“‘Ah，’ says he，just like that—‘Ah，Im glad to know you，Mr. Judson. Im Jackson Bird，from over at Mired Mule Ranch.’
“‘啊，’他说，说话时就是那副神气——‘啊，幸会幸会，贾德森先生。我是陷骡牧场那儿的杰克逊·伯德。’
“Just then one of my eyes saw a roadrunnerroadrunner n.[鸟］（中美、北美产）走鹃 skipping down the hill with a young tarantulatarantula n.[动］鸟蛛，狼蛛 in his bill，and the other eye noticed a rabbithawk sitting on a dead limb in a waterelm. I popped over one after the other with my fortyfive，just to show him.‘Two out of three.’ says I. ‘Birds just naturally seem to draw my fire wherever I go.’
“这时，我一眼见到一只走鹃叼着一只毒蜘蛛从山上跳下来，另一眼见到一只猎兔鹰栖息在水榆的枯枝上。我拔出四五口径的手枪，呼呼两响，把它们先后打翻，给杰克逊·伯德看看我的枪法。‘不管在哪儿，’我说，‘我见到鸟儿就想打，三日当中有两回是这样。’
“‘Nice shooting，’ says the sheep man，without a flutter. ‘But dont you sometimes ever miss the third shot？ Elegant fine rain that was last week for the young grass，Mr. Judson？’ says he.
“‘枪法不坏。’牧羊人不动声色地说，‘不过你第三回打的时候会不会偶尔失手呢？上星期的那场雨水对新草大有好处，是吗，贾德森先生？’他说。
“‘Willie，’ says I，riding over close to his palfrey，‘your infatuated parents may have denounced you by the name of Jackson，but you sure moultedmoult n.换毛，脱毛 v.脱毛，换毛 into a twittering Willie—let us slough off this here analysis of rain and the elements，and get down to talk that is outside the vocabulary of parrots. That is a bad habit you have got of riding with young ladies over at Pimienta. Ive known birds，’ says I，‘to be served on toast for less than that. Miss Willella，’ says I，‘dont ever want any nest made out of sheeps wool by a tomtit of the Jacksonian branch of ornithologyornithology n.鸟类学，鸟学论文。 Now，are you going to quit，or do you wish for to gallop up against this DeadMoralCertainty attachment to my name，which is good for two hyphens and at least one set of funeral obsequies？’
“‘威利，’我靠近他那匹小马说，‘宠你的爹妈也许管你叫杰克逊，可是你换了羽毛之后却成了一个嘁嘁喳喳的威利。我们不必研究雨水和气候，还是用鹦哥词汇以外的言语来谈谈吧。你同比绵塔的年轻姑娘一起骑马，这个习惯可不好。我知道有些鸟儿，’我说，‘还没有坏到那个地步就给烤来吃了。威莱拉小姐，’我说，‘并不需要鸟族杰克逊料的山雀替她用羊毛筑一个窝。现在，你打算撒手呢，还是想试试我这包办丧事的百发百中的诨名？’
“Jackson Bird flushed up some，and then he laughed.
“杰克逊·伯德脸有点红，接着却呵呵笑了。
“‘Why，Mr. Judson，’ says he，‘youve got the wrong idea. Ive called on Miss Learight a few times，but not for the purpose you imagine. My object is purely a gastronomicalgastronomical adj.（=gastronomic）美食法的，美食学的 one.’
“‘哎，贾德森先生，’他说你误会啦，我确实去看过几次利赖特小姐，但是绝没有你所说的那种动机。我的目的纯粹是胃口方面的。’
“I reached for my gun.
“我伸手去摸枪。
“‘Any coyote，’ says I，‘that would boast of dishonourable—’
“‘哪个浑蛋，’我说，‘胆敢无耻——’
“‘Wait a minute，’ says this Bird，‘till I explain. What would I do with a wife？ If you ever saw that ranch of mine！ I do my own cooking and mending. Eating—thats all the pleasure I get out of sheep raising. Mr. Judson，did you ever taste the pancakes that Miss Learight makes？’
“‘慢着，’这个伯德赶紧说，‘让我解释一下。我娶了老婆该怎么办呢？你只要见过我的牧场就明白了！我自己做饭，自己补衣服。我牧羊的惟一乐趣就是吃。贾德森先生，你可尝过利赖特小姐做的薄饼？’
“‘Me？ No.’ I told him. ‘I never was advised that she was up to any culinary manoeuvresmanoeuvre n.[亦作maneuvre］策略，调动 v.用策略，调动，演习，（敏捷地）操纵。’
“‘我？这倒没有。’我对他说。‘我从没有听说，她在烹调方面还有几手。’
“‘Theyre golden sunshine，’ says he，‘honeybrowned by the ambrosial fires of Epicurus. Id give two years of my life to get the recipe for making them pancakes. Thats what I went to see Miss Learight for，’ says Jackson Bird，‘but I havent been able to get it from her. Its an old recipe thats been in the family for seventyfive years. They hand it down from one generation to another，but they dont give it away to outsiders. If I could get that recipe，so I could make them pancakes for myself on my ranch，Id be a happy man.’ says Bird.
“‘那些薄饼简直像是金黄色的阳光，’他说，‘是用伊壁鸠鲁天厨神火烤出来的黄澄澄、甜蜜蜜的好东西。我如果搞到那种薄饼的配方，即使少活两年也心甘情愿。我去看利赖特小姐就是为这个原因，’杰克逊·伯德说，‘可是直到现在还搞不到。那个老配方在他们家里传了七十五年。他们世代相传，从不透露给外人。假如我能搞到那个配方，在牧场上自己做薄饼吃，那我就幸福了。’伯德说。
“‘Are you sure.’ I says to him，‘that it aint the hand that mixes the pancakes that youre after？’
“‘你敢担保，’我对他说，‘你追求的不是调制薄饼的手吗？’
“‘Sure，’ says Jackson. ‘Miss Learight is a mighty nice girl，but I can assure you my intentions go no further than the gastro—’ but he seen my hand going down to my holster and he changed his similitude—‘than the desire to procureprocure v.获得，取得 a copy of the pancake recipe，’ he finishes.
“‘当然。’杰克逊说。‘利赖特小姐是个极好的姑娘，但是我可以向你保证，我的目的只限于胃口 ’他见到我的手又去摸枪套，立即改口 ‘只限于设法弄一张调制配方。’他结束说。
“‘You aint such a bad little man.’ says I，trying to be fair. ‘I was thinking some of making orphans of your sheep，but Ill let you fly away this time. But you stick to pancakes，’ says I，‘as close as the middle one of a stack； and dont go and mistake sentiments for syrup，or therell be singing at your ranch，and you wont hear it.’
“‘你这小子还不算顶坏。’我装得很大方地说。‘我本来打算让你的羊儿再也见不到爹娘，这次姑且放你飞掉。但是你最多守住烙饼，千万别出格，并且别把感情错当糖浆，否则你再也听不到你牧场里的歌声了。’
“‘To convince you that I am sincere，’ says the sheep man，‘Ill ask you to help me. Miss Learight and you being closer friends，maybe she would do for you what she wouldnt for me. If you will get me a copy of that pancake reciperecipe n.处方，I give you my word that Ill never call upon her again.’
“‘为了让你相信我的诚意，’牧羊人说，‘我还要请你帮个忙。和赖特小姐和你是好朋友，她不愿意替我做的事，也许愿意替你做。假如你能代我搞到那个配方，我向你担保，我以后再也不去找她了。’
“‘Thats fair.’ I says，and I shook hands with Jackson Bird. ‘Ill get it for you if I can，and glad to oblige.’ And he turned off down the big pear flat on the Piedra，in the direction of Mired Mule； and I steered northwest for old Bill Toomeys ranch.
“‘那倒也合情合理。’我说罢同杰克逊·伯德握握手。‘只要办得到，我一定替你去搞来，我乐于替你效劳。’于是，他掉头走下皮德拉的大梨树平地，往陷骡山谷去了，我策马朝西北方向回到老比尔·图米的牧场。
