Chapter 8

8 This...Is...War! Rosa and Grandma Nan took one paw each and helped Mr Pernicky to his home at the riverside. The hare lived in a wooden shack, although to describe it as such was a great disservice: at least three times taller than Grandma Nan's cabin, his home dominated the forest like a wooden mansion within landscaped grounds. Two perfectly square towers sprouted from its walls, and a windmill

8这…是…战争!罗莎和奶奶南各拿起一只爪子，帮助佩尼基先生回到河边的家。 这只兔子住在一间木屋里，尽管这样形容它是一种极大的伤害：它至少比南奶奶的小屋高三倍，它的家在森林中占据着主导地位，就像一座风景优美的木屋。 两座方正的塔楼从城墙上拔地而起，还有一座风车

stood tall on the roof, spinning gently in the breeze above the tree canopy. Mr Pernicky was evidently a master craftsman, excellent with joints and joists, who also loved to grow things and tend his garden. There were little boxes under the cabin's windows, all stuffed with brightly coloured plants and heather, and surrounding it were very well-kept vegetable patches full of carrots. The smell of his home helped Mr Pernicky feel more normal. He unlatched the door and they went inside. It was a small opening for such a grand place, but Rosa could just about fit inside without ducking. Nan stooped low, stepped in and closed the door behind her.

高高站在屋顶上，在树冠上方的微风中轻轻地旋转。 佩尼基先生显然是一位技艺精湛的工匠，他对接缝和托梁都很在行，他还喜欢种菜和打理花园。 小屋的窗户下有几个小盒子，里面塞满了色彩鲜艳的植物和石南花，周围是保养得很好的菜地，种满了胡萝卜。 家里的气味让佩尼基感觉正常多了。 他打开门闩，他们走了进去。 对于这么大的地方来说，这是一个很小的开口，但罗莎几乎可以毫不躲闪地钻进去。 南弯下腰，走了进去，随手关上了门。

Grandma Nan knew Mr Pernicky had recovered fully when he started grumping again. 'Those creatures have no right to be here,' he grumbled. 'This...is...war.' 'Doesn't everyone have a right to live here?' said Rosa. 'I thought this place belonged to everyone?' 'But there is the whole mountain! 'he said. 'There are hundreds and hundreds of miles of nothingness out there. Why do they need to live on my river?' 'They are water creatures, 'said Nan. And it's my water'grumbled Mr Pernicky,' so I'm going to get rid of them,no matter what it takes!' The walls of Mr Pernicky's home were covered with tools and bookshelves full of

当佩尼基先生又开始发牢骚时，南奶奶知道他已经完全康复了。 “那些生物没有权利在这里，”他抱怨道。 “这……是……战争。“难道每个人都有权利住在这里吗？”罗莎说。 “我以为这个地方属于每个人？”“可是整座山都在那儿！””他说。 “那里有成百上千英里的虚无。 他们为什么要住在我的河上？“它们是水生物，”南说。 “这是我的水，”佩尼基先生抱怨道，“所以我要把它们处理掉，不管付出什么代价！”佩尼基先生家的墙上挂满了工具，书架上摆满了

building plans. He took a long wooden ruler from the wall, rushed over to a drawer and pulled out a notebook. 'What are you up to now?'asked Nan. 'Making plans, 'said Mr Pernicky,and he turned his back on them and sat down to scrawl some notes. 'You should probably leave!' Grandma Nan shrugged.' If that's how you want it to be,' she said with frustration. Rosa and Nan walked back towards the beavers. Even in that short time their lodge had grown bigger and was now standing proud of the water. The building work continued as they watched, with Elsie and Iris chewing and shaping branches to fit their plans.

建筑计划。他从墙上取下一把长木尺，冲到抽屉前拿出一本笔记本。 “你现在在干什么？””奶奶问。 “制定计划。”佩尼基先生说着，转身背对着他们，坐下来潦草地写了几张纸条。 “你应该离开！”南奶奶耸耸肩。“如果这是你想要的，”她沮丧地说。 罗莎和南向海狸走去。 即使在这么短的时间里，他们的小屋也变得更大了，现在以水为荣。 在他们的注视下，建筑工作继续进行着，埃尔西和艾瑞斯咀嚼着树枝，塑造着树枝，以适应他们的计划。