Hare Taking the Water　会凫水的兔子

I was pike-fishing one season on the Dorset Stour below Canford Major,when on passing from one field to another,I disturbed a hare.The animal at once entered an open,dry drain,and I lost sight of her.Presently,as I silently made my way plying my rod by the bank,I saw her,this time without any appearance of alarm,take to the water,and making her way through the sedges.She put her head to the stream so that the force of the current,with but slight exertion by swimming on her part,carried her nearly in a straight line to the opposite bank.Here I watched her to see whether she would trundle herself like a dog,but she merely rested a bit,letting the water run from her,and then set off at a rattling pace across the mead,which doubtless soon thoroughly dried her.

有一年，我在坎佛德·梅杰下面的多塞特郡斯陶尔河上钓梭鱼的时候，惊动了田里的一只野兔。小家伙一下子就蹦进了一条敞开着的干排水沟里，然后一眨眼就不见了。过了一会儿，我在河岸上静悄悄地收放鱼竿的时候，又看到了她。这次，她没有惊慌失措，而是穿过沙草跑到水边，一头扎进小溪，借着水势，轻轻划动身体，像一条直线似的游到了对岸。我站在岸这边，想看看她会不会像狗一样打滚，把身子弄干。可是，她只稍稍站了一会儿，让身上的水自然滴落，然后，撒开脚步，一路小跑着冲进了草丛。不用说，草丛很快就会彻底地把她身上的水弄干。