Light O' the Morning: The Story of an Irish Girl — Page 4

我已经躺了两个小时，好不容易才打了个盹，你这一进来就把我吵醒了。"

I have been two hours trying to get a wink of sleep, and just when I succeed you come in and wake me.

诺拉说："我真是万分抱歉，心里难受极了。"

It's sorry I am to my heart's core, said Nora.

她走到母亲身边，单膝跪下，将那张红润的脸凑近母亲那张憔悴而苍老的脸。

She went up to her mother, dropped on one knee, and looked with her rosy face into the worn and faded one of the elder woman.

她再次轻声说道："妈妈，我回来了，我是您的小诺拉；让我陪您坐一会儿——好吗？"

Here I am, mammy, she said again, your own little Nora; let me sit with you a bit--may I?

奥沙纳根太太微微一笑，目光从女儿苗条的身形一路扫过，最终停落在那张笑靥如花、美丽动人的脸上。

Mrs. O'Shanaghgan smiled faintly. She looked all over the girl's slim figure, and finally her eyes rested on the laughing, lovely face.

随即，她的眉头蹙起一丝阴云，眼眶里渐渐蓄满了泪水。

Then a cloud crossed her forehead, and her eyes became dim with tears.

"诺拉，你听说最近的事了吗？"

Have you heard the last thing, Nora?

诺拉说："糟心的事太多了，母亲。"

There are so many last things, mother, said Nora.

"但这是最新的一件。你父亲必须还清克罗南的墨菲庄园主借给他的那笔钱。

But the very last. Your father has to pay back the money which Squire Murphy of Cronane lent him.

事情偏偏就这么凑巧；那位抵押权人扬言，如果三个月内不能全额还款，他就要取消抵押赎回权。我很清楚这意味着什么。"

It is the queerest thing; but the mortgagee means to foreclose, as he calls it, within three months if that money is not paid in full. I know well what it means.

诺拉微微一笑，握住母亲的手，轻轻地抚摸着。

Nora smiled. She took her mother's hand in hers, and began to stroke it gently.

她说："我想，不过就是这么回事——我们不得不再割让一小块心爱的土地，那土地上的每一块泥土我都深深爱恋。我们似乎真的越来越穷了；但没关系——有一件事永远不会改变——"

I suppose, she said, it means this. It means that we must part with a little more of the beloved land, every sod of which I love. We certainly do seem to be getting poorer and poorer; but never mind--nothing will ever alter the fact that--

"什么事，孩子？"

That what, child?