Chapter 12. A Stormy Day

One day late in the autumn my master had a long journey to go on business. Un día, a fines del otoño, mi amo tenía un largo viaje para ir de negocios. I was put into the dog-cart, and John went with his master. Me pusieron en el carro del perro, y John se fue con su amo. 我被放到了狗车上，约翰和他的主人一起去了。 I always liked to go in the dog-cart, it was so light and the high wheels ran along so pleasantly. Siempre me gustó ir en el carrito del perro, era tan liviano y las ruedas altas corrían tan agradablemente. 我一直喜欢坐狗车，它很轻，高轮子跑起来很舒服。 There had been a great deal of rain, and now the wind was very high and blew the dry leaves across the road in a shower. Había llovido mucho, y ahora el viento era muy fuerte y arrastraba las hojas secas a través del camino en forma de chaparrón. 刚才下了很大的雨，现在风很大，把马路上干枯的树叶吹得一阵阵阵雨。 We went along merrily till we came to the toll-bar and the low wooden bridge. Seguimos adelante alegremente hasta que llegamos al peaje y al puente bajo de madera. 我们愉快地前行，一直走到收费站和那座低矮的木桥。 The river banks were rather high, and the bridge, instead of rising, went across just level, so that in the middle, if the river was full, the water would be nearly up to the woodwork and planks; but as there were good substantial rails on each side, people did not mind it. Las orillas del río eran bastante altas, y el puente, en lugar de elevarse, cruzaba justo a nivel, de modo que en el medio, si el río estaba lleno, el agua llegaba casi hasta la madera y los tablones; pero como había buenas barandas sólidas a cada lado, a la gente no le importaba. 河岸相当高，桥不是在上升，而是在水平上穿过，所以在中间，如果河水满了，水几乎会淹没木制品和木板；但由于两边都有坚固的栏杆，人们并不介意。

The man at the gate said the river was rising fast, and he feared it would be a bad night. Many of the meadows were under water, and in one low part of the road the water was halfway up to my knees; the bottom was good, and master drove gently, so it was no matter. Muchos de los prados estaban bajo el agua, y en una parte baja del camino el agua me llegaba a la mitad de las rodillas; el fondo estaba bien, y el maestro conducía suavemente, así que no importaba. 许多草地都被水淹没了，在路的一个低处，水没到我膝盖的一半；底子不错，师傅开的也很轻，所以没关系。

When we got to the town of course I had a good bait, but as the master's business engaged him a long time we did not start for home till rather late in the afternoon. Cuando llegamos a la ciudad, por supuesto, tenía un buen cebo, pero como el negocio del patrón lo ocupaba desde hacía mucho tiempo, no partimos hacia casa hasta bien entrada la tarde. 当我们到达镇上时，我当然有一个很好的诱饵，但是由于主人的事情让他忙了很长时间，我们直到下午很晚才动身回家。 The wind was then much higher, and I heard the master say to John that he had never been out in such a storm; and so I thought, as we went along the skirts of a wood, where the great branches were swaying about like twigs, and the rushing sound was terrible. Entonces el viento era mucho más fuerte, y escuché al maestro decirle a John que nunca había estado afuera en una tormenta así; y eso pensé, mientras avanzábamos a lo largo de las faldas de un bosque, donde las grandes ramas se balanceaban como ramitas, y el sonido que corría era terrible. 那时风更大了，我听到主人对约翰说他从来没有在这样的风暴中出去过；当我们沿着树林的边缘走时，我想，那里的大树枝像树枝一样摇曳，发出的声音很可怕。

"I wish we were well out of this wood," said my master. "Ojalá hubiéramos salido bien de este bosque", dijo mi amo. "Yes, sir," said John, "it would be rather awkward if one of these branches came down upon us." "Sí, señor", dijo John, "sería bastante incómodo si una de estas ramas cayera sobre nosotros". “是的，先生，”约翰说，“如果这些树枝中的一根落在我们身上，那就太尴尬了。” The words were scarcely out of his mouth when there was a groan, and a crack, and a splitting sound, and tearing, crashing down among the other trees came an oak, torn up by the roots, and it fell right across the road just before us. Apenas habían salido las palabras de su boca cuando se oyó un gemido, un crujido y un sonido de rajaduras, y desgarrando, estrellándose entre los otros árboles, vino un roble, arrancado de raíz, y cayó justo al otro lado del camino. antes que nosotros. 他的话音刚落，就听到一声呻吟，一声爆裂，一声裂开的声音，一棵橡树从其他树木中掉落下来，被连根拔起，掉在了马路对面在我们之前。 I will never say I was not frightened, for I was. Nunca diré que no estaba asustado, porque lo estaba. I stopped still, and I believe I trembled; of course I did not turn round or run away; I was not brought up to that. Me detuve, y creo que temblé; por supuesto, no me di la vuelta ni salí corriendo; Yo no fui educado para eso. 我停住了，我相信我在发抖；我当然没有转身或逃跑；我没有长大。 John jumped out and was in a moment at my head. 约翰跳了出来，一下子冲到我头上。

"That was a very near touch," said my master. "Eso fue un toque muy cercano", dijo mi maestro. "What's to be done now?" "Well, sir, we can't drive over that tree, nor yet get round it; there will be nothing for it, but to go back to the four crossways, and that will be a good six miles before we get round to the wooden bridge again; it will make us late, but the horse is fresh." "Bien, señor, no podemos pasar por encima de ese árbol, ni siquiera rodearlo; no habrá nada para eso, excepto volver a los cuatro cruces, y eso será unas buenas seis millas antes de que lleguemos a la puente de madera de nuevo; se nos hará tarde, pero el caballo está fresco". “好吧，先生，我们不能开过那棵树，也不能绕过它；没有什么办法，只能回到四个十字路口，在我们绕到又是一座木桥，要迟到了，但马是新鲜的。” So back we went and round by the crossroads, but by the time we got to the bridge it was very nearly dark; we could just see that the water was over the middle of it; but as that happened sometimes when the floods were out, master did not stop. 所以我们绕着十字路口往回走，但当我们到达桥上时，天已经快黑了。我们只能看到水没过中间；但由于有时洪水退去时会发生这种情况，师父并没有停下来。 We were going along at a good pace, but the moment my feet touched the first part of the bridge I felt sure there was something wrong. 我们以良好的速度前进，但当我的脚碰到桥的第一部分时，我觉得肯定有问题。 I dare not go forward, and I made a dead stop. No me atrevo a seguir adelante, y me detuve en seco. 我不敢上前，死死地停了下来。 "Go on, Beauty," said my master, and he gave me a touch with the whip, but I dare not stir; he gave me a sharp cut; I jumped, but I dare not go forward. "Sigue, Bella", dijo mi amo, y me dio un golpe con el látigo, pero no me atrevo a moverme; me dio un corte agudo; Salté, pero no me atrevo a avanzar. "There's something wrong, sir," said John, and he sprang out of the dog-cart and came to my head and looked all about. He tried to lead me forward. "Come on, Beauty, what's the matter?" Of course I could not tell him, but I knew very well that the bridge was not safe.

Just then the man at the toll-gate on the other side ran out of the house, tossing a torch about like one mad. En ese momento, el hombre del peaje del otro lado salió corriendo de la casa, arrojando una antorcha como un loco.

"Hoy, hoy, hoy! "¡Hoy, hoy, hoy! halloo! stop!" he cried.

"What's the matter?" shouted my master.

"The bridge is broken in the middle, and part of it is carried away; if you come on you'll be into the river." "Thank God!" said my master.

"You Beauty!" said John, and took the bridle and gently turned me round to the right-hand road by the river side. The sun had set some time; the wind seemed to have lulled off after that furious blast which tore up the tree. It grew darker and darker, stiller and stiller. 天越来越黑，越来越静。 I trotted quietly along, the wheels hardly making a sound on the soft road. For a good while neither master nor John spoke, and then master began in a serious voice. I could not understand much of what they said, but I found they thought, if I had gone on as the master wanted me, most likely the bridge would have given way under us, and horse, chaise, master, and man would have fallen into the river; and as the current was flowing very strongly, and there was no light and no help at hand, it was more than likely we should all have been drowned. 我听不懂他们说的很多东西，但我发现他们认为，如果我按照主人的要求继续前进，很可能桥会在我们下面让路，马、马车、主人和人都会倒下入河；由于水流非常猛烈，又没有灯光，也没有手边的帮助，我们很可能都被淹死了。 Master said, God had given men reason, by which they could find out things for themselves; but he had given animals knowledge which did not depend on reason, and which was much more prompt and perfect in its way, and by which they had often saved the lives of men. El Maestro dijo: Dios había dado a los hombres la razón, por la cual podían descubrir las cosas por sí mismos; pero les había dado a los animales un conocimiento que no dependía de la razón, y que era mucho más rápido y perfecto a su manera, y por el cual a menudo habían salvado la vida de los hombres. 师父说，上帝给了人类理性，人类可以通过理性自己发现事物；但是他给了动物知识，这些知识不依赖于理性，并且以更迅速和完美的方式提供给动物，它们常常借此拯救人类的生命。 John had many stories to tell of dogs and horses, and the wonderful things they had done; he thought people did not value their animals half enough nor make friends of them as they ought to do. 约翰有很多关于狗和马的故事，以及它们所做的奇妙事情。他认为人们没有足够重视他们的动物，也没有像他们应该做的那样与他们交朋友。 I am sure he makes friends of them if ever a man did. Estoy seguro de que se hace amigo de ellos si alguna vez lo hizo un hombre.

At last we came to the park gates and found the gardener looking out for us. 终于，我们来到了公园门口，发现园丁正在照看我们。 He said that mistress had been in a dreadful way ever since dark, fearing some accident had happened, and that she had sent James off on Justice, the roan cob, toward the wooden bridge to make inquiry after us. Dijo que la señora había estado muy mal desde que oscureció, temiendo que hubiera ocurrido algún accidente, y que había enviado a James en Justice, la mazorca ruana, hacia el puente de madera para que preguntara por nosotros. 他说女主人从天黑以来就一直很可怕，害怕发生什么意外，她派詹姆斯乘坐正义号，那只花色公子，前往木桥询问我们的情况。

We saw a light at the hall-door and at the upper windows, and as we came up mistress ran out, saying, "Are you really safe, my dear? 我们看到大厅门口和楼上的窗户都亮着灯，我们一上楼，女主人就跑了出来，说：“亲爱的，你真的安全吗？ Oh! I have been so anxious, fancying all sorts of things. He estado tan ansiosa, imaginando todo tipo de cosas. 我一直很着急，幻想着各种各样的事情。 Have you had no accident?" ¿No has tenido ningún accidente?" 你没出事吧？” "No, my dear; but if your Black Beauty had not been wiser than we were we should all have been carried down the river at the wooden bridge." "No, querida; pero si tu Belleza Negra no hubiera sido más sabia que nosotros, nos habrían llevado a todos río abajo en el puente de madera". “不，亲爱的；但如果不是你的黑美人比我们聪明，我们就会在木桥上被载下河。” I heard no more, as they went into the house, and John took me to the stable. 当他们走进屋子时，我再也没有听到任何声音，约翰带我去了马厩。 Oh, what a good supper he gave me that night, a good bran mash and some crushed beans with my oats, and such a thick bed of straw! and I was glad of it, for I was tired.