牛津书虫系列《勃朗特一家的故事》Chapter5 附中英双语文本

“但是人们为什么要把孩子送到这儿来呢？”我问，“霍沃斯既非大城市，又不是风景区。你们怎么找到孩子来教呢？”
'We have thought of that too，papa，'Charlotte said．'We must learn more，and become better teachers．I have spoken to Aunt Branwell，and she will give us the money，if you agree．Emily and I want to go to Belgium，to learn French．If we can speak French well，then parents will send their children to us to learn that．'
“我们也已经想到这一点了，爸爸。”夏洛蒂说，“我们必须多学一些，成为更好的教师。我和布兰韦尔姨妈谈过了，如果您同意，她会给我们钱的。爱米丽和我想去比利时学法语。如果我们能讲流利的法语，那些父母就会把孩子送来学法语。”
'Emily will go？'I said．I looked at her．Emily had only been away from home twice，and each time she had been very un-happy．But now she looked excited．
“爱米丽会去吗？”我说。一边看着她。爱米丽只离开过家两次，每次她都很不开心。但这回她看上去却相当兴奋。
'Yes，papa，'she said．'I will go．Charlotte is right— we must do something．And this will help us to stay together．'
“是的，爸爸。”她说，“我要去。夏洛蒂是对的，我们必须做些事情，这还能使我们待在一起。”
'And Anne？'
“那安妮呢？”
'I will stay as a governess with the Robinson family，'Anne said sadly．'There's not enough money for us all to go，and ...the Robinsons are not so very bad．'
“我还在罗宾逊家里当家庭教师，”安妮难过地说，“我们的钱不够大家都去的，况且罗宾逊家的人也没那么坏。”
It was always like that．Anne was a gentle girl；she did not fight as hard as the others．Perhaps her life was easier because of that．I don't know．
事情总是那样。安妮是个温柔的孩子，她不像别人那样努力地去争龋或许正是如此，她的生活倒更轻松些。我不知是否如此。
But I thought it was a wonderful idea．I wrote to Belgium，and found them places in a school in Brussels，which was owned by a Monsieur Heger．I agreed to take the girls there，and for a month I wrote down French words in a little pocket book，to help me on the journey．Then，one afternoon in 1824，we caught the train to London．
不过我还是认为这是个好主意。我写信去比利时，在布鲁塞尔的一所学校为他们找到了去的地方。那所学校是埃热先生的。我同意送她们去那儿，在一个月内我在小笔记本上记下了许多法语单词，以备旅途之需。然后，1842年的一个下午，我们坐上了开往伦敦的火车。
I had not been to London for over twenty years，and my daughters had never been there．We stayed for three days，and then we took the night boat to Belgium，and arrived at a tall，fine school building in the centre of Brussels．
我已有二十多年没去伦敦了，女儿们还从来没去过。我们在伦敦住了三天，然后搭夜班船去比利时，最后到达布鲁塞尔市中心的一座高大美观的学校楼前。
Heger himself was a very polite，friendly man—very kind．He did not always understand my French，but he showed me round the school，and talked a lot，very fast．I smiled， and tried to answer．
埃热本人是一个很有礼貌、很友好的人——非常和气。他并不总能听懂我的法语，但还是带着我在学校转了一圈，他讲了许多话，速度快极了。我微笑着，努力有所应答。
The two girls were very excited when I left them．As I came home on the boat，I thought：'This is a good thing，a fine thing，perhaps．My daughters will start a good school， and Ha－worth will become famous．I hope Branwell can make a success of his life，too．Then my wife Maria will be pleased with us all．'
当我离开时两个孩子非常兴奋。坐在船上我心想：“这也许是件好事，一件妙事。我的女儿们将开办一所好学校，霍沃斯也将因此而出名。我希望布兰韦尔的生活成功，那样我妻子玛丽亚会为我们都感到高兴的。”