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She had heard a great many desirable things of the young soldier from the lady who had recommended her school to him.
关于这位青年军人，她听到过很多可喜的情况，那是从推荐人，那位太太口中得知的。
Among other things, she had heard that he was a rich father who was willing to spend a great deal of money on his little daughter.
在那些情况中，她得知他是一位阔爸爸，愿意在他的小女儿身上花费大量的金钱。
"It will be a great privilege to have charge of such a beautiful and promising child, Captain Crewe," she said, taking Sara's hand and stroking it.
“非常荣幸，能够照料这样一个美丽的前程似锦的孩子，克鲁上尉，”她拉起萨拉的手，边抚弄边说。
"Lady Meredith has told me of her unusual cleverness. A clever child is a great treasure in an establishment like mine."
“梅雷迪思夫人告诉过我她聪慧非凡，只要孩子聪明伶俐，在我们这样的园地里会是个宝。”
Sara stood quietly, with her eyes fixed upon Miss Minchin's face. She was thinking something odd, as usual.
萨拉伫立凝视铭钦女士的脸，像平素那样地漫思奇想。
"Why does she say I am a beautiful child?" she was thinking. "I am not beautiful at all. Colonel Grange's little girl, Isobel, is beautiful.
“她为什么夸我是个美丽的孩子？”她自忖。“我根本算不上美丽。格兰奇上校的小女儿，伊索贝尔，才是美丽的呐！
She has dimples and rose-colored cheeks, and long hair the color of gold. I have short black hair and green eyes;
她有一双酒窝，玫瑰色的脸蛋，一头金色的长发。我是黑头发绿眼珠，
besides which, I am a thin child and not fair in the least. I am one of the ugliest children I ever saw. She is beginning by telling a story."
此外，我是个瘦孩子，一点也不美。在我见到过的孩子中，我算是最丑中间的一员了。她在开始扯谎了。”
She was mistaken, however, in thinking she was an ugly child. She was not in the least like Isobel Grange, who had been the beauty of the regiment,
可是，萨拉认为自己是个丑孩子那就错了。她与那个美人儿伊索贝尔截然不同，
but she had an odd charm of her own. She was a slim, supple creature, rather tall for her age, and had an intense, attractive little face.
但她具有自己的那份奇特的魅力。她身子苗条婀娜，就她的年龄来说，长得偏高，一张小脸蛋热情迷人。
Her hair was heavy and quite black and only curled at the tips; her eyes were greenish gray, it is true,
乌黑浓密的头发，只在末端鬈曲，灰色的眸子略带绿色，确实，
but they were big, wonderful eyes with long, black lashes, and though she herself did not like the color of them, many other people did.
但那是双令人惊叹的大眼睛，睫毛又黑又长，虽然她不喜欢自己眼睛的颜色，可是很多别人喜欢。
Still she was very firm in her belief that she was an ugly little girl, and she was not at all elated by Miss Minchin's flattery.
尽管如此，她仍坚信自己是个长得丑的小姑娘。对铭钦女士的阿谀奉承，根本无动于衷。
"I should be telling a story if I said she was beautiful," she thought; "and I should know I was telling a story.
“如果我说她美丽，那我就是在撒谎，”萨拉思忖，“我也应该知道我是在撒谎。
I believe I am as ugly as she is—in my way. What did she say that for?"
我相信我同她一样丑——尽管我有我自己的丑法，可是她那样说又是为什么呢？”
After she had known Miss Minchin longer she learned why she had said it.
认识铭钦女士较长时间以后，她才知道为什么铭钦女士那样说。
