Amit came to the animal shelter at eight. It was adoption day. The big hall was full of cages and noise.
阿米特八点来到动物收容所。那天是领养日。大厅里到处是笼子，吵吵闹闹。
Wilf stood at the front desk with a long list. He looked at Amit and smiled.
威尔夫站在前台，手里拿着一张长长的清单。他看着阿米特，笑了。
"You are the new volunteer," he said. "I am Wilf. Today we find homes for ten animals."
“你就是新来的志愿者吧，”他说，“我是威尔夫。今天我们要给十只动物找到家。”
"I am Amit. What do I do?" Amit asked.
“我是阿米特。我要做什么？”阿米特问。
"You put a name card on each cage. Use this list."
“你要在每个笼子上挂一张名牌。照着这张清单来。”
Amit took the list and read it. Cage one held a black cat. Cage two held a small brown dog. Cage three held a white rabbit named Ciro.
阿米特接过清单读起来。一号笼子里是一只黑猫。二号笼子里是一只棕色的小狗。三号笼子里是一只名叫奇罗的白兔。
He put the cards on the cages. Then he stopped. Cage three had a dog inside. Cage two had a rabbit.
他把名牌挂到笼子上。然后他愣住了。三号笼子里是一只狗。二号笼子里是一只兔子。
"Wilf, I think the list is wrong," he said.
“威尔夫，我觉得清单错了。”他说。
Wilf came over and looked. His face went very serious. "I wrote this list at midnight," he said. "I was sleepy."
威尔夫走过来看了看。他的脸色变得很严肃。“这张清单是我半夜写的，”他说，“我当时困了。”
"So the rabbit is in the dog's cage?" Amit asked.
“所以兔子在狗的笼子里？”阿米特问。
"Yes. And the dog sits in the rabbit's cage. Quick, we must change them."
“对。狗坐在兔子的笼子里。快，我们得把它们换过来。”
Amit opened cage two. He reached for the rabbit. The rabbit looked at him. Then it jumped and ran away.
阿米特打开二号笼子。他伸手去抓兔子。兔子看了看他。然后一跳，跑掉了。
"Ciro!" Wilf shouted. "Stop that rabbit!"
“奇罗！”威尔夫喊道，“拦住那只兔子！”
The doors opened at nine. People came in. A little girl screamed and pointed. The rabbit ran past her and under a table.
九点，大门开了。人们走进来。一个小女孩尖叫着，用手指着。兔子从她身边跑过，钻到了一张桌子底下。
Amit ran after it. Wilf ran from the other side. They met in the middle, and they hit each other.
阿米特追了上去。威尔夫从另一边追过来。他们在中间碰上了，撞在了一起。
"Sorry," Amit said. He sat on the floor.
“对不起。”阿米特说。他坐在了地上。
"My fault," Wilf said. He sat on the floor too. "I like your plan. We both fall down, and the rabbit laughs."
“怪我，”威尔夫说。他也坐在了地上。“我喜欢你的计划。我们俩都摔倒，兔子在笑。”
Amit laughed. Wilf laughed too. A man with a cat in a box walked past. He looked at them.
阿米特笑了。威尔夫也笑了。一个人提着装猫的箱子走过。他看了看他们。
"We work here," Wilf told the man. "It is a very good job."
“我们在这儿工作，”威尔夫对那个人说，“这是一份特别好的工作。”
Then Amit saw a long white ear. The rabbit sat under a chair near the door. It ate a leaf from a plant.
这时阿米特看见了一只长长的白耳朵。兔子坐在门边的一把椅子下面。它正在啃一株植物的叶子。
"I have an idea," Amit said. "Rabbits love lettuce."
“我有办法了，”阿米特说，“兔子爱吃生菜。”
"I have a sandwich," Wilf said. "It has lettuce inside."
“我有个三明治，”威尔夫说，“里面有生菜。”
"Give it to me."
“给我。”
Wilf took the sandwich from his bag. He opened it and gave Amit a green leaf. Amit sat on the floor again. He held the leaf in his hand and waited.
威尔夫从包里拿出三明治。他打开它，递给阿米特一片绿叶。阿米特又坐到地上。他把叶子拿在手里，等着。
The rabbit looked at the leaf. It came closer, one small jump at a time. Wilf sat very still next to Amit. His shoulder touched Amit's shoulder.
兔子看着那片叶子。它一点一点地跳近了。威尔夫一动不动地坐在阿米特旁边。他的肩膀碰着阿米特的肩膀。
"Easy," Wilf said softly. "Easy, Ciro."
“慢慢来，”威尔夫轻声说，“慢慢来，奇罗。”
The rabbit took the leaf. Amit picked it up with both hands. Everyone in the hall clapped.
兔子叼走了叶子。阿米特用双手把它抱了起来。大厅里的人都鼓起了掌。
"You are a hero," Wilf said. "I will tell the boss."
“你是英雄，”威尔夫说，“我要告诉老板。”
"You made the list," Amit said. "I think the boss will remember that."
“清单是你写的，”阿米特说，“我想老板会记住这件事的。”
Wilf made a sad face. "Please do not tell her about the list."
威尔夫做了一个苦脸。“请别告诉她清单的事。”
They walked back to the cages. Amit put the rabbit in cage three. The dog went to cage two. Then he put the right cards on the right cages.
他们走回笼子那边。阿米特把兔子放进三号笼子。狗去了二号笼子。然后他把对的名牌挂在了对的笼子上。
The little girl came back with her father. She looked at Ciro for a long time.
小女孩和她爸爸回来了。她看了奇罗很久。
"I want this rabbit," she said. "He is funny."
“我要这只兔子，”她说，“他好有趣。”
"He is," Wilf said. "He is also very fast."
“是啊，”威尔夫说，“他还跑得特别快。”
The father signed a paper. The girl carried the rabbit out in a small box. Ciro looked back at Amit once.
爸爸签了一张纸。女孩用一个小盒子把兔子带走了。奇罗回头看了阿米特一眼。
At noon the hall was quiet. Seven animals had new homes. Wilf gave Amit a cup of water. He gave him half a sandwich too.
中午，大厅里安静下来。有七只动物找到了新家。威尔夫给阿米特倒了一杯水。他还给了他半个三明治。
"There is no lettuce left," he said.
“生菜一片也不剩了，”他说。
"The rabbit ate it," Amit said.
“被兔子吃了。”阿米特说。
"Then he works here too." Wilf took a pen and wrote on the list. He turned it around.
“那他也是这儿的员工了。”威尔夫拿起一支笔，在清单上写了几个字。他把清单转过来。
Under the cage numbers, it said: "Best volunteer today: Amit. Worst list writer: Wilf."
在笼子编号的下面写着：“今日最佳志愿者：阿米特。最差清单撰写人：威尔夫。”
Amit took the pen. He wrote one more line. "Next Saturday, Wilf checks the list. Amit brings the lettuce."
阿米特拿过笔。他又写了一行。“下个星期六，威尔夫检查清单。阿米特带生菜。”
