16 THE VISITOR来访者-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《小公主A Little Princess》

16 THE VISITOR IMAGINE,if you can,what the rest of the evening was like.How they crouched by the fire which blazed and leaped and made much of itself in the little grate.How they removed the covers of the dishes,and found rich,hot,savory soup,which was a meal in itself,and sandwiches and toast and muffins enough for both of them.The mug from the washstand was used as Becky's tea-cup,and the tea was so delicious that it was not necessary to pretend that it was anything else but tea.They were warm and full-fed and happy,and it was just like Sara that,having found her strange good fortune real,she should give herself up to the enjoyment of it to the utmost5.She had lived such a type of imaginings that she was quite equal to accepting any wonderful thing that happened,and almost to cease,in a short time,to find it bewildering. "I don't know any one in the world who could have done it,she said,"but there has been someone.And here we are sitting by their fire-and-and-it's true!And whoever it is-wherever they are-I have a friend,Becky-someone is my friend." ·364· 96 来访者 请设想一下，如果你能够的话，那天晚上 ①lea即ipl.跳跃，跳动 的其余时间是什么样的情形。她们怎样蹲在小 ②savory /'seivari/a.风味极 佳的，可口的，味香的 壁炉中充分燃烧着的闪耀跳动的火焰旁边。她 ③toast作aust/n.烤面包 们怎样掀开盘上的盖子，发现了香喷喷、热乎 ④muffin"mAfin/n松饼 乎的可口的汤，那汤本身就能顶一顿饭，还有 足够她俩吃的三明治、烤面包片和松饼。脸盆 架上的大杯子就作了贝基的茶杯。那茶香醇可 口，无须假装它不是茶而是别的什么东西。她 们感到暖和，肚子饱饱的，心情愉快，而萨拉 正是这样一种人，她发现奇怪的好运已成为事 ⑤utmost/'Atmaust/n极限， 实，就让自己尽情享受。萨拉是在这样一种想 最大可能 象中生活过来的，她能接受出现任何离奇古怪 的事，又几乎能在同样短促的时间内不再感到 迷惑不解。 “我不知道究竞是谁能做出这样的事，”萨拉 说，“不过总有人这样做了。现在我们坐在他们 的炉火旁边一而且—而且—它是真的！不 管它是谁—不管他们在哪儿—我有一个朋友 啦，贝基一有一个人是我的朋友啦。” ·365· A Little Princess It cannot be denied that as they sat before the blazing fire,and ate the nourishing,comforting food,they felt a kind of rapturous awe,and looked into each other's eyes with something like doubt. “Do you think,”Becky faltered once,in a whisper-“do you think it could melt away,miss?Hadn't we better be quick?"And she hastily crammed her sandwich into her mouth.If it was only a dream, kitchen manners would be overlooked. “No,it won't melt away,”said Sara.“I am eating this muffin,and I can taste it.You never really eat things in dreams.You only think you are going to eat them.Besides,I keep giving myself pinches;and I touched a hot piece of coal just now,on purpose" The sleepy comfort which at length almost overpowered them was a heavenly thing.It was the drowsiness of happy,well-fed childhood, and they sat in the fire-glow and luxuriated in it until Sara found herself turning to look at her transformed bed. There were even blankets enough to share with Becky.The narrow couch in the next attic was more comfortable that night than its occupant had ever dreamed that it could be.As she went out of the room,Becky turned upon the threshold and looked about her with devouring eyes. “If it ain't here in the mornin',miss,”she said,“it's been here to- night,anyways,an'I shan't never forget it."She looked at each particular thing,as if to commit it to memory."The fire was there," pointing with her finger,"an'the table was before it;an'the lamp was there,an'the light looked rosy red;an'there was a satin cover on your bed,an'a warm rug on the floor,an'everythin'looked beautiful;an'" -she paused a second,and laid her hand on her stomach tenderly- "there was soup an'sandwiches an'muffins-there was."And,with this conviction5 a reality at least,she went away. ·366· 小公主 不可否认的是，当她们在闪烁着的炉火前吃 着富有营养的、可口的食物时，她们有一种欣喜 若狂的敬畏感，并以某种近乎疑惑的目光互相凝 望着对方的眼神。 “你是不是认为，”有一次贝基结结巴巴地悄 声说一“你是不是认为它会消失，小姐？我们 是不是最好快点吃？”于是她急忙把三明治塞进 嘴里。要是它只是个梦，也就不必顾及厨房帮工 的吃相了。 “不，它不会消失的，”萨拉说。“我在吃这 块松饼，我能吃出它的味道来。在梦里，你决不 ①on purpose故意 会真的吃东西。你只是想你在吃东西。再说，我 ②at length终于，最后 ③heavenly /hevanli/a.天 一直在掐我自己；刚才我还故意摸一块火热的煤 国似的，快乐的 块来着。” ④drowsiness∥drauzinis/n. 睡意 舒适的睡意终于使她们实在难以支持，这种 感觉真是美极了。那是吃得饱饱的、幸福的童年 时代那种朦胧睡意。她们伴着红通通的炉火坐在 那儿尽情地亭享受着，直到萨拉发觉自己已转身望 着她的已经大为改观的床铺。 甚至连毛毯也足够和贝基分享了。那天晚 上，隔壁阁楼里的那张窄床，比它的主人曾经幻 想获得的那种舒适劲儿还要舒适。 贝基走出房间时，在门口转过身，用贪婪的 眼神打量着周围。 “即使到了早晨这些东西不在这儿了，小 姐，”她说，“可今天晚上是在这儿的，不管怎 么说，我永远也不会忘记。”她逐一望望每件东 西，就好像要把它牢牢记住。“那儿有火，”她 用手指头指了指，“前边是桌子；上面有一盏 5 conviction /kan'vikfan/n. 灯，灯光看上去是粉红色的；还有在你的床上有 坚信，确信 缎子床罩，地板上铺着暖和的地毯，每件东西看 ·367· ALittle Princess Through the mysterious agency which works in schools and among servants,it was quite well known in the morning that Sara Crewe was in horrible disgrace,that Ermengarde was under punishment,and that Becky would have been packed out of the house before breakfast,but that a scullery-maid could not be dispensed with at once.The servants knew that she was allowed to stay because Miss Minchin could not easily find another creature helpless and humble enough to work like a bounden slave for so few shillings a week.The elder girls in the school-room knew that if Miss Minchin did not send Sara away it was for practical reasons of her own. "She's growing so fast and learning such a lot,somehow,"said Jessie to Lavinia,"that she will be given classes soon,and Miss Minchin knows she will have to work for nothing.It was rather nasty 5 of you,Lavvy,to tell about her having fun in the garret.How did you find it out?” "I got it out of Lottie.She's such a baby she didn't know she was telling me.There was nothing nasty at all in speaking to Miss Minchin.I felt it my duty'”-priggishly.“She was being deceitful⑦.And it's ridiculous that she should look so grand,and be made so much of,in her rags and tatters!" "What were they doing when Miss Minchin caught them?" "Pretending some silly thing.Ermengarde had taken up her hamper to share with Sara and Becky.She never invites us to share 'things.Not that I care,but it's rather vulgar of her to share with servant girls in attics.I wonder Miss Minchin didn't turn Sara out-even if she does want her for a teacher." "If she was turned out where would she go?"inquired Jessie,a trifle anxiously. ·368· 小公主 ①agency'eid3ansi/n.代 起来都很漂亮；还有”—她停顿一下，把手轻 理，途经 轻放到肚子上一“这里面有汤、三明治和松饼， 就在里面。”她走了，而且至少确信这件事是真 ②pack /pack/打包，捆扎 实的。 通过学校里和佣人中间的神秘途径，一清早 人们就清楚地知道萨拉·克鲁蒙受到了极大的羞 辱，厄门加德在受罚，贝基在早饭前就将被撵出 ③bounden/baundn/a.必须 这所房子，但人们也知道，厨娘的帮工是不可能 负担的，被迫的 立即解雇的。佣人们明白，会允许贝基留下来， ④shilling /filir/n.先令 因为明钦小姐不可能轻易再找到一个孤苦伶仃、 只为每周几个先令，肯像被迫的奴隶那样干活的 人。学校里年长一点的女孩子们都知道，如果明 钦小姐不把萨拉赶走，那有着为她自己打算的实 际理由。 ⑤nasty/naesti/a.下流的，卑 鄙的 “萨拉长得很快，学会的东西又这样多，不 管怎么着，”杰西对拉维尼娅说，“她很快就能 教书，明钦小姐心里明白，萨拉必须白干活。你 也太卑鄙了，拉维，竟然去告发说她在阁楼里寻 欢作乐。你是怎么知道的？” prig /prig/n.自以为比别 “我是从洛蒂那里打听出来的。她是个小娃 人更有道德的人 priggishly ad.自负地 娃，不知道在向我泄漏秘密。至于我告诉明钦小 ⑦deceitful/di'si:tfol/a.欺 姐，这并没有什么卑鄙。我认为那是我的责任。” 骗的，弄虚作假的 一她很自负地说。“萨拉在弄虚作假。可笑的 是她的样子还那么神气，穿着破衣服还那么受人 重视。” “明钦小姐抓住她们的时候，她们正在做什 么呢？” “假想着某种可笑的事情。厄门加德把她的 食品篮带上去，和萨拉及贝基一起吃。她从来没 有请我们和她一起吃过东西。我才不是计较这个 呢。但是她竟然上阁楼里和女佣一起分着吃，这 也太下流啦。真怪，明钦小姐没有把萨拉撵 ·369· ALittle Princess “How do I know?”snapped Lavinia.“She'll lo ok rather queer when she comes into the school-room this morning,I should think-after what's happened.She had no dinner yesterday,and she's not to have any today.” Jessie was not as ill-natured as she was silly.She picked up her book with a little jerk “Well,I think it's horrid,”she said.“They've no right to starve her to death.” When Sara went into the kitchen that morning the cook looked askance at her,and so did the housemaids;but she passed them hurriedly.She had,in fact,overslept herself a little,and as Becky had done the same,neither hadhad time to see the other,and each had come down-stairs in haste.Sara went into the scullery.Becky was violently scrubbing a kettle,and was actually gurgling a little.song in her throat.She looked up with a wildly elated face. "It was there when I wakened,miss-the blanket,"she whispered excitedly."It was as real as it was last night." “So was mine,”said Sara.“It is all there now--all of it.While I was dressing I ate some of the cold things we left." “Oh,laws！oh,laws！”Becky uttered the exclamation in a sort of rapturous groan,and ducked her head over her kettle just in time,as the cook came in from the kitchen. Miss Minchin had expected to see in Sara,when she appeared in the school-room,very much what Lavinia had expected to see.Sara had always been an annoying puzzle to her,because severity never made her cry,or look frightened.When she was scolded she stood still and listened politely with a grave face;when she was punished she performed her extra tasks or went without her meals,making no complaint or outward ·370· 小公主 走一即使她的确想让萨拉当老师。” “要是萨拉给撵出去了，她能到哪里去呢？” 杰西有点焦急地问。 “我怎么知道？”拉维尼娅厉声说。“我 想一发生了这件事之后，她今天早上走进教室 里的时候，样子会显得更怪的。昨天她没有吃晚 ①jerk /d3:k/n急拉，猛地 用力拿 饭，今天也吃不到一点点。” 杰西尽管愚蠢却不那么心怀恶意，她用力稍 猛地拿起书。“咳，我认为这太可怕了，”她说。 “她们没有权利把萨拉饿死。” ②askance/'skaens/a.斜视 那天早晨，萨拉走进厨房时，厨娘斜眼看着 的 ③oversleep/,auv3'sli:p/a.睡 她，女佣们也一样；但是她匆匆走过她们身边。 过头 事实上她稍稍睡过了头，贝基也是如此，她们俩 ④scrub/skrAb/y.用力擦洗 ⑤gurgle /'g3g,.沿汨地流 谁都来不及去看看对方，就急忙下楼来了。 ⑥elated /i'leitid/a.兴高采 烈的 萨拉走进了餐具洗涤室。贝基正在使劲擦一 把水壶，其实她正在喉咙里轻轻哼着一支小曲。 她带着狂喜的心情抬头一看。 “我醒的时候，它还在那里，小姐一那毛 毯，”她兴奋地悄声说。“它像昨天晚上一样， 是真的毛毯。” “我的毛毯也是这样，”萨拉说。“那些东西 ⑦duck /dAk/闪避 全都在—所有的东西。我穿衣服的时候，还吃 了我们剩下的一些冷食呢。” “哎哟，天哪！哎哟，天哪！”贝基用一种狂 喜惊叹的声调大声说，当厨娘从厨房那儿走来 时，刚好及时低下头去擦水壶。 ⑧puzzle/pAz/n.迷惑不解 明钦小姐很希望在萨拉来到教室时看到拉维 ②perform /pa'fo:m/执行， 尼娅很想看到的情景。萨拉总是让明饮小姐恼怒 做 0 outward /autwad/a.向 地迷惑不解，因为对她严厉，也从来没有使她哭 外，在外 泣或露出害怕的样子。萨拉受到斥责时，她就严 ·371· ALittle Princess sign of rebellion.The very fact that she never made an impudent answer seemed to Miss Minchin a kind of impudence in itself.But after yesterday's deprivation of meals,the violent scene of last night,the prospect of hunger today,she must surely have broken down.It would be strange indeed if she did not come down-stairs with pale cheeks and red eyes and an unhappy,humbled face. Miss Minchin saw her for the first time when she entered the school- room to hear the little French class its lessons and superintend its exercises.And she came in with a springing5 step,color in her cheeks, and a smile hovering about the corners of her mouth.It was the most astonishing thing Miss Minchin had ever known.It gave her quite a shock.What was the child made of?What could such a thing mean? She called her at once to her desk. "You do not look as if you realize that you are in disgrace,"she said.“Are you absolutely hardened?” The truth is that when one is still a child-or even if one is grown up-and has been well fed,and has slept long and softly and warm; when one has gone to sleep in the midst of a fairy story,and has wakened to find it real,one cannot be unhappy or even look as if one were;and one could not,if one tried,keep a glow of joy out of one's eyes.Miss Minchin was almost struck dumb by the look of Sara's eyes when she lifted them and made her perfectly respectful answer. “I beg your pardon,Miss Minchin,”she said,“I know that I am in disgrace.” "Be good enough not to forget it and look as if you had come into a fortune.It is an impertinence.And remember you are to have no food to-day.” "Yes,Miss Minchin,"Sara answered;but as she turned away her ·372· 小公主 ①rebellion/ri'beljan//n反 肃地静静站着，有礼貌地听着；当她受到惩罚， 抗 deprivation /depri'veifan/ 干一些额外的工作，或者没有吃饭就出去，也没 n剥夺 有叫苦或者明显地露出反抗的迹象。事实是她从 ③prospect/prospekt/n.前 景 不会做出无礼的回答，使明钦小姐觉得回答本身 就是无礼的。但是，在昨天不准她吃饭，昨天夜 里又经历那一场激烈风暴，以及今天又遇到要挨 俄的前景之后，她的精神肯定会崩溃。如果她下 楼时不是脸色苍白，眼睛通红，露出忧愁的低人 ④superintend 一等的神色，那才怪呢。 /,sju:p3rin'tend/.监督 明钦小姐第一次看到萨拉时，是她走进教室 ⑤springing'sprinin/a.弹 动，跳跃地 听少年法语班念课文和监督做习题。萨拉是用一 6astonishing /s'tonifin/a. 可惊异的 种跳跃式的步伐走进来的，两颊透着红晕，嘴角 漾着微笑。这是明钦小姐从未见过的、最令人惊 诧的事情了。这使她非常震惊。这孩子是什么做 成的？她这种样子是什么意思？明钦小姐立即把 萨拉叫到桌子跟前。 ⑦hardened/hardond/a.寐 “你根本不像是认识到你已受到了羞辱，”她 木的 说。“你已经完全麻木不仁了吗？” 实际上，一个人当他还是个孩子的时候 或者，即使他成了大人一在他吃饱了肚子，舒 适暖和地睡了很多时候；当一个人在童话故事般 的情景中入睡，而醒来之后又发现它是真的，那 ⑧dumb /dAm/a.无言的 么他就不可能愁眉苦脸，或者装得像愁眉苦脸： 他也不可能，即使他想那么做，不让眼神里流露 出喜悦的目光。当萨拉拾起眼睛，作出非常有礼 貌的回答时，萨拉的眼神几乎使明钦小姐惊异得 目瞪口呆了。 “请原谅，明钦小姐，”她说， “我知道我受 ⑨impertinence 到了羞辱。” im'p3:tinons/n无理，不 合适 “要好好记住这一点，不要看起来像继承了 ·373·