《鐵路邊的孩子們 》（The Railway Children）是英漢對照百萬英語閱讀計劃叢書第Ｉ輯之8，適合已掌握1500基本英語詞匯的英語學習者閱讀。

百萬英語閱讀計劃（Million-Word Reading Project, 簡稱MWRP）是專門為中級英語學習者設計的英語閱讀提高計劃，讀物共5輯，60冊，提供160多萬字的閱讀量，讀者對象為已具有初級英語水平的英語學習者，通過200小時左右的閱讀，能夠輕松達到中級英語水平，形成成熟的語感，掌握3500多單詞和大量的短語，熟練掌握英語的各種句子結構，並能閱讀一般英語原著。詳見：《百萬英語閱讀計劃讀者手冊》。

內容簡介

一男兩女三個孩子原本生活在一個幸福的傢庭，爸爸在政府部門工作，媽媽在傢裡照顧他們，陪他們做遊戲，給他們編寫故事。

但是，一天夜裡，爸爸被兩個陌生人帶走瞭，他們不得不搬到鄉下，在鐵路邊的一個農舍開始新的生活。於是，孩子們跟鐵路打上瞭交道，從此他們的生活中便充滿瞭與鐵路有關的種種冒險……

原書作者E·內斯比特（E. Nesbit 1858~1924）是英國著名作傢、詩人，先後創作出版兒童小說、故事集等共40餘部。原書出版於1906年，後被改編為電影和電視劇，深受觀眾喜愛。

文本信息

本書文本統計信息詳見下表，供選擇時參考：

說明:

1. 關於可讀性：這是根據美國Rudolf Flesch博士的統計方法計算出的Flesch Reading Ease（弗萊士易讀度），計算根據是句子的字數和100個字內音節個數等，數值在0和100之間，數目越大，文章越容易讀。

2.1500基本詞匯外的單詞不包括由這些基本詞匯構成的合成詞（如：schoolboy <=school+boy）和派生詞（如：proudly <= proud+ly），專有名詞（人名地名）或由專有名詞派生的詞匯以及感嘆詞也不計入生詞。

3. 1500詞外詞數（生詞數）按累計計數。比如一個單詞以不同形式出現3次，則按3次計。

4. 在1500詞外詞條數中，重復的單詞或者一個單詞的不同形式計為1次。

5. 讀物中每段的參考譯文點段落後的註釋即可獲得。

6. 電子版中的生詞不標註漢語意義，可以利用閱讀器自帶詞典查詢，但對文中容易混淆的多義詞和部分短語，以及其他相關背景知識提供註釋，點擊段落中間的註釋即可獲得。

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第一、二章試讀

（說明：原文段落後的數字為段落序號，對應譯文序號，電子書中原文與譯文之間存在鏈接，點擊即可查看。）

Chapter 1. The Beginning of Things1

They were not railway children at first. They were just ordinary children, and they lived with their Father and Mother in an ordinary house.2

There were three of them. Roberta was the eldest and was their mother’s favourite. Next came Peter, who wished to be an engineer when he grew up; and the youngest was Phyllis, who was extremely kind.3

Mother was almost always there, ready to play with the children, and read to them, and help them to do their home-lessons. She also used to write stories for them while they were at school, and read them aloud after tea.4

These three lucky children always had everything they needed: pretty clothes, good fires, a lovely nursery with lots of toys, and a Mother Goose wall-paper. They had a kind and merry maid, and a dog called James. They also had a kind Father who was just perfect. He was never angry, and always ready to play a game.5

You will think that they ought to have been very happy. But they did not know how happy they were till the pretty life was over, and they had to live a very different life indeed.6

The terrible change came quite suddenly.7

Peter had a birthday - his tenth. Among his other presents was a model engine, which he loved best of all. But after three days, while Peter and Phyllis were playing with it, the Engine went off1 suddenly. It made such a loud noise that James ran out and did not come back all day. Peter was very sad. The others said he cried over it - but of course boys of ten do not cry. He said that his eyes were red because he had a cold. This turned out to be true, and the next day he had to go to bed and stay there. Mother began to be afraid, when suddenly he sat up in bed and said eagerly:8

“I want to get up and have a pigeon-pie. A very large one.”9

So Mother asked the cook to make a large pigeon-pie. And when it was cooked, Peter ate some of it. After that his cold was better.10

Father had been away in the country for three or four days. Peter hoped his father could mend his Engine for him, for Father was very clever with his fingers. He could mend all sorts of things.11

Peter did not say anything about his Engine till after Father had had his dinner and his after-dinner cigar.12

At last Mother said to Father, “Now, dear, if you’re quite rested, we want to tell you about the great railway accident, and ask your advice.”13

“All right,” said Father, “go ahead!”14

So then Peter told the sad tale, and fetched what was left of the Engine.15

Father looked the Engine over very carefully. The children held their breaths.16

“Is there NO hope?” said Peter, in a low voice.17

“Hope? Rather! Lots of it,” said Father, cheerfully, “but we’ll need something. I think we’d better keep it for a rainy day. I’ll mend it on Saturday afternoon, and you shall all help me.”18

Just then there was a knock at the front door. Ruth, the maid, came in and said that two gentlemen wanted to see the master.19

“I’ve shown them into the Library, Sir,” said she.20

“Get rid of them quickly, dear,” said Mother. “It nearly time for the children to go to bed.”21

But Father did not seem to be able to get rid of the gentlemen at all quickly. Mother tried to make the time pass by telling the children a new story, but it was difficult because they could hear the voices of Father and the gentlemen in the Library. Father’s voice sounded louder and different this time.22

Then the Library bell rang.23

“They’re going now,” said Phyllis.24

Then Ruth came in, and she looked strange, the children thought.25

“Please madam,” she said, “the Master wants you to go into the study. He looks terrible; I think he’s had bad news. You’d best prepare yourself for the worst - ”26

“That’ll do, Ruth,” said Mother gently, “you can go.”27

Then Mother went into the Library. There was more talking. Then the bell rang again, and Ruth fetched a cab. The children heard boots go out and down the steps. The cab drove away, and the front door shut. Then Mother came in. Her dear face was white, and her eyes looked very big and shining.28

“It’s bedtime,” she said. “Ruth will put you to bed.”29

“But you promised we should sit up late tonight because Father’s come home,” said Phyllis.30

“Father’s been called away - on business,” said Mother. “Come, darlings, go at once.”31

They kissed her and went.32

Late that night Mother came up and kissed all three children as they lay asleep. But Roberta woke up when she kissed her. She lay still, and said nothing.33

“If Mother doesn’t want us to know she’s been crying,” she said to herself, “we WON’T know it. That’s all.”34

When they came down to breakfast the next morning, Mother had already gone out.35

“To London,” Ruth said, and left them to their breakfast36.

“There’s something wrong,” said Peter, breaking his egg. “Ruth told me last night we should know soon enough.”37

“Did you ASK her?” said Roberta.38

“Yes, I did!” said Peter, angrily. “If you could go to bed without caring whether Mother was worried or not, I couldn’t.”39

It was nearly seven before Mother came in. She looked so ill and tired that the children felt they could not ask her any questions. When she had had a cup of tea, Mother said:40

“Now, my darlings, I want to tell you something. Those men last night did bring very bad news. Father will be away for some time and I am very worried about it. I want you all to help me, and not to make things harder for me. Be good and happy and don’t quarrel when I’m away, for I shall have to be away a good deal.”41

“We won’t quarrel. Indeed we won’t,” said everybody.42

“Then,” Mother went on, “I want you not to ask me any questions about this trouble; and not to ask anybody else any questions. It’s about business, and you never understand business, do you?”43

“No,” said Roberta, “is it something to do with Government?” For Father was in a Government Office.44

“Yes,” said Mother. “Now it’s time to go to bed, my darlings. And don’t YOU worry. Everything will be all right in the end.”45

“Then don’t YOU worry either, Mother,” said Phyllis, “and we’ll all be very good.”46

Mother sighed and kissed them.47

Everything was terrible for some weeks. Mother was nearly always out. The maid was sent away. Then one day, after Mother came home, she went to bed and stayed there two days. The Doctor came, and the children wondered if the world was coming to an end.48

Mother came down one morning to breakfast. She was very pale and with lines on her face that had not been there before. And she smiled, as well as she could, and said:49

“Now, children, everything is settled. We’re going to leave this house, and go and live in the country. Such a pretty little white house. I know you’ll love it.”50

They spent the next week packing - not just packing clothes, like when you go to the seaside, but packing chairs and tables. The children enjoyed it very much. Mother was very busy, but not too busy now to talk to them, and read to them.51

When all the useful things had been packed up and taken away in a van, the two girls and Mother slept in the two spare rooms. All their beds had gone. A bed was made up for Peter on the drawing-room sofa.52

Next day boxes were filled, and boxes and more boxes; and then late in the afternoon a cab came to take them to the station.53

At first they enjoyed looking out of the window, but when it grew dark they grew sleepier and sleepier. No one knew how long they had been in the train when they were woken up by Mother. She shook them gently and said:54

“Wake up, dears. We’re there.”55

They woke up, cold and sad. They stood trembling on the cold platform while the baggage was taken out of the train. Then the engine dragged the train away.56

This was the first train the children saw on that railway. They did not guess then how they would grow to love the railway, or what wonders and changes it would bring to them. They only hoped the walk to the new house would not be long.57

“Come,” said Mother, “we’ve got to walk. There aren’t any cabs here.”58

The road was dark and muddy. The cart went slowly, and they followed the noise of its wheels. As their eyes got used to the darkness, they could see the boxes in front of them.59

A long gate had to be opened for the cart to pass through, and after that the road seemed to go across fields. Soon, a great dark shape appeared to the right.60

“There’s the house,” said Mother. “But I wonder why she’s shut the shutters.”61

“Who’s SHE?” asked Roberta.62

“The woman from the village. I asked her to clean the place, and get supper.”63

There was a low wall, and trees inside.64

“That’s the garden,” said Mother.65

The cart went on along by the garden wall, and round to the back of the house. There was no light in any of the windows. Everyone knocked hard at the door, but no one came.66

The man who drove the cart said he expected Mrs. Viney had gone home.67

“You see your train was that late,” said he.68

“But she’s got the key,” said Mother. “What are we to do?”69

“Oh, she’ll have left that under the doorstep,” said the cart man. He found the key there, unlocked the door. Then he went in.70

“Is there a candle here?” said he.71

“I don’t know where anything is.” Mother spoke rather less cheerfully than usual.72

He struck a match. There was a candle on the table, and he lighted it. The children saw a large bare kitchen with a stone floor. There were no curtains. The kitchen table from home stood in the middle of the room. The chairs were in one corner, and the pots, pans and brooms in another.73

As the cart man turned to go out after he had brought in the boxes, there was a sound that seemed to come from inside the walls of the house.74

“Oh, what’s that?” cried the girls.75

“It’s only the rats,” said the cart man. As he went away and shut the door, the sudden wind blew out the candle.76

“Oh, dear,” said Phyllis, “I wish we hadn’t come!” and she knocked a chair over.77

“ONLY the rats!” said Peter, in the dark.78

Chapter 2. Peter and the Coal79

“What fun!” said Mother, in the dark, feeling for the matches on the table. “How frightened the poor rats were.”80

She struck a match and lighted the candle again.81

“Well,” she said, “you’ve often wanted something to happen and now it has. This is quite an adventure, isn’t it? I told Mrs. Viney to get us some bread and butter, and meat and things, and to have supper ready. I suppose she’s laid it in the dining-room. So let’s go and see.”82

The dining-room opened out of the kitchen. There was the table certainly, and there were chairs, but there was no supper.83

“Let’s look in the other rooms,” said Mother; and they looked. But there was nothing to eat in any room.84

“What a terrible old woman!” said Mother. “She’s just walked off with the money and not got us anything to eat at all.”85

“Then shan’t we have any supper at all?” asked Phyllis.86

“Oh, yes,” said Mother. “But we must unpack one of those big cases that we put in the cellar. Phil2, be careful where you’re walking to. Peter, hold the light.”87

The cellar door opened out of the kitchen. There were five wooden steps leading down. It wasn’t a proper cellar at all, the children thought, because its ceiling went up as high as the kitchen’s. There was wood in it, and coal. Also the big cases.88

Peter held the candle, and Mother opened the great packing-case.89

“Oh!” said Mother, “here are some candles! You girls go and light them.”90

“How many shall we light?”91

“As many as ever you like,” said Mother, gladly. “The great thing is to be cheerful. Nobody can be cheerful in the dark.”92

So the girls lighted fourteen candles. Roberta fetched coal and wood and lighted a fire.93

The fire-light and the candle-light made the dining-room look very different. Now you could see that the dark walls were made of wood.94

The girls quickly tidied the room.95

Everyone was very tired, but everyone cheered up at the sight of the funny supper. There were biscuits, potato chips and dried fruits. They had to drink water out of the tea-cups, because the glasses couldn’t be found.96

After supper, they put sheets and blankets on the beds.97

“Good night, dears,” said Mother. “I’m sure there aren’t any rats. But I’ll leave my door open, and then if a mouse comes, you need only scream. Then I’ll come and tell it exactly what I think of it.”98

Then she went to her own room. At two o’clock, Roberta woke up, and she heard Mother still moving about in her room.99

Next morning Roberta woke Phyllis up.100

“Wake up! Wake up!” said Roberta. “We’re in the new house - don’t you remember? No servants or anything. Let’s get up and begin to be useful. We’ll just get down quietly, and have everything beautiful before Mother gets up. I’ve woken Peter. He’ll be dressed as soon as we are.”101

So they dressed quietly and quickly. Of course, there was no water in their room, so when they got down they washed under the spout of the pump in the yard. One pumped and the other washed. It was interesting.102

The house seemed to stand in a field near the top of a hill, and they could see a long way.103

“This is much prettier than our old house in London,” said Phyllis. “I wonder what the garden’s like.”104

“We mustn’t think of the garden yet,” said Roberta. “Let’s go in and begin to work.”105

They lighted the fire and put the kettle on, and they arranged the plates for breakfast. When there seemed to be nothing more that they could do, they went out again into the fresh bright morning.106

It was a hilly country. Down below they could see the line of the railway, and the black mouth of a tunnel. The station was out of sight. There was a great bridge across one end of the valley.107

“Let’s go down and look at the railway,” said Peter. “There might be trains passing.”108

“We can see them from here,” said Roberta, slowly, “let’s sit down a bit.”109

So they all sat down on a great flat grey stone in the grass; it was one of many that lay about on the hillside. When Mother came out to look for them at eight o’clock, she found them deeply asleep in the warm sun.110

They had made an excellent fire, and had set the kettle on it at about half-past five. So by eight the fire had been out for some time, the water had all boiled away, and the bottom was burned out of the kettle. Also they had not thought of washing the plates before they set the table.111

“I’ve found another room,” said Mother. “I’d quite forgotten there was one. And it’s magic! And I’ve boiled the water for tea in a saucepan.”112

The forgotten room opened out of the kitchen. In the half darkness the night before, its door had been mistaken for a cupboard’s. It was a little square room, and on its table, all nicely set out, was cold roast beef, bread, butter, cheese, and a pie.113

“Pie for breakfast!” cried Peter, “how funny!”114

“It isn’t pigeon-pie,” said Mother, “it’s only apple. Well, this is the supper we ought to have had last night. And there was a note from Mrs. Viney. Her son-in-law has broken his arm, and she had to get home early. She’s coming this morning at ten.”115

That was a wonderful breakfast. It is unusual to begin the day with cold apple pie, but the children all said they would rather have it than meat. 116

“You see it’s more like dinner than breakfast to us,” said Peter, “because we were up so early.”117

All day, the children helped Mother to unpack and arrange things. They carried clothes and all sorts of things to their proper places. When it was quite late in the afternoon, Mother said:118

“There! That’ll do for today. I’ll lie down for an hour till supper-time.”119

So the children went to the railway, and as soon as they started for the railway they saw where the garden had hidden itself. It was right behind the stables, and it had a high wall all round.120

“Oh, never mind about the garden now!” cried Peter. “Mother told me this morning where it was. It’ll keep till tomorrow. Let’s get to the railway.”121

At the bottom of the hill there was a wooden fence. And there was the railway, with the shining metals and the telegraph wires and posts and signals.122

They all climbed on to the top of the fence. Suddenly there was a loud noise. They looked along the line to the right towards the dark mouth of a tunnel. Next moment a train had rushed out of the tunnel, and had slid noisily past them. They could feel the fence shaking.123

“Oh!” said Roberta, drawing a long breath, “it was like a great dragon going by. Did you feel it fan us with its hot wings?”124

“I suppose a dragon’s home might look very much like that tunnel from the outside,” said Phyllis.125

But Peter said: 126

“I never thought we should ever get as near to a train as this. It’s the most exciting sport!” 127

“Better than toy-engines, isn’t it?” said Roberta.128

(I am tired of calling Roberta by her name. Everyone else called her Bobbie3, and I don’t see why I shouldn’t.) 129

“I don’t know; it’s different,” said Peter. “It seems so strange to see ALL of a train. It’s so tall, isn’t it?”130

“I wonder if that train was going to London,” Bobbie said. “London’s where Father is.”131

“Let’s go down to the station and find out,” said Peter.132

They walked along the edge of the line, under the telegraph wires, and reached the station at last.133

They went up on to the platform, and took a quick look into the Porter’s room. There was one porter half asleep behind a paper.134

There were a great many railway lines at the station. On one side was a great heap of coal, and there was a white line near the top of the wall built of big pieces of coal.135

Later, when the Porter came out of his room, Peter said, “How do you do?” in his best manner. Then he asked what the white mark was on the coal for.136

“To mark how much coal there be,” said the Porter, “so that we’ll know if anyone steals it. So don’t go off with any in your pockets, young gentleman!”137

This seemed a merry joke at that time, and Peter felt at once that the Porter was a friendly man. But later the words came back to Peter with a new meaning.138

So the days went by. The children soon got used to being without Father, though they did not forget him, and they got used to not going to school, and to seeing very little of Mother. She was now shut up in her upstairs room almost all day, writing, writing, writing. She used to come down at tea-time and read aloud the stories she had written. They were lovely stories.139

They were pleased with the rocks and hills and valleys and trees, the canal, and above all, the railway. And the old life in London seemed almost like a dream.140

Mother had told them more than once that they were quite poor now, but this did not matter to them. There was always enough to eat, and they wore the same kind of nice clothes they had always worn.141

But in June came three wet days; the rain came down, and it was very, very cold. Nobody could go out. They all went up to the door of Mother’s room and knocked.142

“Well, what is it?” asked Mother from inside.143

“Mother,” said Bobbie, “may I light a fire? I do know how.”144

And Mother said, “No, my dear. We mustn’t have fires in June. Coal is so expensive.”145

“But, Mother, it only takes such a very little coal to make a fire.”146

“It’s more than we can afford, dear,” said Mother, cheerfully. “Now run away; I’m very busy!”147

“Mother’s always busy now,” said Phyllis, in a whisper to Peter. Peter did not answer. He was thinking.148

After tea the children went to the attic and Peter said to his sisters: 149

“I have an idea.”150

“What’s that?” they asked politely.151

“I shan’t tell you,” was Peter’s reply.152

“Oh, very well,” said Bobbie; and Phil said, “Don’t, then.”153

After a while, he said:154

“The only reason why I won’t tell you my idea is that it MAY be wrong, and I don’t want to drag you into it.”155

“Don’t do it if it’s wrong, Peter,” said Bobbie, “let me do it.” But Phyllis said:156

“I should like to do wrong if YOU’RE going to!”157

“No,” said Peter, “I’m going to do it. If Mother asks where I am, don’t tell her.”158

Two days later, when it was growing dark, Peter called the girls.159

“Come here with me,” he said, “and bring the cart.”160

Then he led the way down the hill towards the station. Just above the station, there were many rocks. Between three rocks lay a heap of dried branches.161

Peter stopped, turned over the branches and said:162

“Here’s some coal. We’ll take it home in the cart.”163

Three journeys had to be made before the coal was added to the heap of Mother’s coal in the cellar.164

“Tomorrow evening we’ll bring home more coal.”165

A week later, Mrs. Viney said to Mother that their coal was lasting longer than she had expected.166

The children hugged each other as they listened on the stairs.167

But there came a terrible night when the Station Master was waiting in the station yard where the heap of coal was. On the top of the heap, there was something small and dark, making a low noise.168

The Station Master hid himself in the shadow and waited till the small thing on the top of the heap came carefully down, and lifted something after it. Then the arm of the Station Master was raised, and the hand of the Station Master fell on a collar. There was Peter, with an old bag full of coal.169

“So I’ve caught you at last, you young thief,” said the Station Master.170

“I’m not a thief,” said Peter, but he did not sound so sure.171

“Come along to the station,” said the Station Master.172

“Oh, no,” cried a voice from the darkness.173

“Not the POLICE station!” said another voice from the darkness.174

“Not, the Railway Station,” said the Station Master. “Why, any more of you?” 175

“Only us,” said Bobbie and Phyllis, as they came out of the shadow.176

“Come along to the station, all of you,” said the Station Master.177

“Oh, DON’T!” said Bobbie. “Can’t you decide NOW what you’ll do to us? It’s our fault. We helped to carry the coal away - and we knew where he got it.”178

“No, you didn’t,” said Peter.179

“Yes, we did,” said Bobbie. “We knew all the time. We only pretended we didn’t.”180

The Station Master struck a match and looked at them by its light.181

“Why,” said he, “you’re the children from the house there. So nicely dressed, too. Tell me now, what made you do such a thing? Don’t you know it’s bad to steal?”182

He spoke much more gently now, and Peter said:183

“I didn’t think it was stealing. I was almost sure it wasn’t. I thought if I took it from the outside part of the heap, perhaps it would be. It’ll take thousands of years for you to burn up all that coal and get to the middle parts.”184

“Not quite. But why did you do it?” The Station Master’s voice was much kinder.185

“You know that wet day?” replied Peter. “Well, Mother said we were too poor to have a fire. We always had fires when it was cold at our other house, and - ”186

“DON’T!” interrupted Bobbie, in a whisper.187

“Well,” said the Station Master, “I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I won’t punish you this once. But remember, young gentleman, stealing is stealing. Run along home.”188

“Do you mean you aren’t going to do anything to us? Well, thank you,” said Peter.189

“Thank you very much,” said Bobbie and Phyllis.190

“That’s all right,” said the Station Master.191

【註釋】

1 go off：爆炸

2 Phil：Phyllis的昵稱

3 Bobbie：Roberta的昵稱

【參考譯文】

1第一章　事情的開始

2他們起初並不是鐵路邊的孩子。他們隻是普通的孩子，和他們的爸爸媽媽住在一所普通的房子裡。

3他們共有三個人。羅伯塔是他們中年齡最大的，受到媽媽的寵愛；老二是彼得，他長大後想當火車司機；最小的是菲利斯，心腸特別好。

4媽媽幾乎總是呆在傢裡，準備陪孩子們玩，給他們讀書聽，幫助他們做功課。孩子們上學的時候，她還給他們寫故事，吃完下午茶後讀給他們聽。

5這三個幸運的孩子總是擁有他們需要的一切：漂亮的衣服、溫暖的爐火，還有一間漂亮的育兒室，裡面有好多的玩具，還貼著鵝媽媽的壁紙。他們有一位和藹快活的女仆，還有一條名叫詹姆士的狗。他們還有一個難得的好爸爸。他從來不發火，而且總是樂意做遊戲。

6你會覺得他們生活應該非常幸福瞭。但直到他們的美好生活結束以後，他們才懂得自己當時是多麼幸福，而以後他們真的不得不過一種截然不同的生活瞭。

7這一可怕的變化來得太突然瞭。

8那天是彼得的生日--第十個生日。在他的生日禮物中，有一個火車頭模型，這是他最喜歡的。但三天後，彼得和菲利斯在玩的時候，這個火車頭突然爆炸瞭！爆炸聲音太大瞭，詹姆士跑瞭出去，一整天都沒回來。彼得很難過，別的人都說他因為這事哭瞭一場--但是十歲的孩子當然是不會哭的。他說他的眼睛紅瞭，是因為他感冒瞭。結果這話倒成真的瞭，第二天，他不得不臥床不起。媽媽擔心起來，而他卻突然從床上坐起來，急切地說：

9 “我想起床吃個鴿肉餡餅，要個非常大的。”

10於是媽媽叫廚師做瞭一個大鴿肉餡餅。做好後，彼得吃瞭一些，後來，他的感冒便好瞭些。

11爸爸在鄉下呆瞭三四天。彼得希望爸爸能給他修理火車頭，因為爸爸的手非常巧。他能修理多種東西。

12直到爸爸吃完晚飯，吸完飯後的雪茄煙後，彼得才說起火車頭的事。

13最後，媽媽對爸爸說：“哦，親愛的，如果你休息好瞭，我們想和你說說那起鐵路大事故，聽聽你的建議。”

14 “好啊，”爸爸說，“說吧！”

15於是彼得講瞭一遍那件傷心的事情，並去將火車頭剩下的部分拿瞭過來。

16爸爸仔細地檢查瞭火車頭。孩子們屏住呼吸。

17 “沒有希望瞭嗎？”彼得小聲問道。

18 “希望？當然有！很有希望，”爸爸愉快地說，“不過我們需要點東西。我想最好還是等下雨天吧。星期六下午我給你修好，你們都要幫我的忙。”

19就在這時，有人他傢的前門傳來敲門聲。女傭露絲進來說有兩位紳士想見先生。

20 “我把他們領到書房裡瞭，先生，”她說。

21 “盡快把他們打發走，親愛的，”媽媽說。“快到孩子們上床睡覺的時間瞭。”

22但是，爸爸似乎根本沒法那麼快打發走這兩位紳士。媽媽試圖給孩子們講一個新故事來消磨時間，但是很難，因為他們能聽到書房裡爸爸和那兩位紳士的說話聲。這次爸爸的聲音高瞭，而且聽上去不一樣瞭。

23然後，書房裡的鈴響瞭。

24 “現在他們走瞭，”菲利斯說。

25然後露絲走進來，孩子們覺得她顯得很奇怪。

26 “夫人，”她說，“先生想讓您去書房。他看上去很糟糕，我想他聽到瞭壞消息。您最好做最壞的準備--”

27 “可以，露絲，”媽媽輕輕回答，“你可以去瞭。”

28於是，媽媽走進書房。他們又談瞭一陣子話，然後鈴又響瞭，露絲叫來一輛出租馬車。孩子們聽見靴子出去，然後下臺階的聲音。馬車走瞭，前門關上瞭。然後，媽媽走進來。她那張可愛的臉變得蒼白，眼睛顯得又大又亮。

29 “該睡覺瞭，”她說。“露絲要安排你們睡覺。”

30 “可您答應過，因為爸爸回傢瞭，我們今晚可以晚些睡覺的，”菲利斯說。

31 “爸爸讓人叫走瞭--因公事，”媽媽說。“好瞭，寶貝兒，馬上去吧。”

32他們吻瞭她，走瞭。

33夜裡很晚的時候，媽媽來到樓上吻瞭全部三個正在睡覺的孩子。但是她吻羅伯塔的時候，她醒來瞭。她躺著沒動，什麼也沒說。

34 “如果媽媽不想讓我們知道自己在哭，”她心想，“我們就不知道好瞭。就這樣。”

35第二天早上，他們下樓吃早飯的時候，媽媽已經出去瞭。

36 “去瞭倫敦，”露絲說著走開瞭，留下他們吃早飯。

37 “出事瞭，”彼得一邊打破雞蛋，一邊說。“露絲昨天晚上告訴我，我們很快就會知道的。”

38 “你問過她嗎？”羅伯塔問。

39 “是的，我問瞭！”彼得氣呼呼地說。“如果你們可以上床睡覺，不關心媽媽是否擔心，我可不行。”

40媽媽進來時，快七點瞭。她的臉色很不好，顯得很疲倦，孩子們覺得不能問她任何問題。喝瞭一杯茶後，媽媽說：

41 “聽著，寶貝兒，我想告訴你們一件事。昨天晚上那兩個人確實帶來瞭不幸的消息。爸爸要離開一段時間，我為此很擔心。我想讓你們都來幫助我，而不是把事情弄得更糟。我不在的時候，好好聽話，高高興興的，別吵架，因為我要經常外出。”

42 “我們不會吵架的，真的不會，”大傢都說。

43 “那麼，”媽媽接著說，“關於這事，我想讓你們不要問問題，也不要找其他任何人問。都是公事，你們永遠也鬧不明白公事，對吧？”

44 “對，”羅伯塔說，“是與政府有關的事吧？”因為爸爸在一個政府機關工作。

45 “是的，”媽媽說。“現在該睡覺瞭，親愛的。你們不要擔心，最後一切都會好的。”

46 “那你也不要擔心，媽媽，”菲利斯說，“我們都會聽話的。”

47媽媽嘆瞭口氣，吻瞭他們。

48有幾個星期，一切都很糟糕。媽媽幾乎老是在外面，傭人被打發走瞭。後來有一天，媽媽回來後，上床躺瞭兩天。醫生來的，孩子們懷疑是不是到瞭世界末日。

49一天早晨，媽媽下樓吃早飯。她面色蒼白，臉上多出瞭幾道皺紋。她盡量地微笑著說道：

50 “聽著，孩子們，一切都安排好瞭。我們要離開這所房子，去到鄉下住。那麼漂亮的白色小房子。我知道你們會喜歡的。”

51接下來那個星期，他們忙著打包--不是像去海邊那樣僅僅把衣服打包，還把桌椅都打瞭包。孩子們非常喜歡。媽媽非常忙，但是沒耽誤和他們說話，給他們讀書聽。

52有用的東西全部打瞭包，用一輛貨車拉走後，兩個女孩和媽媽在兩個空房間睡覺。他們的床都沒有瞭，他們在客廳的沙發上給彼得收拾瞭一個床。

53第二天，他們裝箱子，裝瞭一箱又一箱。下午很晚的時候，來瞭一輛出租馬車把他們送到火車站。

54一開始，他們高興地往窗外看，但是天黑下來的時候，他們越來越困。不知道在火車上睡瞭多長時間後，他們被媽媽叫醒。她輕輕地晃著他們，說道：

55 “親愛的，醒醒吧。我們到瞭。”

56他們醒來瞭，感覺又冷又難過。從火車上往下卸行李的時候，他們站在寒冷的站臺上直打哆嗦。然後，火車頭把火車拖走瞭。

57這是孩子們在那條鐵路上見到的第一列火車。當時他們沒有去猜測自己會怎樣愛上鐵路，或者鐵路會給他們來到什麼奇跡和變化，他們隻是希望步行去新房子不要太遠。

58 “來，”媽媽說，“我們隻好步行。這兒沒有出租車。”

59道路又黑又泥濘，運貨馬車走得很慢，他們跟隨著車輪的聲音往前走。等他們的眼睛習慣瞭黑暗，他們就能看見面前的箱子瞭。

60要打開一道很長的門讓馬車通過，然後這條路似乎穿過瞭田地。不久，右邊出現瞭一片大黑影。

61 “房子在那兒，”媽媽說，“可是奇怪她為什麼把百葉窗關上瞭呢？”

62 “她是誰啊？”羅伯塔問。

63 “這個村裡的婦女。我叫她打掃一下這個地方，再做晚飯瞭。”

64有一道矮墻，裡面有樹。

65 “這是花園，”媽媽說。

66馬車沿著花園的外墻往前走，然後繞到房子的後面去。窗戶裡沒有燈光，大傢用力敲門，但是沒有人來。

67趕馬車的人說，他認為瓦伊尼夫人回傢瞭。

68 “你看，你們的火車那麼晚瞭，”他說。

69 “可是她拿著鑰匙呢，”媽媽說。“我們怎麼辦呢？”

70 “哦，她應該把鑰匙放在門階下瞭吧，”馬車夫說。他在那兒找到瞭鑰匙，打開門，然後走進去。

71 “這兒有蠟燭嗎？”他說。

72 “什麼東西在哪兒我都不知道呢。”媽媽說話的聲音沒有平時那麼愉快瞭。

73他劃著一支火柴。桌子上有一支蠟燭。他點著蠟燭，孩子們看到一個空蕩蕩的大廚房，鋪著石頭地板，沒有窗簾。從傢裡運來的餐桌放在房間的中間，椅子在一個角落，鍋、碗碟和笤帚在另一個角落。

74馬車夫把箱子搬進來，轉身要出去的時候，有一個聲音似乎是從房子的墻裡面傳過來的。

75 “哎呀，那是什麼？”兩個女孩叫道。

76 “隻是老鼠罷瞭，”馬車夫說。他走出去關上門時，突然一陣風把蠟燭吹滅瞭。

77 “啊，天哪，”菲利斯說，“我們不來這兒就好瞭！”接著她撞倒瞭一把椅子。

78 “隻是老鼠罷瞭！”彼得在黑暗中說道。

79第二章　彼得和煤

80 “真好玩！”媽媽一邊說著，一邊在黑暗中在桌子上摸火柴。“可憐的老鼠多麼害怕啊。”

81她劃著一支火柴，又點亮瞭蠟燭。

82 “哦，”她說，“你們經常希望發生點事情，現在發生瞭。這是一次十足的歷險，不是嗎？我讓瓦伊尼夫人給我們買些面包黃油，還有些肉之類的，再做好晚飯。我想她把飯放在餐廳裡瞭。所以咱們去看看吧。”

83餐廳在廚房的外面，裡面當然有桌子，還有幾把椅子，但是沒有晚飯。

84 “咱們到別的房間看看，”媽媽說。他們看瞭，但是哪個房間也沒有可以吃的東西。

85 “多麼差勁的老太太啊！”媽媽說。“她拿著錢就走瞭，什麼吃的都沒給我們弄。”

86 “那我們就不吃晚飯瞭嗎？”菲利斯問道。

87 “啊，吃啊，”媽媽說，“但是我們得打開放在地下室的其中一個大箱子才行。菲爾，小心腳下。彼得，拿著蠟燭。”

88地下室的門就開在廚房外面，有五級木頭臺階通到下面。這根本算不上真正的地下室，孩子們想，因為頂部和廚房的房頂一樣高。裡面有木頭和煤，還有那幾個大箱子。

89彼得拿著蠟燭，媽媽打開瞭大包裝箱。

90 “哎呀，”媽媽說，“這裡有幾支蠟燭呢！你們兩個女孩去點著。”

91 “點幾支啊？”

92 “想點幾支就點幾支，”媽媽高興地說。“重要的是高高興興的。在黑暗處，誰也高興不起來。”

93於是兩個女孩點瞭十四支蠟燭。羅伯塔拿來煤和木頭生起爐火。

94火光和蠟燭光把餐廳照得大不一樣瞭。現在可以看到，黑色的墻原來是用木頭建的。

95兩個女孩馬上把房間收拾整潔。

96每個人都非常累，可是看到好笑的晚飯，大傢都精神起來瞭。晚飯有餅幹、土豆片和幹果。因為找不到杯子，他們不得不用茶碗喝水。

97晚飯後，他們把床單和毯子鋪在床上。

98 “晚安，親愛的孩子們，”媽媽說。“我敢保證沒有老鼠，但是，我把我的門敞著，這樣，如果有老鼠進來，你們隻需叫一聲。然後，我就來，讓它知道我對它的態度。”

99然後她去瞭自己的房間。在兩點，羅伯塔醒來，聽見媽媽仍在自己的房間裡走動。

100第二天早上，羅伯塔叫醒菲利斯。

101 “醒醒！醒醒！”羅伯塔說。“我們來到新傢瞭--你不記得瞭嗎？傭人之類的都沒有瞭。咱們起床開始做點事吧。我們就悄悄下去，在媽媽起床之前，把一切弄得漂漂亮亮的。我把彼得叫醒瞭，他會和我們一樣快穿好衣服的。”

102於是，她倆趕快悄悄地穿好衣服。當然，她們的房間沒有水，所以，她們下去以後，就在院子裡的一個唧筒的出水口下洗臉。一個抽水，另一個洗，很好玩的。

103房子好像坐落於山頂附近的一塊田地裡，她們能看得很遠。

104 “這比起我們在倫敦的老房子漂亮多瞭，”菲利斯說。“不知道花園是什麼樣子。”

105 “我們還不能考慮花園，”羅伯塔說。“我們進屋開始幹活吧。”

106他們生起火，把水壺放在上面，然後安排瞭早飯用的盤子。等到似乎沒有別的什麼事情可做時，他們又出去，來到清新明朗的晨光中。

107這是鄉間丘陵地帶。在他們下方，可以看到鐵路線和隧道黑色的出口。火車站看不見瞭。有一座大橋橫跨在山谷的一頭。

108 “咱們下去看看鐵道吧，”彼得說。“也許會有火車經過呢。”

109 “從這裡我們也能看見，”羅伯塔慢慢地說，“我們坐一會兒吧。”

110於是，他們都在草地上的一大塊平坦的灰色石頭上坐下來。山坡上到處都有許多這樣的石頭。媽媽八點出來找他們的時候，發現他們在溫暖的陽光下睡得正香呢。

111他們是在五點半生起旺火，把水壺放在上面的。所以，八點的時候，火已經滅瞭一段時間，水已經燒幹瞭，壺底也燒掉瞭。而且，在擺桌子之前，他們沒想到要把盤子洗一洗。

112 “我又找到瞭一個房間呢，”媽媽說。“我都忘記瞭還有一個呢。真神奇。我用平底鍋燒開瞭水泡茶。”

113那個被忘卻的房間的門是從廚房開的。在頭天夜裡的半明半暗中，房門被誤認為是壁櫥的門瞭。這是一個四方形的小房間，桌子上，整整齊齊地擺著冷烤牛肉、面包、黃油、奶酪，還有一個餡餅。

114 “早飯吃餡餅！”彼得喊道，“真有趣！”

115 “這不是鴿肉餡餅，”媽媽說，“隻是蘋果餡餅。哦，這是我們本來昨天晚上吃的晚飯。當時瓦伊尼夫人留瞭一個便條。她的女婿跌斷瞭胳膊，她不得不早點回傢。今天上午十點她就來這兒。”

116這頓早飯好極瞭。吃冷蘋果餡餅來開始一天，這很不尋常，但是孩子們都說他們情願吃這個，不願吃肉。

117 “你看，對我們來說，這與其說是早飯，不如說是午飯，”彼得說，“因為我們那麼早就起床瞭。”

118孩子們一整天都幫助媽媽打開包，整理物品。他們把衣服和各種東西都送到合適的地方去。下午很晚的時候，媽媽說：

119 “好瞭！今天就幹這些。我躺一個小時，等到吃晚飯。”

120於是，孩子們去瞭鐵路。他們一動身去鐵路，就看見瞭花園隱藏著的地方。花園就在馬棚後面，四周有一道高墻。

121 “哎呀，現在別管花園瞭！”彼得喊道。“媽媽今天早上就告訴我在哪兒瞭。明天再說吧。咱們去鐵路。”

122山腳下，有一道木頭柵欄，那兒就是鐵路，有明晃晃的鐵軌、電報線、電線桿和信號燈。

123他們都爬到柵欄頂部。突然傳來很響的聲音。他們順著鐵路往右，向隧道口看去。緊接著，一列火車沖出隧道，轟轟隆隆地從他們旁邊滑過去。他們能夠感覺到柵欄在顫動。

124 “啊，”羅伯塔長長吸瞭一口氣說，“就像巨龍一樣過去瞭。你們感覺到它用熱翅膀給我們煽風瞭嗎？”

125 “我想龍的傢從外面看可能很像那條隧道，”菲利斯說。

126但是彼得說：

127 “我從沒想到我們會離火車這麼近呢。這是最激動人心的娛樂活動瞭！”

128 “比玩具火車頭好多瞭，不是嗎？”羅伯塔說。

129 （我叫她的名字羅伯塔都膩瞭。別人都叫她博比，我為什麼不能叫呢？）

130 “我不知道，不一樣吧，”彼得說。“看到整列火車，似乎那麼奇怪。那個高，不是嗎？”

131 “不知道那列火車是不是在去倫敦，”博比說。“倫敦是爸爸在的地方。”

132 “我們到火車站瞭解一下吧，”彼得說。

133他們順著鐵路邊，在電報線下面走，最後到瞭火車站。

134他們走上站臺，急忙看瞭一眼搬運工的房間。有一個搬運工用報紙蓋著臉似睡非睡。

135火車站有許多鐵路線。在一側，有一大堆煤炭，在用大煤塊壘的那道墻頂部附近上有一道白線。

136後來，搬運工走出房間時，彼得彬彬有禮地說：“你好。”然後他問煤炭上那條白色的標記是幹什麼用的。

137 “用來標出有多少煤的，”搬運工說，“這樣如果有人偷，我們就會知道。所以別用口袋裝走喲，小先生！”

138這話當時似乎是一個愉快的玩笑，彼得馬上覺得搬運工是一個友好的人。但是後來彼得想起這些話時，它們有瞭新的意義。

139日子就這樣一天天過去瞭。孩子們雖然沒有忘記爸爸，但是很快就習慣瞭他不在傢的日子，而且他們還習慣瞭不去上學，並且很少見到媽媽。現在，她幾乎整天都關在樓上的房間裡，寫啊，寫啊，寫啊。她經常在喝茶的時間下樓，把她寫的故事朗讀給他們聽，都是些可愛的故事。

140他們非常喜歡巖石、山丘，還有山谷、樹木和水道，而最喜歡的是鐵路。過去在倫敦的日子幾乎像一場夢。

141媽媽曾不止一次地告訴他們，現在他們很窮瞭，但這並沒有影響他們。吃的東西總是很充足，而且他們還穿著過去常穿的漂亮衣服。

142但是在六月，有三天的雨天。天下瞭雨，非常非常冷，誰也沒法出去。他們都來到樓上媽媽的房門口敲門。

143 “啊，有什麼事呢？”媽媽從裡面問。

144 “媽媽，”博比說，“我可以生火嗎？我會生。”

145媽媽說：“不行，親愛的。我們不能在六月生火。煤炭這麼貴。”

146 “可是媽媽，生火隻需要那麼一點點煤啊。”

147 “我們買不起啊，親愛的，”媽媽愉快地說。“快跑開吧。我很忙！”

148 “媽媽現在老是忙，”菲利斯對彼得低聲說。彼得沒回答。他在思考。

149吃過茶點，孩子們去瞭閣樓。彼得對姐姐妹妹說：

150 “我有辦法瞭。”

151 “什麼辦法？”她們禮貌地問。

152 “我不告訴你們，”彼得回答道。

153 “啊，那好吧，”博比說。菲爾說，“那就別說。”

154過瞭一會兒，他說：

155 “我不告訴你們我的辦法，唯一的原因是，這也許是錯誤的，我不想把你們牽扯進去。”

156 “如果錯瞭就別做瞭，彼得，”博比說，“就讓我做吧。”但是菲利斯說：

157 “如果你打算去做錯事的話，我願意去做。”

158 “不行，”彼得說，“我去做。如果媽媽問我去哪兒瞭，別告訴她。”

159兩天以後，天黑下去的時候，彼得叫瞭兩個女孩。

160 “跟我來，”他說，“帶著車子。”

161然後，他帶路下山向火車站走去。就在車站上方，有許多巖石。在三塊石頭中間有一堆幹樹枝。

162彼得停瞭下來，把樹枝翻開，說道：

163 “這兒有一些煤。我們用車子拉回傢。”

164他們往返三次才把煤添加到地下室媽媽的煤堆上。

165 “明天晚上我們還要往傢裡弄些煤來。”

166一周後，瓦伊尼夫人對媽媽說，他們的煤燒的時間比她預計的要長。

167孩子們在樓梯上面聽到瞭，互相擁抱起來。

168但是，一個可怕的夜晚，車站站長正在車站院內煤堆所在的地方等候著。在煤堆頂上，有個又小又黑的東西發出很小的響聲來。

169站長藏在陰影處，一直等到煤堆頂上的小東西小心翼翼地爬下來，在身後背起瞭什麼。接著，站長的胳膊抬起來，手落在一個衣領上。是彼得，背著一個舊袋子，裡面裝滿瞭煤。

170 “我終於抓到你瞭，你這個小偷，”站長說。

171 “我不是小偷，”彼得說，但是他的語氣並沒有那麼肯定。

172 “跟我到站上來，”站長說。

173 “啊，不，”從黑暗中傳來說話聲。

174 “不能去警察站！”黑暗處又傳來一個聲音。

175 “不，是火車站，”站長說。“哎呀，你們還有人嗎？”

176 “就我們幾個，”博比和菲利斯說著，從黑影處走出來。

177 “你們都到車站來，”站長說。

178 “啊，不行！”博比說。“你現在不能決定怎麼處理我們嗎？都是我們的錯。是我們幫著把煤運走的--我們還知道他是從哪兒弄的呢。”

179 “不，你們不知道，”彼得說。

180 “是，我們知道，”博比說。“我們一直就知道。我們隻是假裝不知道。”

181站長劃瞭一支火柴，借著火光看看他們。

182 “哎呀，”他說，“你們是那座房裡的孩子啊。還穿得那麼好。現在告訴我，你們為什麼做這種事呢？難道你們不知道偷盜是壞事嗎？”

183他現在說話語氣柔和多瞭。彼得說：

184 “我沒想到這是偷。我幾乎確定那不是偷瞭。我以為，如果我從煤堆外面的部分拿，也許那是偷。那麼多的煤，你們要用好幾千年才能燒完，來到中間的部分呢。”

185 “不完全是這樣，可你們為什麼要那麼做呢？”站長的聲音和善多瞭。

186 “您知道那天下雨吧？”彼得回答。“哦，媽媽說我們太窮瞭，不能生火。我們在另一個傢的時候天冷總是生火，而且--”

187 “別說！”博比低聲打斷瞭他。

188 “好吧，”站長說，“我告訴你們我怎麼辦。這次我不懲罰你們，但是，你記著，小先生，偷就是偷。快跑回傢吧。”

189 “您的意思是不處理我們瞭？哦，謝謝您，”彼得說。

190 “非常感謝您，”博比和菲利斯說。

191 “沒事，”站長說。

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