Kellys kept an unlicensed bull, well away

凯利养了头没执照的公牛，远远从

From the road: one risked a fine, but had to pay

大路躲开：想要到那儿给母牛配种，

The normal fee if cows were serviced there.

你须冒受罚之险，但还得照常付款。

Once I dragged a nervous Friesian on a tether

有一回我拽着一头紧张的弗里斯兰

Down a lane of alder, shaggy with catkin,

穿过花絮蓬茸的赤杨林荫小路，

Down to the shed the bull was kept in.

来到关着那头公牛的木棚之处。

I gave Old Kelly the clammy silver, though why

我塞给老凯利光溜的银币，为啥

I could not guess. He grunted a curt “Go by.

我却说不清，他咕哝一句“去吧，

Get up on that gate.” and from my lofty station

到那门楼上去”。居高而临，

I watched the businesslike conception.

我注视着这做买卖似的受孕。

The door, unbolted, whacked back against the wall.

门，开了闩，咣当当撞回到墙垣。

The illegal sire fumbled from his stall

那非法的种畜摸索着走出了厩栏

Unhurried as an old steam engine shunting.

就好像一台转轨的老火车头似的不慢不急。

He circled, snored, and nosed. No hectic panting,

他兜圈，打呼噜，嗅着。没有兴奋的喘息，

Just the unfussy ease of a good tradesman;

只有和气的生意人似的从容不迫；

Then an awkward unexpected jump, and

然后是笨拙而突如其来的一跃，

His knobbled forelegs straddling her flank,

他那疙里疙瘩的前腿跨上了她的腰胯，

He slammed life home, impassive as a tank.

冷漠得似辆坦克，他把生命撞击到家；

Dropping off like a tipped-up load of sand.

下来的时候好像一只沙袋，坠地翻倒。

“She’ll do,” said Kelly and tapped his ash-plant

“她准行。”凯利说着，用木棍轻敲

Across her hindquarters. “If not, bring her back.”

她的后腿。“不行的话，再把她牵回来。”

I walked ahead of her, the rope now slack

我走在她的前头，缰绳现在松垂了下来；

While Kelly whooped and prodded his outlaw

而凯利吆喝着，戳打着他的非法分子：

Who, in his own time, resumed the dark, the straw.

那家伙有了空闲，又回到暗处，进食。