'Lord bless the little creeter!' cried Richards, 'what a sad question! I done? Nothing, Miss.'
'What have they done with my Mama?' inquired the child, with exactly the same look and manner.
'I never saw such a melting thing in all my life!' said Richards, who naturally substituted 'for this child one of her own, inquiring for herself in like circumstances. 'Come nearer here, my dear Miss! Don't be afraid of me.'
'I am not afraid of you,' said the child, drawing nearer. 'But I want to know what they have done with my Mama.'
“天主保佑这个小人儿!”理查兹喊道,“多么使人伤心的问题!我怎么搞的?我什么也没有搞,小姐。”
“他们把我妈妈怎么搞的?”女孩子问道。
“我这一辈子还从没有见到过这样使人感伤的事情!”理查兹说道,她在心里自然把她自己的一个孩子代替了这个女孩子,在类似的情况下,正在打听她的下落。“往这里走近一些,我亲爱的小姐!别怕我。”
“我不怕您,”女孩子走近一些,说道,“但是我想知道,他们把我妈妈怎么搞的。”
Her heart swelled so as she stood before the woman, looking into her eyes, that she was fain to press her little hand upon her breast and hold it there. Yet there was a purpose in the child that prevented both her slender figure and her searching gaze from faltering.
'My darling,' said Richards, 'you wear that pretty black frock in remembrance of your Mama.'
'I can remember my Mama,' returned the child, with tears springing to her eyes, 'in any frock.'
'But people put on black, to remember people when they're gone.'
'Where gone?' asked the child.
'Come and sit down by me,' said Richards, 'and I'll tell you a story.'
“我亲爱的,”理查兹说道,“您穿那件漂亮的黑长衣来纪念您的妈妈。”
“不论穿什么长衣,”女孩子眼睛里涌出眼泪,回答道,“我都能记得我的妈妈。”
“可是人们穿上黑衣服来纪念那些已经离开我们的人们。”
“离开我们到哪里去了?”女孩子问道。
“到这里来坐在我的身旁,”理查兹说道,“我跟您讲一个故事。”
注释:substitute for: 代替;取代
例句:
1. Water is not a proper substitute for wine.
水不是酒的适当代用品。
2. Honey can substitute for sugar in this recipe.
在这个食谱中,可用蜂蜜代替食糖。