7 Fraulein Rottenmeier Spends an Uncomfortable Day罗顿迈尔小姐糟糕的一天-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《小海蒂Heidi》

VII.Fraulein Rottenmeier Spends an Uncomfortable Day exclaimed Fraulein Rottenmeier,in great indignation,and she rang the bell so violently that Tinette and Sebastian both came running in and nearly tumbling over one another;but no noise was sufficient to wake Heidi,and it was with difficulty they could rouse her sufficiently to get her along to her bedroom,to reach which she had to pass first through the study,then through Clara's bedroom,then through Fraulein Rottenmeier's sitting-room,till she came to the corner room that had been set apart for her. VII.Fraulein Rottenmeier Spends an Uncomfortable ay When Heidi opened her eyes on her first morning in Frankfurt she could not think where she was.Then she rubbed them and looked about her.She was sitting up in a high white bed,on one side of a large,wide room,into which the light was falling through very,very long white curtains;near the window stood two chairs covered with large flowers,and then came a sofa with the same flowers,in front of which was a round table;in the corner was a washstand,with things upon it that Heidi had never seen in her life before.But now all at once she remembered that she was in Frankfurt;everything that had happened the day before came back to her,and finally.She recalledclearly the instructions that had been given her by the lady-housekeeper,as far as she had heard them.Heidi jumped out of bed and dressed herself;then she ran first to one window and then another;she wanted to see the sky and country outside;she felt like a bird in a cage behind those great curtains.But they were too heavy for her to put aside,so she crept underneath them to get to the window.But these again were so high that she could only just get her head above the sill to peer out.Even then she could not see what she longed for.In vain she went first to one and then the other of the windows- she could see nothing but walls and windows and again walls and windows.Heidi felt quite frightened.It was still early,for Heidi was accustomed to get up early and to run out at once to see how everything was looking,if the sky was blue and ·112· 7.罗顿迈尔小姐曹糕的一天 尔小姐怒气冲冲地叫道，她粗暴地按铃叫蒂耐特和塞巴 斯蒂安来，俩人都一溜小跑，差点儿互相撞倒，但是再 大的声音也不会吵醒海蒂。他们费了好大劲儿，才勉强 把她叫醒，带她去自己的卧室：首先要穿过书房，然后 是克莱拉的卧室，再经过罗顿迈尔小姐的起居室，才到 那个拐角处专为她腾出来的房间。 7.罗顿迈尔小姐糟糕的一天 在法兰克福的第一天早晨，海蒂睁开眼，想不出 自己在什么地方，她使劲揉揉双眼，看着四周的一 切。她坐在一一张洁白的床上，床高高的，立在房间的 一侧，这房间又宽又大，明亮的阳光透过长长的白窗 帘射进来。靠近窗户有两把椅子，上面有很多大花， 张沙发上也有同样的花，前面摆着一张圆桌：角落 D washstand ['wofstaend]n. 盥洗盆 里是洗漱用的支架，上面的东西海蒂从没见过。这会 儿，海蒂猛然想起来，自己是在法兰克福。她回想起 ②recall[ri'ko:l]v.回想起 昨天发生的一切，最后清楚地出现在脑海里的是她在 餐桌上听到的女管家给她立的那些规矩。她从床上跳 起来，穿上衣服，从一个窗户跑到另一个窗户，想看 看外面的天空和田野。被那些大窗帘罩在里面，她觉 得很像笼中之鸟。可是窗帘太沉了，她拉不动，于是 就钻到下面去看，但窗台也太高，她刚刚能把头伸过 ③sill[siln.窗台 ④long [lon]￥渴望 一点儿，还是看不到想见到的东西。她一个窗户一个 ⑤vain[vein]n,徒劳，无 窗户地来回跑着，但根本没用，除了墙和窗户外，别 用 的东西还是看不到，海蒂害怕起来。天还很早，海蒂 已经习惯于早起，然后马上出去，看看天空蓝不蓝啦， 太阳是不是升到山顶啦，杉树是否还在摇摆，野花睁 ·113· VII.Fraulein Rottenmeier Spends an Uncomfortable Day if the sun was already above the mountains,or if the fir trees were waving and the flowers had opened their eyes.As a bird,when it first finds itself in its bright new cage,darts hither and thither,trying the bars in turn to see if it cannot get through them and fly again into the open,so Heidi continued to run backwards and forwards,trying to open first one and then the other of the windows,for she felt she could not bear to see nothing but walls and windows,and somewhere outside there must be the green grass,and the last unmelted snows on the mountain slopes, which Heidi so longed to see.But the windows remained immovable,try what Heidi would to open them,even endeavouring to push her little fingers under them to lift them up;but it was all no use.When after a while Heidi saw that her efforts were fruitless,she gave up trying,and began to think whether she would not go out and round the house till she came to the grass,but then she remembered that the night before she had only seen stones in front of the house.At that moment a knock came to the door,and immediately after Tinette put her head inside and said, "Breakfast is ready."Heidi had no idea what an invitation so worded meant,and Tinette's face did not encourage any questioning on Heidi's part,but rather the reverse.Heidi was sharp enough to read its expression and acted accordingly.So she drew the little stool out from under the table,put it in the corner and sat down upon it,and there silently awaited what would happen next.Shortly after,with a good deal of rustling and bustling Fraulein Rottenmeier appeared,who again seemed very much put out,and called to Heidi,"What is the matter with you, Adelaide?Don't you understand what breakfast is?Come along at once!" Heidi had no difficulty in understanding now and followed at once.Clara had been some time at the breakfast table and she gave Heidi a kindly greeting,her face looking considerably more cheerful than usual,for she looked forward to all kinds of new things happening again that day.Breakfast passed off quietly;Heidi ate her bread and butter in a perfectly correct manner,and when the meal was over and Clara wheeled back into the study,Fraulein Rottenmeier told her to follow and remain with Clara until the tutor should arrive and lessons begin. As soon as the children were alone again,Heidi asked,"How can one see out from here,and look right down on to the ground?" "You must open the window and look out,"replied Clara amused. "But the windows won't open,"responded Heidi sadly. ·114· 7.罗顿迈尔小姐曹糕的一天 开眼了没有。她现在就像一只小鸟一样，发现自己被 装在一个新笼子后，就撞来撞去，想从某个缝里钻出 ①dart[dctg猛冲，飞弃 去，重返辽阔的天空，海蒂就是这样，她不停地跑过 来，又跑过去，想打开某一扇窗户。眼前见到的只有 墙和窗户，真让她受不了。她觉得外面的某个地方肯 定有嫩绿色的草地，还有她一直盼望看到的山坡上的 残留积雪。但是不管海蒂怎么使劲，即便是把小手伸 到下面去把窗子往上托，都不管用，窗户还是纹丝不 动。过了一会儿，海蒂看到自己无能为力，也就不再 ②fruitless [frutlis]a.没有 折腾了，她开始想能否出去转转，在房子周围找到一 成果的 片绿地。但是后来她记起昨天晚上在房子前面只看到 了石头，没有别的。就在这时，有人敲门，随后蒂耐 特伸进头来说：“早餐准备好了。”海蒂不懂这句邀请 是什么意思，而蒂耐特那张脸也不让海蒂提任何问题， ③word[wad]y措辞 她看得很清楚，也就不自找麻烦。她从桌子下面拿出 小板凳，放在角落里，坐了上去，静静地等着。不大 ④reverse[ri'vxsn.相反 的情况 一会儿，随着老远就能听见的沙沙的衣服响声，罗顿 迈尔小姐进来了，她显然又是非常生气，冲海蒂喊道： ⑤a goo deal of大量的， 很多的 “你怎么回事，阿得蕾德？你难道不懂早餐是什么吗？ ⑥rustling[rAslin]n.沙沙 快过来！” 声 ⑦bustling[baslin]m.奔 这下海蒂明白了，跑着跟了上去。克莱拉己经吃了 忙，忙乱 好一会儿了，见到海蒂，她友好地问候着，看上去比平 时高兴，她盼着那天会有许多新鲜事儿。大家都静静地 ⑧considerably 吃着早餐，海蒂吃黄油面包的姿势非常得体。早餐过后， [kon'sidarabli)ad.大量 地 克莱拉被推回书房，罗倾迈尔小姐告诉海蒂跟着进去陪 克莱拉，等老师来上课。 大人们刚一走开，海蒂就问：“从这儿怎么看外面 地上的东西呀？” “那得打开窗户才能看。”克莱拉觉得很有趣。 “可是窗户打不开呀！”海蒂伤心地说。 ·115 VII.Fraulein Rottenmeier Spends an Uncomfortable Day "Yes,they will,"Clara assured her."You cannot open them,nor I either,but when you see Sebastian you can ask him to open one." It was a great relief to Heidi to know that the windows could be opened and that one could look out,for she still felt as if she was shut up in prison.Clara now began to ask her questions about her home,and Heidi was delighted to tell her all about the mountain and the goats,and the flowery meadows which were so dear to her. Meanwhile her tutor had arrived;Fraulein Rottenmeier,however,did not bring him straight into the study but drew him first aside into the dining-room,where she poured forth her troubles and explained to him the awkward position in which she was placed,and how it had all come about.It appeared that she had written some time back to Herr Sesemann to tell him that his daughter very much wished to have a companion,and had added how desirable she thought it herself,as it would be a spur to Clara at her lessons and an amusement for her in her playtime. Fraulein Rottenmeier had privately wished for this arrangement on her own behalf, as it would relieve her from having always to entertain the sick girl herself,which she felt at times was too much for her.The father had answered that he was quite willing to let his daughter have a companion,provided she was treated in every way like his own child,as he would not have any child tormented or put upon -"which was a very unnecessary remark,"put in Fraulein Rottenmeier,"for who wants to torment children!"But now she went on to explain how dreadfully she had been taken in about the child,and related all the unimaginable things of which she had already been guilty,so that not only would he have to begin with teaching her the A B C,but would have to start with the most rudimentary instruction as regarded everything to do with daily life.She could see only one way out of this disastrous state of affairs,and that was for the tutor to declare that it was impossible for the two to learn together without detriment to Clara,who was so far ahead of the other;that would be a valid excuse for getting rid of the child, and Herr Sesemann would be sure to agree to the child being sent home again, but she dared not do this without his order,since he was aware that by this time the companion had arrived.But the tutor was a cautious man and not inclined to take a partial view of matters.He tried to calm Fraulein Rottenmeier,and gave it as his opinion that if the little girl was backward in some things she was ·116· 7.罗顿迈尔小姐曹糕的一天 “不，打得开的。”克莱拉肯定地说，“但是咱俩谁 也打不开，你要是看见塞巴斯蒂安，可以叫他帮忙。” ①relief[ri'lif]m.宽慰 听说窗户能打开，人可以向外看，海蒂松了一口 气，她还一直以为自己被关在监狱里呢！克莱拉开始问 她家里的情况，海蒂高兴地告诉她那些令人感到亲切的 大山、羊群和山花烂漫的草地。 这时，老师来了。但罗顿迈尔小姐并没有把他直 接领进书房，而是先带他去了餐室。在那儿她向老师 诉了苦，说了自己的尴尬处境，以及这一切的由来。 好像是在好长时间以前，她就己经写信给塞斯曼先生， ②come about发生 说他女儿很想有一个伴儿，她自己认为这很必要，因 为那样不仅可以促进她学习，而且还可以有人跟她一 起玩耍，使她高兴。出于自身利益，罗顿迈尔小姐早 ③spur[spx]n.激励，鼓 就暗自希望这么做，那样她就可以解脱了，不必总是 舞 亲自陪这个生病的孩子玩了，她时常觉得很吃力。女 孩儿的父亲回信说他也很愿意让女儿有个伴儿，但条 ④provided[pra'vaidid 件是那个孩子要得到同样的对待，他不能让别的孩子 co.假如 受到虐待或成为牺牲品一“这话真是多余，”罗顿迈 ⑤put upon压迫，使成为 牺牲品 尔小姐插话说，“谁愿意虐待孩子呀？！”然后，她又 说自己在这孩子的问题上如何上当受骗，还列举了所 有出乎意料的事，她为此己经感到很惭愧。因此她告 诉老师说，不仅书要从ABC教起，就连日常生活中最 ⑥rudimentary 基本的常识也要给她灌输。在她看来，要想摆脱这种 [rudi'mentari]a.基本的 困境，只有一个方法，那就是老师证明说这两个孩子 disastrous [di'zastras]a. 极槽的 无法一起上课，否则肯定会影响克莱拉的学业，因为 8 detriment ['detrimant]n. 克莱拉所学的东西比海蒂要多多了。那样，打发走这 损害，不利 个孩子就有了充分的理由，塞斯曼先生也肯定会同意 把孩子送回家。但是现在没有他的盼附，罗顿迈尔小 姐不敢这么做，因为主人已经知道孩子到了自己家里。 ⑨inclined[in'klaind]a.倾 然而，老师却很谨慎，不愿意偏听偏信。他尽力安慰 向…的 ⑩partial[pcal]a.片面的 罗顿迈尔小姐，摆出自己的观点，他说这女孩儿如果 在某些方面落后，那么在其他方面就很可能超前，用 ·117· VII.Fraulein Rottenmeier Spends an Uncomfortable Day probably advanced in others,and a little regular teaching would soon set the balance right.When Fraulein Rottenmeier saw that he was not ready to support her,and evidently quite ready to undertake teaching the alphabet,she opened the study door,which she quickly shut again as soon as he had gone through, remaining on the other side herself,for she had a perfect horror of the A B C.She walked up and down the dining-room,thinking over in her own mind how the servants were to be told to address Adelaide.The father had written that she was to be treated exactly like his own daughter,and this would especially refer,she imagined,to the servants.She was not allowed,however,a very long interval of time for consideration,for suddenly the sound of a frightful crash was heard in the study,followed by frantie cries for Sebastian.She rushed into the room.There on the floor lay in a confused heap,books,exercise-books,inkstand,and other articles with the table-cloth on the top,while from beneath them a dark stream of ink was flowing all across the floor.Heidi had disappeared. "Here's a state of things!"exclaimed Fraulein Rottenmeier wringing her hands."Table-cloth,books,work-basket,everything lying in the ink!It was that unfortunate child,I suppose!" The tutor was standing looking down at the havoc in distress;there was certainly only one view to be taken of such a matter as this and that an unfavourable one.Clara meanwhile appeared to find pleasure in such an unusual event and in watching the results."Yes,Heidi did it,"she explained,"but quite by accident;she must on no account be punished;she jumped up in such violent haste to get away that she dragged the table-cloth along with her,and so everything went over.There were a number of vehicles passing,that is why she rushed off like that;perhaps she has never seen a carriage." "Is it not as I said?She has not the smallest notion about anything!Not the slightest idea that she ought to sit still and listen while her lessons are going on.But where is the child who has caused all this trouble?Surely she has not run away!What would Herr Sesemann say to me?"She ran out of the room and down the stairs.There,at the bottom,standing in the open door-way,was Heidi,looking in amazement up and down the street. "What are you doing?What are you thinking of to run away like that?"called Fraulein Rottenmeier. ·118· 7.罗顿迈尔小姐曹糕的一天 不了多长时间的正规教育，差距就会消失。看到老师 不支持她，而且满怀信心地准备从字母教起，罗顿迈 尔小姐就打开了书房的门，老师刚一进去，她就马上 关上门，自己留在了外面，她很害怕那最基础的ABC。 她在餐厅里来回踱着步，脑子里思考着应该让仆人们 ①walk up and down来回 称呼阿得蕾德什么。克莱拉的父亲回信说，那孩子要 踱步 得到跟自己亲生女儿同样的对待，她认为，这尤其是 说给那些仆人听的。然而，她却没有时间多想，因为 书房里突然传来可怕的声响，随后就是呼叫塞巴斯蒂 安的喊声。她冲进去一看，只见地上堆得乱七八糟， ②frantic['fraentik]a.狂乱 的 有书、练习本、墨水台和一些别的，上面是桌布，在 3inkstand ['inkstaend]n. 这一堆东西下面，一股黑墨水正流得满地都是，海蒂 墨水台 ④article[a:tikal]n.物品 也不见了。 “怎么弄成了这副样子？！”罗顿迈尔小姐搓着手 同wring [ri画lk将两手紧 握：扭 叫道，“桌布、书、针线筐，都泡在墨水里！准是那个 倒霉的孩子干的！” ⑥havoc ['havak]n.大破 老师沮丧地站在那儿，看着眼前的一切：面对这种 坏，杂乱 情况，显然只能有一种看法，肯定对孩子不利。碰到这 ⑦distress[di'stres】n.痛苦， 烦恼 种不寻常的事，看到这种结果，克莱拉却很高兴，她解 释说：“是海蒂干的，但不是故意的，不能惩罚她。她 起得太突然，把桌布带起来了，上面的东西也就都翻下 去了。当时正好有许多车辆路过，她赠地站了起来，我 ⑧vehicle[vizikl]n.车辆， 想她肯定是从没见过马车。” 交通工具 “我没说错吧？她什么都不懂，根本不知道上课的 ⑨notion[naufan]m.概念， 时候应该坐着不动，注意听讲。惹了这么大的麻烦，这 想法 孩子上哪儿了？她肯定不会自己跑掉的！塞斯曼先生会 怎么说我呢？”她跑出书房，下了楼。海蒂正站在楼下 大门口，惊奇地向大街两头张望呢。 “你在干什么？为什么那样急匆匆地跑了？”罗顿 迈尔小姐问。 ·119· VII.Fraulein Rottenmeier Spends an Uncomfortable Day "I heard the sound of the fir trees,but I cannot see where they are,and now I cannot hear them any more,"answered Heidi,looking disappointedly in the direction whence the noise of the passing carriages had reached her,and which to Heidi had seemed like the blowing of the south wind in the trees,so that in great joy of heart she had rushed out to look at them. "Fir trees!Do you suppose we are in a wood?What ridiculous ideas are these?Come upstairs and see the mischief you have done!" Heidi turned and followed Fraulein Rottenmeier upstairs;she was quite astonished to see the disaster she had caused,for in her joy and haste to get to the fir trees she had been unaware of having dragged everything after her. "I excuse you doing this as it is the first time,but do not let me know you doing it a second time,"said Fraulein Rottenmeier pointing to the floor."During your lesson time you are to sit still and attend.If you cannot do this I shall have to tie you to your chair.Do you understand?" “Yes,”replied Heidi,.“but I will certainly not move again,”for now she understood that it was a rule to sit still while she was being taught. Sebastian and Tinette were now sent for to clear up the broken articles and put things in order again;the tutor said good-morning and left,as it was impossible to do any more lessons that day;there had been certainly no time for gaping this morning. Clara had to rest for a certain time during the afternoon,and during this interval, as Fraulein Rottenmeier informed Heidi,the latter might amuse herself as she liked. When Clara had been placed on her couch after dinner,and the lady-housekeeper had retired to her room,Heidi knew that her time had come to choose her own occupation. It was just what she was longing for,as there was something she had made up her mind to do;but she would require some help for its accomplishment,and in view of this she took her stand in the hall in front of the dining-room door in order to intercept the person she wanted.In a few minutes up came Sebastian from the kitchen with a tray of silver tea-things,which he had to put away in the dining-room cupboard.As he reached the top stair Heidi went up to him and addressed him in the formal manner she had been ordered to use by Fraulein Rottenmeier. Sebastian looked surprised and said somewhat curtly,"What is it you want, miss?" ·120· 7.罗顿迈尔小姐曹糕的一天 “我听见杉树的声音了，却看不到它们在哪儿， 这会儿连声音都听不到了。”海蒂回答说，失望地看着 车辆声音传来的方向。那汽车发出的声音对海蒂来说， 就像南风吹过杉树的响声，所以她高兴极了，匆忙跑 出来看。 D ridiculous [ri'dikjulas]a. 荒谬的 “杉树？你以为我们是在森林里吗？真滑稽可笑！ 上楼来瞧瞧你干的好事吧！” 海蒂转身跟罗顿迈尔小姐上了楼。当她看到自己惹 的麻烦时，顿时目瞪口呆，因为她兴冲冲地跑出去看杉 树的时候，一点儿都没意识到自己带翻了一大堆东西。 “这是第一次，我就原谅你了，但以后再不许有第 二次。”罗顿迈尔小姐指着地板说，“上课的时候要坐着 不动，认真听讲，如果做不到这一点，我就只好把你绑 在椅子上了。明白吗？” “明白了。”海蒂回答，“可是我背定不会再动了。” 现在她知道原来上课听讲时要坐着不动，这是规矩。 塞巴斯蒂安和蒂耐特被叫来收拾房间，拿走了摔碎 的东西。老师跟大家道别后离开了，那天是不能再上什 么课了，当然上午也就没有打哈欠的时间了。 下午，克莱拉要休息一段时间，罗顿迈尔小姐告诉 海蒂她可以去做自己喜欢的事。午饭后，克莱拉被放到 了轮椅上，女管家也回到了自己的房间，海蒂明白可以 干自己的事了。这正是她盼望已久的时刻，因为她早已 拿定主意要干点儿事，不过她得找个人帮忙。于是她就 站在餐室门前的大厅里，等着她想找的人。不一会儿， ②intercept[inta'sept]v.拦 塞巴斯蒂安从厨房走了过来，手里拿着托盘，上面是银 截 ③tray [trei]n.托盘 质茶具，他要把茶具放到餐室的柜橱里。当他走到最高 ④put away把…收拾起 一层阶梯时，海蒂走上前去，并按照罗顿迈尔小姐的吩 来 附，以正式的方式称呼他。 塞巴斯蒂安很吃惊，他粗鲁地说：“你想干什么， 小姐？” ·121·