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“Hurry...” yelled Amy to her parents as the guard blew his whistle. The ‘toy’ train started moving slowly. The carriage was full of people and luggage. They managed to squeeze in. Amy had never been to Matheran. Her friends had. She was super-excited. A well-dressed middle-aged woman with a girl her age smiled, beckoned them over, and moved a little to give her mother a place to sit. “Thank you”, said Amy’s mother graciously.
“ … “ ”快点 警卫吹响哨子时，艾米对她的父母喊道。 玩具 火车开始缓慢地移动。车厢里挤满了人和行李。他们设法挤
了进去。艾米从未去过马瑟兰。她的朋友们都去过。她非常的兴奋。一个穿着考究的中年妇女带着一个和她同龄的女孩微笑着招呼他们过来，然后稍微动了动，让她妈妈坐
“ ”了下来。 谢谢你。 艾米的妈妈和蔼地说。
The train later stopped at a short bare platform. Two simple, old, wrinkled women sat cross-legged selling bananas. Amy’s mother bought a bunch. Amy took a bite. “It’s not ripe,” she grumbled, and threw it out the window. “Hey! You don’t do that!” scolded Amy’s mother.
“Sorry. Wasn’t thinking.”
火车随后在一个光秃秃的短月台停了下来。两个衣着简朴、年老、满脸皱纹的女人盘腿坐着卖香蕉。艾米的妈妈
“买了一束。艾米咬了一口。 这还没熟,”她抱怨道,并把它“扔出窗外。 嘿!你不能那样做!艾米的妈妈责备道。
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“对不起。没有考虑 ”。
A noisy troop of Indian langur monkeys with black faces and greyish-brown bodies jumped down from the trees and rushed for the banana. The large male got it, and scattered the rest with loud snarls and bared teeth. A mother-monkey stayed safely away and watched. “Look! She’s got a baby!,” exclaimed Amy. “How cute.” The baby clung on tightly.
一群吵吵嚷嚷的印度叶猴从树上跳下来，冲向香蕉。那只
大雄猴抓住了它，用响亮的咆哮和露出的牙齿驱散了其余的雄猴 “。一只母猴安全地呆在一旁看着。 看!她有孩子
了!” “艾米喊道。 好可爱。婴儿紧紧地被抱着。
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The train moved on, and the monkeys were left chattering. by the side of the rails.
There was a stampede of pony-wallahs and rickshaw-wallahs at Matheran station. “Pony sahib?” “Rickshaw memsahib?”
“Where are the taxis?” asked Amy, looking around.
“No taxis,” replied her father, “vehicles not allowed in Matheran.”
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Amy’s face fell. “How do we get to the hotel then?” she asked.
“We walk.”
“I’m not walking. Too hot. I’m hungry.”
“Okay then. You stay. We go.”
Amy threw her hands up angrily, kicked her haversack, picked it up slowly, glared at her father and dragged her feet forward.
火车继续前进，猴子们在铁轨旁边不停的叽叽喳喳。在马瑟兰车站，一群马拉车和黄包车显得 “拥挤不堪。 小
马车吗?“黄包车?”
“出租车在哪儿?”艾米环顾四周，问道。
“ ” “不许打出租车， 她父亲回答， 马瑟兰不允许车辆进”入。
“艾米的脸就拉下来了。 那么我们怎么去旅馆呢?””她问道。
“ ”我们走。
“ ”我不走。太热了。我饿了。
“ ”好吧。你留下来。我们走吧。
艾米生气地举起双手，踢了踢她的旅行袋，慢慢地捡起来，瞪着父亲，拖着脚往前走。
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A low-flying falcon screeched and drifted along with the wind, looking down intently for prey.
There was smelly rubbish scattered by the sides of the track on the rough grass.
Amy had to jump aside to avoid a crazy rider whipping his
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distressed pony to get it to gallop.
She sank down on a rock. Her parents were out of sight. Tears dripped down her chubby cheeks.
A curious mongoose thrust his small head out of the bush, and she jumped up in fright.
She heard jarring music in the distance, which became louder as she came to the bazaar. She saw her parents buying walking sticks. “What’s that for?” she asked, as they gave her one suited to her height.
一只低空飞行的猎鹰尖声叫着，随风飘荡，专注地向下寻找猎物。
在粗糙的草地上，铁轨两旁散落着臭烘烘的垃圾。
不得不跳到一边，以避免一个疯狂的骑手不停的鞭打他那可怜的小马使它飞奔起来。她在一块岩石上坐了下来。她的父母不见了。泪水顺着她胖嘟嘟的脸颊淌下来。
一只好奇的猫鼬从灌木丛中探出头来，她吓得跳了起来。
她听到远处刺耳的音乐声，当她来到集市时，音乐声更大“了。她看见她的父母在买拐杖。 那是什么?他们给了她一
件适合她身高的衣服，她问道。
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“You’ll see. Just keep it with you.”
They took the road to Louisa Point.
“That’s Prabal fort,” pointed dad with right arm outstretched. Amy was not interested. She kept her eyes down and sulked. “Where is the hotel? How far?”
They came to a heavy, garish, green gate with the sign ‘Hotel Bolliwood’, and walked down a long gravel path to reception.
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A slim, frowning clerk at the desk did not even look up as they bent over the counter. “Yes?” he snapped rudely.
“We have a booking.”
“Name?”
“Desai.”
“Desai! What...Desai! Which...Desai?”
“Dilip Desai.”
“Number 6,” he muttered inaudibly, as he slammed the metal key down onto the counter.
A porter wearing a shabby purple uniform with stains on it grabbed their bags and walked off without a word. They picked up the key and followed him.
The door of number 6 was ajar. Amy was almost knocked down as something pushed the door open and rushed past.
“你会知道 ”的。把它带在身边。
他们走到路易莎角。
“ ”那是普拉巴要塞， 爸爸伸出右臂指着。艾米不感兴趣。“她垂下眼睛，生闷气。 旅馆在哪儿?”多远?”
他们来到一扇沉甸甸、色彩艳丽的绿色大门前，门上写“ ”着 波利伍德旅馆 的字样。
一个身材苗条、皱着眉头的柜台职员甚至没有抬头看他们“在柜台上弯下腰来。 什么事?”他粗鲁地厉声说。
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“ ”我们有预约。
“名字?”
“ ”德赛 。
“德赛! …德赛 什么! ……哪个 德赛?”
“迪利普· ”德赛。
“6 ”号。 他把金属钥匙重重地摔在柜台上，低声说，声音听不见。
一个穿着破旧的紫色制服、上面有污渍的搬运工抓起他们的包，一言不发地走了。他们拿起钥匙跟着他。
6号门半开着。有什么东西推开门冲了过去，差点把艾米撞倒。
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“What was that?” she gasped.
“Monkey,” laughed the man.
“How did it get in?” asked Amy’s father.
“Cleaner clean room. Monkey go in.”
“You do nothing?”
“No. Monkey God.”
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They did not enjoy lunch. It was brown rice, insipid dal and boiled potatoes.
“What’s for dessert?” asked Amy disappointed.
“Jelly,” answered the young, neat, pleasant waiter.
The jelly was just cold, red water, and they drank it up like a sherbet (a cold drink of sweetened and diluted fruit juice).
“I’m still hungry,” announced Amy.
“Well... back to the bazaar later,” suggested dad, “ we’ll see what we can get.”
They rested a while on the verandah on low-slung armchairs.
A friendly black dog slunk up, long tail wagging. He licked Amy’s hand, sat down, and put his head in her lap.
Amy loved dogs and she cuddled it. She strolled down the steps into the compound. The dog shadowed her.
“Ouch!” cried Amy suddenly, clutching her head tightly. She looked up, annoyed and angry. A cheeky monkey in the tree jumped up and down, grinning at her.
“You...you...” fumed Amy, bending down to pick up a stone which she flung at the monkey.
“那是什么?”她气喘吁吁地说。
“ ”猴子， 男人笑着说。
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“它是怎么进来的?”艾米的爸爸问。
“ ”干净整洁的房间。猴子进去。
“你什么都不做?”
“没有。这是 ”猴神。
他们没有享受午餐。那是糙米、无味的木豆和煮熟的土豆。
“什么甜点?艾米失望地问。
“ ”果冻， 年轻、整洁、有礼貌的侍者答道。果冻是冷的，红色的水，他们像喝果汁一样喝(一种加糖和稀释果汁的冷饮)。
“ ”我还是很饿， 艾米宣布。
“ …… ” “嗯 等会儿再去集市， 爸爸建议说， 我们看看能买到”什么。
他们在阳台上的矮扶手椅上休息了一会儿。
一只友好的黑狗溜了上来，摇着长长的尾巴。他舔了舔艾米的手，坐了下来，把头放在她的膝盖上。
艾米喜欢狗，她抱着它。她漫步走下台阶，走进院子。狗尾随着她。
“哎哟!艾米突然喊道，紧紧地抓着她的头。她抬起头来，又气又恼。树上有一只厚脸皮的猴子跳上跳下，朝她咧嘴笑着。
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“ … …你 你 艾米生气地说，弯腰捡起一块石头朝猴子扔去。
“No hit monkey. No. No. Monkey God,” shouted the gardener as he came running up, very agitated.
Amy hastily retreated to the verandah, mumbling:- “Sorry. He threw something at my head. It hurts.”
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Amy’s father discreetly gave the man a five-rupee note to appease him, and the fellow pocketed it swiftly, and smirked. He raised his right hand to his forehead in a gesture of thanks.
“Okay. Let’s go to the bazaar. I’m hungry too,” said Amy’s soft-spoken mother.
The dog had been barking furiously, but now he followed them as they headed towards the bazaar.
A long, thick, scaly, brown snake with unblinking eyes came into the path, slithered along the red mud, leaving a distinct trail in it, and stopped, scaring them to a sudden halt. They froze.
“Let it pass,” whispered dad, “don’t move.”
The dog growled softly. Amy put a hand on his head, to restrain him from attacking it. The snake slowly uncoiled itself, and slipped out of sight.
“Whew!” said Amy in relief, relaxing her shoulders. “That was close.”
“Snakes don’t attack unless provoked,” explained her father.
As they neared the bazaar, the dog started to whimper, and retreat.
“What is it?” asked Amy. “What’s wrong, eh?”
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They then saw the pack of mongrels coming fast with fangs bared, growling, barking, and ready for battle. The dog wheeled around, and bolted, his tail between his legs. The mongrels chased him. After a few minutes they stopped and headed back to the bazaar, panting heavily, snapping at each other.
Amy got pushed in the crowded bazaar, and nearly fell. “Let’s go back,” she wailed.
“Okay,” agreed mum, “but let’s buy what we came for, and then go.”
“不要 “ ”打猴子。不。不。 猴神， 园丁喊道，他跑了过来，非常激动。
艾美急忙退到阳台上，喃喃地说:“对不起。他用东西砸我”的头。很疼。
艾米的父亲小心翼翼地给了这个男人一张五卢比的钞票来安抚他，这个男人迅速地把钱装进口袋，傻笑着。他把右手举到前额，表示感谢。
“ ”好吧。我们去集市吧。我也饿了， 艾米说话轻声细语的妈妈说。
那只狗一直狂吠不止，但现在，当他们朝集市走去时，他跟了上去。
一条长长的、粗壮的、有鳞的、棕色的蛇，眼睛一眨不眨地爬上小径，沿着红色的泥地滑行，留下一条清晰的痕迹，然后停了下来，吓得它们突然停下来。他们冻结了。
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“ ” “ ”让它过去， 爸爸小声说， 别动。
狗低声地咆哮着。艾米把手放在他的头上，阻止他攻击它。蛇慢慢地展开身子，溜得看不见了。
“嘘! “ ”艾美松了口气，放松了一下肩膀。 好险哪。
“ ”除非受到挑衅，否则蛇是不会攻击的， 她父亲解释说。
当他们走近集市时，那只狗开始呜咽，然后撤退了。
“这是什么?” “艾米问。 怎么了,嗯?”
接着，他们看到那群杂种狗露着尖牙，咆哮着，吠叫着，飞快地冲过来，准备战斗。狗转过身来，夹着尾巴逃走了。杂种狗追赶他。几分钟后，他们停了下来，气喘吁吁地朝集市走去。
“艾米在拥挤的集市上被人推了一下，差点摔倒。 我们回”去吧， 她哭着说。
“ ” “好吧， 妈妈同意了， 但我们先买我们来买的东西，然”后再走。
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They bought chikki (hard, sticky Indian sweets), bread, butter, cheese, biscuits, fruit and packets of wafers.
“That’s a lot,” grumbled dad, roughly pushing his wallet back into his pocket.
Amy carried one bag and her parents took the others on the way back to the hotel.
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Sparrows chirped noisily. A handsome white pony neighed, shook its head violently, and tried to pull away from its handler. A small brown rabbit darted into the thick undergrowth.
Amy felt a sharp pull from behind. She whirled around, and was shocked to see a cheeky monkey clutch the bag she had in her hand. She tried to pull it away, but the monkey tightened its powerful grip. More monkeys jumped down from the trees. Amy felt threatened. She yelled frantically: “Help. Help me!” She had the stick in her other hand, and she brandished it at the monkey, trying to scare it away.
他们买了又硬又黏的印度糖果、面包、黄油、奶酪、饼干、水果和一袋袋的薄饼。
“ ”太多了。 爸爸嘟囔着，粗暴地把钱包塞回口袋。
艾米提着一个包，她的父母拿着其他的包走在回旅馆的路上。麻雀大声鸣叫。一匹漂亮的白马嘶鸣着，猛烈地摇着头，试图挣脱它的主人。一只棕色的小兔子冲进了茂密的灌木丛。
艾米感到有人从后面猛地拉了她一下。她转过身来，惊讶地发现一只厚脸皮的猴子抓住了她手里的包。她想把它拉开，但猴子更用力地抓住了它。更多的猴子从树上跳下来。艾米感到威胁。她疯狂地喊道:“救命!帮帮我!她另一只手里拿着棍子，朝猴子挥舞着，想把它吓跑。
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But that only provoked it to growl menacingly, and it pulled harder at the bag. Amy held on. She kept on screaming. Another monkey joined the struggle. The monkeys smelt the food inside.
A short, fat woman who had been sweeping the dry leaves in her compound heard the screams and came out. She saw what was happening, and shouted at the monkeys. They did
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not retreat, and the bag tore, spilling the contents onto the ground. The monkeys leaped at the food, and fought each other for a share. Amy backed off and ran away. Her father and the woman came up, breathing heavily.
但这只会激怒它，发出威胁的咆哮，它更用力地拉着袋
子。艾米拉住袋子。她不停地尖叫。另一只猴子也加入了战斗。猴子闻到了里面的食物。
一个矮胖的女人正在院子里扫干枯的树叶，听到尖叫声，走了出来。她看到发生了什么事，对着猴子们大喊大叫。他们没有后退，袋子裂开了，里面的东西掉到了地上。猴子们扑向食物，互相争抢一份。艾米后退几步，跑开了。她的父亲和女人走了过来，喘着粗气。
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“Poor... girl,” stammered the woman, stroking Amy’s perspiring head, “You okay?”
“Yes...yes...gave me a real fright. Thought they would tear me to bits.”
“They snatch food. Aggressive. Fearless. They know people don’t do anything to them.”
“We bought sticks for protection,” said Amy’s father.
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“That’s okay. But... best to walk in a group. Anyway...all’s well now. Bye.”
They thanked her. She waved goodbye, and walked back to her house.
It was nearly dark by the time they reached the hotel.
A low-powered bulb faintly lit the passage to the dining-room.
They had dinner of baked cauliflower and potato salad, and vanilla ice-cream for dessert.
“Hi” said a friendly young girl as they came out of the dining-room.
“Oh hello,” said Amy, recognizing the girl on the train, “you staying here too?”
“Yes,” she replied, smiling broadly.
“What’s your name?” asked Amy.
“Gita,” said the girl, “What’s yours?”
“Amy.”
They chatted happily for an hour or so, and then went to their rooms.
Amy tossed and turned, but couldn’t sleep. “Maybe a sip of water will help,” she said to herself. But it didn’t. She lay restless, eyes open, listening to her father snoring in the
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next room. She gazed through the window at the twinkling stars dancing in the dark night, gave a big sigh, and slowly dozed off.
“Sleep well?” she asked Gita in the morning.
“Yes. Dreamt of caterpillars. Hungry caterpillars...”
“Eh? That’s strange. Anyway, let’s go outside. I’m bored.”
“ …… ”可怜的 女孩， 那女人结结巴巴地说，抚摸着艾米汗“流浃背的头， 你没事吧?”
“ …… ……是的 是的 吓了我一跳。以为他们会把我撕成碎”片。
“他们抢走食物。咄咄逼人。无所畏惧。他们知道人们不”会对他们做任何事情。
“ ”我们买棍子是为了保护自己， 艾米的父亲说。
“ … ……没关系。但是 最好结伴而行。无论如何 现在一切都”好了。再见。
他们感谢她。她挥手告别，走回她的房子。
当他们到达旅馆时，天几乎黑了。
一个低功率的灯泡微弱地照亮了通往餐厅的通道。
他们晚餐吃烤花椰菜和土豆沙拉，甜点是香草冰淇淋。
当他们走出饭厅时，一个友好的年轻女孩说:“ ”你好。
“ ” “哦，你好， 艾米说，认出了火车上的女孩， 你也住在这里吗?”
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“ ”是的， 她回答，笑容满面。
“你叫什么名字?”艾米问。
“ ” “吉塔， 女孩说， 你的是什么?”
“ ”艾米 。
他们愉快地聊了一个小时左右，然后回到各自的房间。
“ ”艾米辗转反侧，但睡不着。 也许喝点水会有帮助， 她对自己说。但它没有。她躺在那里，睁着眼睛，不安地听着父亲在隔壁房间里打鼾。她透过窗户望着漆黑的夜空中闪烁的星星，长叹一声，慢慢地打起盹来。
“睡得好吗?早上她问吉塔。
“ ……”是的。梦见毛毛虫。饥饿的毛毛虫
“嗯? ”这是奇怪的。不管怎样，我们出去吧。我无聊。
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The dog bounded up the minute he saw them. Gita stepped back nervously. It licked Amy. Gita watched.
“Don’t worry,” said Amy. “He’s okay. Won’t bite.”
“I saw a family of monkeys yesterday in those trees,” said Gita. “Let’s see if they are still there.”
“Look!” cried Amy. “Look there.”
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A tiny baby monkey was hanging precariously from the low, rotten branch of an old banyan tree. It was alone. The branch bent in the wind, and the baby slid down slowly.
“It’s going to fall,” shouted Amy.
狗一看见他们就跳了起来。吉塔紧张地后退了一步。它舔着艾米。吉塔关注。
“ ” “别担心， 艾米说。 没关系。它 ”不咬人。
“ ” “我昨天在那些树上看到一群猴子， 吉塔说。 让我们看”看他们是否还在那里。
“看!” “ ”艾米叫道。 看那儿。
一只小猴子摇摇欲坠地挂在一棵老榕树的低矮腐朽的树枝上。只有它一个。树枝在风中弯曲，婴儿慢慢地滑了下来。
“ ”它要掉下来了， 艾米喊道。
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They raced to the spot, and waited with arms outstretched. The baby monkey cried desperately. Gita caught it deftly as it fell. It clung to her as it would to its mother.
“Now, what do we do?”
“Don’t know. Anyway, let’s take it in.”
Gita cradled the baby monkey very gently.
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“Hey! What’s this?” asked Gita’s mother.
“A baby monkey. It fell from the tree. We caught it.”
Just then the young waiter burst onto the scene, very agitated.
“Monkeys angry,” he said. “Give baby back, eh?”
They whirled round to see monkeys, monkeys everywhere advancing on them.
The waiter took the baby away from them, and held it in outstretched arms, talking softly in Hindi to the monkey- mother who was now only a few feet from them. She barred her teeth at the man. Then she came up very slowly, confused but eager to have her baby back. He offered it to her. She snatched it, and retreated with it clutched to her bosom. She swiftly disappeared into the trees. The others followed.
The girls stood there gaping.
Amy’s father had seen what had happened.
“Pack up Amy,” he said. “Our train is at three. It’s a long walk to the station.”
“Are you leaving too?” asked Gita, surprised. “So are we! Same train.”
“Wow! That’s great!” said Amy.
They all walked together to the station.
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They got off the ‘toy’ train at Neral, and later boarded the Deccan Express to Mumbai.
The girls hugged each other when they parted.
“Come over. We also live in Dadar. You got my contact,” said Amy to her new friend.
“Sure. I will. Bye for now!”
他们跑到现场，张开双臂等着。小猴子绝望地哭了。它掉下来时，吉塔灵巧地抓住了它。它紧紧地抓着她，就像抓着它的妈妈一样。
“现在，我们该怎么办?”
“ ”不知道。不管怎样，让我们把它收起来。
吉塔轻轻地抱着小猴子。
“嘿!这是什么?吉塔的妈妈问。
“一个小猴子。它从树上掉下来。我们接住了 ”它。
就在这时，那个年轻的侍者突然出现了，非常激动。
“ ” “猴子生气了， 他说。 把孩子还给我，嗯?”
他们转过身来，看到到处都是猴子在向他们逼近。
服务员把孩子从他们身边抱开，伸出双臂，用印地语和猴子妈妈轻声交谈，猴子妈妈现在离他们只有几英尺远。她用牙齿咬住那个男人。然后，她慢慢地走了上来，虽然有些困惑，但她很想把孩子要回来。他把它给了她。她一把抓住它，退到一边，紧紧地抱在胸前。她很快消失在树林
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里。其他人跟着。
姑娘们站在那里目瞪口呆。
艾米的父亲看到了所发生的一切。
“艾米,去打包行李” “他说。 我们的火车是三点钟。到车站”要走很长一段路。
“你也要走吗?” “吉塔惊讶地问。 所以我们! ”同样的火车。
“哇!太好了!”艾米说。
他们一起向车站走去。
“ ”他们在奈拉尔下了 玩具 火车，随后登上了开往孟买的德干特快列车。
姑娘们分手时互相拥抱。
“过来。我们也住在达达尔。艾米对她的新朋友说。
“当然。我会的。再见了!”
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