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"He found her under my care," she protested. "I have done everything for her. But for me she should have starved in the streets."
“他找到她的时候，她正由我照料着，”她抗议道。“我为她做了一切。要不是有了我，她会忍饥挨饿，流落街头。”
Here the Indian gentleman lost his temper.
这下可把印度绅士惹火了。
"As to starving in the streets," he said, "she might have starved more comfortably there than in your attic."
“至于说在街头挨饿，”他说，“也总比在你的阁楼里挨饿舒服得多。”
"Captain Crewe left her in my charge," Miss Minchin argued.
“是克鲁上尉把她留给我负责照管的，”铭钦女士争辩道。
"She must return to it until she is of age. She can be a parlor boarder again. She must finish her education. The law will interfere in my behalf."
“她必须回来，一直呆到成年。她可以再成为特殊优待的寄宿生。她必须完成她的学业。法律将代表我的利益进行干预。”
"Come, come, Miss Minchin," Mr. Carmichael interposed,
“得了，得了，铭钦女士，”卡迈克尔先生插话了，
"the law will do nothing of the sort. If Sara herself wishes to return to you, I dare say Mr. Carrisford might not refuse to allow it. But that rests with Sara."
“法律根本不干这种事。如果萨拉本人愿意回到你那里，我敢说卡里斯福特先生是不可能不答应的。可那得取决于萨拉。”
"Then," said Miss Minchin, "I appeal to Sara. I have not spoiled you, perhaps," she said awkwardly to the little girl;
“那么，”铭钦女士说，“我来问问萨拉吧。我没有把你宠坏，也许是这样吧，”她尴尬地对小姑娘说，
"but you know that your papa was pleased with your progress. And—ahem—I have always been fond of you."
“可是你知道，你爸爸当初对你的进步是很满意的。而且——嗯——我一直是喜欢你的。”
Sara's green-gray eyes fixed themselves on her with the quiet, clear look Miss Minchin particularly disliked.
萨拉的绿灰色眸子静静地盯着她，目光明澈，正是铭钦女士深恶痛绝的。
"Have you, Miss Minchin?" she said. "I did not know that."
“你真是这样吗，铭钦女士？”她说，“我可不知道呀。”
Miss Minchin reddened and drew herself up.
铭钦女士涨红了脸，把身子挺直。
"You ought to have known it," said she; "but children, unfortunately, never know what is best for them.
“你是应当知道的，”她说，“可惜的是，孩子们从不知道什么对自己最有益。
Amelia and I always said you were the cleverest child in the school. Will you not do your duty to your poor papa and come home with me?"
阿米莉亚和我常说你是学校里最聪明的孩子。难道你不愿为你那可怜的爸爸尽孝，同我一起回去吗？”
Sara took a step toward her and stood still.
萨拉冲着她迈了一步，就站定了。
She was thinking of the day when she had been told that she belonged to nobody, and was in danger of being turned into the street;
她回想被告知自己是没主的、面临被赶上街头之险的那一天，
she was thinking of the cold, hungry hours she had spent alone with Emily and Melchisedec in the attic.
并回想她独自一人同洋娃娃埃米莉和老鼠梅基塞代克在阁楼上共度的那些饥寒交迫的时刻。
She looked Miss Minchin steadily in the face.
她呆呆地直视着铭钦女士的脸。
