3.Marilla Cuthbert Is Surprised玛丽拉·卡斯伯特大吃一惊-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《绿山墙的安妮Anne of Green Gables》上

Chapter III Marilla Cuthbert Is Surprised Marilla came briskly forward as Matthew opened the door.But when her eyes fell on the odd little figure,she stopped short in amazement. “Matthew Cuthbert,who's that?”she ejaculated③.“Where is the boy?” “There wasn't any boy,”said Matthew wretchedly④.“There was only HER.” He nodded at the child,remembering that he had never even asked her name. “No boy！But there MUST have been a boy,”insisted Marilla. “We sent word to Mrs.Spencer to bring a boy.” During this dialogue the child had remained silent,her eyes roving from one to the other,all the animation5 fading out of her face. Suddenly she seemed to grasp the full meaning of what had been said. Dropping her precious carpet-bag she sprang forward a step and clasped her hands. “You don't want me！”she cried.“You don't want me because'Im not a boy!I might have expected it.I might have known nobody really ·030· 第三章 玛丽拉•卡斯伯特大吃一惊 ①briskly /briskl/ad活泼地， 马修一开门，玛丽拉便脚步轻快地迎上前 精神勒勃地 ②short小o:t/ad.短暂地，突 来。但是，当她的目光落到面前这个小怪物身上 然地 时，她惊愕得一下子停了下来。 ③ejaculate'd3 ekjolent/g突 “马修·卡斯伯特，这是谁呀？”她嚷道， 然说出 ④wretchedly /retfidl/ad可 “我们要的男孩儿哪儿去了？” 怜地 “那儿一个男孩儿也没有，只有她。”马修沮 丧地说。 他对孩子点了点头，这才想起来他还没问她 叫什么呢。 “没有男孩儿！不对，肯定有个男孩儿，”玛 丽拉坚持说，“我们给斯潘塞夫人捎话叫她带个 男孩儿来的。” 他俩说话时，小孩儿一直没吱声，她看看这 animation /ani'meifan/n. 活泼，生气 个，瞧瞧那个，脸上兴奋的光晕全部消失了。突 @spring/spr/弹出 然间，她好像一下子明白了他们在谈些什么，她 把那个宝贝毛毡提包扔到地上，向前跨了一步， 双手紧紧握在一起。 “你们不想要我！”她大叫起来，“你们不想 ·031· Anne of Green Gables did want me.Oh,what shall I do?I'm going to burst into tears!" Burst into tears she did.Sitting down on a chair by the table, flinging her arms out upon it,and burying her face in them,she proceeded to cry stormily.Marilla and Matthew looked at each other deprecatingly?across the stove.Neither of them knew what to say or do. Finally Marilla stepped lamely into the breach "Well,well,there's no need to cry so about it." "Yes,there IS need!"The child raised her head quickly, revealing a tear-stained face and trembling lips."YOU would cry,too, if you were an orphan and had come to a place you thought was going to be home and found that they didn't want you because you weren't a boy. Oh,this is the most TRAGICAL thing that ever happened to me!" Something like a reluctant smile,rather rusty from long disuse, mellowed Marilla's grim expression. "Well,don't cry any more.We're not going to turn you out-of- doors tonight..” The child hesitated for a moment. "Will you please call me Cordelia?"she said eagerly. "CALL you Cordelia?Is that your name?" "No-o-o,it's not exactly my name,but I would love to be called Cordelia.It's such a perfectly elegant name." "I don't know what on earth you mean.If Cordelia isn't your name, what is?"” “Anne Shirley,”reluctantly faltered⑧forth the owner of that name, "but,oh,please do call me Cordelia.Anne is such an unromantic name.” “Unromantic fiddlesticks⑨！”said the unsympathetic Marilla. ·032· 绿山墙的安妮 要我就因为我不是男孩！我早该想到的。我早该 想到没人会真的想要我。噢，我该怎么办呀？我 要哭啦！” ①fling /flu/g(用力地)扔，掷 ②deprecatingly 她的确哭了。她一屁股坐到桌边的椅子上， /deprikertingl/ad.表示不 双臂放在桌子上，把脸往里一埋，便号陶大哭起 赞成地，不以为然地 来。玛丽拉和马修不以为然地隔着炉子互相看了 ③lamely /leimli/ad一病- 拐地 看，他们俩谁也不知道该说什么或者做什么，最 ④step into the breach填补空 后玛丽拉为打破僵局犹犹豫豫地说： 缺 “好了，好了，没必要为这点事这么哭嘛。” ⑤reveal/r'vi:lV显示 “不，有必要！”那孩子立刻抬起头来，满脸 泪水，嘴唇颤动着，“如果您是个孤儿，到了一 个您认为将成为您的家的地方，却发现因为您不 是男孩儿，他们根本不想要您，您也会哭的。 ⑥reluctant/r'IAktont/a.不 噢，这是我碰到的最可悲的事儿了！” 情愿的，勉强的 玛丽拉毫无表情的脸上现出一丝勉强的笑 ②grim /grim/a.严厉的，冷酷 的，令人害怕的 意，这微笑由于长久未用，显得呆板僵硬。 “好了，别再哭了。我们今天晚上不会赶你 走的。你叫什么名字？” 孩子犹豫了一下。 “请您叫我科黛拉，行吗？”她热切地说。 “叫你科黛拉？这是你的名字吗？” “不，不是，确切地说，这不是我的名字。但 是我喜欢别人叫我科黛拉，这名字文雅极了。” “我不明白你到底是什么意思。如果你不叫 科黛拉，你叫什么？” “安妮·雪利，”她极不情愿地支吾道，“噢， ⑧falterf:/.支吾地说 不管怎样，请务必叫我科黛拉吧，安妮这名字一 点儿都不浪漫。” ⑨fiddlestick/fidlstik/n无聊 “什么浪漫不浪漫的！”玛丽拉毫不留情地 事 ·033· Anne of Green Gables "Anne is a real good plain sensible name.You've no need to be ashamed ofit” “Oh,I'm not ashamed of it,”explained Anne,“only I like Cordelia better.I've always imagined that my name was Cordelia-at least I always have of late years.But if you call me Anne please call me Anne spelled with an E." "What difference does it make how it's spelled?"asked Marilla. "Oh,it makes SUCH a difference.It LOOKS so much nicer.When you hear a name pronounced can't you always see it in your mind,just as if it was printed out?I can;and A-n-n looks dreadful,but A-n-n-e looks so much more distinguished. "Very well,then,Anne spelled with an E,can you tell us how this mistake came to be made?We sent word to Mrs.Spencer to bring us a boy.Were there no boys at the asylum?" "Oh,yes,there was an abundance of them.But Mrs.Spencer said DISTINCTLY that you wanted a girl about eleven years old.And the matron said she thought I would do.You don't know how delighted I was.I couldn't sleep all last night for joy.Oh,"she added reproachfully?, turning to Matthew,"why didn't you tell me at the station that you didn't want me and leave me there?If I hadn't seen the White Way of Delight and the Lake of Shining Waters it wouldn't be so hard." “What on earth③does she mean?”demanded Marilla,staring at Matthew. "She-she's just referring to some conversation we had on the road,"said Matthew hastily."I'm going out to put the mare in,Marilla. Have tea ready when I come back." "Did Mrs.Spencer bring anybody over besides you?"continued Marilla when Matthew had gone out. ·034· 绿山墙的安妮「 说，“安妮是个很普通、很好听的名字嘛。你完 全没有必要为它难为情。” “不，我不是为它感到难为情，”安妮解释 说，“只不过我更喜欢科黛拉。我经常想象我的 名字是科黛拉一至少这几年一直这么想。可是 如果您叫我安妮的话，一定要叫我带有‘女’字 旁的‘妮’。” “这字怎么写有什么关系？”玛丽拉问道。 “哟，这里的差别可大着哩，带‘女’字旁 看起来舒服多了。您听见一个名字的时候，是不 是会在脑子里看见它，就像它已经写出来了似 的？我会的。‘安尼’看上去糟糕透了，而‘安 妮’却蛮顺眼的。” “那么好吧，带有‘女’字旁的安妮，你能告 诉我们怎么出的差错吗？我们捎信给斯潘塞夫人 D abundance /a'bAndans/n. 让她给我们带个男孩儿，孤儿院里没有男孩儿吗？” 丰富，充裕 “噢，不，那儿男孩儿多的是，但是斯潘塞 夫人非常明确地说您要一个十一岁左右的女孩 reproachfully /'prautfful/ 儿。院里的女主管说她认为我挺合适，您不知道 ad.责备地 我有多高兴啊。昨天我兴奋得一晚上没睡着。 嗯，”她转向马修，带着责备的口吻说，“您在 车站干吗不告诉我你们不想要我，干吗不把我留 在那儿呢？如果我没看见‘雪径通幽’和‘波光 ③on earth究竞，到底 湖’，我也不会这么难过。” “她到底在说些什么？”玛丽拉盯着马修问。 “她—她是指我们在路上聊的东西，”马修 急促地说，“玛丽拉，我出去把马圈起来。我回 来前把晚饭准备好。” “除了你，斯潘塞夫人还带别人了吗？”马修 出去后玛丽拉又接着问道。 ·035· Anne of Green Gables "She brought Lily Jones for herself.Lily is only five years old and she is very beautiful and had nut-brown hair.If I was very beautiful and had nut-brown hair would you keep me?" "No.We want a boy to help Matthew on the farm.A girl would be of no use to us.Take off your hat.I'll lay it and your bag on the hall table.” Anne took off her hat meekly.Matthew came back presently and they sat down to supper. "You're not eating anything,"said Marilla sharply,eying her as if it were a serious shortcoming.Anne sighed. "I can't.I'm in the depths of despair.Can you eat when you are in the depths of despair?" "I've never been in the depths of despair,so I can't say," responded Marilla. "Weren't you?Then I don't think you can understand what it's like. It's very uncomfortable feeling indeed.When you try to eat a lump comes right up in your throat and you can't swallow anything." "I guess she's tired,"said Matthew,who hadn't spoken since his return from the barn."Best put her to bed,Marilla." Marilla had been wondering where Anne should be put to bed.She had prepared a couch in the kitchen chamber for the desired and expected boy.But,although it was neat and clean,it did not seem quite the thing to put a girl there somehow.So there remained only the east gable room.Marilla lighted a candle and told Anne to follow her,which Anne spiritlessly did. Marilla set the candle on a three-legged,three-cornered table and turned down the bedclothes “I suppose you have a nightgown③？”she questioned.. Anne nodded. ·036· 绿山墙的安妮 “她自己收养了莉莉·琼斯。莉莉只有五岁， 长得很漂亮，有一头栗褐色的头发。如果我也长 得很漂亮，也有一头栗褐色的头发，您会把我留 下来吗？” “不会的。我们想要个男孩儿帮马修干农活， 女孩儿对我们一点儿用处都没有。你把帽子摘下 来，我把它和你的包一起放到门厅里的桌子上去。” 安妮顺从地摘下帽子。马修不一会儿就回来 了，于是他们坐下开始吃晚饭。 “你根本没吃什么东西。”玛丽拉严厉地说， 两眼盯着安妮，好像不吃东西是个严重的错误。 安妮叹了口气。 “我吃不下。我现在非常绝望。您非常绝望 的时候，能吃得下饭吗？” “我说不好，我从来没有绝望过。”玛丽拉回 答说。 ①lump /Amp/n.团，块 “真的吗？那我想您不会明白它是怎么一回 事的。那真是一种让人很不舒服的感觉。你想吃 饭的时候，正好有块东西堵在你的嗓子眼里让你 什么都咽不下去。” ②chamber /'tfermba/n.房间， “我想她是累了，”马修说，从马厩回来后他没 会议厅，室 吭过一声，“玛丽拉，最好送她上床睡觉吧。” 玛丽拉一直在想该把安妮安顿在哪儿。她倒 是给他们盼着的男孩儿在厨房准备了个睡椅。虽 然那里干净整洁，但不管怎么说，让个女孩儿家 ③spiritless/sprritlrs/a.无生 睡在那儿好像不太合适。那就只剩下楼上东侧的 气的，沮丧的，无生命的 ④bedclothes/bedklau/n铺 那间屋子了。玛丽拉点了支蜡烛，叫安妮跟着， 盖，床单被褥类 安妮没精打采地跟在后面。 ⑤nightgown'nat,gaun/n皤 玛丽拉把蜡烛放在一张三条腿的三角桌上， 衣，睡袍 铺好被褥。 ·037· Anne of Green Gables "Well,undress as quick as you can and go to bed.I'll come back in a few minutes for the candle.I daren't trust you to put it out yourself. You'd likely set the place on fire." When Marilla had gone Anne looked around her wistfully.The whole apartment was of a rigidity not to be described in words,but which sent a shiver to the very marrow of Anne's bones.With a sob she hastily③discarded④her garments,put on the skimpy⑤nightgown and sprang into bed where she burrowed face downward into the pillow and pulled the clothes over her head.When Marilla came up for the light various skimpy articles of raiment scattered most untidily over the floor and a certain tempestuous appearance of the bed were the only indications of any presence save her own. She deliberately picked up Anne's clothes,placed them neatly on a prim yellow chair,and then,taking up the candle,went over to the bed. "Good night,"she said,a little awkwardly,but not unkindly. Marilla went slowly down to the kitchen and proceeded to wash the supper dishes.Matthew was smoking-a sure sign of perturbation of mind. “Well,this is a pretty kettle of fish®，”she said wrathfully3.“This is what comes of sending word instead of going ourselves.Richard Spencer's folks have twisted that message somehow.One of us will have to drive over and see Mrs.Spencer tomorrow,that's certain.This girl will have to be sent back to the asylum." "Yes,I suppose so,"said Matthew reluctantly. “You SUPPOSE so！Don't you know it?” "Well now,she's a real nice little thing,Marilla.It's kind of a pity to send her back when she's so set on staying here." ·038· 绿山墙的安妮 “你有睡衣吧？”她问道。 安妮点了点头。 “好了，快点儿脱衣上床，几分钟后我来取 蜡烛。我可不敢让你吹灭它，你很可能把这儿点 ①rigidity'd3dtln刻板 着了。” ②marrow/marau/n.骨髓 玛丽拉走了以后，安妮愁闷地四周看了看。 ③hastily /heistili/ad匆忙地， 整个房间有种难以名状的刻板的气息，直渗到安 急速地 ④discard /diska:dy丢弃， 妮的骨髓里去，使她不寒而栗。她抽噎了一下， 抛弃 迅速脱掉衣服，换上小睡衣，跳上床，脸朝下埋 ⑤skimpy/'skimpl/a.太紧的 在枕头里，把被子拽过来拉过头顶。玛丽拉上楼 ⑥burrow /bArau/.挖据（洞 穴)，钻进 来取蜡烛时看到安妮的小衣服东一件西一件地乱 tempestuous /tem'pest fuos/ 扔在地上，只有床的颤动说明这屋里除了她以外 a有暴风雨的，暴乱的 还有个人。 8 indication /mndI'keifon/n. 她不紧不慢地把安妮的衣服拾了起来，有条 表示，指示，象征 deliberately /di'lbaritl/ad. 理地放在一张端端正正的黄椅子上，然后她拿起 慎重地，故意地 蜡烛，走到床边。 awkwardly /'o:kw3:dl/ad. “晚安。”她不太自然但是很和蔼地说。 笨拙地 perturbation /p3:ta'beiJan/ 玛丽拉慢慢走下楼来到厨房，开始洗晚饭的碗 n扰动 碟。马修在抽烟—这是他心情烦乱的明显标志。 @a kettle of fish为难的处境， “哼，瞧这事办得多糟！”她怒气冲冲地说， 一团糟 3 wrathfully /'roefull/ad. “这都是因为我们只是捎话而没有亲自去。罗伯 怒地 特·斯潘塞的亲戚一定是把话传错了。明天咱俩 twist/作wIst/.扭曲 一定得有一个赶车去见斯潘塞夫人。这个小姑娘 还得送回孤儿院。” “是的，我想是这样的吧。”马修略带迟疑地 说。 “你想是这样的吧！难道你不知道我们该这 样做吗？” “好了，听我说，玛丽拉，她确实是个很可 爱的小家伙。她一直以为她会被收留在这儿，把 ·039·