The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse

Johnny Town-mouse was born in a cupboard. Timmy Willie was born in a garden. Timmy Willie was a little country mouse who went to town by mistake in a hamper. The gardener sent vegetables to town once a week by carrier; he packed them in a big hamper.

城里鼠约翰尼生在一个碗柜里。乡下鼠蒂米·威利生在一座花园里。 蒂米·威利是一只小小的乡下老鼠，因为一场误会，坐着一只大提篮 进了城。园丁每周都要用马车往城里送一次蔬菜，他把蔬菜都装在 一只大提篮里。

The gardener left the hamper by the garden gate, so that the carrier could pick it up when he passed. Timmy Willie crept in through a hole in the wicker-work, and after eating some peas—Timmy Willie fell fast asleep.

园丁把提篮留在花园门口，好让车夫路过时把它捎走。蒂米·威利 从篮子编织的缝隙里钻了进去，吃了几颗豌豆之后——蒂米·威利 便沉沉睡去了。

He awoke in a fright, while the hamper was being lifted into the carrier's cart. Then there was a jolting, and a clattering of horse's feet; other packages were thrown in; for miles and miles—jolt—jolt—jolt! and Timmy Willie trembled amongst the jumbled up vegetables.

篮子被抬上车夫的马车时，他惊醒过来，吓了一跳。接着便是一阵 颠簸，马蹄哒哒作响；别的包裹也一件件扔了进来；这样走了一 英里又一英里——颠呀，颠呀，颠呀！蒂米·威利在杂乱堆叠的 蔬菜之间瑟瑟发抖。

At last the cart stopped at a house, where the hamper was taken out, carried in, and set down. The cook gave the carrier sixpence; the back door banged, and the cart rumbled away. But there was no quiet; there seemed to be hundreds of carts passing. Dogs barked; boys whistled in the street; the cook laughed, the parlour maid ran up and down-stairs; and a canary sang like a steam engine.

马车终于在一户人家门前停了下来，提篮被搬下车，抬进屋里， 放了下来。厨娘给了车夫六个便士，后门砰地一声关上，马车便 辘辘远去了。可屋里一点也不安静，外面似乎有成百上千辆马车 经过。狗在叫，街上有男孩在吹口哨，厨娘在笑，客厅女佣在楼 上楼下跑来跑去，还有一只金丝雀，唱起歌来像蒸汽机一样响。

Timmy Willie, who had lived all his life in a garden, was almost frightened to death. Presently the cook opened the hamper and began to unpack the vegetables. Out sprang the terrified Timmy Willie.

蒂米·威利一辈子都住在花园里，这下几乎快吓死了。没过多久， 厨娘打开提篮，开始往外拿蔬菜。惊恐万分的蒂米·威利一下子 蹦了出来。

Up jumped the cook on a chair, exclaiming "A mouse! a mouse! Call the cat! Fetch me the poker, Sarah!" Timmy Willie did not wait for Sarah with the poker; he rushed along the skirting board till he came to a little hole, and in he popped.

厨娘吓得一下子跳到椅子上，大喊道：“一只老鼠！一只老鼠！ 快叫猫来！莎拉，把拨火棍给我拿来！”蒂米·威利可没等着莎拉 把拨火棍拿来，他沿着踢脚板一路狂奔，跑到一个小洞前，一头 钻了进去。

He dropped half a foot, and crashed into the middle of a mouse dinner party, breaking three glasses.—"Who in the world is this?" inquired Johnny Town-mouse. But after the first exclamation of surprise he instantly recovered his manners.

他往下跌了大约半英尺，一头撞进了一场老鼠晚宴的正中央，撞 碎了三只酒杯。——“这到底是谁呀？”城里鼠约翰尼问道。可 他一开始的惊呼过后，立刻便恢复了应有的礼数。

With the utmost politeness he introduced Timmy Willie to nine other mice, all with long tails and white neckties. Timmy Willie's own tail was insignificant. Johnny Town-mouse and his friends noticed it; but they were too well bred to make personal remarks; only one of them asked Timmy Willie if he had ever been in a trap?

他极为客气地把蒂米·威利介绍给另外九只老鼠认识，个个都留 着长尾巴，系着白色领结。蒂米·威利自己的尾巴却小得可怜。 城里鼠约翰尼和他的朋友们都注意到了这一点，可他们教养太好， 不便就此评头论足，只有一只老鼠问蒂米·威利，他有没有被夹 子夹到过？

The dinner was of eight courses; not much of anything, but truly elegant. All the dishes were unknown to Timmy Willie, who would have been a little afraid of tasting them; only he was very hungry, and very anxious to behave with company manners. The continual noise upstairs made him so nervous, that he dropped a plate. "Never mind, they don't belong to us," said Johnny.

这顿晚饭有八道菜，虽说每样都不多，却做得着实讲究。这些菜 蒂米·威利一样也不认得，本来他多少有些不敢下口，只是他实 在饿坏了，又一心想在客人面前表现得体，才勉强吃了下去。楼 上不断传来的喧闹声，弄得他心神不宁，一不留神打碎了一只 盘子。“没关系，那不是我们的，”约翰尼说道。

"Why don't those youngsters come back with the dessert?" It should be explained that two young mice, who were waiting on the others, went skirmishing upstairs to the kitchen between courses. Several times they had come tumbling in, squeaking and laughing; Timmy Willie learnt with horror that they were being chased by the cat. His appetite failed, he felt faint. "Try some jelly?" said Johnny Town-mouse.

“怎么那些年轻的还不把甜点端回来？”这里得解释一下：有两 只年轻的老鼠负责伺候大家用餐，每上一道菜的间隙，他们便要 匆匆跑到楼上厨房里去。有好几次，他们连滚带爬地跑回来，边 跑边尖叫边笑，蒂米·威利这才心惊胆战地得知，他们是被那只猫 追赶着的。他一下子没了胃口，觉得头晕目眩。“尝点果冻吧？” 城里鼠约翰尼问道。

"No? Would you rather go to bed? I will show you a most comfortable sofa pillow."

“不想吃？那你是不是想去睡了？我带你去看一个最舒服的沙发 垫子。”

The sofa pillow had a hole in it. Johnny Town-mouse quite honestly recommended it as the best bed, kept exclusively for visitors. But the sofa smelt of cat. Timmy Willie preferred to spend a miserable night under the fender.

那沙发垫子上有个洞。城里鼠约翰尼确实是一片好意，把它推荐 为最好的床铺，说这是专门留给客人的。可那沙发上有一股猫的 气味。蒂米·威利宁愿到炉栏底下去凄凄惨惨地熬过一夜。

It was just the same next day. An excellent breakfast was provided—for mice accustomed to eat bacon; but Timmy Willie had been reared on roots and salad. Johnny Town-mouse and his friends racketted about under the floors, and came boldly out all over the house in the evening. One particularly loud crash had been caused by Sarah tumbling downstairs with the tea-tray; there were crumbs and sugar and smears of jam to be collected, in spite of the cat.

第二天也是一样。早餐十分丰盛——不过是给那些吃惯了培根的 老鼠准备的，蒂米·威利却是吃惯了根茎和沙拉长大的。城里鼠 约翰尼和他的朋友们白天在地板底下嬉闹一番，到了晚上便大摇 大摆地跑到屋子各处去。有一次特别响的一声巨响，是莎拉端着 茶盘从楼梯上摔了下来闹出来的；地上撒了面包屑、糖和果酱的 污渍，尽管有猫盯着，他们还是收集了不少。

Timmy Willie longed to be at home in his peaceful nest in a sunny bank. The food disagreed with him; the noise prevented him from sleeping. In a few days he grew so thin that Johnny Town-mouse noticed it, and questioned him. He listened to Timmy Willie's story and inquired about the garden. "It sounds rather a dull place? What do you do when it rains?"

蒂米·威利十分想念家里那个阳光照耀的河岸边、安安静静的窝。 这里的食物让他消化不良，喧闹声也让他没法入睡。没过几天， 他就瘦得厉害，城里鼠约翰尼都注意到了，便问起他来。约翰尼 听了蒂米·威利的讲述，又问起那座花园的事。“听起来是个挺 乏味的地方吧？下雨的时候你都做些什么？”

"When it rains, I sit in my little sandy burrow and shell corn and seeds from my Autumn store. I peep out at the throstles and blackbirds on the lawn, and my friend Cock Robin. And when the sun comes out again, you should see my garden and the flowers—roses and pinks and pansies—no noise except the birds and bees, and the lambs in the meadows."

“下雨的时候，我就坐在我那个小小的沙土洞穴里，剥着秋天存 下的玉米和种子。我会往外瞧瞧草坪上的画眉和乌鸀，还有我的 朋友知更鸟公公。等太阳一出来，你真该看看我那座花园和满园 的花——玫瑰呀，石竹呀，三色堇呀——除了鸟鸣蜂唱，还有草 地上羊羔的叫声，再没有别的声响了。”

"There goes that cat again!" exclaimed Johnny Town-mouse. When they had taken refuge in the coal-cellar he resumed the conversation; "I confess I am a little disappointed; we have endeavoured to entertain you, Timothy William."

“那猫又来了！”城里鼠约翰尼喊道。等他们躲进煤窖之后，他 才接着说下去：“我得承认，我有点失望，我们已经尽力想让你 过得开心了，蒂莫西·威廉。”

"Oh yes, yes, you have been most kind; but I do feel so ill," said Timmy Willie.

“哦，是的，是的，你们真是太好了，只是我实在觉得不太舒服，” 蒂米·威利说道。

"It may be that your teeth and digestion are unaccustomed to our food; perhaps it might be wiser for you to return in the hamper."

“也许是你的牙齿和肠胃还不习惯我们这儿的食物，也许你还是 坐提篮回去比较明智。”

"Oh? Oh!" cried Timmy Willie.

“哦？哦！”蒂米·威利喊道。

"Why of course for the matter of that we could have sent you back last week," said Johnny rather huffily—"did you not know that the hamper goes back empty on Saturdays?"

“说到这个，其实我们上星期就能把你送回去了，”约翰尼有些 不高兴地说道，“你难道不知道，提篮每逢星期六都会空着送 回去吗？”

So Timmy Willie said good-bye to his new friends, and hid in the hamper with a crumb of cake and a withered cabbage leaf; and after much jolting, he was set down safely in his own garden.

于是蒂米·威利便向他的新朋友们道了别，揣着一小块蛋糕屑和 一片干瘪的卷心菜叶，躲进了提篮里；经过一路颠簸之后，他终 于平平安安地被放回了自己的花园。

Sometimes on Saturdays he went to look at the hamper lying by the gate, but he knew better than to get in again. And nobody got out, though Johnny Town-mouse had half promised a visit.

有时到了星期六，他还会去看看放在门口的那只提篮，可他知道 自己再也不会傻乎乎地钻进去了。也一直没有谁从里面出来，尽 管城里鼠约翰尼曾经半承诺过要来拜访他。

The winter passed; the sun came out again; Timmy Willie sat by his burrow warming his little fur coat and sniffing the smell of violets and spring grass. He had nearly forgotten his visit to town. When up the sandy path all spick and span with a brown leather bag came Johnny Town-mouse!

冬天过去了，太阳又出来了；蒂米·威利坐在自己洞穴旁边，晒 着他那身小小的皮毛外衣，嗅着紫罗兰和春草的气息。他几乎已 经忘了自己那次进城的经历。就在这时，一只收拾得整整齐齐、 提着棕色皮包的城里鼠约翰尼，顺着沙土小路走了上来！

Timmy Willie received him with open arms. "You have come at the best of all the year, we will have herb pudding and sit in the sun."

蒂米·威利张开双臂欢迎他。“你来得正是一年当中最好的时候， 我们要做草本布丁，一起坐在太阳底下晒晒太阳。”

"H'm'm! it is a little damp," said Johnny Town-mouse, who was carrying his tail under his arm, out of the mud.

“唔唔！这儿有点潮，”城里鼠约翰尼说道，他把尾巴夹在胳膊 底下，免得沾上泥。

"What is that fearful noise?" he started violently.

“那是什么可怕的声音？”他猛地一惊。

"That?" said Timmy Willie, "that is only a cow; I will beg a little milk, they are quite harmless, unless they happen to lie down upon you. How are all our friends?"

“那个呀？”蒂米·威利说道，“那不过是头母牛罢了，我去讨 点牛奶来，它们其实一点也不凶，除非它们凑巧躺到你身上。我 们的朋友们都还好吗？”

Johnny's account was rather middling. He explained why he was paying his visit so early in the season; the family had gone to the sea-side for Easter; the cook was doing spring cleaning, on board wages, with particular instructions to clear out the mice. There were four kittens, and the cat had killed the canary.

约翰尼说起来，日子过得不算太好。他解释了自己为什么这个 季节这么早就来拜访：主人一家去海边过复活节了，厨娘正忙着 春季大扫除，按日计薪地留了下来，还特意吩咐要把老鼠都清除 干净。家里养了四只小猫，那只猫还把金丝雀给咬死了。

"They say we did it; but I know better," said Johnny Town-mouse. "Whatever is that fearful racket?"

“他们都说是我们干的，可我心里清楚才不是呢，”城里鼠约翰 尼说道，“那到底又是什么可怕的响动？”

"That is only the lawn-mower; I will fetch some of the grass clippings presently to make your bed. I am sure you had better settle in the country, Johnny."

“那不过是割草机罢了，等一会儿我去捡些草屑来，给你铺个床。 约翰尼，我看你还是搬到乡下来定居吧。”

"H'm'm—we shall see by Tuesday week; the hamper is stopped while they are at the sea-side."

“唔唔——等到下下星期二再看看吧，主人一家去海边这段日子， 提篮的差事也停了。”

"I am sure you will never want to live in town again," said Timmy Willie.

“我敢说你再也不会想回城里住了，”蒂米·威利说道。

But he did. He went back in the very next hamper of vegetables; he said it was too quiet!!

可他还是回去了。他坐着下一趟运蔬菜的提篮就回去了，他说乡 下实在是太安静了！！

One place suits one person, another place suits another person. For my part I prefer to live in the country, like Timmy Willie.

一个地方适合这一个人，另一个地方适合那一个人。至于我自己， 我倒是更愿意像蒂米·威利那样，住在乡下。