What do you think, Daddy? The English instructor said that my last paper shows an unusual amount of originality. She did, truly. Those were her words. It doesn't seem possible, does it, considering the eighteen years of training that I've had? The aim of the John Grier Home (as you doubtless know and heartily approve of) is to turn the ninety-seven orphans into ninety-seven twins. 叔叔,您猜怎么着?英文老师夸奖我上一篇作文别出心裁。她真的这么说!她就是这么讲的。想想我这18年来受的训练,这似乎不太可能,不是吗?约翰•格利尔孤儿院的目的,就是要把97个小孤儿变成97个相貌、言行举止都一样的人。 The unusual artistic ability which I exhibit was developed at an early age through drawing chalk pictures of Mrs. Lippett on the woodshed door. 我不寻常的艺术天分,倒是在很小时就在门板上画李皮太太培养出来的。 I hope that I don't hurt your feelings when I criticize the home of my youth? But you have the upper hand, you know, for if I become too impertinent, you can always stop payment of your cheques. That isn't a very polite thing to say--but you can't expect me to have any manners; a foundling asylum isn't a young ladies' finishing school. 我对小时候的家说长道短,希望您不要不高兴。不过您大权在握,如果我冒犯了您,您随时可以停止您的资助。这样说是不够礼貌,不过您不能期望我有什么教养,孤儿院毕竟不是淑女训练学校。 |