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The cob had been seen already by people down below.
雄天鵝早已被下面的人們發現了。
One of the salesmen in the music store was standing by the front window, looking out.
樂器店的一個店員正站在前面的櫥窗旁，往外觀察著。
When he saw the big white bird approaching, he yelled to the storekeeper: "Large bird approaching. Get your gun!"
他一看到這只正在靠近的白色大鳥，就對店主大叫道：“大鳥來了，準備好你的槍！”
The storekeeper grabbed his shotgun and raced to the sidewalk.
店主抓起他的鳥槍跑上了人行道。
The cob was low in the sky, gliding straight for the store. The storekeeper raised his gun.
雄天鵝正低飛著，朝樂器店滑翔。店主舉起了他的槍。
He fired both barrels in quick succession. The old cob felt a twinge of pain in his left shoulder.
他迅速地連發了兩槍。老雄天鵝感到他的左肩那里有一陣劇痛。
Thoughts of death filled his mind. Looking back, he saw a bright red drop of blood staining his breast.
他心里頓時充滿了許多和死亡有關的思考。他回過頭，發現一滴鮮血正在把胸口染紅。
But he kept going, straight for the storekeeper.
可他還是繼續朝著店主飛去。
"The end is near," he said to himself.
“末日臨近了，”他自語，
"I shall die in the performance of duty.
“我將在履行職責的時候死去。
I have only a few moments remaining to live. Man, in his folly, has given me a mortal wound.
我只能再活一會兒了。這個男人，由于他的愚蠢，使我受到了致命傷。
The red blood flows in a steady trickle from my veins. My strength fails.
鮮血不斷地從我的靜脈里流出來了。我沒有力氣了。
But even in death's final hour, I shall deliver the money for the trumpet.
不過，即使在這最后的死亡時刻，我也要先還清那筆小號錢。
Good-bye, life! Good-bye, beautiful world! Good-bye, little lakes in the north!
再見了，生命！再見了，美好的世界！再見了，北方的小湖！
Farewell, springtimes I have known, with their passion and ardor!
永別了，我所熟悉的充滿激情的春天！
Farewell, loyal wife and loving sons and daughters!
永別了，我忠誠的妻子和心愛的兒女們！
I, who am about to die, salute you. I must die gracefully, as only a swan can."
將要步入死亡的我，在此向你們致意了。我一定要優雅的死去，就像只有天鵝才能做到的那樣。”
With that, he sank to the sidewalk, held out the moneybag and the slate to the astonished storekeeper,
這么想著，他撲到人行道上，把錢袋和石板交給那個驚訝萬分的店主，
and fainted away at the sight of his own blood.
又看了看自己身上的血，然后才昏死過去。
He lay limp on the sidewalk, to all appearances a dying swan.
他軟綿綿地躺在人行道上，和一只瀕死的天鵝已經沒有絲毫的分別了。
A crowd quickly gathered.
人們很快地聚攏過來。
"What's this?" exclaimed the storekeeper, bending over the bird. "What's going on here?"
“這是什么？”那個店主在這只鳥的身邊彎下腰，驚叫道。“這里都發生了什么事呀？”
He quickly read the note on the slate.
他很快地讀完了那個寫在石板上的便條。
Then he tore open the moneybag and began pulling out hundred-dollar bills and fifty-dollar bills.
然后他拉開錢袋掏出了那些一百美元和五十美元的票子。
