"This is not an ordinary occasion," she said. "I do not desire that it should be treated as one."
“这不是个寻常的场合”她说“我不想把它当做寻常的对待”
When Sara entered the holly-hung schoolroom in the afternoon, she did so as the head of a sort of procession. Miss Minchin, in her grandest silk dress, led her by the hand. A manservant followed, carrying the box containing the Last Doll, a housemaid carried a second box, and Becky brought up the rear, carrying a third and wearing a clean apron and a new cap. Sara would have much preferred to enter in the usual way, but Miss Minchin had sent for her, and, after an interview in her private sitting room, had expressed her wishes.
下午，当大家列队进人悬挂着冬青的教室时，萨拉是领头。铭钦女士穿着自己最华丽的丝绸裙装，用手领着她。一名男仆捧着装那“最后的洋娃”的匣子跟随着，一名女仆捧着第二只礼匣，而贝基捧着第三只走在队列的最后，围着一条干净的围裙，戴着顶新帽子。萨拉宁愿像往常那样进人教室，但是铭钦女士打发人把她叫到自己的起坐间，面谈了一次，提出了她的意图。
So Sara was led grandly in and felt shy when, on her entry, the big girls stared at her and touched each other's elbows, and the little ones began to squirm joyously in their seats.
于是萨拉就这样堂堂皇皇地被领进教室，她一进来，大女孩们都瞪着她，彼此碰碰胳膊肘，而小女孩们开始在座位上欢快地蠕动着身子，使萨拉感到一阵羞怯。
"Silence, young ladies!" said Miss Minchin, at the murmur which arose. "James, place the box on the table and remove the lid. Emma, put yours upon a chair. Becky!" suddenly and severely.
“安静，年轻的小姐们”铭钦女士冲着掀起的一阵叽叽咕咕声说“詹姆斯，把匣子放在桌子上，打开盖子。埃玛，把你拿的放在椅子上。贝基”声音突然严厉起来。
Becky had quite forgotten herself in her excitement, and was grinning at Lottie, who was wriggling with rapturous expectation. She almost dropped her box, the disapproving voice so startled her, and her frightened, bobbing curtsy of apology was so funny that Lavinia and Jessie tittered.
贝基兴奋得完全忘乎所以，正对洛蒂咧嘴笑着，而洛蒂正扭动着身子，兴高采烈地期待着。那指责的话音把贝基吓了一跳，差点儿把匣子掉在地上，她害怕了，连忙屈膝行礼道歉，动作是那样滑稽，惹得拉维尼娅和杰西噗嗤地笑出来。
"It is not your place to look at the young ladies," said Miss Minchin. "You forget yourself. Put your box down."
“你的地位不能对年轻小姐望”铭钦女士说“你忘记了自己的身份。把你拿的匣子放下”
Sara advanced a step toward her.
萨拉向她走近一步。
"If you please, Miss Minchin," said Sara, suddenly, "mayn't Becky stay?"
“如果允许的话，铭钦女士”萨拉突然说“贝基是不是可以留下来”
Becky stepped aside respectfully to allow the superior servants to pass out first. She could not help casting a longing glance at the box on the table. Something made of blue satin was peeping from between the folds of tissue paper.
贝基恭敬地跨到一边，让那些地位高的仆人先走出去。她情不自禁地向桌上的那只匣子投去渴望的一瞥。从薄包装纸的折痕间隐约可看到用蓝色缎子做的什么东西。
"My dear Sara," she said, "Becky is the scullery maid. Scullery maids -- er -- are not little girls."
“我亲爱的萨拉”她说“贝基是厨房使女，而厨房使女——呢——不好算小姑娘”
"I want her because I know she will like to see the presents," she explained. "She is a little girl, too, you know."
“我要她，因为我知道她喜欢看那些礼品”萨拉解释说“你知道，她也是个小姑娘”
"You may leave us," Miss Minchin announced to the servants with a wave of her hand.
“你们可以走了”铭钦女士说，挥手向仆人们示意。
"Becky!" she exclaimed. "My dearest Sara!"
“贝基”她大喝一声“我最亲爱的萨拉”
Becky obeyed with alarmed haste and hastily backed toward the door.
贝基警觉地赶紧从命，慌忙退到门边。
Miss Minchin was scandalized. She glanced from one figure to the other.
铭钦女士感到恼火。她看看这一个又看看那一个。
It was a bold thing to do. Miss Minchin was betrayed into something like a slight jump. Then she put her eyeglass up, and gazed at her show pupil disturbedly.
这是个大胆的行为。铭钦女士给弄得慌了神儿，身子不自觉地轻跳了一下。她随即把眼镜向上一推，忐忑不安地注视着她这可供炫耀的学生。
It really had not occurred to her to think of them in that light. Scullery maids were machines who carried coal scuttles and made fires.
她确实从来也没有这样想过。厨房使女无非是搬煤箱和生火炉的机器罢了。
"But Becky is," said Sara. "And I know she would enjoy herself. Please let her stay -- because it is my birthday."
“可是贝基是个小姑娘”萨拉说“我还知道在这儿她能够自得其乐。请让她留下吧——因为这是我的生日啊”
Miss Minchin replied with much dignity:
铭钦女士很威严地回答：
"As you ask it as a birthday favor -- she may stay. Rebecca, thank Miss Sara for her great kindness."
“你既然请求把这作为生日的优待——她可以留下。丽贝卡①，去谢谢萨拉小姐的好意”【注：① 这是贝基的本名，贝基为爱称。】
"Oh, if you please, miss! I'm that grateful, miss! I did want to see the doll, miss, that I did. Thank you, miss. And thank you, ma'am," -- turning and making an alarmed bob to Miss Minchin -- "for letting me take the liberty."
“哦，如果你允许，小姐！我多么感激你，小姐！我真想看那洋娃娃，小姐，真是这样。谢谢你，小姐。也谢谢你，太太”——转过身子惶恐地对铭钦女士行屈膝礼——“为了你准许我这样冒昧”
Becky had been backing into the corner, twisting the hem of her apron in delighted suspense. She came forward, bobbing curtsies, but between Sara's eyes and her own there passed a gleam of friendly understanding, while her words tumbled over each other.
贝基已向房角退缩，心情欣喜而又不安，正揉弄着她的围裙边儿。现在她走向前来，连连屈膝行礼，萨拉的眼睛同她的眼睛之间交流着一道理解的友谊之光，同时她的话语磕磕巴巴地倾吐出来。
Miss Minchin waved her hand again -- this time it was in the direction of the corner near the door.
铭钦女士再次挥手― 这一次是挥向房门近处的那个屋角。
"Go and stand there," she commanded. "Not too near the young ladies."
“去，站在那儿”她命令道“不许离小姐们太近”
"She's going to make a speech," whispered one of the girls. "I wish it was over."
“她就要做演讲了”有个女孩子悄悄地说“但愿已经讲完了”
Becky went to her place, grinning. She did not care where she was sent, so that she might have the luck of being inside the room, instead of being downstairs in the scullery, while these delights were going on. She did not even mind when Miss Minchin cleared her throat ominously and spoke again.
贝基咧嘴笑着，走向自己的位置。她不在乎把她打发到哪里，只要能幸运地留在房间里，而不是在这里进行着这些欢庆活动时呆在楼下厨房里。她甚至没注意到此时铭钦女士预先清了一下喉咙，表示又要讲话了。
"Now, young ladies, I have a few words to say to you," she announced.
“现在，小姐们，我有几句话要对你们讲”她宣讲道。
"You are aware, young ladies," the speech began -- for it was a speech -- "that dear Sara is eleven years old today."
“你们已经晓得了，小姐们”演讲开始了——那可真是次演讲啊——“亲爱的萨拉今天十一岁了”
Sara felt rather uncomfortable. As this was her party, it was probable that the speech was about her. It is not agreeable to stand in a schoolroom and have a speech made about you.
萨拉感到有点儿不自在。既然是为她举行庆祝会，大概这演讲是专为她而做的吧。站在教室里听人家针对你的事作演讲，实在不是什么好受的事儿。
"DEAR Sara!" murmured Lavinia.
“亲爱的萨拉”拉维尼娅喃喃地说。
"Several of you here have also been eleven years old, but Sara's birthdays are rather different from other little girls' birthdays. When she is older she will be heiress to a large fortune, which it will be her duty to spend in a meritorious manner."
“你们这里有几位也十一岁了，但是萨拉的生日不同于其他小姑娘的生日。等她再大一些，她将成为一大笔财产的继承人，值得称道地使用这笔财产将是她的责任”
Sara did not hear her; but as she stood with her green-gray eyes fixed steadily on Miss Minchin, she felt herself growing rather hot. When Miss Minchin talked about money, she felt somehow that she always hated her -- and, of course, it was disrespectful to hate grown-up people.
萨拉没有听见这句话，但当她站在那里、用绿灰色的眼睛直勾勾地凝视着铭钦女士时，感到浑身发热。每当铭钦女士谈到钱时，萨拉不知怎的总感到自己一向恨她——当然啦，怀恨成年人是大不敬的事。
"The diamond mines," giggled Jessie, in a whisper.
“那些钻石矿”杰西低声说，吃吃地笑着。
The entire schoolroom rose to its feet as it had done the morning Sara remembered so well.
整个教室的人都站了起来，就像萨拉记得很清楚的那个早晨所做的一样。
"When her dear papa, Captain Crewe, brought her from India and gave her into my care," the speech proceeded, "he said to me, in a jesting way, `I am afraid she will be very rich, Miss Minchin.' My reply was, `Her education at my seminary, Captain Crewe, shall be such as will adorn the largest fortune.' Sara has become my most accomplished pupil. Her French and her dancing are a credit to the seminary. Her manners -- which have caused you to call her Princess Sara -- are perfect. Her amiability she exhibits by giving you this afternoon's party. I hope you appreciate her generosity. I wish you to express your appreciation of it by saying aloud all together, `Thank you, Sara!'"
“当她亲爱的爸爸克鲁上尉从印度把她带来委托我照管时”演讲继续着“他半开玩笑似地对我说：恐怕她将来要发大财，铭钦女士。我的回答是：她在我的培育院里所受的教育，克鲁上尉，将给最大的财产增光。萨拉已经成为我最有教养的学生。她的法语和舞蹈是培育院的荣耀。她品行完美——这是你们称呼她萨拉公主的原因。她邀请你们参加今天下午的庆祝会，以示亲善友好。我希望你们感谢她的慷慨。为了表示谢意，我希望你们一起高声说：谢谢你，萨拉”
"These are books, I know," she said.
“这些是书，我知道”她说。
"Thank you, Sara!" it said, and it must be confessed that Lottie jumped up and down. Sara looked rather shy for a moment. She made a curtsy -- and it was a very nice one.
“谢谢你，萨拉”全体人员说，而必须指出的是洛蒂高兴得跳上跳下。萨拉一时显得有点害羞。她屈膝行了个礼——那是个非常出色的屈膝礼。
"Thank you," she said, "for coming to my party."
“谢谢你们来参加我的庆祝会”她说。
"Very pretty, indeed, Sara," approved Miss Minchin. "That is what a real princess does when the populace applauds her. Lavinia" -- scathingly -- "the sound you just made was extremely like a snort. If you are jealous of your fellow-pupil, I beg you will express your feelings in some more lady-like manner. Now I will leave you to enjoy yourselves."
“的确做得很漂亮，萨拉”铭钦女士赞许地说“这就是一位真正的公主当老百姓向她欢呼时所做的事。拉维尼娅” ——口气变得尖刻起来——“你刚才发出的声音极像哼鼻子声。如果你忌妒你的同学，我请求你用较像淑女的方式来表达你的感情。现在我要离开你们，你们自己玩儿吧”
The instant she had swept out of the room the spell her presence always had upon them was broken. The door had scarcely closed before every seat was empty. The little girls jumped or tumbled out of theirs; the older ones wasted no time in deserting theirs. There was a rush toward the boxes. Sara had bent over one of them with a delighted face.
她飞快地走出房间，刹那间她在场时总有的那种缠住她们的魔力就给打破了。门几乎还没关上，个个座位就都空了。小女孩们从她们的座位上跳离或翻滚下来，大女孩们也刻不容缓地离开她们的座位。大家都冲向那些礼品匣子。萨拉这时已笑容满面地俯身向着其中的一只匣子。
The little children broke into a rueful murmur, and Ermengarde looked aghast.
那些小一点的孩子发出一阵失望的营营声，而埃芒加德显得吃惊。
"She is almost as big as Lottie," someone gasped.
“她几乎像洛蒂一样大”有个孩子气喘吁吁地说。
"I like them," Sara laughed, but she turned to the biggest box. When she took out the Last Doll it was so magnificent that the children uttered delighted groans of joy, and actually drew back to gaze at it in breathless rapture.
“我喜欢它们”萨拉笑着说，但她转向那只最大的匣子。她取出“最后一个洋娃”，她真是精美绝伦，使孩子们发出一片欢乐的赞叹声，竟然围过来仔细端详，乐得气都喘不过来。
Lottie clapped her hands and danced about, giggling.
洛蒂拍着手，跳来蹦去，吃吃地笑着。
"Does your papa send you books for a birthday present?" she exclaimed. "Why, he's as bad as mine. Don't open them, Sara."
“你爸爸送书给你做生日礼物吗”她叫道“哼，他和我爸爸一样糟糕。别打开，萨拉”
"She's dressed for the theater," said Lavinia. "Her cloak is lined with ermine."
“她的装束是为了上戏院去的”拉维尼娅说“她的外套里子是用貂皮做的”
"Here is her trunk," said Sara. "Let us open it and look at her things."
“她的衣箱在这儿”萨拉说“我们来打开它看看她的东西”
"Oh," cried Ermengarde, darting forward, "she has an opera-glass in her hand -- a blue-and-gold one!"
“啊”埃芒加德窜上前来喊道“她手里拿着看戏用的望远镜― 是个蓝色镶金的”
She sat down upon the floor and turned the key. The children crowded clamoring around her, as she lifted tray after tray and revealed their contents. Never had the schoolroom been in such an uproar. There were lace collars and silk stockings and handkerchiefs; there was a jewel case containing a necklace and a tiara which looked quite as if they were made of real diamonds; there was a long sealskin and muff, there were ball dresses and walking dresses and visiting dresses; there were hats and tea gowns and fans. Even Lavinia and Jessie forgot that they were too elderly to care for dolls, and uttered exclamations of delight and caught up things to look at them.
萨拉在地板上坐下来，转动钥匙。孩子们挤在她的周围吵嚷，看她从箱中拿出一只只隔底盘，露出里面装的东西。教室里从来也没有这样喧嚣过。箱子里有花边饰领、长统丝袜和手帕；有一只首饰匣，其中装着一串项链和一个冠状的头饰，看起来很像是用真钻石缀成的；有一件海豹皮长大衣，带皮手筒；有不少参加舞会、出外散步和出客的服装；还有各种帽子、茶会服和扇子。甚至拉维尼娅和杰西也忘记了自己早已过了玩洋娃娃的年龄，高兴地大喊大叫，将这些东西拿起来细看。
"I know I am," answered Sara, undisturbedly. "I like it. There is nothing so nice as supposing. It's almost like being a fairy. If you suppose anything hard enough it seems as if it were real."
“我知道我是这样”萨拉不动声色地回答“我喜欢假设。没有什么能比假设更有意思的了。那简直就像是做神仙。如果你苦思冥想地假设什么事情，那它初以乎是真的了”
"Suppose," Sara said, as she stood by the table, putting a large, black-velvet hat on the impassively smiling owner of all these splendors -- "suppose she understands human talk and feels proud of being admired."
“假设”萨拉说，她站在桌旁，把一顶黑色天鹅绒大帽子戴在那位拥有这些华丽衣饰、脸上永远挂着凝固笑容的主人头上“假设她懂得人类的语言，会为受到仰慕而感到自豪”
"You are always supposing things," said Lavinia, and her air was very superior.
“你总是作假设”拉维尼娅说，态度十分高傲。
"It's all very well to suppose things if you have everything," said Lavinia. "Could you suppose and pretend if you were a beggar and lived in a garret?"
“倘若你什么都有了，那么作假设就敢情很好”拉维尼娅说“你要是个住在亭子间里的乞丐，还能假设和假装是什么吗”
"I BELIEVE I could," she said. "If one was a beggar, one would have to suppose and pretend all the time. But it mightn't be easy."
“我相信我能”她说“如果一个人是乞丐，他就不得不总是假设和假装。但可能不容易做到”
Sara stopped arranging the Last Doll's ostrich plumes, and looked thoughtful.
萨拉停止整理“最后的洋娃”的鸵鸟羽饰，显得若有所思。
She often thought afterward how strange it was that just as she had finished saying this -- just at that very moment -- Miss Amelia came into the room.
事后她常常想：多奇怪啊，就在她说完这句话的时候——偏巧就是在这一时刻——阿米莉亚小姐走进房来。
"Sara," she said, "your papa's solicitor, Mr. Barrow, has called to see Miss Minchin, and, as she must talk to him alone and the refreshments are laid in her parlor, you had all better come and have your feast now, so that my sister can have her interview here in the schoolroom."
“萨拉”她说“你爸爸的律师巴罗先生前来拜访铭钦女士，由于她必须单独同巴罗先生谈话，而且已在她的客厅中摆好了茶点，你们最好现在都去入席，这样我姐姐就能在这教室中接见她的客人”
Becky, who was not expected to partake of refreshments, had the indiscretion to linger a moment to look at these beauties -- it really was an indiscretion.
贝基当然不能指望去分享茶点，她居然轻率地逗留片刻，欣赏这些美丽的东西——这可的确是轻率之举啊。
Refreshments were not likely to be disdained at any hour, and many pairs of eyes gleamed. Miss Amelia arranged the procession into decorum, and then, with Sara at her side heading it, she led it away, leaving the Last Doll sitting upon a chair with the glories of her wardrobe scattered about her; dresses and coats hung upon chair backs, piles of lace-frilled petticoats lying upon their seats.
茶点是任何时候都不会被轻视的，于是一双双眼睛都发亮了。阿米莉亚小姐把队列排好，由萨拉在她旁边带着头，她领着大家离开，撇下“最后的洋娃”坐在一把椅子上，那一大套华丽服装散放在她的周围，各种礼服和外套挂在椅背上，一堆堆镶花边的衬裙躺在座位上。
Miss Minchin came into the room, accompanied by a sharp-featured, dry little gentleman, who looked rather disturbed. Miss Minchin herself also looked rather disturbed, it must be admitted, and she gazed at the dry little gentleman with an irritated and puzzled expression.
铭钦女士进人房间，伴随着的是一位小个子绅士，面部轮廓分明，皮肤干枯，神情看上去很不安。必须说明，铭钦女士本人也显得很不安，她注视着那位干枯瘦小的绅士，脸上一副着恼、困惑的表情。
"Go back to your work, Becky," Miss Amelia had said; but she had stopped to pick up reverently first a muff and then a coat, and while she stood looking at them adoringly, she heard Miss Minchin upon the threshold, and, being smitten with terror at the thought of being accused of taking liberties, she rashly darted under the table, which hid her by its tablecloth.
“回去干你的活儿，贝基”阿米莉亚小姐虽然已经喊过她了，可她还是留了下来，崇敬地先拣起一只皮手筒，随后拣起一件外套，正当她站着羡慕地欣赏时，听到铭钦女士已走到门槛那里，想到自己这样随便一定会遭受责骂，不禁害怕起来，情急中贸然钻到桌子底下，桌布遮蔽了她。
She sat down with stiff dignity, and waved him to a chair.
她端着架子僵硬地坐下来，挥挥手，指给他一把椅子。
"I beg your pardon, Mr. Barrow," she said stiffly. "I do not understand."
“请原谅，巴罗先生”她生硬地说“我不明白你的意思”
Mr. Barrow did not sit down at once. His attention seemed attracted by the Last Doll and the things which surrounded her. He settled his eyeglasses and looked at them in nervous disapproval. The Last Doll herself did not seem to mind this in the least. She merely sat upright and returned his gaze indifferently.
巴罗先生没有立即坐下。“最后的洋娃”以及她周围的衣物似乎吸引了他的注意力。他扶正眼镜，焦躁不满地看着它们。而“最后的洋娃”却似乎一点儿也不在乎。她只是直挺挺地坐在那里，漠然地回望着他的注视。
"Pray, be seated, Mr. Barrow," she said.
“请坐下吧，巴罗先生”她说。
"A hundred pounds," Mr. Barrow remarked succinctly. "All expensive material, and made at a Parisian modiste's. He spent money lavishly enough, that young man."
“一百英镑”巴罗先生直截了当地说“全都是昂贵的料子，还是在巴黎一家服装店里做的。他花钱实在是够挥霍的，那年轻人啊”
Miss Minchin felt offended. This seemed to be a disparagement of her best patron and was a liberty.
铭钦女士感到冒火。这话似乎是对她那最好顾主的毁谤，太放肆了。
Even solicitors had no right to take liberties.
即使律师也无权这样放肆啊。
Miss Minchin drew herself up still more rigidly.
铭钦女士挺起胸脯，身子更僵硬了。
"Birthday presents," said Mr. Barrow in the same critical manner, "to a child eleven years old! Mad extravagance, I call it."
“生日礼物”巴罗先生说，还是带着那样挑剔的态度“给一个十一岁的孩童！疯狂的奢侈，我这样认为”
"Captain Crewe is a man of fortune," she said. "The diamond mines alone --"
“克鲁上尉是个财主”她说“光是钻石矿一项
"What!" she cried. "What do you mean?"
“什么”她喊道“你这是什么意思”
"Any diamond mines?" ejaculated Miss Minchin, catching at the back of a chair and feeling as if a splendid dream was fading away from her.
“没有钻石矿”铭钦女士不禁喊道，抓住一把椅子的椅背，似乎感到一场美梦就要破灭了。
"At any rate," answered Mr. Barrow, quite snappishly, "it would have been much better if there never had been any."
“无论如何”巴罗先生十分暴躁地回答“要是从来也没有的话，情况怕要好得多”
Miss Minchin actually got up from her chair.
铭钦女士竟从椅子上一跃而起。
"Diamond mines spell ruin oftener than they spell wealth," said Mr. Barrow. "When a man is in the hands of a very dear friend and is not a businessman himself, he had better steer clear of the dear friend's diamond mines, or gold mines, or any other kind of mines dear friends want his money to put into. The late Captain Crewe --"
“钻石矿往往招来毁灭而不是财富”巴罗先生说“一个人若是落人一位很亲密的朋友手中，而自己又不是个实干家，那最好还是对那个亲密朋友要他投资的钻石矿，或者金矿，或其他任何矿远而避之。那已故的克鲁上尉——”
"He's dead, ma'am," Mr. Barrow answered with jerky brusqueness. "Died of jungle fever and business troubles combined. The jungle fever might not have killed him if he had not been driven mad by the business troubles, and the business troubles might not have put an end to him if the jungle fever had not assisted. Captain Crewe is dead!"
“他已经死了，夫人”巴罗先生磕磕巴巴地回答户语气简慢“因热带疟疾和事务上的烦恼两者交困而死。如果不是事务上的麻烦使他精神发狂的话，热带疟疾是不一定能害死他的。而事务上的麻烦也未必能殊的同情心。克鲁上尉死了”
"The LATE Captain Crewe!" she cried out. "The LATE! You don't come to tell me that Captain Crewe is --"
“已故的克鲁上尉”她喊道“已故的！你是不是来告诉我克鲁上尉已经——”
Mr. Barrow wheeled round upon her. "Diamond mines!" he broke out. "There are none! Never were!"
巴罗先生车转身子对着她“钻石矿”他突然叫道“一座也没有！从来就没有”
Here Miss Minchin stopped him with a gasp.
说到这儿，铭钦女士一声喘息打断了他的话。
"Lost every penny. That young man had too much money. The dear friend was mad on the subject of the diamond mine. He put all his own money into it, and all Captain Crewe's. Then the dear friend ran away -- Captain Crewe was already stricken with fever when the news came. The shock was too much for him. He died delirious, raving about his little girl -- and didn't leave a penny."
“一分一毫都没能留下。那年轻人有着太多的钱，然而那位亲密的朋友却让钻石矿迷失了理智，他投下了自己以及克鲁上尉的全部财产，事发之后这位亲密的朋友逃掉了——当这个消息传来的时候，热带疟疾已经感染了克鲁上尉。他无法承受这样的打击，他死于精神错乱，昏迷之中她一直呼喊着他的小女儿——却一分钱也没有留下。”
Miss Minchin dropped into her chair again. The words he had spoken filled her with alarm.
铭钦女士又一屁股坐到了椅子上，他所说的一切让她的内心充满了恐惧。
Now Miss Minchin understood, and never had she received such a blow in her life. Her show pupil, her show patron, swept away from the Select Seminary at one blow. She felt as if she had been outraged and robbed, and that Captain Crewe and Sara and Mr. Barrow were equally to blame.
此时铭钦女土明了了，这样的打击在她的一生之中还未曾经历过。在这—击之下那个可以供她炫耀的学生、那个可以供她炫耀的顾主，在这样一所高级的培育院中全部一扫而光了。她在感觉上似乎是遭遇了凌辱与抢劫，然而在这个诅咒当中毫无疑问地包含了克鲁上尉、萨拉以及巴罗先生。
"What WERE his business troubles?" she said. "What WERE they?"
“出了什么样的麻烦在他的事务上呀？”她说。“那是什么？”
"Diamond mines," answered Mr. Barrow, "and dear friends -- and ruin."
“钻石矿，”巴罗先生回答，“和他亲密的朋友——以及破产。”
Miss Minchin lost her breath.
铭钦女士几乎要窒息了。
"Do you mean to tell me," she cried out, "that he left NOTHING! That Sara will have no fortune! That the child is a beggar! That she is left on my hands a little pauper instead of an heiress?"
“你的意思是要对我说，”她喊道，“他没有留下任何的东西！萨拉将不会得到任何的财产！那孩子是一个穷困僚倒的家伙！她在我的手里只是一个小乞丐却不是女财产继承者？”
"Ruin!" she gasped out.
“破产！”她喘息着说。
"She is certainly left a beggar," he replied. "And she is certainly left on your hands, ma'am -- as she hasn't a relation in the world that we know of."
“她绝对是个穷困僚倒的家伙啦，”他答道，“而且可以肯定的是她还必须 留在你的手里，太太——要知道，在这个世上她是没有任何亲戚的了。”
Mr. Barrow was a shrewd businessman, and felt it as well to make his own freedom from responsibility quite clear without any delay.
巴罗先生绝对是一个精明的干实事的人，感觉到如今的上策是丝毫不迟疑地让自己利索地从所担负的责任中脱出身来。
"It is monstrous!" she said. "She's in my sitting room at this moment, dressed in silk gauze and lace petticoats, giving a party at my expense."
“荒唐至极！”她说。“此时此刻她居然正在我的客厅里，穿着绸罗纱和蕾丝花边裙，用我的钱开着生日宴会。”
Miss Minchin turned back from the door in increased indignation. This was worse than anyone could have dreamed of its being.
铭钦女士在房门口转过身，无比愤慨！她就连做梦也无法想像得到情况会是如此的恶劣。
Miss Minchin started forward. She looked as if she was going to open the door and rush out of the room to stop the festivities going on joyfully and rather noisily that moment over the refreshments.
铭钦女士跳起来向前跑去，那样子就好像是要打开房门冲出去阻止此刻正在进行着的欢快热烈的茶会活动。
"She's giving it at your expense, madam, if she's giving it," said Mr. Barrow, calmly. "Barrow & Skipworth are not responsible for anything. There never was a cleaner sweep made of a man's fortune. Captain Crewe died without paying OUR last bill -- and it was a big one."
“假如她正在开生日宴会，夫人，那绝对是你花钱，”巴罗先生冷静地说。“巴罗与斯基普沃思律师事务所于毫不相干，从不就没遇到过一个将导产如此彻底的分文不剩，克鲁上尉还不曾支付那笔最后的账单给我们就死去了——那可是很大的一笔钱哪！”
"That is what has happened to me!" she cried. "I was always so sure of his payments that I went to all sorts of ridiculous expenses for the child. I paid the bills for that ridiculous doll and her ridiculous fantastic wardrobe. The child was to have anything she wanted. She has a carriage and a pony and a maid, and I've paid for all of them since the last cheque came."
“这样的倒霉事儿都让我遇上了！”她喊着。“我一真如此坚信我在那个孩子身上的所有荒唐的费用他都会支付给我，我支付了所有包括买那个滑稽的洋娃娃以及她那一大堆荒诞古怪的服饰的账单。这孩子想要什么就会得到什么，她拥有一辆马车、一匹矮种马和一名女仆人，然而就在前一次捎来的银行支票以后，这一切全是由我先垫付着的。”
Mr. Barrow evidently did not intend to remain to listen to the story of Miss Minchin's grievances after he had made the position of his firm clear and related the mere dry facts. He did not feel any particular sympathy for irate keepers of boarding schools.
巴罗先生在陈述了那个纯粹的事件并且明确了他的事务所的所处的立场之后，显然对于铭钦女土那满腹的牢骚丝毫没有听下去的兴趣了，他的同情心并没有发挥到这个愤怒的寄宿学校经营者身上。
"There isn't anything to do," said Mr. Barrow, folding up his eyeglasses and slipping them into his pocket. "Captain Crewe is dead. The child is left a pauper. Nobody is responsible for her but you."
“没有什么可做的”巴罗先生说，折起眼镜，插进衣袋“克鲁上尉死了。那孩子成了穷光蛋。除了你无人对她负责”
"But what am I to do?" demanded Miss Minchin, as if she felt it entirely his duty to make the matter right. "What am I to do?"
“但是我该怎么办呢”铭钦女士质问道，好像认为挽回事态全是对方的责任“我该怎么办呢”
"You had better not pay for anything more, ma'am," he remarked, "unless you want to make presents to the young lady. No one will remember you. She hasn't a brass farthing to call her own."
“你现在最明智的做法就是不要再为她花钱了，夫人，”他说，“除非你愿意把那些当成礼物送给那位小姐，不过酬谢你是得不到的，她现在可是身无分文了。”
"I am not responsible for her, and I refuse to be made responsible!"
“我不应对她负责，我拒绝接受”
"I have nothing to do with that, madam," he said un-interestedly. "Barrow & Skipworth are not responsible. Very sorry the thing has happened, of course."
“我与此事毫无关系，夫人”他冷淡地说“巴罗与斯基普沃思律师事务所对此一无责任。当然，很遗憾，事情已经发生了”
Mr. Barrow undisturbedly moved toward the door.
巴罗先生不动声色地向房门走去。
Miss Minchin became quite white with rage.
铭钦女士气得脸都白了。
"If you think she is to be foisted off on me, you are greatly mistaken," Miss Minchin gasped. "I have been robbed and cheated; I will turn her into the street!"
“如果你想把她硬塞给我，那就大错特错”铭钦女士上气不接下气地说。“我已经被欺骗、被抢劫，我要把她赶到街上去”
If she had not been so furious, she would have been too discreet to say quite so much. She saw herself burdened with an extravagantly brought-up child whom she had always resented, and she lost all self-control.
如果她不是那么暴跳如雷，深谋远虑的她是不会说那么多话的。发现这个自己一向怨恨的娇生惯养的孩子成了她的沉重负担，她全然失去了自制。
Mr. Barrow turned to go.
巴罗先生转身要走。
"I wouldn't do that, madam," he commented; "it wouldn't look well. Unpleasant story to get about in connection with the establishment. Pupil bundled out penniless and without friends."
“我可不会那么做，夫人”他发表见解道“看上去不好。流言蜚语有关学校名声。学生被赶出校门，身无分文也无朋友”
He was a clever business man, and he knew what he was saying. He also knew that Miss Minchin was a business woman, and would be shrewd enough to see the truth. She could not afford to do a thing which would make people speak of her as cruel and hard-hearted.
他是个精明的实干家，知道自己该说什么。他知道铭钦女士也是个实干家，足够精明，会看清事实的真相的。她犯不着做出让别人说她残酷、铁石心肠的事来。
"I will get a good deal out of her before she grows older!" exclaimed Miss Minchin.
“不等她长大一些，我就要从她身上得到很多好处”铭钦女士喊道。
"Better keep her and make use of her," he added. "She's a clever child, I believe. You can get a good deal out of her as she grows older."
“最好还是留下她，利用她”他接着又说“她是个聪明孩子，我相信。等她长大一些，你能从她身上得到很多好处”
He bowed himself out and closed the door, and it must be confessed that Miss Minchin stood for a few moments and glared at it. What he had said was quite true. She knew it. She had absolutely no redress. Her show pupil had melted into nothingness, leaving only a friendless, beggared little girl. Such money as she herself had advanced was lost and could not be regained.
他鞠着躬退出去，关上了门。必须指出，铭钦女士瞪视着门站了好几分钟。他刚才说的都是实话。她明白这一点。绝对没有什么补救的办法。她的可供炫耀的学生已化为乌有，剩下的仅仅是个无依无靠而不名一文的小丫头。她本人预先垫付的钱全都失去了，不可能收回来。
"I am sure you will, ma'am," said Mr. Barrow, with a little sinister smile. "I am sure you will. Good morning!"
“我相信你会这样做的，夫人”巴罗先生说，露出一丝阴险的笑容“我相信你会的。再见”
And as she stood there breathless under her sense of injury, there fell upon her ears a burst of gay voices from her own sacred room, which had actually been given up to the feast. She could at least stop this.
她气喘吁吁地站在那里，觉得受了伤害，此时一阵欢乐的说笑声从她自己那间神圣不可侵犯的房间，也就是让出来开庆祝会的那一间，突然传人她耳中。她至少还能立即终止这个庆祝会。
But as she started toward the door it was opened by Miss Amelia, who, when she caught sight of the changed, angry face, fell back a step in alarm.
但是当她向房门走去时，阿米莉亚小姐推门进来了，看到她那张因愤怒而变形的脸，吃惊地倒退了一步。
Miss Minchin wasted no words.
铭钦女士不和她多费口舌。
Miss Amelia was bewildered.
阿米莉亚小姐迷惑不解。
Miss Amelia began to turn pale.
阿米莉亚小姐的脸色开始变白。
"Has she a black frock in her sumptuous wardrobe?" -- in bitter irony.
“她不是有一件黑色的连衣裙在她那只豪华的衣橱里吗”—— 是尖刻的嘲弄口气。
"Sara!" she stammered. "Why, she's with the children in your room, of course."
“萨拉”她支吾着“怎么，她和孩子们当然是在你的房间里啊”
Then Miss Amelia began to wring her fat hands and cry.
于是阿米莉亚小姐开始扭绞自己的胖手，哭泣起来。
"A black frock?" Miss Amelia stammered again. "A BLACK one?"
“黑色的连衣裙”阿米莉亚小姐又支吾起来“一件黑色的”
"No -- ye-es!" she said. "But it is too short for her. She has only the old black velvet, and she has outgrown it."
“没有——有——有”她说“但是她穿太短了。她只有那件黑色天鹅绒的，现在长大了，已穿不下了”
"Go and tell her to take off that preposterous pink silk gauze, and put the black one on, whether it is too short or not. She has done with finery!"
“去，告诉她脱掉那件荒唐的粉红丝质罗纱的，穿上那件黑的，管它太长还是太短。她别想再赶时髦了”
Miss Amelia sat down quite heavily in the nearest chair.
阿米莉亚小姐沉重地在就近的一把椅子上坐下来。
Miss Minchin's voice was almost fierce when she answered:
铭钦女士回答的声调几乎是恶狠狠的：
"Oh, sister!" she sniffed. "Oh, sister! What CAN have happened?"
“唉，姐姐”她抽噎着“唉，姐姐！到底出了什么事啦”
"She has frocks of every other color. Has she a black one?"
“她什么其他颜色的都有。不是有件黑的吗”
"Where is Sara Crewe?"
“萨拉·克鲁在哪里”
"Captain Crewe is dead," she said. "He has died without a penny. That spoiled, pampered, fanciful child is left a pauper on my hands."
“克鲁上尉死了”她说“死后未留分文。那个宠坏了的、娇生惯养的、爱胡思乱想的孩子成了个穷光蛋落在我手里啦”
"What IS the matter, sister?" she ejaculated.
“出了什么事，姐姐”阿米莉亚小姐诧异地叫道。
"This moment!" was the fierce answer. "Don't sit staring like a goose. Go!"
“立刻就去”对方恶狠狠地回答“别像只母鹅似地坐着干瞪眼。去”
"Hundreds of pounds have I spent on nonsense for her. And I shall never see a penny of it. Put a stop to this ridiculous party of hers. Go and make her change her frock at once."
“为了她，我毫无意义地用掉了好几百英镑。而我一文钱也拿不回来了。立刻停止她那个荒唐的庆祝会。赶快让她换掉穿着的那件连衣裙”
"I?" panted Miss Amelia. 'M-must I go and tell her now?"
“我”阿米莉亚喘着气说“我——我现在必须去告诉她吗”
She rubbed her eyes with her handkerchief until they looked quite red. After which she got up and went out of the room, without venturing to say another word. When her older sister looked and spoke as she had done just now, the wisest course to pursue was to obey orders without any comment. Miss Minchin walked across the room. She spoke to herself aloud without knowing that she was doing it. During the last year the story of the diamond mines had suggested all sorts of possibilities to her. Even proprietors of seminaries might make fortunes in stocks, with the aid of owners of mines. And now, instead of looking forward to gains, she was left to look back upon losses.
她用手帕擦着眼睛，弄得眼睛很红。随后她起身走出房间，不敢再说一句话。当她姐姐像刚才那样讲话的时候，最明智的对待办法就是不吭一声地服从命令。铭钦女士走到房间的另一头。她出声地自言自语着，并不不知道自己在做什么。去年的关于钻石矿的传闻提醒她考虑各式各样的可能性。甚至培育院的主人也可能尽股票上发财，只要矿主肯帮忙就行，而现在非但不能指望发财，她却要回头看看所遭受的损失了。
Poor Miss Amelia was accustomed to being called a goose. She knew, in fact, that she was rather a goose, and that it was left to geese to do a great many disagreeable things. It was a somewhat embarrassing thing to go into the midst of a room full of delighted children, and tell the giver of the feast that she had suddenly been transformed into a little beggar, and must go upstairs and put on an old black frock which was too small for her. But the thing must be done. This was evidently not the time when questions might be asked.
可怜的阿米莉亚小姐已习惯于被叫做母鹅①。她知道，实际上自己正是只母鹅，而干大量的倒霉事正是母鹅的份儿。若是走进那坐满愉快的儿童的屋子，告诉庆宴的主人她已突然间沦为一个小穷光蛋，并必须上楼去穿上一件又旧又小的黑色连衣裙，实在是件有点尴尬的事情。但是这事是必须去做的。现在显然不是可以提出疑问的时候。【注：① 按该词可意“傻瓜、笨”。】
"What is that!" she exclaimed angrily. The loud, sobbing sniff was heard again, and she stooped and raised the hanging folds of the table cover.
“是谁呀”她愤怒地喝道，又听到那响亮的呜咽抽噎声，她弯身揭起垂下的桌布。
"The Princess Sara, indeed!" she said. "The child has been pampered as if she were a QUEEN."
“萨拉公主，说得倒好”她说“这孩子被娇惯得就像真是位女王啦”
It was poor Becky who crawled out, and her cap was knocked on one side, and her face was red with repressed crying.
那是可怜的贝基，她爬了出来，帽子被碰歪，脸色通红，压抑着哭泣。
"How DARE you!" she cried out. "How dare you! Come out immediately!"
“你好大胆”她喊道“你怎么敢！快快出来”
She was sweeping angrily past the corner table as she said it, and the next moment she started at the sound of a loud, sobbing sniff which issued from under the cover.
她说着，怒冲冲地身子擦过屋角的桌子，猛地听瓢桌布下面发出响亮的呜咽抽噎声，不禁吃了一惊。
"If you please, 'm -- it's me, mum," she explained. "I know I hadn't ought to. But I was lookin' at the doll, mum -- an' I was frightened when you come in -- an' slipped under the table."
“对不起，太太——是我，太太”她解释着“我知道不该这样，可是我正在看洋娃娃，太太——你进来时把我吓坏了——就钻到桌子底下去了”
"You have been there all the time, listening," said Miss Minchin.
“你一直呆在那里听着”铭钦女士说。
"No, mum," Becky protested, bobbing curtsies. "Not listenin'-- I thought I could slip out without your noticin', but I couldn't an' I had to stay. But I didn't listen, mum -- I wouldn't for nothin'. But I couldn't help hearin'."
“不，太太”贝基辩解着，连连屈膝行礼“没有听——我想我能乘你不注意悄悄溜出去，但是我没能出去，不得不留下来。但我没听，太太——我不想听什么。可是不免听到了”
"Leave the room!" ordered Miss Minchin.
“离开这个房间”铭钦下命令了。
Suddenly it seemed almost as if she lost all fear of the awful lady before her. She burst into fresh tears.
突然间她好像一点都不害怕面前这位可畏的夫人，竟又放声大哭起来。
Becky curtsied again, the tears openly streaming down her cheeks.
贝基再次行礼，眼泪毫无顾忌地沿着双颊淌下。
"Oh, please, 'm," she said; "I dare say you'll give me warnin, mum -- but I'm so sorry for poor Miss Sara -- I'm so sorry!"
“啊，对不起，太太”她说“我敢说你就要辞退我太太，但我是多么为可怜的萨拉小姐难过——我多难过啊”
"Yes, 'm; I will, 'm," she said, trembling; "but oh, I just wanted to arst you: Miss Sara -- she's been such a rich young lady, an' she's been waited on, 'and and foot; an' what will she do now, mum, without no maid? If -- if, oh please, would you let me wait on her after I've done my pots an' kettles? I'd do 'em that quick -- if you'd let me wait on her now she's poor. Oh," breaking out afresh, "poor little Miss Sara, mum -- that was called a princess."
“是，太太，我就走，太太”她说，身子颤抖着“但是，哦，我只想问问你：萨拉小姐——她一直是位阔小姐，有人周到地侍候着，现在该怎么办呢，太太，连一个女仆都没有？如果——啊，求求你，你肯让我洗完盆盆罐罐以后去侍候她吗？我会把事做得很快——如果你肯让我去侍候她，现在她成穷光蛋了。唉”贝基又哭起来了“可怜的萨拉小姐，太太——她原来是被称为公主的啊”
Somehow, she made Miss Minchin feel more angry than ever. That the very scullery maid should range herself on the side of this child -- whom she realized more fully than ever that she had never liked -- was too much. She actually stamped her foot.
不知怎地，她使铭钦女士更加愤怒了。这么一个厨房丫头，居然也站在她比以前更彻底明白自己从不喜爱的那孩子一边，实在是难以容忍。她竟气得跺起脚来。
"It's exactly like the ones in the stories," she wailed. "Them pore princess ones that was drove into the world."
“完全像那些故事中的公主”她痛哭着“这些可怜的公主，一个个被赶到这世界上”
Miss Minchin had never looked quite so still and hard as she did when Sara came to her, a few hours later, in response to a message she had sent her.
几小时后，萨拉接到了铭钦女士的传话，来到她的面前，只见她的表情十分冷淡严峻，这是从未有过的。
Becky threw her apron over her head and fled. She ran out of the room and down the steps into the scullery, and there she sat down among her pots and kettles, and wept as if her heart would break.
贝基把围裙抛到头顶上，拔脚逃走。她奔出房间，跑下台阶，进人厨房洗碗间，在她的盆盆罐罐中间坐下来，哭得好像心都要碎了。
"No -- certainly not," she said. "She will wait on herself, and on other people, too. Leave the room this instant, or you'll leave your place."
“不行——当然不行”她说“她会侍候自己的，而且还得侍候别人。你马上离开房间，不然就要辞退你了”
Even by that time it seemed to Sara as if the birthday party had either been a dream or a thing which had happened years ago, and had happened in the life of quite another little girl.
甚至直到此时，对萨拉来说，好像那生日庆祝会不是梦，就是一桩几年前就发生过的事，并且像是发生在全然不同的另一个小姑娘生活中似的。
Every sign of the festivities had been swept away; the holly had been removed from the schoolroom walls, and the forms and desks put back into their places. Miss Minchin's sitting room looked as it always did -- all traces of the feast were gone, and Miss Minchin had resumed her usual dress. The pupils had been ordered to lay aside their party frocks; and this having been done, they had returned to the schoolroom and huddled together in groups, whispering and talking excitedly.
庆祝会的所有迹象已被一扫而光；冬青枝从教室的墙上被拿掉了，长凳和书桌也放回到原来的位置。铭钦女士的起坐间恢复了老样子― 庆宴的所有痕逆都不见了，铭钦女士又穿上了她平常的服装，命令学生们也把她们开会时穿的连衣裙收拾起来。做好这些事情以后，她们回到教室里，三五成群地聚在一起，交头接耳，谈得十分激动。
Nobody but Sara herself ever knew what had happened in her room after she had run upstairs and locked her door. In fact, she herself scarcely remembered anything but that she walked up and down, saying over and over again to herself in a voice which did not seem her own, "My papa is dead! My papa is dead!"
除了萨拉自己，没人知道她跑上楼锁上门后她房间里发生了什么事。实际上她自己也几乎记不得什么了，只记得自己走来走去，一遍遍地自言自语着，那声音不像是她自己的“我爸爸死了！我爸爸死了”
"Sister," replied Miss Amelia, "she is the strangest child I ever saw. She has actually made no fuss at all. You remember she made none when Captain Crewe went back to India. When I told her what had happened, she just stood quite still and looked at me without making a sound. Her eyes seemed to get bigger and bigger, and she went quite pale. When I had finished, she still stood staring for a few seconds, and then her chin began to shake, and she turned round and ran out of the room and upstairs. Several of the other children began to cry, but she did not seem to hear them or to be alive to anything but just what I was saying. It made me feel quite queer not to be answered; and when you tell anything sudden and strange, you expect people will say SOMETHING- whatever it is."
“姐姐”阿米莉亚回答“她是我见过的最奇特的孩子。她居然一点也没哭闹。你还记得吗，克鲁上尉回印度时她就没哭闹过。我告诉她发生了什么事，她仅仅一动不动地站在那儿看着我，一声不吭。她眼睛睁得越来越大，脸色变得十分苍白。等我讲完了，她还是站着呆望了几秒钟，下巴颊开始颤动，她转身奔出房间，上了楼。其他孩子中有几个开始哭了，可是她似乎没听见，除了我刚才所说的话她对什么都没反应。使我感到很奇怪的是她不回答我的话，按理当你说出任何突发的怪事时，总料想对方会讲点儿什么——不论到底什么吧”
"Tell Sara to come to my room," Miss Minchin had said to her sister. "And explain to her clearly that I will have no crying or unpleasant scenes."
“叫萨拉到我房间里来”铭钦女士对她妹妹说“并向她讲清楚，我可不要听她哭，或看到什么不愉快的情景”
Once she stopped before Emily, who sat watching her from her chair, and cried out wildly, "Emily! Do you hear? Do you hear -- papa is dead? He is dead in India -- thousands of miles away."
有一回她在埃米莉面前停下来——埃米莉正坐在椅子上望着她——就任性地喊道“埃米莉！你听见吗？你听见——爸爸已死了吗？她死在印度——几千英里以外”
When she came into Miss Minchin's sitting room in answer to her summons, her face was white and her eyes had dark rings around them. Her mouth was set as if she did not wish it to reveal what she had suffered and was suffering. She did not look in the least like the rose-colored butterfly child who had flown about from one of her treasures to the other in the decorated schoolroom. She looked instead a strange, desolate, almost grotesque little figure.
当萨拉被召唤到铭钦女士的起坐间时，她脸色苍白，眼睛周围有了黑圈，嘴紧闭着，好像不愿让它泄露她已经承受并正在承受的痛苦。她看上去丝毫也不像那位玫瑰色的蝴蝶姑娘了，在五彩缤纷的教室里从她的这件珍宝飞向那件珍宝，倒像是个陌生、凄凉而有点怪模怪样的小人儿。
She had put on, without Mariette's help, the cast-aside black-velvet frock. It was too short and tight, and her slender legs looked long and thin, showing themselves from beneath the brief skirt. As she had not found a piece of black ribbon, her short, thick, black hair tumbled loosely about her face and contrasted strongly with its pallor. She held Emily tightly in one arm, and Emily was swathed in a piece of black material.
她不用马里耶特帮助，穿上了那件早被弃在一边的黑色天鹅绒连衣裙。它太短太紧，两条纤细的腿儿露出在过短的裙据下面，显得又长又瘦。因为没有找到一条黑发带，她浓密的黑发松散地垂在脸旁，和苍白的脸色形成鲜明的对比。一只手臂紧紧搂着埃米莉，而埃米莉身上裹着一块黑色的料子。
"No," Sara answered. "I will not put her down. She is all I have. My papa gave her to me."
“不”萨拉回答“我不愿把她放下。她是我仅有的一切了。我爸爸把她给了我”
"Put down your doll," said Miss Minchin. "What do you mean by bringing her here?"
“放下你的洋娃娃”铭钦女士说“你把它带到这里来是什么意思”
She had always made Miss Minchin feel secretly uncomfortable, and she did so now. She did not speak with rudeness so much as with a cold steadiness with which Miss Minchin felt it difficult to cope -- perhaps because she knew she was doing a heartless and inhuman thing.
她常使铭钦女士隐隐地感到不痛快，现在又是如此。她没有粗暴地讲话，至多带着冷漠的固执，这使铭钦女士感到难以对付——也许是因为她明知道自己正在做一桩残酷野蛮的事。
"Yes," answered Sara. "My papa is dead. He left me no money. I am quite poor."
“是的”萨拉回答“我爸爸死了。他没有给我留下钱。我是十分贫穷的”
"You are a beggar," said Miss Minchin, her temper rising at the recollection of what all this meant. "It appears that you have no relations and no home, and no one to take care of you."
“你是个穷光蛋”铭钦女士说，想到其中的全部含义，她的脾气就上来了“看来你没有亲戚也没有家，没人来照料你”
Sara kept her big, strange eyes fixed on her, and said not a word.
萨拉圆睁着奇特的大眼睛继续盯着她，一句话也没说。
"Everything will be very different now," Miss Minchin went on. "I suppose Miss Amelia has explained matters to you."
“现在，样样事情都大不相同了”铭钦女士继续说“我想阿米莉亚已经向你讲明情况了”
"You will have no time for dolls in future," she said. "You will have to work and improve yourself and make yourself useful."
“今后你没时间玩洋娃娃了”她说“你必须干活，必须改进你自己，使自己成为一个有用的人”
"I understand," answered Sara, in a low tone; and there was a sound as if she had gulped down something which rose in her throat. "I understand."
“我懂了”萨拉回答，音调很低，还有一种声音，像是她咽下了从喉咙里涌上来的什么东西“我懂了”
"What are you staring at?" demanded Miss Minchin, sharply. "Are you so stupid that you cannot understand? I tell you that you are quite alone in the world, and have no one to do anything for you, unless I choose to keep you here out of charity."
“你在盯着看什么”铭钦女士厉声责问“难道你就蠢得连话都听不懂了？我告诉你，你在这世界上是十分孤独的，没有人会为你做什么，除非我出于慈善心肠把你留下来”
For a moment the thin, pale little face twitched, but Sara again said nothing.
片刻之间，那瘦削苍白的小脸蛋抽搐着，可是她仍没说什么。
"That doll," cried Miss Minchin, pointing to the splendid birthday gift seated near -- "that ridiculous doll, with all her nonsensical, extravagant things -- I actually paid the bill for her!"
“那个洋娃娃”铭钦女士喊道，指着那个安坐在近处的光彩夺目的生日礼物——“那个可笑的洋娃娃，还有她那一大套荒唐的奢侈品——我居然为她付了账单”
Sara turned her head toward the chair.
萨拉向椅子这边转过头来。
"Please take it away from me, then," said Sara. "I do not want it."
“那么，请你把她从我手边拿走”萨拉说“我不要她”
"The Last Doll," she said. "The Last Doll." And her little mournful voice had an odd sound.
“最后一个洋娃娃”她说“最后一个洋娃娃”她哀伤的语音里包含着一种奇特的声音。
"The Last Doll, indeed!" said Miss Minchin. "And she is mine, not yours. Everything you own is mine."
“最后一个洋娃娃，真是的”铭钦女士说“可那是我的，不是你的。你所有的东西都是我的”
If she had cried and sobbed and seemed frightened, Miss Minchin might almost have had more patience with her. She was a woman who liked to domineer and feel her power, and as she looked at Sara's pale little steadfast face and heard her proud little voice, she quite felt as if her might was being set at naught.
如果她刚才曾掉泪呜咽并且显出害怕的样子，铭钦女士对她还可能有较大的耐心。她是个喜欢驾驭别人并作威作福的女人，当她望着萨拉那苍白、坚定的小脸，听到那高傲的小嗓音时，强烈地感到她的威风似乎遭到了蔑视。
To her surprise, a faint gleam of light came into the child's eyes -- a shade of relief.
使她感到惊异的是，这孩子的眼睛里闪出一丝淡淡的亮光——带着点儿宽慰的意味
"You can do anything you are told," was the answer. "You are a sharp child, and pick up things readily. If you make yourself useful I may let you stay here. You speak French well, and you can help with the younger children."
“你可以做凡是吩咐你做的事”这就是回答“你是个机灵的孩子，学会干活很便当。如果你能派用场，我可以让你在这儿留下。你法语说得不错，可以帮助那些小点儿的孩子”
"Can I work?" she said. "If I can work it will not matter so much. What can I do?"
“我可以干活吗”她说“如果我可以干活那就不太要紧了。我能做什么”
"May I?" exclaimed Sara. "Oh, please let me! I know I can teach them. I like them, and they like me."
“我可以吗”萨拉惊呼道“啊，请允许我吧！我知道我能教她们。我喜欢她们，她们也喜欢我”
"Don't put on grand airs," she said. "The time for that sort of thing is past. You are not a princess any longer. Your carriage and your pony will be sent away -- your maid will be dismissed. You will wear your oldest and plainest clothes -- your extravagant ones are no longer suited to your station. You are like Becky -- you must work for your living."
“不要神气活现了”她说“这样做的时候已经过去了。你不再是一位公主。你的马车和矮种马将被打发走——你的女仆也要被解雇。你将穿上你最破旧、最普通的衣服——你的豪华服装不再适合你的身分了。你就像贝基一样——必须干活挣饭吃”
"Don't talk nonsense about people liking you," said Miss Minchin. "You will have to do more than teach the little ones. You will run errands and help in the kitchen as well as in the schoolroom. If you don't please me, you will be sent away. Remember that. Now go."
“不要胡扯什么谁喜欢你”铭钦女士说“你必须做更多的事情，不仅是教那些小家伙。你要跑腿儿听使唤，下厨房帮工，并打扫教室。如果你不能使我满意，就要被打发走。记住了。现在你走吧”
Sara paused, and all the deep, strange thoughts surged up in her breast.
萨拉站住了，所有那些深藏的奇异的念头都涌上心头。
"For my kindness to you," replied Miss Minchin. "For my kindness in giving you a home."
“为了我对你的慈悲”铭钦女士回答“为了我仁慈地给了你一个家”
Sara stood still just a moment, looking at her. In her young soul, she was thinking deep and strange things. Then she turned to leave the room.
萨拉看着她，静立了片刻。她幼小的心灵中正想着深藏的一些奇异的念头。随后她转身要离开房间。
"What for?" she said.
“为了什么”她说。
Sara made two or three steps toward her. Her thin little chest heaved up and down, and she spoke in a strange un-childishly fierce way.
萨拉向她迈了两三步。．她瘦小的胸膛上下起伏着，用一种奇异的、脱尽稚气的严厉口吻说：
"Stop!" said Miss Minchin. "Don't you intend to thank me?"
“站住”铭钦女士说“你不想谢谢我吗”
She went up the stairs slowly, but panting for breath and she held Emily tightly against her side.
萨拉慢慢地走上楼去，可是还喘着气，一臂紧搂着埃米莉。
"I wish she could talk," she said to herself. "If she could speak -- if she could speak!"
“但愿她能讲话”她自言自语“如果她能讲话多好——如果她能讲话多好”
"You are not kind," she said. "You are NOT kind, and it is NOT a home." And she had turned and run out of the room before Miss Minchin could stop her or do anything but stare after her with stony anger.
“你并不慈悲。你并不慈悲，这儿也不是什么家”说完她就转身奔出房间，铭钦女士来不及叫她站住或采取什么行动，只能愤怒地瞪着她的背影。
She meant to go to her room and lie down on the tiger-skin, with her cheek upon the great cat's head, and look into the fire and think and think and think. But just before she reached the landing Miss Amelia came out of the door and closed it behind her, and stood before it, looking nervous and awkward. The truth was that she felt secretly ashamed of the thing she had been ordered to do.
她想到她房里去躺在那张虎皮上，把面颊贴着那只大猫的头，望着炉火思量，思量，思量！但是她刚走到楼梯平台的地方，阿米莉亚小姐从门里出来，反手关上了门，站在门前，看上去又紧张又尴尬。实际上她对于被命令去干的事暗暗感到羞愧。
Somehow, all at once, Sara understood. She realized that this was the beginning of the change Miss Minchin had spoken of.
不知怎地，萨拉一下子明白了。她意识到这就是铭钦女士讲过的变化开始了。
"You -- you are not to go in there," she said.
“你——你不要进房去”她说。
"That is not your room now," Miss Amelia answered, reddening a little.
“现在，那已不是你的房间了”阿米莉亚小姐回答，脸有点儿发红。
"You are to sleep in the attic next to Becky."
“你得睡到阁楼里，挨着贝基的那一间”
"Not go in?" exclaimed Sara, and she fell back a pace.
“不要进去”萨拉大声说，倒退了一步。
"Where is my room?" she asked, hoping very much that her voice did not shake.
“我的房间在哪里”她问道，希望自己的声音千万不要发抖。
Sara knew where it was. Becky had told her about it. She turned, and mounted up two flights of stairs. The last one was narrow, and covered with shabby strips of old carpet. She felt as if she were walking away and leaving far behind her the world in which that other child, who no longer seemed herself, had lived. This child, in her short, tight old frock, climbing the stairs to the attic, was quite a different creature.
萨拉知道它在哪儿。贝基向她讲起过那地方。她调转方向，登上两段楼梯。后一段楼梯很窄，铺着破成一结络的旧地毯。她感到好像正从这个世界中走开，把另一个孩子生活过的世界远远抛在身后，而那另一个孩子不再是她本人了。眼前的这个孩子穿着又短又紧的旧连衣裙，正向着阁楼攀登，已完全换了一个人了。
Yes, this was another world. The room had a slanting roof and was whitewashed. The whitewash was dingy and had fallen off in places. There was a rusty grate, an old iron bedstead, and a hard bed covered with a faded coverlet. Some pieces of furniture too much worn to be used downstairs had been sent up. Under the skylight in the roof, which showed nothing but an oblong piece of dull gray sky, there stood an old battered red footstool. Sara went to it and sat down. She seldom cried. She did not cry now. She laid Emily across her knees and put her face down upon her and her arms around her, and sat there, her little black head resting on the black draperies, not saying one word, not making one sound.
是的，这是另一个世界。这房间的天花板是倾斜的，虽然涂过石灰水，但很脏，有些地方灰泥已经掉落了。有一个生了锈的壁炉，一副旧的铁床架，硬床板上铺着一条褪了色的床罩。几件家具是由于破得不堪在楼下使用才被送上来的。从屋顶天窗看出去，除了一长条暗灰色的天空外什么也看不到，而天窗下搁着一个破旧的红漆脚凳。萨拉向它走过去，坐下来。她难得哭泣。这时也没哭。她把埃米莉横放在双膝上，低头用脸偎着她，用胳膊搂着她，就这样坐着，一头黑发靠在黑色的窗帘上，一言不发，一声不吭。
When she reached the attic door and opened it, her heart gave a dreary little thump. Then she shut the door and stood against it and looked about her.
她到达阁楼门口打开门时，忧伤得不由心中悸动了一下。随后她关上门，靠在门上巡视着周围。
And as she sat in this silence there came a low tap at the door -- such a low, humble one that she did not at first hear it, and, indeed, was not roused until the door was timidly pushed open and a poor tear-smeared face appeared peeping round it. It was Becky's face, and Becky had been crying furtively for hours and rubbing her eyes with her kitchen apron until she looked strange indeed.
她这样坐着、沉浸在宁静之中时，门上传来一下轻轻的敲门声― 这样轻微恭顺的敲门声，起初她都没听到，确实要等到门被小心翼翼地推开、露出一张可怜兮兮的泪水模糊的脸在窥视着时才警觉起来。那是贝基的脸，而贝基已暗自哭了几个小时，一直用她的厨房围裙擦眼睛，弄得看上去人都变样了。
Becky ran to her and caught her hand, and hugged it to her breast, kneeling beside her and sobbing with love and pain.
贝基朝她奔过来，抓住她的手，把它搂在自己的胸前，在她身旁跪下来，又是爱怜又是痛苦地抽泣着。
"Oh, miss," she said under her breath. "Might I -- would you allow me -- jest to come in?"
“哦，小姐”她悄悄地说“我可以——你允许我——只是进来一下吗”
Sara lifted her head and looked at her. She tried to begin a smile, and somehow she could not. Suddenly -- and it was all through the loving mournfulness of Becky's streaming eyes -- her face looked more like a child's not so much too old for her years. She held out her hand and gave a little sob.
萨拉抬起头来看着她，试着笑一笑，但不知为什么竟笑不起来。突然间——这都是由于看到贝基泪眼中流露出的带着怜爱的哀伤——她的脸庞恢复了孩子气，而不再显得和她的年龄不相称了。她向贝基伸出手去，轻轻地硬咽了一声。
"Yes, miss, you are," she cried, and her words were all broken. "Whats'ever 'appens to you -- whats'ever -- you'd be a princess all the same -- an' nothin' couldn't make you nothin' different."
“是公主，小姐，你是的”她不连贯地喊道“无论你遭到什么事——无论什么事——你仍是一位公主——什么都不能改变你，使你有什么不同”
"Oh, Becky," she said. "I told you we were just the same -- only two little girls -- just two little girls. You see how true it is. There's no difference now. I'm not a princess anymore."
“哦，贝基”她说“我早告诉你我们是完全相同的——无非是两个小姑娘——恰恰是一对小姑娘。你明白这是多么真实啊。现在毫无差别了。我不再是公主了”