Chapter 18 Freedom 第十八 自由
The news of Serena's arrival on Bird Lake had finallyreached the Head Man in Charge of Birds.
塞蕾娜来到鸟湖的消息最后终于被鸟类管理处的负责人知道了。
He went out to look at her and was delighted. Thenhe gave an order to one of his keepers.
他走过来看了看她，显得很高兴。然后他朝他的一个管理员下了命令。
"See to it that she is pinioned this morning--right away, before she flies off and leaves us.
“今天早上就得给她打尖——立刻就去，不然她就会离开我们飞走了。
That swan is a valuable bird. Make sure she doesn't get away!"
那只天鹅可是一只价值连城的鸟儿。一定别让她跑了!”
Louis was just waking from his nap when he saw two keepers approaching Serena,
路易斯刚刚睡醒，就看见有两个管理员正在向岸边的塞蕾娜逼近，
who was standing on the shore near the ornamental fence.
当时她就站在那个经过精心修饰的篱笆附近。
One keeper carried a large net with a long handle. The other carried surgical instruments.
一个管理员拿着一个带有长柄的大网，另一个拿着手术器械。
They were sneaking up on Serena from behind, very slowly and quietly.
他们正在鬼鬼祟祟地从塞蕾娜的身后溜过来，步子又慢又轻。
Louis knew right away what they were up to. He grew hot with rage.
路易斯马上就知道他们要干什么了。他的心头激起了一股怒火。
If those men succeeded in catching Serena and cutting a wing tip, all his plans would go wrong
如果这两个男人果真抓到了塞蕾娜并剪了她的一只翅膀尖，他所有的计划都会落空的
she could never fly away to a lonely lake with him;
她再不能和他飞到一个静谧的湖上去了;
she would have to remain in Philadelphia the rest of her life, a horrible fate.
她将不得不在费城度过她的余生了，这是多么可怕的命运呀。
"This is my moment," thought Louis.
“是我行动的时候了，”路易斯想，
"Nobody is going to clip my Love's wing while I'm around."
“只要我还在这里，就没人能够剪坏我爱人的翅膀。”
He hustled over to the island and stripped for action.
他猛地冲上小岛，甩下他那些东西准备战斗。
He chucked his trumpet and all his other stuff under a willow tree.
他把他的小号和其他的所有东西全都抛到了一棵柳树下。
Then he returned to the water and waited for the right time to attack.
然后他回到水里等待着恰当的出击时刻。
The keeper holding the net was crawling quietly up on Serena from the rear.
那个拿着网的管理员还在塞蕾娜的身后偷偷地往前轻挪着。
She did not notice him--she was just standing there, dreaming of Louis.
她没看到他——她正站在那儿梦想着路易斯呢。
Slowly, slowly the keeper raised his net. As he did so, Louis went into action.
慢慢地，那个管理员慢慢地举起了他的网。就在他这么做的瞬间，路易斯投入了战斗。
Lowering his long, powerful neck until it pointed straight out in front of him like a lance,
他将他那长长的，有力的脖子放低，直到它像一枝笔直地指在他前方的长矛，
he streaked across the water, straight at the keeper, his wings beating the air, his feet beatingthe water.
然后才用双翅击打着空气，两脚踢踏着湖水，闪电般掠过水面，直奔那个管理员而去。
In a flash, he reached the scene and drove his strong bill straight into the seat of the man'spants.
眨眼之间，他就冲到了那里，把他有力的尖嘴透过裤子一直扎进这个男人的屁股上。
It was a well-aimed jab. The keeper doubled up in pain and dropped the net.
这是一次瞄得极准的皮下注射。这个管理员痛得弯着身子丢下了网。
The other keeper tried to grab Serena by her throat.
另一个管理员想掐住塞蕾娜的咽喉。
Louis beat him over the head with his wings, striking terrific blows and knocking the poorfellow off his feet.
路易斯用他的翅膀揍他的头，以可怕的力量将这个可怜的家伙打倒在地。
Surgical instruments bounced into the air. The net fell into the water.
手术器械蹦上了天。那张网也掉进了水里。
One keeper groaned and held his hand on his behind, where he had been stabbed.
一个管理员呻吟着把手捂在刚才被扎坏的地方。
The other keeper lay on the ground, almost knocked out.
另一个管理员则在地上躺着，差不多被揍昏了。