30 THE NEST

CHAPTER 30 THE NEST "I've built my fair share of lodges over the years." Mr. Beaver stood at the water's edge. "But I can't say I've ever built one for a robot and a gosling. So, just what exactly do you need?" "We need a lodge big enough for us both," said Roz. "It should be comfortable and safe. And it should be near the pond." "How long do you plan on living in this lodge?" "I do not know." "Then we'd better make sure it's strong and sturdy." Mr. Beaver stroked his whiskers as he thought. "Do you plan on having friends over? The missus loves to entertain guests." "I do not have any friends." "No friends? Well, you seem pretty likable for a monster. I mean, a robot. But if you want my advice, you should grow yourself a garden. Your neighbors won't be able to resist fresh herbs and berries and

“这些年来，我建造了不少小屋。” 比弗先生站在水边。 “但我不能说我曾经为机器人和小鹅做过一个。 那么，你到底需要什么呢？”罗兹说：“我们需要一个足够大的小屋。” “它应该舒适、安全。 而且应该在池塘附近。” “你打算在这个小屋里住多久？”“我不知道。” “那我们最好确保它结实结实。” 比弗先生一边想，一边抚摸着胡须。 “你打算请朋友过来玩吗？” 太太喜欢招待客人。” “我没有朋友。” “没有朋友吗?作为一个怪物，你看起来挺可爱的。 我是说，一个机器人。但如果你想听我的建议，你应该给自己种一个花园。 你的邻居不会抗拒新鲜的香草和浆果还有

flowers. Just you wait and see! So we'll make sure there's a place for a garden, and we'll give your lodge some extra space for all the friends you'll be hosting." The beaver winked. "We also need to find a way to keep your lodge comfortable when it's cold outside. Our lodge is heated by our own bodies. But I think we'll have to find another way to heat yours." The beaver and the robot thought about heat for a while. The first thing that came to Roz's mind was the sun. But then she remembered the hot sparks she had felt while sliding down the mountain peak. "I could heat our lodge with fire," she said. Mr. Beaver blinked his little eyes. "I will need to experiment," Roz continued. "But I think there is a way." "You go right ahead, Roz," said the beaver. "But would you try not to burn down the entire forest?" "Do not worry. I will be careful." "Let's move on." Mr. Beaver sighed. "The next order of business is to find a site for your lodge. That meadow across the water would be perfect, but the hares will have a fit if we try to build there. I think we should clear out some trees and build right in the forest. And I know just the place!"

花。你等着瞧吧！所以我们会确保有一个花园的地方，我们会给你的小屋腾出一些额外的空间，供你招待的所有朋友使用。” 海狸眨了眨眼睛。“我们还需要想办法在外面寒冷的时候让你的小屋保持舒适。 我们的小屋靠我们自己的身体取暖。 不过我想我们得另想办法给你取暖。” 海狸和机器人思考了一会儿热的问题。 罗兹首先想到的是太阳。 但她又想起了从山顶滑下时所感受到的炽热火花。 “我可以用火加热我们的小屋，”她说。 比弗先生眨了眨他的小眼睛。 “我需要尝试，”罗兹继续说道。 “但我认为有办法。” “你先走吧，罗兹。”海狸说。 “但你会尽量不把整个森林都烧掉吗？”“别担心。 我会小心的。”“我们继续吧。” 比弗先生叹了口气。“下一件事是为你的分会找一个地方。 水边的那块草地再好不过了，但如果我们想在那里盖房子，兔子会大发脾气的。 我认为我们应该清除一些树木，在森林里建造。 我知道一个好地方！”

The beaver took them along the water and up to a dense section of forest that jutted into the pond. "It needs some work," said Mr. Beaver, trudging through the thick weeds, "but this ought to do the job." "Yes, this ought to do the job," said Roz, in her friendliest voice. "Job!" said Brightbill. Mr. Beaver was incredibly skilled at taking down trees, but even he couldn't keep up with Roz's powerful chopping hands. So he let the robot do the hard work. He pointed out the trees and shrubs that needed to go, and Roz started hacking away. By sunset, they were standing in a newly cleared site, and they had more than enough wood to build the lodge. "You did some fine work today, Roz." Mr. Beaver yawned. "I'll return in the morning, and we'll pick up right where we left off." "What would you like me to do?" said the robot. "Tonight? So you still feel like working, do you? Very good! Well, you can start by digging out these tree stumps. And you can collect all those large, flat stones over there. And you can smooth down this

海狸带着他们沿着水走，来到了一个突出到池塘里的茂密的森林。 “它还需要一些工作，”比弗先生说，一边艰难地穿过茂密的杂草，“不过这个应该就够了。” “是的，这个应该能起作用，”罗兹用她最友好的声音说。 “约伯！”布莱特比尔说。比弗先生在砍树方面非常熟练，但即使是他也比不上罗兹有力的砍手。 所以他让机器人做艰苦的工作。 他指出哪些树木和灌木需要清除，罗兹开始砍树。 日落时分，他们站在一块新开垦的土地上，他们有足够的木材来建造小屋。 “你今天干得不错，罗兹。” 比弗先生打了个哈欠。“我明天早上就回来，然后我们再接着谈。” “你想让我做什么？”机器人说。 “今晚?你还想工作，是吗？ 很好!你可以从挖这些树桩开始。 你可以收集那边那些又大又平的石头。 你可以把它弄平

patch of dirt so we have a level place to build. That should keep you busy!" The next morning, Mr. Beaver returned to find that Roz had been very busy indeed. All the tree stumps had been dug up, and their holes filled in with dirt. Twenty large stones had been stacked. And the ground was now perfectly level. But what most astonished Mr. Beaver was that Roz and Brightbill were huddled around a small crackling campfire. Mr. Beaver moved his lips, but no words came out. "Brightbill was cold last night," said Roz. "So I taught myself how to make a fire." "But—but—but how?" "I discovered that when I strike these two stones together, they create sparks, like this. I directed sparks onto dry leaves and wood until they ignited. Once I had a fire, it was easy to keep it going. And if I need to put it out, I can just add water!" Mr. Beaver sat and warmed his paws. "I've never seen fire in such a neat little bundle." He stared into the flames. "I've only seen it blazing through the forest, burning everything in its path. But this is marvelous!" He took another minute to enjoy the warmth. Then he and the robot got back to work.

一小块土，这样我们就有平坦的地方建造了。 那会让你很忙的！”第二天早上，比弗先生回来发现罗兹确实很忙。 所有的树桩都被挖了出来，洞里也填满了土。 20块大石头堆在一起。 现在地面完全平整了。 但最使比弗先生吃惊的是，罗兹和布莱特比尔正围着一堆噼啪作响的小营火。 比弗先生动了动嘴唇，但一句话也说不出来。 “布莱特比尔昨晚很冷，”罗兹说。 “所以我自学了如何生火。” “But-but-but如何?”“我发现，当我把这两块石头撞在一起时，它们会产生火花，就像这样。 我把火花对准干树叶和木头，直到它们点燃。 一旦我有了火，就很容易让它继续燃烧。 如果我需要扑灭它，我只要加水就可以了！”比弗先生坐下来暖爪子。 “我从来没见过这么整洁的一小捆火。” 他凝视着火焰。 “我只看到它在森林里熊熊燃烧，所到之处都被烧毁了。 但这太不可思议了！”他又花了一分钟来享受这温暖。 然后他和机器人继续工作。

Mr. Beaver asked Roz to dig a trench here, to place large stones there, to arrange logs this way, to smear mud that way. Birds and squirrels perched in the trees and watched the new lodge take shape. It resembled the beaver lodge, but it was larger, a great dome of wood and mud and leaves. A simple opening in the wall served as the entrance, and the door was nothing more than a heavy stone that the robot could slide out of the way. Inside, the lodge was one big, round room. The arched ceiling was high enough that Roz could stand upright. A fire pit was set into the center of the floor, and a mesh of thin branches above acted as a vent. Long stones lined the interior walls, like benches, and were covered with thick cushions of moss. There was even a hole for storing food and water for Brightbill. "You've got yourself a beautiful pond-view property!" said Mr. Beaver. "What are you going to name it?"

比弗先生叫罗兹在这儿挖一条沟，在那儿放些大石头，把圆木往这边排，把泥土往那边抹。 鸟儿和松鼠栖息在树上，看着新小屋成形。 它很像海狸的小屋，但更大，是一个由木头、泥土和树叶组成的巨大圆顶。 墙上有一个简单的开口作为入口，门只不过是一块沉重的石头，机器人可以把它滑开。 小屋里面是一间又大又圆的屋子。 拱形的天花板高得足以让罗兹站直。 地板中央有一个火坑，上面的细树枝网充当了通风口。 内墙排列着长长的石头，像长凳一样，上面覆盖着厚厚的苔藓垫。 甚至还有一个洞，可以为布莱特比尔储存食物和水。 “你给自己买了一幢美丽的湖景别墅！”比弗先生说。 “你打算给它取什么名字？”

"I do not understand." "Why, a beautiful lodge like this deserves a name! We call our lodge Streamcatcher." The robot's computer brain didn't take long. "The lodge is for Brightbill. Brightbill is a bird. Birds live in nests. Could we call this lodge the Nest?" "Huzzah!" squeaked the beaver. "The Nest is a fine name for your lodge!" "Nest! Nest!" laughed Brightbill. They stood outside the Nest and admired their handiwork until Mr. Beaver's belly began to grumble. "That sound means it's time for me to go get dinner." "Thank you very much for your help," said Roz. "We could not have done this without you." "You're quite welcome!" said Mr. Beaver, smiling. "For your garden you'll want to speak with Tawny, the doe who lives over the hill. She'll know just what to do. And now if you'll excuse me, I have to hurry home before Paddler eats all the best leaves. Enjoy your first night in the Nest!"

“我不明白。”“啊，这么漂亮的小屋是值得有个名字的！”我们称我们的小屋为捕流者。” 机器人的计算机大脑没有花很长时间。 “小屋是给布莱特比尔的。 布莱特比尔是一只鸟。鸟住在巢里。 我们可以把这个小屋叫做‘鸟巢’吗？”“哈哈！”海狸尖声叫道。 “‘鸟巢’这个名字很适合你的分会！”“巢!鸟巢！”布莱特比尔笑着说。 他们站在鸟巢外面，欣赏着自己的手艺，直到比弗先生的肚子开始咕咕叫。 “那声音意味着我该去吃晚饭了。” “非常感谢你的帮助，”罗兹说。 “没有你，我们不可能做到这一点。” “不客气！”比弗先生微笑着说。 “至于你的花园，你要和住在山那边的母鹿托妮谈谈。 她知道该怎么做。 现在恕我失陪，我得赶在帕德勒把最好的叶子吃光之前赶回家。 好好享受你在鸟巢的第一个夜晚吧！”