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Something of the same kind perplexed Miss Matty at tea-time, when she was installed in the great easy-chair opposite to Mr Jenkyns in order to gaze her fill.
喝茶的时候，同样的事情也让马蒂小姐感到困惑，她坐在大安乐椅上，对面是詹金斯先生，这样她就可以尽情地凝视他了。
She could hardly drink for looking at him, and as for eating, that was out of the question.
她一直看着他，几乎顾不上喝茶，至于吃东西，那就更不用提了。
“I suppose hot climates age people very quickly,” said she, almost to herself.
“我想炎热的气候会让人很快变老，”她几乎是自言自语地说，
“When you left Cranford you had not a grey hair in your head.”
“你离开克兰福德的时候，头上一根白发都没有。”
“But how many years ago is that?” said Mr Peter, smiling.
“但那是多少年前的事了？”彼得先生微笑着说。
“Ah, true! Yes, I suppose you and I are getting old.
“啊，没错！是的，我想你和我都变老了。
But still I did not think we were so very old!
但是我仍然不觉得我们有那么老！
But white hair is very becoming to you, Peter,” she continued—a little afraid lest she had hurt him by revealing how his appearance had impressed her.
但是，彼得，你白头发也很好看。”她接着说，有点担心她说出他的外表给她留下深刻印象可能会伤害到他。
“I suppose I forgot dates too, Matty, for what do you think I have brought for you from India?
“我想我也忘记时间了，马蒂，你猜我从印度给你带了什么？
I have an Indian muslin gown and a pearl necklace for you somewhere in my chest at Portsmouth.”
我给你带了一条印度细棉布长袍和一条珍珠项链，还放在普利茅茨的箱子里。”
He smiled as if amused at the idea of the incongruity of his presents with the appearance of his sister; but this did not strike her all at once, while the elegance of the articles did.
他微笑着，似乎因为他的礼物和姐姐的外表不搭调而感到很好笑；但她并没有立刻意识到这一点，而那些精致的礼物却打动了她。
I could see that for a moment her imagination dwelt complacently on the idea of herself thus attired; and instinctively she put her hand up to her throat—that little delicate throat which (as Miss Pole had told me) had been one of her youthful charms;
我能看出，有那么一会儿，她愉快地想象着自己就这样打扮；她下意识地把手放到脖颈上——那纤细的脖颈（波尔小姐曾告诉我）是她年轻时的魅力之一；
but the hand met the touch of folds of soft muslin in which she was always swathed up to her chin, and the sensation recalled a sense of the unsuitableness of a pearl necklace to her age.
但她的手摸到的是柔软细棉布的褶皱，她总是把衣领一直裹到下巴，这种感觉让她想起珍珠项链与她的年龄不相称。
She said, “I’m afraid I’m too old; but it was very kind of you to think of it.
她说：“我恐怕年纪太大了；不过，你能想到我，真是太好了。”
They are just what I should have liked years ago—when I was young.”
我多年前——年轻的时候——喜欢的就是这种东西。”
“So I thought, my little Matty. I remembered your tastes; they were so like my dear mother’s.”
“我也是这么想的，小马蒂。我记得你的爱好；你和我亲爱的母亲的喜好太像了。”
At the mention of that name the brother and sister clasped each other’s hands yet more fondly, and, although they were perfectly silent, I fancied they might have something to say if they were unchecked by my presence, and I got up to arrange my room for Mr Peter’s occupation that night, intending myself to share Miss Matty’s bed.
一提到那个名字，这对姐弟就更加深情地握住了彼此的手，尽管他们完全沉默不语，但我想如果没有我在场，他们可能会有话要说，于是我起身去整理房间，准备让彼得先生当晚入住，我打算自己和马蒂小姐同睡一张床。
But at my movement, he started up.
但我一动身，他就站起来了。
“I must go and settle about a room at the ‘George.’ My carpet-bag is there too.”
“我得去乔治旅店安排一下房间。我的旅行袋也在那里。”
“No!” said Miss Matty, in great distress—“you must not go; please, dear Peter—pray, Mary—oh! You must not go!”
“不！”马蒂小姐非常苦恼地说，“你不能走；求求你，亲爱的彼得——求求你，玛丽——哦！你一定不要走！”
She was so much agitated that we both promised everything she wished.
她如此激动，以至于我们都答应了她的一切要求。
Peter sat down again and gave her his hand, which for better security she held in both of hers, and I left the room to accomplish my arrangements.
彼得又坐了下来，把手伸给她，为了更稳妥起见，她双手握住了他的手，然后我离开房间去完成我的安排。
Long, long into the night, far, far into the morning, did Miss Matty and I talk.
马蒂小姐和我一直聊到深夜很晚很晚，又一直聊到快到早晨。
She had much to tell me of her brother’s life and adventures, which he had communicated to her as they had sat alone.
她有很多关于弟弟的生活和冒险经历要告诉我，这些都是他们单独坐在一起时他告诉她的。
She said all was thoroughly clear to her; but I never quite understood the whole story;
她说一切都已向她彻底解释清楚；但我始终没有完全明白整个故事；
and when in after days I lost my awe of Mr Peter enough to question him myself, he laughed at my curiosity, and told me stories that sounded so very much like Baron Munchausen’s, that I was sure he was making fun of me.
后来，当我不再那么敬畏彼得先生，敢于亲自问他时，他因为我的好奇心而大笑起来，给我讲的故事听起来非常像蒙赫豪森男爵会讲的故事，我确信他是在拿我开玩笑。（注：蒙赫豪森男爵根据自己的经历编过许多虚构的冒险故事。）
