14 The Birdless Cage

The Birdless Cage Ebenezer led Bethany into the bird shop. They were soon greeted by the large and pleasant bird-keeper. "Hello, hello, welcome to the finest and most specialest bird shop in the world!" said the bird-keeper. It was a sentence that he used to greet all new customers. "Don't you recognize us? I've been here several times, and you sold Bethany some worms," said Ebenezer. The bird-keeper peered into Ebenezer's face, as if he were inspecting the plumage of a rare bird. Eventually, it dawned on him.

没有鸟的笼子埃比尼泽把宝芬妮领进了鸟店。 很快，高大而和蔼的养鸟人迎接了他们。 “你好，你好，欢迎来到世界上最好、最特别的鸟店！” 这是他迎接新顾客时常用的一句话。 “你不认识我们吗？”我来过几次了，你卖给伯大尼一些虫子，”埃比尼泽说。 鸟饲养员凝视着埃比尼泽的脸，仿佛在检查一只珍禽的羽毛。 最终，他明白了。

"Oh, it's Mr. Tweezer!" he said. "Sorry for not recognising you sooner, but you don't look like you usually do. Have you had a haircut?" "No, I've just lost control of my body. Don't worry, I'll soon have a potion for it." "Ri-ight," said the bird-keeper, not quite sure how to respond. He turned his attention to Bethany. "You owe me ten worms, miss. That backpack you gave me was useless." "So were those worms. They kept wriggling out of Geoffrey's nostrils," said Bethany. "I'd like five new ones, please." "And I'd like a brand-new backpack!" "I'll settle for two and a half." "You'll settle for nothing!" The bird-keeper wondered why Ebenezer had picked such an argumentative child. He

“哦，是镊子先生！”他说。 “很抱歉没有早点认出你来，但你看起来不像平时那样。 你理发了吗？”“不，我只是失去了对自己身体的控制。 别担心，我很快就会有治它的药水。” “好吧，”养鸟人说，不知道该怎么回答。 他把注意力转向了宝芬妮。 “你欠我十只虫子，小姐。 你给我的那个背包没用。” “那些虫子也一样。它们不停地从杰弗里的鼻孔里钻出来，”宝芬妮说。 “我想要五个新的。” “我想要一个全新的背包！”“两个半就行了。” “你不会将就的！”养鸟人很奇怪埃比尼泽为什么会挑这样一个好争论的孩子。 他

was sure that the orphanage would have had some far nicer ones to choose from. "Sorry to interrupt," said Ebenezer, as Bethany was about to lower her offer to one and three quarters of a worm, "but we're on a bit of a tight schedule. Do you mind if we cut straight to business?" "Of course," said the bird-keeper. "But if you've come about the society finches, then I'm afraid to say that I ain't got any left. Mr. and Mrs. Cussock got the last ones this morning." "No, no, no—it's not about that. In fact, it's not about a specific bird at all. We're not looking to buy anything," said Ebenezer. The bird-keeper's face fell. His favorite thing about Ebenezer's visits was always the money he got at the end of them.

我确信孤儿院会有更好的选择。 “对不起，打扰一下，”埃比尼泽说，这时伯大尼正准备把报价降至1又3 / 4条蠕虫，“但我们的时间有点紧。 你介意我们直接谈正事吗？”“当然，”养鸟人说。 “不过，如果你是为了社会上的雀类而来的，那么我恐怕没有剩下的了。 库索克夫妇今天早上收到了最后一批。” “不，不，不，不是那个问题。 事实上，它根本不是关于某只鸟的。 我们不打算买任何东西，”埃比尼泽说。 养鸟人的脸沉了下来。 埃比尼泽每次来访，他最喜欢的就是每次拜访结束后能得到的钱。

"My friend Bethany here wants to see some animals, and we're looking for something a bit more personal than the zoo. We were wondering whether you would perhaps be able to give us a little bird tour?" asked Ebenezer. It was a most unusual request. The bird-keeper had never been asked to do such a thing before. "I'd love to help, Mr. Tweezer, I really would, but I have a business to run. If you're not looking to buy anything today, then I'm afraid I ain't gonna be able to help you. Bird tours are not something that I—" Ebenezer silenced the bird-keeper by laying a pile of notes on the counter. "But as you're such a good customer, I'd be happy to help, Mr. Tweezer!" said the bird-keeper, beaming. "Come on through!"

“我的朋友贝瑟尼想看一些动物，我们想找一个比动物园更私人的地方。 我们想知道您是否能带我们参观一下小鸟？”埃比尼泽问道。 这是一个极不寻常的要求。 这位养鸟人以前从未被要求做过这样的事情。 “我很想帮忙，特威泽先生，我真的很想，但我有生意要经营。 如果你今天不想买东西，那恐怕我帮不了你了。 观鸟之旅不是我——”埃比尼泽在柜台上放了一堆纸条，让养鸟人安静了下来。 “但你是一位好顾客，我很乐意帮忙，镊子先生！” “来吧！”

"Did you just call me your friend?" Bethany asked Ebenezer as they were led through to the back of the shop. "Yes. I suppose I did," he answered. "It's funny, I don't remember the last time I referred to anyone as a friend." "What a loser," she laughed. Then, a few moments later, she added, "Don't think I've ever had a real friend either. You can be my first, if you like." Ebenezer stopped as a most unusual warm feeling filled him from top to toe. "Hurry UP, loser!" Bethany called over her shoulder. The first bird on the tour was the hoatzin, a rare, extremely smelly bird with claws on its wings and a spiky hairdo of feathers at the top of its head.

“你刚才说我是你的朋友吗？”当他们被带到商店后面时，宝芬妮问埃比尼泽。 “是的。“我想是的，”他回答。 “真有趣，我都不记得上次把别人称为朋友是什么时候了。” “真是个失败者，”她笑着说。 过了一会儿，她又说：“我也从来没交过真正的朋友。 如果你愿意，你可以做我的第一个。” 埃比尼泽停了下来，一种异乎寻常的温暖感觉从上到下充满了他的全身。 “快点，失败者！”宝芬妮扭头叫道。 参观的第一只鸟是hoatzin，这是一种罕见的，气味非常难闻的鸟，翅膀上有爪子，头顶上有尖刺状的羽毛。

"Would you like to feed it?" asked the bird- keeper. Bethany nodded determinedly. "Go and fetch those flowers by the till for me then." "I don't think flowers are going to make it smell any better. Wouldn't it be more useful if we fetched some perfume?" suggested Ebenezer. Bethany returned with the flowers—a delightful bouquet of lilacs, daffodils, and sweet peas. The bird-keeper opened the hoatzin's cage and motioned for Bethany to put them in. The hoatzin's eyes widened and its nostrils flared with excitement. It took one or two sniffs of the flowers, then opened its beak and

“你想喂它吗？”鸟饲养员问。 宝芬妮坚决地点点头。 “那么，去把收银台旁的花给我拿来。” “我不认为鲜花会让它闻起来更好。 我们去弄点香水来不是更有用吗？”埃比尼泽建议道。 宝芬妮带着花回来了——一束可爱的紫丁香、水仙花和甜豌豆。 养鸟人打开了山羊的笼子，示意宝芬妮把它们放进去。 霍阿津兴奋得睁大了眼睛，鼻孔张得大大的。 它吸了一两下花，然后张开嘴