Wonderful trees, laden with leaves, sheltered the ground everywhere we went,
无论我们去哪儿,奇妙的树木上都会挂满树叶,为大地遮风挡雨,
and they would harbor raindrops and release them later when tossed by breezes.
这些树会储存雨滴,当有风吹动时再把雨滴放出来。
It was all so deliciously moist—even the hottest days were usually broken by cooler air at night.
这潮湿的气味是如此好闻——即使是最热的日子也常常被夜晚凉爽的空气打破。
The tantalizing odors drew my head farther and farther through the dog door until suddenly, quite by accident,
诱人的气味把我的头从狗门里越拉越往外,直到我突然就不知怎么的出来了,
I was out in the yard, without the boy having to push me! Delighted, I tore around the backyard, barking.
来到了院子里,这次没有那个男孩在后面推我!我很高兴,在后院里狂奔乱跑,狂吠不止。
It was as if the dog door had been put there to let me out into the backyard from the garage!
感觉就像那狗门存在那里的意义就是为了让我能从车库进入后院!
I squatted and relieved myself—I was finding I much preferred doing my business outdoors instead of in the house,
我蹲下来大/小便,我发现自己还是更喜欢在户外方便,而不是在家里,
and not just because of the lack of drama.
这不仅仅是因为在家里方便不够有戏剧性。
I liked to wipe my paws on the lawn after I went, trailing the scent from the sweat on my pads onto the blades of grass.
我喜欢方便后在草坪上擦擦爪子,把爪子上汗水的气味蹭到草叶上。
It was also much more gratifying to lift my leg and mark the edge of the yard than, say, the corner of the couch.
我也更喜欢用双腿丈量院子的大小,而不是一直在沙发的一角待着。
Later, when the cold rain turned from mist to serious drops, I discovered the dog door worked both ways!
后来,当冷雨由薄雾变成大雨滴时,我才发现狗门是双向的!
I wished the boy were home so he could see what I had taught myself.
那一刻,我真希望那个男孩也在家,这样他就能看到我自学成才了。
After the rain ended, I dug a hole, chewed the hose, and barked at Smokey, who sat in the window and pretended not to hear me.
雨停后,我挖了一个洞,咬着水管,对着坐在窗户里假装没听见我说话的斯莫基吠叫。
When a large yellow bus pulled up in front of the house
一辆黄色的大客车停在了房子前面,
and disgorged the boy and Chelsea and a bunch of other kids from the neighborhood,
把男孩、切尔西还有附近的一群孩子放了下来。
I was in the backyard, my paws up on the fence, and the boy ran up to me, laughing.
人在后院的我把爪子搭在篱笆上,那个男孩笑着跑向我。
I didn’t really go into the doghouse after that, except when Mom and Dad yelled at each other.
从那以后,我就不怎么进狗屋了,唯一的例外就是爸爸和妈妈互相大吼大叫的时候。
Ethan would come out into the garage and get into the doghouse with me and put his arms around me,
伊森会从车库里出来,和我一起进狗窝,用胳膊搂着我,
and I would sit perfectly still for however long he wanted me to.
他要我坐多久,我就坐多久。