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By the mistress of the house—who is an evil woman—she is treated like a pariah;
至于那栋房子的女主人——是个可恶的妇人——像对待印度贱民一样虐待她，
but she has the bearing of a child who is of the blood of kings!"
但她具备王室血统的孩子所有的那种风度！
"You seem to know a great deal about her," the secretary said.
“你似乎非常了解她，”那秘书说。
"All her life each day I know," answered Ram Dass.
“她的一切日常生活我都知道，”拉姆·达斯回答。
"Her going out I know, and her coming in; her sadness and her poor joys; her coldness and her hunger.
“她出去我知道，她回来我知道，她的悲哀和难得的快乐，以及冷暖和饥饱我都知道。
I know when she is alone until midnight, learning from her books;
我知道她独坐读书到深夜，
I know when her secret friends steal to her and she is happier—as children can be, even in the midst of poverty—
我知道她那些秘密朋友什么时候偷偷来找她，
because they come and she may laugh and talk with them in whispers.
由于她们来了她可以同她们低声说笑而感到快活一点儿——孩子们总是能这样的，即使处在穷困中。
If she were ill I should know, and I would come and serve her if it might be done."
如果她病了，我会知道的，还会前去照料她，如果允许那样做的话。”
"You are sure no one comes near this place but herself, and that she will not return and surprise us.
“你要保证除了她本人，没人会走近这个地方，而且她也不会就回来使我们吓一跳。
She would be frightened if she found us here, and the Sahib Carrisford's plan would be spoiled."
如果她发现我们在这里，她会被吓坏的，而卡里斯福特先生的计划就要落空了。”
Ram Dass crossed noiselessly to the door and stood close to it.
拉姆·达斯无声无息地走到门边，紧靠那里站住了。
"None mount here but herself, Sahib," he said.
“除了她本人没人会上这儿来，先生，”他说。
"She has gone out with her basket and may be gone for hours. If I stand here I can hear any step before it reaches the last flight of the stairs."
“她已经挎着篮子外出了，看来要离开几小时之久。我站在这里，任何人还没跨上最后一段楼梯，我就能听到他的脚步声。”
The secretary took a pencil and a tablet from his breast pocket.
秘书从胸袋里取出一支铅笔和一本拍纸簿。
"Keep your ears open," he said; and he began to walk slowly and softly round the miserable little room,
“注意动静，”他说罢，开始镊手镊脚地在这间凄凉的小房间四下慢慢走动着，一边看着房中诸物，
making rapid notes on his tablet as he looked at things.
一边迅速在本子上记下来。
First he went to the narrow bed. He pressed his hand upon the mattress and uttered an exclamation.
他先走到那张狭窄的床前，用手按按床垫，发出一声惊叹。
"As hard as a stone," he said.
“硬得像石头，”他说。
"That will have to be altered some day when she is out. A special journey can be made to bring it across. It cannot be done tonight."
“等哪天她外出的时候，该给她换换。可以安排一次特别行动把新的搬过来。今天晚上来不及换了。”
He lifted the covering and examined the one thin pillow.
他掀起床罩，察看那只唯一的薄枕头。
"Coverlet dingy and worn, blanket thin, sheets patched and ragged," he said.
“床罩又脏又破，毯子很薄，被单上打着补丁，破旧不堪，”他说。
"What a bed for a child to sleep in—and in a house which calls itself respectable!
“给孩子睡的是什么床啊——而且还是在这个自称体面的学校里！
