It was poor Becky who crawled out, and her cap was knocked on one side, and her face was red with repressed crying.
那是可怜的贝基,她爬了出来,帽子被碰歪,脸色通红,压抑着哭泣。
"If you please, 'm—it's me, mum," she explained. "I know I hadn't ought to.
“对不起,太太——是我,太太,”她解释着。“我知道不该这样,
But I was lookin' at the doll, mum—an' I was frightened when you come in—an' slipped under the table."
可是我正在看洋娃娃,太太——你进来时把我吓坏了——就钻到桌子底下去了。”
"You have been there all the time, listening," said Miss Minchin.
“你一直呆在那里听着,”铭钦女士说。
"No, mum," Becky protested, bobbing curtsies. "Not listenin'—I thought I could slip out without your noticin',
“不,太太,”贝基辩解着,连连屈膝行礼。“没有听——我想我能趁你不注意悄悄溜出去,
but I couldn't an' I had to stay. But I didn't listen, mum—I wouldn't for nothin'. But I couldn't help hearin'."
但是我没能出去,不得不留下来。但我没听,太太——我不想听什么。可是不免听到了。”
Suddenly it seemed almost as if she lost all fear of the awful lady before her. She burst into fresh tears.
突然间她好像一点都不害怕面前这位可畏的夫人,竟又放声大哭起来。
"Oh, please, 'm," she said; "I dare say you'll give me warnin', mum—but I'm so sorry for poor Miss Sara—I'm so sorry!"
“啊,对不起,太太,”她说,“我敢说你就要辞退我太太,但我是多么为可怜的萨拉小姐难过——我多难过啊!”
"Leave the room!" ordered Miss Minchin.
“离开这个房间!”铭钦下命令了。
Becky curtsied again, the tears openly streaming down her cheeks.
贝基再次行礼,眼泪毫无顾忌地沿着双颊淌下。
"Yes, 'm; I will, 'm," she said, trembling; "but oh, I just wanted to arst you: Miss Sara—she's been such a rich young lady,
“是,太太,我就走,太太,”她说,身子颤抖着,“但是,哦,我只想问问你:萨拉小姐——她一直是位阔小姐,
an' she's been waited on, 'and and foot; an' what will she do now, mum, without no maid?
有人周到地侍候着,现在该怎么办呢,太太,连一个女仆都没有?
If—if, oh please, would you let me wait on her after I've done my pots an' kettles? I'd do 'em that quick—
如果——啊,求求你,你肯让我洗完盆盆罐罐以后去侍候她吗?我会把事做得很快——
if you'd let me wait on her now she's poor. Oh," breaking out afresh, "poor little Miss Sara, mum—that was called a princess."
如果你肯让我去侍候她,现在她成穷光蛋了。唉,”贝基又哭起来了,“可怜的萨拉小姐,太太——她原来是被称为公主的啊。”
Somehow, she made Miss Minchin feel more angry than ever.
不知怎地,她使铭钦女士更加愤怒了。
That the very scullery maid should range herself on the side of this child—
这么一个厨房丫头,居然也站那孩子一边——
whom she realized more fully than ever that she had never liked—was too much.
她比以前更彻底明白自己从不喜爱那孩子——实在是难以容忍。
She actually stamped her foot.
她竟气得跺起脚来。
"No—certainly not," she said. "She will wait on herself, and on other people, too.
“不行——当然不行,”她说。“她会侍候自己的,而且还得侍候别人。
Leave the room this instant, or you'll leave your place."
你马上离开房间,不然就要辞退你了。”