马鞍勒紧，发现马鞍就位了，枪套在枪套里，手枪插在腰带里，就在火车进站的时候，他跳上了马鞍。

　　From the train the mail pouch⁹ for California was tossed out. 送往加利福尼亚的邮袋从火车上扔了下来。

　　Willing hands caught it in mid-air and handed it to Frye. 威廉渴望地在半空中用双手抓住了邮袋，把它递给弗莱。

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