It had been all the easier to forget her because she had been suddenly called home for a few weeks.
由于埃芒加德突然被召回家中去了几个星期,所以更容易被忘掉。
When she came back she did not see Sara for a day or two,
她回来以后,有一两天没见到萨拉。
and when she met her for the first time she encountered her coming down a corridor
她头一次遇到萨拉,正巧萨拉从走廊上走过来,
with her arms full of garments which were to be taken downstairs to be mended. Sara herself had already been taught to mend them.
双臂捧满了要送下楼去缝补的衣服。萨拉已经学会了缝缝补补。
She looked pale and unlike herself, and she was attired in the queer, outgrown frock whose shortness showed so much thin black leg.
她脸色苍白,已经不像是她本人,而且穿着那件样子古怪、小得不合身的连衣裙,它短得露出了一大截黑色的腿儿。
Ermengarde was too slow a girl to be equal to such a situation. She could not think of anything to say.
埃芒加德是个非常迟钝的女孩,无法应付这种情况。她一点也想不出能说些什么。
She knew what had happened, but, somehow, she had never imagined Sara could look like this—
她知道已经发生了什么事,但是不知怎的,绝对想象不到萨拉会变成这副样子——
so odd and poor and almost like a servant. It made her quite miserable, and she could do nothing
这样古怪可怜,简直就像个奴仆。这使她感到很伤心,却又毫无办法,
but break into a short hysterical laugh and exclaim—aimlessly and as if without any meaning, "Oh, Sara, is that you?"
只能突然发出短促的歇斯底里的笑声,并且喊道——既无目的,也似乎没什么意思:“啊,萨拉!是你吗?”
"Yes," answered Sara, and suddenly a strange thought passed through her mind and made her face flush.
“是的,”萨拉回答,忽然一个新奇的想法闪过她的脑海,使她涨红了脸。
She held the pile of garments in her arms, and her chin rested upon the top of it to keep it steady.
她双臂捧着那摞衣服,下巴颏抵住了顶部,免得倒下来。
Something in the look of her straight-gazing eyes made Ermengarde lose her wits still more.
她直勾勾地盯着的目光中有一种什么表情,使埃芒加德更加不知所措了。
She felt as if Sara had changed into a new kind of girl, and she had never known her before.
她觉得萨拉好像变成了另一种女孩,她从来也没认识过。
Perhaps it was because she had suddenly grown poor and had to mend things and work like Becky.
也许这是因为萨拉突然变穷而不得不去缝补衣物,像贝基那样干活。
"Oh," she stammered. "How—how are you?"
“啊,”埃芒加德结结巴巴地说,“你好——你好吗?”
"I don't know," Sara replied. "How are you?"
“我说不上,”萨拉回答。“你好吗?”
"I'm—I'm quite well," said Ermengarde, overwhelmed with shyness.
“我——我很好,”埃芒加德说,羞涩得不知如何是好,
Then spasmodically she thought of something to say which seemed more intimate.
接着,她骤然想起要说点什么似乎更为亲切的话。
"Are you—are you very unhappy?" she said in a rush.
“你是——是不是很不快乐?”她脱口而出地说。
Then Sara was guilty of an injustice. Just at that moment her torn heart swelled within her,
这时萨拉感到受到了不公正的对待。就在这个关头,她那颗被撕碎的心充满了怒火,
and she felt that if anyone was as stupid as that, one had better get away from her.
她觉得如果有人这样头脑糊涂,那还是走开的好。