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But it was generally said that Mrs Pipchin was a woman of system with children; and no doubt she was. Certainly the wild ones went home tame enough, after sojourning for a few months beneath her hospitable roof. It was generally said, too, that it was highly creditable of Mrs Pipchin to have devoted herself to this way of life, and to have made such a sacrifice of her feelings, and such a resolute stand against her troubles, when Mr Pipchin broke his heart in the Peruvian mines.
不過人們通常都說，皮普欽太太是一位很有辦法管理孩子的女人，毫無疑問她也確實如此。那些粗野的孩子在她款待周到的屋頂下寄居幾個月之后，回家時確實都十分馴服。人們通常也說，當皮普欽先生在秘魯的礦井傷心而死去以后，她獻身于這樣一種生活方式，在感情上作出這樣大的犧牲，這樣堅決地克服各種困難，這是令人極為欽佩的。
At this exemplary old lady, Paul would sit staring in his little arm-chair by the fire, for any length of time. He never seemed to know what weariness was, when he was looking fixedly at Mrs Pipchin. He was not fond of her; he was not afraid of her; but in those old, old moods of his, she seemed to have a grotesque attraction for him. There he would sit, looking at her, and warming his hands, and looking at her, until he sometimes quite confounded Mrs Pipchin, Ogress as she was. Once she asked him, when they were alone, what he was thinking about.
對于這位堪稱楷模的老太太，保羅總是在壁爐旁邊坐在他的小扶手椅子里，目不轉睛地看著，不論時間有多久。當他一動不動地看著皮普欽太太的時候，他似乎從來不知道疲倦。他不喜歡她；他不怕她。但是在他那老氣而又老氣的心緒中，她似乎對他有一種奇異的吸引力。他會坐在那里看著她，烘烘手，又看著她，直到有時他使皮普欽太太也感到十分困窘（盡管她是一位惡魔）。有一次當只有他們兩個人的時候，她問他，他在想什么。
'You,' said Paul, without the least reserve.
“ 想您，”保羅十分坦率地說道。
'And what are you thinking about me?' asked Mrs Pipchin.
“您想我什么？”皮普欽太太問道。
'I'm thinking how old you must be,' said Paul.
“我在想您該有多老了，”保羅說道。
'You mustn't say such things as that, young gentleman,' returned the dame. 'That'll never do.'
“您不應該說這樣的話，年輕的先生，”那位老太太回答道，“那是絕對不合適的。”
'Why not?' asked Paul.
“為什么不合適？”保羅問道。
'Because it's not polite,' said Mrs Pipchin, snappishly.
“因為那不禮貌，”皮普欽太太暴躁地說道。
'Not polite?' said Paul.
“不禮貌嗎？”保羅說道。
'No.'
“是的。”
'It's not polite,' said Paul, innocently, 'to eat all the mutton chops and toast, Wickam says.
“威肯姆說，“保羅天真地說道，“一個人把所有的羊排和烤面包片都吃掉是不禮貌的。”
'Wickam,' retorted Mrs Pipchin, colouring, 'is a wicked, impudent, bold-faced hussy.'
“威肯姆，”皮普欽太太紅著臉，回答道，“是個 邪惡的、冒失無禮的、厚顏無恥的 賤貨。”
'What's that?' inquired Paul.
“那是什么？”保羅問道。
'Never you mind, Sir,' retorted Mrs Pipchin. 'Remember the story of the little boy that was gored to death by a mad bull for asking questions.'
“這不關您的事，先生，”皮普欽太太回答道。“記住那個小男孩的故事，他因為愛問這問那，結果就被一頭發了瘋的公牛用角頂死了。”
'If the bull was mad,' said Paul, 'how did he know that the boy had asked questions? Nobody can go and whisper secrets to a mad bull. I don't believe that story.
“如果那頭公牛是瘋的，”保羅說道，“它怎么 知道這個小男孩問了問題？誰也不會走到瘋牛跟前，低聲地把秘密 告訴它呀。我不相信這個故事。”
'You don't believe it, Sir?' repeated Mrs Pipchin, amazed.
“您不相信它嗎，先生？”皮普欽太太吃驚地重復說道。
'No,' said Paul.
“不相信，”保羅說道。
