CHAPTER 19 The Egg Sac
第十九章 卵袋
Next morning when the first light came into the sky
第二天早晨,当天空一出现光线,
and the sparrows stirred in the trees,
麻雀开始在树上活动,
when the cows rattled their chains and the rooster crowed
牛震响它们的链子,公鸡啼叫,
and the early automobiles went whispering along the road,
最早的汽车在路上呜呜开过,
Wilbur awoke and looked for Charlotte.
威尔伯醒了过来,睁开眼睛寻找夏洛。
He saw her up overhead in a corner near the back of his pen.
它看到夏洛在头顶上,靠近猪圈后面的墙角。
She was very quiet.
夏洛很安静,
Her eight legs were spread wide.
八条腿张开。
She seemed to have shrunk during the night.
它好象在夜里一下子缩小了。
Next to her, attached to the ceiling, Wilbur saw a curious object.
威尔伯看到,在它旁边有一样古怪的东西贴在天花板上。
It was a sort of sac, or cocoon.
这是个袋子,或者茧。
It was peach-colored and looked as though it were made of cotton candy.
它是粉红色的,看上去像是用棉花糖做的。
"Are you awake, Charlotte?" he said softly.
“你醒了吗,夏洛?”威尔伯轻轻地说。
"Yes," came the answer.
“是的。”回答声传过来。
"What is that nifty little thing? Did you make it?"
“那个漂亮的小东西是什么啊?是你做的吗?”
"I did indeed," replied Charlotte in a weak voice.
“当然是我做的。”夏洛用有气无力的声音说。
"Is it a plaything?"
“是做来玩的吗?”
"Plaything? I should say not.
“做来玩?当然不是。
It is my egg sac, my magnum opus."
这是我的卵袋,我的magnum opus”
"I don't know what a magnum opus is," said Wilbur.
“我不知道这话是什么意思。”威尔伯说。
"That's Latin," explained Charlotte.
“那是拉丁语,”夏洛解释说,
"It means 'great work.'
“它的意思是‘伟大的作品’。
This egg sac is my great work
这卵袋是我的杰作
- the finest thing I have ever made."
——是我做过的东西中最好的。”