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Gabriel Ernest
加布里埃尔·欧内斯特
Cunningham had spent an agreeable week in the country with his friend Van Cheele.
坎宁安和朋友范·切尔在乡下过了愉快的一周。
Now Van Cheele was driving his guest back to the station.
现在范·切尔正开车送客人去车站。
Cunningham was unusually quiet on the journey，
路上坎宁安与往常不一样，非常安静，
but Van Cheele talked all the time，
但是范·切尔一直说个不停，
so he did not notice his friend's silence.
所以没注意到朋友的沉默。
Suddenly Cunningham spoke.
坎宁安突然说，
'There is a wild animal in your woods，' he said.
"你家的小树林里有一只野兽。"
'A wild animal？ A few rabbits， perhaps.
"一只野兽？一些兔子还有可能，
Nothing very terrible， surely，' said Van Cheele.
肯定没有什么太可怕的，"范·切尔说。
Cunningham said nothing.
坎宁安一句话没说。
' What did you mean about a wild animal？' asked Van Cheele later， at the station.
"你说一只野兽是什么意思？"范·切尔后来在车站问。
'Nothing. It was my imagination. Here is the train，'said Cunningham.
"没什么，是我的幻觉，火车来了，"坎宁安说。
That afternoon Van Cheele went for a walk through his woods.
那天下午范·切尔去林子里散步。
He knew a little about plants and animals，
他对植物和动物略知一二，
and he enjoyed walking through the woods around his house and looking at the birds and flowers there.
因此喜欢走路穿过他家房子周围的树林，观赏那儿的花鸟。
He also enjoyed telling everyone about them afterwards.
事后他也喜欢向每个人讲述。
Of course，he never saw anything very surprising--until that afternoon.
当然他从没看见过令人非常惊奇的东西--直到那天下午。
During his walk Van Cheele came to a deep pool under some tall trees.
范·切尔走到高树下的一个深水塘旁。
He knew it well： after all， it was his pool.
他对这个水塘非常熟悉：毕竟这是他的。
But today， he saw a boy of about sixteen lying on a large rock beside the pool.
但是今天，他看见一个大约十六岁的男孩正躺在水塘边的大石头上。
The boy was drying his wet， naked brown body in the sun.
他正在太阳下晒自己潮湿、裸露的棕色身体。
His hair was wet too， and he had long， golden，wolfish eyes.
他的头发也是湿的，他长着一双金黄色、狼一样的长眼睛。
He turned those eyes towards Van Cheele with a look of lazy watchfulness.
他眨着那双眼，用懒洋洋的警惕神情看着范·切尔。
Van Cheele was surprised to see the boy.
范·切尔见到男孩很吃惊。
Where does this wild－looking boy come from？ He thought.
这个相貌野性的男孩从哪儿来？他想。
Can he be the miller's son？ He disappeared two months ago.
是磨坊主的儿子吗？他两个月前失踪了。
People say he fell into the river.
人们说他掉进了河里，
It's a fast-running river， and nobody ever found his body.
是湍急的河，没人找到他的尸体。
I wonder？ But the miller's boy was only a young child…
我想，会不会是他？可是磨坊主的儿子还只是一个小孩……
'What are you doing here？asked Van Cheele.
"你在这儿做什么？"范·切尔问。
'Enjoying the sunshine， of course，' said the boy.
"当然是享受阳光，"男孩说。
'Where do you live？'
"你住在哪儿？"
'Here， in these woods.
"在这儿，在这些树林里。"
'You can't live in these woods. ' said Van Cheele.
"你不可能住在树林里，"范·切尔说。
'They are very nice woods，' said the boy politely.
"树林里挺不错的，"男孩礼貌地说。
'But where do you sleep at night？'
"可是你晚上在哪儿睡觉？"
'I don't sleep at night.
"我晚上不睡觉，
That's my busiest time.
那是我最忙的时候。"
Van Cheele began to feel cross.
范·切尔有点生气了。
What did the boy mean？
这个男孩说的是什么意思？
'What do you eat？ he asked.
"你吃什么？"他问。
'Meat，' said the boy.
"吃肉，"男孩说，
He opened his mouth， showing very white teeth.
他张开嘴，露出雪白的牙齿。
'Meat？What kind of meat？
"肉？什么肉？"
'Well， if you must know， I eat rabbits， wild birds，chickens from the farm and young sheep from the hills.
"哎，如果你一定要知道的话，我吃兔子、野鸟、农场的鸡和山上的小羊。
I like children when I can find them.
如果能找到，我喜欢小孩，
But they 're usually too well locked in at night.
可是小孩在晚上总是被锁在家里。
It's two months since I tasted child meat.
我有两个月没有吃小孩肉了。"
