"You can imagine from what I say that my poor sister Julia and I had no great pleasure in our lives.
"通過我說的這些情況,你們不難想象我和可憐的姐姐朱莉婭是沒有什么生活樂趣的。
No servant would stay with us, and for a long time we did all the work of the house.
沒有外人會愿意跟我們長期相處,在很長一個時期里,我們操持所有的家務。
She was but thirty at the time of her death, and yet her hair had already begun to whiten, even as mine has."
我姐姐死的時候,才僅僅三十歲??墒撬缫褍婶W斑白了,甚至和我現(xiàn)在的頭發(fā)一樣白。"
"Your sister is dead, then?"
"那么,你姐姐已經死了?"
"She died just two years ago, and it is of her death that I wish to speak to you.
"她剛好是兩年前死的,我想對你說的正是有關她去世的事。
You can understand that, living the life which I have described,
你可以理解,過著我剛才所敘述的那種生活,
we were little likely to see anyone of our own age and position.
我們幾乎見不到任何和我年齡相仿和地位相同的人。
We had, however, an aunt, my mother's maiden sister, Miss Honoria Westphail, who lives near Harrow,
不過,我們有一個姨媽,叫霍洛拉·韋斯法爾小姐,她是我母親的老處女姐妹,住在哈羅附近,
and we were occasionally allowed to pay short visits at this lady's house.
我們偶爾得到允許,到她家去短期作客。
Julia went there at Christmas two years ago, and met there a half-pay major of marines, to whom she became engaged.
兩年前,朱莉婭在圣誕節(jié)到她家去,在那里認識了一位領半薪的海軍陸戰(zhàn)隊少校,并和他締結了婚約。
My stepfather learned of the engagement when my sister returned and offered no objection to the marriage;
我姐姐歸來后,我繼父聞知這一婚約,并未對此表示反對,
but within a fortnight of the day which had been fixed for the wedding,
但是,在預定舉行婚禮之前不到兩周的時候,
the terrible event occurred which has deprived me of my only companion."
可怕的事情發(fā)生了,從而奪去了我唯一的伴侶。"