One morning when the wind was from the west, Stuart put on his sailor suit and his sailor hat, took his spyglass down from the shelf, and set out for a walk, full of the joy of life and the fear of dogs. With a rolling gait he sauntered along toward Fifth Avenue, keeping a sharp lookout.
一天早上，当风从西边刮过来时，斯图亚特穿起他的水手服，戴上他的平顶草帽，从架子上摘下他的小型单筒望远镜，满怀着生活的快乐和对狗的恐惧出去散步了。他摇摇摆摆地向第五大街逛去，时刻警惕地四处了望着。
Whenever he spied a dog through his glass, Stuart would hurry to the nearest doorman, climb his trouser-leg, and hide in the tails of his uniform. And once, when no doorman was handy, he had to crawl into a yesterday’s paper and roll himself up in the second section till danger was past.
只要从他的望远镜里一看到狗，斯图亚特就急忙跑到离他最近的看门人那里，爬到他的裤腿里，把尾巴藏到他的制服下面。有一次，旁边没有看门人，他就爬到一卷昨天的旧报纸里，蜷缩起来，直到危险过去。
At the corner of Fifth Avenue there were several people waiting for the uptown bus, and Stuart joined them. Nobody noticed him, because he wasn’t tall enough to be noticed.
在第五大街的街角有几个人正在那里等进城的公共汽车，斯图亚特也跑到他们中间。没人注意他，因为他还没有高得足以引起人们的注意。
“I’m not tall enough to be noticed,” thought Stuart, “yet I’m tall enough to want to go to Seventy-second Street.”
“我没能高得让人注意，”斯图亚特想。“可我还是想去第 72 街。”
When the bus came into view, all the men waved their canes and brief cases at the driver, and Stuart waved his spyglass. Then, knowing that the step of the bus would be too high for him, Stuart seized hold of the cuff of a gentleman’s pants and was swung aboard without any trouble or inconvenience whatever.
当公共汽车开过来，所有人都拿着他们的手杖和公文包上车了，斯图亚特也拎着他的小望远镜上了车。因为那座位对他来说太高了，斯图亚特便趴在一个绅士的裤脚上，这样就可以毫无麻烦的坐车，也不会引起别人的注意了。
“What’s that you’re offering me?” asked the conductor.
“你给我的是什么？”售票员问。
Stuart never paid any fare on buses, because he wasn’t big enough to carry an ordinary dime. The only time he had ever attempted to carry a dime, he had rolled the coin along like a hoop while he raced along beside it; but it had got away from him on a hill and had been snatched up by an old woman with no teeth. After that experience Stuart contented himself with the tiny coins which his father made for him out of tin foil. They were handsome little things, although rather hard to see without putting on your spectacles.
斯图亚特从不需付车费，因为他还太小，坐车不必付一角硬币。只有一次，他才试过付一角钱。他把那角硬币像轮子一样在边上滚着的时候，突然那硬币滚到一个小坡上，被一个没牙的老太太捡去了。有了那一次的经验后，他让他父亲给了他做了一些特制的小硬币，并把它们用锡纸包了起来。它们因此变成了漂亮的小东西，虽然如果不戴眼睛你就很难看到。
When the conductor came around to collect the fares, Stuart fished in his purse and pulled out a coin no bigger than the eye of a grasshopper.
当售票员来收车费时，斯图亚特就从他的锡纸钱袋里拿出一枚他那没有蚂蚱眼睛大的硬币来。
“Is it, now?” said the conductor. “Well, I’d have a fine time explaining that to the bus company. Why, you’re no bigger than a dime yourself.”
“这是什么？”售票员说。“好吧，我会向汽车公司很好的解释的。可你为什么要付钱呢，你并不比一角硬币高多少。”
“It’s one of my dimes,” said Stuart.
“这是我的一角硬币，”斯图亚特说。
“Yes I am,” replied Stuart angrily. “I’m more than twice as big as a dime. A dime only comes up to here on me.” And Stuart pointed to his hip. “Furthermore,” he added, “I didn’t come on this bus to be insulted.”
“不对，”斯图亚特生气地回答。“我比一角硬币高两倍呢。一角硬币只到我这里。”斯图亚特指指他的屁股。“此外，”他继续说，“我也不想在这汽车上受侮辱。”
“I beg pardon,” said the conductor. “You’ll have to forgive me, for I had no idea that in all the world there was such a small sailor.”
“请原谅，”售票员说。“请你原谅我，因为我从不知道这世界上还有你这么小的水手哩。”
When the bus stopped at Seventy-second Street, Stuart jumped out and hurried across to the sailboat pond in Central Park. Over the pond the west wind blew, and into the teeth of the west wind sailed the sloops and schooners, their rails well down, their wet decks gleaming. The owners, boys and grown men, raced around the cement shores hoping to arrive at the other side in time to keep the boats from bumping. Some of the toy boats were not as small as you might think, for when you got close to them you found that their mainmast was taller than a man’s head, and they were beautifully made, with everything shipshape and ready for sea. To Stuart they seemed enormous, and he hoped he would be able to get aboard one of them and sail away to the far corners of the pond. (He was an adventurous little fellow and loved the feel of the breeze in his face and the cry of the gulls overhead and the heave of the great swell under him.)
当公共汽车停在第 72 大街，斯图亚特跳下车，急忙走到中央公园里正在进行帆船比赛的池塘那里。风从池塘上空的西边吹了过来，逆着风在那里航行的，有单桅帆船，还有纵帆式多桅帆船。它们的帆微微倾斜着，被打湿的舱面上闪着银光。船主们，就是那些参赛的大人和孩子们，正焦急地围在水泥岸边，希望他们的帆船可以不被撞坏，及时安全的到达岸的另一边。水里还有一些玩具小船，不过它们并不像你想象的那么小，因为如果你走近它们，就会发现那些船的中桅比一个大人的头还高。它们也被造得很漂亮，都整齐地停放在那里准备起航出海。对斯图亚特来说，它们似乎特别巨大，他很想坐上一艘船，向池塘的远处远航。（他是一个爱冒险的小家伙，喜欢微风拂面的感觉和头顶海鸥的叫声，还有涌到身边来的巨浪。）
“Live and learn,” muttered Stuart, tartly, putting his change purse back in his pocket.
“活到老学到老，”斯图亚特尖刻地嘀咕着，把他的零钱放进了口袋。
“I am,” replied the man, surprised to be addressed by a mouse in a sailor suit.
“是的，”这个男人回答着，惊奇地看着这个穿水手服的老鼠。
“Excuse me, sir,” said Stuart to the man who was turning her, “but are you the owner of the schooner Wasp?”
“请原谅，先生，”斯图亚特对船边的一个男人说，“你是这纵帆船的船主吗？”
As he sat cross-legged on the wall that surrounds the pond, gazing out at the ships through his spyglass, Stuart noticed one boat that seemed to him finer and prouder than any other. Her name was Wasp. She was a big, black schooner flying the American flag. She had a clipper bow, and on her foredeck was mounted a three-inch cannon. She’s the ship for me, thought Stuart. And the next time she sailed in, he ran over to where she was being turned around.
当他盘腿坐在池塘的围墙上，望着小帆船们从他的望远镜里开过时，斯图亚特注意到有一艘帆船似乎格外的好，比别的船都漂亮。她的名字叫黄蜂。她是一艘很大的，挂着美国国旗的黑色纵帆式多桅帆船。她有一个流线型的船头，前舱上还装备了一门三英寸高的大炮。她是给我准备的船，斯图亚特想。等她下次开过来时，他就跑到了那艘船边。
“I do my work,” said Stuart, crisply.
“我完全能能胜任这工作。”斯图亚特爽快地回答。
“Are you sober?” asked the owner of the Wasp.
“你没喝多吧？”黄蜂号的船主问。
“I’m looking for a berth in a good ship,” continued Stuart, “and I thought perhaps you might sign me on. I’m strong and I’m quick.”
“我正在找一艘最好的帆船，”斯图亚特继续说，“我向你可能会与我签约。我既强壮又机敏。”
“Well,” he said at length, pointing the prow of the Wasp out toward the center of the pond, “I’ll tell you what I’ll do with you. You see that big racing sloop out there?”
“好吧，”他终于说着，指指池塘中心方向的一艘船，“我要告诉你我要你做什么。你看到那边的大赛船了吗？”
The man looked sharply at him. He couldn’t help admiring the trim appearance and bold manner of this diminutive seafaring character.
这个男人挑剔地看了看他。但不久就被这个小水手漂亮的水手服和航海家般的勇敢气质所打动了。
“I do,” said Stuart.
“看见了，”斯图亚特说。
“That’s the Lillian B. Womrath,” said the man, “and I hate her with all my heart.”
“那是莉莲·B·沃拉尔号，我从心底里恨她。”
“I hate her because she is always bumping into my boat,” continued the man, “and because her owner is a lazy boy who doesn’t understand sailing and who hardly knows a squall from a squid.”
“我恨她是因为她总是撞上我的船，”那个男人继续说，“因为她的船主是一个不懂航海的懒孩子，他几乎都不知道乌贼与乌云的分别。”
“Or a jib from a jibe,” cried Stuart.
“或者改舷与三角帆的分别，”斯图亚特叫。
“Or a deck from a dock,” screamed Stuart.
“或者码头与甲板的分别。”斯图亚特尖叫。
“Or a luff from a leech,” bellowed the man.
“或者纵帆的外边和里边的分别。”那个男人吼。
“Or a mast from a mist,” yelled the man. “But hold on, now, no more of this! I’ll tell you what we’ll do. The Lillian B. Womrath has always been able to beat the Wasp sailing, but I believe that if my schooner were properly handled it would be a different story. Nobody knows how I suffer, standing here on shore, helpless, watching the Wasp blunder along, when all she needs is a steady hand on her helm. So, my young friend, I’ll let you sail the Wasp across the pond and back, and if you can beat that detestable sloop I’ll give you a regular job.”
“或者雾与桅杆的分别，”那男人叫。“好了，够了，别再说了！我要告诉你我要你做什么。莉莲·B·沃拉尔号总能撞到黄蜂号，但我相信如果我的纵帆船被很好地操纵，故事的结局就会不同了。没有人知道当我无助地站在岸边，看着我的黄蜂被野蛮地撞来撞去的时候，我是忍着多么大的痛苦。那时候她多需要一双能稳稳把住她的舵的手呵。因此，我年轻的朋友，我将允许你把黄蜂号在这个池塘里开，而且如果你能狠狠的击败那艘可恶到极点的纵帆船的话，我还会给你一份正式的工作。”
“Then so do I,” cried Stuart, loyally.
“那么我也恨她，”斯图亚特忠诚地叫道。
“Aye, aye, sir!” said Stuart, swinging himself aboard the schooner and taking his place at the wheel. “Ready about!”
“好的，先生！”斯图亚特说着跳上那纵帆船，开始发动舵轮。“准备起航！”
“Not in my boat, thank you,” replied the man quickly. “I don’t want you capsizing in a squall.”
“谢谢，不要用我的船撞，”这个男人很快地回答。“我不想你在大风中翻船。”
“One moment,” said the man. “Do you mind telling me how you propose to beat the other boat?”
“等一等，”那个男人说，“你还没有告诉我你打算怎么击败那艘船呢！”
“I intend to crack on more sail,” said Stuart.
“我打算撞裂她，”斯图亚特说。
“Well, then,” said Stuart cheerfully, “I’ll sail the Wasp straight and true, and let the Lillian B. Womrath go yawing all over the pond.”
“好的，那么，”斯图亚特兴奋地说，“我将把黄蜂号笔直地往前开，并设法让莉莲号在航道中偏航。”
“Well, then,” said Stuart, “I’ll catch the sloop broad on, and rake her with fire from my forward gun.”
“好的，那么，”斯图亚特说，“我将开到她旁边，用我先进的武器对她猛烈扫射。”
“Foul means!” said the man. “I want this to be a boat race, not a naval engagement.”
“这方法太不正当了！”男人说。“我是想参加帆船比赛，不想去打海战。”
“Name is Stuart Little,” called Stuart at the top of his lungs. “I’m the second son of Frederick C. Little, of this city.”
“我叫斯图亚特·利特尔，”斯图亚特尽可能大声地喊。“我是这个城里的弗里德里克·C·利特尔先生的第二个儿子。”
“Bravo!” cried the man, “and good luck go with you!” And so saying, he let go of the Wasp’s prow. A puff of air bellied out the schooner’s headsails and she paid off and filled away on the port tack, heeling gracefully over to the breeze while Stuart twirled her wheel and braced himself against a deck cleat.
“好！”男人叫，“祝你好运！”他说着，离开了黄蜂号的船头那里。斯图亚特紧了紧索栓上的转帆索，然后就旋转着舵轮，整帆向风，让船头喷着汽作“Z”形前进，船尾则优雅地在微风里摆动。
“By the by,” yelled the man, “you haven’t told me your name.”
“顺便说一句，”男人喊：“你还没告诉我你的名字呢。”
“Bon voyage, Stuart,” hollered his friend, “take care of yourself and bring the Wasp home safe.”
“杰出的航海家，斯图亚特，”他的朋友喊，“你要小心，把黄蜂号安全地带回来。”
“That I will,” shouted Stuart. And he was so proud and happy, he let go of the wheel for a second and did a little dance on the sloping deck, never noticing how narrowly he escaped hitting a tramp steamer that was drifting in his path, with her engines disabled and her decks awash.
“那正是我要做的，”斯图亚特喊。他是这么骄傲和幸福，以至于在转动舵轮后的一秒种里在倾斜的甲板上跳起舞来，没有注意到船上的过道是多么狭窄，浪是多么的大，都把甲板打湿了。
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