名著精讀:《小婦人》第四章:負擔 第9節

"Then she gave me a long lecture on my sins, and told me to sit and think them over while she just 'lost' herself for a moment. She never finds herself very soon, so the minute her cap began to bob like a top-heavy dahlia, I whipped the _Vicar of Wakefield_ out of my pocket, and read away, with one eye on him and one on Aunt. I'd just got to where they all tumbled into the water when I forgot and laughed out loud. Aunt woke up and, being more good-natured after her nap, told me to read a bit and show what frivolous work I preferred to the worthy and instructive Belsham. I did my very best, and she liked it, though she only said . . .

“她對我的劣行好一頓訓斥，並叫我在她'養養神'那一會功夫認真思過。她很快又進入夢鄉，頭上的帽子像朵頭重腳輕的大麗花一樣搖搖擺擺。見此情景，我馬上從口袋裏抽出《威克菲爾德牧師傳》讀起來，一隻眼看書，一隻眼留意嬸嬸。剛剛讀到書中人物全都跌入水中時，我一時忘情，笑出了聲。嬸嬸醒過來，心情頗佳，叫我讀一點聽聽，看這本書究竟如何輕薄，竟敢把她那本富有教育意義的寶書波爾沙比下去。我盡力而爲，她聽得津津有味，但卻說--

"'I don't understand what it's all about. Go back and begin it, child.'"

“'我不明白這本書說的是什麼。從頭再讀一次，孩子。'

"Back I went, and made the Primroses as interesting as ever I could. Once I was wicked enough to stop in a thrilling place, and say meekly, 'I'm afraid it tires you, ma'am. Shan't I stop now?'"

“我從頭再讀，並儘量讀得有聲有色。讀到扣人心絃之處，我故意停下來低聲說：'我擔心你會厭煩呢，夫人；要不要停下來？'”

"She caught up her knitting, which had dropped out of her hands, gave me a sharp look through her specs, and said, in her short way, 'Finish the chapter, and don't be impertinent, miss'."

她把剛纔從手中掉落的編織活計拿起，透過眼鏡片狠狠瞪我一眼，用她一貫簡潔的口吻說：“把這章讀完，不得無禮，小姐。'”

"Did she own she liked it?" asked Meg.

“她承認她喜歡這本書嗎？”梅格問。

"Oh, bless you, no! But she let old Belsham rest, and when I ran back after my gloves this afternoon, there she was, so hard at the Vicar that she didn't hear me laugh as I danced a jig in the hall because of the good time coming. What a pleasant life she might have if only she chose! I don't envy her much, in spite of her money, for after all rich people have about as many worries as poor ones, I think," added Jo.

“噢，告訴你吧，不承認！但她把波爾沙扔到了一邊，我今天下午跑回去拿手套時，看到她正全神貫注地讀那本牧師傳，我高興得在大廳裏跳起快步舞，並笑出聲來，她竟全然不覺。只要她願意，她可以過多麼愉快的生活啊！儘管她有錢，我並不怎麼羨慕她。我想窮人有窮人的煩惱，富人也有富人的煩惱，”喬接着說。

"That reminds me," said Meg, "that I've got something to tell. It isn't funny, like Jo's story, but I thought about it a good deal as I came home. At the Kings' today I found everybody in a flurry, and one of the children said that her oldest brother had done something dreadful, and Papa had sent him away. I heard Mrs. King crying and Mr. King talking very loud, and Grace and Ellen turned away their faces when they passed me, so I shouldn't see how red and swollen their eyes were. I didn't ask any questions, of course, but I felt so sorry for them and was rather glad I hadn't any wild brothers to do wicked things and disgrace the family."
　　
“我也想起一件事來，”梅格說，”這雖不如喬的故事有趣，但它讓我回家想了很久。今天我發現金斯家裏的人個個都慌慌張張，一個孩子說她大哥犯了件大事，爸爺把他趕走了。我聽到金太太在哭，金先生在大罵，格萊絲和艾倫走過我身邊時也別過臉，免得眼睛紅紅的讓我看到。當然我什麼也沒有問，但我很替他們難過，同時很慶幸自己沒有這樣可惡的兄弟，令家裏人蒙受恥辱。”

[sin] n. 原罪 v. 犯罪，違反(教規)

He thinks it's a sin to covet other's properties.
他認爲貪圖他人的財物是有罪的。

le n. 跌倒，混亂 vi. 跌倒，下跌，倒塌，翻跟斗，偶然發現，理解 vt. 使摔倒，使混亂，翻滾

I threw off my clothes and tumbled into bed.
我脫掉衣服倒在牀上便睡了。

olous adj. 輕佻的，妄動的，瑣碎的 adj. 無足輕重的

She thought that reading romantic novels was a frivolous way of spending her time.
她認爲看浪漫小說是虛度時光。

lling adj. 毛骨悚然的，令人興奮的，令人震顫的 動詞trill的現在分詞

The film works up to a thrilling climax.
這電影逐漸發展到令人驚悚的高潮

rtinent adj. 魯莽的，無禮的，粗魯的

I've had enough of your impertinent words.
你說話太不禮貌了，我已受夠了。

ry n. 一陣疾風，陣雪，狂喜，忙亂 v. （使）慌張，（使）焦躁

A flurry of excitement went round the crowd as the film star arrived.
電影明星到達時，人羣中發生了一陣騷動。

len adj. 腫大的，水漲的 動詞swell的過去分詞形式

His eyelid is swollen.
他眼皮腫了。

ed['wikid] adj. 壞的，邪惡的，缺德的 adv. 極端地，非常地 vt. 吸收

It's a wicked waste of money.
這樣浪費金錢簡直是罪惡。

【難句解析】give sb. a lecture“訓斥某人”；

【句子翻譯】她對我的劣行好一頓訓斥，並叫我在她'養養神'那一會功夫認真思過。

2.I don't envy her much, in spite of her money, for after all rich people have about as many worries as poor ones, I think...

【難句解析】in spite of her money相當於in spite that she has money; as ...“和...一樣多”；

【句子翻譯】儘管她有錢，我並不怎麼羨慕她。我想窮人有窮人的煩惱，富人也有富人的煩惱。