I eventually rolled out my sleeping bag atop a little rise beside the bridle path by the North Meadow,
我终于在靠近北部草地的马道旁的一个小土包顶上打开了睡袋,
and then I crawled inside my bag and closed my eyes.
钻了进去,合上眼睛。
And then: snap! A tremendous cracking sound. I froze, then quickly whipped round to have a look: nothing.
这时,突然传来“啪”的一声!这是什么东西折断发出的巨大声响。我愣住了,随即急速转身一看,什么东西也没有
A forest is always full of noises.
树林里总是充满了噪音。
How did I manage to camp out as a kid? Finally, I fell asleep.
我小时候是怎么设法在外露营的呢?最后,我睡着了。
I know I fell asleep because I was awake again.
我知道我睡着了是因为我又醒了。
Another branch snapping, but this sound was different—as if I could hear the tissue of the wood tearing.
又有一根树枝“啪”地折断了,不过这次的声响与上次不同——我仿佛能听到木材组织撕裂的声音。
My eyes still closed, I was motionless. Another branch, and then a rustling of leaves.
我仍然闭着眼睛,一动也不动。又有一根树枝折断了,随后是一阵树叶的簌簌声。
No doubt: someone was there. I could tell I was being stared at; I could feel the staring. I heard breathing.
毫无疑问,那里有人。我可以说正被人盯着,我能感觉到这种目光,我听到了喘息声。
I opened my eyes and was astonished by what I saw.
我睁开眼睛,不禁为眼前的一切大吃一惊。
There were three of them, all within arm's reach. They looked very big.
共有三只,都近在咫尺。它们看上去挺大。
At first I didn't know what they were, except that they were animals.
起初,我不知道它们是什么,只知道是动物。
Maybe they were bears, small ones.
也许是熊,是小熊。
Then I realized; they were—what do you call them?
这时候,我想起来了——你能管它们叫什么呢?
Those animals that Daniel Boone made his hat out of.