XIII—A New Home for the Boxcar
第十三章——棚车的新家
THE CHILDREN’S grandfather wanted them to like his house.
孩子们的祖父希望他们能喜欢他的房子。
He wanted them to live with him all the time.
他希望他们能一直和他住在一起。
So he had made over some of the rooms just for them.
所以他特意重新装修了一些房间给他们住。
The children went with him in his car to see the house.
孩子们坐着他的车去看那座房子。
When the car stopped in front of it, Henry cried in surprise, “Do you live here, in this beautiful house?”
当车停在房前时，亨利惊讶地叫道：“您住在这里吗？在这座漂亮的房子里？”
It was a beautiful house.
这确实是一座美丽的房子。
It was very big, with many trees and flower gardens around it.
房子很大，周围环绕着许多树木和花园。
“You may live here, too, if you like my house,” remarked his grandfather, watching Henry’s face.
“如果你喜欢我的房子，你也可以住在这里，”祖父看着亨利的脸说道。
The house was beautiful inside, too.
房子里面也很漂亮。
There were flowers everywhere.
到处都摆满了鲜花。
There were maids everywhere.
到处都有女仆在忙碌。
The children went up to the bedrooms.
孩子们上楼去看卧室。
“Oh!” cried Jessie. “This is Violet’s room.”
“哦！”杰西叫道，“这是维奥莱特的房间。”
It really was Violet’s room.
这真的是维奥莱特的房间。
There were violets on the wallpaper.
墙纸上有紫罗兰图案。
The bed was white with a violet cover.
床是白色的，铺着紫色的床罩。
On the table were flowers.
桌上也放着花。
“What a beautiful room!” cried Violet, sitting down in a soft, pretty chair.
“多漂亮的房间啊！”维奥莱特大叫着，坐进了一把柔软漂亮的椅子里。
All the children shouted when they saw Benny’s room.
看到本尼的房间时，所有的孩子都欢呼起来。
The wallpaper was blue and covered with big rabbits and dogs and bears.
墙纸是蓝色的，上面印着大兔子、狗和熊的图案。
There were a rocking horse and a tool box and little tables and chairs.
房间里有一匹摇摇马、一个工具箱以及小桌椅。
And an engine stood on a track, with cars almost as big as the little boy himself.
轨道上还停着一辆火车头，车厢几乎和小男孩本人一样大。
Benny ran over to the engine.
本尼跑向那辆火车。
“Can I run this train all day?” he asked.
“我可以整天玩这列火车吗？”他问。
He sat down on the floor by the engine.
他在火车旁的地板上坐了下来。
“Oh, no,” said Henry. “You are going to school as soon as it begins.”
“哦，不行，”亨利说，“学校一开学你就得去上学了。”
His grandfather laughed. “That is right, my boy. You will like school. You will learn to read.”
祖父笑了。“没错，孩子。你会喜欢学校的。你将学会阅读。”
“Oh, I can read now,” said Benny.
“哦，我现在就会读书了，”本尼说。
In Jessie’s room they found a bed for Watch.
在杰西的房间里，他们发现了一张给沃奇（小狗）准备的床。
It was on the floor by her bed.
床就在她床边地板上。
Watch got in at once, sniffed at the pillow, turned around three times, and lay down.
沃奇立刻跳了进去，嗅了嗅枕头，转了三圈，然后躺下了。
“He likes it,” said Jessie. “He will sleep by me.”
“它很喜欢，”杰西说，“它会睡在我旁边。”
Just then the children heard a doorbell ring.
就在这时，孩子们听到了门铃声。
A maid came up to find Mr. Alden.
一位女仆上来找奥尔登先生。
“A man to see you,” she said, “about the dog.”
“有位先生找您，”她说，“是关于那只狗的事。”
Now when Jessie heard the word dog, she was frightened.
杰西一听到“狗”这个词，就害怕了。
She was afraid it was about Watch.
她担心这事跟沃奇有关。
“They won’t take Watch away?” she whispered to Henry.
“他们不会把沃奇带走吧？”她小声问亨利。
“No, indeed!” said Henry. “We’ll never, never give him up.”
“绝对不会！”亨利说，“我们永远、永远不会放弃它。”
Henry and Jessie and the other children went down with their grandfather to see the man, and Jessie was more frightened than ever.
亨利、杰西和其他孩子跟着祖父下楼去见那个人，杰西比以往任何时候都害怕。
Watch did not growl at the man.
沃奇并没有对那人低吼。
He jumped up on him delightedly.
反而高兴地扑到了他身上。
“You see, he was my dog,” said the man. “But I sold him to a lady, and he ran away from her that very day. I have to turn him over to the lady I sold him to.”
“你看，它以前是我的狗，”那人说，“但我把它卖给了一位女士，结果当天它就跑了。我必须把它交给那位买它的女士。”
“How do you know he is the same dog?” asked Mr. Alden.
“你怎么知道它就是同一只狗呢？”奥尔登先生问。
“Oh, he is my dog,” said the man. “You see he knows me, and he has a small black spot on this foot. But someone has cut his hair on one side.”
“噢，它就是我的狗，”那人说，“你看它认识我，而且这只脚上有个小黑斑。只是有人把它一侧的毛剪掉了。”
Benny looked. He found the black spot on Watch’s foot.
本尼看了看，确实在沃奇的脚上找到了那个黑斑。
“I never saw that spot before,” said Henry.
“我以前从没注意过这个斑点，”亨利说。
“I will give you what you want for the dog,” said Mr. Alden. “The children love him. They want to keep him.”
“你要多少钱我都愿意出，”奥尔登先生说，“孩子们爱这只狗，他们想留下它。”
“But I sold him to a lady,” said the man. “I must take the dog to her.”
“可是我已经把它卖给一位女士了，”那人说，“我必须把狗交给她。”
Then Henry said, “Maybe she will want to change to another dog when she sees his hair. If she will agree to take another dog, will you let my grandfather have this one?”
这时亨利说：“也许她看到它的毛被剪成这样，会愿意换一只狗。如果她同意换一只，你能让我祖父买下这只吗？”
“Yes, I will,” said the man.
“可以，我愿意，”那人说。
“Let’s go and ask her, Grandfather,” said Benny. “She will let Jessie have Watch. He is her dog. She took the thorn out of his foot.”
“我们去问问她吧，爷爷，”本尼说，“她会让杰西留下沃奇的。它是她的狗。是她帮它拔出了脚上的刺。”
The man told Mr. Alden where the lady lived, and they all started out to find her.
那人告诉了奥尔登先生那位女士的住址，于是大家一起出发去找她。
She was a very pretty young lady, and she asked them to sit down.
她是一位非常漂亮的年轻女士，请他们坐下。
But Benny could not wait.
但本尼等不及了。
He said, “Please let us keep Watch! I want him, and Jessie wants him, and we didn’t know he was your dog.”
他说：“请让我们留下沃奇吧！我想要它，杰西也想要它，我们不知道它是您的狗。”
“What do you mean?” asked the lady, laughing. “Who is Watch?”
“你是什么意思？”女士笑着问，“谁是沃奇？”
“This dog is Watch,” answered Henry. “A man came to Grandfather’s house today and told us that he had sold the dog to you. When Watch ran away from you, the day you bought him, he came to us. He had a thorn in his foot, and Jessie took it out.”
“这只狗就是沃奇，”亨利回答，“今天有个人来到爷爷家，告诉我们他把狗卖给了您。沃奇在您买它的那天从您那儿跑了出来，来到了我们身边。它脚上有根刺，是杰西帮它拔出来的。”
Watch looked up at the lady and wagged his tail.
沃奇抬头看着那位女士，摇着尾巴。
When she looked at him, she began to laugh.
当她看着它时，忍不住笑了起来。
“Look at his side!” she said. “Who cut his hair?”
“看看它的侧面！”她说，“谁剪了它的毛？”
“I’m sorry,” said Henry. “Benny did that one day with Violet’s scissors.”
“对不起，”亨利说，“有一天本尼用维奥莱特的剪刀剪的。”
“I am not sorry,” said the lady, laughing. “He looks so funny. And you want to keep him? Is that it?”
“我倒不介意，”女士笑着说，“它看起来太滑稽了。你们想留下它？是吗？”
“Oh, yes,” said Jessie eagerly. “The man will let us have him, if you will take another dog.”
“哦，是的，”杰西急切地说，“如果您愿意换另一只狗，这个人就同意让我们留下它。”
“Don’t be afraid,” said the young lady. “You may keep the dog. I can change to another one.”
“别担心，”年轻女士说，“你们可以留下这只狗。我可以换一只别的。”
“Oh, thank you! You are nice!” cried Benny.
“哦，谢谢您！您真好！”本尼喊道。
He ran to the lady and climbed up in her lap before anyone could stop him.
还没等人拦住，他就跑到女士身边，爬到了她的腿上。
“I’d like to keep you, Benny, in place of the dog,” laughed the lady, putting her arms around him.
“我倒想留下你，本尼，来代替那只狗，”女士笑着抱住他说。
How happy the children were to have Watch to keep!
孩子们能留下沃奇是多么高兴啊！
Mr. Alden gave the money to the man at once.
奥尔登先生立刻把钱付给了那人。
Four happy children sat with their grandfather around the Alden dinner table that night.
那天晚上，四个快乐的孩子和祖父围坐在奥尔登家的餐桌旁。
The maids smiled in the kitchen to hear the children laugh.
女仆们在厨房里听到孩子们的笑声，也都露出了微笑。
And the children laughed because Watch had a chair at the table beside Jessie and was really waited on by a maid.
孩子们笑是因为沃奇在杰西旁边的餐桌上也有自己的椅子，而且还真的由女仆伺候着用餐。
Would you ever think that four children could be homesick in such a beautiful house?
谁能想到这四个孩子在这么漂亮的房子里还会想念旧家呢？
Jessie was the first one to wish for the old boxcar.
杰西是第一个开始怀念旧棚车的人。
One day she said, “Oh, Grandfather, I’d like to cook something once more in the dear old kettle in the woods.”
有一天她说：“哦，爷爷，我想再用树林里那个亲爱的旧锅煮点东西。”
“Go out in the kitchen, my dear,” said her grandfather. “The maids will help you. You can cook all you want to.”
“去厨房吧，亲爱的，”祖父说，“女仆们会帮你。你想做多少都可以。”
Jessie liked this, but it was not like the old days in the boxcar.
杰西虽然喜欢这样，但这和在棚车里的旧时光不一样。
Then one day Benny said, “Grandfather, I wish I could drink my milk out of my dear old pink cup.”
后来有一天本尼说：“爷爷，我真希望能用我那个亲爱的旧粉色杯子喝牛奶。”
His grandfather began to think.
祖父开始思考起来。
He had some pink cups, but they were not so dear to Benny as his old cracked one.
他有一些粉色杯子，但对本尼来说，都不如那个有裂缝的旧杯子珍贵。
At last Mr. Alden said, “I am going to give you children a surprise.”
最后奥尔登先生说：“我要给你们这些孩子一个惊喜。”
“Is it very nice?” asked Benny.
“是很棒的东西吗？”本尼问。
“No, not very,” laughed his grandfather. “It is not pretty at all.”
“不，不是很棒，”祖父笑道，“一点也不漂亮。”
“When will it come?” asked Benny.
“什么时候能看到？”本尼问。
“It will come today. You children must all go over to Dr. Moore’s and stay, until the surprise comes.”
“今天就会有。你们都得去摩尔医生家待着，直到惊喜准备好。”
“What can it be?” wondered Violet.
“会是什么呢？”维奥莱特很好奇。
Her grandfather laughed. “I hope you will like it,” he said. “It is very heavy.”
祖父笑了。“希望你们会喜欢，”他说，“它很重。”
The children were glad to see sweet Mrs. Moore and the kind doctor again.
孩子们很高兴再次见到亲切的摩尔太太和善良的医生。
They stayed until Mr. Alden said the surprise was ready.
他们一直待到奥尔登先生说惊喜准备好了。
Then Dr. Moore and his mother went back with them in the big car.
然后摩尔医生和他的母亲坐着大车和他们一起回去了。
Mr. Alden was as happy as a boy.
奥尔登先生高兴得像个孩子。
He took them by the garage and through the big gardens.
他带着他们经过车库，穿过大花园。
At last they came to a garden with a fountain in the middle and trees around it.
最后他们来到了一个花园，中间有个喷泉，四周种满了树。
Near the fountain was the surprise.
喷泉旁边就是那个惊喜。
It was the old boxcar!
竟然是那辆旧棚车！
The children ran over to it with cries of delight, opened the door, and climbed in.
孩子们欢呼着跑过去，打开门爬了进去。
All the things were in place.
所有的东西都在原位。
Even the old dead stump was there to step on.
甚至连那个用来垫脚的枯树桩都在。
Here was the old knife which had cut butter and bread and vegetables and firewood and string.
这里有那把切过黄油、面包、蔬菜、木柴和绳子的旧刀。
Here was Benny’s pink cup, and here was his bed.
这里有本尼的粉色杯子，还有他的床。
Here were the big kettle and the blue tablecloth.
这里有大锅和蓝色桌布。
Here were the pitcher and the old teapot.
这里有水壶和旧茶壶。
And here was the dinner bell which the children had made from an old tin can.
还有孩子们用旧罐头盒做的开饭铃。
Benny hung it on a tree with a string and rang it over and over again with a spoon.
本尼用绳子把它挂在树上，拿着勺子一遍又一遍地敲着。
Watch rolled on the floor of the car and barked and barked.
沃奇在车厢地板上打滚，不停地叫着。
Then he began to sniff at everything.
然后它开始到处嗅。
“He’s looking for the bone he buried,” laughed Benny.
“它在找自己埋的骨头呢，”本尼笑着说。
“How they love the old boxcar!” said Mrs. Moore. “I like to see them so happy.”
“他们多爱这辆旧棚车啊！”摩尔太太说，“看到他们这么开心真好。”
“Thank you for the surprise, Grandfather,” said Violet. “We’ll never go away from you again.”
“谢谢您的惊喜，爷爷，”维奥莱特说，“我们再也不会离开您了。”
“I hope not, my dear,” said Mr. Alden. “We’ll all live happily ever after.”
“我也希望如此，亲爱的，”奥尔登先生说，“从此以后我们都会幸福地生活在一起。”
And so they did.
事实也确实如此。
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