安德鲁、简、牧师和狐狸
It all happened because Andrew Satchel liked his drink too much. Jane Vallens, his bride, was some years older than him, and was in a great hurry to get married. Andrew agreed to marry her because of the baby, but he didn't really want to get married, and Jane, poor thing, was afraid of losing him. She was very anxious to get him to church as soon as possible.
这一切都是因为安德鲁·撒切尔太好酒。他的新娘简·瓦伦斯比他大几岁，急着结婚。安德鲁是因为没出生的孩子，才不得不答应结婚的，其实他根本不想讨老婆，而可怜的简很害怕失去他。她一心想着赶快把他弄进教堂。
So she was very happy, early on a fine November morning, when she and Andrew walked to the church just outside her village. Andrew's brother and sister went with them, to be their witnesses. After the wedding Andrew and Jane planned to go down to Port Bredy and spend the day there, as a little holiday.
所以，在一个天气很好的11月的早上，当她和安德鲁一起走向村外的教堂时，她非常开心。安德鲁的哥哥和姐姐跟他们一起去，为他们当见证人。婚礼之后，安德鲁和简打算去布莱迪港待上一天，算是次小小的度假。
When Andrew left Longpuddle that morning, to walk to his bride's village, people said that he was walking all over the road, first one side, then the other. The night before, you see, he was at his neighbour's house, for a party to welcome a new baby. It was a good party, and Andrew had no sleep, and a lot of strong drink.
那天早上，安德鲁离开长池村往新娘的村子走的时候，人们说他在路上晃晃悠悠的，一会儿走在路这边，一会儿又晃到路那边。你知道，前一天晚上，他在邻居家里参加了一个新生儿的庆祝会。那真是个不错的聚会，安德鲁一夜没睡，而且灌了不少烈酒。
He got to the church with Jane, they walked inside, and the parson looked at Andrew very hard.
他和简一起来到教堂，走了进去，被牧师狠狠地瞪了一眼。
'What's this? You're drunk, my man! And so early in the morning, too! That's disgraceful!'
“怎么回事?你喝醉了，伙计!而且是在一大早!这真丢人!”
'Well, that's true, sir,' said Andrew. 'But I can stand, and I can walk. Better than a lot of people. You couldn't stand and walk after a party at Tom Forrest's house, could you, Parson? No, you couldn't!'
“哦，没错，先生，”安德鲁说，“但我还能好好地站着，也能走路。我比好多人都强多了。你从汤姆·弗罗斯特家的聚会里出来肯定既站不住也走不了，你能吗，牧师?不，你不能!”
This answer didn't please Parson Billy Toogood a bit. He was strong on church business inside the church, but he was very different outside the church, I can tell you.
比利·图古德牧师可一点儿也不喜欢这回答。他觉得在教堂里就应该有在教堂的样子，不过我可以告诉你，他在别的地方可根本不管那套。
'I cannot marry you when you are drunk, and I will not!' he said. 'Go home and get sober!'
“我不能在你醉醺醺的时候给你们举行婚礼，我绝不会那样做!”他说，“回家去清醒一下吧!”
Then the bride began to cry. 'Oh Parson, please marry us, please!'
这时，新娘哭了起来：“哦，牧师，请给我们举行婚礼吧，求你了!”
'No, I won't,' said Mr Toogood. 'I won't marry you to a man who is drunk. It's not right. I'm sorry for you, young woman, because I can see that you need to get married, but you must go home. How could you bring him here drunk like this?'
“不，我不会那样做，”图古德先生说，“我不会主持婚礼让你嫁个醉鬼。那是不对的。我为你感到难过，姑娘，我看得出你很需要这场婚礼，但你们必须回家去。他醉成这样，你怎么能把他带到这儿来?”
'But if he doesn't come drunk, he won't come at all, sir!' said Jane, still crying hard.
“可是如果他没喝醉的话，他根本就不会来的，先生!”简说着，哭得更厉害了。
But Parson Toogood still said no.
可是图古德牧师还是不肯点头。
'Well, sir,' said Jane, 'please will you go home and leave us here for two hours? When you come back, Andrew will be sober. But I want to stay here, because if Andrew goes out of this church unmarried, wild horses won't get him back here again!'
“好吧，先生，”简说，“你能先回家去，把我们留在这儿待两个小时吗?等你回来，安德鲁就清醒了。我想待在这里，因为如果安德鲁出了教堂却没结婚的话，就算九匹马也没法把他再拉回来了!”
'Very well,' said Parson Toogood. 'I'll give you two hours, and then I'll come back.'
“好吧，”图古德牧师说，“我就给你们两个小时，到时候我再回来。”
Andrew's brother and sister didn't want to wait all that time, so the church clerk sent them home. 'We'll find some other people to be witnesses,' he said.
安德鲁的哥哥和姐姐不想等那么久，于是教堂执事就让他们回家了。“我们会找些别的人来当见证人的。”他说。
Then the bride whispered in the parson's ear. 'Please, sir, will you lock the door — and not tell anyone we are here? And perhaps it will be better if you put us in the church tower. If we stay here in the church, people can look in the windows and see us and talk about it. And perhaps Andrew will try to get out and leave me!'
这时，新娘凑到牧师耳边小声说：“先生，你能把门锁上——而且别告诉任何人我们在这儿吗?或许你把我们锁在教堂塔楼上更好。如果我们就这么待在教堂里，人们会从窗子看到我们，然后说闲话的。而且安德鲁也可能会想溜出去，把我抛下!”
'All right,' said the parson. 'We'll lock you in.'
“好吧，”牧师说，“我们就把你们锁在塔楼上好了。”
Then he and the church clerk went home, the parson into his house, and the clerk into the garden. The clerk worked for the parson, you see — in the garden, taking care of his horses, and that kind of thing. And both of them, parson and clerk, dearly loved following the hunt.
一切办好之后，他和教堂执事就回家了。牧师回到自己的房子，教堂执事则进了花园。你知道，教堂执事是给牧师干活儿的——帮他照顾花园和马匹，还有类似的活计。而且牧师和教堂执事都特别喜欢跟狩猎旅行的队伍凑热闹。
Well, on that day the hunt was meeting near the parson's village, and soon both the parson and the clerk could hear the noise of the horses, and the dogs, and everything. The clerk hurried into the house.
哎呀，那天正好有一群参加狩猎旅行的人在牧师的村子旁边会合，不一会儿牧师和教堂执事就听到马蹄声和猎狗的叫声，还有熙熙攘攘的人声。教堂执事赶忙冲进了屋子。
'Sir,' he said. 'The hunt's here, and your horses need a run very badly, sir. They haven't been out for days!'
“先生，”他说，“参加狩猎旅行的人到这里了，你的马也实在该好好遛一下了，先生。它们已经几天没出门了!”
'You're right,' said Parson Toogood. 'Yes, the horses must go out. Go and get them ready! We'll take them out, just for an hour, and then come back.'
“你说得对，”图古德先生说，“没错，马是得出去遛遛了。去准备好马!我们带它们出去，就一个小时，然后就回来。”
So the clerk got the horses ready, and he and the parson rode off to find the hunt. When they got there, the parson found a lot of friends, and soon they were all talking and laughing together. Then the dogs found a fox, and away they all went — the huntsmen in their red coats, the squire from the big house with his friends, the farmers and their sons, and the parson and the clerk.
于是教堂执事把马备好，和牧师一起骑马去寻找狩猎旅行的队伍。他们到了那里，牧师见到了不少朋友，大家立刻热热闹闹地说笑起来。这时，猎狗发现了一只狐狸，所有人都赶了过去——穿红上衣的猎人，大宅里的乡绅和他的朋友们，农夫们和他们的儿子，还有牧师和教堂执事。
He was a great hunting man, was Parson Toogood. He forgot all about the unmarried man and woman locked in his church tower, and so did the clerk.
图古德牧师是个相当不错的猎人。他和教堂执事很快就把锁在教堂塔楼上还没完成婚礼的那对男女忘得一干二净。
Across the fields they rode, over the hedges, through the rivers, in and out of woods, up and down the hills. It was a fine, exciting run that day, and the parson and the clerk enjoyed themselves very much. At one time the fox turned back, and ran right under the nose of Parson Toogood's horse.
他们骑马穿过田野，越过树篱，趟过小河，经过了一片片树林，翻过了一座座山丘。这一趟跑下来真是开怀又尽兴，牧师和教堂执事都玩得非常愉快。有一次，那只狐狸突然转头往回跑，就从图古德牧师的马前窜了过去。
'Halloo! Halloo!' shouted the parson. 'There he goes!' and away they all went again.
“喂!喂!”牧师喊起来，“它往那儿跑了!”于是一群人调头又追过去。
At last, late in the day, the hunt came to an end. The parson and the clerk were a long way from home, and their horses were tired. They rode home very slowly.
天色将晚，狩猎旅行终于结束了。牧师和教堂执事这时已经离家很远了，而且马也筋疲力尽了。他们只好慢慢地骑马往回走。
'Oh dear, my back does hurt!' said Parson Toogood.
“哦，天呐，我的背真疼!”图古德牧师说。
'I can't keep my eyes open,' said the clerk. 'I'm so tired!'
“我的眼睛都快睁不开了，”教堂执事说，“我好累啊!”
It was dark when they got home. They made the horses comfortable, ate something, and fell into bed themselves.
他们天黑才到家，把马匹安顿好，吃了点儿东西以后;就倒在床上睡了。
The next morning, when Parson Toogood was having breakfast, the clerk came running in through the door.
第二天早上，图古德牧师正在吃早饭，教堂执事慌慌张张地从门口跑进来。
'Oh sir!' he cried. 'Those two in the church tower — we forgot all about them! They'll still be there!'
“哦，先生!”他叫道，“教堂塔楼里那两个人——我们把他们全都忘了!他们肯定还在那儿呢!”
Parson Toogood jumped up from his chair. 'Oh dear!' he said. 'Oh dear, oh dear! This is disgraceful!'
图古德牧师一下子从椅子上跳了起来。“哦，天呐!”他说，“哦，天呐!哦，天呐!这太丢人了!”
'It is, sir; very. And that poor woman...'
“没错，先生，太丢人了。而且那可怜的女人……”
'Don't say it, clerk! If she's had the baby, and no doctor or nurse with her...Come on!'
“别说了，执事!如果她把孩子生了下来，而且又没有医生和护士在旁边……快来!”
So they both ran round to the church, looked up at the tower, and saw a little white face looking down at them. It was the bride.
他们匆匆忙忙地跑到教堂，朝塔楼上望去，看到一张苍白的小脸正向下看着他们，是那个新娘。
'They're still there,' said the parson. He turned his face away. 'Oh dear, oh dear! What am I going to say to them? Is she all right, clerk? Can you see?'
“他们还在那儿，”牧师说着把脸转到了一边，“哦，天呐!哦，天呐!我要怎么跟他们说啊?她还好吧，执事?你能看见吗?”
'I don't know, sir. I can't see lower than her neck.'
“我不知道，先生。我只能看见她脖子以上的部分。”
'Well, how does her face look?'
“那她的脸看起来怎么样?”
'White, sir. Very, very white.'
“很白，先生，苍白极了。”
'Well, we must go in and see them. Oh dear, oh dear! And my back still hurts from that ride yesterday!'
“好吧，我们必须进去看看他们。哦，天呐!哦，天呐!昨天骑马弄得我的背到现在还疼着呢!”
They went into the church and unlocked the tower door, and at once poor Jane and Andrew jumped out like hungry cats from a cupboard. Andrew was very sober now, and his bride was white in the face, but all right in other ways.
他们进了教堂，打开了塔楼的门锁。门一开，可怜的简和安德鲁就跳了出来，就像两只被关在碗橱里饿坏了的猫。安德鲁现在已经完全清醒了，而他的新娘除了脸色苍白，其他一切还好。
'Thank God for that!' said Parson Toogood. 'But why didn't you try to escape? Why didn't you shout from the top of the tower, to get help?'
“感谢上帝!”图古德牧师说，“可你们为什么不想办法出来呢?你们干吗不在塔顶上喊人来帮忙?”
'She didn't want me to,' said Andrew.
“她不想让我喊人来。”安德鲁说。
Jane began to cry again. 'It was the disgrace of it,' she said. 'We thought people would talk about it and laugh at us all our lives. So we waited and waited and waited — but you never came back, parson!'
简又开始哭了起来。“那样太丢人了，”她说，“我们觉得别人会说闲话，拿这当笑柄笑话我们一辈子，所以我们就一直等啊等——可你却没来，牧师!”
'Yes, I'm sorry about that,' said Parson Toogood. 'Very sorry. But now, let's get on with the wedding.'
“是的，我为这件事感到抱歉，”图古德牧师说，“非常抱歉。不过，现在让我们继续举行婚礼吧。”
'I'd like something to eat first,' said Andrew. 'Just a piece of bread. I'm so hungry — I could eat a horse!'
“我想先吃点儿东西，”安德鲁说，“一块面包也好。我都饿扁了——饿得能吞下一匹马!”
'Oh, let's get married first,' said the bride anxiously, 'while the parson's still here. It won't take a minute.'
“哦，让我们先结婚吧，”新娘担心地说，“趁牧师还在这里。用不了多久的。”
'Oh, all right,' said Andrew.
“哦，好吧。”安德鲁说。
The clerk was one witness, and he called in a second witness (telling him not to talk about it). Very soon Andrew and Jane were husband and wife.
教堂执事算是一位见证人，他又叫来了另一个见证人(还嘱咐那人别把这件事说出去)。很快，安德鲁和简就成了合法夫妻。
'Now,' said Parson Toogood, 'you two must come back to my house and eat a good meal.'
“好了，”图古德牧师说，“现在你们两位一定得到我家去好好吃上一顿。”
So they went back with the parson, and ate nearly every bit of food in his house.
于是，他们跟牧师回去，把他家里能吃的东西几乎一扫而空。
They kept the secret for a while, but then the story got out, and everybody knew about their night in the church tower. Even Andrew and Jane laugh about it now. Andrew isn't much of a husband, it's true, but Jane got a ring on her finger and a name for her baby.
他们的秘密保守了一段时间，但最后还是传了出去，现在人人都知道他们被关在教堂塔楼上过了一夜的事。如今，安德鲁和简也把这件事当成了笑话讲。安德鲁算不上一个好丈夫，但是简毕竟为自己弄到了一枚戒指，为她的孩子弄到了一个姓氏。
* * *
* * *
The carrier laughs loudly at the end of the postmistress's story. 'Did you know Andrew's uncle?' he asks John Lackland's son. 'He played in the church band.'
邮局女局长的故事讲完了，车夫大声笑起来。“你认识安德鲁的叔叔吗?”他问约翰·拉克兰的儿子。，“他在教堂的乐队里拉琴。”
'The church band!' says Mr Lackland. 'Are they still playing their fiddles in the church every Sunday?'
“教堂的乐队!”拉克兰先生说，“他们每个星期天还在教堂里拉小提琴吗?”
'No,' I says Mr Profitt, the schoolteacher. 'They haven't played for twenty years or more. There's an organ in the church now. The young man who plays it is very good, but most people liked the fiddles better. Yes, everybody in Longpuddle was sorry when the church band stopped playing.'
“不，”学校教师普罗菲特先生说，“他们有二十多年没在教堂里拉琴了。现在教堂里有一架风琴。弹风琴的年轻人很不错，不过大多数人还是更喜欢以前的小提琴。是的，教堂的乐队不再拉琴以后，整个长池村的人都觉得很遗憾。”
'But why did they stop,' says John Lackland's son, 'if everybody liked them?'
“可如果大家都喜欢他们，他们为什么不拉琴了呢?”约翰·拉克兰的儿子问。
And this is what the schoolteacher tells him.
于是学校教师给他讲了这段故事。
