Twilight settled over Zuckerman's barn, and a feeling of peace.
薄暮的余暉把祖克曼先生的谷倉籠罩在寧靜、平和的氣氛里。

Fern knew it was almost suppertime but she couldn't bear to leave.
芬知道差不多到晚飯時間了，卻還是舍不得離去。

Swallows passed on silent wings, in and out of the doorways, bringing food to their young ones. From across the road a bird sang“Whippoorwill, whippoorwill!” Lurvy sat down under an apple tree and lit his pipe; the animals sniffed the familiar smell of strong tobacco. Wilbur heard the trill of the tree toad and the occasional slamming of the kitchen door. All these sounds made him feel comfortable and happy, for he loved life and loved to be a part of the world on a summer evening. But as he lay there he remembered what the old sheep had told him. The thought of death came to him and he began to tremble with fear.
燕子無聲地拍著翅膀，從門口飛進飛出，一遍遍的給他們的孩子銜來食物。小路那邊有一只夜鴟在唱：“威普威噢，威普威噢！”魯維坐在一棵蘋果樹下，吸著他的煙斗；動物們都聞到了那種熟悉的刺鼻的煙草味兒。威伯聽到了樹蟾的顫音和不時傳來的開關廚房門的聲音。所有的這些聲音都讓他感覺愜意而又幸福，因為他熱愛生活，愿意成為這夏夜世界的一分子。但是，當他躺在那里時，他忽然記起了老羊告訴過他的話。他開始想到了死，就害怕得哆嗦起來。

“Charlotte?” he said, softly.
“夏洛？”他輕輕地說。

“Yes, Wilbur?”
“什么事，威伯？”

“I don’t want to die.”
“我不想死。”

“Of course you don’t,” said Charlotte in a comforting voice.
“你當然不想，”夏洛安慰道。

“I just love it here in the barn,” said Wilbur. “I love everything about this place.”
“我愛谷倉。”威伯說。“我愛這里的一切。”

“Of course you do,” said Charlotte. “We all do.”
“當然，”夏洛說。”我們都愛這里。”

The goose appeared, followed by her seven goslings. They thrust their little necks out and kept up a musical whistling, like a tiny troupe of pipers. Wilbur listened to the sound with love in his heart.
母鵝出現了，身后跟著她的七只小鵝。他們歪著他們的小脖子，哼著同樣的旋律，就像一小隊吹笛手。威伯滿是愛意地聽著這種聲音。

“Charlotte?” he said.
“夏洛？”他說。

“Yes?” said the spider.
“嗯？”蜘蛛說。

“Were you serious when you promised you would keep them from killing me?”
“你曾承諾過不讓他們殺我，你是認真的嗎？”

“I was never more serious in my life. I am not going to let you die, Wilbur.”
“在我一生中還從沒這么認真過呢。我不會讓你死的，威伯。”

“How are you going to save me?” asked Wilbur, whose curiosity was very strong on this point.
“你打算怎么救我呢？”強烈想知道這點的威伯問。

“Well,” said Charlotte, vaguely, “I don't really know. But I'm working on a plan.”
“唔，”夏洛含混地說，“我還不知道呢。但是我正在制訂計劃。”

“That's wonderful,” said Wilbur. “How is the plan coming, Charlotte? Have you got very far with it? Is it coming along pretty well?” Wilbur was trembling again, but Charlotte was cool and collected.
“好極了，”威伯說，“這計劃的開始是怎么樣的，夏洛？你已經想出很多步驟了嗎？它進展得非常順利嗎？”威伯又打了一個冷戰，可夏洛還是非常冷靜。

“Oh, it's coming all right,” she said, lightly. “The plan is still in its early stages and hasn't completely shaped up yet, but I'm working on it.
“哦，計劃就快弄好了，”她輕聲地說，“這計劃還剛剛開頭，沒有成形，不過我會弄好的。”

“When do you work on it?” begged Wilbur.
“你什么時候能想好？”威伯乞求。

“When I'm hanging head-down at the top of my web. That’s when I do my thinking, because then all the blood is in my head.”
“在我倒掛在我的網上的時候吧。那時我才能想事情，因為那時全身的血才會涌到我的腦袋里。”

“I'd be only too glad to help in any way I can.”
“我非常愿意在我力所能及的范圍內幫你。”

“Oh, I'll work it out alone,” said Charlotte. “I can think better if I think alone.”
“哦，我將一個人解決它，”夏洛說，“我一個人時會想出更好的辦法。”

“All right,” said Wilbur. “But don't fail to let me know if there's anything I can do to help, no matter how slight.
“好吧，”威伯說，“但是如果有什么我能做的，不管是多么小的事兒，你也別忘了告訴我。”

“Well,” replied Charlotte, “you must try to build yourself up. I want you to get plenty of sleep, and stop worrying. Never hurry and never worry! Chew your food thoroughly and eat every bit of it, except you must leave just enough for Templeton. Gain weight and stay well — that’s the way you can help. Keep fit, and don’tlose your nerve. Do you think you understand?
“好的，”夏洛回答，“你必需加強你的信心。我要你保持充足的睡眠，不要再擔憂了。永遠也不要著急和擔心！慢慢地吃光你的每一點食物，除了你剩給坦普爾曼的那些。把自己吃胖，好好活著——這就是你能幫我做的。保持健康，不要氣餒。你明白了嗎？”

"Yes, I understand,” said Wilbur.
“是的，我懂了，”威伯說。

“Go along to bed, then,” said Charlotte. “Sleep is important.”
“那么上床休息吧，”夏洛說，“睡眠是很重要的。”

Wilbur trotted over to the darkest corner of his pen and threw himself down. He closed his eyes. In another minute he spoke.
威伯迅速地跑到豬圈里最黑的角落，躺了下來。他閉上了眼睛。幾分鐘后他又說開了。

“Charlotte?” he said.
“夏洛？”他說。

“Yes, Wilbur?”
“什么事，威伯？”

“May I go out to my trough and see if I left any of my supper? I think I left just a tiny bit of mashed potato.”
“我可以到食槽去看看是否還有剩下的晚餐嗎？我想我還剩了點兒土豆泥。”

“Very well,” said Charlotte. “But I want you in bed again without delay.”
“可以，”夏洛說，“不過吃完你得立刻回來睡覺。”

Wilbur started to race out to his yard.
威伯顛顛地向他的院子跑去。

“Slowly, slowly!” said Charlotte. “Never hurry and never worry!”
“慢點兒，慢點兒！”夏洛說。“永遠不要著急和擔心！”

Wilbur checked himself and crept slowly to his trough. He found a bit of potato, chewed it carefully, swallowed it, and walked back to bed. He closed his eyes and was silent for a while.
威伯硬生生的放慢了腳步，開始緩緩地往食槽爬。他找到一小塊土豆，便細細地咀嚼，咽下，然后才回到了床上。他閉上眼，沉默了一小會兒。

“Charlotte?” he said, in a whisper.
“夏洛？”他低語道。

“Yes?”
“什么事？”

“May I get a drink of milk? I think there are a few drops of milk left in my trough.”
“我可以喝點兒牛奶嗎？我想我的食槽里還剩幾滴牛奶呢。”

“No, the trough is dry, and I want you to go to sleep. No more talking! Close your eyes and go to sleep!”
“不，食槽已經空了，我要你馬上睡覺。不許再講話！閉上眼睡覺！”

Wilbur shut his eyes. Fern got up from her stool and started for home, her mind full of everything she had seen and heard.
威伯閉上了眼。芬從她的小凳上站起來，開始往家走，她看見、聽到的每一件事都裝到了腦子里。

“Good night, Charlotte!” said Wilbur.
“晚安，夏洛！”威伯說。

“Good night, Wilbur!”
“晚安，威伯！”

There was a pause.
又靜了一會兒。

“Good night, Charlotte!”
“晚安，夏洛！”

“Good night, Wilbur!”
“晚安，威伯！”

“Good night!”
“晚安！”

“Good night!”
“晚安！”

（來源：愛思英語 編輯：丹妮）