1647年,贝弗利家的四个孩子——爱德华、汉弗莱、艾丽斯和小伊迪丝——正藏在新森林里。这时,英国国王被关在狱中,全国各地都在打仗——克伦威尔的人和国王的人打仗。而如果你是支持国王的,你可就极度危险了。 It is 1647 and the four Beverley children — Edward, Humphrey, Alice and little Edith — are in hiding in the New Forest. The King of England is in prison, and there is fighting everywhere in the country — Cromwell’s men against the King’s men. And if you are a friend of the King, you are in great danger. 孩子们的父亲为国王作战时牺牲了,他们的母亲也死了,克伦威尔的士兵烧了他们的家,他们没有钱,没有食物,什么都没有了。但是他们有个真正的朋友——老雅各布·阿米蒂奇。所以现在,在雅各布的帮助下,他们必须学会靠土地生活——学习在森林里猎食,学习种菜,学习喂猪养鸡。 The children’s father died while fighting for the King, their mother is dead, Cromwell’s soldiers have burnt their home, and they have no money, no food, nothing. But they have one true friend — old Jacob Armitage. So now, with Jacob to help them, they must learn to live off the land — to hunt for meat in the forest, to plant vegetables, to look after the pigs and chickens. 但是到处都是克伦威尔的人,孩子们必须学会永远不能说出他们是姓贝弗利…… But Cromwell’s men are everywhere, and the children must learn never to say that their name is Beverley...
字+字-页+页-字+字-页+页-
》
1
-
1647年11月的一天,雅各布·阿米蒂奇匆忙穿过新森林赶到安伍德大宅。
读书笔记
是否公开
1
-
One day in November 1647, Jacob Armitage hurried through the New Forest to the house of Arnwood.
The King has escaped from his prison at Hampton Court,’ Jacob explained. ’He’s riding south through the forest, and Cromwell’s soldiers are searching for him. And I’ve just heard a group of soldiers in the forest — they were talking about Arnwood. They know that your father was the King’s friend, and they’re planning to burn Arnwood tonight, because they think the King is hiding here.’
Burn Arnwood! They can’t do that! It’s my house, and I’m staying here!’ Edward said angrily. He was fourteen years old, the oldest of the four Beverley children.
The Beverley children lived alone at Arnwood, with an old woman who did the cooking and all the work of the house. Their father, Colonel Beverley, was killed while fighting for King Charles I at Naseby in 1645. Before he left home, he asked Jacob, a poor forester who lived near Arnwood, to look after his family. Jacob knew the family well and was happy to do this. And when the children’s mother died a few months later, Jacob came every day to visit the children and to help them.
My dear boy,’ Jacob said, ’remember your sisters and brother. The soldiers will shoot them, or burn them in the house. No, no, you must all come with me.’
In the end, Edward agreed. He and his brother Humphrey, who was twelve, packed their things. Then they put them on Jacob’s horse, White Billy, who was waiting outside.
Jacob told Alice, who was eleven, and Edith, who was eight, that they were going to visit his home in the forest. He did not tell them about the soldiers.
Edward, here is my key,’ said Jacob quietly. ’Lock the door of the house, and take my gun from the wall. Don’t leave your brother and sisters. I’ll help the cook to pack her things, and then I’ll follow you.’
The four children left the big house and went into the forest with White Billy. It was five o’clcok in the afternoon, and already dark. Jacob helped the cook, who hurried away to her family in Lymington, and then he hid in the trees near the house, and waited.
After a while he heard horses, and the Parliamentary soldiers arrived. Soon they were in the gardens and all round the house. A few minutes later Jacob saw black smoke going up into the sky; then he saw flames at the windows. Arnwood was burning!
It is done,’ thought Jacob, and he hurried away into the forest. In half an hour he arrived at his cottage. He looked back and saw the flames of Arnwood shooting higher and higher above the trees.
读书笔记
是否公开
14
-
他敲了敲门,爱德华打开门,和雅各布的大狗斯莫克尔一起走出来。
读书笔记
是否公开
14
-
When he knocked on his door, Edward opened it and came out with Smoker, Jacob’s big dog.
Edward slowly followed Jacob into the cottage. He hated Cromwell and the Parliamentary soldiers. First they killed his father, and now they burnt his house. He lay down on the bed, but he did not sleep.
Jacob lived alone because his wife was dead, and he had no children. His cottage had one large room for living and cooking, and three small bedrooms behind. Outside there were a few chickens and pigs in one field and some old fruit trees in another field.
The next morning Jacob began to teach the children how to cook and to clean the cottage. It was all new work to them, because rich children like the Beverleys never cooked or worked in the house.
You must stay inside today,’ Jacob told them, ’because the soldiers are still searching the forest. Let’s get some dinner ready. We can all help. Edward, will you go and get some water from the river?’
The children enjoyed cooking their first meal. They washed some potatoes and cut some meat and vegetables into pieces. Then they put them with some water in a pot on the fire. Little Edith put plates and knives on the table.
While the dinner was cooking, Edward stood outside the cottage, watching out for soldiers, and the other three made the cottage tidy. But just before dinner was ready, Edward ran back inside.
Jacob was silent for a minute. ’My dear children, those soldiers will search the cottage, and I don’t want them to see your rich clothes. You must go to bed and pretend to be ill. Edward, you can put on one of my old shirts.’
The younger children got into bed and hid their rich clothes. Edward put on Jacob’s old shirt and sat next to the bed with a cup of water for his sisters. Quickly, Jacob put away the plates and knives. Soon there was a knock on the door.
读书笔记
是否公开
28
-
“进来。”雅各布说。
读书笔记
是否公开
28
-
Come in,’ said Jacob.
读书笔记
是否公开
29
-
“你是谁,我的朋友?”其中一个士兵问道。
读书笔记
是否公开
29
-
Who are you, my firend?’ asked one of the soldiers.
读书笔记
是否公开
30
-
“一个贫穷的护林人,先生,”雅各布回答,“处境非常困难。我的孙子孙女们都在床上,病得很厉害。”
读书笔记
是否公开
30
-
A poor forester, sir,’ replied Jacob, ’in great trouble. My grandchildren are all in bed, very ill.’
读书笔记
是否公开
31
-
“我们必须搜查你的农舍寻找国王。”
读书笔记
是否公开
31
-
We must search your cottage for the King.’
读书笔记
是否公开
32
-
“好的——但是请别吓着孩子们。”
读书笔记
是否公开
32
-
Very well — but please don’t frighten the children.’
读书笔记
是否公开
33
-
那些人开始搜查农舍。伊迪丝看到他们的时候尖叫起来,但是爱德华告诉她不要害怕。
读书笔记
是否公开
33
-
The men began to search the cottage. Edith screamed when she saw them, but Edward told her not to be afraid.
读书笔记
是否公开
34
-
“这里没有,”其中一个士兵说,“我们走吧,我又累又饿。”
读书笔记
是否公开
34
-
There’s nothing here,’ one of the soldiers said. ’Let’s go. I’m tired and hungry.’
读书笔记
是否公开
35
-
“这里有什么东西闻起来很不错。”另一个士兵说。“这是什么?”他看着锅里问道。
读书笔记
是否公开
35
-
There’s something here that smells good,’ said another soldier. ’What is it?’ he asked, looking into the pot.
读书笔记
是否公开
36
-
“我一个星期的晚餐,”雅各布解释说,“我不能每天都生火,所以每星期做一次饭。”
读书笔记
是否公开
36
-
My dinner for a week,’ explained Jacob. ’I can’t light a fire every day, so I cook once a week.’
Well, it looks good, so we’ll try some,’ the soldiers said. And they put the pot on the table, sat down, and ate everything. Then they thanked Jacob and rode away.
读书笔记
是否公开
38
-
雅各布把孩子们叫起来。“士兵们已经走了。”他说。
读书笔记
是否公开
38
-
Jacob called the children and told them to get up. ’The soldiers have gone,’ he said.
读书笔记
是否公开
39
-
“我们的晚餐也没了。”汉弗莱看着那些脏盘子和空空的锅说道。
读书笔记
是否公开
39
-
And our dinners have gone too,’ said Humphrey, looking at the dirty plates and the empty pot.
读书笔记
是否公开
40
-
“坏人们吃了我们的晚餐。”伊迪丝说。
读书笔记
是否公开
40
-
Bad men ate our dinner,’ said Edith.
读书笔记
是否公开
41
-
“我们可以再做一顿,”雅各布说,“我们都饿了,但是如果每个人都帮忙,晚餐很快就会做好的。”
读书笔记
是否公开
41
-
We can cook another,’ said Jacob. ’We’re all hungry, but if everyone helps, the dinner will soon be ready.’
After dinner, Jacob told the children that their lives must change. ’The King’s enemies think that you are dead, burned in Arnwood. But you are still in danger, and so you must stay here with me and pretend to be my grandchildren. You are children of the New Forest now.’