(单词翻译:单击)
Some day he will make our country free.
总有一天,他会解放我们的国家 。
How can anyone help his country by staying at home on a sleepy old farm like this?"
一个人总待在这样的一个昏昏沉沉、老旧不堪的农场里,怎么才能帮上自己的国家呢?
Just then the clatter of horses'hoofs came to their ears from far down the road.
这时,马蹄的咔嗒声从远处的路上传到了他们的耳朵里 。
Jack and his mother knew well enough what the sound meant.
杰克和他的母亲很清楚这个声音意味着什么 。
The British are coming! cried the boy, jumping to his feet.
英国人来了!男孩说着跳了起来,
"I'll get Old Bay out of the barn, Mother!
妈妈,我去把枣红马牵出谷仓!
The British won't get our last horse if I can help it. I'll hide him back in the woods."
要是我能帮上忙,英国人就得不到我们的最后一匹马 。我要把他藏到森林里面 。
It did not take the young boy many minutes to hide Old Bay in a safe place.
把那匹枣红老马藏在一个安全的地方没有花去这个少年太多的时间 。
Then he ran back to the house as fast as his legs could carry him.
接着,他竭尽全力跑回了家 。
"Now the old horse is safe, Mother," he said proudly.
妈妈,现在那匹老马安全了 。他自豪地说 。
I am afraid, Jack, answered his mother, "that the British are after more than horses this time.
杰克,我怕英国人这次找的不仅仅是马 。妈妈答道,
Neighbor Green says their food is giving out.
我们的邻居格林说他们的食物被拿走了 。
So we may not have much left to eat after this visit."
所以这次之后,我们也剩不了多少能吃的东西了 。
Never mind, Mother! said Jack.
妈妈,没关系!杰克说,
"If the British take everything, I will see that you do not starve. I'm glad that I'm here, after all."
就算英国人把所有东西都拿走了,我也会保证你不会挨饿的 。不管怎么说,我还是高兴自己能留在家里 。
At that very moment, up the road with shouting and clatter of hoofs, came the British soldiers — four hundred of them.
就在这时,路上传来了叫喊声和马蹄的咔嗒声,英国士兵来了,足足有400人 。
When they reached the yard, they drove in and began to load their wagons with corn from the barn and with food from the cellar.
到了院子,他们直接就骑了进来,并立刻将谷仓里的玉米和地下室里的食品都装上他们的马车 。
From the end of the porch Jack and his mother watched what was happening.
杰克和妈妈在门廊的一边看着眼前发生的一切 。
They saw the cows driven up, and the pigs taken from their pens.
他们看到母牛被赶走,猪从围栏里被赶了出来 。
How the soldiers laughed and joked, as they chased the frightened chickens about the yard!
这些士兵在院子里追赶受惊的小鸡时,他们逗着趣、开怀大笑 。