Skimbleshanks

Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat(斯基姆波申克斯: 铁路猫)

Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat, the Cat of the Railway Train(铁路猫斯基姆波申克斯，一只火车上的猫)
There's a whisper down the line at eleven thirty-nine(夜里11点39分时有人窃窃私语)
When the Night Mail's ready to depart(当夜班邮车就要启动)
Saying, "Skimble, where is Skimble?(人们说“斯基姆波呢，斯基姆波在哪里？)
Has he gone to hunt the thimble?(他是不是去追顶针了？)
We must find him or the train can't start"(我们必须找到他，否则火车就不能开动”)

All the guards and all the porters(所有乘警与工人)
And the station master's daughters(就连火车站长的女儿们也出动)
Would be searching high and low(他们登高伏低到处寻找)
Saying "Skimble where is Skimble for unless he's very nimble(他们说“斯基姆波，斯基姆波在哪里？他可是非常敏捷)
Then the night mail just can't go."(夜班邮车没有他就不能开动”)

At eleven forty-two with the signal overdue(到11点42分的时候车子晚点了)
And the passengers all frantic to a man(所有人都在疯狂地寻找一个家伙)
That's when I would appear and I'd saunter to the rear(到那时我就会踱着方步从后面出现：)
I'd been busy in the luggage van!(我刚才正在行李车厢里忙活！)

Then he gave one flash of his glass-green eyes(然后他的一只绿眼睛里射出光芒)
And the signal went "All Clear!"(意思是“一切就绪”)
They'd be off at last to the northern part of the Northern Hemisphere!(他们就会出发，一路向北，向北半球呼啸而去！)

Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat(铁路猫斯基姆波申克斯)
The Cat of the Railway Train(一只火车上的猫)
You might say that by and large it was me who was in charge(你可能会觉得这里上上下下都是我在做主)
Of the Sleeping Car Express(在这沉睡的快车上)
From the driver and the guards to the bagmen playing cards(从司机到乘警到搬运工都在玩扑克)
I would supervise them all more or less(我要随时把他们来监视才行)

Down the corridor he paces and examines all the faces(他在车厢之间巡行，检查着每张面孔)
Of the travellers in the first and the third(从头等车厢到三等车厢的乘客全不放过)
He established control by a regular patrol(他通过定时巡逻来控制一切)
And he'd know at once if anything occurred(如果有任何事发生，他马上就能知情)

He would watch you without winking and he saw what you were thinking(他一眨不眨地望着你，就能知道你在想些什么)
And it's certain that he didn't approve(当然，如果他不允许人们欢呼或骚乱的时候)
Of hilarity and riot so that folk were very quiet(所有人都得保持安静)
When Skimble was about and on the move(斯基姆波就要出动)

You could play no pranks with Skimbleshanks!(你可不能和斯基姆波申克斯开玩笑)
He's a cat that couldn't be ignored(他是个不能被小觑的家伙)
So nothing went wrong on the Northern Mail(所以在这趟北方邮车上从来没出过什么差错)
When Skimbleshanks was aboard(全是因为有斯基姆波申克斯)

It was very pleasant when they'd found their little den(当他们找到自己的小房间时会非常高兴)
With their name written up on the door(还把自己的名字写在门上)
And the berth was very neat with a newly folded sheet(铺位干净，铺着折叠整齐的床单)
And not a speck of dust upon the floor(地面上也是一尘不染)

There was every sort of light(这里还有特殊的灯光)
You could make it dark or bright(可以调节它的明暗)
And a button you could turn to make a breeze(打开按钮，可以吹出一阵微风)
And a funny little basin you're supposed to wash your face in(在可爱的小水盆里还可以洗脸)
And a crank to shut the window should you sneeze(转动曲柄，关上窗户，不然你就会打喷嚏)

Then the guard looked in politely and would ask you very brightly,(乘警看上去彬彬有礼，会聪明伶俐地问你：)
"Do you like your morning tea weak or strong?"(“你觉得我们的早茶味道怎么样？”)
But I was just behind him and was ready to remind him(但我就站在他身后，随时准备提醒他)
For Skimble won't let anything go wrong(因为斯基姆波不允许任何事情出错)

When they crept into their cosy berth and pulled up the counterpane(当他们爬进他们舒适的小铺位铺上床单)
They all could reflect that it was very nice(他们会发现一切都很漂亮)
To know that they wouldn't be bothered by mice(知道他们绝不会受到老鼠困扰)
They can leave all that to the Railway Cat(他们可以把一切都交给铁路猫)
The Cat of the Railway Train(火车上的猫)

Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat(铁路猫斯基姆波申克斯)
The Cat of the Railway Train(一只火车上的猫)
In the watches of the night I was always fresh and bright(巡夜的时候我总是敏锐而又警惕)
Every now and then I'd have a cup of tea(我时不时要喝上一杯茶来提神)
With perhaps a drop of scotch while I was keeping on the watch(也许来一滴酒为了保持警惕)
Only stopping here and there to catch a flea(停下来去抓一只小跳蚤)

They were fast asleep at Crewe and so they never knew(他们在克里乌车站酣然入睡，所以他们不知道)
That I was walking up and down the station(我正在车站上上下下地走)
They were sleeping all the while I was busy at Carlisle(在他们睡着的时候我正在卡莱尔忙碌)
Where I met the station master with elation(兴高采烈地与当地站长会晤)

They might see me at Dumfries if I summoned the police(他们可能看见我在丹弗里斯召唤警察)
If there was anything they ought to know about(如果他们知道什么，那也就只知道这一点)

When they got to Gallowgate there they did not have to wait(当他们到达高罗盖特时不用等待)
For Skimbleshanks would help them to get out!(因为斯基姆波申克斯会帮他们下车)

And he gives a wave of his long brown tail(他挥舞着长长的棕色尾巴)
Which says "I'll see you again!(意思是“再会，再会)
You'll meet without fail on the Midnight Mail(你永远不会错过夜班邮车)
The Cat of the Railway Train!"(因为有我铁路猫在此”)