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the wind in the willows(柳间风)-第26部分

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reports; had yet power to awaken this wild new sensation and thrill him 

through   and   through   with   it;   what   would   one   moment   of   the   real   thing 

work in himone passionate touch of the real southern sun; one waft of 

the authentic odor? With closed eyes he dared to dream a moment in full 

abandonment; and when he looked again the river seemed steely and chill; 



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the green fields grey and lightless。 Then his loyal heart seemed to cry out 

on his weaker self for its treachery。 

     ‘Why   do     you   ever   come     back;   then;   at  all?'  he  demanded      of  the 

swallows jealously。 ‘What do you find to attract you in this poor drab little 

country?' 

     ‘And do you think;' said the first swallow; ‘that the other call is not for 

us too; in its due season? The call of lush meadow… grass; wet orchards; 

warm; insect…haunted ponds; of browsing cattle; of haymaking; and all the 

farm…buildings clustering round the House of the perfect Eaves?' 

     ‘Do you suppose;' asked the second one; that you are the only living 

thing that craves with a hungry longing to hear the cuckoo's note again?' 

     ‘In   due   time;'   said   the   third;   ‘we   shall   be   home…sick   once   more   for 

quiet water…lilies swaying on the surface of an English stream。 But to…day 

all that seems pale and thin and very far away。 Just now our blood dances 

to other music。' 

     They fell a…twittering among themselves once more; and this time their 

intoxicating   babble   was   of   violet   seas;   tawny   sands;   and   lizard…haunted 

walls。 

     Restlessly the Rat wandered off once more; climbed the slope that rose 

gently from the north bank of the river; and lay looking out towards the 

great ring of Downs that barred his vision further southwardshis simple 

horizon hitherto; his Mountains of the Moon; his limit behind which lay 

nothing he had cared to see or to know。 To…day; to him gazing South with a 

new…born   need   stirring   in   his   heart;   the   clear   sky   over   their   long   low 

outline seemed to pulsate with promise; to…day; the unseen was everything; 

the unknown the only real fact of life。 On this side of the hills was now the 

real blank; on the other lay the crowded and coloured panorama that his 

inner eye was seeing so clearly。 What seas lay beyond; green; leaping; and 

crested!   What   sun…bathed   coasts;   along   which   the   white   villas   glittered 

against     the  olive   woods!     What    quiet   harbours;    thronged     with   gallant 

shipping   bound   for   purple   islands   of   wine   and   spice;   islands   set   low   in 

languorous waters! 

     He rose and descended river…wards once more; then changed his mind 

and sought the side of the dusty lane。 There; lying half… buried in the thick; 



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cool under…hedge tangle that bordered it; he could muse on the metalled 

road and all the wondrous world that it led to; on all the wayfarers; too; 

that might have trodden it; and the fortunes and adventures they had gone 

to seek or found unseekingout there; beyondbeyond! 

     Footsteps fell on his ear; and the figure of one that walked somewhat 

wearily came into view; and he saw that it was a Rat; and a very dusty one。 

The wayfarer; as he reached him; saluted with a gesture of courtesy that 

had something foreign about it hesitated a momentthen with a pleasant 

smile turned from the track and sat down by his side in the cool herbage。 

He   seemed   tired;   and   the   Rat   let   him   rest   unquestioned;   understanding 

something of what was in his thoughts; knowing; too; the value all animals 

attach   at   times   to   mere   silent   companionship;   when   the   weary   muscles 

slacken and the mind marks time。 

     The wayfarer was lean and keen…featured; and somewhat bowed at the 

shoulders;   his   paws   were   thin   and   long;   his   eyes   much   wrinkled   at   the 

corners;   and   he   wore   small   gold   ear   rings   in   his   neatly…set   well…shaped 

ears。   His   knitted   jersey   was   of   a   faded   blue;   his   breeches;   patched   and 

stained; were based on a blue foundation; and his small belongings that he 

carried were tied up in a blue cotton handkerchief。 

     When   he   had   rested   awhile   the   stranger   sighed;   snuffed   the   air;   and 

looked about him。 

     ‘That was clover; that warm whiff   on the breeze;' he remarked;   ‘and 

those are cows we hear cropping the grass behind us and blowing softly 

between mouthfuls。 There is a sound of distant reapers; and yonder rises a 

blue     line  of   cottage    smoke      against    the   woodland。      The    river   runs 

somewhere close by; for I hear the call of a moorhen; and I see by your 

build that you're a freshwater mariner。 Everything seems asleep; and   yet 

going on all the time。 It is a goodly life that you lead; friend; no doubt the 

best in the world; if only you are strong enough to lead it!' 

     ‘Yes;   it's   THE   life;   the   only   life;   to   live;'   responded   the   Water   Rat 

dreamily; and without his usual whole…hearted conviction。 

     ‘I   did   not   say   exactly   that;'   replied   the   stranger   cautiously;   ‘but   no 

doubt it's the best。 I've tried it; and I know。 And because I've just tried it 

six months of itand know it's the best; here am I; footsore and hungry; 



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tramping away from it; tramping southward; following the old call; back to 

the old life; THE life which is mine and which will not let me go。' 

     ‘Is this; then; yet another of them?' mused the Rat。 ‘And where have 

you   just   come   from?'   he   asked。   He   hardly   dared   to   ask   where   he   was 

bound for; he seemed to know the answer only too well。 

     ‘Nice     little  farm;'  replied    the   wayfarer;    briefly。   ‘Upalong      in  that 

direction'he nodded northwards。 ‘Never mind about it。 I had everything I 

could   wanteverything   I   had   any   right   to   expect   of   life;   and   more;   and 

here I am! Glad to be here all the same; though; glad to be here! So many 

miles further on the road; so many hours nearer to my heart's desire!' 

     His shining eyes held fast to the horizon; and he seemed to be listening 

for some sound that was wanting from that inland acreage; vocal as it was 

with the cheerful music of pasturage and farmyard。 

     ‘You   are   not   one   of   US;'   said   the   Water   Rat;   ‘nor   yet   a   farmer;   nor 

even; I should judge; of this country。' 

     ‘Right;' replied the stranger。 ‘I'm a seafaring rat; I am; and the port I 

originally   hail   from   is   Constantinople;   though   I'm   a   sort   of   a   foreigner 

there too; in a manner of speaking。 You will have heard of Constantinople; 

friend? A  fair   city;   and   an   ancient   and   glorious one。 And   you   may   have 

heard;   too;   of   Sigurd;   King   of   Norway;   and   how   he   sailed   thither   with 

sixty ships; and how he and his men rode up through streets all canopied 

in their honour with purple and gold; and how the Emperor and Empress 

came   down   and   banqueted   with   him   on   board   his   ship。   When   Sigurd 

returned home;   many  of   his   Northmen   remained   behind   and   entered   the 

Emperor's body…guard; and my ancestor; a Norwegian born; stayed behind 

too; with the ships that Sigurd gave the Emperor。 Seafarers we have ever 

been; and no wonder; as for me; the city of my birth is no more my home 

than any pleasant port between there and the London River。 I know them 

all; and they know me。 Set me down on any of their quays or foreshores; 

and I am home again。' 

     ‘I   suppose   you   go   great   voyages;'   said   the   Water   Rat   with   growing 

interest。 ‘Months and months out of sight of land; and provisions running 

short;   and   allowanced   as   to   water;   and   your   mind   communing   with   the 

mighty ocean; and all that sort of thing?' 



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     ‘By no means;' said the Sea Rat frankly。 ‘Such a life as you describe 

would not suit me at all。 I'm in the coasting trade; and rarely out of sight of 

land。   It's   the   jolly   times   on   shore   that   appeal   to   me;   as   much   as   any 

seafaring。 O; those southern seaports! The smell of them; the riding…lights 

at night; the glamour!' 

     ‘Well; perhaps you have chosen the better way;' said the Water Rat; but 

rather doubtfully。 ‘Tell me something of your coasting; then; if you have a 

mind to; and what sort of harvest an animal of spirit might hope to bring 

home from it to warm his latter days with gallant memories by the fireside; 

for   my   life;   I   confess   to   you;   feels   to   me   to…day   somewhat   narrow   and 

circumscribed。' 

     ‘My last voyage;' began the Sea Rat; ‘that landed me eventually in this 

country; bound with high hopes for my inland farm; will serve as a good 

example of any of them; and; indeed; as an epitome of my highly…coloured 

life。   Family   troubles;   as   usual;   began   it。   The   domestic   storm…cone   was 

hoisted; and I shipped myself on board a small trading vessel bound from 

Constantinople; by classic seas whose every wave throbs with a deathless 

memory; to the Grecian Islands and the Levant。 Those were golden days 

and     balmy    nights!    In  and    out   of  harbour     all  the   timeold    friends 

everywheresleeping   in   some   cool   temple   or   ruined
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