BETWEEN six and seven o’clock on a July evening, a crowd of summer visitors—mostly fathers of families—burdened with parcels, portfolios, and ladies’ hat-boxes, was trailing along from the little station of Helkovo, in the direction of the summer villas. —-
一个夏天的晚上，六七点钟，一群来自各地的夏季游客——大多数是有家庭的父亲——背负着包裹、文件夹和女士的帽盒，从Helkovo小车站往夏别墅的方向走去。 —-

They all looked exhausted, hungry, and ill-humoured, as though the sun were not shining and the grass were not green for them.
他们看起来疲惫、饥饿和不悦，仿佛阳光不为他们照耀，草地为他们所绿。

Trudging along among the others was Pavel Matveyitch Zaikin, a member of the Circuit Court, a tall, stooping man, in a cheap cotton dust-coat and with a cockade on his faded cap. —-
在其他人中间蹒跚而行的是Pavel Matveyitch Zaikin，一个区法院的成员，一个高高弯腰的男人，穿着一件便宜的棉尘衣，破帽上别着一朵旧旗。 —-

He was perspiring, red in the face, and gloomy. . . .
他满脸通红，出汗，情绪低落……

“Do you come out to your holiday home every day? —-
“你每天都来度假屋吗？”一位穿着姜黄色裤子的夏季游客问他。 —-

” said a summer visitor, in ginger-coloured trousers, addressing him.
“不，不是每天。”Zaikin沮丧地回答道。

“No, not every day,” Zaikin answered sullenly. —-
这位夏季游客再没有说话。 —-

“My wife and son are staying here all the while, and I come down two or three times a week. —-
“我妻子和儿子一直留在这里，我每周下来两三次。” —-

I haven’t time to come every day; besides, it is expensive.”
“我没有时间每天都来；而且，这样会很贵。”

“You’re right there; it is expensive,” sighed he of the ginger trousers. —-
“你说得对；确实很贵。”梅花裤子的人叹了口气。 —-

“In town you can’t walk to the station, you have to take a cab; —-
“在城里你不能步行去车站，必须坐出租车； —-

and then, the ticket costs forty-two kopecks; you buy a paper for the journey; —-
而且，车票要花42个戈比；你还要买一份旅行的报纸； —-

one is tempted to drink a glass of vodka. —-
人很容易被诱惑喝一杯伏特加。 —-

It’s all petty expenditure not worth considering, but, mind you, in the course of the summer it will run up to some two hundred roubles. —-
这些都是琐碎的开支，不值得考虑，但是听着，在夏天，这些费用加起来将达到大约200卢布。” —-

Of course, to be in the lap of Nature is worth any money—I don’t dispute it . . . —-
当然，置身于大自然的怀抱是无价之宝——我不否认…… —-

idyllic and all the rest of it; but of course, with the salary an official gets, as you know yourself, every farthing has to be considered. —-
田园般的，诸如此类；但是，当然，对于一个官员的薪水而言，如你所知，每一便士都必须慎重考虑。 —-

If you waste a halfpenny you lie awake all night. . . . Yes. . . —-
你若浪费一便士，整夜都会辗转难眠……是的…… —-

I receive, my dear sir—I haven’t the honour of knowing your name—I receive a salary of very nearly two thousand roubles a year. —-
亲爱的先生，我每年得到的薪水几乎有两千卢布。 —-

I am a civil councillor, I smoke second-rate tobacco, and I haven’t a rouble to spare to buy Vichy water, prescribed me by the doctor for gall-stones.”
我是个文职干部，抽二流的烟，一卢布都没有能够浪费去买医生开的治疗胆结石的维希水。

“It’s altogether abominable,” said Zaikin after a brief silence. —-
“简直太可恶了，”在短暂的沉默之后，扎金说道。 —-

“I maintain, sir, that summer holidays are the invention of the devil and of woman. —-
“我断言，夏季假期是魔鬼和女人共同的发明。 —-

The devil was actuated in the present instance by malice, woman by excessive frivolity. —-
魔鬼是出于恶意，女人纯粹是太过轻浮。 —-

Mercy on us, it is not life at all; it is hard labour, it is hell! —-
天哪，这根本不是生活；这是艰苦的劳作，这是地狱！ —-

It’s hot and stifling, you can hardly breathe, and you wander about like a lost soul and can find no refuge. —-
酷热而闷热，几乎无法呼吸，你像个迷失的灵魂一样漫无目的地徘徊，找不到避难所。 —-

In town there is no furniture, no servants. . . everything has been carried off to the villa: —-
在城里，没有家具，没有仆人……一切都被搬到别墅里去了： —-

you eat what you can get; you go without your tea because there is no one to heat the samovar; —-
你只能吃到能找到的东西，因为没有人给你烧热水壶； —-

you can’t wash yourself; and when you come down here into this ‘lap of Nature’ you have to walk, if you please, through the dust and heat. —-
你洗不了澡；当你来到这个“大自然的怀抱”时，你必须跋涉走过尘土和炎热。 —-

. . . Phew! Are you married?”
“呵呵！你结婚了吗？”

“Yes. . . three children,” sighs Ginger Trousers.
“是的……有三个孩子，”姜色裤子叹息道。

“It’s abominable altogether. . . . It’s a wonder we are still alive.”
“这真是太可怕了……我们怎么还活着呢。”

At last the summer visitors reached their destination. —-
终于，夏天的游客们到达了他们的目的地。 —-

Zaikin said good- bye to Ginger Trousers and went into his villa. —-
萨金向姜色长裤道别，走进了他的别墅。 —-

He found a death-like silence in the house. —-
他发现房子里死一般的寂静。 —-

He could hear nothing but the buzzing of the gnats, and the prayer for help of a fly destined for the dinner of a spider. —-
他除了听到蚊子的嗡嗡声以及一只注定成为蜘蛛晚餐的苍蝇的请求救援外，什么也听不见。 —-

The windows were hung with muslin curtains, through which the faded flowers of the geraniums showed red. —-
窗帘上挂着薄纱帘，透过帘子可以看到褪色的天竺葵花朵泛着红色。 —-

On the unpainted wooden walls near the oleographs flies were slumbering. —-
在未粉刷的木墙上，靠近风景画的地方，苍蝇们正在沉睡。 —-

There was not a soul in the passage, the kitchen, or the dining-room. —-
过道、厨房和餐厅里一个人都没有。 —-

In the room which was called indifferently the parlour or the drawing-room, Zaikin found his son Petya, a little boy of six. —-
在一个被随意称为客厅或起居室的房间里，萨金找到了他六岁的儿子彼得。 —-

Petya was sitting at the table, and breathing loudly with his lower lip stuck out, was engaged in cutting out the figure of a knave of diamonds from a card.
彼得坐在桌子旁，大声地喘着气，嘴唇紧闭，正在剪下一张牌上方块K的形状。

“Oh, that’s you, father!” he said, without turning round. “Good- evening.”
“哦，是你，爸爸！”他说道，没有转身。“晚上好。”

“Good-evening. . . . And where is mother?”
“晚上好……那妈妈呢？”

“Mother? She is gone with Olga Kirillovna to a rehearsal of the play. —-
“妈妈？她和欧尔盖·基里洛夫娜去排练剧本了。 —-

The day after tomorrow they will have a performance. —-
后天他们要演出。 —-

And they will take me, too. . . . And will you go?”
他们也会带上我……你会去吗？”

“H’m! . . . When is she coming back?”
“嗯！她什么时候回来？”

“She said she would be back in the evening.”
“她说她晚上回来。”

“And where is Natalya?”
“那娜塔莉娅在哪里？”

“Mamma took Natalya with her to help her dress for the performance, and Akulina has gone to the wood to get mushrooms. —-
“妈妈带娜塔莉娅去帮她化妆准备演出，阿库丽娜去森林里采蘑菇了。” —-

Father, why is it that when gnats bite you their stomachs get red?”
爸爸，为什么蚊子咬人后它们的胃会变红？

“I don’t know. . . . Because they suck blood. So there is no one in the house, then?”
“我不知道……可能是因为它们吸血。那么家里没有其他人了吗？”

“No one; I am all alone in the house.”
“没有其他人，我一个人在家。”

Zaikin sat down in an easy-chair, and for a moment gazed blankly at the window.
扎金坐在一把懒人椅上，茫然地望着窗外。

“Who is going to get our dinner?” he asked.
“谁来做我们的晚餐呢？”他问道。

“They haven’t cooked any dinner today, father. —-
“今天他们没有做晚餐，爸爸。 —-

Mamma thought you were not coming today, and did not order any dinner. —-
妈妈以为你今天不来，所以没有订晚餐。 —-

She is going to have dinner with Olga Kirillovna at the rehearsal.”
她今天要和奥尔加·基里洛夫娜一起在排练时用餐。”

“Oh, thank you very much; and you, what have you to eat?”
“噢，非常感谢；那你呢，有什么吃的？”

“I’ve had some milk. They bought me six kopecks’ worth of milk. —-
“我喝了一些牛奶。他们给我买了六个戈比的牛奶。 —-

And, father, why do gnats suck blood?”
爸爸，为什么蚊子会吸血？

Zaikin suddenly felt as though something heavy were rolling down on his liver and beginning to gnaw it. —-
扎金突然感觉有一件沉重的东西滚落在他的肝脏上并开始啃咬。 —-

He felt so vexed, so aggrieved, and so bitter, that he was choking and tremulous; —-
他感到如此恼怒、悲愤和痛苦，以至于他感到窒息和颤抖。 —-

he wanted to jump up, to bang something on the floor, and to burst into loud abuse; —-
他想要跳起来，在地板上敲打什么东西，并大声责骂。 —-

but then he remembered that his doctor had absolutely forbidden him all excitement, so he got up, and making an effort to control himself, began whistling a tune from “Les Huguenots.”
但是他记起了医生坚决禁止他激动的话，所以他站了起来，努力控制自己，开始哼起了《洪谟教徒》中的一段曲子。

“Father, can you act in plays?” he heard Petya’s voice.
“爸爸，你能演戏吗？”他听到彼得亚的声音。

“Oh, don’t worry me with stupid questions!” said Zaikin, getting angry. —-
“哦，别用这种愚蠢的问题来烦我！”扎金生气地说。 —-

“He sticks to one like a leaf in the bath! —-
“他就像浴缸里的叶子一样粘在别人身上！ —-

Here you are, six years old, and just as silly as you were three years ago. . . . —-
你都六岁了，可还是和三年前一样愚蠢…… —-

Stupid, neglected child! Why are you spoiling those cards, for instance? —-
愚蠢、被忽视的孩子！你为什么要毁坏那些卡片呢？ —-

How dare you spoil them?”
你敢毁坏它们？”

“These cards aren’t yours,” said Petya, turning round. “Natalya gave them me.”
“这些卡片不是你的，”彼得亚转过身来说。“那塔利娅给我的。”

“You are telling fibs, you are telling fibs, you horrid boy! —-
“你在撒谎，你在撒谎，你这个可恶的孩子！ —-

” said Zaikin, growing more and more irritated. “You are always telling fibs! —-
”扎金越来越恼火地说。“你总是撒谎！ —-

You want a whipping, you horrid little pig! —-
你该打，你这个可恶的小猪！ —-

I will pull your ears!”
我要掐你的耳朵！”

Petya leapt up, and craning his neck, stared fixedly at his father’s red and wrathful face. —-
彼得跳了起来，伸长脖子，注视着他父亲红红的、怒火中烧的脸。 —-

His big eyes first began blinking, then were dimmed with moisture, and the boy’s face began working.
他那双大眼睛开始眨巴着，然后被泪水模糊了，男孩的脸开始扭曲。

“But why are you scolding?” squealed Petya. “Why do you attack me, you stupid? —-
“但是你为什么责骂我？”彼得尖声尖叫道。“你为什么攻击我，你这个傻瓜？ —-

I am not interfering with anybody; I am not naughty; —-
我没有干扰任何人;我不调皮; —-

I do what I am told, and yet . . . you are cross! —-
我照着说的做，可是…你生气了！ —-

Why are you scolding me?”
你为什么责骂我？”

The boy spoke with conviction, and wept so bitterly that Zaikin felt conscience-stricken.
男孩带着坚定的口吻说着，痛哭流涕，哭得让扎金感到良心不安。

“Yes, really, why am I falling foul of him?” he thought. —-
“是啊，为什么我要对他发怒？”他想道。 —-

“Come, come,” he said, touching the boy on the shoulder. “I am sorry, Petya . . —-
“来吧，来吧，”他伸手拍了拍男孩的肩膀。“我很抱歉，彼得… —-

. forgive me. You are my good boy, my nice boy, I love you.”
原谅我。你是我的好孩子，我喜欢你。”

Petya wiped his eyes with his sleeve, sat down, with a sigh, in the same place and began cutting out the queen. —-
彼得用袖子擦了擦眼睛，叹了口气，回到原来的地方继续剪切女王。 —-

Zaikin went off to his own room. He stretched himself on the sofa, and putting his hands behind his head, sank into thought. —-
扎金走进自己的房间。他躺在沙发上，双手撑在脑后，陷入了沉思。 —-

The boy’s tears had softened his anger, and by degrees the oppression on his liver grew less. —-
男孩的眼泪缓解了他的愤怒，渐渐地，他的肝脏的压迫感减轻了。 —-

He felt nothing but exhaustion and hunger.
他感觉除了疲惫和饥饿外什么都没有了。

“Father,” he heard on the other side of the door, “shall I show you my collection of insects?”
“爸爸，”他听到门的另一边传来声音，“我给你看我的昆虫收藏好吗？”

“Yes, show me.”
“是的，给我看看。”

Petya came into the study and handed his father a long green box. —-
彼捷亚走进书房，递给父亲一个长长的绿盒子。 —-

Before raising it to his ear Zaikin could hear a despairing buzz and the scratching of claws on the sides of the box. —-
在抬起盒子放在耳边之前，扎金就能听到一阵绝望的嗡嗡声和盒子边上的爪子刮擦声。 —-

Opening the lid, he saw a number of butterflies, beetles, grasshoppers, and flies fastened to the bottom of the box with pins. —-
打开盒子盖子，他看到盒底装着一些用大头针固定住的蝴蝶、甲虫、蚂蚱和苍蝇。 —-

All except two or three butterflies were still alive and moving.
除了两三只蝴蝶之外，其他都还活着，还在动。

“Why, the grasshopper is still alive!” said Petya in surprise. —-
“怎么回事，蚂蚱还活着！”彼捷亚惊讶地说道。 —-

“I caught him yesterday morning, and he is still alive!”
“我昨天早上抓到它，它还活着！”

“Who taught you to pin them in this way?”
“谁教你这样固定它们的？”

“Olga Kirillovna.”
“奥尔加·基里洛芙娜。”

“Olga Kirillovna ought to be pinned down like that herself! —-
“奥尔加·基里洛芙娜应该自己被像那样固定起来！” —-

” said Zaikin with repulsion. “Take them away! —-
扎金厌恶地说道，“把它们拿走！虐待动物简直是可耻。” —-

It’s shameful to torture animals.”
“天啊！他被带坏了！”他想着，彼捷亚走出去的时候。

“My God! How horribly he is being brought up!” he thought, as Petya went out.
巴维尔·马特维奇顾不得自己的疲惫和饥饿，只想着他儿子的未来。

Pavel Matveyitch forgot his exhaustion and hunger, and thought of nothing but his boy’s future. —-
与此同时，外面的光线逐渐昏暗起来… —-

Meanwhile, outside the light was gradually fading. . . . —-
同时, 答案只会返回给提问者，其他用户看不到答案。 —-

He could hear the summer visitors trooping back from the evening bathe. —-
他听到夏日的游客们从晚上的泳池回来的声音。 —-

Some one was stopping near the open dining-room window and shouting: “Do you want any mushrooms? —-
有人站在敞开的餐厅窗前喊道：“你们要采蘑菇吗？” —-

” And getting no answer, shuffled on with bare feet. . . . —-
得不到回答，他赤脚踉踉跄跄地继续走着。 —-

But at last, when the dusk was so thick that the outlines of the geraniums behind the muslin curtain were lost, and whiffs of the freshness of evening were coming in at the window, the door of the passage was thrown open noisily, and there came a sound of rapid footsteps, talk, and laughter. . . .
最后，在黄昏如此浓重，以至于蚊帐后面的天竺葵轮廓都看不清楚，并传来晚风的气息的时候，走廊的门被吵闹地打开了，一阵急促的脚步声、交谈声和笑声传来……

“Mamma!” shrieked Petya.
“妈妈！”彼捷嘶声力竭地尖叫。

Zaikin peeped out of his study and saw his wife, Nadyezhda Stepanovna, healthy and rosy as ever; —-
扎金从书房窥视出去，看到妻子纳杰日达·斯捷潘诺夫娜，依旧健康红润； —-

with her he saw Olga Kirillovna, a spare woman with fair hair and heavy freckles, and two unknown men: —-
他还看到奥尔加·基里洛芙娜，一位瘦削的金发女人，满脸雀斑，还有两个陌生男子： —-

one a lanky young man with curly red hair and a big Adam’s apple; —-
一个是个瘦高的红发男子，喉结突出； —-

the other, a short stubby man with a shaven face like an actor’s and a bluish crooked chin.
另一个是个矮胖的男子，脸上剃得干干净净，像个演员，下巴略显青黑。

“Natalya, set the samovar,” cried Nadyezhda Stepanovna, with a loud rustle of her skirts. —-
“娜塔莉娅，准备好俄式茶具。”纳杰日达·斯捷潘诺夫娜大声嘶喊着。 —-

“I hear Pavel Matveyitch is come. Pavel, where are you? Good-evening, Pavel! —-
“我听说帕维尔·马特维奇来了。帕维尔，你在哪里？晚上好，帕维尔！” —-

” she said, running into the study breathlessly. “So you’ve come. I am so glad. . . . —-
她气喘吁吁地跑进书房说：“你终于来了，我太高兴了……我带来了两个业余爱好者……来，我要给你们介绍一下……这个高个子是科罗米斯洛夫……他唱得很棒；还有这个小个子…… —-

Two of our amateurs have come with me. . . . Come, I’ll introduce you. . . . —-
叫斯默卡洛夫：他是个真正的演员……他表演得棒极了。哦，我好累！” —-

Here, the taller one is Koromyslov . . . he sings splendidly; and the other, the little one . . . —-
这位是个头更高一些的人叫科罗米斯洛夫……他的歌唱很棒；而那个小个子叫斯默卡洛夫：他是个真正的演员……他的独白表演得极好。哦，我好累！ —-

is called Smerkalov: he is a real actor . . . he recites magnificently. Oh, how tired I am! —-
我们带了两个业余爱好者一起来……来，我给你们介绍一下……这个个子高一些的是科罗米斯洛夫……他唱得真棒；而那个小个子…… —-

We have just had a rehearsal. . . . It goes splendidly. —-
我们刚刚排练过了……进展得非常出色。 —-

We are acting ‘The Lodger with the Trombone’ and ‘Waiting for Him.’ . —-
我们正在演出《吹奏长号的守寡人》和《等待着他》。 —-

. . The performance is the day after tomorrow. . . .”
演出在后天进行……”

“Why did you bring them?” asked Zaikin.
“你为什么把他们带来？”扎金问道。

“I couldn’t help it, Poppet; after tea we must rehearse our parts and sing something. . . . —-
“我没办法，亲爱的；喝完茶后我们必须排练我们的角色并唱点什么…… —-

I am to sing a duet with Koromyslov. . . . Oh, yes, I was almost forgetting! —-
我将与科罗米斯洛夫一起演唱一首二重唱……哦，是的，我差点忘了！ —-

Darling, send Natalya to get some sardines, vodka, cheese, and something else. —-
亲爱的，让娜塔莉亚去买点沙丁鱼、伏特加、奶酪和其他一些东西。 —-

They will most likely stay to supper. . . . —-
他们很可能会留下来吃晚饭…… —-

Oh, how tired I am!”
哦，我好累啊！

“H’m! I’ve no money.”
“嗯！我没钱。”

“You must, Poppet! It would be awkward! Don’t make me blush.”
“你必须有，亲爱的！那太尴尬了！别让我脸红。”

Half an hour later Natalya was sent for vodka and savouries; —-
半小时后，娜塔莉亚被派去买伏特加和小吃； —-

Zaikin, after drinking tea and eating a whole French loaf, went to his bedroom and lay down on the bed, while Nadyezhda Stepanovna and her visitors, with much noise and laughter, set to work to rehearse their parts. —-
扎金喝完茶，吃了一个整个的法式面包，然后去了卧室，躺在床上。而纳季捷茨卡和她的客人们则开始高声笑闹地排练他们的角色。 —-

For a long time Pavel Matveyitch heard Koromyslov’s nasal reciting and Smerkalov’s theatrical exclamations. —-
很长一段时间，帕维尔·马特韦伊奇听到科罗米斯洛夫的鼻音诵读和斯梅尔卡洛夫的戏剧性呼喊声。 —-

. . . The rehearsal was followed by a long conversation, interrupted by the shrill laughter of Olga Kirillovna. —-
……排练后进行了一次长时间的交谈，中间被奥尔加·基里洛夫娜的尖声笑声打断。 —-

Smerkalov, as a real actor, explained the parts with aplomb and heat. . . .
作为一名真正的演员，斯默卡洛夫以高超的演技和激情讲解着这些角色···

Then followed the duet, and after the duet there was the clatter of crockery. . . . —-
然后是二重奏，而二重奏之后是碗盘碰撞声··· —-

Through his drowsiness Zaikin heard them persuading Smerkalov to read “The Woman who was a Sinner,” and heard him, after affecting to refuse, begin to recite. —-
在打盹中，扎伊金听到他们劝说斯默卡洛夫朗诵《作为罪人的女人》，听到他以拒绝的态度开始朗诵。 —-

He hissed, beat himself on the breast, wept, laughed in a husky bass. . . —-
他发出嘶嘶声，在胸膛上拍打自己，哽咽地笑··· —-

. Zaikin scowled and hid his head under the quilt.
扎伊金皱起眉头，把头藏在被子里。

“It’s a long way for you to go, and it’s dark,” he heard Nadyezhda Stepanovna’s voice an hour later. —-
“你要走很远的路，而且天黑了。”一个小时后，他听到纳捷日达·斯捷潘诺芙娜的声音。 —-

“Why shouldn’t you stay the night here? —-
“你为什么不在这里过夜呢？ —-

Koromyslov can sleep here in the drawing-room on the sofa, and you, Smerkalov, in Petya’s bed. —-
科罗米斯洛夫可以睡在客厅的沙发上，斯默卡洛夫，你可以睡在彼特亚的床上。 —-

. . . I can put Petya in my husband’s study. —-
我可以把彼特亚安排在我丈夫的书房里。 —-

. . . Do stay, really!”
真的，你待会儿吧！”

At last when the clock was striking two, all was hushed, the bedroom door opened, and Nadyezhda Stepanovna appeared.
最后当钟声敲响两点时，一切安静下来，卧室的门打开了，纳捷日达·斯捷潘诺芙娜出现了。

“Pavel, are you asleep?” she whispered.
“帕维尔，你睡着了吗？”她低声说道。

“No; why?”
“没有，为什么？”

“Go into your study, darling, and lie on the sofa. —-
“亲爱的，去你的书房，躺在沙发上。 —-

I am going to put Olga Kirillovna here, in your bed. Do go, dear! —-
我要把奥尔加·基里洛芙娜放在你的床上。亲爱的，去吧！” —-

I would put her to sleep in the study, but she is afraid to sleep alone. —-
我会让她在书房里睡觉，但她害怕一个人睡觉。 —-

. . . Do get up!”
. . . 快起来!”

Zaikin got up, threw on his dressing-gown, and taking his pillow, crept wearily to the study. . . . —-
扎金站起来，穿上他的浴袍，拿着枕头，疲惫地爬到书房里. . . . —-

Feeling his way to his sofa, he lighted a match, and saw Petya lying on the sofa. —-
摸索着走到沙发上，他点燃了一根火柴，看见彼特亚躺在沙发上。 —-

The boy was not asleep, and, looking at the match with wide-open eyes:
小男孩没睡着，睁大眼睛看着火柴:

“Father, why is it gnats don’t go to sleep at night?” he asked.
“爸爸，为什么蚊子晚上不睡觉？”他问。

“Because . . . because . . . you and I are not wanted. . . . We have nowhere to sleep even.”
“因为…因为…我们不需要你和我。我们连睡觉的地方都没有。”

“Father, and why is it Olga Kirillovna has freckles on her face?”
“爸爸，为什么奥尔加·基里洛夫娜脸上有雀斑？”

“Oh, shut up! I am tired of you.”
“哦，闭嘴！我受够了你。”

After a moment’s thought, Zaikin dressed and went out into the street for a breath of air. . . . —-
经过一会儿的思考，扎金穿好衣服，走出街上呼吸新鲜空气. . . . —-

He looked at the grey morning sky, at the motionless clouds, heard the lazy call of the drowsy corncrake, and began dreaming of the next day, when he would go to town, and coming back from the court would tumble into bed. —-
他望着灰蒙蒙的早晨天空，看着静止的云，听到瞌睡的草地鸢在呼唤，开始幻想着第二天他将去城里，从法庭回来后会跌进床上。 —-

. . . Suddenly the figure of a man appeared round the corner.
. . . 突然，一个男人的身影出现在拐角处。

“A watchman, no doubt,” thought Zaikin. —-
“毫无疑问是一个看守人，”扎金想道。 —-

But going nearer and looking more closely he recognized in the figure the summer visitor in the ginger trousers.
但走近并仔细看时，他认出了那个穿姜黄色裤子的夏天到访者。

“You’re not asleep?” he asked.
“你没睡吗？”他问。

“No, I can’t sleep,” sighed Ginger Trousers. “I am enjoying Nature . . . . —-
“不，我睡不着，”金吉尔·特鲁塞尔叹了口气。“我正在享受大自然……” —-

A welcome visitor, my wife’s mother, arrived by the night train, you know. —-
一位受欢迎的客人，我妻子的母亲，乘夜车而来，你知道的。 —-

She brought with her our nieces . . . splendid girls! —-
她带来了我们的侄女们……这些女孩太棒了！ —-

I was delighted to see them, although . . . it’s very damp! —-
看到她们我很高兴，尽管……这里非常潮湿！ —-

And you, too, are enjoying Nature?”
那你也在享受大自然吗？

“Yes,” grunted Zaikin, “I am enjoying it, too. . . . —-
是的，”札金咕哝着说，“我也在享受它…… —-

Do you know whether there is any sort of tavern or restaurant in the neighbourhood?”
你知道附近有没有什么酒馆或餐馆吗？

Ginger Trousers raised his eyes to heaven and meditated profoundly.
金吉尔·特鲁塞尔仰天而望，深思熟虑。