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"My sister had told me some weeks before that I might have the pick of her geese for a Christmas present,
"幾個星期以前，我姐姐曾經告訴過我，我可以從她的鵝中挑選一只，作為她送給我的圣誕節禮物。
and I knew that she was always as good as her word.
我素知姐姐說話是算數的。
I would take my goose now, and in it I would carry my stone to Kilburn.
那么，我不如現在就把鵝拿走，這樣我可以把寶石藏在鵝的肚子里，帶到基爾伯恩去。
There was a little shed in the yard, and behind this I drove one of the birds–a fine big one, white, with a barred tail.
我姐姐院子里有一個小棚子，于是我從棚子后面趕出來一只鵝--一只大白鵝，尾巴上有一道黑邊。
I caught it, and, prying its bill open, I thrust the stone down its throat as far as my finger could reach.
我抓住了它，撬開它的嘴，把寶石塞到它的喉嚨里，一直塞到我的手指能夠達到的地方。
The bird gave a gulp, and I felt the stone pass along its gullet and down into its crop.
鵝一口就把寶石吞咽下去，我摸到寶石已經順著它的食道到了它的嗉囊里。
But the creature flapped and struggled, and out came my sister to know what was the matter.
那只鵝拍打著翅膀極力掙扎著，這時候我姐姐聞聲走出屋來，問我發生了什么事情。
As I turned to speak to her the brute broke loose and fluttered off among the others.
正當我轉身和她講話的剎那，那只鵝卻從我的手里猛地掙脫出來、拍打著翅膀竄回到鵝群里去了。
"'Whatever were you doing with that bird, Jem?' says she.
"'杰姆，你抓那只鵝干什么來著？'她問。
"'Well,' said I, 'you said you'd give me one for Christmas, and I was feeling which was the fattest.'
"'噢，'我說，'你不是說過要給我一只鵝作為圣誕節的禮物嗎？我在試摸哪一只鵝最肥！'
"'Oh,' says she, 'we've set yours aside for you -- Jem's bird, we call it.
"'噢，'她說，'我們早已把準備送給你的鵝留在一邊了'我們給它起名叫做杰姆的鵝。
It's the big white one over yonder.
就是在那頭的那一只大白鵝。
There's twenty-six of them, which makes one for you, and one for us, and two dozen for the market.'
我一共養了二十六只鵝，一只是給你的，一只留給我們自己吃，還有二十四只是要賣到市場上去的。'
"'Thank you, Maggie,' says I; 'but if it is all the same to you, I'd rather have that one I was handling just now.'
"'謝謝你，麥琪，'我說，'但是如果對你來說都一樣的話，我還是愿意要我剛才抓到的那一只。'
"'The other is a good three pound heavier,' said she, 'and we fattened it expressly for you.'
"'我們給你留的那一只要比你剛才抓的那只整整重三磅。'她說：'那是我們特意為你喂肥的。'
"'Never mind. I'll have the other, and I'll take it now,' said I.
"'沒關系，我要我抓的那只，我打算現在就把它帶走。'我說。
"'Oh, just as you like,' said she, a little huffed. 'Which is it you want, then?'
"'唉！那就隨你的便吧。'她有點生氣地說，'那么，你要的是哪一只呢？'
"'That white one with the barred tail, right in the middle of the flock.'
"'那只尾巴上有一道黑的白鵝，就在那群鵝里面。'
"'Oh, very well. Kill it and take it with you.'
"'噢，好吧，把它宰了，你就帶走吧。'
