英语=经常说+经常写

gengdelin

耿静然的英文练习.欢迎大家参与讨论,请留言.<连载> Ghost town
at sundown

Mary Pope Osborne



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Contents


1.                        How wild?   
2.                        Rattlesnake Flats
3.                        Player Piano
4.                        Hands Up!
5.                        Slim
6.                        Split the Wind
7.                        Ghost Story
8.                        Who Am I?
9.                        Lonesome Luke
10.                        Echo from the Past








目    录

第一章：          多么荒凉
第二章：          平原上的坦斯那克镇
第三章：          钢琴手
第四章：          举起手
第五章：          桑姆
第六章：          呼啸的风
第七章：          鬼的故事
第八章：          我是谁
第九章：          寂寞的圣路加
第十章：          过去的回声






一、   How wild
第一章   多么荒凉
    Jack and Annie were sitting on the porch of their house. Annie was gazing down the street at the Frog Creek woods. Jack was reading a book.
    杰克和安妮坐在屋前的门廊里。安妮凝视着弗格-克拉克森林前的街道。杰克在一旁读书。
   “I have a feeling we should check the woods again,” said Annie. “Why?” said Jack without looking up. “A rabbit’s hopping by,” said Annie.
  “我觉得我们应该再去森林查一下。”安妮说。“为什么？”杰克头也不抬的问。“一只兔子刚刚跑过去了。”安妮说。
    “So? We’ve seen rabbits before.” “Not like this one,” said Annie. “What do you mean?” Jack stoop up and looked with her.
  “那又怎么样？我们以前就见过兔子。”“但是并不像这只。”安妮说。“你什么意思？”杰克站了起来，和她一起看着。
    He saw a rabbit with very long legs hopping down their street. Soon the rabbit left the sidewalk and headed into the woods.
    他们看见一个长着长腿的兔子，向街道远处跑去。然后，那只兔子离开了街道，一头钻进了森林里。
    “He’s a sign,” said Annie. “A sign of what?” said Jack.   “That Morgan’s back,” said Annie. She jumped off the porch. “Come on!”
    “那是一个暗号。”安妮说。“一个什么暗号？”杰克问。  “摩根回来了。”安妮答道。她跳下了门廊，说：“去看一看！”
    “But what about dinner?” Jack said, “Dad said it would be ready soon.” “Don’t worry,” said Annie. “You know when we leave in the tree house, time stops.” She ran across their yard.
    “但是晚饭怎么办呢？”杰克问，“爸爸说晚饭马上就要开始了。”“别担心。”安妮说，“你知道当我们到木屋的时候，时间就会停下来。”她跑出院子。
    Jack pulled on his backpack. “Back in ten minutes!” he called through the screen door. Then he followed Annie.
    杰克背上他的背包。“十分钟后回来！”他的声音穿过门帘。然后他就跟着安妮走了。
    They hurried down their street and into the Frog Creek woods. The sun was setting above the trees.
    他们匆忙的跑下街去，然后进入了弗格-克拉克森林。太阳慢慢的落下去了。
    “There he is!” said Annie. The rabbit was standing in a ray of sunlight. When he saw them, he took off.
    “它在这那儿呢！”安妮说。那只兔子站在一束阳光的底下。当他们看见它的时候，它逃走了。
    Jack and Annie followed the rabbit until he vanished behind the tallest tree.
    杰克和安妮跟着那只兔子，直到它消失在一棵高耸的大树后面。
    “I told you! See?” said Annie, painting. She pointed up at the tree.
   “我告诉过你！看？”安妮喘着气说。她指着那棵树。
    Morgan le Fay was waving to them from the magic tree house high in the branches.
    摩根-拉菲在枝条错落的魔法树屋上朝他们朝手。
    Jack and Annie waved back to her. As always, Jack was very happy to see the enchantress librarian again.
    杰克和安妮也向她朝手。同平常一样，杰克很高兴见到这位迷人的图书管理员。
“Come on up!” she called. Annie and Jack started up the rope ladder. They climbed up the tree house.
“快上来！”她嚷嚷道。安妮和杰克抓住绳梯，开始向上爬。
    “We followed a strange rabbit here,” said Annie. “Is he your friend?”
    “我们跟着一只很古怪的兔子。”安妮说，“他是你的朋友吗？”
    “Perhaps,” said Morgan. She smiled mysteriously, “I have many odd friends.”
“也许吧，”摩根说着。她神秘的笑着，“我有许多古怪的朋友。”
     “Including us.” Said Annie. Morgan laughed. “That’s right.” “How are you?” said Jack.
    “也包括我们。”安妮说。摩根笑着说：“没错。”“你还好吗？”杰克问。
    “I’m still having problems with Marlin,” said the enchantress, “which leaves me little time to do my real work. But soon you both will become Master Librarians, and that will be a big help to me.”
    “我跟马林有点儿问题，”她说，“所以我只有一点时间去干我自己的工作。不过你们俩很快就会变成顶尖的图书管理员，那对我来说可是一个很大的帮助呀！”
     Jack smiled. He was going to be a Master Librarian who traveled through time and space. It was almost too good to believe.
    杰克笑了。他要成为一个在时间和空间中穿梭的顶尖图书管理员了。真是难以置信！
    “Are you ready to solve another riddle?” asked Morgan.   “Yes!” said Jack and Annie together.
    “准备好去解答另一个千古之谜了吗？”摩根问道。“准备好了！”杰克和安妮异口同声的回答道。
   “Good,” said Morgan. “First, you’ll need this for research ”
  “很好。”摩根说，“首先，在探险之中，你们会用到这个… …”
    She pulled a book from her robe and handed it to Jack. It was the book that would help them on their journey.
    她从毯子底下拿出一本书，递给了杰克。那本书可以在旅行中帮助他们。
    The title of the book was Days of the Wild West. On the cover was a picture of a western town on a prairie.
    这本书叫《西部荒凉的日子》。这本书的封皮上画着一个坐落在大平原上的西部村庄。
    “Oh, wow,” said Annie, “The Wild West!” Jack took a deep breath. Just how wild? He wondered.
   “噢。”安妮说，“荒凉的西部！”杰克作了个深呼吸。会有多荒凉呢？他想。
    Morgan reached into the folds of her robe again and pulled out a scroll. She handed it to Annie.
摩根又把手伸进了毯子，然后拿出了一个卷轴。
    “Read this when the tree house lands.” She said. “Is it the riddle?” asked Jack.
   “当树屋停止旋转的时候，就可以开始读它。”她说。“那是一个迷吗？”杰克问。
    “Yes,” said Morgan. “Then you’ll only have two more to solve. Are you ready to go?”
   “没错。”摩根说，“然后，你只剩下两个迷要解了。你们准备好了吗？”
    Jack and Annie nodded. Annie pointed to the picture on the cover of the Wild West book.
    杰克和安妮点点头。安妮指着《西部荒凉的日子》的封皮。
    “I wish we could go there,” she said.  The wind started to blow.
  “我希望我们能去那里。”她说。风刮了起来。
    “Good-bye!” said Morgan. “Good luck!” The tree house started to spin. Jack squeezed his eyes shut. The tree house spun faster and faster.
   “再见！”摩根说，“祝你们好运！”树屋开始旋转。杰克紧紧捂住了他闭上的眼睛，树屋转得越来越快。
    Then everything was still. Absolutely still. Jack opened his eyes. Morgan le Fay was gone. A fly buzzed around his head.
突然，一切都停了下来，完全的停了下来。杰克睁开了眼睛，摩根-拉菲不见了，一只苍蝇在他脑袋周围飞着。

gengdelin

<font color="seagreen">耿静然的英文练习.欢迎大家参与讨论,请留言.&lt;连载&gt;Ghost town
at sundown

Mary Pope Osborne


            二、Rattlesnake Flats
          第二章  坦斯那克镇
    The air was hot and dry. Jack and Annie peeked outside. The tree house had landed in a long tree on a prairie. The sun was low in the sky.
    空气又干又热。杰克和安妮偷偷的看着外边的世界。树屋降落在大平原的一棵树上。太阳在天空上低低的挂着。
    Right in front of them was the town form the cover of the book. In real life it looked empty and spooky.
    在他们面前的就是书皮上的那个小镇。事实上，那个小镇看起来即荒凉又恐怖。
    To one side of the town was a patch of ground with several tombstones. “That’s creepy.” Said Annie.
在小镇的一边是一块墓地，在墓地上立着几块墓碑。“这真让人毛骨悚然。”安妮说。
    “Yeah,” said Jack. He took a deep breath, “What’s our riddle say?”
    “是呀！”杰克说。他做了个深呼吸，“我们的迷题是怎样说的？”
    Annie held up the ancient scroll. She unrolled it. Then she and Jack read together:
    安妮拿起那个古老的卷轴，把它打开，然后她和杰克一起读到：
    Our of the blue, My lonely voice，Calls out to you. Who am I? Am I?
    突然的，我那凄凉的声音呼唤着你。我是谁？是谁？
    Jack pushed his glasses into place and read the riddle again to himself.
    杰克把眼镜戴好，又把迷题默读了一遍
    “There must be a mistake,” he said, “ ‘Am I?’ is written twice.” “Well, I don’t hear any voices now,” Annie said as the looked out the window.
   “这肯定是弄错了，”他说，“‘是谁？’写了两次。”“而且，我什么声音也没有听到。”安妮一边向窗外张望一边说。
    There wee no human sounds at all----- only the buzzing of flies and then whistling of the dry wind.
    这里根本没有人的声音——只有几只嗡嗡飞着的苍蝇和风的呼啸声。
    “Let’s look at the book,” Jack said. He opened the book. The pages were yellow with age. He found a picture of the town and read the words beneath it out loud:
    “咱们看看书上怎么说的。”杰克说。他打开书。那些书页因为太老而发黄。他找到了那个小镇的一张图片，然后大声朗读着图片下方的文字：
    In the 1870s, Rattlesnake Flats was a rest stop for the stagecoach that carried passengers from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to Fort Worth, Texas. When the creek dried up, everyone left. By 1880, it was a “ghost town.”
    在1870年，平原上的坦斯那克镇是一个从新墨西哥州的圣菲开往德克萨斯州的沃斯堡的公共马车休息站。当河水干涸的以后，所有的人都离开这里了。1880年左右，它变成了一个“鬼城”。
    “Wow, a ghost town.” Said Annie, her eyes wide. “Let’s take a quick look around,” said Jack, “So we can leave before dark.”
    “我们赶快到周围转转吧！”杰克说，“然后我们就可以在天黑之前回家了。”
    “Right,” said Annie. “Let’s hurry.” She started down the rope ladder.
    “好吧！” 安妮说，“我们赶快吧！”她开始从树屋上往下爬。
    Jack put the old book into his pack. Then he followed Annie down the ladder.
    杰克赶紧把那本旧书放进了他的书包里，也跟着安妮爬下了绳梯。
    They stood by the tree and looked about. Tumbleweeds blew across the dry ground.
    他们站在树旁边，向四周望着。干枯的大地上杂草丛生。
    Suddenly something jumped past them. “Yikes!” they both said.
    突然，有什么东西从他们面前跳了过去。“哎呀！”他们异口同声的叫道。
    But it was just a rabbit------- a long, long-legged rabbit hopping past them.
    然而，那只是一只兔子——一个长腿兔子从他们面前跑了过去。
    “Hey, he’s just like that rabbit we saw at home.” Said Annie. The rabbit hopped across the prairie and out of sight.
   “嗨，它很像我们在家里看见的那只兔子，”安妮说。那只兔子跳着穿过了一块空地，然后消失了。
     “I’d better take notes.” Said Jack. He reached into his back pack and took out his notebook and pencil.
    “我想最好记些笔记。”杰克说。他从书包里拿出了一个笔记本和一支铅笔。
    He wrote: Rabbits with long legs.
    他写道：长腿兔子
    “What’s that sound?” said Annie. “What sound?” asked Jack. “That rattling sound!” said Annie. Jack looked up. “What?” he said.
   “那是什么声音？”安妮说。“什么声音？”杰克问。“那个嘎嘎的声音！”安妮说。杰克仰望着天空。“什么？”他说。
    “There!” Annie pointed to a rattlesnake. It was about a hundred feet away. It was coiled up and rattling.
    “那里！”安妮指着一条响尾蛇说。那条响尾蛇离他们一百英尺远，它卷成一团，摇着尾巴。
    Jack took one look at the snake and ran. Annie ran, too. They ran past the graveyard and right into the ghost town.
    杰克看见响尾蛇撒腿就跑，安妮也跟着跑了，他们跑过了墓地，进入了“鬼城”。
    “I guess that’s why this town is called Rattlesnake Flats.” Said Annie when they stopped.
   “我猜想这就是为什么这个镇叫做坦斯那克了。”当他们停下来的时候安妮说。
    Jack looked around. The town was hardly big enough to call a town. There was one unpaved street and a few old buildings. It was quiet, too quiet.
    杰克向四周望了望，这个小镇真是很难称得上是一个镇，这里只有一条黄土铺成的街道，在街道的两旁是一些破旧的楼房，而且安静，非常安静。
    “Look, a store.” Said Annie. She pointed to a building. The faded sign said GENERAL STORE. “Let’s look inside. Maybe the answer to the riddle is in there.”
    “看，一个商店。”安妮说。她指着那个商店，那褪了色的字迹写着百货商场。
     Jack and Annie stepped onto the porch. The wooden boards creaked loudly. The door had fallen off it hinges. They peeked inside. The air was thick with dust, Spider webs hung from the ceiling.
    杰克和安妮走上商店正门的台阶上，那木质的楼梯发出嘎嘎的响着，门的铰链也掉下来，他们透过门缝向里望去，混浊的空气里掺杂着尘土，蜘蛛网布满了天花板。
    “Maybe we shouldn’t go in.” said Jack. “But what if the answer’s here?” said Annie, “Let’s just take a quick look.” Jack took a deep breath: “Okay.” He and Annie tiptoed into the store.
    “我们不应该进去，”杰克说。“如果答案就在这里呢?”安妮说，“我们尽快的到里面看一看。”杰克作了一个深呼吸，说：“好吧。”他和安妮掂着脚尖进入了商店。
     “Look.” said Annie. She picked up a pair of rusty spurs. “Careful.” Said Jack. He poked at other stuff in the store------ an old feed sack, a rusted tin cup, a faded calendar dated 1878.
    “看，”安妮说，她拣起一副生了锈的马刺，“小心，”杰克说。他漫不经心的看着店里的其他东西——一个旧麻布袋，一个生锈的锡杯和一个1878年退了色的挂历。
     “Oh, wow,” said Annie. She held up two cowboy hats. She put one on and handed the other one to Jack, “For you.” “It’s too dusty.” Said Jack. “Just blow on it.” Said Annie.
    “噢，”安妮说，她拿起两顶牛仔帽，自己戴上一顶，把另一顶递给了杰克，“给你的，”“尘土太多了，”杰克说。“吹吹就行了，”安妮说。
     Jack blew on his hat. A cloud of dust rose up. Jack sneezed. “Just try it on!” said Annie. Jack put the hat on. It nearly covered his eyes.
    杰克吹了吹他的帽子，尘土飘浮在空气当中，杰克打了个喷嚏，“去试一试！”安妮说。杰克戴上了帽子，那帽沿快盖住了他的眼睛。
     “Boots!” said Annie. She pointed to a row of cowboy boots on a shelf. “There are even some small ones, like our sizes. Here’s a pair for you.” She handed the boots to Jack.
   “靴子！”安妮说，她指着架子上的一排牛仔靴，“这里还有小号的，我们穿着一定合适，这双给你，”安妮把一双靴子递给了杰克。
     “They’re not ours.” He said. “I know, but just try them on.” Said Annie. Jack turned his boots upside down and shook them as hard as he could.
   “这些不是我们的，”他说。“我知道，只是试一试，”安妮说。杰克把他的靴子颠倒过来，然后使劲的摇晃。
    “What are you doing?” Annie asked, pulling on another pair of boots. “Checking for scorpions.” Jack said. “Ja-ack.” Annie laughed, “Try them on!”
   “你在干什么？”安妮一面穿上靴子一边问，“看看有没有蝎子，”杰克说，“杰克，”安妮笑着说，“赶快穿上吧！”
    Jack sighed. He pulled off his sneakers. He pushed his feet into the boots. He pushed and pushed. The boots were really stiff. Finally he got his feet inside. Then he tried to walk.
    杰克叹了口气，脱下他的运动鞋，把脚伸进了靴子，靴子可真硬，他把脚使劲的向里蹬，最后，他终于把他的脚放了进靴子里，然后，他试着走路。
    “Owww!” he said, “Forget it.” He started to pull off the boots. “What’s that?” Annie said. Jack froze.
   “噢！”他说，“算了吧”他开始脱掉靴子。“那是什么声音？”安妮说。杰克打了个寒颤。
    “Piano music,” said Annie, “Maybe it’s the voice in the riddle! Come on!” Jack threw his sneakers into his backpack and hobbled after Annie.
   “钢琴声，”安妮说，“也许那就是迷题里的声音！来吧！”
杰克把他的运动鞋扔进了他的背包里，一瘸一拐的跟着安妮走去。

gengdelin

<font color="seagreen">耿静然的英文练习.欢迎大家参与讨论,请留言.&lt;连载&gt;Ghost town
at sundown

Mary Pope Osborne


三、Player Piano
第三章    钢琴手
Outside, the sad tune played on. “It’s coming from there.” Said Annie. She crept toward a building that had a sign with the word HOTEL on it. Jack limped after her.
    外面，那悲伤的歌曲演奏着,“它是从这里传出来的,”安妮说。她慢慢的走近一个上面写有旅馆的建筑物，杰克在她后面一瘸一拐的走着。
    Annie slowly pushed open a swinging door. They peeked inside. The fading daylight lit a piano in the corner of the room. The keys were moving up and down. But no one was there!
    安妮推开了一扇摇动的门，他们偷偷的向里望去，一丝微弱的阳光照射在屋子角落里的一架钢琴上，琴键上下跳动着，但是在那里没有一个人。
     “Yikes,” whispered Annie, “A ghost playing the piano!” Suddenly the keys were still. The air got very cold. “No. No way,” said Jack, “There’s no such thing as a ghost.”
“天哪，”安妮小声说，“一个鬼在弹钢琴！”突然，琴键停止了，空气也变得很冷，“不，不会的。”杰克说，“这世界上根本就没有鬼。”
     “We saw one in ancient Egypt.” Whispered Annie. “Yeah, but that was ancient Egypt.” Said Jack. Even so, his heart raced.
   “我们在古埃及看见过一个，”安妮小声说，“是呀，但是那可古埃及，”杰克说，就算是这样，他的心还是怦怦的跳着。
     “I’ll look it up.” Jack pulled out the Wild West book. He found a picture of a piano. He read aloud:
   “我会找到答案的，”杰克拿出了《西部荒凉的日子》这本书，找到了一张有钢琴的图片。
     Player piano were popular in the Old West. The piano played automatically when someone pumped its floor pedals. Later, with the help of electricity, the piano played all by itself.
    在古老的西部，钢琴手很受欢迎，当人们踏地板上的踏板时，钢琴就会自动演奏，以后，在电源的帮助下，钢琴可以自己演奏。
    “Whew.” Jack closed the book, “I knew there was an answer,” he said, “It must be electric, and somehow it came on.”
    “唉！”杰克合上了书，“我知道这里总会有一个答案的，”他说，“那肯定是电，或者是别的什么。”
     “I didn’t know they had electricity in the Wild West.” Said Annie. “They didn’t.” said Jack. He looked at Annie: “Oh, man, let’s get out of here!” he said. Jack and Annie backed out of the hotel.
    “我并不知道在荒凉的西部还有电，”安妮说，“他们没有，”杰克说。他看着安妮，“噢，糟糕，让我们离开这里吧！”他说，杰克和安妮走出了旅馆．
     When they got outside, they heard another sound: horse hooves thumping against the hard ground.
    当他们走出来的时候，他们听见了另一个声音：群马的马蹄重重的敲击着大地。
     A cloud of the dust seemed to be moving toward the town. As it got closer, Jack saw three riders. They were herding a small band of horses.
    远处乌云一样的尘土正向小镇移动，当它们接近小镇的时候，杰克看见了三个骑士，他们正在把一群马拢到一起 。
    “Hide!” Jack said. “Where?” said Annie. Jack looked around wildly. He saw two barrels outside the hotel. “There!” he said.
   “快藏起来！”杰克说，“哪里？”安妮说，杰克向周围看了看，他看见在旅馆外面有两个桶，“这里！”他说。
    Jack and Annie hurried to the empty barrels. Jack climbed inside one and tried to scrunch down. His hat wouldn’t fit! He jumped out of the barrel and threw his hat into the hotel.
    杰克和安妮匆忙的把大桶弄空，杰克一瘸一拐的爬进大桶，他的帽子露在外面，他赶紧从桶里爬出来，把他的帽子扔进了旅馆。
    “Mine, too!” said Annie. Jack grabbed hers and threw it. Then he scrambled back into the barrel. Just in time.
    “我也是！”安妮说，杰克抢过她的帽子扔掉了，然后他又费劲的回到了桶里，时间正好。
     Jack heard the horses thunder into town. He peeked through a crack in the barrel and saw a blur of cowboys and horses go by.
    杰克听见那些好似雷鸣般的马蹄声跑进了小镇，他透过木桶的一个裂缝看见几个牛仔带着马群跑了过来。
    “Whoa!” “Whoa!” “Whoa!” men shouted. Jack heard the horses come to a halt. They stamped and snorted. All he could see were shadows through the crack.
    “停！”“停！”“停!”牛仔叫喊着，杰克听见马群停了下来，他们喘着粗气顿着脚，从木桶的裂缝中能看到的所有东西只是影子。
     Dust covered Jack. He had to sneeze. He pinched his nose. “The creek bed must have dried up!” a cowboy yelled, “This town’s a ghost!” “Yup, it gives me the shivers,” said another, “Let’s camp over the rise.”
    飘过来的尘土遮住了杰克，他不自然得想打喷嚏了，他使劲捏住自己的鼻子。“这里的河床肯定早已经干涸了！”一个牛仔喊道，“这个镇就是那个“鬼城”！”“没错，看到它就让我害怕，”另一个说，“我们到上面的地方去露营吧。”
    Jack really had to sneeze now. He pinched his nose tighter. But he couldn’t stop the sneeze. He let out a choked “Ah-choo!” “What was that?” someone said.
    尘土使得杰克不得不打喷嚏，他把鼻子捏得更紧了。但是他并不能制止打喷嚏，发出了一声闷响“啊-秋！”“那是什么？”有人说。
    Just then a loud whinny split the air. Jack saw a beautiful horse rear up. She had no rider or saddle, just a rope around her neck. She was as red as the sunset. She had a wild black mane and a white star above her eyes.
    就在这时一个响亮的嘶叫声划破了天空，杰克看见了一匹漂亮的枣红马跑了上来，她的光滑马背上没有马鞍也没有骑士，只有脖子上套着一条绳子，她的皮毛像夕阳一样红，鬃毛有些不整齐，眼睛上方还有一个白色的星星。
     “We can’t keep fighting this one, boots!” a cowboy yelled. “Yup. She wants her colt,” another said, “We shouldn’t have left him behind.” “He was too slow,” a growly voice said, “we’ll sell her when we cross the border.”
    “我们不能在这匹马花费太多的精力，老板！”一个牛仔喊道。“是呀，她总想带着她的小马，”另一个说，“我们不应该把她留在这里。”“他跑的太慢了，”一个声音咆哮的说，“我们在过边界的时候就把她卖了。”
    That’s terrible! Thought Jack. He knew Annie must be upset, too. He just hoped that she wouldn’t jump out of her barrel.
    那太糟糕了！杰克想，他知道安妮也会生气的，他只是希望她不会从桶里跳出来。
    But the cowboys pulled the red horse away. The ground rang from the pounding of hooves as they galloped off.
    但是牛仔们还是准备把那匹枣红马拽走，在拽她的时候，那只马猛然四蹄离地迅速的向前跑去。
    Jack and Annie stood up. They watched the riders disappear into the dust.
    杰克和安妮站了起来，他们望着牛仔们消失在尘土中。
    The pounding faded away. All was quiet again, except for the lazy buzzing of flies.
    马蹄声渐渐远去，除了几只懒惰的苍蝇，一切又恢复以往的寂静。
    “They were mean to that horse.” Annie said in a low, angry voice.
    “他们对那只枣红马太坏。”安妮用一种低低的，生气的声音说。
     “I know. But there was nothing we could do.” Said Jack. His boots were killing him. He climbed out of his barrel.
    “我知道，但是我们也无能为力，”杰克说，他穿的靴子简直要了他的命，他爬出了大桶。
     “Man, I have to get these off.” He said. Jack sat down on the porch of the hotel. He grabbed the foot of one boot and pulled.
    “天哪，我不得不把这鞋脱掉了，”他说。杰克坐在旅馆的正门，他试图把自己的脚从靴子里拉出来。
     “Jack,” said Annie, “I think there is something we can do.” “What?” Jack looked up.
    “杰克，”安妮说，“我想也许我们还是可以做点什么的。”“什么？”杰克抬起头来。
     A small horse was running down the road. He was as red as the wild mother horse. He had the same black mane and white star above his eyes. A rope was around his neck. He looked very lost.
一只小马跑过了街道，它的皮毛红得就像它的妈妈，它的棕毛也不整齐，眼睛上面同样也有一颗白色的星星，在它的脖子上有一根绳子，看来它有些不知所措。

gengdelin

<font color="seagreen">耿静然的英文练习.欢迎大家参与讨论,请留言.&lt;连载&gt;Ghost town
at sundown

Mary Pope Osborne


四、Hands up!
第四章    举起手
    “It’s the colt!” said Annie, “He’s looking for his mother!” She ran toward the wild-eyed little horse.
    “那是匹小红马！”安妮说，“它在找妈妈呢！”她跑向了那匹小野马。
    “Wait!” called Jack. “Oh, brother.” He pulled the book out of his pack. He found a chapter titled “Horses of the Wild West.” He started Reading.
    “等等！”杰克喊道，“噢，天哪，”他从书包里把书拿出来，找到了标题为西部野马的一章，他开始阅读。
     At the end of the 1800s, over a million wild horses, called mustangs, wandered the West. These tough, fast horses were descendants of runaway Spanish horses. Mustang herders captured them and sold them to ranchers. Breaking a wild mustang took great skill.
    在1800年末，这里有大约一百万匹的马群，称为野马，他们在西部徘徊，非常强壮，跑的最快的马，都是西班牙马的子孙，人们捕捉马匹后把他们卖到农场经营者手里，驯服野马是他们的拿手好戏。
    Jack turned the page. There was a picture of a herd of horses. Two of them even looked like the beautiful mare and her colt.
    杰克翻开了另一页，有一幅画描写的是一群马，其中两匹马看起来很像那匹漂亮的枣红马和她的小马。
    “Hey, Annie,” Jack called, “You should see this picture.” Annie didn’t answer. Jack looked up. Annie was trying to get close to the young mustang, but he kept daring away.
    “嘿，安妮，”杰克喊道，“你应该看看这幅画。”安妮没有回答，杰克把头抬了起来，安妮正在试着接近那匹小野马，但是它一直在后退。
     “Watch it! He’s wild!” said Jack. Annie was speaking softly to the colt.
   “小心！他是野生的！”杰克说。安妮温柔的跟小野马说着话。
     She slowly reached out and grabbed the end of his rope. Still talking to him, she led him to a broad wooden post.
    她伸出手，慢慢的抓住绳子的末端，同时不停的跟小马说话，把它领到了一根木质的栓马桩旁边。
    “Stop! Don’t do anything!” said Jack. He flipped the pages of his book. He found a section called “How to Treat a Horse.”
    “住手！什么也别做！”杰克说，他翻着书，找到了一个怎样进行训马的片断。
     The basic rules on how to treat a horse are simple: a soft hand, a firm voice, a sunny attitude, praise, and reward.
    训马的基本要点很简单：一双柔软的手，一个坚定的声音，一个乐观的态度，夸奖和报答。
     “I’ve got the rules!” shouted Jack, “Don’t do anything before I write them down!” Jack pulled out his notebook and pencil.
    “我知道要点了！”杰克喊道，“在我记下它们之前什么也别干！”杰克拿出了他的笔记本和铅笔。
    He wrote: Horse rules
    他写道：训马要点
1.        soft hand．柔软的手
2.        firm voice坚定的声音
3.        sunny attitude乐观的态度
4.        praise 夸奖
5.        reward报酬
    “Okay, listen----” Jack looked up. But Annie was already sitting on the colt’s back!
   “好了，听着——”杰克抬起头来，但是安妮已经坐在小野马的背上了！
    Jack froze. He held his breath. The mustang whinnied and pawed the ground. He snorted and tossed his head. Annie kept patting his neck and talking softly. Finally the young horse grew still.
    杰克愣住了，他屏住了呼吸。那只野马欢乐的嘶叫着，用前蹄不停地敲打着地面，哼哼着摆动着它的脑袋，安妮轻轻拍打它的脖子，温柔的跟它说着话，最后，那匹小马渐渐安静下来。
    Annie smiled at Jack, “I named him Sunset.” She said. Jack let out his breath.
    安妮冲着杰克微笑着，“我叫它小红马。”她说，杰克松了口气。
    “Let’s go,” said Annie, “We have to take him to his mom.” “Are you nuts?” said Jack, “We have to solve our riddle. It’ll be dark soon. And those guys were real bad guys, I could tell.” “We don’t have any choice.” Said Annie.
   “咱们走吧，”安妮说，“我们必须把它送回到它母亲身边。”“你疯了吗？”杰克说，“天快黑了，我们的迷题还没有解开，我告诉你，那些人不是好人。”“我们没有选择。”安妮说。
     “Oh, brother.” Jack knew she wouldn’t change her mind, “Let’s see what the book says.” He read more about mustangs:
    “噢，糟糕。”杰克知道她是不会改变主意的，“让我看看书里怎么说的。”
    Wild mustangs live together in families. The bond between a mare and her young is very strong. His sounds of distress or hunger will always bring her to him. A mustang cannot bear to wander alone.
    野马是群居动物，母马和小马之间的亲和力很强，他那悲伤和饥饿的叫声总会让母马为之而动，野马不可能独自去流浪。
    Jack groaned. He looked at Sunset. The young mustang did have a sad look in his eyes. “Okay, we’ll make a plain,” he said, ”But first I have to get out of these boots.”
    杰克叹了口气，他看了看小红马，小野马的眼睛里流露出伤感，“好吧，我们准备一个计划，”他说，“但是首先我要脱掉这双靴子。”
    Jack grabbed one of his boots and pulled. “Hurry!” said Annie. “I can’t even think in these things!” said Jack.
    杰克抓住他的一只靴子使劲向外拉，“快点！”安妮说。“穿着这东西我简直不知道怎样思考了，”杰克说。
    He huffed and puffed and pulled. Then a deep voice stooped him cold: “Hands up----- or I’ll shoot!” Jack let go of his boot. He raised his hands in the air. So did Annie.
    他喘着粗气向外拉着另一只靴子，然而一个冰冷的声音吓住了他：“把手举起来——不然我就要开枪了！”杰克松开了他的靴子，举起了双手，安妮也同样这么做了。
    A cowboy rode out of an alley. His face was bony and tanned. He was riding a gray horse and pointing a six-shooter. “I reckon you’re the smallest horse thieves I’ve ever some across.” He said.
一个牛仔从一条小路走了出来，他的脸瘦长，骑着一匹灰色的马，手里拿着一把有六发子弹的左轮手枪，“我肯定你们是我见过最年轻的偷马贼，”他说。

gengdelin

<font color="seagreen">耿静然的英文练习.欢迎大家参与讨论,请留言.&lt;连载&gt;Ghost town
at sundown

Mary Pope Osborne


五、Slim
第五章   桑姆
    “We’re not horse thieves!” said Annie. “Well then, what are you doing with my horse here?” he said.
   “我们不是偷马贼！”安妮说。“那么，你骑在我的马上干什么？”他说。
     “Some bad guys came through town with his mother,” said Annie, “They left him behind because he was too slow.” “Yup, must be the rustlers that stole my last five mustangs.” The cowboy said.
    “有些坏人带着它的妈妈穿过了小镇，”安妮说，“因为它走的很慢，他们把它留在了后面，”“没错，那些人肯定是偷我马的贼，”那个牛仔说。
     “Who are you?” said Jack. “I’m a mustang herder.” The cowboy said. “They rode through town. Then Sunset showed up all alone,” said Annie, “We’re taking him to his mother.”
    “你是谁？”杰克说，“我是马群的主人，”牛仔说，“他们穿过了小镇，然后，小红马才独自出现的，”安妮说，“我们现在要把它送还给它的妈妈。”
     “Sunset?” the cowboy said. “Yup,” Annie smiled, “I named him.” The cowboy put away his six-shooter. “Well, you’re pretty brave to try and rescue him, Smiley.” He said. “Thanks.” Said Annie.
    小红马？牛仔说，“是呀，”安妮微笑着说，“我给他起的名字。”牛仔把左轮手枪放在了一边，“那么是你勇敢的营救它，”“谢谢，”安妮说。
    Jack cleared his throat. “A mustang needs his family,” he said, “The bond between a mare and her young is very strong.” The cowboy looked at Jack. “Whoa, you’re pretty smart to know that, Shorty.”
    杰克清了清他的嗓子，“一匹野马需要他的家庭，”他说，“母马和小马之间有很强的亲和力，”牛仔看着杰克，“嗬，你还挺聪明的，小矮子。”
     “Shorty?” said Jack. “Every cowpoke’s got to have a nickname.” Said the cowboy. “What’s yours?” said Annie. “Slim,” said the cowboy, “My name is Slim Cooley. And this is Dusty.” He patted his horse.
    “小矮子？”杰克说，“每一个牛仔都有个绰号，”牛仔说，“你的是什么？”“竹竿，”牛仔说，“我的名字是桑姆可利，这是大灰。”
     “That fits.” Said Annie. Jack agreed. Slim was slim. And Dusty was dusty.
    “那倒挺合适的，”安妮说，杰克也同意这个看法，桑姆的确像竹竿，大灰马也的确是灰色的。
     “So tell me,” Slim said, “How did you two brave, smart young’uns end up in Rattlesnake Flats?” Jack caught his breath. He didn’t know how to explain it.
    “那么告诉我，”桑姆说，“你们这些小孩怎么才能完成在坦斯那克的旅程？”杰克屏住了呼吸，他不知道应该怎样去解释。
    “Um… the stagecoach,” said Annie, “We begged the driver to let us off. But I think we made a mistake.” Slim looked around. “I’ll say.” He said.
    “嗯…是马车，”安妮说，“我们让马车司机把我们放下来，但是我认为我们是弄错了，”桑姆向四周望了望，“那正是我要说的，”他说。
     “When the next stage comes through, we’re leaving.” Said Annie. “I see,” said Slim, “Well, I’m going to take my colt now and find those rustlers. You didn’t hear where they were headed, did you?”
    “当下一辆车路过的时候，我们需要赶紧离开，”安妮说，“我知道了，”桑姆答道，“那么，我会带上我的小马驹，然后找到那几个偷马贼，你肯定听见他们会在哪里露营，是吗？”
    “They said they were going to camp over the rise.” Said Jack. “Hmm, must be over yonder.” Said Slim. He looked at a low rise in the distance. The sun was a red ball above it.
    “他们说将在小山后面露营，”杰克说，“嗯，肯定是在那里了，”桑姆说，他眺望着那远方的小山，太阳就像小山上的一个红皮球。
     “Better get going before dark.” He said. “Can we go with you?” said Annie.
    “最好在天黑前行动，”他说，“我们能跟你一起去吗？”安妮说。
     “No, we have to stay here.” Jack said quickly. Now that Slim could help Sunset, Jack wanted to look for the answer to the riddle. Plus, he still wanted to take off his boots.
    “不行，我们必须留在这里，”杰克很快的说，现在，桑姆可以帮助小红马了，杰克急着想找到迷题的答案，再加上他仍然想把这双靴子脱掉。
    “Shorty’s right to be scared,” Slim said to Annie, “This is no job for young’uns.” “Scared?” said Jack. “Oh, please! I want to go.” Said Annie.
    “小矮子害怕是对的，”桑姆对安妮说，“小孩子是找不到工作的，”“害怕？”杰克说。“拜托！我真的想去，”安妮说。
    Slim looked at Jack. “And what do you want, Shorty?” For starters, he wanted Slim to stop calling him Shorty. And he wanted Slim to think he was brave. “Sure, I want to go.” Said Jack.
    桑姆看着杰克，“你怎么想呢，小矮子？”在一开始，他就不想让桑姆叫他小矮子，现在他想让桑姆觉得他很勇敢，“好吧，我也想去，”杰克说。
     “What about your stagecoach?” asked Slim. “It’s not coming until tomorrow.” Annie said quickly. “Well…” Slim scratched his chin, “I reckon I could use some brave, smart help. But you have to do everything I say.”
    “你们的马车怎么办？”桑姆问，“在明天之前，它是不回来的，”安妮飞快的说，“那么…”桑姆摸着他的下巴，“我觉得我们只有勇气不行，还必须用我们的智慧，但是，你们必须听从我的领导。”
     “We will!” said Annie, “Can I ride Sunset?” “I wouldn’t say ‘yes’ to many kids, Smiley, but you seem to have a knack with horses,” said Slim, “Now, hang on tight to his mane I’ll just pull him along behind me.”
    “我们会的！”安妮说，“我能骑小红马吗？”“我不会拒绝的，因为你跟小马有缘分，”桑姆说，“现在，你抓紧它的鬃毛，但是只能跟在我后面，远远的跟着。”
    Slim slipped the rope off the post. Then he held his band out to Jack. “Put your foot in the stirrup, Shorty. And grab my hand.” Said Slim. Jack did as Slim said. Slim pulled him onto the front of his saddle. Jack held on to the saddle horn.
    桑姆把绳子从栓马桩上解下来，然后，他向杰克伸出了手，“小矮子，把你的脚放在马镫上，然后抓住我的手。”桑姆说，杰克赶紧照他说的去做，桑姆坐在前面杰克坐在后面。
     “Sit tight,” said Slim, “It’s not far.” Slim snapped his reins. Dusty took off with Sunset right behind him.
    “坐好了，”桑姆说，“不是很远。”桑姆拉了拉缰绳，大灰马迅速向前跑去，小红马在后面紧紧跟着。
    Jack bounced up and down. His boots hurt. The sunlight blinded him. “Giddy-up!” said Slim. “Giddy-up!” said Annie.
The horses galloped across the prairie, dust flying from their hooves.
    杰克在马鞍上上下颠簸，他穿的靴子使他非常不舒服，阳光直射到眼睛上，马在平原飞驰着，蹄下不时的升起一阵阵尘土。
     “Ah-choo!” Jack sneezed as he bounced along into the setting sun.
“啊－秋！”杰克在颠簸中打着喷嚏，慢慢的走进晚霞中。

gengdelin

<font color="seagreen">耿静然的英文练习.欢迎大家参与讨论,请留言.&lt;连载&gt;Ghost town
at sundown

Mary Pope Osborne


六、  Split the wind
第六章   呼啸的风
    The sky was dark by the time they got to the rise. The wind was cool, almost cold.
    当他们到达小山的时候，天已经黑了，凉爽的风刮得简直有点冷。
    “Whoa.” Said Slim. Dusty slowed to a halt. “They’re camped down there,” Slim said in a low voice, “In that patch of trees.”
   “噢。”桑姆吆喝着，大灰马慢慢的走上斜坡，“他们就在那里露营，”桑姆低低的说，“就在那一小片树林里。”
    Jack saw a campfire at the bottom of the slope. He saw the horses gathered in a dark clump. One let out a loud whinny.
    杰克也看见在斜坡的下面有篝火，他看见马群聚集在一片黑暗的小树林里。
     “Hear that!” said Slim, “The mare. She senses Sunset is nearby.” The mare whinnied again.
    “听！”桑姆说，“是枣红马。” 她感觉小红马就在周围。”枣红马又嘶叫了一声。
     “Sounds like she’s tied to a tree,” said Slim, “I think the rest of the herd are loose.”
    “听起来她被拴在一棵树上了，”桑姆说，“我想剩下的马都没有栓。”
     “What’s our plan?” whispered Jack. “Smiley, you stay here and guard Sunset.” Said Slim. “Right.” Said Annie.
    “我们的计划是什么？”杰克小声问，“安妮留下来看守小红马。”桑姆说，“好吧。”安妮说。
     “Shorty, you and I ride down near their camp,” said Slim, “You keep Dusty quiet while I cut the mare loose.” How do you keep a horse quiet? Wondered Jack.
    “小矮子，你和我一起到他们的露营地，”桑姆说，“当我解开枣红马缰绳的时候，你让大灰马不能发出声响。”怎样才能让马安静下来呢？杰克想。
     “Once the mare’s loose, she’ll break for Sunset,” said Slim, “Then you and Sunset take off, Smiley.” “Got it.” Said Annie.
    “当我去解救枣红马的时候，如果发生意外，你马上把小红马带走” 桑姆说。“知道了。”安妮说。
     “Then we’ll split the wind.” Said Slim. What’s that mean? Wondered Jack.
    “然后我们就会让风呼啸。”桑姆说，那是什么意思？杰克想。
     “Till we get to Blue Canyon.” Said Slim. What’s that? Wondered Jack. “All set? Any questions?” asked Slim. “Nope.” Said Annie cheerfully.
    “直到我们到达忧郁峡谷。”桑姆说，那是什么？杰克想，“准备妥当有问题吗？”桑姆问。“没有。”安妮高兴的回答。
     Yup, about a million, thought Jack. “Okay, pardners,” said Slim, “See ya soon, Smiley. Come on, Shorty.” “Have fun.” Said Annie. Fun? Thought Jack. Is she nuts? Our lives are at stake.
    有问题，大概有一百万个，杰克想，“好吧，朋友们。”桑姆说，“一会儿见。走吧，小矮子。”“玩得愉快。”安妮说。愉快？杰克想，她疯了吗？我们的命都已经迫在眉睫了。
    Slim snapped his reins. Dusty started down the rise. Their way was lit by a nearly full moon and a million stars.
    桑姆拉了拉他的缰绳，大灰马开始走下山坡，月亮和百万颗星星成为他们在路上的照明灯。
    Maybe now I can ask Slim some questions, thought Jack. But just then voice came from the rustlers’ camp. They were mean voices, followed by mean laughter.
    也许现在我可以问桑姆点儿问题，杰克想，就在这时，有声音从偷马贼的帐篷里传出，他们那卑鄙的声音还伴着不怀好意的笑声。
    A chill went though Jack. Dusty halted. “This is far enough,” whispered Slim. He slipped off of Dusty.
    杰克打了个冷战，大灰马停了下来，“这里够近了。”桑姆小声说，他翻身越下了大灰马。
     “Keep him here,” Slim whispered to Jack, “and keep him quiet.” “Wait---” whispered Jack. He needed more information. But Slim was gone.
    “让它呆在这，”桑姆对杰克小声说，“而且，不要出声。”“等等——”杰克小声说，他需要更多的信息，但是桑姆已经走了。
    Jack gripped the reins and held his breath. He hoped Dusty woudn’t do anything. For a moment Dusty was still. But then he snorted and began walking.
    杰克抓住了缰绳，然后屏住了呼吸，他希望大灰马什么也别干，大灰马的确没有动，但是，过了一会儿，他开始哼着鼻子往前走去。
    Oh, no! thought Jack. He tried to think of the rules on how to treat a horse. H remembered: a soft hand, a firm voice. He patted Dusty softly.
     哦，不！杰克想，他试着想怎样驯化马的几个要点，他想到了一双柔软的手，一个坚定的声音，他轻轻的拍了拍大灰马。
     “Whoa!” he said firmly. To his surprise, Dusty froze and was quiet. Jack remembered another rule: a sunny attitude. He patted Dusty again. “Don’t worry,” he whispered, “Everything’s going to be fine.”
    “噢！”他坚定的说，让他吃惊的是，大灰马冷静下来了，而且很安静，杰克又想起另一条要点：一个乐观的态度。他又拍了拍大灰马，“别担心，”他小声说，“一切都很正常。”
    Just then a loud whinny came from the herd of mustangs. They began moving up the moonlit slope. “Hey! The horses!” a rustler shouted.
    就在这时一声烈马的嘶叫，从远处的树林里传了出来，一个黑影在向那被月光照亮的斜坡上移动，“嘿！马！”一个偷马贼叫道。
    A gun went off. Jack ducked. “Come on, Shorty!” came Slim’s voice. Jack looked up. Slim was riding the mare!
    一声枪响，杰克赶快趴在地上，“来吧，小矮子！”桑姆的声音传了过来，杰克抬起头来，桑姆正骑在枣红马的背上！
    Jack was shocked. He had thought that Slim was coming back to　ride Dusty. Instead, Slim rode right past him! As he got close to Annie, she took off on Sunset.
    杰克吓了一跳，他以为桑姆是回来骑大灰马的，但是，桑姆从他身边过去了！安妮看到桑姆走近的时候，她解开缰绳骑着小红马向远处跑去。
    The mare galloped after Sunset. And the band of mustangs galloped after the mare.
    枣红马在小红马身后飞奔，在枣红马的后面有一群马跟着她。
    Bang! Bang! Jack snapped the reins. “Go, Dusty!” he said. Dusty leaped after the mustangs. Jack nearly fell off. He clutched the reins in one hand and the saddle horn in the other.
    驾！驾！杰克拽了拽缰绳，“走，大灰马！”他说，大灰马在野马后面跑着，杰克快要掉下来了，他一手紧紧地抓住缰绳，一手抓着马鞍。
    Bang! Bang! The rustlers were on their horses now. They were getting closer.
    驾！驾！偷马贼们已经骑上他们的马追了上来，越来越近了。
    “Hurry!” Jack cried.
    “快！”杰克大叫。
     Dusty cleared the rise in an awkward leap. Jack started to slip out of the saddle. He let go of the reins and tried to hold on to the saddle horn, but his weight pulled him down. He closed his eyes as he fell to the ground.
    大灰马在山道上奔跑跳跃，杰克的身体开始从马鞍向下滑，他松了松缰绳，试着不让自己从马鞍上滑下去，但是他的体重还是把他向下坠，当他掉到地上的时候，他闭上了眼睛。
    Bang! Bang! Oh, man, thought Jack, this is the end.
    驾！驾！噢！糟糕，杰克想，我完蛋了。
    He opened his eyes. Dusty was looking at him. Jack scrambled up and tried to climb back into the saddle. It was hard without Slim’s help. As Jack struggled, he heard shouts from the rustlers. Their houses gave high-pitched neighs.
    他睁开了眼睛，大灰马正在看着他，杰克爬起来试着想骑到马鞍上，没有桑姆的帮助可真困难，正当他尽力的上马的时候，听见了偷马贼的枪声，同时偷马贼的马发出了尖声嘶叫。
    Jack looked back. A shimmering white figure was moving across the top of the rise! The rustlers’ horses were panicking and backing away.
    杰克向后看，在穿过小山的顶部有一个晃动的人影，偷马贼的马全都吓跑了。
    Jack didn’t have time to think about what he was seeing. He knew it might be his only chance to escape. Using all his strength, he pulled himself into the saddle.
    杰克没有时间去想他看到的东西了，他知道这也许是他唯一的一个逃出去的机会。
    “Go, Dusty, go!” he shouted. Dusty took off at full gallop over the prairie. Jack held on for dear life as they split the wind.
“走，大灰马，走！”他喊道。大灰马四蹄离地的飞驰在平原上飞奔。——————

gengdelin

<font color="seagreen">耿静然的英文练习.欢迎大家参与讨论,请留言.&lt;连载&gt;Ghost town
at sundown

Mary Pope Osborne


七、 Ghost Story
第七章 鬼的故事
    Jack bounced in the saddle. He felt the cool night wind against his face.
    杰克坐在了马鞍上，他感觉到冰冷的晚风刮着他的脸。
    He couldn’t tell where they were going. But he trusted Dusty to follow the others. Finally Dusty caught up with the herd as they began to slow down. Jack snapped his reins. Dusty came up beside Slim and Annie.
    他不知道他们要去哪儿，但是他相信大灰马会带他找到其他的人，最后，大灰马终于追上了，当杰克拉住它的缰绳，大灰马慢慢跑到桑姆和安妮旁边。
    “Howdy!” said Slim. “Howdy!” said Jack. “Howdy!” said Annie, “Are you okay?” Jack pushed his glasses into place. “Yup,” he said, “You?” “Yup,” she said.
    “你好呀！”桑姆说。“你好！”杰克说。“你好！”安妮说，“你还好吗？”杰克戴上他的眼镜。“挺好的，”他说，“你呢？”“也不错。”她说。
     “That was some good riding, Shorty!” said Slim. “Thanks,” said Jack, smiling. He even liked being called “Shorty” now.
    “你骑得还挺不错的，小矮子！”桑姆说。“谢谢。”杰克微笑着说。他现在竟然也很喜欢别人叫他“小矮子”了。
     “Where we headed, boss?” Jack asked Slim. “Blue Canyon,” said Slim, “Okay with you?” “Yup.” Said Jack. “This way!” said Slim. He slapped his horse and they all speeded up again.
    “我们前边是哪儿，老板？”杰克问桑姆。“伤心峡谷，”桑姆说，“你喜欢吗？”“当然。”杰克说。“这边走！”桑姆说。他拍了拍他的马，然后所有的马又都奔跑起来。
    Slim steered the herd to the left. Soon he led them through a deep, narrow pass. Finally they came to a boxy open space surrounded by walls of rock and lit by moonlight.
    桑姆把马群带到了左边，一会儿，他带着他们通过一个又低又窄的通道。最后，他们来到了一块被石头围成四四方方的，同时被月光照亮的空地。
     “We’ll corral the mustangs here in Blue Canyon.” Slim said. He got off his horse. He helped Jack down. Annie slipped off Sunset. “Take him to his ma.” Slim told Annie.
    “我们就把马放在这伤心峡谷里。”桑姆说，他下了马，他又帮着杰克下马，安妮也解开了小红马，“把他带到他妈妈身边。”桑姆对安妮说。
    Annie led Sunset to the mare. In the moonlight, the two mustangs rubbed against one another and neighed.
    安妮把小红马带到枣红马身边，在月光下，两匹马互相摩擦着，嘶叫着。
    As Jack patted Dusty’s damp neck, he remembered the last two rules: praise and reward. “Thanks,” he whispered to Dusty, “You were great. You were supper great.”
    当杰克拍着大灰马那湿乎乎的脖子的时候，他想起了最后两条要点：赞赏和报答。“谢谢，”他对大灰马小声说，“你真棒，你是最棒的。”
    Slim unsaddled Dusty, then handed Jack his saddle bags. “Take those over to that grassy spot. We’ll camp there.” He said.
    桑姆把马鞍拿下来，然后递给了杰克一个鞍囊，“把这些拿到那片草地上，我们会在那里露营。”他说。
    As Jack carried the saddlebags, his boots felt stiff and tight. His leg were sore and wobbly. But he didn’t mind. He threw down the saddlebags and his backpack. Then he flopped himself down. He was very tired. Annie joined him.
    当杰克拿着鞍囊的时候，他的靴子又硬又紧，他的腿很疼，还不停的颤抖着，但是他不在乎，他扔下鞍囊和他的书包，然后他就地躺下，他太累了，安妮也是。
     “They seem so happy to be free and together again,” she said, gazing at the moonlit mustangs.
    “他们真高兴又能在一起获得自由。”她说，看了一眼月光下的野马。
    “Yup,” said Jack. He lay back, using his back pack as a pillow. He looked up at the stars. “If we just had the answer to the riddle, everything would be perfect,” he said. “Yup,” said Annie.
    “是呀。”杰克说。他向后躺着，把他的书包当作枕头。他看着星星，“如果我们知道谜题的答案就好了。”“是呀。”安妮说。
     “Hey, Slim,” he called. “I have a question for you.” “Shoot,” said Slim. “Do you know the answer to this riddle?” Jack asked. “Out of blue, my lonely voice calls out to you. Who am I? Am I?”
    “嘿，桑姆，”他叫道，“我有一个问题想问你。”“说。”桑姆说。“你知道这个谜题的答案吗？”杰克问，“突然的，我那凄凉的声音呼唤着你，我是谁？是谁？”
    Slim was silent for a moment, then said, “Sorry, Shorty, don’t know that one.” Jack’s heart sank. “That’s okay,” he said. “We don’t either.”
    桑姆沉默了一会儿，然后说：“抱歉，小矮子，我不知道。”杰克的心沉了一下，“没关系，”他说，“我们也不知道。”
     “I have a question, too,” said Annie. “Why does the piano in the hotel play by itself?” “I do know the answer to that one,” said Slim. “What is it?” said Annie.
    “我也有个问题，”安妮说，“为什么旅馆里的钢琴可以自己演奏呢？”“我知道那个问题的答案。”桑姆说。“是什么？”安妮说。
     “It’s Lonesome Luke,” said Slim. “He’s a ghost of a cowboy who wanders the prairie.” Jack sat straight up.
    “是寂寞的圣路加，”桑姆说，“他是一个在大平原上流浪牛仔的鬼魂。”杰克坐了起来。
     “I saw him! I saw him!” he said. “I just remembered! He scared the rustlers! If he hadn’t come, I never would have gotten away!” “Oh, yeah?” Slim chuckled. “Well, lucky for us, Lonesome Luke sometimes likes to help folks out.”
    “我见过他！我见过他！”他说，“我刚刚想起来！他把偷马贼吓跑了！如果他没来，我是决不会跑出来的！”“噢，是吗？”桑姆微笑着，“那么，我们真走运，寂寞的圣路加有时候喜欢帮助人。”
    Slim threw his saddle down next to Jack and Annie and sat against it.
    桑姆把他的鞍囊扔在安妮和杰克的旁边，然后坐了上去。
    “Years ago, Lonesome Luke had a gal who he was just crazy about,” said Slim. “She couldn’t take the Wild West, though. So she went back east.”
    “很多年前，寂寞的圣路加认识一个令他疯狂的女孩，”桑姆说，“但是她不喜欢西部，所以她回到了东方。”
     “What happened then?” asked Jack. “Luke went loco. Every night he’d show up at the hotel and play the piano. He played ‘Red River Valley’ over and over.
    “然后呢？”杰克问，“圣路加变得疯狂了，每天晚上他都会出现在旅馆演奏钢琴，他一遍又一遍的演奏红河谷。”
     “Then one night he just vanished into the prairie and was never seen alive again. His bones were found a year later. But folks say his ghost returns to the hotel piano to play ‘Red River Valley.’ It goes like this…”
    “一天晚上他在进入平原之后消失了，而且也没有看见他活着。一年之后，他的骨头被找到了，但是人们说他的鬼魂回到旅馆里，钢琴就自动演奏红河谷，就像这样…”
    Slim took out a harmonica. He began to play a song. It was the same sad song Jack and Annie had heard in the hotel. Jack lay back down and listened to the lonesome tune. A coyote howled in the distance. The horses stirred in the dark.
    桑姆拿出了一个口琴，他开始演奏一首歌，这首歌和杰克在旅馆里听到的歌一模一样，杰克向后躺着，听着那凄凉的旋律，郊狼在远处嚎叫着，马儿在嘶叫着。
    I better take some notes, thought Jack. But he didn’t write a word before he fell asleep. He didn’t even take off his boots.
我最好还是记笔记，杰克想，但是他没能在进入梦乡之前写一个字，竟然连靴子也没有脱。

pengjinqiao

好东西一定要翻出来,同时加1分,支持继续发布!再发再加分!

toniu

很不错。

江威

确实如此，这个总结很精辟