24:到蒙大拿去(3)
"I think," said the cob, "the best plan is for me todemonstrate flying to you.
“我觉得，”雄天鹅说，“我最好还是先给你们做一次示范飞行。
I will make a short exhibition flight while youwatch.
我要在你们的眼前来一场简短的飞翔表演。
Observe everything I do! Watch me pump my neckup and down before the takeoff! Watch me test thewind by turning my head this way and that!
到时候要观察我做的每个动作!注意看我在起飞前脖子是怎样上下摆一动的!看我怎么把头转来转去的探测风向!
The takeoff must be into the wind--it's much easier that way.
起飞时一定要飞进风里去——那样就更容易飞起来了。
Listen to the noise I make trumpeting! Watch how I raise my great wings!
听听我发出来的吹号声!瞧瞧我是怎么扬起我那双硕一大的翅膀的!
See how I beat them furiously as I rush through the water with my feet going like mad!
看看当我用我的双脚发狂地踢打着冲出一水面时翅膀拍打得多猛烈!
This frenzy will last for a couple of hundred feet,
这种猛烈的拍打将持续两百英尺远，
at which point I will suddenly be airborne, my wings still chopping the air with terrific force butmy feet no longer touching the water!
然后我会突然地被空气托起，那时虽然我的翅膀还在以可怕的力量劈砍着空气，可我的两脚却再也碰不到水了!
Then watch what I do! Watch how I stretch my long white elegant neck out ahead of me untilit has reached its full length!
接着再看我怎么做!看我是怎样舒展着我那雪白雅洁的长脖子直到它完全伸直为止!
Watch how I retract my feet and allow them to stream out behind, full-length, until theyextend beyond my tail!
看我是怎么缩回我的双脚让它们笔直地向后伸出，一直伸到我的尾巴后面!
Hear my cries as I gain the upper air and start trumpeting!
听我升到上风处时开始发出的吹号声!
See how strong and steady my wingbeat has become!
看我的翅膀拍打得多么有力稳健!
Then watch me bank and turn, set my wings, and glide down!
现在看我斜着身一子盘旋过来，平伸着翅膀，准备向下滑翔!
And just as I reach the pond again, watch how I shoot my feet out in front of me and use themfor the splashdown, as though they were a pair of water skis!
就在我再回到池塘的瞬间，看我是怎么把双脚伸到前面并用它们在水面降落，好像它们是一副滑水板似的!
Ha一ving watched all this, then you can join me, and your mother, too, and we will all make apractice flight together, until you get the hang of it.
看完了所有这些以后，你们就能和我，还有你们的一妈一妈一，一起作飞行训练了，直到你们学会飞翔为止。
Then tomorrow we will do it again,
等明天我们再练一次，
and instead of returning to the pond, we will head south to Montana.
然后就不再飞回池塘了，而是大家一起南飞到蒙大拿去。
Are you ready for my exhibition flight?"
你们准备好看我的飞翔表演了吗?”
"Ready!" cried all the cygnets except Louis.
“准备好了!”除路易斯外的所有小天鹅都这么大叫。
"Very well, here I go!" cried the cob.
“很好，我现在起飞了!”雄天鹅大叫。
As the others watched, he swam downwind to the end of the pond, turned, tested the wind,pumped his neck up and down, trumpeted,
在大家的注视下，他逆风游到池塘的尽头，转过身，试了试风向，上下摆一动着他的长脖子，吹号般的叫着，
and after a rush of two hundred feet, got into the air and began gaining altitude.
猛一冲了两百英尺，进到空中开始往上升。他的白一色一长脖子向前伸了出来。
His long white neck stretched out ahead. His big black feet stretched out behind. His wings hadgreat power.
他的黑一色一大脚向后伸展着。他的翅膀拍打得极其有力。
The beat slowed as he settled into sustained flight.
当他开始持续飞行的时候，翅膀的拍打速度慢了下来。
All eyes watched. Louis was more excited than he had ever been.
所有的眼睛都在盯着他看。路易斯比以往任何时候都要紧张。
"I wonder if I can really do it?" he thought.
“不知道我是不是真能这样做?”他想，
"Suppose I fail! Then the others will fly away, and I will be left here all alone on this desertedpond, with winter approaching, with no father, no mother, no sisters, no brothers, and no foodto eat when the pond freezes over.
“假如我做不到的话!那时大家就都飞走了，我就会孤伶伶地留在这个荒凉的池塘，等冬天临近的时候，身边没有爸爸，没有一妈一妈一，没有姐姐，没有哥哥，在池塘结冰后也没有食物可吃了。
I will die of starvation. I'm scared."
我会饿死的。我怕。”