，天天5分钟，打破英语听力障碍！
‘My young friend,’ said the Badger, with great severity, ‘your father, who was a worthy animal—a lot worthier than some others I know—was a particular friend of mine, and told me a great deal he wouldn’t have dreamt of telling you. He discovered that passage—he didn’t make it, of course; that was done hundreds of years before he ever came to live there—and he repaired it and cleaned it out, because he thought it might come in useful some day, in case of trouble or danger; and he showed it to me. “Don’t let my son know about it,” he said. “He’s a good boy, but very light and volatile in character, and simply cannot hold his tongue. If he’s ever in a real fix, and it would be of use to him, you may tell him about the secret passage; but not before.”’
“我的年轻伴侣，”獾十分严厉认实地说，“你的父亲，他是一位德高垂青的动物——比我所熟悉的其他动物都要崇高。他和我是至交，曾经把他不肯让你晓得的许多事告诉过我。他发现了那条通道——当然，不是他挖的;那是早在他来那里几百年以前就存在的——他把它修整了，清扫了。因为他想，也许有朝一日，碰着危难时，能派上用场。他领我往看过。他对我说：“别让我儿子晓得，他却是个好孩子，只是太轻佻，不稳重，嘴巴把不住关。如果日后他实的碰着费事，而用得上通道时，再告诉他，但事先不要告诉他。”
The other animals looked hard at Toad to see how he would take it. Toad was inclined to be sulky at first; but he brightened up immediately, like the good fellow he was.
河鼠和鼹鼠盯着蟾蜍瞧，看他若何反响。蟾蜍起初有点恼意，可是很快就面露喜色。他就是那么一只脾性随和的动物。
‘Well, well,’ he said; ‘perhaps I am a bit of a talker. A popular fellow such as I am—my friends get round me—we chaff, we sparkle, we tell witty stories—and somehow my tongue gets wagging. I have the gift of conversation. I’ve been told I ought to have a salon, whatever that may be. Never mind. Go on, Badger. How’s this passage of yours going to help us?’
“是啊，是啊，”他说。“也许我是有点多嘴多舌。我交游那么广，伴侣们老是围着我转.一块儿开打趣，说调皮话，讲诙谐故事，我就免不了有时多说两句。谁喊我生成有口才呢。人家说，我应该主持一个沙龙。先不说阿谁。讲下往，獾。你的那条通道，对我们有什么用?”
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‘I’ve found out a thing or two lately,’ continued the Badger. ‘I got Otter to disguise himself as a sweep and call at the back-door with brushes over his shoulder, asking for a job. There’s going to be a big banquet to-morrow night. It’s somebody’s birthday—the Chief Weasel’s, I believe—and all the weasels will be gathered together in the dining-hall, eating and drinking and laughing and carrying on, suspecting nothing. No guns, no swords, no sticks, no arms of any sort whatever!’
“比来我察访到一两个情状。”獾接着说。“我喊水獭冒充扫烟囱的，扛着笤帚，到后门口往讨活干。他领会到。明天晚上。蟾宫里要举行一个浩大的宴会，给什么人——可能是给阿谁黄鼠狼头头——做寿，所有的黄鼠狼都要聚集在宴会厅里，食饮玩乐穷高兴。要闹很长时间。刀剑、棍棒，任何一件兵器都不会带!”
‘But the sentinels will be posted as usual,’ remarked the Rat.
“可岗哨还会照样安插呀?”河鼠提醒说。
‘Exactly,’ said the Badger; ‘that is my point. The weasels will trust entirely to their excellent sentinels. And that is where the passage comes in. That very useful tunnel leads right up under the butler’s pantry, next to the dining-hall!’
“对，”獾说，“那恰是我想到的。黄鼠狼们完全相信他们的那些精良的哨兵。所以，那条通道就派上用场了。那条极有用的地道，正好曲通宴会厅隔邻的配膳室的地板底下!”
‘Aha! that squeaky board in the butler’s pantry!’ said Toad. ‘Now I understand it!’
“啊哈!配膳室地上有块嘎吱吱响的地板!”蟾蜍说。“如今我全大白了!”
‘We shall creep out quietly into the butler’s pantry—‘ cried the Mole.
“咱们能够偷偷爬进配膳室——”鼹鼠喊道。
‘—with our pistols and swords and sticks—‘ shouted the Rat.
“带上手枪、刀剑和棍棒——”河鼠嚷道。
‘—and rush in upon them,’ said the Badger.
“——冲进往，曲扑他们，”獾说。
‘—and whack ‘em, and whack ‘em, and whack ‘em!’ cried the Toad in ecstasy, running round and round the room, and jumping over the chairs.
“——把他们痛打一通，痛打一通，痛打一通!”蟾蜍喜不自胜地大喊，在房间里兜着圈儿跑。从一张椅子跳到另一张椅子。
‘Very well, then,’ said the Badger, resuming his usual dry manner, ‘our plan is settled, and there’s nothing more for you to argue and squabble about. So, as it’s getting very late, all of you go right off to bed at once. We will make all the necessary arrangements in the course of the morning to-morrow.’
“那好，”獾说，又回到他一贯的干巴巴的立场，“咱们的计划就那么定了，你们再也无需争吵了。如今夜已深，你们都睡觉往。明天上午咱们再做需要的安放。”