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...
And so the summer went by, and every day was busier than the one before. Humphrey caught two more calves, and they now had more pigs and chickens. Jacob took some of the new young chickens to Lymington to sell, and bought salt and oatmeal, pots for the kitchen, and a gun for Humphrey.
King Charles was still in prison, and Cromwell’s men went on killing their enemies and stealing the houses and land of the King’s friends. Edward could not forget that he was a Beverley of Arnwood, and was often angry.
If you do that, Cromwell’s men will put you in prison,’ Humphrey said. ’I know how you feel, Edward, but for now. you must stay here with us. What will happen to our sisters if you leave? I can’t do all the work, and poor Jacob is getting old and tired.’
It was true. Jacob was nearly seventy-six years old and no longer strong. That winter he was often ill and could not leave the cottage. Edward did most of the hunting. He was now very good at it, and knew the forest well.
A puppy will learn most easily,’ said Jacob. ’OswaldPartridge, a forester who lives on the other side of the forest, always has puppies, and he will give us one. But Edward, you must go. I cannot ride that far. Tell Oswald that you are my grandson. He’ll be a good friend to you. But remember, your name is Armitage!’
The next morning Edward rode White Billy across the forest. He was happy to go out into the world again, but he knew he must be careful. After two hours he arrived at some cottages and knocked on the first door. A girl aged about fourteen opened the door, and told him that OswaldPartridge was out in the forest.
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“那么我得等他了,”爱德华说,“我来是为了替我爷爷雅各布·阿米蒂奇向他要一只小狗。”
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I must wait for him, then,’ said Edward. ’I’ve come to ask him for a puppy for my grandfather, Jacob Armitage.’
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“等一会儿。”那个女孩说。她走进屋去又走回来。“你得来跟我父亲说。”
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Wait a minute,’ the girl said. She went inside, and then came back. ’You must come and speak to my father.’
Edward followed the girl inside. The man sitting at a table was dressed like one of Cromwell’s men. His tall hat lay on a chair with his sword underneath it. The girl sat down by the fire, and the man went on reading a letter. He did not look at Edward for two or three minutes.
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爱德华感到气愤。但是他只是一个毫不重要的穷护林人,他记得这一点。所以他什么也没说,只是等着。
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Edward felt angry. But he was just a poor, unimportantforester, he remembered. So he said nothing, and waited.
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“你有什么事情,年轻人?”那个男人终于开口了。
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What’s your business, young man?’ the man said at last.
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“先生,我是来找奥斯瓦尔德·帕特里奇的,为我爷爷雅各布·阿米蒂奇向他要只小狗。”
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I came, sir, to see OswaldPartridge about a puppy for my grandfather, Jacob Armitage.’
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“阿米蒂奇!”男人看了看桌上的一些文件。“哦,一个护林人。他为什么没来见我?”
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Armitage!’ The man looked at some papers on the table. ’Yes, one of the foresters. Why hasn’t he visited me?’
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“为什么他必须来见您,先生?”
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Why must he see you, sir?’
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“因为克伦威尔把新森林给了我,让我替议会照管。我叫赫瑟斯顿,现在所有的护林人都为我工作。”
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Because Cromwell has given the New Forest to me, to look after for Parliament. My name is Hetherstone, and all the foresters now work for me.’
My grandfather has not heard this, sir,’ said Edward. ’The New Forest belongs to the King, and my grandfather is one of the King’s foresters. But he has a cottage and a farm which belong to him, and not the King.’
Yes, I know about Jacob Armitage. And I know that he was Colonel Beverley’s friend. The Colonel was a brave man, it’s true, but he fought for the King and so was an enemy of Parliament. Tell me, were you a friend of the Beverley family?’
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“我小时候和贝弗利家的孩子一起住在安伍德。”
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When I was a child, I lived at Arnwood with the Beverley children.’
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“那么士兵们烧安伍德的时候,你在哪儿呢?”
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And where were you when the soldiers burned Arnwood?’
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“我在爷爷的农舍里。”爱德华回答,他的眼神由于愤怒而疯狂。
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I was at my grandfather’s cottage,’ replied Edward, his eyes wild with anger.
I can understand why you feel angry about that.’ Mr Hetherstone shook his head slowly. ’Those soldiers did a terrible, terrible thing, ’he said quietly. Then he looked up at Edward again. ’But you must understand, young man, that your grandfather can no longer work as a forester. I cannot give work to people who are friends of the King. The forest deer now belong to Cromwell, and if you shoot any deer, you will go to prison for it.’
Sir,’ Edward said quietly, ’the King himself is in prison and so he cannot pay his foresters. If they kill the deer, it is because they must have food to eat. I am sure the King will understand that his people must live.’
Well, well, those are brave words. But you will still go to prison if we catch you. Now, you can go to the kitchen and wait for Oswald.’ Mr Hetherstone turned to his daughter. ’Patience, give Armitage something to eat.’
Edward went out and took White Billy to the stables behind the cottage, then followed Patience to the kitchen. ’I came here for a puppy,’ he thought, ’and I have found a Roundhead — who sends a Beverley of Arnwood to eat in the kitchen! But he is sorry about the burning of Arnwood, so I don’t hate him.’
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佩兴斯把食物放到桌上。爱德华谢过她,坐下吃起来。佩兴斯笑了,爱德华发现她是个漂亮的姑娘。
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Patience put food on the table. Edward thanked her and sat down to eat. Patience smiled, and Edward saw that she was a beautiful girl.
Later, he met OswaldPartridge and saw his dogs. Oswald was very surprised to see him. ’I never knew Jacob had a grandson,’ he said. ’I never knew he had a son! Are you on the King’s side, like Jacob?’
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“至死效忠国王,”爱德华回答道,“只等时机到来。”
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To the death, ’ replied Edward, ’when the time comes.’
Ah, then you can have one of my puppies,’ Oswald said. He told Edward a bit about Mr Hetherstone. ’He’s one of Cromwell’s good friends, they say, but he’s not a bad man. There are some much worse than him. I’ve kept my job, but many haven’t. We must all be careful these days.’
It was now late, so Edward stayed the night in a room above the stables. There was no bed and no door, and Edward could not sleep because he was so cold. Soon he got up and began to walk around outside, to get warm.
There was a light upstairs at one of the windows of the Hetherstones, cottage, which was strangely bright. Edward watched it. He saw someone moving in the room, and suddenly he saw flames. The room was burning!
Fire! Fire!’ he shouted. He ran back to the stables and found a ladder. Then he quickly climbed up it to the window, broke the glass, and got into the room. There was smoke everywhere, and he fell over a body on the floor. Quickly, he lifted the body and moved back to the window. The flames were now running along the floor, getting higher and higher. With the body in his arms, he got out onto the ladder, but the flames caught his shirt, burning his arm. He climbed down and carried the body into the stables. There he saw that it was Patience Hetherstone.
Edward ran outside again, and saw that other people were coming with buckets of water. There was a lot of shouting, and Edward was soon up the ladder again while others carried buckets of water up to him.
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在下面的人群里,赫瑟斯顿先生正试图接近梯子。“救救她!”他喊道,“我女儿在那上面!她会被烧死的!”
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In the crowd below, Mr Hetherstone was trying to get near the ladder. ’Save her!’ he cried. ’My daughter’s up there! She’ll burn to death!’
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爱德华在梯子上面,没听到他的叫喊,但是有个声音从人群中传来:“在安伍德烧死了四个。”
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At the top of the ladder, Edward did not hear his cries, but a voice came from the crowd:’There were four burned at Arnwood.’
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赫瑟斯顿先生跌倒在地,脸色苍白,一些人把他扶进了另一间农舍里。
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Mr Hetherstone fell down, his face white, and some men carried him into another cottage.
At last the fire was put out, and Edward came down the ladder. He called Oswald and they went to the stables. Patience was still lying on the floor, but her eyes were now open. She was alive!
They gave her some water and carried her to Oswald’s cottage. Then Edward said quietly to Oswald, ’I shall ride home now at once. Come and visit Jacob soon if you can. He’s not been well all this winter.’
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“但是赫瑟斯顿先生会想谢谢你救了他的女儿的。”奥斯瓦尔德说。
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But Mr Hetherstone will want to thank you for saving his daughter’s life,’ said Oswald.
I don’t want Mr Hetherstone’s thanks. I want nothing from the King’s enemy,’ said Edward. He rode home with Humphrey’s puppy inside his coat. His arm was badly burned, and it was a long time before it was better.