Presently Madam came slowly in, and sat down in her armchair, saying, "That's a fine old tune; sing it to me, my dear. I have n't heard it this many a day."
不一會(huì),肖老夫人步履遲緩地走進(jìn)客廳,在搖椅上坐下,她對(duì)波莉說,“這是一只很老的曲子,很好聽,給我唱唱,親愛的,我可是很久沒聽過這首歌了。”
Polly didn't like to sing before strangers, for she had no teaching but such as her busy mother could give her;
在生人面前開口讓波莉感到很是別扭,波莉從未受過什么正規(guī)教育,除了從整天忙碌的媽媽那得到些家常教誨;
but she had been taught the utmost respect for old people,
長(zhǎng)者最應(yīng)該獲得尊重,這種道理她倒是清楚,
and, having no reason for refusing, she directly went to the piano and did as she was bid.
看來沒有任何理由拒絕,于是,她徑直走到鋼琴邊,按老人的吩咐唱了起來。
"That's the sort of music it's a pleasure to hear. Sing some more, dear," said Madam, in her gentle way, when she had done.
波莉唱完,老夫人輕聲地說,“就是這首歌,真的不錯(cuò)。再來一遍吧,親愛的。”
Pleased with this praise, Polly sang away in a fresh little voice that went straight to the listener's heart and nestled there.
聽到老夫人的贊揚(yáng),波莉心里感覺挺受用。再次開口時(shí),她的歌聲愈加清新柔婉,悠悠然蕩漾開來。
The sweet old tunes that one is never tired of were all Polly's store.
百聽不厭、經(jīng)典甜美的老歌從來都是波莉的拿手好戲。
The more she sung, the better she did it; and when she wound up with "A Health to King Charlie,"
她越唱越發(fā)投入,一曲《祝查理國(guó)王健康》達(dá)到高亢,
the room quite rung with the stirring music made by the big piano and the little maid.
整個(gè)房間彌漫著鋼琴叮當(dāng)交響與小姑娘的美妙歌聲。
"That's a jolly tune! Sing it again, please," CRIed Tom's voice;
“這曲子太好聽了!再唱一遍,好嗎?”湯姆冷不丁冒了出來。
and there was Tom's red head bobbing up over the high back of the chair where he had hidden himself.
他的紅頭發(fā)突然出現(xiàn)在高椅后面,沒想到,他竟藏在那里。
It gave Polly quite a turn, for she thought no one was hearing her but the old lady dozing by the fire.
波莉心猛然一驚,她原以為,客廳里只有那位老太太,在火爐邊打盹,不會(huì)有別人,
"I can't sing any more; I'm tired," she said, and walked away to Madam in the other room.
“不唱了,我累了。”說完,她迅速躲開湯姆,走向房間那頭的老太太。
The red head vanished like a meteor, for Polly's tone had been decidedly cool.
紅頭發(fā)湯姆即刻流星般消失了,畢竟,波莉話里有不容置疑的冷淡。