INSPECTOR HORNBERG VISITS A SCHOOL
The classroom was very quiet. Outside, the leafless trees were white with the first snowfall. But not one pair of eyes strayed from the history books which twenty-five little girls were studying so earnestly.
This was the year 1877, and the school was in Warsaw, Poland. A large part of Poland had been conquered by Russia. The Russian Tsar would not allow Polish children to study the history of their own country or even their own language. But here the teacher and her pupils were doing just that, although the Russians had spies everywhere in Warsaw.
Among the children was Manya Sklodovska. She was a very bright pupil. She was deep in the book she was reading. Suddenly there came the faint sound of a bell. Manya listened fearfully. Was it the signal? Yes! Two long rings, two short rings.
Every head came up. Quick hands grabbed all the Polish history books off the desks, and hid them away. The girls swiftly took sewing materials from their desks. They began to embroider little squares of cloth.
The outer door opened. There stood Inspector Hornberg.
Hornberg had been put in charge by the Russians of the private schools of Warsaw. He was a heavy man in a tight-fitting yellow and blue uniform. With him was Mademoiselle Sikorska, the head of the school.
"We have two sewing classes a week, Mr. Inspector," explained Mademoiselle Tupalska, the teacher. "I read to the children while they work."
"And what have you been reading to your pupils, Mademoiselle?" Inspector Hornberg demanded.
She held up the book. "Russian fairy tales," she said.
The inspector gave a grunt of approval. "Now," he said, "I should like to question one of your pupils."
"Manya Sklodovska, please stand up," the teacher said quietly.
Manya rose from her seat without a word, trying not to tremble.
"Recite the Lord's Prayer - in Russian," Inspector Hornberg ordered.
Manya recited the prayer in a low voice, careful not to show her feelings.
"Now name the members of the Imperial Russian Family."
Manya gave the names.
"Now tell me," Hornberg demanded, "who is our ruler?"
Manya's face went pale. She opened her mouth, but the words would not come.
"So, my little Polish patriot, you do not wish to tell me who rules over us," the Russian inspector said. "Answer me!"
"His Majesty AlexanderⅡ, Tsar of All the Russias," she said. But her voice was trembling.
"That's more like it," Hornberg rose from his chair. "Now Mademoiselle Sikorska, I wish to visit one of the other classes."
"Certainly, Mr. Inspector," Mademoiselle Sikorska answered.
When the door had closed upon them, the schoolgirls began to stir. Without a word, the teacher put her arms around Manya and kissed her. Manya was in tears.

霍恩伯格督学查看学校
教室里鸦雀无声。窗外，一场初雪给光秃秃的树裹上了素装。25个小女孩正在认真地学习历史，没有一双眼睛离开课本。
这是1877年，波兰华沙的一所学校。当时波兰大部分地区已经被俄国占领。俄国沙皇不允许波兰儿童学习本国的历史，甚至不许他们学习本族语言。但是，此时此地老师和她的学生们正在学习波兰历史，尽管俄国人在华沙各处都有密探。
玛妮雅•斯克洛道夫斯卡就在这些孩子当中。她是一位非常聪明的学生，这时正在全神贯注地读书。突然，传来了微弱的铃声，玛妮雅惊恐地听着。这是那信号吗？是的！两长两短的铃声。
女孩子们个个都抬起头来，双手敏捷地从课桌上抓起波兰历史课本就藏了起来，然后迅速地从课桌里拿出缝纫材料，开始在小方布上绣花。
外面的门开了，霍恩伯格督学站在那里。
俄国人指派霍恩伯格负责华沙的私立学校。他笨重的身体紧裹在黄蓝相间的制服里。陪同他的是学校的校长，西科尔斯卡小姐。
“我们每周有两次缝纫课，督学先生，”老师图帕斯卡小姐解释说，“孩子们工作的时候，我就给她们读书。”
“那么你刚才给你的学生读了些什么，小姐?”霍恩伯格督学严厉地问道。
她举起书本，说:“俄罗斯童话。”
督学咕哝着表示赞同。“那么，”他说，“我要问你的学生一些问题。”
“玛妮雅•斯克洛道夫斯卡，请站起来，”老师平静地说。
玛妮雅默默地从座位上站起来，尽量克制不颤抖。
“背诵主祷文，要用俄语，”霍恩伯格督学命令道。
玛妮雅低声背诵了主祷文，谨慎地不流露自己的感情。
“说出俄帝国皇室成员的名字。”
玛妮雅说出了他们的名字。
“现在告诉我，”霍恩伯格命令道，“谁是我们的统治者?”
玛妮雅脸色变得苍白，她张开口，但没有讲出话来。
“那么我的波兰小爱国者，你还不想告诉我是谁统治我们，”俄国督学说。“回答我!”
“全俄沙皇亚历山大二世皇帝陛下，”她说了，但是声音在颤抖。
“这还差不多，”霍恩伯格从椅子上站起来。“西科尔斯卡小姐，我想去看看另外的班。”
“请吧，督学先生，”西科尔斯卡小姐回答。
教室的门在他们身后关上了。女学生们开始活跃起来。老师默默无言地抱住玛妮雅，吻了吻她。玛妮雅的眼里噙着泪水。

NOTES TO THE TEXT

Inspector Hornberg Visits a School
inspector在这里的意思是“督学”，作为一种官职、头衔可以用于人名的姓之前；由于Hornberg是督学身份，所以visit在这里是“查看”的意思。
在新闻或小说章节等标题中通常采用一般现在时。

Not one pair of eyes strayed from the history books which twenty-five little girls were studying so earnestly.
这句话中books后面有一个which引导的定语从句，修饰books；which是关系代词，代替books，在定语从句中它充当were studying的宾语；这句的谓语动词是stray是不及物动词，常用stray from表示“从……上偏离出去”。

This was the year 1877, and the school was in Warsaw, Poland.
1877是the year的同位语；英文中地名的排列顺序是由小到大，“波兰华沙”要说Warsaw, Poland。

A large part of Poland had been conquered by Russia.
这句话中用了被动语态的过去完成时，构成方式是在be conquered（被动语态）这样的基础上进一步变成了完成时had been conquered；by在被动语态中引出动作的执行者。

But here the teacher and her pupils were doing just that, although the Russians had spies everywhere in Warsaw.
that指前句中提到的被沙皇禁止的事情，也就是学习波兰历史；just是副词，意思是“恰恰”，用于加强语气；连词although连接的是一个让步状语从句，引导的状语从句可以放在主句之后，也可放在主句之前；当从句在前主句在后的时候特别要注意，主句的开头不能用but，和汉语中“虽然……但是……”的连用习惯不同；课文中的句子，主句开头虽然也用了but，但这是针对前一句所做的转折，和从句无关。例如：
Although he is poor, he is well contented. 他虽然穷却能知足长乐。（从句在前时，强调的是主句的内容）
We walked on although we were very tired. 尽管很累但我们还是继续走着。（从句在后时，强调的是从句的内容）

Among the children was Manya Sklodovska.
这一句采用了倒装语序，使第三段与上段的衔接自然，承上启下。正常的语序应该是：Manya Sklodovska was among the children.

She was deep in the book she was reading.
she was reading是定语从句，修饰the book，省略了关系代词which或者that；当关系代词在定语从句中充当宾语时可以省略。
be deep in sth. 意思是“对……入了迷，全神贯注于……”。例如：
He is deep in thought. 他正在沉思。
She was deep in discussion with her friends. 她正专心致志地和她的朋友们在讨论问题。

Suddenly there came the faint sound of a bell.
there是引导词，用以引起注意或加强语气，主语如果不是人称代词主谓的语序要倒装。又例如：
There stood Inspector Hornberg. Hornberg督学就站在那儿。

Every head came up. Quick hands grabbed all the Polish history books off the desks, and hid them away.
这两句的主语都用了身体的某一部位来代表人，使描述显得非常地生动，像电影中的特写（close-up）一样，具有很强的视觉效果。
come up在这里意思是“抬起来”，也可表示“走近”等其它意思。例如：
I’ll let you know if anything comes up. 如果发生什么事情，我会通知你的。
The question hasn’t come up yet. 这个问题还没有被提出来。
grab意思是“猛地抓住”；hide sth. away 意思是“把……藏起来”。

Hornberg had been put in charge by the Russians of the private schools of Warsaw.
这个句子用的是被动语态，时态是过去完成时。若不用被动语态，应为：The Russians had put Hornberg in charge of the private schools of Warsaw. 这时谓语是动词短语put sb. in charge of，意思是“派某人负责……”。改为被动语态时put的宾语（Hornberg）成了句子的主语，而原来的动作执行者（the Russians）成了介词by的宾语。通常情况下by引导的动作执行者要放在句末，但这里由于动词短语后面的宾语较长，为了保持句子平衡，将by短语插在了in charge和of之间。

He was a heavy man in a tight-fitting yellow and blue uniform.
介词in在此表示服饰的穿戴，介词短语修饰man。例如：
He looks smart in that jacket. 他穿那件茄克看起来很帅。
Do you know the girl in the red hat? 你认识那位戴红帽子的姑娘吗？

With him was Mademoiselle Sikorska, the head of the school.
这句用了倒装语序，一是针对上句具有承上启下的作用，二是因为此句的主语较长，用倒装语序可以使句子平衡；正常语序应该是：Mademoiselle Sikorska, the head of the school, was with him. 这里the head of the school是Mademoiselle Sikorska的同位语。
其他用同位语的情况：
Mademoiselle Tupalska, the teacher 老师Tupalska小姐
His Majesty Alexander II, Tsar of All the Russias 全俄沙皇，亚历山大二世陛下
his Majesty 是对男性君主的第三人称尊称，女性君主要用：her Majesty，用作第二人称时说：your Majesty（对男女性都可以用）。

We have two sewing classes a week. 我们每周有两次缝纫课。
a week是一个表示频度的时间状语，具有确定意义的频度时间状语前面一般不加介词。例如：
Take this medicine three times a day. 这药一天吃三次。
We have twenty days off a year. 我们一年休二十天假。

I read to the children while they work.
连词while是表示两件事情的同时进行或发生，主要用于引导需要持续一段时间的动作或行为。例如：
She was not listening to me while I was talking. 我说话的时候，她没在听。
Please take care of my dog while I am away. 我不在的时候请照看一下我的狗。
While at college, he was a cheerleader. 上大学的时候，他是啦啦队的队长。

What have you been reading to your pupils?
这句话用了现在完成进行时，表示动作从过去某一时间一直延续到现在。

The inspector gave a grunt of approval.
gave在这里的意思是“发出……声音或动作”。例如：
He gave a long sigh. 他长长地叹了一声。
The baby gave a faint cry. 这个婴儿低低地哭了一声。
Her heart gave a jump. 她的心怦的一跳。
He gave a shrug of the shoulders. 他耸了耸肩。

I should like to question one of your pupils.
should在这里不是shall的过去式，而是情态助动词，表示一种意愿，常和第一人称连用。question在这里用作动词，是查问的意思。

“Manya Sklodovska, please stand up,” the teacher said quietly.
副词quietly一来表现Tupalska小姐镇定自若，二来暗示了她对Manya的信任和安慰。

Manya rose from her seat without a word, trying not to tremble.
句中trying not to tremble是一个现在分词短语，在句中作状语，表示一种伴随状况。

"Recite the Lord's Prayer -- in Russian," Inspector Hornberg ordered.
the Lord’s Prayer意思是“主祷文”，是基督教使用最多的一篇祈祷经文。

Manya recited the prayer in a low voice, careful not to show her feelings.
介词in表示“用……方式”；由形容词careful加不定式构成的短语在这里作句子的补语，表示意义的增补，这是形容词或形容词短语的一种句法功能，语法上称为“无动词分句”。例如：
He was packing up, ready to go. 他正在打点行装，准备出发。（ready to go表示目的）
Eager to talk to her, I picked up the phone at once. 我急于想和她说话，于是立刻拿起了电话。（eager to talk to her表示原因）

Now name the members of the Imperial Russian Family.
这里name作动词，意思是“说出……名字”；Imperial Russian Family 帝俄皇室；family在这里的意思是“家族”，如the royal family 皇室。

Manya’s face went pale. She opened her mouth, but the words would not come.
went是系动词，意思是“变得”；the words是指Hornberg要她回答的话，即“His Majesty Alexander II, Tsar of All the Russias”。因为是特指，words前面要加the。would在这里是情态助动词，在这里具有特别的感情色彩。

So, my little Polish patriot, you do not wish to tell me who rules over us.
so在这里是感叹词，用于说话的开头，意思相当于汉语的“那么、看来”等。rule既可作及物动词又可作不及物动词，在这里是做不及物动词用，后面加宾语时常与介词over搭配。

When the door had closed upon them, the schoolgirls began to stir.
when引导的时间状语从句中用过去完成时had closed，因为门关上这一情况发生在学生们活跃起来之前。upon相当于介词on，表示方向，意思是“向……，朝着……”。them指代的是Hornberg和校长。

Without a word, the teacher put her arms around Manya and kissed her.
put one’s arms around sb. （= take sb. in one’s arms）意思是“抱住、搂住”，around后的宾语也可指身体的其他部位。例如：
She put her arms gently around his neck. 她轻轻地搂住了他的脖子。
She took the baby in her arms. 她把婴儿抱在怀里。

Manya was in tears. Manya哭了。
be in tears 哭、流泪

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