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In the Arnold house it was almost as cold as it was outside.
阿諾德家里溫度幾乎和外面一樣。
The children's father had died since coming to the new country,
孩子們的父親來到美國后就去世了，
and there were only Beth and William and their mother left to face this dreary winter.
只有貝絲、威廉和他們的母親留下來度過這個凄涼的冬天。
Mrs. Arnold did sewing,
阿諾德夫人做針線活，
and William ran errands for the sailors down at the wharves,
威廉為碼頭下的水手們辦差，
having his basket filled with food in return for his work.
換回一籃子的食物。
It was a hard winter for them, though; no one could deny that.
不過，對他們來說，這個冬天很難熬；沒有人能否認這一點。
Mrs. Arnold drew her chair up to the fireplace now and got out her sewing.
阿諾德太太把椅子拉到壁爐邊，取出針線活。
Beth leaned over her shoulder, watching the thin fingers trying to make the needle fly in and out of the white cloth.
貝絲靠在阿諾德太太的肩膀上，看著她纖細的手指拿著針在白布里飛進飛出。
"Your fingers are stiff with the cold!" Beth exclaimed,
“你的手指凍僵了!”貝絲喊道,
as she blew the coals with the bellows and then rubbed her mother's hands.
她一邊用風箱吹著煤塊，一邊搓著媽媽的手。
"Not very." Mrs. Arnold tried to smile.
“沒有凍僵?！卑⒅Z德夫人盡力露出微笑。
"Yes, very," William said, as he swung his arms and blew on his finger tips.
“是凍僵了。”威廉說話時擺動著手臂，伸出手指幫著鼓風。
"We're all of us cold.
“我們都很冷。
It would be easier to work if we could keep warm."
如果我們能保持溫暖，工作起來就會更容易。”
MR. FRANKLIN’S SURPRISE Just then they heard a rap at their door.
富蘭克林先生的驚喜 就在這時，他們聽到有人敲門。
Beth ran to open it, and both children shouted with delight as a strange, slightly stooping figure entered.
貝絲跑過去開門，兩個孩子高興地叫著，這時一個奇怪的人走了進來，微彎著腰。
His hair was long and white, his fore- head was high, and his eyes were deep-set in his long, thin face.
他的頭發又長又白，前腦門高高的，臉瘦長瘦長的，一雙眼睛凹陷進去。
His long cloak was folded about him as he reached out his hands to greet the family.
當他伸出手向家人致意時，他的長披風折疊到了一起。
"Mr. Franklin!" their mother exclaimed.
“富蘭克林先生!”母親喊道。
"We are most glad to see you.
“很高興見到你，
You are our very wel- come guest always, even if our fire is very small and the house cold."
你永遠是我們的客人，即使我們的火很小，房子很冷?！?/p>
