评论
打印
'Why, goodness gracious me, Miss Floy,' returned Miss Nipper, 'how can you talk like that, when you have books upon books already, and masterses and mississes a teaching of you everything continual, though my belief is that your Pa, Miss Dombey, never would have learnt you nothing, never would have thought of it, unless you'd asked him - when he couldn't well refuse; but giving consent when asked, and offering when unasked, Miss, is quite two things; I may not have my objections to a young man's keeping company with me, and when he puts the question, may say "yes," but that's not saying "would you be so kind as like me."'
“哎呀，天哪，弗洛伊小姐，”尼珀姑娘回答道，“您已经有了一大堆一大堆的书，男老师、女老师又不断地教您各种知识，您怎么还说要买书呢？虽然我相信，董贝小姐，您的爸爸从来不会让您学什么，从来也不会想到这一点，除非是您向他提出请求，那他倒不好拒绝了；可是向他提出请求他表示同意，跟没有向他请求他主动提出建议，那是完全不同的两码事，小姐。我可能不会拒绝一个年轻小伙子跟我交朋友；当他提出这个问题的时候，我可能会说‘可以’，但我可不会说‘您肯行行好爱我吗？’”
'But you can buy me the books, Susan; and you will, when you know why I want them.'
“可是您会给我买这些书的，苏珊；当您知道我需要它们的时候，您将会去买的。”
'Well, Miss, and why do you want 'em?' replied Nipper; adding, in a lower voice, 'If it was to fling at Mrs Pipchin's head, I'd buy a cart-load.'
“唔。可是您为什么需要它们呢，小姐？”尼珀回答道，然后又低声补上一句，“如果是要把它们拿来向皮普钦太太的头上扔去的话，那么我倒愿意买上一大车！”
'I think I could perhaps give Paul some help, Susan, if I had these books,' said Florence, 'and make the coming week a little easier to him. At least I want to try. So buy them for me, dear, and I will never forget how kind it was of you to do it!'
“我想，如果我有这些书的话，那么我就能给保罗一些帮助，”弗洛伦斯说道，“这样下个星期他就会感到容易一些了。至少我想试一试。因此请为我把它们买来吧，亲爱的；我永远也不会忘记，您的心地是多么好才去做这件事的。”
It must have been a harder heart than Susan Nipper's that could have rejected the little purse Florence held out with these words, or the gentle look of entreaty with which she seconded her petition. Susan put the purse in her pocket without reply, and trotted out at once upon her errand.
必须要有一颗比苏珊·尼珀更为冷酷无情的心才能拒绝弗洛伦斯讲这些话时拿出的钱包或者她提出这个请求时伴随着的温柔的、恳求的眼光。苏珊没有回答就把钱包塞进了口袋，并立刻急匆匆地跑出去执行这个任务了。
The books were not easy to procure; and the answer at several shops was, either that they were just out of them, or that they never kept them, or that they had had a great many last month, or that they expected a great many next week But Susan was not easily baffled in such an enterprise; and having entrapped a white-haired youth, in a black calico apron, from a library where she was known, to accompany her in her quest, she led him such a life in going up and down, that he exerted himself to the utmost, if it were only to get rid of her; and finally enabled her to return home in triumph.
买到书是不容易的。跑了几家书店，得到的回答不是他们刚刚卖完，就是他们现在已经没有了，或者他们上个月有好多，再不就是他们希望下星期能够进好多。可是苏珊是不容易在这样的事情上被挫败的；她千方百计，到一个认识她的图书馆里，说服了一位在里面工作的满头白发、围了一条黑色印花布围裙的青年陪她一起出去寻找；她把他折腾得来回奔波，疲惫不堪，他确实是尽了最大的努力，哪怕就是为了把她摆脱掉也罢；最后他终于使她胜利而回。
With these treasures then, after her own daily lessons were over, Florence sat down at night to track Paul's footsteps through the thorny ways of learning; and being possessed of a naturally quick and sound capacity, and taught by that most wonderful of masters, love, it was not long before she gained upon Paul's heels, and caught and passed him.
有了这些珍宝之后，弗洛伦斯每天夜间坐下来，做完自己的功课以后，就踏着保罗的脚印，穿过荆棘丛生的学习道路；她天性聪明，能力高超，又被所有老师中最令人惊奇的老师——爱所指引，所以她不久就赶到了保罗的脚跟前，跟他齐步前进，并超过了他。
