024 马匹拍卖会

旁白 neutral

There was a public horse sale near where Mr. Barry had kept me

在巴里先生养过我的地方附近，有一个公开的马匹拍卖会。

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People came from all around to sell their horses

人们从四面八方赶来，出售他们的马匹。

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I'd never seen so many horses in one place!

我从没见过一个地方有这么多马！

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There were young horses that had never left the farm, and ponies that reminded me of Merrylegs

有从未离开过农场的小马，还有让我想起梅里莱格斯的小马驹。

旁白 neutral

I saw hundreds of cart horses and riding horses

我看到了几百匹拉货的马和骑乘的马。

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Some of the horses were quite fancy

有些马相当漂亮精致。

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Others, like me, were solid, respectable animals who had some scars but were still suitable for work

其他的，像我一样，是踏实本分的动物，虽然有些伤疤，但仍然适合干活。

旁白 neutral

At the back were the sad cases — the very old, the broken down, the terribly thin

后面是那些可怜的马——那些非常老迈的、筋疲力尽的、瘦骨嶙峋的。

旁白 neutral

Only a few people wandered among those hopeless creatures

只有寥寥几人在那些没有指望的马匹间徘徊。

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But the rest of the place was busy, with plenty of customers looking over the horses

但其他地方都很热闹，有许多顾客在打量挑选马匹。

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There was bargaining going on everywhere

到处都在讨价还价。

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From what I heard and saw, most of it was based on lies and exaggeration

根据我的所见所闻，大部分讨价还价都基于谎言和夸大其词。

旁白 neutral

Mr. Barry had sent me to the sale with a horse trader who promised to sell me for a good price

巴里先生派了一个马贩子带我去拍卖会，这贩子答应会卖个好价钱。

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I was tied beside a few other strong, useful-looking horses, and lots of people stopped to look at us

我被拴在其他几匹强壮、看起来能干的马旁边，很多人停下来看我们。

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Well-dressed gentlemen always turned away from me as soon as they saw my scarred knees

衣冠楚楚的绅士们一看到我布满伤疤的膝盖，就扭头走开了。

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But others seemed willing to overlook that

但其他人似乎不介意这一点。

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Most of the shoppers went through the same type of routine

大多数买主都走同样的流程。

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First, they pulled open my mouth and examined my teeth to see my age

首先，他们掰开我的嘴，检查我的牙齿，以判断我的年龄。

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Then, they looked at my eyes, and felt up and down my legs and body

然后，他们看我的眼睛，上下摸索我的腿和身体。

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Finally, they had the seller trot me around

最后，他们让卖主牵着我来回小跑。

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Even though the shoppers almost all did the same things, it was amazing how different it could feel, depending on the person

虽然买主们做的几乎都是同样的事，但感觉却因人而异，这令人惊讶。

旁白 neutral

Some did everything in a rough, impatient way

有些人做什么都粗鲁急躁。

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They jerked my mouth open and handled my legs as if my legs were made of wood

他们猛地掰开我的嘴，摆弄我的腿，就好像我的腿是木头做的。

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Others were gentle, patting me as they went about their examination

另一些人则很温柔，一边检查一边轻轻拍着我。

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One man seemed kinder than all the rest

有一个人似乎比所有人都和善。

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I thought that if he bought me, I might be happy

我想，如果他能买下我，我也许会幸福。

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He was a small man, but agile and quick

他身材矮小，但敏捷利落。

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I could tell right away that he was good with horses

我立刻就看出，他擅长与马相处。

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He spoke gently, and his gray eyes had a cheerful look

他说话温和，灰色的眼睛里带着愉快的目光。

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Even the scent of him was pleasing — like fresh hay

就连他身上的气味也令人愉快——像新鲜的干草。

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When he finished looking me over, he gave me a pat

他检查完我之后，拍了拍我。

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" There's a good boy," he said. Then he turned to the dealer

“真是个好孩子，”他说，然后转向马贩子。

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" I'll give you 23 pounds for him."

“我出二十三英镑买他。”

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" Sorry, my friend," the dealer said." This horse is worth at least thirty."

“抱歉，朋友，”马贩子说，“这匹马至少值三十英镑。”

旁白 neutral

The gray-eyed man shrugged and moved on

灰眼睛的男人耸耸肩，走开了。

旁白 neutral

I watched him go, wishing he would come back

我看着他离开，希望他能回来。

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Instead a hard-faced man with a loud voice came to look at me

相反，一个面色强硬、大嗓门的男人走过来看我。

旁白 neutral

His hands were rough and careless as he checked me over

他检查我时，双手粗糙又漫不经心。

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I was relieved when he left without saying a word to the dealer

他一句话没对马贩子说就走了，我松了口气。

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I definitely didn't want to go home with a man like that!

我绝对不想跟那样的男人回家！

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A few more shoppers came by, but none showed much interest in me

又来了几个买主，但没人对我表现出多少兴趣。

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Then the hard-faced man returned

这时，那个板着脸的男人回来了。

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" 23 pounds for the black horse," he told the dealer." It's a fair price."

“那匹黑马，二十三英镑，”他对马贩子说，“这价钱很公道。”

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The dealer hesitated

马贩子犹豫了一下。

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We'd been there for a while, and I guess he thought he might not get the price he wanted for me

我们在那儿已经待了一阵子，我猜他觉得可能卖不到他想要的价格了。

旁白 neutral

Before he could speak, the kind, gray-eyed man came toward me again

他还没来得及开口，那个温和的灰眼男人又朝我走了过来。

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I couldn't help reaching out my head toward him, and he stroked my face

我忍不住把头伸向他，他摸了摸我的脸。

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" Hello, old boy," he told me." Perhaps we're meant to be together after all."

“你好，老伙计，”他对我说，“也许我们终究注定要在一起。”

旁白 neutral

He looked at the dealer." I'll give you 24."

他看向马贩子：“我出二十四英镑。”

旁白 neutral

The hard-faced man shook his head and walked away. The dealer smiled

板着脸的男人摇摇头走开了，马贩子笑了。

旁白 neutral

" Say 25, and he's yours," he said

“出价二十五英镑，他就是你的了，”他说。

旁白 neutral

" Twenty-four ten, and not a penny more," the gray-eyed man replied

“二十四英镑十先令，一分也不多付，”灰眼男人回答。

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" Done!" said the dealer." And he's a bargain at that price, my friend

“成交！”马贩子说，“这个价钱你可是捡了便宜，朋友。

旁白 neutral

There's a lot of quality in this horse

这匹马品质好得很。

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If you want him for cab work, you won't be disappointed."

如果你要用他拉出租马车，绝不会失望。”

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The gray-eyed man paid for me, then took me by the halter and led me away from the sale

灰眼男人付了钱，然后拉住我的笼头，带我离开了拍卖场。

旁白 neutral

We walked to a nearby inn, where he gave me some food and water

我们走到附近一家客栈，他给我喂了些食水。

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A half hour later, my new owner saddled me, and we were on our way

半小时后，新主人给我备好鞍，我们就上路了。

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We rode down pleasant country lanes and wider roads

我们骑着马，沿着乡间宜人的小径和更宽阔的道路前行。

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The farther we went, the more crowded the roads became

我们走得越远，道路就越拥挤。

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Finally we reached a highway and rode into a bustling place

最后我们上了一条公路，骑马进入了一个热闹繁华的地方。

旁白 neutral

I'd never seen anything like it!

我从没见过这样的地方！

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There were streets to the left, streets to the right, and streets crossing one another for mile upon mile

左边是街道，右边也是街道，纵横交错的街道绵延数英里。

旁白 neutral

Horses, carriages, and people were everywhere

到处都是马、马车和人。

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There were new sights, new sounds, and new smells

这里有新的景象、新的声音和新的气味。

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It was so overwhelming that I was glad my new owner was there in the saddle to guide me through it all

这一切令人目不暇接，我很高兴新主人就在马鞍上，引导我穿行其中。

旁白 neutral

We had arrived in the big city called London

我们来到了这座叫伦敦的大城市。