In spite of the double disappointment, it was impossible to regard in the light of a failure a visit which was greeted with such a reception; so the sisters talked hopefully about family matters, and about Biler, and about all his brothers and sisters: while the black-eyed, having performed several journeys to Banbury Cross and back, took sharp note of the furniture, the Dutch clock, the cupboard, the castle on the mantel-piece with red and green windows in it, susceptible of illumination by a candle-end within; and the pair of small black velvet kittens, each with a lady's reticule in its mouth; regarded by the Staggs's Gardeners as prodigies of imitative art. The conversation soon becoming general lest the black-eyed should go off at score and turn sarcastic, that young lady related to Jemima a summary of everything she knew concerning Mr. Dombey, his prospects, family, pursuits, and character. Also an exact inventory of her personal wardrobe, and some account of her principal relations and friends. Having relieved her mind of these disclosures, she partook of shrimps and porter, and evinced a disposition to swear eternal friendship.
雖然感到雙重的失望，但卻不可能把受到這樣熱烈歡迎的一次訪問(wèn)看作是一次失敗；所以兩姐妹就滿懷希望地談起家常事務(wù)，談到拜勒，談到他的弟弟和妹妹們；在這段時(shí)間中，黑眼睛在到班伯里十字架去的旅行已來(lái)回了好幾趟以后，就細(xì)細(xì)地觀察室內(nèi)的家具、荷蘭鐘、碗柜、壁爐臺(tái)上的城堡，城堡里有紅色的和綠色的窗子，里面點(diǎn)一根燭頭就可以把它們照亮；還有一對(duì)黑色的絲絨制的小貓，每只嘴里都銜著一只貴婦人用的網(wǎng)狀手提包，斯塔格斯花園里的人們都認(rèn)為這是仿制藝術(shù)的珍品。不久，唯恐黑眼睛會(huì)突然情不自禁地說(shuō)出挖苦的話來(lái)，談話就轉(zhuǎn)到大家都能參加的一般內(nèi)容，于是那位年輕的姑娘就把她所知道的有關(guān)董貝先生的一切，如他的前途，他的家庭，他的事業(yè)和他的性格，都向杰邁瑪簡(jiǎn)略地?cái)⑹隽艘环Ｋ苍斣敿?xì)細(xì)、一件不漏地列舉了她個(gè)人全部服裝的清單，還稍稍談到她的主要的親戚和朋友。把這些話開誠(chéng)布公地說(shuō)出，不再積壓在心頭以后，她吃起河蝦，喝起黑啤酒來(lái)，這時(shí)心情愉快，隨時(shí)準(zhǔn)備為永恒的友誼而發(fā)愿起誓。
Little Florence herself was not behind-hand in improving the occasion; for, being conducted forth by the young Toodles to inspect some toad-stools and other curiosities of the Gardens, she entered with them, heart and soul, on the formation of a temporary breakwater across a small green pool that had collected in a corner. She was still busily engaged in that labor, when sought and found by Susan; who, such was her sense of duty, even under the humanizing influence of shrimps, delivered a moral address to her (punctuated with thumps) on her degenerate nature, while washing her face and hands; and predicted that she would bring the grey hairs of her family in general, with sorrow to the grave. After some delay, occasioned by a pretty long confidential interview above stairs on pecuniary subjects, between Polly and Jemima, an interchange of babies was again effected - for Polly had all this timeretained her own child, and Jemima little Paul - and the visitors took leave.
小弗洛倫斯在利用這個(gè)機(jī)會(huì)方面也不落后。因?yàn)楫?dāng)小圖德爾們陪伴她去看毒菌和花園里的其他新奇事物時(shí)，她和他們一起專心一意地在一個(gè)角落里由積水形成的一個(gè)綠色的小池塘中，著手修建一個(gè)臨時(shí)防波堤。當(dāng)她仍在忙忙碌碌地從事這項(xiàng)勞動(dòng)時(shí)，蘇珊把她尋找到了。雖然在河蝦的影響下，蘇珊已變得通達(dá)人情，可是她仍懷有強(qiáng)烈的責(zé)任感，所以她一邊給弗洛倫斯洗臉洗手，一邊針對(duì)她這種變壞了的品性，向她發(fā)表了一篇訓(xùn)誡性的談話；她一邊說(shuō)，一邊用拳頭打她，作為標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號(hào)，并預(yù)言她將使她全家的老人都傷心而死。波利與杰邁瑪在樓上相當(dāng)長(zhǎng)久地談了一些有關(guān)金錢方面的私房話，稍稍耽擱了一些時(shí)間；在這之后，她們就重新交換了嬰孩——因?yàn)椴ɡ恢北еH生的孩子，杰邁瑪則抱著小保羅——，來(lái)訪的人于是也告辭了。
But first the young Toodles, victims of a pious fraud, were deluded into repairing in a body to a chandler's shop in the neighbourhood, for the ostensible purpose of spending a penny; and when the coast was quite clear, Polly fled: Jemima calling after her that if they could only go round towards the City Road on their way back, they would be sure to meet little Biler coming from school.
但是首先是把年輕的圖德爾們（他們是一個(gè)意向善良的騙局的犧牲品）哄騙到一個(gè)鄰近的零售店里去，表面上的理由是讓他們把一個(gè)便士在那里花掉。障礙一經(jīng)排除，波利就拔腳逃走了；杰邁瑪在她的后面大聲叫喊說(shuō)，她們回去時(shí)只要稍稍繞點(diǎn)路，沿著去城里的路走，那就一定會(huì)遇上放學(xué)回來(lái)的小拜勒的。
'Do you think that we might make time to go a little round in that direction, Susan?' inquired Polly, when they halted to take breath.
“你看，我們是不是可以騰出時(shí)間朝那個(gè)方向稍稍繞一點(diǎn)路呢，蘇珊？”當(dāng)她們停下來(lái)，緩一口氣的時(shí)候，波利問(wèn)道。
'Why not, Mrs. Richards?' returned Susan.
“為什么不可以，理查茲大嫂？”蘇珊回答道。
'It's getting on towards our dinner time you know,' said Polly.
“您知道，現(xiàn)在走下去就快到我們吃晚飯的時(shí)間了，”波利說(shuō)道。”
But lunch had rendered her companion more than indifferent to this grave consideration, so she allowed no weight to it, and they resolved to go 'a little round.'
但是吃過(guò)的午飯使她的女伴對(duì)這個(gè)鄭重的考慮毫不在意，所以她沒(méi)有把它當(dāng)成什么了不得的大事，于是她們也就決定去“稍稍繞點(diǎn)路”。
注釋：
1. render vt. 致使；提出；實(shí)施；著色；以…回報(bào)
vi. 給予補(bǔ)償
n. 打底；交納；粉刷
詞組：
account rendered [經(jīng)]結(jié)欠清單
render services 提供服務(wù)
render an account 報(bào)帳；開送賬單
例句：
(1). I must render down this fat; we are short of lard.
我得把這塊肥肉熬成油，我們正缺豬油。
(2). If you'll deliver this parcel, you will render me a great service.
如果你把這包東西送去，那就幫我的大忙了。
2. be indifferent to 不在乎……；對(duì)……漠不關(guān)心
例句：
(1). I was so excited to see snow that I was indifferent to the cold.
我看到雪激動(dòng)得連寒冷都不在乎了。
(2). Many one or little one is indifferent to me.
多一個(gè)或少一個(gè)對(duì)我是無(wú)關(guān)緊要的。
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