《波莉安娜》开篇：英文原著带中文翻译

Miss Polly Harrington entered her kitchen a little hurriedly this June morning. Miss Polly did not usually make hurried movements; she specially prided herself on her repose of manner. But to-day she was hurrying—actually hurrying.

六月里的这个早晨，波莉·哈林顿小姐走进厨房时，脚步稍显匆忙。波莉小姐平日并不匆忙，她尤其以自己举止从容为傲。可今天她却在赶，真真切切地在赶。

Nancy, washing dishes at the sink, looked up in surprise. Nancy had been working in Miss Polly's kitchen only two months, but already she knew that her mistress did not usually hurry.

南希正在水槽边洗碗，惊讶地抬起头来。南希在波莉小姐的厨房里干活才两个月，却已经知道女主人平日并不匆忙。

“Nancy!”

「南希！」

“Yes, ma'am.” Nancy answered cheerfully, but she still continued wiping the pitcher in her hand.

「是，太太。」南希答得爽快，手里却仍旧擦着那只水壶。

“Nancy,”—Miss Polly's voice was very stern now—“when I'm talking to you, I wish you to stop your work and listen to what I have to say.”

「南希，」波莉小姐的声音这时变得非常严厉，「我跟你说话的时候，希望你放下手里的活，听我说。」

Nancy flushed miserably. She set the pitcher down at once, with the cloth still about it, thereby nearly tipping it over—which did not add to her composure.

南希窘得满脸通红。她立刻放下水壶，抹布还搭在上面，险些把壶带翻，这更叫她镇定不下来。

“Yes, ma'am; I will, ma'am,” she stammered, righting the pitcher, and turning hastily. “I was only keepin' on with my work 'cause you specially told me this mornin' ter hurry with my dishes, ye know.”

「是，太太，我听着，太太。」她结结巴巴地说，一面扶正水壶，慌忙转过身来。「我方才接着干活，是因为您今早特意吩咐我，要我快些洗碗，您知道的。」

Her mistress frowned.

女主人皱起了眉头。

“That will do, Nancy. I did not ask for explanations. I asked for your attention.”

「行了，南希。我没有要你解释。我是要你留心听。」

“Yes, ma'am.” Nancy stifled a sigh. She was wondering if ever in any way she could please this woman. Nancy had never “worked out” before; but a sick mother suddenly widowed and left with three younger children besides Nancy herself, had forced the girl into doing something toward their support, and she had been so pleased when she found a place in the kitchen of the great house on the hill—Nancy had come from “The Corners,” six miles away, and she knew Miss Polly Harrington only as the mistress of the old Harrington homestead, and one of the wealthiest residents of the town. That was two months before. She knew Miss Polly now as a stern, severe-faced woman who frowned if a knife clattered to the floor, or if a door banged—but who never thought to smile even when knives and doors were still.

「是，太太。」南希忍住一声叹息。她心里纳闷，自己究竟能不能有办法讨这个女人的欢心。南希以前从未外出帮工，可是母亲忽然病倒，又做了寡妇，除了南希自己，还留下三个更小的孩子，逼得这姑娘不得不出来挣些钱贴补家用。所以，当她在山上那座大宅的厨房里找到差事时，她高兴极了。南希是从六英里外的「街角村」来的，那时她只知道波莉·哈林顿小姐是哈林顿老宅的女主人，也是镇上最有钱的住户之一。那是两个月前的事了。如今她认识的波莉小姐，是个面容严厉、神情冷峻的女人，刀叉掉在地上叮当一响，或是门砰的一声关上，她都要皱眉，可是哪怕刀叉不响、门也不响，她也从没想到要笑一笑。

“When you've finished your morning work, Nancy,” Miss Polly was saying now, “you may clear the little room at the head of the stairs in the attic, and make up the cot bed. Sweep the room and clean it, of course, after you clear out the trunks and boxes.”

「南希，等你做完早晨的活，」波莉小姐这时说道，「你可以把阁楼楼梯顶上那间小屋收拾出来，把那张小床铺好。当然，先把箱子和盒子搬出去，再扫地，把屋子打扫干净。」

“Yes, ma'am. And where shall I put the things, please, that I take out?”

「是，太太。请问，我搬出来的东西放到哪里去呢？」

“In the front attic.” Miss Polly hesitated, then went on: “I suppose I may as well tell you now, Nancy. My niece, Miss Pollyanna Whittier, is coming to live with me. She is eleven years old, and will sleep in that room.”

「放到前面那间阁楼里。」波莉小姐迟疑了一下，又接着说：「我想，我还是现在就告诉你吧，南希。我的外甥女波莉安娜·惠蒂尔小姐要来跟我一起住。她十一岁，就睡在那间屋里。」

“A little girl—coming here, Miss Harrington? Oh, won't that be nice!” cried Nancy, thinking of the sunshine her own little sisters made in the home at “The Corners.”

「一个小姑娘，要到这儿来住吗，哈林顿小姐？哎呀，那岂不是太好了！」南希嚷道，心里想起自家小妹妹们在「街角村」的家里带来的那片阳光。

“Nice? Well, that isn't exactly the word I should use,” rejoined Miss Polly, stiffly. “However, I intend to make the best of it, of course. I am a good woman, I hope; and I know my duty.”

「太好？嗯，这倒不是我会用的字眼。」波莉小姐生硬地答道。「不过，我当然打算尽量将就。我希望自己是个好女人，我也知道自己的本分。」

Nancy colored hotly.

南希的脸一下子涨红了。

“Of course, ma'am; it was only that I thought a little girl here might—might brighten things up for you,” she faltered.

「当然，太太，我不过是觉得，有个小姑娘在这儿，也许，也许能让您这里热闹些。」她吞吞吐吐地说。

“Thank you,” rejoined the lady, dryly. “I can't say, however, that I see any immediate need for that.”

「谢谢你。」那位太太冷冷地答道。「不过，我可不能说，眼下就有这个必要。」

“But, of course, you—you'd want her, your sister's child,” ventured Nancy, vaguely feeling that somehow she must prepare a welcome for this lonely little stranger.

「可是，您当然，您当然会愿意她来的，她是您姐姐的孩子呀。」南希壮着胆子说，隐约觉得，自己总得为这个孤零零的小陌生人准备一份欢迎。

Miss Polly lifted her chin haughtily.

波莉小姐傲慢地扬起了下巴。