Gabriel Ernest
加布里埃尔·欧内斯特
Cunningham had spent an agreeable week in the country with his friend Van Cheele． Now Van Cheele was driving his guest back to the station． Cunningham was unusually quiet on the journey， but Van Cheele talked all the time， so he did not notice his friend's silence．
坎宁安和朋友范·切尔在乡下过了愉快的一周。现在范·切尔正开车送客人去车站。路上坎宁安与往常不一样，非常安静，但是范·切尔一直说个不停，所以没注意到朋友的沉默。
Suddenly Cunningham spoke．'There is a wild animal in your woods，' he said．
坎宁安突然说，“你家的小树林里有一只野兽。”
'A wild animal？ A few rabbits， perhaps． Nothing very terrible， surely，' said Van Cheele． Cunningham said nothing．
“一只野兽？一些兔子还有可能，肯定没有什么太可怕的，”范·切尔说。坎宁安一句话没说。
' What did you mean about a wild animal？' asked Van Cheele later， at the station．
“你说一只野兽是什么意思？”范·切尔后来在车站问。
'Nothing． It was my imagination． Here is the train，'said Cunningham．
“没什么，是我的幻觉，火车来了，”坎宁安说。
That afternoon Van Cheele went for a walk through his woods． He knew a little about plants and animals， and he enjoyed walking through the woods around his house and looking at the birds and flowers there． He also enjoyed telling everyone about them aftefwards．Of course，he never saw anything very surprising——until that afternoon．
那天下午范·切尔去林子里散步。他对植物和动物略知一二，因此喜欢走路穿过他家房子周围的树林，观赏那儿的花鸟。事后他也喜欢向每个人讲述。当然他从没看见过令人非常惊奇的东西——直到那天下午。
During his walk Van Cheele came to a deep pool under some tall trees． He knew it well： after all， it was his pool．But today， he saw a boy of about sixteen lying on a large rock beside the pool． The boy was drying his wet， naked brown body in the sun． His hair was wet too， and he had long， golden，wolfish eyes． He turned those eyes towards Van Cheele with a look of lazy watchfulness．
范·切尔走到高树下的一个深水塘旁。他对这个水塘非常熟悉：毕竟这是他的。但是今天，他看见一个大约十六岁的男孩正躺在水塘边的大石头上。他正在太阳下晒自己潮湿、裸露的棕色身体。他的头发也是湿的，他长着一双金黄色、狼一样的长眼睛。他眨着那双眼，用懒洋洋的警惕神情看着范·切尔。
Van Cheele was surprised to see the boy． Where does this wild－looking boy come from？ he thought． Can he be the miller's son？ He disappeared two months ago． People say he fell into the river． It's a fast-running river， and nobody ever found his body． I wonder？ But the miller's boy was only a young child…
范·切尔见到男孩很吃惊。这个相貌野性的男孩从哪儿来？他想。是磨坊主的儿子吗？他两个月前失踪了。人们说他掉进了河里，是湍急的河，没人找到他的尸体。我想，会不会是他？可是磨坊主的儿子还只是一个小孩……
'What are you doing here？asked Van Cheele．
“你在这儿做什么？”范·切尔问。
'Enjoying the sunshine， of course，' said the boy．
“当然是享受阳光，”男孩说。
'Where do you live？'
“你住在哪儿？”
'Here， in these woods．'
“在这儿，在这些树林里。”
'You can't live in these woods．' said Van Cheele．
“你不可能住在树林里，”范·切尔说。
'They are very nice woods，' said the boy politely．
“树林里挺不错的，”男孩礼貌地说。
'But where do you sleep at night？'
“可是你晚上在哪儿睡觉？”
'I don't sleep at night． That's my busiest time．'
“我晚上不睡觉，那是我最忙的时候。”
Van Cheele began to feel cross． What did the boy mean？
范·切尔有点生气了。这个男孩说的是什么意思？
'What do you eat？ he asked．
“你吃什么？”他问。
'Meat，' said the boy． He opened his mouth， showing very white teeth．
“吃肉，”男孩说，他张开嘴，露出雪白的牙齿。
'Meat？What kind of meat？
“肉？什么肉？”
'Well， if you must know， I eat rabbits， wild birds，chickens from the farm and young sheep from the hills． I like children when I can find them． But they 're usually too well locked in at night． It's two months since I tasted child meat．'
“哎，如果你一定要知道的话，我吃兔子、野鸟、农场的鸡和山上的小羊。如果能找到，我喜欢小孩，可是小孩在晚上总是被锁在家里。我有两个月没有吃小孩肉了。”
The boy is joking about the children， thought Van Cheele． But perhaps he really is stealing animals from the woods and farms． I must find out more about this．
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