http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/56009

Marjorie in Command

玛乔丽当家

by Carolyn Wells

作者：卡洛琳·威尔斯

翻译：winterlight

CHAPTER I

第一章

A FAMILY CONFAB

一场家庭会议

“WELL,” said Marjorie, “I think it’s too perfectly, awfully, horribly dreadful for anything in all this world!”

“哎呀，”玛乔丽(Marjorie)说，“我觉得无论为了什么，这种安排都太——太——太可怕了！”

“I do, too,” agreed King. “It’s a calamity, and a catastrophe and a cat,—a cata—cataclysm!”

“我也这么觉得，”金(King)附和道。“这是一种不幸，一件祸事，一场灾——灾——灾难！”

“Of course it is,” said Kitty, who was philosophical. “But as it’s all settled, and we’ve got to live through it, we may as well make the best of it.”

“肯定是，”沉着冷静的凯蒂(Kitty)说。“但既然一切已成定局，我们就该竭力度过难关，或许还可以对其善加利用。”

“The best of it!” grumbled King; “there isn’t any best! It’s all outrageously horrid, and that’s all there is about it! I don’t see how we can stand it.”

“善加利用！”金咕哝道，“根本没什么可利用的！非常可怕，这就是整件事的全部！我不知道我们怎么才能挺过去。”

“S’pose we say we just _won’t_ stand it,” suggested Marjorie; “do you think they’d stay home?”

“要是我们说自己挺不过去呢，”玛乔丽提议，“你们觉得他们会留在家里吗？”

“No, indeedy!” declared King. “You know as well as I do, the tickets are bought, and everything is arranged for.”

“根本不会！”金大声说。“谁不知道，票已经买好了，所有的一切都安排好了。”

“Even us,” said Kitty, sadly.

“连我们也被安排好了，”凯蒂落寞地说。

“Yes; even us,” repeated her brother. “And how are we arranged for? Left in charge of Larkin! Old Loony Larkin!”

“是呀，连我们也被安排好了，”她兄弟重复道。“怎么安排的呢？让拉金(Larkin)照管我们！老疯子拉金！”

“Hush, King, that’s disrespectful,” said Marjorie, laughing in spite of herself.

“嘘，金，这太没礼貌了，”玛乔丽嘴上这么说，自己却笑了起来。

“Well, she is old; and she is Larkin; and _I_ think she’s loony!”

“你看，她上了岁数；她叫拉金；而且我觉得她疯疯癫癫的！”

“But you mustn’t say so, if you do,” persisted Marjorie.

“你即便这么想，也不应该这么说，”玛乔丽坚持道。

“Indeed you mustn’t,” said Mrs. Maynard, coming into the living room where the three children were holding an indignation meeting. “I’m ashamed of you, King!”

“你真的不应该，”梅纳德太太边说边走进起居室，也就是三个孩子开抗议大会的地方。“我为你感到害臊，金！”

“Aw, Mother, forgive me this once, and I won’t ever say such a thing again till next time.”

“哦，妈妈，原谅我一次吧，我再也不说这样的话了，在下次之前下不为例。”

Kingdon sidled up to his mother, and nestled his cheek against hers in such a cajoling way, that Mrs. Maynard smiled, and forbore further reproof just then.

金登(Kingdon)凑上去，用自己的脸颊贴着母亲的脸颊，哄她开心，梅纳德太太禁不住笑了，没再深究。

“But, dearies all,” she went on, “you mustn’t take such an attitude toward Miss Larkin; she’s good and kind and will look after you nicely till I return.”

“但亲爱的宝贝们，”她接着说道，“你们不可以用这个态度对待拉金小姐；她很好，很和善，会在我回来之前好好照顾你们的。”

“Larkin, Larkin,

All the time a-barkin’,”

chanted King, pinching his mother’s lips together, so she couldn’t reprimand him.

“拉金，拉金，汪汪叫的拉金，”金一边念叨，一边把母亲的嘴唇捏合起来，以防她开口教训自己。

The whole tale of the Maynard children’s tribulations may be told in a few words.

梅纳德家的孩子面临的灾难，或许用三言两语就能说清。

Mrs. Maynard’s health was not quite up to its usual standard, and her husband had decided to take her for a short Southern trip. They would be absent from home about six weeks, and Miss Larkin, a friend of Mrs. Maynard’s, was to come and take care of the household of four children.

梅纳德太太的健康状况不像平常那么好，丈夫决定带她到南方进行一次短暂的旅行。他们将离开家六周左右，其间，梅纳德太太的朋友拉金小姐会来照顾四个孩子的生活起居。

Now, though the little Maynards were perhaps more inclined to mischief than model children ought to be, they were a loving and affectionate little brood, and, moreover, they truly tried to correct their faults as pointed out to them by their parents.

与模范儿童相比，梅纳德家的孩子或许有点儿调皮捣蛋，但他们都是内心充满爱和柔情的小人儿，并且会在父母指出其缺点后竭力改正。

The fundamental principle of Mr. and Mrs. Maynard’s training was common-sense, and this, added to deep parental love, made their discipline both wise and kind.

梅纳德夫妇以常理为教育孩子的基本原则，又满怀深切的父爱和母爱，这让他们的管教既明智又温和。

Mrs. Maynard, herself, had some doubts of Miss Larkin’s ability to manage the children tactfully, but there was no one else to ask to stay with them, and they could not be left entirely in charge of the servants, trusted and tried though they were.

梅纳德太太本人也怀疑拉金小姐是否有能力巧妙地照管好这几个孩子，但她找不到别的什么人来陪他们，又不能将其全权交给仆人照管，尽管仆人们都很可靠。

But it was only for six weeks, anyway, and as Mr. Maynard said, they couldn’t become thorough-going reprobates in that short time.

好在只有六个星期，就如梅纳德先生所言，他们总不可能在这么短的时间里变成彻头彻尾的小恶魔。

Miss Larkin was delighted with the prospect. A quiet and rather lonely spinster, she welcomed the idea of a stay in a merry, lively home, where she should be the commanding spirit over both children and servants.

拉金小姐倒是乐于接下这件差事。她是一名安静的大龄未婚女子，平日里颇为寂寞。一想到能在一个有趣、热闹的家庭里待上一段时间，充当对孩子和仆人们发号司令的灵魂人物，她就很高兴。

And so, it was only the four small Maynards who raised objections. Though they didn’t actively dislike Miss Larkin, they felt she was not in sympathy with their childish affairs and they could not know that this arose from ignorance, not unwillingness on her part.

因此，提出异议的只有梅纳德家的四个孩子。他们并非多么讨厌拉金小姐，只是觉得她不支持他们小孩子做的事，却不知道这是因为她不了解，而非不愿意。

It was a long time since Miss Larkin had been a child, and when she was, she was not like the children of to-day.

早在很多年前，拉金小姐就不是小孩了，再者，当年的小女孩拉金也不同于今时今日的孩子。

She thought she understood young people, but her ideas were old-fashioned, and often quite contradictory to the Maynards’ views.

她认为她了解年轻人，但她的观点有点儿过时，还常常和梅纳德夫妇的观点南辕北辙。

However, as Kitty had said, the matter was settled. Mr. and Mrs. Maynard were going, Miss Larkin was coming, and all they had to do was to accept the situation and make the best of it.

不过，正如凯蒂所言，一切已成定局。梅纳德夫妇要走，拉金小姐要来，他们只能接受现实并对其善加利用。

“And perhaps it won’t be so bad,” said Mother Maynard, as they talked it over. “When Miss Larkin is living here with you, she’ll be more chummy and jolly than when she just comes to call or to spend the day.”

“或许没那么糟糕，”他们讨论此事时，梅纳德太太说道。“拉金小姐跟你们一起住在这里的时候，会比她前来拜访或逗留一时半日的时候更友好、更有趣。”

“I hope so,” sighed Marjorie; “you see, it’ll be the worst for me. King’s a boy, and he won’t have to have much to do with her; Kitty doesn’t seem to mind her so much, anyway; and, of course Rosy Posy is too little to care. But I shall have to entertain her, and go walking with her, and,—and, oh, Mother, how I shall miss _you_!”

“希望如此，”玛乔丽说，“你看，我会成为最倒霉的一个。金是男孩，不会和她打太多交道；凯蒂看上去不太在意她；小玫瑰波西(Rosy Posy)还小，不知道操心。而我将不得不招待她，和她一起散步，还要——哦，妈妈，我肯定会特别想你！”

Marjorie fairly pulled King out of Mrs. Maynard’s arms, and flung herself into them, with one of her sudden bursts of demonstrative affection.

玛乔丽轻轻地把金从梅纳德太太的臂弯里拉出来，然后扎进母亲怀中，一股脑儿地展露依恋之情。

“Take me with you, Mothery,” she wailed; “oh, _do_ take me with you!”

“带我一起去吧，妈妈，”她啜泣起来，“哦，你一定得带我一起去！”

“Nonsense, Midget,” said Mrs. Maynard, knowing it was best to treat the matter lightly; “why, the family would all go to pieces if you weren’t here. As you just now implied you’re the most important member of the household, and you’re needed here to keep all running smoothly in my absence.”

“别闹了，Midget，”梅纳德太太说。她知道最好的做法是将此事轻轻带过。“因为，如果你不在，这个家就散架了。像你刚才说的，你是家里最重要的成员，我出门的时候，你得留在家里，保证一切顺利进行。”

This was a new view of things, and Marjorie brightened up considerably.

这个看待事情的新角度，让玛乔丽的情绪大为好转。

“Shall I be head of the house, Mother? May I sit at the head of the table?”

“我是家里的头儿了，对吗妈妈？我能坐在桌子的首位吗？”

Mrs. Maynard took a moment to think this over. Marjorie was only twelve, and she was sometimes a harum-scarum little girl; but, on the other hand, if she felt a sense of importance, she often acted with good sense and judgment beyond her years. At last Mrs. Maynard said:

梅纳德太太考虑了一下。玛乔丽才12岁，有时只是一个冒冒失失的小女孩；但另一方面，如果觉得自己很重要，她说话办事常常展现出超越自身年龄的理性和判断力。最终梅纳德太太说道：

“Yes, Midget; I believe I will let you sit at the head of the table. Miss Larkin is really a guest, and I think it would be better for you to be hostess in my place. Kingdon will sit in his father’s place, and I shall trust you two to uphold the dignity and decorum of the Maynard household.”

“是的，Midget，我认为你可以坐在桌子的首位。拉金小姐真的是一位客人，我想最好由你代替我扮演女主人的角色。金顿可以坐在你父亲的位置上，我要拜托你们俩维系梅纳德家的尊严和礼数。”

“Will Miss Larkin like that?” said Marjorie.

“拉金小姐会喜欢这种安排吗？”玛乔丽说。

“I think so; or I should not consent to the arrangement. Miss Larkin is, I know, more anxious to please you children, than you are to please her. And so, to please me, I want you all to be very good to her. Kind, polite, deferential, considerate, all the things that a host and hostess should be to their guest.”

“我想她会喜欢，否则我也不会同意这种安排。我知道，在拉金小姐和你们之间，更急于取悦对方的是她，而不是你们。因此，我希望你们都好好待她。友善、礼貌、恭敬、体贴，男主人和女主人都应该这样对待客人。

“H’m,” said Marjorie, considering; “p’raps she’d better be hostess, and let me be guest.”

“嗯，”玛乔丽一边琢磨一边说道，“或许最好让她当女主人，让我当客人。”

“No, Mopsy; that matter’s settled. You shall be the lady of the house; and Miss Larkin your honored guest for whose pleasure and comfort you must do all you can.”

“不，亲爱的；事情已经定了。在这个家里，你是女主人，拉金小姐是你们尊贵的客人，你们要竭尽所能，让她感到愉快、舒适。”

“Pooh,” said King, “if she’s only company, I don’t see why she need come at all.”

“呸，”金说，“如果她只是客人，我不明白为什么要让她来。”

“In return for your kindness to her, she will do much for you. She will really keep house, in the sense of giving orders, looking after your clothes and mending, and superintending the servants.”

“她会为你们做很多事，以回报你们的好意。她会切实管理家务，具体来说就是发号司令，照管你们的衣食，指挥仆人。”

“Must we obey her, Mother?”

“妈妈，我们必须服从她的命令吗？”

“Well, that’s rather a delicate point, my boy. I hope there’ll be no very serious questions of obedience, for I trust you won’t want to do anything that Miss Larkin will think she ought to forbid.”

“嗯，这是一个很微妙的问题。我希望不会出现严重到需要使用服从这个字眼儿的情况，因为我相信，你们不会做拉金小姐认为她应该禁止的事情。”

“But if she does, must we obey?” persisted Kingdon.

“但她如果禁止了，我们必须服从吗？”金顿追问。

“Hello, hello! What’s all this about love, honor, and obey?” cried a voice in the doorway, and the Maynards looked up to see Mr. Maynard smiling at them as he entered the room.

“嗨，嗨！爱呀，尊贵呀，服从呀，你们说什么呢这么热闹？”一个声音从门口传来，梅纳德太太和孩子们抬起头，看见梅纳德先生微笑着走进了房间。

“Oh, Father!” cried Marjorie, making a spring at him; “do come and help us settle these awful questions. Must we obey Miss Larkin, while you and Mother are away?”

“哦，爸爸！”玛乔丽大叫着向他扑了过去。“快来帮我们解答这些恼人的问题。你和妈妈不在家的时候，我们必须服从拉金小姐的决定吗？”

“Me ’bey Miss Larky,” said Rosy Posy, as she toddled to her father and clasped him round the knees, nearly upsetting that genial gentleman. “Me goody gail; me ’bey Miss Larky booful.”

“我服从‘辣鸡’(Larky)小姐，”小玫瑰波西一边说，一边蹒跚地走向父亲，抱住他的膝盖，差点把这位和蔼的绅士绊倒。“我是好‘菇凉’；我完全服从‘辣鸡’小姐。”

“Kit’s good at it, too,” said King. “So let Kitty and Rosy Posy do the obeying, and Mops and I will count out.”

“Kit也善于服从，”金说。“那就让凯蒂和小玫瑰波西去服从，别把我和Mops算在内。”

“What direful deeds are you planning, in defiance of Miss Larkin’s orders?” asked Mr. Maynard, sitting down, and taking the baby up in his arms.

“你们在谋划什么可怕的事情，违抗拉金小姐的命令？”梅纳德先生问，他坐下来，把小婴儿抱在怀里。

“Not any,” said King; “but I hate to feel that I must do as she says, whether I want to or not.”

“倒也不是，”金说，“但我讨厌必须照着她的话做，不论我愿不愿意。”

“But,” said his father, “you always do as Mother says, whether you want to, or not.”

“可是，”他父亲说，“你总是照着你妈妈的话做，不论你愿不愿意。”

“Yes, sir; but then, you see, I love Mother.”

“是的，父亲。但你看，我爱妈妈。”

This simple explanation seemed to please Mr. Maynard, and he said:

这个简单的解释似乎让梅纳德先生感到开心，他说：

“Well, I wouldn’t bother much about this obedience matter. I doubt if Miss Larkin lays down very strict laws, anyway. Suppose you take this for a rule. Don’t do anything that you think Mother would forbid if she were at home.”

“好吧，我不想过多讨论服从问题。我甚至怀疑拉金小姐会不会立下非常严苛的规矩。假如你们能遵循这一原则的话：别做妈妈在家时会禁止的事情。”

“That’s ever so much better,” said King, with a sigh of relief. “I did hate to be tied to old Larky’s apron strings.”

“这就好多了，”金松了一口气。“我真的讨厌被老‘辣鸡’牵着鼻子走。”

“Hold on, King, my boy. Stop right there. Obedience is one thing, respect another. You are, at _my_ orders, to be respectful to Miss Larkin, both in speech and in spirit. Is that understood?”

“等等，金，我的儿子。别再这样说话了。服从是一回事，尊重是另一回事。我命令你，要尊重拉金小姐，不论在言语上还是思想上。明白了吗？”

“Yes, sir,” said Kingdon, looking ashamed. “I understand, and I’ll obey; but, Father, we always call her Larky.”

“是，父亲。”金说道，看上去有些羞愧。“我明白了，我会服从；但爸爸，我们一直管她叫‘辣鸡’。”

“But you won’t any more. I don’t think you realize what bad taste it is, for a child to speak so of an elder person. Call your school friends by nicknames, if you like, but show to grown-ups the civility and respect that good-breeding calls for.”

“以后不许这么叫了。我想你还没意识到，一个孩子这样称呼一位长者，是多没品的事。如果愿意，你可以用绰号称呼学校里的朋友，但对成年人要展现礼数和尊重，这才称得上有教养。”

“All right; I’ll call her the Honorable Miss Larkin; Dear Madam,” and King swept a magnificent bow nearly to the floor, in token of his great respect for the lady.

“好的，我会管她叫尊敬的拉金小姐、亲爱的女士，”金深深地鞠了一躬，以表示他非常尊重拉金小姐。

“But do hurry home as soon as you can,” said Marjorie, as she squeezed her father’s coat sleeve with one hand, and with the other reached out to grasp a fold of her mother’s trailing gown.

“你们一定要尽快回家，”玛乔丽边说边用一只手拽着父亲外套的袖子，用另一只手抓着母亲的曳尾长裙的一个皱褶。

“We’ll be gone just six weeks, dearie,” said Mr. Maynard. “I can’t remain away longer than that. And I think that will be long enough to make the roses bloom once more on Mother’s wan cheeks.” Mrs. Maynard smiled.

“我们只离开六个星期，亲爱的，”梅纳德先生说。“我不会在外边待更长时间的。我想那足以让妈妈的脸色重新变得红润起来。”梅纳德太太露出微笑。

“I’m not really ill, Ed,” she said; “it’s more of a pleasure trip than a health trip, I think. And six weeks will be quite long enough to burden Miss Larkin with these four beautiful but not very manageable children.”

“我其实没生病，Ed,”她说，“我觉得这更像是一场愉快的旅行，而不是健康之旅。而且对拉金小姐来说，要照管四个虽然可爱但却不那么听话的小家伙，六个星期已经够长的了。”