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Tante Sanna would bring in dishes of sweet, sweet, sticky candy, or a great bowl of grapes or peaches, and Great-aunt Stephina would converse gravely about happenings on the farm ,and, more rarely, of the outer world.
桑娜阿姨每次都要端出幾碟粘乎乎的南非糖果和一缽葡萄或桃子給我們吃。斯蒂菲娜老姑總是一本正經他說些農場里的事，偶爾也談些外邊世界發生的事。
When we had finished our sweetmeats or fruit she would accompany us to the step, bidding us thank our mother for her gift and sending quaint, old-fashioned messages to her and the Father. Then she would turn and enter the house, closing the door behind, so that it became once more a place of mystery.
待我們吃完糖果或水果，她總要將我們送到屋前的門廊，叮囑我們要多謝母親給她送食品，要我們對父母親轉達一些稀奇古怪的老式祝愿，然后就轉身回到屋里，隨手關上門，使那里再次成為神秘世界。
As I grew older I found, rather to my surprise, that I had become genuinely fond of my aloof old great-aunt.
讓我感到吃驚的是，隨著我逐漸長大，我發現打心眼里喜歡起我那位孤伶伶的老姑姑來。
But to this day I do not know what strange impulse made me take George to see her and to tell her, before I had confided in another living soul, of our engagement. To my astonishment, she was delighted.
至今我仍不知道那是一種什么樣的奇異動力，使我在還沒有透露給別人之前就把喬治領去看望姑姑，告訴她我們已經訂婚的消息。不成想，聽到這個消息以后，她竟非常高興。
"An Englishman,"she exclaimed."But that is splendid, splendid. And you,"she turned to George,"you are making your home in this country? You do not intend to return to England just yet?"
"是英國人！"她驚訝地大聲說道，"好極了。你，"她轉向喬治，"你要在南非安家嗎？你現在不打算回國吧？"
She seemed relieved when she heard that George had bought a farm near our own farm and intended to settle in South Africa. She became quite animated, and chattered away to him.
當她聽說喬治已經在我們農場附近購置了一片農場并打算定居下來時，好像松了一口氣。她興致勃勃地和喬治攀談起來。
After that I would often slip away to the little cottage by the mealie lands. Once she was somewhat disappointed on hearing that we had decided to wait for two years before getting married, but when she learned that my father and mother were both pleased with the match she seemed reassured.
從那以后，我常常到那所位于玉米地邊的小屋。有一次，當斯蒂菲娜老姑聽說我們決定再過兩年結婚時，露出了失望的神色，但一聽說我的父母親都對這門親事滿意時，她又放寬了心。
Still, she often appeared anxious about my love affair, and would ask questions that seemed to me strange, almost as though she feared that something would happen to destroy my romance.
但她對我的婚姻大事還是經常掛在嘴邊。她常常問一些怪怪的問題，幾乎像擔心我的婚事會告吹一樣。
But I was quite unprepared for her outburst when I mentioned that George thought of paying a lightning visit to England before we were married. "He must not do it,"she cried."Ina, you must not let him go. Promise me you will prevent him."she was trembling all over.
當我提到喬治打算在婚前匆匆回一趟國時，她竟激動了起來。只見她渾身哆嗦著大聲嚷道："他不能回去！愛娜！你不能放他走，你得答應我不放他走！"
I did what I could to console her, but she looked so tired and pale that I persuaded her to go to her room and rest, promising to return the next day.
我盡力安慰她，但她還是顯得萎靡不振。我只得勸她回屋休息，并答應第二天再去看她。
When I arrived I found her sitting on the step. She looked lonely and pathetic, and for the first time I wondered why no man had ever taken her and looked after her and loved her.
我第二天去看她時，她正坐在屋前的門廊上，流露出抑郁孤寂的神情。我第一次感到納悶：以前怎么沒有人娶她、照料和愛撫她呢？
Mother had told me that Great-aunt Stephina had been lovely as a young girl, and although no trace of that beauty remained, except perhaps in her brown eyes, yet she looked so small and appealing that any man, one felt, would have wanted to protect her.
記得母親曾經說過，斯蒂菲娜老姑以前曾是一個楚楚可愛的小姑娘。盡管除了她那褐色的眼睛尚能保留一點昔日的風韻之外，她的美貌早已蕩然無存。但她看上去還是那樣小巧玲瓏、惹人愛憐，引起男人們的惜香憐玉之情。
She paused, as though she did not quite know how to begin.Then she seemed to give herself, mentally, a little shake.
她欲言又止，好像不知道話從何說起似的。接著，她仿佛振作了起來。
