09 Mr Fox Has a Plan

9 Mr Fox Has a Plan For three days and three nights this waiting-game went on. 'How long can a fox go without food or water?' Boggis asked on the third day. 'Not much longer now,' Bean told him. 'He'll make a run for it soon. He'll have to.' Bean was right. Down in the tunnel the foxes were slowly but surely starving to death. 'If only we could have just a tiny sip of water,' said one of the Small Foxes. 'Oh, Dad, can't you do something?' 'Couldn't we make a dash for it, Dad? We'd have a little bit of a chance, wouldn't we?' 'No chance at all,' snapped Mrs Fox. 'I refuse to let you go up there and face those guns. I'd sooner you stay down here and die in peace.'

狐狸先生有一个计划这样的等待游戏持续了三天三夜。 “没有食物和水，狐狸能活多久?”第三天，Boggis问道。 “没多久了。”比恩告诉他。 “他很快就会逃跑的。 他必须这么做。”比恩是对的。 在下面的隧道里，狐狸正在慢慢地饿死，但肯定是饿死了。 “要是我们能喝上一小口水就好了，”一只小狐狸说。 “哦，爸爸，你不能做点什么吗?”“我们不能冲过去吗，爸爸?” 我们还有一线希望，不是吗?“根本不可能，”狐狸太太厉声说。 “我拒绝让你去面对那些枪。 我宁愿你留在这里，安安静静地死去。”

Mr Fox had not spoken for a long time. He had been sitting quite still, his eyes closed, not even hearing what the others were saying. Mrs Fox knew that he was trying desperately to think of a way out. And now, as she looked at him, she saw him stir himself and get slowly to his feet. He looked back at his wife. There was a little spark of excitement dancing in his eyes. 'What is it, darling?' said Mrs Fox quickly. 'I've just had a bit of an idea,' Mr Fox said carefully. 'What?' they cried. 'Oh, Dad, what is it?'

狐狸先生很久没说话了。 他一直静静地坐着，闭着眼睛，甚至没有听到别人在说什么。 狐狸太太知道他正在拼命地想一条出路。 现在，当她看着他的时候，她看见他动了动，慢慢地站了起来。 他回头看了看妻子。 他的眼睛里闪过一丝兴奋的火花。 “怎么了，亲爱的?”狐狸太太赶紧说。 “我刚刚有了一个小主意，”福克斯先生小心翼翼地说。 “什么?他们叫道。“哦，爸爸，这是什么?”

'Come on!' said Mrs Fox. 'Tell us quickly!' 'Well…' said Mr Fox, then he stopped and sighed and sadly shook his head. He sat down again. 'It's no good,' he said. 'It won't work after all.' 'Why not, Dad?' 'Because it means more digging and we aren't any of us strong enough for that after three days and nights without food.' 'Yes we are, Dad!' cried the Small Foxes, jumping up and running to their father. 'We can do it! You see if we can't! So can you!' Mr Fox looked at the four Small Foxes and he smiled. What fine children I have, he thought. They are starving to death and they haven't had a drink for three days, but they are still undefeated. I must not let them down. 'I… I suppose we could give it a try,' he said.

“来吧!狐狸太太说。“快告诉我们!”“嗯……”狐狸先生说，然后他停了下来，叹了口气，悲伤地摇了摇头。 他又坐了下来。“不行，”他说。 “这根本行不通。“为什么不呢，爸爸?”“因为这意味着还要挖更多的土，而三天三夜没有吃东西，我们谁都没有力气去挖了。”“是的，爸爸!”小狐狸们叫着，跳起来跑向他们的爸爸。 “我们能做到!”你看我们做不到!你也可以!”狐狸先生看着四只小狐狸，笑了。 我的孩子们多好啊，他想。 他们快饿死了，已经三天没喝水了，但他们仍然不败。 我不能让他们失望。“我……我想我们可以试一试，”他说。

'Let's go, Dad! Tell us what you want us to do!' Slowly, Mrs Fox got to her feet. She was suffering more than any of them from the lack of food and water. She was very weak. 'I am so sorry,' she said, 'but I don't think I am going to be much help.' 'You stay right where you are, my darling,' said Mr Fox. 'We can handle this by ourselves.'

“我们走吧，爸爸!”告诉我们你要我们做什么!”狐狸太太慢慢地站了起来。 缺少食物和水，她比他们任何人都痛苦。 她非常虚弱。“我很抱歉，”她说，“但我想我帮不上什么忙。“你待在原地别动，亲爱的，”狐狸先生说。 “我们可以自己处理这件事。”