14 WHAT MELCHISEDEC HEARD AND SAW梅尔基塞德克的所见所闻-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《小公主A Little Princess》

1 WHAT MELCHISEDEC HEABD AND SAW ON this very afterno on, while Sara was out, a strange thing happened in the attic. Only Melchisedec saw and heard it; and he was so much alarmed and mvstified that he scuttled back to his hole and hid there, and really quaked and trembled as he peeped out furtively{} and with great caution to watch what was going on. The attic had been very still all the day after Sara had left it in the early morning. The stillness had only been broken by the pattering②of the rain upon the slates and the skylight. Melchisedec had, in fact, found it rather dull; and when the rain ceased to patter and perfect silence reigned③}, he decided to come out and reconnoiter{④}, though experience taught him that Sara would not return for some time. He had been rambling and sniffing about, and had just found a totally unexpected and unexplained crumb left from his last meal, when his attention was attracted by a sound on the roof. He stopped to listen with a palpitating{ heart. The sound suggested that something was moving on the roof. It was approaching the skylight; it reached the skylight. The skylight was being mysteriously opened. A dark face peeped into the attic; then .298. 1 海尔基塞德克的所见所闻 就在这天下午,正当萨拉外出的时候,阁楼 里发生了一件怪事。只有梅尔基塞德克耳闻目睹 了这件事;它十分吃惊,感到莫名其妙,所以急 ① furtively /fo:tivli/ a. 偷偷 地 忙逃回洞中躲在那里,它小心翼翼地偷看着正在 发生的事情,真把它吓得浑身发抖 萨拉一清早离开以后,阁楼里整天都非常宁 静。只有石板瓦上和天窗上“嗒嗒”的雨声打破 ② patter/paetal v. 滴答地响 这种沉寂。梅尔基塞德克其实已感到这里相当沉 闷;当雨声停息,极度寂静降临的时候,它决定 出去察一下,虽然经验使它知道,一会儿工夫 ③ reign /rein/ 占优势 产拉是不会回来的。它便东游西逛,到处都用离 ④ reconnoiter /.reko'noito/ v. 探究,查 子唤一噢,刚刚完全出乎意料而且无法解释地找 5 rambling /raemblin/ a. 杂 到上顿饭剩下的一块面包屑,这时屋顶上的响声 乱无章的 引起它的注意。它停下来听着,心在“扑扑”乱 palpitate /paelpiteit/v. 心 跳。这种响声表明有什么东西在屋顶上移动。它 跳,发抖 在接近天窗;它已到达天窗旁。天窗神秘地打 开。一张黑脸窥视着阁楼;紧接着在后面又出现 另一张面孔,两个人都谨慎而感兴趣地往里面 ·299· A Cittfe Princess another face appeared behind it, and both looked in with signs of caution and interest. Two men were outside on the roof, and were making silent preparations to enter through the skylight itself. One was Ram Dass, and the other was a young man who was the Indian gentleman's secretary①; but of course Melchisedec did not know this. He only knew that the men were invading② the silence and privacy of the attic: and as the one with the dark face let himself down through the aperture③} with such lightness and dexterity④ that he did not make the slightest sound, Melchisedec. turned tail and fled precipitately{}back to his hole. He was frightened to death. He had ceased to be timid with Sara, and knew she would never throw anything but crumbs, and would never make any sound other than the soft, low, coaxing whistling; but strange men were dangerous things to remain near. He lay close and flat near the entrance of his home, just managing to peep through the crack with a bright, alarmed eye. How much he understood of the talk he heard I am not in the least able to say; but, even if he had understood it all, he would probably have remained greatly mystified. The secretary, who was light and young, slipped through the skylight as noiselessly as Ram Dass had done; and he caught a last glimpse of Melchisedec's vanishing tail. “Was that a rat?" he asked Ram Dass, in a whisper. "Yes; a rat, Sahib," answered Ram Dass, also whispering."There are many in the walls." "Ugh!" exclaimed the young man; "it is a wonder the child is not terrified of them." Ram Dass made a gesture with his hands. He also smiled respectfully. He was in his place as the intimate exponent*} of Sara, though she had only spoken to him once. "The child is the little friend of all dings, Sahib," he answered. .300. 小公主 看。两个男人都在外面屋顶上, 都在默默地准备 穿过天窗进来。一个是拉姆·达斯,另一个是青 年,是印度绅士的秘书;不过梅尔基塞德克当然 ① secretary /'sekrotri/ n. 秘 不知道。它只晓得这两个人在于扰阁楼里的宁静 和隐私;当那个黑面孔的人轻快敏捷地从窗口下 ② invade /in'veid/ v. 侵入 来而没有发出丝毫响声时,梅尔基塞德克赶忙掉 ③ aperture /aepotjua/ n. 洞 ④ dexterity /deks'teriti/ n 灵 头逃回洞中。它吓得要命。它不怕萨拉,知道她 巧,机敏 precipitately 除面包屑外,决不会扔任何东西,除了柔和、轻 /pri'sipi.teitli/ ad. 猛进址 微和诱人的口哨声外,也决不会发出任何别的声 音;不过逗留在陌生人附近却是危险的事。它紧 紧地平伏在它家门口近旁,仅仅设法用那明亮而 惊恐的目光从隙缝中偷看出去。它对听到的话能 理解多少,我一点也说不清楚;哪怕它完全听 懂,它依然可能会大惑不解的 秘书年纪轻,动作轻捷,像拉姆·达斯一样 无声无息地从天窗溜进阁楼;他警见了梅尔基塞 德克正在消失的最后一点尾巴。 “那是耗子吗?”他低声问拉姆·达斯。 “是的,一只耗子,老爷,”拉姆·达斯也轻 声地答道。“这些墙壁里面有许多耗子。” “嘿!”那个青年人大声说,“这个孩子不怕 耗子真是个奇迹。” 拉姆·达斯做了个手势。他还彬彬有礼地笑 了笑。他已成为熟悉萨拉情况的说明者,虽然她 只跟他讲过一次话。 “这个孩子是所有的东西的小朋友,老爷,” exponent /eks'pounont/ n. 说明者 他答道。“她和别的孩子不一样。她没有注意到 我的时候我看着她。许多个晚上我悄悄地走过石 板瓦,看看她是不是平安。我还从我的窗口看着 .301. A Cittfe Princess "She is not as other children. I see her when she does not see me. I slip across the slates and look at her many nights to see that she is safe. I watch her from my window when she does not know I am near. She stands on the table there and looks out at the sky as if it spoke to her. The sparrows come at her call. The rat she has fed and tamed{} in her loneliness. The poor slave of the house comes to her for comfort. There is a little child who comes to her in secret; there is one older who worships her and would listen to her forever if she might. This I have seen when I have crept across the roof. By the mistress of the house-whc is an evil woman-she is treated like a pariah{②; but she has the bearing of a child who is of the blood of kings!" "You seem to know a great deal about her," the secretary said. “All her life each day I know,"answered Ram Dass. "Her going out I know, and her coming in; her sadness and her poor joys; her coldness and her hunger. I know when she sits alone until midnight, learning from her books; I know when her secret friends steal to her and she is happier-as children can be, even in the midst. of poverty-because they come and she may laugh and talk with them in whispers. If she were ill I should know, and I would come and serve her if it might be done." "You are sure no one comes near this place but herself, and that she will not return and surprise us. She would be frightened if she found us here, and the Sahib Carrisford's plan would be spoiled." Ram Dass crossed noiselessly to the door and stood close to it. "None mount here but herself, Sahib,"he said. "She has gone out with her basket and may be gone for hours. If I stand here I can hear any step before it reaches the last flight of the stairs." The secretary took a pencil and a tablet from his breast pocket. "Keep your ears open," he said; and he began to walk slowly and .302. 小公主 她,她却不知道我就在附近。她站在那张桌子上, 看着窗外的天空,好像老天在对她讲话。她一招 呼,麻雀就来了。这只耗子是她在孤独中一直喂 养和驯服的。这所住宅里的一个可怜的奴隶到她 这里寻求安慰。有个小孩经常偷偷跑来找她;还 tame /teim/v. 弱服,驯着 有一个年龄大一些的孩子很崇拜她,如果可能她 会永远听她说下去。我爬过屋顶的时候就看到这 些事。这所住宅的女主人是个坏女人,把她当贱 民一样对待;她具有皇族血统的孩子的那种风 度。” ②pariah /paeria/ n. 南印度的 最下级民,贱民,被放逐者 “你对她的情况好像知道得很多,”秘书说。 “她每天的全部生活情况我都知道,”拉姆: 达斯答道。“我知道她出去,知道她进来;她的 悲伤和可怜的欢乐;她的寒冷和饥饿。我知道她 独自坐着,学习到半夜。我知道她的秘密朋友偷 偷溜进来找她,她也愉快一些--像孩子们那 样,即使是在穷困之中--因为她们来了,她会 笑,也会低声跟她们说话。如果她有病,我也会 知道,我会来帮助她,要是我能办到的话。” “你确信除她以外没有人到这儿附近来,她 也不会回来,意外地撞见我们吗。她要是发现我 们在这里是会害怕的,这也会破坏卡里斯福特老 爷的计划。” 拉姆·达斯悄悄走到门口,站在门旁。 “除她以外没有人上来,老爷,”他说, “她 带着篮子出去了,可能要去几个小时。我要是站 在这里,可以听到踏上最后一段楼梯之前的任何 脚步声。” 秘书从他的胸袋里取出一枝笔和一本拍纸簿。 “注意听着,”他说;于是他开始轻轻地在这 .303· A Cittfe Princess softly round the miserable little room, making rapid notes on his tablet as he looked at things. First he went to the narrow bed. He pressed{①his hand upon the mattress and uttered an exclamation “As hard as a stone," he said. "That will have to be altered some day when she is out. A special journey can be made to bring it across. It cannot be done to-night." He lifted the covering and examined the one thin pillow. "Coverlet dingy and worn, blanket thin, sheets patched ②a and ragged," he said. "What a bed for a child to sleep in-and in a house which calls itself respectable! There has not been a fire in that grate for many a day," glancing at the rusty fireplace. "Never since I have seen it," said Ram Dass. "The mistress of the house is not one who remembers that another than herself may be cold." The secretary was writing quickly on his tablet. He looked up from it as he tore off a leaf③} and slipped it into his breast pocket. "It is a strange way of doing the thing," he said. "Who planned it?" Ram Das made a modestly④} apologetic obeisance. “It is true that the first thought was mine, Sahib," he said, "though it was naught but a fancy. I am fond of this child; we are both lonely. It is her way to relate her visions to her secret friends. Being sad one night, I lay close to the open skylight and listened. The vision she related told what this miserable room might be if it had comforts in it. She seemed to see it as she talked, and she grew cheered and warmed as she spoke. Then she came to this fancy; and the next clay, the Sahib being ill and wretched, I told him of the thing to amuse him. It seemed then but a dream, but it pleased the Sahib. To hear of the child's doings gave .304. 小公主 间可怜的小屋里慢慢兜着圈子,打量着那些东 西,边在拍纸簿上迅速做笔记。 ①press /pres/v. 按,压 他先走到那张狭窄的床边。他用手按按垫 子,惊叫一声。 “像石头一样硬,”他说。“哪一天她外出 时,一定得换一个。可以专门走一趟把垫子搬 来。今天晚上是办不到了。”他把床罩掀起来, 检查了一下那只薄薄的枕头。 “床单又脏又破,子薄薄的,满是补丁的被 ② patched/paet fid/ a. 打社 单也是破的,”他说。“这样一张床给孩子睡- 丁的 而且是在一所自称值得尊重的屋子里!那个壁炉 里已经许多天没有生火了,”他看了一眼生锈的壁 炉。 “从我见到它以来就一直没有生过火,”拉 姆·达斯说。“这所住宅的女主人除她自己以外 不会想到别人可能会寒冷。” ③leaf/i:fn. 树纸)页 秘书正急忙在拍纸簿上写着。他从拍纸簿上 扯下一页塞进胸袋里,同时抬头望了望。 “这是一种奇特的办事方式,”他说。 “是谁 ④modestly /madistli/ ad. 讲 计划的?” 虚地,谨慎地 拉姆·达斯谦虚地敬个礼表示歉意。 “最初确实是我的主意,老爷,”他说,“尽 vision/vi3on/n. 想象,看 管它只是一种空想。我爱这个孩子;我们俩都孤 到的景色 独。她的办法是把自已的幻想讲给她的秘密朋友 听。一天晚上我感到愁闷,我躺在敞开着的天窗 附近听着。她讲述的幻想显示出,如果其中有一 些使生活舒适的东西,这个可怜的房间可能变化 成什么样。她说的时候好像亲眼目睹似的,说话 时也变得高兴一些,暖和一些了。她接着谈到她 的幻想;第二天老爷病了,心境不好,我把这件 .305· A Cittfe Princess him entertainment. He became interested in her and asked questions. At last he began to please himself with the thought of making her visions real things." “You think that it can be done while she sleeps? Suppose she awakened," suggested the secretary; and it was evident that whatsoever the plan referred to was, it had caught and pleased his fancy as well as the Sahib Carrisford's. "I can move as if my feet were of velvet,"Ram Dass replied: "and children sleep soundly①-even the unhappy ones. I could have entered this room in the night many times, and without causing her to turn upon her pillow. If the other bearer passes to me the things through the window, I can do all and she will not stir. When she awakens she will think a magician②has been here." He smiled as if his heart warmed under his white robe, and the secretary smiled back at him "It will be like a story from the 'Arabian Nights,'"he said."Only an Oriental could have planned it. It does not belong to London fogs." They did not remain very long, to the great relief of Melchisedec, who, as he probably did not comprehend③} their conversation, felt their movements and whispers ominous ④. The young secretary seemed interested in everything. He wrote down things about the floor, the fireplace, the broken footstool, the old table, the walls-which last he touched with his hand again and again, seeming much pleased when he found that a number of old nails had been driven in various places. “You can hang things on them,"he said. Ram Dass smiled mysteriously. "Yesterday, when she was out," he said, "I entered, bringing with me small, sharp nails which can be pressed into the wall without blows from a hammer}. I placed many in the plaster where I may need them. They are ready." .306. 小公主 事告诉他,想使他觉得好玩。那时这仿佛只是一 个梦想,可是老爷听了很高兴。听这个孩子的所 作所为可以使他消遣。他对她很感兴趣,还问了 几句。最后他想到实现她的幻想来使自已高兴起 来。” “你想在她睡眠时可以做这件事吗?假如她 醒过来呢,”秘书提醒说;不管前面提到的是什 么计划,显然已经吸引住他和卡里斯福特先生 ① soundly / saundli/ ad. 睡 并使他们感到高兴 得好地,甜蜜地 “我可以轻轻走动,好像我的脚是天鹅绒做 的,”拉姆·达斯答道。“孩子们睡得很沉-哪 怕不幸的孩子也是这样。晚上我可以多次进入这 ② magician /ma'dsifan/ n 度 个房间,也不会使她在枕头上翻动。如果另一个 术师 搬东西的人从窗口把东西递给我,我可以干好一 切事情,她也不会动一下。她醒来时会认为是一 个魔术师来过这里。” 他笑了,仿佛他那白长袍底下的心也感到温 ③eomprehend 暖了,秘书也回他一个微笑。“这好像是《天方 /kompri'hend/v. 充分理 夜谭》中的故事,”他说。“只有东方人才能想 解 ④ ominous /ominas/ a. 不祥 出这种计划。它不属于伦敦的雾。” 的 他们逗留的时间不很长,这使梅尔基塞德克 大大地松了口气,由于它可能没有听懂他们的 话,只觉得他们的行动和悄悄话不是好兆头。年 轻的秘书似乎对样样事情都感兴趣。他把有关地 板、壁炉、破脚凳、旧桌子、墙等等许多东西都 记下了,最后他还用手来来回回摸着墙,在墙上 各处发现有许多旧钉子,好像使他非常高兴。 “你可以把东西挂在它们上面,”他说。 拉姆·达斯神秘地笑了笑。 “昨天,她外出时,”他说, hammer /'haema/ n. 锤子 “我进来了,带 ·307·