評論
打印
"Silence!" ejaculated a voice; not that of Miss Miller, but one of the upper teachers,
"安靜！"一個嗓音叫道。說這話的不是米勒小姐。卻是一個高級教師。
a little and dark personage, smartly dressed, but of somewhat morose aspect,
她小個子，黑皮膚，打扮入時，臉色有些陰沉。
who installed herself at the top of one table, while a more buxom lady presided at the other.
她站在桌子上首，另一位更為豐滿的女人主持著另一張桌子。
I looked in vain for her I had first seen the night before.
我想找第一天晚上見到過的那個女人，但沒有找著。
She was not visible.
連她影子也沒有見到。
Miss Miller occupied the foot of the table where I sat, and a strange, foreign-looking, elderly lady,
米勒小姐在我坐著的那張桌子占了個下首位置。而一位看上去很怪，頗像外國人的年長婦女，
the French teacher, as I afterwards found, took the corresponding seat at the other board.
后來才發現她是法語教師，在另外一張餐桌的相對位置就座。
A long grace was said and a hymn sung.
大家做了一個長長的感恩禱告，還唱了一支圣歌。
Then a servant brought in some tea for the teachers, and the meal began.
隨后一個仆人給教師們送來了茶點，早餐就這樣開始了。
Ravenous, and now very faint, I devoured a spoonful or two of my portion without thinking of its taste.
我餓慌了，這會兒已經頭昏眼花，便把自己那份粥吞下了一兩調羹，也顧不上是什么滋味。
But the first edge of hunger blunted, I perceived I had got in hand a nauseous mess.
但最初的饑餓感一消失，我便發覺手里拿著的東西令人作嘔。
Burnt porridge is almost as bad as rotten potatoes.
燒焦的粥同爛馬鈴薯一樣糟糕。
Famine itself soon sickens over it.
連饑餓本身也很快厭惡起它來。
The spoons were moved slowly.
勺匙在各人手里緩慢地移動著。
I saw each girl taste her food and try to swallow it, but in most cases the effort was soon relinquished.
我看見每個姑娘嘗了嘗自己的食物，竭力想把它吞下去，但大多立刻放棄了努力。
Breakfast was over, and none had breakfasted.
早餐結束了，可是誰也沒有吃。
Thanks having been returned for what we had not got, and a second hymn chanted, the refectory was evacuated for the schoolroom.
我們作了感恩禱告，對我們沒有得到的東西表示感謝，同時還唱了第二首贊美詩，接著便離開餐廳到教室去。
I was one of the last to go out, and in passing the tables, I saw one teacher take a basin of the porridge and taste it.
我是最后一批走的，經過餐桌時，看見一位教師舀了一碗粥，嘗了一嘗。
She looked at the others.
又看了看其他人。
All their countenances expressed displeasure, and one of them, the stout one, whispered: "Abominable stuff! How shameful!"
她們臉上都露出了不快的神色，其中一個胖胖的教師說："討厭的東西！真丟臉？"
A quarter of an hour passed before lessons again began, during which the schoolroom was in a glorious tumult.
一刻鐘以后才又開始上課。這一刻鐘，教室里沸沸揚揚，亂成了一團。
For that space of time it seemed to be permitted to talk loud and more freely, and they used their privilege.
在這段時間里，似乎允許自由自在地大聲說話，大家便利用了這種特殊待遇。
The whole conversation ran on the breakfast, which one and all abused roundly.
整個談話的內容都圍繞著早餐，個個都狠狠罵了一通。
Poor things! It was the sole consolation they had.
可憐的人兒啊！這就是她們僅有的安慰。
Miss Miller was now the only teacher in the room.
此刻米勒小姐是教室里唯一的一位教師。
A group of great girls standing about her spoke with serious and sullen gestures.
一群大姑娘圍著她，悻悻然做著手勢同她在說話。
I heard the name of Mr. Brocklehurst pronounced by some lips, at which Miss Miller shook her head disapprovingly.
我聽見有人提到了布羅克赫斯特先生的名字，米勒小姐一聽便不以為然地搖了搖頭。
But she made no great effort to check the general wrath. Doubtless she shared in it.
但她無意去遏制這種普遍的憤怒，無疑她也有同感。
A clock in the schoolroom struck nine.
教室里的鐘敲到了九點。
Miss Miller left her circle, and standing in the middle of the room, cried: "Silence! To your seats!"
米勒小姐離開了她的圈子，站到房間正中叫道："安靜下來，回到你們自己的位置上去！"
