阿红是条特别的狗。

 

He was not one of those dogs who with other dogs ran howling into the wind. He just loved walking with me. Sometimes, on the gravel road, he walked so close that his bright red fur brushed against my leg.

 

它不是那种跟别的狗一起在风中疯跑狂叫的狗儿。它只喜欢陪我散步。有时候，走在碎石小路上，它紧紧挨着我，红亮亮的皮毛蹭着我的腿。

 

"Red Dog," I'd say, "each morning when we meet for the first time, why do you always look so glad?"

 

“阿红呀，”我总会说，“每天早晨咱俩一见面，你为什么看起来总是那么高兴呢？”

 

Of course, Red Dog never did reply with words. If he wanted to say something, he spoke with his eyes, or the bend in his tail. However, since we were friends, that was enough.

 

当然，阿红从来没有用语言回答过我。如果它想说什么，它就用眼睛告诉我或者翘翘尾巴。不过，因为我们是朋友，那样就足够了。

 

At night, Red Dog slept on the front porch. Lying there, dreaming dreams of long summer days and endless walks, his night-world filled up with the moon and stars, hoot-owl hoots, and ghostly white fogs that crept silently into the fields.

 

晚上，阿红睡在前门廊。它躺在那儿，梦见悠长的夏日和没有尽头的散步，它的夜晚充满了月亮和繁星、猫头鹰咕咕的叫声以及悄悄飘进田野里的幽灵般的白雾。

 

Between dreams, I think that Red Dog must have awakened, raised his head, and looked around. Maybe then he became a little lonely. And probably he wondered why I got to sleep inside, but he had to sleep on the porch...

 

我想阿红一定会从梦中醒来，抬头四处张望。也许那时的它会感到有点儿孤单，也许它很好奇为什么我睡屋里而它必须睡门廊……

 

But, you see, Red Dog lived in a time when country dogs such as he were not allowed inside their masters' homes. In those days, most people didn't even believe that dogs had feelings, though I did.

 

可是你瞧，在阿红生活的时代，像它这样的乡下狗还不准进主人的家。那些年月里，大部分人甚至还不相信狗也有感情，虽然我相信。

 

Yes, during those days when we walked in the fields and woods, Red Dog and I helped one another see things in special ways. Weedy roadsides were like museums and the fields of corn and beans around us were like circuses with many rings.

 

是啊，在一片片田野和树林中散步的那些日子里，我和阿红帮助彼此以独特的方式观察事物。杂草丛生的路边就像一座座博物馆，而我们周围的玉米地和大豆田就像拥有很多圆形场地的马戏场。

 

 

In Red Dog's life, no mystery was greater than that of the house.

 

小狗阿红的生活中，没什么会比我的房子更神秘了。

 

Though Red Dog could romp[1] in any field or woods, or take a nap beside any road or ditch, never could he enter the house. The only place I ever went without him was into the house. If I came outside wearing clothes different from those I had worn when I entered the house, Red Dog would look at me in amazement.

 

尽管阿红可以在任意一块地或一片树林中撒欢，可以在所有的马路或沟渠旁边打盹，但它却从来不可以踏进我房门。我唯一没有带它去过的地方就是屋里。假如我进屋换一身别的衣裳出来，阿红就会惊奇地盯着我。

 

[1] romp 嬉戏，喧闹。

 

"Red Dog," I'd say, "do you think that when I go inside the house I become someone else? Do you think that inside the house I travel to other worlds, or do magical things? When you stand beside the screen door hearing voices and music on the radio, do you think that inside I'm having a party with elves and gnomes?"

 

“阿红呀，”我说，“你是不是觉得我走进房子就变成另外一个人啦？你是不是以为我在房子里去了别的世界旅行，或者施展了魔法？你在纱门外，听着收音机里飘出的欢歌笑语，会不会认为我正在里面和小精灵、小矮人聚会呢？”

 

Sometimes I laughed when I thought about what Red Dog must have imagined as he sat outside the screen door. Yes: What went on inside Red Dog's mind was my favorite mystery.

 

想到阿红坐在纱门外可能会有的胡思乱想，我有时会哈哈大笑。没错，阿红脑子里想的事最让我浮想联翩。

 

Once I thought about letting Red Dog come inside—just for a few moments—so I could watch his face as he looked around.

 

我曾经考虑过让阿红进来——只进来一小会儿——好让我瞧瞧它左顾右盼的表情。

 

But, I never did.

 

但我从来没有这样做。

 

 

"Buenos días Señor Red Dog," I said. "Anoche soñé que éramos pájaros, y que volamos con alas por la música. Cada vez que oímos los violines y cellos, volamos por nubes de colores distintos..."

 

“早上好，阿红先生。”我用西班牙语说，“昨晚我梦见我们都变成了小鸟，我们在音乐中振翅高飞。每当我们听到小提琴和大提琴演奏的音乐，我们就飞向五彩的云朵……”

 

Red Dog's eyes sparkled with what at other times I would have considered to be understanding. My trick was working...

 

阿红眨眨眼睛，是平时它对我心领神会的那种眼神。我的恶作剧奏效了……

 

"Y, ¿es que me entiendes, aunque sé por cierto que nunca has oído ninguna palabra de español en toda tu vida?" I asked with a mocking laugh.

 

“你能听懂我说话吗？虽然我知道你这一辈子都从未听到过任何一个西班牙语单词。”我用西班牙语故意笑眯眯地问。

 

Thinking I had said, "Let's take our morning walk," Red Dog led toward the gravel road, glancing at me over his shoulder.

 

阿红猜测我说：“咱们去晨跑吧。”它走向小路，回头看我。

 

But... Red Dog was not catching on to what I was doing. I began feeling ashamed for tricking him.

 

但是……阿红误解了。我开始愧疚不该捉弄它。

 

"And I even use a language I learned when every day I lived my life without you, Red Dog," I said in English. "I thought it would be funny to see what you did if today I spoke nothing but Spanish. But now I feel as if I've betrayed you..."

 

“我说了一种过去学的语言，当时我生活中还没有你，阿红，”我用英语说，“我要看看如果今天我只讲西班牙语，你是什么反应，我想那一定有趣。可是现在，我觉得对不起你……”

 

Hearing the remorse in my voice, for the first time Red Dog sensed that I was saying something different from what I always say. He came and stood close by me, for this was his way of comforting me.

 

听到我语调里的忏悔，阿红头一回明白我在说不同往常的内容。它靠拢我，这是它安慰我的方式。

 

I hugged the big red dog, and then we walked on the gravel road.

 

我拥抱大红狗，我俩共同踏上小路。

 

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