牛津书虫系列《勃朗特一家的故事》Chapter2 附中英双语文本

2 Cowan Bridge School
2 考恩桥学校
I was born in a small house in Ireland．There were only two rooms in our house，and I had nine brothers and sisters．My parents were very poor．We had no money，and only a small farm．But we did have a church near us， and that church had a school．
我生于爱尔兰的一座小房子里。家里只有两个房间，我有9个兄弟姐妹。父亲很穷，我们没有钱，只有一个小农常附近有个教堂，那个教堂有一所学校。
That school gave me my one chance of success．I worked very hard there，and when I was sixteen，I became a teacher．Then I went to St John's College，Cambridge，to study some more．I became a curate．When I married，I was able to get a good job and a house for my family．I got all that because I worked so hard at school．
这所学校赋予了我一个成功的机会。我非常努力，16岁时，我成了一名教师，后来我去剑桥的圣约翰学院深造。我成了副牧师。等到我成家的时候，我得到了一份好工作和一座房子。这一切得益于我在学校的努力。
I wanted my children to go to the best school that I could find．Cowan Bridge School was a school for the daughters of churchmen．It belonged to a churchman—Mr Wilson．He was a good man，I thought．I liked the school，and it was not too expensive．So，in July 1824，I took Maria and Elizabeth there．In September，I took Charlotte and，in November，Emily as well．Emily was just six then，and Charlotte was eight．
我要我的孩子上我能找到的最好的学校。考恩桥学校是专为牧师的女儿们开办的。它属于一个牧师——威尔逊先生。我认为他是个好人。我喜欢这所学校，而且它也不太贵。在1842年7月，我把玛丽亚和伊丽莎白送到了那里。9月份，我又把夏洛蒂送到那儿。11月份又送去了爱米丽。爱米丽当时只有6岁，夏洛蒂8岁。
I remember how quiet the house was that autumn．In the evenings I taught my son，Branwell，and my wife's sister looked after the youngest child，Anne．I often thought about the girls．My eldest，Maria，was a good，clever girl—I thought she must be the best pupil in the school．I waited for her letters，and wondered what new things she was learning．
我记得那年秋天，家里变得非常安静。晚上我教儿子布兰韦尔念书；我妻子的姐姐照料最小的孩子安妮。我时常惦记我的女儿们。我的大女儿玛丽亚是个善良聪明的女孩，我相信她一定是学校中最好的学生。我等着她的来信，猜想着她又学到了什么新的东西。
She did tell me some things in her letters，but not enough．She told me she liked the schoolwork，and I was pleased．But she did not tell me about the food，or the cold，or the unkind teachers．Charlotte told me those things，much later．I know Maria did not tell me that the food was often burnt and uneat－able，or that they could not sleep because the beds were too cold．She did not tell me that the poor hungry children had to wash with ice in the morning，and walk through wet snow to sit for two hours with icy feet in a cold church on Sundays． She did not tell me that many of the children at the school were ill．
在信中她的确给我讲了一些事，但还不够多。她只告诉我她喜欢学校的功课，我很高兴。但她没讲起学校的饮食、寒冷和严厉的教师。夏洛蒂后来告诉我了，但那已是很久以后的事了。我知道玛丽亚没有告诉我食物经常烧焦，难以下咽；床铺冰冷得令人无法入睡。她没有告诉我可怜的孩子们经常一大早饿着肚子，却不得不用冰水漱洗，然后踏着积雪去教堂，星期天在冰冷的教堂里坐上两个钟头，双脚冻得冰凉。她也没有告诉我学校有许多孩子都生病了。
You didn't tell me that， did you，Maria？Did you？Or did you try to write something，and stop because you were afraid of the teachers？You were a good，brave child，and I was so proud of you，so pleased because you were at school．I wanted you to learn everything；I didn't want you to be poor like my sisters．God help me，I thought you were happy at Cowan Bridge School！
玛丽亚，你没有告诉我这些，是吗？或许你试着写可又停了笔，因为你害怕老师知道。你是个善良聪明的孩子，我那么地以你为荣，为你在学校念书而高兴。我希望你学会所有的东西；我不想你像我的姐妹们那么穷困一生。上帝，帮帮我，我以为你在考恩桥学校是快活的呀！
There were no Christmas holidays at the school，and it was too difficult to travel over the cold，windy hills to visit my little girls．So I sat at home here in Haworth，with Aunt Branwell，my son，and the little girl，Anne．Outside，the wind blew snow over the gravestones，and there was ice on our windows．