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双语·小公主 萨拉

所属教程:译林版·小公主

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2022年09月22日

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CHAPTER Ⅰ SARA

ONCE on a dark winter's day, when the yellow fog hung so thick and heavy in the streets of London that the lamps were lighted and the shop windows blazed with gas as they do at night, an odd - looking little girl sat in a cab with her father and was driven rather slowly through the big thoroughfares.

She sat with her feet tucked under her, and leaned against her father, who held her in his arm, as she stared out of the window at the passing people with a queer old - fashioned thoughtfulness in her big eyes.

She was such a little girl that one did not expect to see such a look on her small face. It would have been an old look for a child of twelve, and Sara Crewe was only seven. The fact was, however, that she was always dreaming and thinking odd things and could not herself remember any time when she had not been thinking things about grown - up people and the world they belonged to. She felt as if she had lived a long, long time.

At this moment she was remembering the voyage she had just made from Bombay with her father, Captain Crewe. She was thinking of the big ship, of the Lascars passing silently to and fro on it, of the children playing about on the hot deck, and of some young officers' wives who used to try to make her talk to them and laugh at the things she said.

Principally, she was thinking of what a queer thing it was that at one time one was in India in the blazing sun, and then in the middle of the ocean, and then driving in a strange vehicle through strange streets where the day was as dark as the night. She found this so puzzling that she moved closer to her father.

Papa, she said in a low, mysterious little voice which was almost a whisper, " papa. "

What is it, darling? Captain Crewe answered, holding her closer and looking down into her face. " What is Sara thinking of? "

Is this the place? Sara whispered, cuddling still closer to him. " Is it, papa? "

Yes, little Sara, it is. We have reached it at last. And though she was only seven years old, she knew that he felt sad when he said it.

It seemed to her many years since he had begun to prepare her mind for " the place, " as she always called it. Her mother had died when she was born, so she had never known or missed her. Her young, handsome, rich, petting father seemed to be the only relation she had in the world. They had always played together and been fond of each other. She only knew he was rich because she had heard people say so when they thought she was not listening, and she had also heard them say that when she grew up she would be rich, too. She did not know all that being rich meant. She had always lived in a beautiful bungalow, and had been used to seeing many servants who made salaams to her and called her " Missee Sahib, " and gave her her own way in everything. She had had toys and pets and an ayah who worshipped her, and she had gradually learned that people who were rich had these things. That, however, was all she knew about it.

During her short life only one thing had troubled her, and that thing was " the place " she was to be taken to some day. The climate of India was very bad for children, and as soon as possible they were sent away from it - generally to England and to school. She had seen other children go away, and had heard their fathers and mothers talk about the letters they received from them. She had known that she would be obliged to go also, and though sometimes her father's stories of the voyage and the new country had attracted her, she had been troubled by the thought that he could not stay with her.

Couldn' t you go to that place with me, papa? she had asked when she was five years old. " Couldn' t you go to school, too? I would help you with your lessons. "

But you will not have to stay for a very long time, little Sara, he had always said. " You will go to a nice house where there will be a lot of little girls, and you will play together, and I will send you plenty of books, and you will grow so fast that it will seem scarcely a year before you are big enough and clever enough to come back and take care of papa. "

She had liked to think of that. To keep the house for her father; to ride with him, and sit at the head of his table when he had dinner parties; to talk to him and read his books - that would be what she would like most in the world, and if one must go away to " the place " in England to attain it, she must make up her mind to go. She did not care very much for other little girls, but if she had plenty of books she could console herself. She liked books more than anything else, and was, in fact, always inventing stories of beautiful things and telling them to herself. Sometimes she had told them to her father, and he had liked them as much as she did.

Well, papa, she said softly, " If we are here I suppose we must be resigned. "

He laughed at her old - fashioned speech and kissed her. He was really not at all resigned himself, though he knew he must keep that a secret. His quaint little Sara had been a great companion to him, and he felt he should be a lonely fellow when, on his return to India, he went into his bungalow knowing he need not expect to see the small figure in its white frock come forward to meet him. So he held her very closely in his arm as the cab rolled into the big, dull square in which stood the house which was their destination.

It was a big, dull, brick house, exactly like all the others in its row, but that on the front door there shone a brass plate on which was engraved in black letters:

MISS MINCHIN,

Select Seminary for Young Ladies.

Here we are, Sara, said Captain Crewe, making his voice sound as cheerful as possible. Then he lifted her out of the cab and they mounted the steps and rang the bell. Sara often thought afterward that the house was somehow exactly like Miss Minchin. It was respectable and well furnished, but everything in it was ugly; and the very armchairs seemed to have hard bones in them. In the hall everything was hard and polished - even the red cheeks of the moon face on the tall clock in the corner had a severe varnished look. The drawing - room into which they were ushered was covered by a carpet with a square pattern upon it, the chairs were square, and a heavy marble timepiece stood upon the heavy marble mantel.

As she sat down in one of the stiff mahogany chairs, Sara cast one of her quick looks about her.

I don' t like it, papa, she said. " But then I dare say soldiers - even brave ones - don' t really LIKE going into battle. "

Captain Crewe laughed outright at this. He was young and full of fun, and he never tired of hearing Sara's queer speeches.

Oh, little Sara, he said. " What shall I do when I have no one to say solemn things to me? No one else is quite as solemn as you are. "

But why do solemn things make you laugh so? inquired Sara.

Because you are such fun when you say them, he answered, laughing still more. And then suddenly he swept her into his arms and kissed her very hard, stopping laughing all at once and looking almost as if tears had come into his eyes.

It was just then that Miss Minchin entered the room. She was very like her house, Sara felt: tall and dull, and respectable and ugly. She had large, cold, fishy eyes, and a large, cold, fishy smile. It spread itself into a very large smile when she saw Sara and Captain Crewe. She had heard a great many desirable things of the young soldier from the lady who had recommended her school to him. Among other things, she had heard that he was a rich father who was willing to spend a great deal of money on his little daughter.

It will be a great privilege to have charge of such a beautiful and promising child, Captain Crewe, she said, taking Sara's hand and stroking it. " Lady Meredith has told me of her unusual cleverness. A clever child is a great treasure in an establishment like mine. "

Sara stood quietly, with her eyes fixed upon Miss Minchin's face. She was thinking something odd, as usual.

Why does she say I am a beautiful child? she was thinking. " I am not beautiful at all. Colonel Grange's little girl, Isobel, is beautiful. She has dimples and rose - colored cheeks, and long hair the color of gold. I have short black hair and green eyes; besides which, I am a thin child and not fair in the least. I am one of the ugliest children I ever saw. She is beginning by telling a story. "

She was mistaken, however, in thinking she was an ugly child. She was not in the least like Isobel Grange, who had been the beauty of the regiment, but she had an odd charm of her own. She was a slim, supple creature, rather tall for her age, and had an intense, attractive little face. Her hair was heavy and quite black and only curled at the tips; her eyes were greenish gray, it is true, but they were big, wonderful eyes with long, black lashes, and though she herself did not like the color of them, many other people did. Still she was very firm in her belief that she was an ugly little girl, and she was not at all elated by Miss Minchin's flattery.

I should be telling a story if I said she was beautiful, she thought; " And I should know I was telling a story. I believe I am as ugly as she is - in my way. What did she say that for? "

After she had known Miss Minchin longer she learned why she had said it. She discovered that she said the same thing to each papa and mamma who brought a child to her school.

Sara stood near her father and listened while he and Miss Minchin talked. She had been brought to the seminary because Lady Meredith's two little girls had been educated there, and Captain Crewe had a great respect for Lady Meredith's experience. Sara was to be what was known as " A parlor boarder, " and she was to enjoy even greater privileges than parlor boarders usually did. She was to have a pretty bedroom and sitting - room of her own; she was to have a pony and a carriage, and a maid to take the place of the ayah who had been her nurse in India.

I am not in the least anxious about her education, Captain Crewe said, with his gay laugh, as he held Sara's hand and patted it. " The difficulty will be to keep her from learning too fast and too much. She is always sitting with her little nose burrowing into books. She doesn' t read them, Miss Minchin; she gobbles them up as if she were a little wolf instead of a little girl. She is always starving for new books to gobble, and she wants grown - up books - great, big, fat ones - French and German as well as English - history and biography and poets, and all sorts of things. Drag her away from her books when she reads too much. Make her ride her pony in the Row or go out and buy a new doll. She ought to play more with dolls. "

Papa, said Sara. " you see, if I went out and bought a new doll every few days I should have more than I could be fond of. Dolls ought to be intimate friends. Emily is going to be my intimate friend. "

Captain Crewe looked at Miss Minchin and Miss Minchin looked at Captain Crewe.

Who is Emily? she inquired.

Tell her, Sara, Captain Crewe said, smiling.

Sara's green - gray eyes looked very solemn and quite soft as she answered.

She is a doll I haven' t got yet, she said. " She is a doll papa is going to buy for me. We are going out together to find her. I have called her Emily. She is going to be my friend when papa is gone. I want her to talk to about him. "

Miss Minchin's large, fishy smile became very flattering indeed.

What an original child! she said. " What a darling little creature! "

Yes, said Captain Crewe, drawing Sara close. " She is a darling little creature. Take great care of her for me, Miss Minchin. "

Sara stayed with her father at his hotel for several days; in fact, she remained with him until he sailed away again to India. They went out and visited many big shops together, and bought a great many things. They bought, indeed, a great many more things than Sara needed; but Captain Crewe was a rash, innocent young man and wanted his little girl to have everything she admired and everything he admired himself, so between them they collected a wardrobe much too grand for a child of seven. There were velvet dresses trimmed with costly furs, and lace dresses, and embroidered ones, and hats with great, soft ostrich feathers, and ermine coats and muffs, and boxes of tiny gloves and handkerchiefs and silk stockings in such abundant supplies that the polite young women behind the counters whispered to each other that the odd little girl with the big, solemn eyes must be at least some foreign princess - perhaps the little daughter of an Indian rajah.

And at last they found Emily, but they went to a number of toy - shops and looked at a great many dolls before they finally discovered her.

I want her to look as if she wasn' t a doll really, Sara said. " I want her to look as if she LISTENS when I talk to her. The trouble with dolls, papa " - and she put her head on one side and reflected as she said it - " The trouble with dolls is that they never seem to HEAR. " So they looked at big ones and little ones - at dolls with black eyes and dolls with blue - at dolls with brown curls and dolls with golden braids, dolls dressed and dolls undressed.

You see, Sara said when they were examining one who had no clothes. " If, when I find her, she has no frocks, we can take her to a dressmaker and have her things made to fit. They will fit better if they are tried on. "

After a number of disappointments they decided to walk and look in at the shop windows and let the cab follow them. They had passed two or three places without even going in, when, as they were approaching a shop which was really not a very large one, Sara suddenly started and clutched her father's arm.

Oh, papa! she cried. " There is Emily! "

A flush had risen to her face and there was an expression in her green - gray eyes as if she had just recognized someone she was intimate with and fond of.

She is actually waiting for us! she said. " Let us go in to her. "

Dear me! said Captain Crewe, " I feel as if we ought to have some - one to introduce us. "

You must introduce me and I will introduce you, said Sara. " But I knew her the minute I saw her - so perhaps she knew me, too. "

Perhaps she had known her. She had certainly a very intelligent expression in her eyes when Sara took her in her arms. She was a large doll, but not too large to carry about easily; she had naturally curling golden - brown hair, which hung like a mantle about her, and her eyes were a deep, clear, gray blue, with soft, thick eyelashes which were real eyelashes and not mere painted lines.

Of course, said Sara, looking into her face as she held her on her knee - " Of course, papa, this is Emily. "

So Emily was bought and actually taken to a children's outfitter's shop, and measured for a wardrobe as grand as Sara's own. She had lace frocks, too, and velvet and muslin ones, and hats and coats and beautiful lace - trimmed underclothes, and gloves and handkerchiefs and furs.

I should like her always to look as if she was a child with a good mother, said Sara. " I' m her mother, though I am going to make a companion of her. "

Captain Crewe would really have enjoyed the shopping tremendously, but that a sad thought kept tugging at his heart. This all meant that he was going to be separated from his beloved, quaint little comrade.

He got out of his bed in the middle of that night and went and stood looking down at Sara, who lay asleep with Emily in her arms. Her black hair was spread out on the pillow and Emily's golden - brown hair mingled with it, both of them had lace - ruffled night - gowns, and both had long eyelashes which lay and curled up on their cheeks. Emily looked so like a real child that Captain Crewe felt glad she was there. He drew a big sigh and pulled his mustache with a boyish expression.

Heigh - ho, little Sara! he said to himself. " I don' t believe you know how much your daddy will miss you. "

The next day he took her to Miss Minchin's and left her there. He was to sail away the next morning. He explained to Miss Minchin that his solicitors, Messrs. Barrow& Skipworth, had charge of his affairs in England and would give her any advice she wanted, and that they would pay the bills she sent in for Sara's expenses. He would write to Sara twice a week, and she was to be given every pleasure she asked for.

She is a sensible little thing, and she never wants anything it isn' t safe to give her, he said.

Then he went with Sara into her little sitting - room and they bade each other good - by. Sara sat on his knee and held the lapels of his coat in her small hands, and looked long and hard at his face.

Are you learning me by heart, little Sara? he said, stroking her hair.

No, she answered. " I know you by heart. You are inside my heart. " And they put their arms round each other and kissed as if they would never let each other go.

When the cab drove away from the door, Sara was sitting on the floor of her sitting - room, with her hands under her chin and her eyes following it until it had turned the corner of the square. Emily was sitting by her, and she looked after it, too. When Miss Minchin sent her sister, Miss Amelia, to see what the child was doing, she found she could not open the door.

I have locked it, said a queer, polite little voice from inside. " I want to be quite by myself, if you please. "

Miss Amelia was fat and dumpy, and stood very much in awe of her sister. She was really the better - natured person of the two, but she never disobeyed Miss Minchin. She went downstairs again, looking almost alarmed.

I never saw such a funny old - fashioned child, sister, she said. " She has locked herself in, and she is not making the least particle of noise. "

It is much better than if she kicked and screamed, as some of them do, Miss Minchin answered. " I expected that a child as much spoiled as she is would set the whole house in an uproar. If ever a child was given her own way in everything, she is. "

I' ve been opening her trunks and putting her things away, said Miss Amelia. " I never saw anything like them - sable and ermine on her coats, and real Valenciennes lace on her underclothing. You have seen some of her clothes. What DO you think of them? "

I think they are perfectly ridiculous, replied Miss Minchin, sharply; " But they will look very well at the head of the line when we take the school - children to church on Sunday. She has been provided for as if she were a little princess. "

And upstairs in the locked room Sara and Emily sat on the floor and stared at the corner round which the cab had disappeared, while Captain Crewe looked backward, waving and kissing his hand as if he could not bear to stop.

一 萨拉

从前,一个昏暗的冬日,沉沉黄雾重锁伦敦街头。虽说是大白天,路灯点亮了,商店里橱窗内也是汽灯通明。这时候一个样子古怪的小女孩跟着父亲一起坐在出租马车里,正缓缓地从一条大街驶过。

小姑娘坐着,两腿蜷缩,身子靠着父亲,依偎在他的胳膊窝里。小姑娘凝视着车窗外路过的行人,一对大眼睛透出一种若有所思而老成的神情,显得煞是古怪。

小小的女孩,谁也想不到在她那张小脸上会见到这样的表情。这等老气横秋的神情即便在十二岁的孩子脸上也不多见,更何况萨拉·克鲁只有七岁。但是,事实上,她总是耽于梦想之中,满脑子尽想着奇里古怪的事,她觉得自己时时刻刻都在思索着大人的事情,思索着属于大人的世界。她觉得自己好像已经活了好久好久了。

此时此刻,她正在回想着和父亲克鲁上尉一起刚刚从孟买回国的这一段航程的事。她在想着那艘大船,想起船上那些一言不发、来往穿梭的印度水手,想到火辣辣的甲板上玩耍的孩子,还有一些年轻的军官太太,她们老变着法儿逗她说话,听了无不笑个不停。

不过她想得最多的是,觉得这世界真是稀奇古怪:自己刚刚还在烈日炎炎的印度,转眼便置身在海洋之中,然后又坐在一辆陌生的马车里,行驶在陌生的街道上,这里的大白天黑得如同夜晚,在她看来这事儿太不可思议了,迷惑中禁不住朝父亲挨得更近些。

“爸爸,”她说话的声音很轻、很小,像是耳语,并带有几分神秘,“爸爸。”

“什么事,小宝贝?”克鲁上尉说着,把她搂得更近,低头打量她的脸蛋,“萨拉,你在想什么?”

“这就是那个地方吗?”萨拉低声问道,蜷缩着身子朝父亲挨得更近了,“是吗,爸爸?”

“不错,小萨拉,是这儿。我们终于到了。”她虽然只有七岁,却知道父亲说这话的时候心里很不是滋味。

她一向把这里称作“那个地方”。在她看来,很多年以前父亲就开始让她做好思想准备来这里了。她刚出生时母亲就死了,所以母亲并没有在她心上留下什么印象,萨拉从来没有想念过她。她父亲年轻、英俊、富有,一向疼爱她,似乎是她世上唯一的亲人。父女俩总是一起玩,相互关爱。她听人家说起,才知道父亲很有钱,当时他们以为她没有把这话放在心里呢。她还听到他们说等她长大了也会富有。不过她完全不明白“富有”是什么意思。此前,她一直住在一座漂亮的平房里,看惯了众多仆人对她行额手礼,称她“尊贵的小姐”,对她百依百顺。她总有许多玩具、宠物和一个对她恭敬有加的保姆,她这才慢慢意识到,这些东西只有富贵人家才有。然而,她对“富贵”的了解仅此而已。

在她短短的人生里,只有一件事困扰着她,那就是有朝一日她要被送到“那个地方”去。印度的气候不利于孩子的健康,一有可能他们就把她送走——一般是去英格兰,去上学。她看到过别的孩子离去,听到过他们的父母谈论收到他们来信的事。她已经知道自己也必须得去,尽管有时候父亲说起有关海上航行和那个陌生国家的事引起她的兴趣,但想到从此父亲再也不能和自己守在一起,便感到十分难受。

“你就不能和我一起去那个地方吗,爸爸?”她五岁的时候问过他,“你就不能也去上学吗?我会帮助你做功课的。”

“不会让你待很久的,小萨拉。”他总这么说,“你去的是一座漂亮的房子,那里有很多小姑娘,你们一起玩,我会给你寄许许多多的书,你会很快长大,用不到一年你就长得又高又聪明,到时候回来好照顾爸爸了。”

她巴不得哩。为父亲照看家务,和他一起骑马,举行宴会的时候她就坐在餐桌女主人席上,和他聊天儿,读他的书——那是世上她最喜爱做的事,要是非去英格兰的“那个地方”才能称心如意,那她就得下定决心去一趟了。那边有没有别的小姑娘她并不在乎,只要有足够的书她就心满意足了。她爱书胜过一切,事实上,她一直暗自编织美丽的故事,自我欣赏。有时候也讲给父亲听,他和她一样喜欢那些故事。

“嗯,爸爸,”她轻声说,“既然我们已到了这儿,想来只好听天由命了。”

听她说话这样老成,他禁不住笑了起来,亲了亲她。他自己丝毫不愿听天由命,不过他知道,这话是不能说出来的。这个古怪有趣的小萨拉,活是个小人精,一向是他的好伙伴儿。但是日后当他返回印度,回到那座大平房,明知道从此再也见不到那个穿着白裙子的小人儿前来迎接他了,想来那时该多孤单呀。想到此,他把她紧紧地搂在怀里。说话间,出租马车驶进了那个大而阴沉的广场,广场上矗立着一所房子,那就是他俩此行的目的地。

那是一幢阴沉沉的大砖房,和左右那一排房子一模一样,所不同的是在前门有一块闪闪发亮的铜牌,上面刻着几个黑字:

明卿小姐

高级女子寄宿学校

“我们到了,萨拉。”克鲁上尉说,说得口气尽可能轻松愉快。他把女儿从出租马车里抱下来,两个人双双登上台阶,按了铃。后来,萨拉经常想到:这幢房子不知为什么跟明卿小姐非常相像。房子样子体面,陈设精良,可是屋内的东西件件极为丑陋,就连每一把扶手椅子里都像长着硬邦邦的骨头。大厅里的每样东西无不硬邦邦的,擦得精光锃亮——甚至立在角落里个头高高的钟,上面的圆月形的红色钟面的边框,也经过精心擦拭,板出一副严厉的脸孔。父女俩被领入起居室,里面铺着地毯,上面的图案是方形的,椅子也是方形的,厚重的大理石炉台上摆着一架笨重的大理石座钟。

萨拉在一把硬邦邦的桃花心木椅上坐下,迅速地扫视了周围一眼。

“我不喜欢,爸爸,”她说道,“不过,我敢说士兵——即使是勇敢的士兵——其实并不是真的心甘情意去打仗的。”

克鲁上尉听罢放声大笑起来。他年轻,人挺风趣,对萨拉发表的一些奇谈怪论向来很爱听。

“噢,小萨拉,”他说,“一旦没有人对我说一本正经的话,我该如何是好?谁也不像你这么一本正经的了。”

“那么一本正经的话干吗让你笑成这副模样?”萨拉问。

“因为你说的时候好玩极了。”他答道,笑得更欢了。笑着、笑着,他猛地把她搂进怀里,深情地亲她,笑声随之戛然而止,泪珠儿在他眼眶里打转。

说话间,明卿小姐进了起居室。萨拉觉得明卿小姐活像她的房子:高大、阴森、体面而丑陋。她生就一双冷漠而呆滞的大眼睛,脸上露出冷漠而呆滞的笑容。她一看到萨拉和克鲁上尉,立刻喜笑颜开起来。是一位女士把她的学校推荐给了克鲁上尉,而明卿小姐又从那位女士口中听到不少关于这个年轻军官令人求之不得的好事,其中就有:据说他是个很有钱的父亲,愿意在自己的小女儿身上花大把大把的钱。

“能接纳这么一个漂亮且前途无量的孩子,那是我莫大的荣幸,克鲁上尉。”她说着,拿起萨拉的手抚摸起来,“梅雷狄斯女士跟我说过,这孩子聪明过人。在我这样的学校里,聪明的孩子可都是无价之宝。”

萨拉默默地站着,眼睛盯着明卿小姐的脸,脑子里照例冒出些怪念头。

“她干吗说我是个漂亮的孩子?”她心想,“我压根不漂亮。上校格兰吉的小女儿伊莎贝尔,那才叫漂亮哩。她有一对酒窝,红扑扑的脸蛋儿,长长的金发。可我呢,头发又黑又短,眼睛是绿色的。这还不算,我还长得瘦瘦的,压根算不上漂亮。我见过的孩子里,哪个都比我漂亮。瞧她一开始就瞎编一气了。”

不对,她可不是如她自己想的那样是个难看的孩子。她跟伊莎贝儿·格兰吉确实不一样,人家是军团之花,可她有她自己独特的魅力。她身材苗条、行动灵巧,像她这样小小年纪的孩子,她的个子算是高的。她那张小脸儿充满着活力,挺逗人爱。她满头的浓发乌黑发亮,只在发梢卷了起来。不错,她的眼睛确实是灰中带绿,但是长得大大的,很美,又有长长的黑睫毛,尽管她自己不喜欢灰绿色的眼睛,可很多别的人喜欢。然而她认定了自己是个难看的小姑娘,所以明卿小姐的一番奉承话丝毫没有使她动心。

“如果我说明卿小姐长得美,那我是在瞎编乱造。”她想,“我应该知道自己在瞎编乱造。我相信自己长得和她一样丑——只是丑得不一样罢了。她干吗要说我漂亮呢?”

后来,在认识明卿小姐稍久之后,她才明白对方为什么当时要说这样的话。她发现,每逢哪个爸爸、妈妈把自己的孩子领到她的学校来时,明卿小姐都要对他们说一模一样的话。

萨拉紧挨父亲站着,听着他和明卿小姐说话。原来她被领到这个女子学校来,是因为梅雷狄斯女士的两个小女孩也在这里念过书,而克鲁上尉非常尊重梅雷狄斯女士的经验。萨拉将成为所谓的“特殊生”,将享有比别的特殊生更特殊的待遇:她会有自己专用的漂亮卧室和起居室,有一匹矮脚马、一辆马车,一名女仆代替在印度的保姆来照顾她。

“她的学业丝毫用不着我操心,”克鲁上尉爽朗地笑道,同时握着萨拉的手轻轻拍着,“我担心的倒是别让她学得太快太多了。这孩子一向就爱坐着埋头钻进书本里。她哪像个小姑娘在读书,明卿小姐,她倒像只小狼,在贪婪地吞书哩。她一拿到新书总是如饥似渴地狼吞虎咽起来。她想读大人的书——又大又厚的大部头——法语书、德语书还有英语书——历史、传记、诗歌,各种各样的玩意儿。要是见她读得太多,就把她从书堆里拖开。让她去海德公园林荫大道骑骑马,要么去买个新的洋娃娃。她应该多和洋娃娃玩。”

“爸爸,”萨拉说,“你瞧,要是我每隔几天就出去买一个新洋娃娃,那就会多得让我喜欢不过来了。洋娃娃应该是来做我亲密的朋友。爱米丽会成为我亲密朋友的。”

克鲁上尉说罢看了看明卿小姐,明卿小姐也看了看克鲁上尉。

“谁是爱米丽?”她问。

“告诉她,萨拉。”克鲁上尉笑着说。

萨拉回答的时候,灰绿的眼睛显得很庄重,且相当柔和。

“是个洋娃娃,我还没有得到哩。”她说,“是爸爸要给我买的洋娃娃。我们要一起去找到她。我已经给她取好了名字,管她叫爱米丽。等爸爸走了,她就会成为了我的朋友。我要跟她说说爸爸的事儿。”

明卿小姐那张堆满呆板笑容的脸显得越发媚态十足了。

“多有想象力的孩子!”她说,“多讨人爱的小姑娘!”

“是啊,”克鲁上尉说着,把萨拉拉得更近,“她是个人见人爱的小丫头。替我好好照顾她,明卿小姐。”

萨拉和她父亲在旅馆一起待了几天;实际上,在父亲坐船回印度前她一直守在父亲身边。他们一起出门,逛了很多家大商店,买了许许多多东西。说真的,他俩买下的东西大大超出萨拉的需要,但是克鲁上尉是个冲动而率真的年轻人,只要是他女儿喜欢的,还有他自己喜欢的东西,他全都买下来。这也买,那也买,结果买回来一大堆东西,内中有些行头太华丽了,完全不适合一个七岁孩子的需要。有华贵的皮毛镶边的天鹅绒长裙,镶花边的衣裙,绣花的衣裙,好几顶帽子——插着又长又软的鸵鸟羽毛,貂皮大衣和暖手筒,一盒盒的小手套、小手绢、真丝长袜,数量之多,惊得柜台后彬彬有礼的年轻女士们交头接耳议论起来,以为这个长着一对大眼睛、目光严肃的奇怪小女孩,一准是哪个外国的公主——该是印度王公的小女儿吧。

最后他们到底把爱米丽找到了。他们跑了许多家玩具店,看过不少洋娃娃之后才发现了它。

“我想要她看起来真的不像个洋娃娃,”她说,“我希望她像真的在听我说话。爸爸,一般的洋娃娃糟就糟在——”她把头一歪,想了想,接着说,“糟就糟在一般的洋娃娃看起来从来就不会听人说话。”于是他们看遍了大的、小的、黑眼睛的、蓝眼睛的、棕色卷发的、金色辫子的、穿衣服的、没穿衣服的。

“你看,”他们查看一个没有穿衣服的洋娃娃后,她说,“要是当我找到她的时候,她没穿外衣,可以带她去裁缝那里,做件合身的让她穿上。衣服试过后会更合身。”

多次失望后,他们决定不坐车,边走边看橱窗,让出租马车跟着他们。他们已经经过两三家,店门都没进,他们正朝一家铺面不算大的商店走去,就在这时,萨拉突然吃了一惊,跳了起来,紧紧抓住父亲的胳膊。

“噢,爸爸!”她嚷道,“爱米丽在那儿!”

她的脸上顿时泛起一片红晕,灰绿的眼睛闪闪发亮,仿佛她刚刚认出某个心仪已久的老朋友。

“她真的在等着咱们!”她说,“进去见她吧。”

“老天爷!”克鲁上尉说,“我觉得好像得找个人给介绍介绍才是。”

“那你来介绍我,再让我来介绍你吧。”萨拉说,“我一见就认出她来了——所以她也许也认出我来了。”

洋娃娃也许真的已经认出她了。你看萨拉把它抱在怀里时,它的眼睛里确实露出一种灵性。这是个大洋娃娃,但不至于大到碍手碍脚、难抱的地步;它有一头金棕色的天然卷发,斗篷般披散在身后,它灰蓝色的眼睛深邃而澄澈,睫毛柔软浓密,是真正的睫毛,而不是画上去的。

“准是,”萨拉说着,把它放到膝盖上,打量它的脸,“准是,爸爸,这准是爱米丽。”

于是爱米丽被买了下来,当真被带到一家童装店,量身定做了和萨拉一样华丽的一套行头。它也有花边长裙,料子有天鹅绒的,也有细棉布的,有帽子、外套、美丽的镶花边的内衣、手套、手绢、皮毛衣服,等等。

“我想让她看起来始终像有个好妈妈的孩子,”萨拉说,“我是她的妈妈,不过也要她陪我做个伴儿。”

这次购物原本让克鲁上尉觉得是一次莫大的快事,但是离愁别绪不断地折磨他的心。这一切都意味着他将要和他心爱的古怪小女儿分开了。

那天他半夜里从床上起来,走过去站着低头端详睡在床上的萨拉,只见她把爱米丽抱在怀里,睡得正香。她的黑头发披散在枕头上,与爱米丽金色头发搅在一起,她们两个都有皱褶花边的睡袍,两个都有长长的睫毛,耷拉在脸蛋上。爱米丽看上去像个真正的孩子,有它做伴,克鲁上尉觉得欣慰,便深深叹了一口气,孩子似的捻了捻胡须。

“嗨,嗨,小萨拉!”他自言自语道,“我想你准不知道爸爸会多么想念你。”

第二天他把女儿带到明卿小姐那里,把她留在那里。一大早他就要启程离开了。他交代明卿小姐说,他的律师事务所的巴罗先生与斯基普沃思先生一向代理他在英国的事务,明卿小姐有什么问题找他们好了。只需把账单送去,他们会支付萨拉开销的。他自己每周会给萨拉写两封信,对萨拉要做到有求必应。

“她是个懂事的小丫头,凡是有害的东西她一向不会开口要的。”

然后父女俩双双走进萨拉的小小起居室,相互道别。萨拉坐在他膝盖上,小手紧紧抓着他大衣的翻领,久久凝视父亲的脸。

“你会把我记在心里吗,小萨拉?”他问,抚摸着她的头发。

“不,”她说,“我早已把你记在心里了。你就活在我心里。”说罢父女俩伸出手相拥,亲吻,仿佛永远不想让对方离开。

出租马车离开大门,萨拉就坐在自己起居室的地板上,双手托着下巴,目光追随着马车,直到车子在广场的一角拐了弯才转过身来。爱米丽坐在她身旁,也目送着马车离去。明卿小姐差妹妹艾米丽亚小姐去看孩子在做什么,但怎么也打不开门。

“我把门锁上了,”里面传出一个奇怪而有礼貌的小孩声音,“如果您允许的话,我想一个人安静待一会儿。”

艾米丽亚小姐又矮又胖,对自己的姐姐又敬又怕。论心地,在两姐妹中,她算是比较善良的,但是她对明卿小姐始终言听计从。她又回到楼下,显得惊惶失措。

“我从来没有见过这么古怪、这么老成的孩子,姐姐,”她说,“她把自己反锁了起来,不吵也不闹。”

“有的孩子又踢又叫的,她这样好多了,”明卿小姐回答,“我原以为像她这么个惯坏了的孩子会把整个房子闹个底朝天的。要说世上有哪个孩子万事可以随心所欲的话,那准是她。”

“我打开过她的一个个大箱子,收拾里面的东西。”艾米丽亚小姐说,“我从来没有见过那些玩意儿——大衣上镶着又是黑貂皮又是白貂皮,内衣上的花边是地道的法国瓦朗西安货。你看过她的一些衣服,你觉得怎么样?”

“我觉得这些玩意儿荒唐透顶,”明卿小姐尖声答道,“不过礼拜天我们领学生去教堂的时候,让她穿着这样的衣服排在队伍前头,就显得有气派了。给她置办这样的行头,她就像个小公主似的。”

再说楼上锁起来的房间里,萨拉和爱米丽坐在地上,眼睛瞪着出租马车消失在拐角处,那时候克鲁上尉回过头来,挥着手、飞吻起来,仿佛不忍心停下手来。

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