WHEN the spring came my uncles separated Jaakov remained in the town and Michael established himself bythe river, while grandfather bought a large, interesting house in Polevoi Street, with a tavern on the ground-floor,comfortable little rooms under the roof, and a garden running down to the causeway which simply bristled withleafless willow branches.
当春天来临时，我的叔叔们分开了，雅各布留在镇上，迈克尔在河边建立了自己的家，而祖父买了一所位于波列沃伊大街的大而有趣的房子，一楼有个客栈，屋顶下有舒适的小房间，还有一个通往堤岸的花园，简直是密密的柳树枝。

“Canes for you !” grandfather said, merrily winking at me, as after looking at the garden, I accompanied him onthe soft, slushy road. —
“这是给你的手杖！”祖父说着，快活地向我眨眼，看完花园后，我陪着他踏在柔软泥泞的路上。 —

“I shall begin teaching you to read and write soon, so they will come in handy.”
“我很快就要开始教你读写了，所以这些会派上用场的。”

The house was packed full of lodgers, with the exception of the top floor, where grandfather had a room forhimself and for the reception of visitors, and the attic, in which grandmother and I had established ourselves. —
这所房子挤满了住客，除了顶楼，那里是祖父自己的房间和接待客人的地方，还有阁楼，我们祖母和我住在那里。 —

Itswindow gave on to the street, and one could see, by leaning over the sill, in the evenings and on holidays,drunken men crawling out of the tavern and staggering up the road, shouting and tumbling about. —
它的窗户朝向大街，晚上和节假日，你可以探头出窗台，看到醉鬼们从客栈里蹒跚走出来，摇摇晃晃地上路，喊喊叫叫。 —

Sometimesthey were thrown out into the road, just as if they had been sacks, and then they would try to make their way intothe tavern again ; —
有时，他们会被扔到路上，就像被扔成麻袋一样，然后他们会试图再次进入客栈； —

the door would bang, and creak, and the hinges would squeak, and then a fight would begin. —
门嘣地一声关上，吱呀作响，铰链吱呀作响，然后就会有一场打斗。 —

Itwas very interesting to look down on all this.
看到这一切真是很有趣。

　　Every morning grandfather went to the workshops of his sons to help them to get settled, and every evening hewould return tired, depressed, and cross.
每天早晨，祖父会去他儿子们的作坊帮助他们安顿下来，每天晚上他疲倦、压抑且脾气暴躁地回家。

Grandmother cooked, and sewed, and pottered about in the kitchen and flower gardens, revolving aboutsomething or other all day long, like a gigantic top set spinning by an invisible whip ; —
祖母煮饭、缝补衣物、在厨房和花园里忙碌，整天如同被隐形鞭子鞭打而不停旋转的巨大陀螺一样； —

taking snuff continually,and sneezing, and wiping her perspiring face as she said:
不停地抽鼻烟，打喷嚏，擦拭出汗的脸庞，她说：

“Good luck to you, good old world! —
“老天保佑你，美好的世界！ —

Well now, Oleysha, my darling, isn’t this a nice quiet life now? —
噢， Oleysha，我的宝贝，这样的平静生活不是很好吗？ —

This is thydoing, Queen of Heaven that everything has turned out so well !”
这一切都是你的作为，天堂女王让一切都这么顺利！”

But her idea of a quiet life was not mine. —
但她对于平静的生活的理解并不符合我的。 —

From morning till night the other occupants of the house ran in and outand up and down tumultuously, thus demonstrating their neighborliness always in a hurry, yet always late; —
从早到晚，房子里的其他居民忙忙碌碌地进进出出、上上下下，总是匆忙地展示着邻里关系，然而总是迟到； —

always complaining, and always ready to call out: “Akulina Ivanovna!”
总是抱怨，总是随时叫喊着：“阿库利娜·伊凡诺夫娜！”

　　And Akulina Ivanovna, invariably amiable, and impartially attentive to them all, would help herself to snuff andcarefully wipe her nose and fingers on a red check handkerchief before replying:
而阿库利娜·伊凡诺夫娜总是和蔼可亲，对所有人都公平关心，会取些鼻烟，认真地用一块红格手绢擦拭鼻子和手指，然后回答道：

“To get rid of lice, my friend, you must wash yourself oftener and take baths of mint-vapor; —
“要除去虱子，朋友，你必须更经常洗澡和进行薄荷蒸汽浴； —

but if the lice areunder the skin, you should take a tablespoonful of the purest goose-grease, a teaspoonful of sulphur, three dropsof quicksilver stir all these ingredients together seven times with a potsherd in an earthenware vessel, and use themixture as an ointment. —
但如果虱子藏在皮肤下，你应该取纯正的鹅油一勺，硫磺一茶匙，水银三滴，把这些成分放入陶器容器里用瓦片搅拌七次，将混合物用作药膏。 —

But remember that if you stir it with a wooden or a bone spoon the mercury will bewasted, and that if you put a brass or silver spoon into it, it will do you harm to use it.”
但请记住，如果你用木勺或骨头勺来搅拌，汞将被浪费，如果你把铜勺或银勺放入其中，使用它将会对你造成伤害。”

　　Sometimes, after consideration, she would say :
有时，经过考虑，她会说：

　　“You had better go to Asaph, the chemist at Petchyor, my good woman, for I am sure I don’t know how to adviseyou.”
“我劝你去彼琴尔的药剂师阿萨夫那里，我的好女人，因为我确实不知道该怎么劝你。”

She acted as midwife, and as peacemaker in family quarrels and disputes; —
她担任接生婆，也是家庭纠纷和争执的调停人； —

she would cure infantile maladies, andrecite the “Dream of Our Lady,” so that the women might learn it by heart “for luck,” and was always ready togive advice in matters of housekeeping.
她会治疗婴儿疾病，并吟诵“我们夫人的梦”，这样女人们就可以“幸运地”牢记它，并且总是愿意在家务事上提供建议。

“The cucumber itself will tell you when pickling time comes ; —
“黄瓜本身会告诉你什么时候腌制的时机到了； —

when it falls to the ground and gives forth acurious odor, then is the time to pluck it. —
当它掉到地上并散发出奇怪的气味时，那就是采摘的时候。 —

Kvass must be roughly dealt with, and it does not like much sweetness,so prepare it with raisins, to which you may add one zolotnik to every two and a half gallons. —
瓦斯需要粗鲁的对待，并且不喜欢过甜，所以用葡萄干准备，你可以每两加仑加一份分半的金，适量添加。 —

… You can makecurds in different ways. —
… 制作凝乳有不同的方法。 —

There ‘s the Donski flavor, and the Gimpanski, and the Caucasian.”
有顿斯基风味，还有金堡斯基风味和高加索风味。”

All day long I hung about her in the garden and in the yard, and accompanied her to neighbors’ houses, whereshe would sit for hours drinking tea and telling all sorts of stories. —
我整天都跟在她身边，无论是在花园还是院子里，还有陪她去邻居家里，她会坐上几个小时喝茶，讲各种故事。 —

I had grown to be a part of her, as it were, andat this period of my life I do not remember anything so distinctly as that energetic old woman, who was neverweary of doing good.
我似乎已经变成她的一部分，我这一生中没有什么比那位精力充沛的老太太更令我难忘。

Sometimes my mother appeared on the scene from somewhere or other, for a short time. —
有时候，我的母亲会莫名其妙地出现一下。 —

Lofty and severe, shelooked upon us all with her cold gray eyes, which were like the winter sun, and soon vanished again, leaving usnothing to remember her by.
高大威严，她用那双像冬日太阳一样冷酷的灰色眼睛看着我们所有人，然后又很快消失，留下我们几乎没有什么值得记忆的。

　　Once I asked grandmother: “Are you a witch?”
有一次我问奶奶：“您是女巫吗？”

“Well! What idea will you get into your head next?” she laughed. —
“哎呀！你又在想些什么怪主意？”她笑着说。 —

But she added in a thoughtful tone: “Howcould I be a witch? Witchcraft is a difficult science. —
但她加着一丝思索说：“我怎么可能成为女巫呢？女巫可是很难学的科学。” —

Why, I can’t read and write even; I don’t even know myalphabet. —
“我连读写都不懂；我连字母表都不认识。” —

Grandfather he ‘s a regular cormorant for learning, but Our Lady never made me a scholar.”
“爷爷擅长学习，但圣母从来没有让我成为一个学者。”

　　Then she presented still another phase of her life to me as she went on:
然后，她在继续时向我展示了她生活的另一个阶段。

“I was a little orphan like you, you know. —
“我和你一样，也是一个小孤儿。” —

My mother was just a poor peasant woman and a cripple.
“我的母亲只是一个贫穷的农妇，还是一个残疾人。”

She was little more than a child when a gentleman took advantage of her. —
“她年纪轻轻被一个绅士利用。” —

In fear of what was to come, she threwherself out of the window one night, and broke her ribs and hurt her shoulder so much that her right hand, whichshe needed most, was withered . —
“为了逃避即将发生的事情，她在一个晚上从窗户跳了下去，摔断了肋骨，伤到了肩膀，她右手，她最需要的手，因此变得残疾。” —

. . and a noted lace-worker, too! Well, of course her employers did not want herafter that, and they dismissed her to get her living as well as she could. —
“她以前还是个著名的钩花工人呢！当然，她的雇主们在那之后就不需要她了，他们辞退了她，让她自己想办法谋生。” —

How can one earn bread without hands?
怎样才能没有手赚到面包呢？

So she had to beg, to live on the charity of others ; —
因此她不得不乞讨，依靠他人的施舍生活； —

but in those times people were richer and kinder … —
但那个时候人们更富有和更善良…… —

thecarpenters of Balakhana, as well as the lace-workers, were famous, and all the people were for show.
巴拉卡哈纳的木匠和制织者都很有名，所有人都为外表而生活。

“Sometimes my mother and I stayed in the town for the autumn and winter, but as soon as the Archangel Gabrielwaved his sword and drove away the winter, and clothed the earth with spring, we started on our travels again,going whither our eyes led us. —
“有时我和母亲会在城里度过秋天和冬天，但一到大天使加百利挥舞剑驱散冬天，大地披上春天的衣裳，我们就又开始了旅行，去我们的眼睛引领我们去的地方。 —

To Mourome we went, and to Urievitz, and by the upper Volga, and by the quietOka. It was good to wander about the world in the spring and summer, when all the earth was smiling and thegrass was like velvet; —
我们去了莫罗梅，去了乌里耶维茨，通过上伏尔加河，沿着宁静的奥卡河。在春夏游荡世界是多么美好，当大地都在微笑，草地如绒…… —

and the Holy Mother of God scattered flowers over the fields, and everything seemed tobring joy to one, and speak straight to one’s heart. —
圣母玛丽亚在田野上洒下鲜花，一切都似乎带给你欢乐，直击你的心灵。 —

And sometimes, when we were on the hills, my mother,closing her blue eyes, would begin to sing in a voice which, though not powerful, was as clear as a bell; —
有时，我们在山丘上，母亲闭上她蓝色的眼睛，开始用声音歌唱，虽然不雄厚，却清脆如铃； —

andlistening to her, everything about us seemed to fall into a breathless sleep. —
聆听她的歌声，周围的一切似乎都陷入无声的沉睡。 —

Ah! God knows it was good to bealive in those days!
啊！上帝知道，在那些日子里活着是多么美好！

“But by the time that I was nine years old, my mother began to feel that she would be blamed if she took meabout begging with her any longer; —
“但到我九岁时，母亲开始感到如果继续带我乞讨，她就会受到责备； —

in fact, she began to be ashamed of the life we were leading, and so shesettled at Balakhana, and went about the streets begging from house to house taking up a position in the churchporch on Sundays and holidays, while I stayed at home and learned to make lace. —
事实上，她开始羞于我们过着的生活，于是她在巴拉卡哈纳落户，周日和节假日她走街串巷乞讨，而我则待在家学习制作花边。 —

I was an apt pupil, because Iwas so anxious to help my mother; —
我是一个聪明的学生，因为我非常渴望帮助母亲； —

but sometimes I did not seem to get on at all, and then I used to cry. —
但有时我似乎根本学不进去，于是我会哭泣。 —

But intwo years I had learned the business, mind you, small as I was, and the fame of of it went through the town.
但两年过去，我学会了这门生意，你还记得吧，虽然我很小，但我们家的名声传遍了城镇。

　　When people wanted really good lace, they came to us at once :
当人们想要真正好的花边时，他们立刻就来找我们：

　　“‘Now, Akulina, make your bobbins fly !’ ’
“‘阿库里娜，让你的缠线器飞起来吧！’”

“And I was very happy … those were great days for me. —
“那时对我来说是非常快乐的时光… —

But of course it was mother’s work, not mine ; —
但当然这是妈妈的工作，不是我的； —

forthough she had only one hand and that one useless, it was she who taught me how to work. —
因为即使她只有一只无用的手，也是她教会了我如何工作。 —

And a good teacher isworth more than ten workers.
一个好老师胜过十个工人。

　　“Well, I began to be proud. ‘Now, my little mother,’ I said, ‘you must give up begging, for I can earn enough tokeep us both.’
“嗯，我开始变得骄傲起来。‘现在，我的小母亲，’我说，‘你必须放弃乞讨，因为我能赚够让我们两个都行的钱。

“‘Nothing of the sort !’ she replied. —
“‘才不呢！’她回答。 —

‘What you earn shall be set aside for your dowry.’
‘你挣的钱会被留作你的嫁妆。

“And not long after this, grandfather came on the scene. —
“不久之后，祖父出现了。 —

A wonderful lad he was only twenty-two, and already afreewater-man. —
他是个了不起的小伙子，只有22岁，已经是个免费的码头工人。 —

His mother had had her eye on me for some time. —
他的母亲对我已经留意了一段时间。 —

She saw that I was a clever worker, and beingonly a beggar’s daughter, I suppose she thought I should be easy to manage ; —
她看到我是个聪明的工人，并且只是一个乞丐的女儿，我想她可能认为我应该比较好控制； —

but ! Well, she was a crafty,malignant woman, but we won’t rake up all that… . —
但呵！嗯，她是个狡猾、恶毒的女人，但我们不要揭起所有那些… … —

Besides, why should we remember bad people? God seesthem; —
况且，我们为什么要记住坏人？上帝看得见他们； —

He sees all they do; and the devils love them.”
他看到了他们所做的一切；而魔鬼们却爱他们。

　　And she laughed heartily, wrinkling her nose comically, while her eyes, shining pensively, seemed to caress me,more eloquent even than her words.
妈妈开怀大笑，滑稽地皱起鼻子，而她那闪烁着忧郁情感的眼睛，似乎比她的话语更有表现力。

I remember one quiet evening having tea with grandmother in grandfather’s room. —
我记得一个安静的傍晚，和祖母在祖父的房间里喝茶。 —

He was not well, and wassitting on his bed undressed, with a large towel wrapped round his shoulders, sweating profusely and breathingquickly and heavily. —
他身体不好，一丝不挂地坐在床上，肩膀上裹着一条大毛巾，大汗淋漓，呼吸急促而沉重。 —

His green eyes were dim, his face puffed and livid; —
他那双绿色的眼睛昏暗，脸部浮肿而发青； —

his small, pointed ears also were quitepurple, and his hand shook pitifully as he stretched it out to take his cup of tea. —
他尖尖的耳朵也变得有些紫红，当他伸手拿起茶杯时，手颤抖得令人可怜。 —

His manner was gentle too; hewas quite unlike himself.
他的态度也温和得让人难以置信；他和他平时的样子完全不同。

　　“Why haven’t you given me any sugar?” he asked pettishly, like a spoiled child.
“你怎么没有给我糖？”他撒娇地问，像一个被宠坏的孩子。

　　“I have put honey in it ; it is better for you,” replied grandmother kindly but firmly.
“我放了蜂蜜；这对你更有益。” 祖母亲切地但坚定地回答。

　　Drawing in his breath and making a sound in his throat like the quacking of a duck, he swallowed the hot tea at agulp.
他吸了口气，喉咙里发出鸭子叫声般的声音，一口气喝下热茶。

　　“I shall die this time,” he said; “see if I don’t!”
“这次我真的会死的，看我不是说得对！”

　　“Don’t you worry ! I will take care of you.”
“别担心！我会照顾好你。”

“That ‘s all very well ; but if I die now I might as well have never lived. —
“这太好了；但如果我现在就死了，倒不如从来没有活过。” —

Everything will fall to pieces.”
“一切都会支离破碎。”

　　“Now, don’t you talk. Lie quiet.”
“现在，别说话。安静躺着。”

He lay silent for a minute with closed eyes, twisting his thin beard round his fingers, and smacking his discoloredlips together; —
他闭着眼睛沉默了一分钟，用手指拧着他细薄的胡须，噼啪地合拢着他褪色的嘴唇； —

but suddenly he shook himself as if some one had run a pin into him, and began to utter histhoughts aloud :
但突然间他像是被刺了一下，猛地摇了摇，开始大声说出他的想法：

“Jaaschka and Mischka ought to get married again as soon as possible. —
“亚斯卡和米斯卡应该尽快再次结婚。 —

New ties would very likely give them afresh hold on life. What do you think? —
新的纽带很可能会让他们重新抓住生活的希望。你觉得呢？ —

” Then he began to search his memory for the names of eligible brides inthe town.
”接着他开始在脑海里搜索镇上有资格的新娘的名字。

But grandmother kept silence as she drank cup after cup of tea, and I sat at the window looking at the eveningsky over the town as it grew redder and redder and cast a crimson reflection upon the windows of the oppositehouses. —
但奶奶沉默地一杯接一杯地喝茶，我坐在窗前看着城镇上的晚霞渐渐泛红，并在对面房子的窗户上投下深红的反光。 —

As a punishment for some misdemeanor, grandfather had forbidden me to go out in the garden or theyard. —
由于某种过错，爷爷已经禁止我在花园或院子里活动了。 —

Round the birch trees in the garden circled beetles, making a tinkling sound with their wings; —
花园里的白桦树周围飞来飞去的甲虫，用翅膀发出叮当声； —

a cooper wasworking in a neighboring yard, and not far away some one was sharpening knives. —
一个木桶匠在附近的院子里工作，不远处有人在磨刀。 —

The voices of children whowere hidden by the thick bushes rose up from the garden and the causeway. —
隐藏在浓密灌木丛中的孩子们的声音从花园和街道上传了上来。 —

It all seemed to draw me and holdme, while the melancholy of eventide flowed into my heart.
所有这一切似乎在吸引着我，抓住了我，而傍晚的忧郁融入我的心中。

　　Suddenly grandfather produced a brand-new book from somewhere, banged it loudly on the palm of his hand,and called me in brisk tones.
突然，爷爷从某处拿出一本崭新的书，大声地在手掌上砰砰地敲了一下，并用爽利的语气叫我过去。

“Now, yon young rascal, come here! Sit down! —
“你这个小淘气，过来！坐下！ —

Now do you see these letters’? This is ‘Az.’ Say after me ‘Az,’
看看这些字母吧？这是‘阿’。跟着我念‘阿’，

　　‘Buki,’ ‘Viedi.’ What is this one?”
‘贝’，‘维’。这个是什么？”

　　“Buki.”
“布基。”

　　“Right ! And what is this?”
“对！那这是什么？”

　　“Viedi.”
“维埃迪。”

　　“Wrong! It is ‘Az.’
“错误！是‘阿兹’。”

　　“Look at these ‘Glagol,’ ‘Dobro,’ ‘Yest.’ WTiat is this one?”
“看这些‘格拉格尔’，‘多布罗’，‘耶斯特’。这个是什么？”

　　“Dobro.”
“多布罗。”

　　“Right! And this one?”
“正确！这个呢？”

　　“Glagol.”
“格拉格尔。”

　　“Good! And this one?”
“很好！这个呢？”

　　“Az.”
“阿兹。”

　　“You ought to be lying still, you know, Father,” put in grandmother.
“你应该躺着不动，知道吗，爸爸？”奶奶插话说。

“Oh, don’t bother! This is just die dung for me; —
“哦，别管我！这只是对我来说的粪土； —

it takes my thoughts off myself. Go on, Lexei!”
这能让我的注意力从我自己身上转移。继续，莱克西！”

He put his hot, moist aim round my neck, and ticked off the letters on my shoulder with his finger He smelledstrongly of vinegar, to which an odor of baked onion was added, and I felt nearly suffocated; —
他把湿漉漉的炽热手臂搭在我的脖子上，用手指在我肩膀上划动出字母。他身上闻起来强烈地带有醋的味道，还混合着烤洋葱的气味，我感到几乎窒息； —

but he flew into arage and growled and roared in my ear:
但他又恼羞成怒，在我的耳边咆哮起来。

　　“Zemlya, Loodi!”
“土地，卢迪！”

The words were familiar to me, but the Slav characters did not correspond with them. —
这些话对我来说很熟悉，但是斯拉夫文字符并不对应。 —

“Zemlya” (Z) looked like aworm; 4i Glagol M (G) like round-shouldered Gregory; —
“土地”（Z）看起来像一条蠕虫；格拉哥尔M（G）像驼背的格里高利； —

“Ya” resembled grandmother and me standing together; —
“亚”看起来像奶奶和我站在一起； —

and grandfather seemed to have something in common with all the letters of the alphabet.
而爷爷似乎与字母表中所有的字母都有些共同之处。

He took me through it over and over again, sometimes asking me the names of the letters in order, sometimes“dodging” ; —
他一遍又一遍地教我，有时让我按顺序念出字母的名字，有时“躲避”； —

and his hot temper must have been catching, for I also began to perspire, and to shout at the top ofmy voice at which he was greatly amused. —
他的脾气火爆，我也开始出汗，高声喊叫，他却觉得很有趣。 —

He clutched his chest as he coughed violently and tossed the bookaside, wheezing:
他揪住胸口用力咳嗽，把书仍到一旁，喘息着说道：

“Do you hear how he bawls, Mother? —
“你听到他嚷嚷了吧，母亲？ —

What are you making that noise for, you little Astrakhan maniac?
你为什么要发出那种噪音，你这个小阿斯特拉罕狂人？

　　It was you that made the noise.
那是你在发出声音。

　　It was a pleasure to me then to look at him and at grandmother, who, with her elbows on the table, and cheekresting on her hand, was watching us and laughing gently as she said :
看着他和坐在桌子前，手肘搁在桌上，脸颊托在手上，开心地笑着观看我们的奶奶，我感到很愉快，她轻声说道：

　　“You will burst yourselves with laughing if you are not careful.”
“小心笑破肚皮。”

“I am irritable because I am unwell,” grandfather explained in a friendly tone. —
“我脾气暴躁是因为身体不适，”爷爷友善地解释道。 —

“But what ‘s the matter with you,eh?”
“那么，你出了什么问题，嗯？”

“Our poor Natalia was mistaken,” he said to grandmother, shaking his damp head, “when she said he had nomemory. —
“我们可怜的娜塔莉娅错了，”他对祖母说，摇着湿漉漉的头，“当她说他没有记忆时。 —

He has a memory, thank God! It is like a horse’s memory. —
感谢上帝！他有记忆力。就像一匹马的记忆一样。 —

Get on with it, snub-nose !”
“继续吧，小鼻子！”

　　At last he playfully pushed me off the bed.
最后，他戏弄地把我从床上推了下去。

　　“That will do. You can take the book, and tomorrow you will say the whole alphabet to me without a mistake,and I will give you five kopecks.”
“够了。你可以拿着这本书，明天你要给我念整个字母表而没有错误，我就给你五戈比。”

　　When I held out my hand for the book, he drew me to him and said gruffly :
当我伸手拿书时，他拉着我说话。

　　“That mother of yours does not care what becomes of you, my lad.”
“你母亲并不在乎你以后会怎样，我的孩子。”

　　Grandmother started.
祖母吓了一跳。

　　“Oh, Father, why do you say such things’?”
“哦，父亲，你为什么说这样的话？”

“I ought not to have said it my feelings got the better of me. —
“我不应该说出口，我的感情控制了我。 —

Oh, what a girl that is for going astray !”
哎呀，这个女孩是多么容易误入歧途！”

　　He pushed me from him roughly.
他粗暴地把我推开。

“Run along now! You can go out, but not into the street; —
“现在快跑！你可以出去，但不要上街； —

don’t you dare to do that. Go to the yard or the garden.”
你敢那样做。去院子或花园里。”

The garden had special attractions for me. —
花园对我有特别的吸引力。 —

As soon as I showed myself on the hillock there, the boys in thecauseway started to throw stones at me, and I returned the charge with a will.
我一露面在小土堡上，路中的男孩就开始向我投掷石块，我也毫不畏惧地回击。

“Here comes the ninny,” they would yell as soon as they saw me, arming themselves hastily. —
“傻瓜来了！”他们看到我就会大喊，赶紧武装起来。 —

“Let ‘s skin him !”
“抓住他！”

As I did not know what they meant by “ninny,” the nickname did not offend me; —
因为我不知道“傻瓜”是什么意思，这个绰号并没有冒犯到我； —

but I liked to feel that I was onealone fighting against the lot of them, especially when a well-aimed stone sent the enemy flying to shelteramongst the bushes. —
但我喜欢感觉自己孤军奋战，尤其是当一块石头精准地击中敌人，使他们飞快地躲进灌木丛时。 —

We engaged in these battles without malice, and they generally ended without any one beinghurt.
我们参与这些战斗并无恶意，通常都会在无人受伤的情况下结束。

I learned to read and write easily. —
我很容易学会了读写。 —

Grandmother bestowed more and more attention on me, and whippings becamerarer and rarer although in my opinion I deserved them more than ever before, for the older and more vigorous Igrew the more often I broke grandfather’s rules, and disobeyed his commands; —
祖母越来越多地关注我，鞭打变得越来越少，虽然在我看来，我比以往任何时候更应该受到惩罚，因为我越来越老，越来越健壮，就越经常违反祖父的规则，不听他的命令； —

yet he did no more than scold me,or shake his fist at me. —
然而他仅仅是责备我，或者朝我摇手示意。 —

I began to think, if you please, that he must have beaten me without cause in the past, andI told him so.
我开始想，如果你乐意的话，那么他过去可能无故地打过我，于是我告诉他。

　　He lightly tilted my chin and raised my face towards him, blinking as he drawled:
他轻轻抬起我的下巴，把我的脸朝着他，眨巴着眼睛慢吞吞地说：

　　“Wha aa t?”
“哪 哦？”

　　And half-laughing, he added :
他半开玩笑地补充道：

“You heretic! How can you possibly know how many whippings you need? —
“你这异端邪说！你怎么可能知道你需要多少鞭打呢？ —

Who should know if not I? There!
如果不是我，谁能知晓？去吧！

　　get along with you.”
你走吧。”

　　But he had no sooner said this than he caught me by the shoulder and asked:
但他刚说完这句话，便抓住我的肩膀问道：

　　“Which are you now, I wonder crafty or simple?”
“你现在是哪一种，我纳闷是狡诈还是简单？”

　　“I don’t know.”
“我不知道。”

“You don’t know! Well, I will tell you this much be crafty; it pays! —
“你不知道！那么我告诉你一点点，要精明些；这会有好处！ —

Simple-mindedness is nothing butfoolishness. —
单纯就是愚蠢。 —

Sheep are simple-minded, remember that! That will do. Run away!”
记住，羊是单纯的，记住这点！就这样吧。走吧！”

Before long I was able to spell out the Psalms. —
不久之后，我能够把诗篇拼读出来。 —

Our usual time for this was after the evening tea, when I had toread one Psalm.
我们通常在晚茶后进行这项活动，那时我必须要读一篇诗篇。

“B-1-e-s-s, Bless; e-d, ed; Blessed,” I read, guiding the pointer across the page. —
“B-1-e-s-s，Bless；e-d, ed；Blessed，”我读着，用指着一页上的文字。 —

“Blessed is the man Does thatmean Uncle Jaakov? —
“那被祝福的人是谁，是指亚吉大叔吗？”我问，为了打破乏味。 —

” I asked, to relieve the tedium.
“我打你的耳光；这会让你知道被祝福的是谁，”爷爷生气地回答，并嘟囔着。

“I’ll box your ears; that will teach you who it is that is blessed,” replied grandfather, snorting angrily; —
但我知道他的愤怒只是假装的，因为他认为愤怒是应该的。 —

but I feltthat his anger was only assumed, because he thought it was the right thing to be angry.
不出一分钟，显而易见他已经忘记了我，低声说着：

　　And I was not mistaken; in less than a minute it was plain that he had forgotten all about me as he muttered :
“是的，是的！大卫王在比赛中，他的诗歌中，以及亚撒伯勒的事情中，显得非常刻薄。

　　“Yes, yes ! King David showed himself to be very spiteful in sport, and in his songs, and in the Absalom affair.
噢！歌者，语言大师，和诙谐者。你就是这样！”

　　Ah! Maker of Songs, Master of Language, and Jester. That is what you were !”
我停止阅读，看着他皱着眉思考的脸。

I left off reading to look at his frowning, wondering face. —
他微微眨动的眼睛似乎透过我，一种温暖而忧郁的亮光从中闪耀； —

His eyes, blinking slightly, seemed to look through me,and a warm, melancholy brightness shone from them ; —
但我知道不久后他那严厉的表情又会回来。 —

but I knew that before long his usual harsh expressionwould return to them. —
他用瘦弱的手指断断续续地敲击着桌子； —

He drummed on the table spasmodically with his thin fingers ; —
他那沾满污垢的指甲熠熠发光，金色的眉毛上下抽动。 —

his stained nails shone, andhis golden eyebrows moved up and down.
他的眼神转瞬即逝，仿佛对我看透，一种温暖而忧郁的明亮透过他的眼睛；

　　“Grandfather!”
“爷爷！”

　　“Eh? 5“Tell me a story.”
“嗯？“给我讲个故事。”

“Get on with your reading, you lazy clown! —
“快点看书，你这个懒虫！ —

” he said querulously, rubbing his eyes just as if he had beenawakened from sleep. —
”他抱怨地说，揉着眼睛，就像是从睡梦中醒来一样。 —

“You like stories, but you don’t care for the Psalms !”
“你喜欢故事，但不喜欢诗篇！”

　　I rather suspected that he, too, liked stories better than the Psalter, which he knew almost by heart, for he hadmade a vow to read it through every night before going to bed, which he did in a sort of chant, just as thedeacons recite the breviary in church.
我有点怀疑他也更喜欢故事，而不是他几乎倒背如流的诗篇，因为他曾发誓每天晚上睡前都要读完它，他会像执事在教堂里背诵祈祷文一样诵读。

　　At my earnest entreaty, the old man, who was growing softer every day, gave in to me.
在我恳求下，这位渐渐变软心的老人答应了我。

　　“Very well, then! You will always have the Psalter with you, but God will be calling me to judgment beforelong.”
“好吧！你总是有诗篇在身边，而上帝很快就会召唤我接受审判。”

So, reclining against the upholstered back of the old armchair, throwing back his head and gazing at the ceiling,he quietly and thoughtfully began telling me about old times, and about his father. —
因此，他靠在旧扶手椅的靠背上，仰望天花板，安静而深思地开始告诉我过去的事情，以及他的父亲。 —

Once robbers had come toBalakhana, to rob Zaev, the merchant, and grandfather’s father rushed to the belfry to sound the alarm; —
有一次强盗来到巴拉哈纳，想抢劫商人扎耶夫，爷爷的父亲冲向钟楼敲警钟； —

but therobbers came up after him, felled him with their swords, and threw him down from the tower.
但强盗追上他，用剑击倒了他，然后从塔上扔了下去。

“But I was an infant at the time, so of course I do not remember anything about the affair. —
“但那时我还是个婴儿，所以我对这件事一无所知。 —

The first person Iremember is a Frenchman; that was when I was twelve years old exactly twelve. —
我记得的第一个人是一个法国人；那是我十二岁的时候，恰好十二岁。 —

Three batches of prisoners weredriven into Balakhana all small, wizened people ; —
三批囚犯被押到巴拉哈纳，都是些瘦小的人； —

some of them dressed worse than beggars, and others so coldthat they could hardly stand by themselves. —
他们里面有的穿得比乞丐还差，有的因为寒冷几乎站不住。 —

The peasants would have beaten them to death, but the escortprevented that and drove them away; —
农民们本想把他们打死，但护送队阻止了他们，把他们赶走； —

and there was no more trouble after that. —
之后再也没有麻烦了。 —

We got used to the Frenchmen,who showed themselves to be skilful and sagacious; —
我们逐渐习惯了那些法国人，他们表现得很能干和聪明； —

merry enough too … sometimes they sang songs.
有时候也很快乐……有时候他们唱歌。

Gentlemen used to come out from Nijni in troikas to examine the prisoners; —
从尼日尼出来的绅士们坐着快马来审视囚犯； —

some of them abused the Frenchmenand shook their fists at them, and even went so far as to strike them, while others spoke kindly to them in theirown tongue, gave them money, and showed them great cordiality. —
有的人辱骂法国人，摇着拳头，甚至动手打他们，而另一些人用他们的语言和善地与他们交谈，给他们钱，并表现出极大的热情。 —

One old gentleman covered his face with hishands and wept, and said that that villain Bonaparte had ruined the French. —
一个老绅士用双手捂住脸，哭泣，说那个恶棍波拿巴毁掉了法国人。 —

There, you see ! He was a Russian,and a gentleman, and he had a good heart he pitied those foreigners.”
看吧！他是个俄罗斯人，绅士，并且心地善良，怜悯那些外国人。”

He was silent for a moment, keeping his eyes closed, and smoothing his hair with his hands; —
他沉默了片刻，闭着眼睛，用手梳着头发； —

then he went on,recalling the past with great precision.
然后继续讲述，回忆往事细致入微。

“Winter had cast its spell over the streets, the peasants’ huts were frostbound, and the Frenchmen usedsometimes to run to our mother’s house and stand under the windows she used to make little loaves to sell andtap on the glass, shouting and jumping about as they asked for hot bread. —
冬天笼罩了街道，农民们的小屋被冻结，法国人有时会跑到我们家门口，并站在窗下，他们要买热面包，会敲玻璃。 —

Mother would not have them in ourcottage, but she threw them the loaves from the window; —
母亲不让他们进我们的小屋，但她会从窗口扔下面包； —

and all hot as they were, they snatched them up andthrust them into their breasts, against their bare skin. —
虽然还烫手，他们抓起面包塞进胸口，贴在赤裸的皮肤上。 —

How they bore the heat I cannot imagine! —
他们如何承受得住热度我无法想象！ —

Many of themdied of cold, for they came from a warm country, and were not accustomed to frost. —
他们中的很多人死于寒冷，因为他们来自一个暖和的国家，不习惯寒冷。 —

Two of them lived in ourwash-house, in the kitchen garden an officer, with his orderly, Miron.
他们中的两个住在我们的洗衣房，菜园里有一位军官，和他的随从米伦。

“The officer was a tall, thin man, with his bones coming through his skin, and he used to go about wrapped in awoman’s cloak which reached to his knees. —
“那位军官是一位高高瘦瘦的人，骨头几乎透过了皮肤，他总是裹着一件女人的披风，披到膝盖处。 —

He was very amiable, but a drunkard, and my mother used to brewbeer on the quiet and sell it to him. When he had been drinking he used to sing. —
他很和蔼，但是爱喝酒，我母亲偷偷酿啤酒卖给他。他喝醉了就会开始唱歌。 —

When he had learned to speakour language he used to air his views ‘Your country is not white at all, it is black and bad! —
当他学会说我们的语言后就会表达他的观点‘你们的国家一点都不白，它是黑色和邪恶的！ —

’ He spoke veryimperfectly, but we could understand him, and what he said was quite true. —
他讲话很不流利，但我们能听懂，他说的是真的。 —

The upper banks of the Volga are notpleasing, but farther south the earth is warmer, and on the Caspian Sea snow is never even seen. —
伏尔加河的上游并不令人愉悦，但往南走土地更暖和，在里海上甚至从来不会见到雪。 —

One can believethat, for there is no mention of either snow or winter in the Gospels, or in the Acts, or in the Psalms, as far as Iremember . —
我相信这一点，因为在圣经和诗篇中，我记不清有关雪和冬天的提及。 —

. . and the place where Christ lived … —
. . 和基督住过的地方… —

Well, as soon as we have finished the Psalms we will read theGospels together.”
好的，我们念完诗篇后一起读福音书。”

He fell into another silence, just as if he had dropped off to sleep. —
他进入另一个沉默，就像入睡一样。 —

His thoughts were far away, and his eyes, asthey glanced sideways out of the window, looked small and sharp.
他的想法飘远了，眼睛斜视出窗外，看起来又小又锐利。

　　“Tell me some more,” I said, as a gentle reminder of my presence.
“再给我讲一些吧，”我说，轻轻提醒我的存在。

　　He started, and then began again.
他吃了一惊，然后又开始说。

“Well we were talking about French people. —
“我们在谈论法国人。 —

They are human beings like ourselves, after all, not worse, or moresinful. —
他们毕竟和我们一样是人类，不更糟，也不更罪恶。” —

Sometimes they used to call out to my mother, ‘Madame! Madame! —
有时他们会对我母亲喊道，“夫人！夫人！” —

’ that means ‘my lady,’ ‘my mistress’
这意味着“我的女士”，“我的主人”

and she would put flour five poods of it into their sacks. —
她会把五千磅面粉装进他们的口袋里。 —

Her strength was extraordinary for a woman; —
对于一个女人来说，她的力气非同寻常； —

she couldlift me up by the hair quite easily until I was twenty, and even at that age I was no light weight. —
她能够轻松地提起我头发直到我二十岁，即使到了那个年纪我也不是个轻巧的重量。 —

Well, thisorderly, Miron, loved horses; he used to go into the yard and make signs for them to give him a horse to groom.
那个勤务兵，米龙，热爱马；他会进入院子里向它们打信号，让它们给他一匹马去梳洗。

At first there was trouble about it there were disputes and enmity but in the end the peasants used to call him ‘Hi,Miron! —
起初会有一些麻烦，争执和敌意，但最终农民们会叫他“嗨，米隆！” —

’ and he used to laugh and nod his head, and run to them. —
他会笑着点头，然后跑向他们。 —

He was sandy, almost red-haired, with a largenose and thick lips. —
他有着金发，几乎是红头发，长着一个大鼻子和厚唇。 —

He knew all about horses, and treated their maladies with wonderful success; —
他对马的了解无所不知，成功地治疗它们的疾病； —

later on hebecame a veterinary surgeon at Nijni, but he went out of his mind and was killed in a fire. —
后来他在尼日尼成了一名兽医，但他精神错乱后死在了一场火灾中。 —

Towards the spring theofficer began to show signs of breaking up, and passed quietly away, one day in early spring, while he wassitting at the window of the out-house just sitting and thinking, with drooping head.
到了春天，那位军官开始出现身体虚弱的迹象，在一个初春的日子安静地离世，当时他正坐在外屋的窗边，只是静静地坐着思考，头垂着。

“That is how his end came. I was very grieved about it. —
“他就是这样结束了。我为此很悲伤。 —

I cried a little, even, on the quiet. He was so gentle. —
我甚至偷偷地哭了一点。他是如此温和。 —

Heused to pull my ears, and talk to me so kindly in his own tongue. —
他总是拽我的耳朵，用他自己的语言温柔地和我交谈。 —

I could not understand him, but I liked to hearhim human kindness is not to be bought in any market. He began to teach me his language, but my motherforbade it, and even went so far as to send me to the priest, who prescribed a beating for me, and went himself tomake a complaint to the officer. —
我听不懂他，但喜欢听他说话，人的善良无法在任何市场上买到。他开始教我他的语言，但我母亲禁止了，甚至还送我去见神父，神父让人打我，并亲自去投诉军官。 —

In those days, my lad, we were treated very harshly. You have not experiencedanything like it yet. —
在那些日子里，孩子，我们被严厉对待。你还没有经历过那样的事情。 —

… What you have had to put up with is nothing to it, and don’t you forget it! … —
……你所经历的并不算什么，千万别忘了这点! —

Take myown case, for example. … I had to go through so much ”
拿我的例子来说吧…我经历了很多。”

Darkness began to fall. Grandfather seemed to grow curiously large in the twilight, and his eyes gleamed likethose of a cat. —
黑暗开始降临。祖父在暮色中似乎变得特别高大，他的眼睛闪烁着像猫一样。 —

On most subjects he spoke quietly, carefully, and thoughtfully, but when he talked about himselfhis words came quickly and his tone was passionate and boastful, and I did not like to hear him; —
在大多数话题上，他说话很温和、慎重、深思，但当谈到自己时，他的话语变得迅速，语气充满激情和自吹自擂，我不喜欢听他说话； —

nor did I relishhis frequent and peremptory command :
我也不喜欢他频繁而强硬的命令：

　　“Remember what I am telling you now ! Take care you don’t forget this !”
“记住我现在告诉你的！小心别忘了这点！”

　　He told me of many things which I had no desire to remember, but which, without any command from him, Iinvoluntarily retained in my memory, to cause me a morbid sickness of heart.
他告诉我很多我根本不想记住的事情，但在没有他的命令下，我不由自主地将它们记在脑海里，给我带来了心灵的病态。

He never told fictitious stories, but always related events which had really happened; —
他从不说虚构的故事，而总是讲述真实发生过的事件； —

and I also noticed that hehated to be questioned, which prompted me to ask persistently :
我还注意到他讨厌被询问，这促使我坚持问：

　　“Who are the best the French or the Russians?”
“法国人和俄国人哪个更好？”

“How can I tell? I never saw a Frenchman at home,” he growled angrily. —
“我怎么知道？我从未在法国人家里见过人。”他生气地咆哮道。 —

“A Pole cat is all right in its own hole,”
“猫在家的时候是好猫，”

　　he added.
他补充说。

　　“But are the Russians good?”
“但是俄罗斯人好吗？”

“In many respects they are, but they were better when the landlords ruled. —
“从许多方面看，他们是好的，但在地主统治时期更好。” —

We are all at sixes and sevens now;people can’t even get a living. —
“如今我们个个束手无策，人们甚至无法谋生。” —

The gentlefolk, of course, are to blame, because they have more intelligence toback them up; —
“当然，绅士们该受责备，因为他们有更多的智慧支持着他们；” —

but that can’t be said of all of them, but only of a few good ones who have already been proved.
“但这不能说所有人都是这样，只能说那些已被证明是好人的少数人是这样的。”

As for the others most of them are as foolish as mice; —
“至于其他人，大多数像老鼠一样愚蠢；” —

they will take anything you like to give them. —
“他们随便你给什么就接受什么。” —

We haveplenty of nut shells amongst us, but the kernels are missing; —
“我们之间的壳子成堆，但内核却不见了；” —

only nut shells, the kernels have been devoured.
“只剩下壳子，内核已经被吞噬。”

There ‘s a lesson for you, man ! We ought to have learned it, our wits ought to have been sharpened by now; —
“这就是一个教训，人啊！我们应该学习这一点，我们的智慧应该早就变得锋利起来；” —

butwe are not keen enough yet.”
“但我们还不够敏锐。”

“Are Russians stronger than other people?” “We have some very strong people amongst us ; —
“俄罗斯人比其他人更强壮吗？”“我们中有些人非常强壮；” —

but it is not strengthwhich is so important, but dexterity. —
“但并不是实力那么重要，而是灵巧。” —

As far as sheer strength goes, the horse is our superior.”
“就绝对实力而言，马是我们的上级。”

　　“But why did the French make war on us?”
“但为什么法国要对我们开战？”

　　“Well, war is the Emperor’s affair. We can’t expect to understand about it.”
“嗯，战争是皇帝的事务。我们不能指望理解。”

But to my question: “What sort of a man was Bonaparte? —
“但回答我的问题：‘波拿巴是什么样的人？’” —

” grandfather replied in a tone of retrospection :
“祖父以一种回顾的口吻回答道：”

“He was a wicked man. He wanted to make war on the whole world, and after that he wanted to make us allequal without rulers, or masters; —
“‘他是一个邪恶的人。他想要向整个世界宣战，然后他想要让我们平等，没有统治者或主人；” —

every one to be equal, without distinction of class, under the same rules,professing the same religion, so that the only difference between one person and another would be their names. —
“每个人都平等，没有阶级区别，遵循相同的规则，信仰同样的宗教，以至一个人和另一个人之间的唯一区别就是他们的名字。” —

Itwas all nonsense, of course. Lobsters are the only creatures which cannot be distinguished one from the other …
“这当然都是胡说，虾也是唯一无法区分彼此的生物……”

but fish are divided into classes. The sturgeon will not associate with the sheat-fish, and the sterlet refuses tomake a friend of the herring. —
“但鱼有分别。鲟不会与鲶鱼为伍，而鲟鱼也不会和鲱鱼交朋友。” —

There have been Bonapartes amongst us ; there was Razin (Stepan Timotheev), andPygatch (Emilian Ivanov) but I will tell you about them another time.”
“在我们之中曾经也有过波拿巴；有过拉辛（斯捷潘·提莫菲耶维奇），还有皮加奇（埃米利安·伊万诺维奇），但关于他们，我以后会告诉你。”

Sometimes he would remain silent for a long time, gazing at me with rolling eyes, as if he had never seen mebefore, which was not at all pleasant. —
“有时他会沉默很长时间，用滚动的眼睛盯着我，好像从未见过我一样，这让人很不愉快。” —

But he never spoke to me of my father or my mother. —
“但他从来没有和我谈过我的父亲或母亲。” —

Now and againgrandmother would enter noiselessly during these conversations, and taking a seat in the corner, would remainthere for a long time silent and invisible. —
“偶尔奶奶会悄无声息地进来，在这些谈话中坐在角落里，很长时间保持沉默和隐身。” —

Then she would ask suddenly in her caressing voice :
“然后她会突然用她的柔声问道：”

“Do you remember, Father, how lovely it was when we went on a pilgrimage to Mouron? —
“‘父亲，你还记得我们前往莫伦朝圣时有多么美好吗？’” —

What year would thatbe now?”
“‘那现在是哪一年了呢？’”

　　After pondering, grandfather would answer carefully:
“爷爷仔细思考后会谨慎回答：”

“I can’t say exactly, but it was before the cholera. —
“我不能确切地说，但那是在霍乱之前。 —

It was the year we caught those escaped convicts in thewoods.”
那是我们在森林里抓到那些越狱犯的那年。”

　　“True, true! We were still frightened of them”
“没错，没错！我们还很害怕他们。”

　　“That’s right!”
“就是这样！”

I asked what escaped convicts were, and why they were running about the woods; —
我问逃犯是什么，为什么他们在树林里到处逃跑； —

and grandfather ratherreluctantly explained.
爷爷有些不情愿地解释。

　　“They are simply men who have run away from prison from the work they have been set to do.”
“他们只是从监狱逃跑到他们被分配的工作。”

　　“How did you catch them?”
“我们是怎么抓到他们的？”

“How did we catch them? Why, like little boys play hide-and-seek some run away and the others look for themand catch them. —
“我们怎么抓到他们的？咦，就像小孩子们玩捉迷藏，一些人跑开了，其他人去找他们抓住他们。 —

When they were caught they were thrashed, their nostrils were slit, and they were branded on theforehead as a sign that they were convicts.”
当他们被抓住时，他们被鞭打，鼻孔被切开，额头被烙印作为他们是逃犯的标志。”

　　“But why?”
“但为什么？”

　　“Ah! that is the question and one I can’t answer.
“啊！这是个问题，我答不上来。

　　As to which is in the wrong the one who runs away or the one who pursues him that also is a mystery !”
究竟是哪个错了，是逃跑的人还是追赶他的人，这也是个谜！”

　　“And do you remember, Father,” said grandmother, “after the great fire, how we ?”
“你还记得吗，父亲，大火后，我们是如何？”

　　Grandfather, who put accuracy before everything else, asked grimly:
为了追求准确性而放下一切的祖父冷冷地问道：

　　“What great fire?”
“什么大火？”

When they went over the past like this, they forgot all about me. —
当他们像这样回顾过去时，他们完全忘记了我。 —

Their voices and their words mingled so softlyand so harmoniously, that it sounded sometimes as if they were singing melancholy songs about illnesses andfires, about massacred people and sudden deaths, about clever rogues, and religious maniacs, and harshlandlords.
他们的声音和言辞缓和而和谐地交织在一起，有时听起来就像他们在哀伤地歌唱着关于疾病和火灾，关于被屠杀的人们和突然的死亡，关于狡猾的恶棍和宗教狂热者，以及苛刻的地主的歌曲。

　　“What a lot we have lived through! What a lot we have seen !” murmured grandfather softly.
“我们经历了那么多！我们看到了那么多！”祖父轻声喃喃。

“We haven’t had such a bad life, have we?” said grandmother. —
“我们的生活并不那么糟糕，对吧？”祖母说。 —

“Do you remember how well the spring began,after Varia was born?”
“你还记得瓦利亚出生后，春天开始得多么美好吗？”

“That was in the year ‘48, during the Hungarian Campaign ; —
“那是在‘48年，匈牙利战役期间； —

and the day after the christening they drove out hergodfather, Tikhon ”
“洗礼后的第二天他们把她的教父提赫翁赶走了。”

　　“And he disappeared,” sighed grandmother.
“他就消失了，”祖母叹了口气。

“Yes; and from that time God’s blessings have seemed to flow off our house like water off a duck’s back. —
“是的；从那时起，上帝的祝福好像就像水从鸭子的背上流走一样不见了。 —

TakeVarvara, for instance ”
拿瓦尔瓦拉来说。”

　　“Now, Father, that will do!”
“父亲，这样就够了！”

“What do you mean That will do’?’ he asked, scowling at her angrily. —
“你是什么意思，‘这样就够了’？”他生气地瞪着她。 —

“Our children have turned out badly,whichever way you look at them. —
“无论从哪个角度看，我们的孩子都没有好好长大。 —

What has become of the vigor of our youth? —
我们青年时代的活力都去哥哪儿了？ —

We thought we were storing it upfor ourselves in our children, as one might pack something away carefully in a basket ; —
我们以为我们把它存放在孩子身上，就像把东西小心翼翼地放在篮子里一样； —

when, lo and behold, Godchanges it in our hands into a riddle without an answer!”
然而，天呐，上帝把它换成了我们手中的一个没有答案的谜！

He ran about the room, uttering cries as if he had burned himself, and groaning as if he were ill; —
他在房间里跑来跑去，发出痛苦的呼喊，像是自己被烧伤了，像是病了一样； —

then turning ongrandmother he began to abuse his children, shaking his small, withered fist at her threateningly as he cried:
然后转身向奶奶冲过去，开始辱骂他的孩子们，满怀激愤地用小小的枯瘦拳头威胁地抖着，说道：

　　“And it is all your fault for giving in to them, and for taking their part, you old hag !”
“这全是你的错，因为你对他们太宽容，站在他们那一边，你这个老妖婆！”

　　His grief and excitement culminated in a tearful howl as he threw himself on the floor before the icon, andbeating his withered, hollow breast with all his force, cried:
他的悲伤和兴奋达到了顶点，痛哭着扑倒在圣像前，用枯瘦的、空洞的胸膛拼命地拍打着，大声喊道：

　　“Lord, have I sinned more than others’? Why then?”
“主啊，难道我犯了比别人更多的罪吗？为什么？”

　　And he trembled from head to foot, and his eyes, wet with tears, glittered with resentment and animosity.
他全身颤抖，泪水湿润了眼睛，闪烁着愤怒和敌意。

　　Grandmother, without speaking, crossed herself as she sat in her dark corner, and then, approaching himcautiously, said:
奶奶没有说话，坐在黑暗的角落里交叉着自己，然后小心翼翼地走近他，说道：

“Now, why are you fretting like this? God knows what He is doing. —
“现在，你为什么这样忧虑呢？上帝知道自己在做什么。 —

You say that other people’s children arebetter than ours, but I assure you, Father, that you will find the same thing everywhere quarrels, and bickerings,and disturbances. —
你说别人的孩子比我们的好，但我向你保证，父亲，无论在哪里都会发现相同的事情——争吵，口角，骚乱。 —

All parents wash away their sins with their tears; —
所有的父母都在泪水中洗净自己的罪过； —

you are not the only one.”
你不是唯一一个。”

Sometimes these words would pacify him, and he would begin to get ready for bed; —
有时这些话能平息他，他会开始准备睡觉； —

then grandmother and Iwould steal away to our attic.
然后奶奶和我会偷偷地溜到我们的阁楼上。

　　But once when she approached him with soothing speech, he turned on her swiftly, and with all his force dealther a blow in the face with his fist.
但是有一次当她用安抚的话语接近他时，他突然转身冲向她，用全力用拳头打在了她的脸上。

Grandmother reeled, and almost lost her balance, but she managed to steady herself, and putting her hand to herlips, said quietly: —
奶奶摇摇晃晃，差点失去平衡，但她设法稳住自己，用手轻轻碰了碰自己的嘴唇，平静地说道： —

“Fool!” And she spit blood at his feet ; —
“愚蠢！”她用力吐出口中的血在他脚下。 —

but he only gave two prolonged howls and raised bothhands to her.
但是他只是发出两声长长的嚎叫，双手举向她。

　　“Go away, or I will kill you !”
“走开，否则我会杀了你！”

　　“Fool!” she repeated as she was leaving the room.
“愚蠢！”她离开房间时重复道。

　　Grandfather rushed at her, but, with haste, she stepped over the threshold and banged the door in his face.
奶奶往外走时，爷爷冲了上来，但她匆忙走过门槛，砰的一声关上了门。

　　“Old hag!” hissed grandfather, whose face had become livid, as he clung to the door-post, clawing it viciously.
“老妖婆！”爷爷咝咝地说道，脸色变得灰白，抓住门框，狠狠地挠着。

I was sitting on the couch, more dead than alive, hardly able to believe my eyes. —
我坐在沙发上，生不如死，几乎无法相信自己的眼睛。 —

This was the first time he hadstruck grandmother in my presence, and I was overwhelmed with disgust at this new aspect of his character atthis revelation of a trait which I found unforgivable, and I felt as if I were being suffocated. —
这是他在我面前第一次打奶奶，我对他这一面容感到恶心，发现他的这个特质令人无法原谅，感觉仿佛在窒息。 —

He stayed where hewas, hanging on to the door-post, his face becoming gray and shriveled up as if it were covered with ashes.
他留在原地，紧握门框，脸色开始变得苍白干瘪，仿佛覆盖着灰尘。

Suddenly he moved to the middle of the room, knelt down, and bent forward, resting his hands on the floor; —
突然间，他移动到房间的中间，跪下，前俯，双手支在地板上； —

buthe straightened himself almost directly, and beat his breast.
但他几乎立即站直了身子，击打着胸膛。

　　“And now, O Lord!”
“现在，主啊！”

　　I slipped off the warm tiles of the stove-couch, and crept out of the room, as carefully as if I were treading on ice.
我从温暖的炉子沙发上滑下来，小心翼翼地走出房间，就像在踩着冰一样。

　　I found grandmother upstairs, walking up and down the room, and rinsing her mouth at intervals.
我发现奶奶在楼上来回走动，定期漱口。

　　“Are you hurt?”
“你受伤了吗？”

　　She went into the corner, spit out some water into the hand-basin, and replied coolly:
她走到角落里，向洗手盆里吐出一些水，冷冷地回答道：

“Nothing to make a fuss about. My teeth are all right; —
“没什么好大惊小怪的。我的牙没事； —

it is only my lips that are bruised.”
只是我嘴唇挫伤了。”

　　“Why did he do it?’
“他为什么这么做？”

　　Glancing out of the window she said :
她瞥了一眼窗外说：

“He gets into a temper. It is hard for him in his old age. —
“他脾气暴躁。他年纪大了确实很辛苦。 —

Everything seems to turn out badly. Now you go to bed,say your prayers, and don’t think any more about this.”
一切似乎都变得糟糕了。现在你去睡觉，祈祷，不要再想这件事。”

　　I began to ask some more questions; but with a severity quite unusual in her, she cried:
我开始询问更多问题；但是她态度异常严厉地喊道：

　　“What did I say to you? Go to bed at once! I never heard of such disobedience !”
“我跟你说什么了？立刻去睡觉！我从未听说过这样的不听话！”

She sat at the window, sucking her lip and spitting frequently into her handkerchief, and I undressed, looking ather. —
她坐在窗前，嘴唇吮吸着，频繁地吐出 handkerchief里的水，而我则在注视着她。 —

I could see the stars shining above her black head through the blue, square window. —
透过蓝色的方窗，我能看到星星在她黑头上方闪闪发光。 —

In the street all wasquiet, and the room was in darkness. —
街上一片宁静，房间里一片黑暗。 —

When I was in bed she came over to me and softly stroking my head, shesaid :
当我躺在床上时，她走过来轻轻摸着我的头，说道：

“Sleep well! I shall go down to him. —
“好好睡吧！我要去找他了。 —

Don’t be anxious about me, sweetheart. —
别担心我，亲爱的。 —

It was my own fault, you know.
这是我的错，你知道的。

　　Now go to sleep !”
现在去睡吧！”

She kissed me and went away; but an overwhelming sadness swept over me. —
她吻了我一下，走了，但一股沉重的悲伤袭上心头。 —

I jumped out of the wide, soft,warm bed, and going to the window, gazed down upon the empty street, petrified by grief.
我跳出宽阔、柔软、温暖的床，走到窗前，凝视着空荡荡的街道，被悲痛所吞噬。