They told stories of their wonderful feats with fowl, fish and quadruped—how many wild ducks and turkeys they had shot, what "savage trout" they had caught, and how they had bagged the craftiest foxes, outwitted the most clever 'possums and overtaken the fleetest deer, until I thought that surely the lion, the tiger, the bear and the rest of the wild tribe would not be able to stand before these wily hunters. "To-morrow to the chase!" was their good-night shout as the circle of merry friends broke up for the night. The men slept in the hall outside our door, and I could feel the deep breathing of the dogs and the hunters as they lay on their improvised beds.
他们讲述打鸟、钓鱼和捕猎的过人本事——比如,他们射杀了多少野鸭和火鸡,他们如何打捞凶蛮的鲑鱼,如何诱捕狡猾的狐狸,如何同聪明的负鼠斗智,如何追赶动作迅捷的驯鹿。我想,在这些老谋深算的猎手面前,像狮子、老虎、熊和其余的野生动物恐怕都要遭殃了。当三五成群的好兄弟们散去的时候,“明天去捕猎”的叫喊声成了他们道晚安的告别语。男人们都睡在门外的走廊里,而且,我能感觉到猎人和他们的狗儿熟睡后深沉的鼻息声。
At dawn I was awakened by the smell of coffee, the rattling of guns, and the heavy footsteps of the men as they strode about, promising themselves the greatest luck of the season. I could also feel the stamping of the horses, which they had ridden out from town and hitched under the trees, where they stood all night, neighing loudly, impatient to be off. At last the men mounted, and, as they say in the old songs, away went the steeds with bridles ringing and whips cracking and hounds racing ahead, and away went the champion hunters "with hark and whoop and wild halloo!"
黎明时分,我被咖啡的味道、猎枪的撞击,还有男人们沉重的脚步声吵醒了。我知道,他们正大步走出房子,去寻找狩猎季节的好运气。我还能感觉到马蹄踏地的震动,它们被拴在远离城镇的树下。站了一整夜后,马儿们高声嘶鸣,迫不及待地想脱离束缚。终于,男人们爬上了马背,就像老歌里吟唱的那样,他们策马扬鞭,在猎犬的簇拥下奔向战场;他们为赢得狩猎冠军而呼声四起,响彻云霄!
Later in the morning we made preparations for a barbecue. A fire was kindled at the bottom of a deep hole in the ground, big sticks were laid crosswise at the top, and meat was hung from them and turned on spits.
天亮以后,我们就忙着为野外烧烤做准备。我们在一个深深的土坑里燃起篝火,把大的柴枝架在火堆顶部,然后再把肉挂在上面炙烤,于是肉咝咝地冒着烟,诱人的香味在空气中弥漫。