01.Escape!

1．Escape!
1．快逃！
One day in November 1647, Jacob Armitage hurried through the New Forest to the house of Arnwood.


1647年11月的一天，雅各布·阿米蒂奇匆忙穿过新森林赶到安伍德大宅。


You must leave this house immediately,' he said to Edward Beverley. 'Come with me to pack your things. You must come to my home and stay there.'


“你们必须马上离开这所房子，”他对爱德华·贝弗利说，“跟我来收拾你们的东西。你们必须到我家去，待在那里。”


But why, Jacob?' Edward asked the old man. 'Why?'


“可为什么啊，雅各布？”爱德华问老人，“为什么？”


The King has escaped from his prison at Hampton Court,' Jacob explained. 'He's riding south through the forest, and Cromwell's soldiers are searching for him. And I've just heard a group of soldiers in the forest — they were talking about Arnwood. They know that your father was the King's friend, and they're planning to burn Arnwood tonight, because they think the King is hiding here.'


“国王从汉普顿宫的监狱中逃出来了，”雅各布解释道，“他正骑马穿越森林向南逃，克伦威尔的士兵正在搜寻他。而且我刚才听到森林里一群士兵的谈话——他们在谈论安伍德。他们知道你父亲是国王的朋友，他们正打算今晚烧掉安伍德，因为他们认为国王正藏在这儿。”


Burn Arnwood! They can't do that! It's my house, and I'm staying here!' Edward said angrily. He was fourteen years old, the oldest of the four Beverley children.


“烧掉安伍德！他们不能那样做！这是我的房子，我要留在这儿！”爱德华愤怒地说。他14岁了，是贝弗利家四个孩子中的老大。


The Beverley children lived alone at Arnwood, with an old woman who did the cooking and all the work of the house. Their father, Colonel Beverley, was killed while fighting for King Charles I at Naseby in 1645. Before he left home, he asked Jacob, a poor forester who lived near Arnwood, to look after his family. Jacob knew the family well and was happy to do this. And when the children's mother died a few months later, Jacob came every day to visit the children and to help them.


贝弗利家的四个孩子自己住在安伍德，有个老妇人给他们做饭并负责所有的家务活儿。他们的父亲贝弗利上校1645年在内斯比为国王查理一世作战时牺牲了。他离家之前请求雅各布——一个住在安伍德附近的穷困的护林人——照顾他的家人。雅各布和这家人很熟，很乐意做这件事。几个月后孩子们的母亲去世了，雅各布便每天都来看孩子们，帮助他们。


My dear boy,' Jacob said, 'remember your sisters and brother. The soldiers will shoot them, or burn them in the house. No, no, you must all come with me.'


“我亲爱的孩子，”雅各布说，“想想你的妹妹们和弟弟。士兵们会开枪打他们的，或者把他们烧死在房子里。不，不，你们必须全部跟我来。”


In the end, Edward agreed. He and his brother Humphrey, who was twelve, packed their things. Then they put them on Jacob's horse, White Billy, who was waiting outside.


最后，爱德华同意了。他和12岁的弟弟汉弗莱收拾好东西，然后把它们放到雅各布的马上。这匹马叫白比利，正在外面等着。


Jacob told Alice, who was eleven, and Edith, who was eight, that they were going to visit his home in the forest. He did not tell them about the soldiers.


雅各布告诉11岁的艾丽斯和8岁的伊迪丝，说他们要去他在森林里的家里住几天。他没告诉她们有关士兵的事。


Edward, here is my key,' said Jacob quietly. 'Lock the door of the house, and take my gun from the wall. Don't leave your brother and sisters. I'll help the cook to pack her things, and then I'll follow you.'


“爱德华，这是我的钥匙，”雅各布轻轻地说，“把房门锁上，把我的枪从墙上拿下来，不要离开你的弟弟妹妹们。我帮厨娘收拾她的东西，然后就会跟上你们。”


The four children left the big house and went into the forest with White Billy. It was five o'clcok in the afternoon, and already dark. Jacob helped the cook, who hurried away to her family in Lymington, and then he hid in the trees near the house, and waited.


四个孩子离开了大房子，和白比利一起走进了森林里。那时是下午5点钟，天已经黑了。雅各布帮厨娘收拾好，她便匆忙赶往她在利明顿的家了，然后雅各布藏在房子附近的树林中等待着。


After a while he heard horses, and the Parliamentary soldiers arrived. Soon they were in the gardens and all round the house. A few minutes later Jacob saw black smoke going up into the sky; then he saw flames at the windows. Arnwood was burning!


过了一会儿，他听到了马蹄声，议会的士兵到了。很快他们就散布到花园里和房子四周。几分钟后，雅各布看到黑烟升上天空，然后他看到了窗口冒出来的火苗。安伍德着火了！


It is done,' thought Jacob, and he hurried away into the forest. In half an hour he arrived at his cottage. He looked back and saw the flames of Arnwood shooting higher and higher above the trees.


“完了。”雅各布想。他急忙离开走进了森林，半个小时后到了自己的农舍。他回头看了看，看到安伍德的火越烧越旺，火苗在树顶上越升越高。


When he knocked on his door, Edward opened it and came out with Smoker, Jacob's big dog.


他敲了敲门，爱德华打开门，和雅各布的大狗斯莫克尔一起走出来。


My sisters are asleep in bed,' Edward told Jacob. Then Edward saw the flames of Arnwood and the angry red light between the trees, and he was silent.


“我的妹妹们上床睡觉了。”爱德华告诉雅各布。这时爱德华看见了安伍德的大火和树林中透出的愤怒的红色火光，他沉默了。


I told you,' Jacob said. 'The soldiers didn't look for you in the house before they burnt it.'


“我告诉过你的，”雅各布说，“那些士兵烧房子之前都没有进去找你们。”


Arnwood is my house!' said Edward angrily. 'And when I'm a man, I'll fight Cromwell's soldiers for this!'


“安伍德是我的房子！”爱德华愤怒地说，“等我长大了，我会跟克伦威尔的士兵算这笔账的！”


Perhaps you will,' Jacob said quietly. 'But let's go inside now. It's a cold night.'


“或许你会的，”雅各布平静地说，“但是现在我们进屋去吧。今天夜里很冷。”


Edward slowly followed Jacob into the cottage. He hated Cromwell and the Parliamentary soldiers. First they killed his father, and now they burnt his house. He lay down on the bed, but he did not sleep.


爱德华跟着雅各布慢慢地走进农舍里。他恨克伦威尔和议会的那些士兵。他们先是杀了他父亲，现在又烧了他的房子。他躺在床上，却无法入睡。


*　*　*


*　*　*


Jacob lived alone because his wife was dead, and he had no children. His cottage had one large room for living and cooking, and three small bedrooms behind. Outside there were a few chickens and pigs in one field and some old fruit trees in another field.


雅各布是一个人生活，因为他妻子去世了，而且他没有孩子。他的农舍里有一个起居和做饭用的大房间，后面有三间小卧室。屋子外面的一块地里养了几只鸡和几头猪，另外一块地里长着几棵老果树。


The next morning Jacob began to teach the children how to cook and to clean the cottage. It was all new work to them, because rich children like the Beverleys never cooked or worked in the house.


第二天早晨，雅各布开始教孩子们做饭和打扫屋子。这些对他们来说都是新鲜的工作，因为像贝弗利家这种富人家的孩子们在家从来不做饭，也不用干活。


You must stay inside today,' Jacob told them, 'because the soldiers are still searching the forest. Let's get some dinner ready. We can all help. Edward, will you go and get some water from the river?'


“你们今天必须待在屋里，”雅各布告诉他们，“因为士兵们还在搜查森林。我们来做点儿晚餐吧，大家都可以帮忙。爱德华，你能不能去河里打些水来？”


The children enjoyed cooking their first meal. They washed some potatoes and cut some meat and vegetables into pieces. Then they put them with some water in a pot on the fire. Little Edith put plates and knives on the table.


孩子们第一次做饭都很开心。他们洗了一些土豆，把肉和蔬菜切成块，然后加水一起放进炉火上的锅里。小伊迪丝把盘子和餐刀摆到桌子上。


While the dinner was cooking, Edward stood outside the cottage, watching out for soldiers, and the other three made the cottage tidy. But just before dinner was ready, Edward ran back inside.


晚饭在火上煮着时，爱德华站在农舍外面放哨，其他三个孩子把农舍打扫整洁。但正当晚饭要做好的时候，爱德华跑回屋里来。


I can see soldiers, and they're riding this way!'


“我能看到士兵，他们正骑着马往这边来！”


Jacob was silent for a minute. 'My dear children, those soldiers will search the cottage, and I don't want them to see your rich clothes. You must go to bed and pretend to be ill. Edward, you can put on one of my old shirts.'


雅各布沉默了片刻。“我亲爱的孩子们，那些士兵会搜查农舍的，我不想让他们看到你们华丽的衣服。你们必须躺到床上装病。爱德华，你可以穿上我的一件旧衬衫。”


The younger children got into bed and hid their rich clothes. Edward put on Jacob's old shirt and sat next to the bed with a cup of water for his sisters. Quickly, Jacob put away the plates and knives. Soon there was a knock on the door.


年幼的孩子们爬上床，藏起他们华丽的衣服。爱德华穿上雅各布的旧衬衫，给妹妹们端了一杯水坐在床边。雅各布迅速把盘子和餐刀收起来。很快传来了敲门声。


Come in,' said Jacob.


“进来。”雅各布说。


Who are you, my firend?' asked one of the soldiers.


“你是谁，我的朋友？”其中一个士兵问道。


A poor forester, sir,' replied Jacob, 'in great trouble. My grandchildren are all in bed, very ill.'


“一个贫穷的护林人，先生，”雅各布回答，“处境非常困难。我的孙子孙女们都在床上，病得很厉害。”


We must search your cottage for the King.'


“我们必须搜查你的农舍寻找国王。”


Very well — but please don't frighten the children.'


“好的——但是请别吓着孩子们。”


The men began to search the cottage. Edith screamed when she saw them, but Edward told her not to be afraid.


那些人开始搜查农舍。伊迪丝看到他们的时候尖叫起来，但是爱德华告诉她不要害怕。


There's nothing here,' one of the soldiers said. 'Let's go. I'm tired and hungry.'


“这里没有，”其中一个士兵说，“我们走吧，我又累又饿。”


There's something here that smells good,' said another soldier. 'What is it?' he asked, looking into the pot.


“这里有什么东西闻起来很不错。”另一个士兵说。“这是什么？”他看着锅里问道。


My dinner for a week,' explained Jacob. 'I can't light a fire every day, so I cook once a week.'


“我一个星期的晚餐，”雅各布解释说，“我不能每天都生火，所以每星期做一次饭。”


Well, it looks good, so we'll try some,' the soldiers said. And they put the pot on the table, sat down, and ate everything. Then they thanked Jacob and rode away.


“哦，看起来不错，我们要尝尝。”士兵们说。然后他们把锅端到桌子上，坐下吃光了所有的东西。他们谢过雅各布便骑马离开了。


Jacob called the children and told them to get up. 'The soldiers have gone,' he said.


雅各布把孩子们叫起来。“士兵们已经走了。”他说。


And our dinners have gone too,' said Humphrey, looking at the dirty plates and the empty pot.


“我们的晚餐也没了。”汉弗莱看着那些脏盘子和空空的锅说道。


Bad men ate our dinner,' said Edith.


“坏人们吃了我们的晚餐。”伊迪丝说。


We can cook another,' said Jacob. 'We're all hungry, but if everyone helps, the dinner will soon be ready.'


“我们可以再做一顿，”雅各布说，“我们都饿了，但是如果每个人都帮忙，晚餐很快就会做好的。”


After dinner, Jacob told the children that their lives must change. 'The King's enemies think that you are dead, burned in Arnwood. But you are still in danger, and so you must stay here with me and pretend to be my grandchildren. You are children of the New Forest now.'


晚饭之后，雅各布告诉孩子们，他们的生活必须改变了。“国王的敌人以为你们死了，在安伍德被烧死了。但是你们还处在危险中，所以你们必须和我待在这里，装作是我的孙子孙女。你们现在是新森林的孩子了。”