Charlotte’s Web（Ⅳ）

◎E.B.White

Track 9

夏洛在豬欄上連夜織出了一張精致的網，上面有可愛而又神秘的圖案，這引起了農場主朱克曼先生和他妻子的討論。

“Well,I don’t really know yet,” said Mr.Zuckerman.“But we have received a sign,Edith—a mysterious sign.A1)miraclehas happened on this farm.There is a large spider’s web in the doorway of the barn2)cellar,right over the pigpen,and when Lurvy went to feed the pig this morning,he noticed the web because it was foggy,and you know how a spider’s web looks very distinct in a fog.And right3)spangin the middle of the web there were the words ‘Some Pig’.The words were woven right into the web.They were actual part of the web,Edith.I know,because I have been down there and seen them.It says,‘Some Pig’,just as clear as clear can be.There can be no mistake about it.A miracle has happened and a sign has occurred here on earth,right on our farm,and we have no ordinary pig.”

“Well,” said Mrs.Zuckerman,“it seems to me you’re a little off.It seems to me we have no ordinary spider.”

“Oh,no,” said Zuckerman.“It’s the pig that’s unusual.It says so,right there in the middle of the web.”

“Maybe so,” said Mrs.Zuckerman.“Just the same,I intend to have a look at that spider.”

“It’s just a common grey spider,” said Zuckerman.

They got up,and together they walked down to Wilbur’s yard.

“You see,Edith? It’s just a common grey spider.”

Wilbur was pleased to receive so much attention.Lurvy was still standing there,and Mr.and Mrs.Zuckerman all three,stood for about an hour,reading the words on the web over and over,and watching Wilbur.

Charlotte was delighted with the way her trick was working.She sat without moving a muscle,and listened to the conversation of the people.When a small fly4)blunderedinto the web,just beyond the word “pig”,Charlotte dropped quickly down,rolled the fly up,and carried it out of the way.

After a while the fog lifted.The web dried off and the words didn’t show up so plainly.The Zuckermans and Lurvy walked back to the house.Just before they left the pigpen,Mr.Zuckerman took one last look at Wilbur.

“You know,” he said,in an important voice,“I’ve thought all along that that pig of ours was an extra good one.He’s a solid pig.That pig is as solid as they come.You notice how solid he is around the shoulders,Lurvy?”

“Sure.Sure I do,” said Lurvy.“I’ve always noticed that pig.He’s quite a pig.”

“He’s long,and he’s smooth,” said Zuckerman.

“That’s right,” agreed Lurvy.“He’s as smooth as they come.He’s some pig.”

When Mr.Zuckerman got back to the house,he took off his work clothes and put on his best suit.Then he got into his car and drove to the minister’s house.He stayed for an hour and explained to the minister that a miracle had happened on the farm.

1) miraclen.奇跡

2) cellarn.地窖

3) spangadv.完全地；恰好地

4) blunderv.跌跌撞撞地走

“嗯，我也不知道該怎么說，”朱克曼先生說，“我們得到了一個暗示，伊迪絲——一個神秘的暗示。一個奇跡已經在這個農場上出現了。谷倉地窖門口有一張大蜘蛛網，它就在豬圈上邊。今早我和魯維去喂豬時，因為霧的關系他看到了那張網，你知道一張蜘蛛網在霧里顯得有些特別。就在網的中央，寫著‘好豬’這個詞。這個詞完全是由蜘蛛網織出來的。它們本身就是網的一部分，伊迪絲。我知道這點，因為我在那兒看到了它。那上面寫著的‘好豬’，看起來再清楚不過了。我絕不能看錯的。一個奇跡發生了，一個神示在地球上出現了，它就在我們的農場，我們有了一頭不同凡響的豬。”

“哦，”朱克曼太太說，“我覺得你好像弄錯了。我看我們是有了一只不同凡響的蜘蛛才對。”

“噢，不！”朱克曼說，“是這豬不一般，那蜘蛛網的中間就這么說的。”

“可能如此吧，”朱克曼太太說，“雖然如此，我還是打算去看看那只蜘蛛。”

“那只是一只很普通的灰蜘蛛。”朱克曼說。

他們站起來，一同往威爾伯的院子走。

“你看到了嗎，伊迪絲？它是只很平常的灰蜘蛛。”

威爾伯很高興能如此引人注目。還在那兒站著的魯維，朱克曼先生和太太，三個人一起在那里站了大約一小時，一遍遍地讀著網里的詞，并觀察著威爾伯。

夏洛為她成功地愚弄了這些人而開心。她一動不動地坐在那里，聽著人們的交談。一只小蒼蠅撞到網里，馬上就要朝“豬”這個字爬過來了。夏洛見了忙跑過去把蒼蠅纏住，并拖遠。

不久，霧散了。網也干了，這些字母看起來也不那么美了。朱克曼夫婦和魯維往回走向房子。在離開豬圈前，朱克曼先生最后又看了威爾伯一眼。

“你知道，”他莊重地說，“我們的豬不管從哪方面看都格外優秀。他是頭很結實的豬，比別的豬都壯實。你注意到他的肩膀下有多么結實嗎，魯維？”

“當然，當然，”魯維說，“我總是注意那頭豬。他是頭不一般的豬。”

“他是那么的長，身上那么的光滑。”朱克曼說。

“的確，”魯維表示同意，“他比別的豬光滑得多。他是頭好豬。”

朱克曼先生回到了家，便脫下工作服，穿上了他最好的衣裳。然后他上了他的車，向牧師家駛去。他在牧師那里花了一小時，講述在他的農場出現的奇跡。