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...
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当爱德华回到农舍时,汉弗莱出来迎接他,他一脸忧伤。
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When Edward arrived back at the cottage, Humphrey came out to meet him, and his face was unhappy.
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“唉,爱德华,雅各布病得很厉害。女孩们现在正陪着他。我们觉得他快要死了。”
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Oh Edward, Jacob is very ill. The girls are with him now. We think he’s dying.’
Edward hurried inside, and the four children stayed by Jacob’s bedside all that day. In the evening Jacob spoke to them all very lovingly, one by one. Those were his last words, and a little later, he died.
The children cried for a long time because they dearly loved the good old man. The next morning they buried him under an oak tree behind the cottage, and they planted wild flowers above his body.
We have lost a good friend,’ said Edward. ’He saved us from the flames of Arnwood and he has looked after us since then, in his cottage. We must now look after ourselves, and try to be happy together.’
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六个星期过去了,这时奥斯瓦尔德·帕特里奇来拜访他们了。“那位老伙计怎么样了?”他一来就问道。
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Six weeks went by, and then OswaldPartridge came to visit them. ’How is the old man?’ was his first question.
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“我们六个星期前埋葬了他。”爱德华回答。
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We buried him six weeks ago,’ replied Edward.
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“这让我很难过,”这个护林人说,“他是个好人。那你的胳膊怎么样了?”
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I’m sorry to hear it, ’ said the forester. ’He was a good man. And how is your arm?’
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“差不多好了,”爱德华说,“现在,坐下吧,奥斯瓦尔德。告诉我,你为什么没有更早一点儿来看我们?”
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Nearly well,’ said Edward. ’Now, sit down, Oswald. Tell me, why didn’t you visit us sooner?’
In a word — murder. These terrible Roundheads have killed the King. A few days after the fire, Mr Hetherstone went to London. He told me to stay near his cottage to look after his daughter. In London he tried to stop the murder, but Cromwell and his men didn’t listen to him. He came home yesterday, and told us all about it.’
The King murdered !’ cried Edward. ’How can they murder a King? Well, the time will come. If I cannot fight for the King, one day I shall fight against his murderers.’
Oswald stayed to eat dinner at the cottage, and was very friendly with them all. He stayed the night and the next day Edward decided to tell him their secret.
Colonel Beverley’s children?’ said Oswald. ’Well, this is happy news! And it’s true, Edward, that you don’t look like a forester’s son. Mr Hetherstone thinks that too. He has asked me lots of questions about you, and he says that he will visit you himself to thank you for saving his daughter’s life. But I’ll keep your secret, and I shall be happy to help the Colonel’s children.’
Then can you tell me how much to pay for oatmeal and salt?’ said Edward. ’And who will buy deer meat and pay well for it? You see,’ he went on, ’now that Jacob is dead, I must go to Lymington myself to do these things.’
Oswald told him the names of men who would buy deer meat — and ask no questions. ’But be careful, Edward. Mr Hetherstone would like to help you because you saved his daughter’s life, but he cannot save you from the soldiers if they catch you killing the forest deer.’
During that summer Edward and Humphrey went hunting together when they needed meat. They kept a careful watch for strangers, but they knew the forest well now and could move as silently and as cleverly as the deer. Humphrey’s farm was getting bigger all the time. With the vegetable gardens, and the chickens and cows and pigs, it was hard work for them all, but the children never went hungry — thanks to Jacob Armitage’s teaching.
One day Humphrey was out in the forest, getting food for the pigs, and he found a Spanish gipsy boy lying on the ground. The boy was nearly dead from hunger and thirst, and Humphrey carried him back to the cottage. Alice and Edith looked after him, and when he was well again, they asked him to stay and work on the farm.
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男孩叫帕布洛,大概15岁了。他的英语不太好,没有朋友,也没有家人。他很高兴能留在农舍。
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The boy’s name was Pablo and he was about fifteen years old. His English was not very good, and he had no friends, no family. He was happy to stay at the cottage.
Lost in the forest. No food, no water. Nearly dead,’ he explained. ’You save my life. Happy to work for you. Happy to have food and bed. Happy to have new friends.’
It was nearly winter when Mr Hetherstone, with his daughter Patience, came to the cottage. At first Alice and Edith were afraid when they saw his tall hat, but he spoke kindly to them all. And Patience took Edward’s hand and thanked him again and again for saving her life.
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然后赫瑟斯顿先生对爱德华说:“你从火中救了我唯一的孩子,爱德华·阿米蒂奇,我感谢你。”
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Then Mr Hetherstone spoke to Edward. ’You saved my only child from the fire, Edward Armitage, and I thank you.’
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“赫瑟斯顿先生,我不理解您,”爱德华说,“您是个好人——但您却是克伦威尔一边的,是他杀害了国王!”
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Mr Hetherstone, I cannot understand you,’ Edward said. ’You are a good man — but you are a friend of Cromwell, who has murdered the King!’
Edward, you are young and you can’t remember the troubles in England because of King Charles. He never listened to Parliament, he did only what he wanted, and the people were very angry. They fought because they wanted to be free. But now Cromwell and his friends will listen to nobody. They have murdered the King, and they are worse than he ever was. One day the people of England will be free again. But for now we can’t speak of these things openly — it’s too dangerous.’
Thank you, sir,’ said Edward quietly. ’I understand you better now. I’ll try to be careful, because I want to fight against Cromwell when the time is right.’
Mr Hetherstone looked kindly at Edward. ’Now, I want to help you. You know that you were born for better things than a forester’s life. I would like you to be my secretary and live at my house. I will pay you and you can help your family. Don’t answer me now. Talk to your brother about it first.’
Alice and Edith made dinner, and they all ate together. Patience enjoyed the farm very much, and she liked Alice and Edith. ’We shall all be firends,’ she said when they said goodbye. And she smiled her beautiful smile.
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随后,爱德华和汉弗莱谈了这件事。“我该怎么办呢?我想成为一名士兵,而不是秘书。”他说。
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Later, Edward talked to Humphrey. ’What shall I do? I want to be a soldier, not a secretary,’ he said.
You’re too young,’ said Humphrey. ’I like working on the farm, and now I have Pablo to help me. I know that you want to get out into the world, but for now you must take this job. Mr Hetherstone will be a good friend to us all.’
So Edward bought a black suit and a tall hat, kissed his sisters goodbye, and went to live in Mr Hetherstone’s cottage. Every morning he wrote letters for Mr Hetherstone, and every afternoon he spent time with his daughter. He began to like Patience very much. Every week he rode across the forest to see his family. Sometimes Patience went with him, to visit Alice and Edith.
And so a year and more went by. The next winter there was a lot of snow and travelling was difficult. But in the world outside, things were happening, and news came to Mr Hetherstone in the spring.
The King’s son has arrived in Scotland and is now King Charles Ⅱ,’ he told Edward. ’He’s coming south with his army to England, and I think the time is right for you to ride north and meet him. I’ll give you letters to some friends who will help you.’
And so the next morning Edward said goodbye to Patience and kissed her hand. She cried to see him go. Then, with his father’s sword by his side, Edward rode away on Mr Hetherstone’s black horse, to fight for the King at last.