
礼仪文化英国礼仪餐桌礼仪
英国的饭菜简单,但是吃饭的规矩复杂。最主要的是坐直,学别人的样,吃饭的时候不高声交谈。不把自己使用的匙子留在汤盆或咖啡杯或其他菜盘上。汤匙应放在汤盆的托碟上,咖啡匙要放在茶托上。喝汤时最好不弄出响声,并用匙的一侧从里往外舀,不能用匙头,更不能端着汤盆把盆底剩的汤全喝光。不论吃什么东西,都尽量别弄出声响。每餐一般只上一道主菜和沙拉,最后上一道甜食。如果客人没有吃饱,可向女主人夸赞她做的美味并再要点鸡、牛排或其他菜,女主人会多加一份菜给他,但从不再多加。不在别人面前打饱嗝。端上咖啡时就着杯子喝,咖啡匙要放在托盘上。不能在餐桌上抽烟,可以饭后去客厅或其他地方抽。吃完饭,将餐巾放在餐桌上,然后站起来。男士们要帮女士们挪开椅子。餐后,客人一般会坐上一两个小时,然后向主人道别。
在自助快餐店中,顾客在餐后应当收拾废弃物。
英国人有付小费的习惯。通常在餐厅要按帐单的10%左右付,给行李员小费按每件行李50p付,给出租车司机可以按票价的10%-15%付,理发一般付2镑,饭店旅馆等若帐单中不含服务费,应将10%的费用分别付给对你有帮助的工作人员。影剧院、加油站等场所无需付小费。
英国人不吃动物的头、足和内脏器官,所以他们形象地称,他们只吃动物的肉,而不吃动物。
在英国人的食物中马铃薯替代米饭作为主要的碳水化合物。如果不习惯用餐时吃马铃薯,不要不好意思要米饭。
安静地吃东西并且吃完自己餐盘里的所有食物是礼貌的行为。把刀叉平行放在餐盘上表明你已经吃完了。如果你没吃完,就把刀和叉分开呈“八”字形放在餐盘上。
英国人喜欢在吃饭的时候聊天。但要注意,吃东西的时候张大嘴,哪怕是说话,是不礼貌的行为。诀窍是:吃东西和说话交替进行;只往嘴里放少量食物。如果你必须张大嘴,请用一只手遮挡它。
做客和餐桌上的礼节
如果你被邀请到别人家做客,就要考虎这样几个情况。比如,该在什么时候到主人家?如果不是谈正经事,只是个社交聚会,早到是不礼貌的。女主人正在做准备,她还没完全准备好你就到了,会使她感到非常尴尬。晚到10分钟最佳。晚到半小时就显得太迟了,需要向主人致歉。什么时候应该离开呢?这没什么规定,但在主人家坐得太晚是很不礼貌的。如果只是邀请你共进晚餐和聊天,那么你最好在10点至11点之间离开或者餐后1小时告别。如果你被邀请留下来住几天或度周末,在离开之前应特意买束花送给女主人,这会使她非常高兴。另外,离开后的第二天要发一封便函向主人致谢,并随附一件小礼品如一盒巧克力或一些鲜花等。
应该淑女餐桌礼仪
NO1.坐姿
背部永远不要接触椅背。身体应坐直并将食物送至嘴边。即便吃容易掉渣儿的点心,也不要俯身去够。喝汤是唯一的例外——您可以稍微颔首。
NO2.餐巾的尺寸不同场合使用的餐巾尺寸有别。午餐用17-20英尺,下午茶12英尺,晚餐26英尺,鸡尾酒会6-9英尺。
NO3.用餐进度
很遗憾,一般不设卫生间的间歇哦。通常用餐会持续2小时左右,因此,应注意适量饮用酒水,避免去卫生间。
NO4.0恭维不要夸赞食物(因为菜是厨子而不是女主人做的);也不要夸赞女主人的穿着(因为一般默认女主人打扮得很得体)和家居摆设(如果您表现得似乎不适应良好的室内环境,那等于自降身段)。
NO5.座次安排
《唐顿庄园》以女士为主,但在传统意义上,主人会以男女相间的原则安排宾客入座。已婚夫妇会被分开,因为通常认为夫妇两人在一起的时间已经够多了。而已订婚的夫妇会被安排坐在一起,这样他们就可以在监护人的陪同下彼此交谈了。
NO6.轮换原则为了不冷落任何一位客人,您应当和您身旁的男士交谈。之后,女主人会轻咳一声,这时您要转向身侧另一位男士。这就是所谓的“轮换原则”(turning the table)。
NO7.适宜的话题永远不要在餐桌上谈论金钱、工作、健康、政治和宗教。在这方面,年长贵妇通常会维持秩序。对于加餐性质的下午茶来说,交谈话题尤其应轻松愉快。
NO8.享用时令菜肴
《唐顿庄园》的餐桌上经常出现时令菜肴,如:8月的芦笋、狩猎季节的.猎物。他们酷爱肉食,如:猪肉、鱼肉、牛肉和羊肉。点击此处,查看比顿夫人所著的《家务管理》(Mrs Beeton'sHousehold Management)中的上百种菜谱。
NO9.剩饭剩菜如何处理?
二战时期,食品供应采取配给制度。在此之前,人们并不太在意剩饭剩菜。由于通常正餐都由7道菜肴组成,所以剩下食物是可以的。
NO10.此甜点非彼甜点
主菜后上的甜点称为pudding,而dessert只是一道果盘,通常在pudding之后上,享用时仍使用刀叉。香蕉不能举着吃,那样吃像猩猩噢。
NO11.客厅时间
如果您是女主人,在用餐过后,您应当把女士们带到客厅里,享用咖啡或酒。这样,男士们便可以畅谈20分钟政治,他们随后也会到客厅去。
NO12.早餐原则依照规矩,如果您已婚,那么您应在床上用早餐,因为人们通常认为您已不必再为寻觅良偶而社交了。对于在餐桌用早餐的女士们而言,早餐通常是自助形式的,包括:鱼蛋烩饭、烤土司和烟熏鲱鱼。
NO13.亮出最好的餐具
尽管家仆们通常使用陶制餐具喝水,但您一定要将放在楼上的优质骨瓷餐具拿出来哦。
NO14.午餐过后可加餐
传统的晚餐要在8:30-9:00才开始,因此傍晚经常会饿。后来,贝德芙公爵夫人安娜·罗素发明了下午茶——晚餐前的小加餐。加餐通常包括:无边三明治、司康饼。此时一般不用刀具,而是用手掰。如果您愿意,还可以再来点儿果酱和凝脂奶油。
NO15.喝茶
喝茶时的规矩包括:先倒茶,再倒牛奶;搅拌牛奶时,要来回反复地搅拌(在12点和6点方向之间);茶勺要放在茶碟上离您最远的位置;不要攥着茶杯环,而应将食指和拇指在杯环内捏住,并用中指拖住杯环底部。如果桌子过低,可以在齐腰位置端着茶碟。
NO16.不要称下午茶“high tea”
在《唐顿庄园》所处的时代,“high tea”指家仆们的晚间加餐,因为这顿加餐就相当于一顿正餐的量,包括:肉类、蛋糕。而且,人们通常是在一张较高的木桌子上享用。美国人误认为“high tea”是一种奢华的说法。
NO17.帽子和手套
在下午6点前,女士进餐都要求戴帽子和手套。用餐时,可以将脱下的手套放在腿上,再将餐巾盖在上面。
NO18.最佳穿着下午茶时,穿茶会女服(tea gown)——类似于玛丽·波平斯阿姨穿的那种低腰连衣裙;正餐要盘头穿礼服。男士则应穿黑色或白色的鞋子,以衬托女士的光彩。记得让您的女仆记录下您在宴请宾客时穿过的礼服,以避免重复。不过,穿着相同礼服参加家宴是没问题的。
NO19.有关冠饰的禁忌
在出席宴会时,只有已婚妇女才可以佩戴冠饰。这些头冠饰品一般是结婚时的礼物。是否佩戴冠饰可以将房间中的已婚与未婚妇女区分开来。
NO20.还想再来点儿?
在职场中,难免因客户应酬、公司聚会等需要参加一些职场宴会,那么商务酒桌礼仪有哪些呢?下面我们一起来看看吧!
1、餐桌礼仪
(l)主客优先。主客还未动筷之前,不可以先吃;每道菜都等主客先夹菜,其他人才依序动手。
(2)有人夹菜时,不可以转动桌上的转盘;有人转动转盘时,要留意有无刮到桌上的餐具或菜肴。
(3)不可一人独占喜好的食物。
(4)避免使用太多餐具。
2、餐桌话题
假如饭桌上只是低头吃饭,气氛一定很僵。和背景、年龄、性格、嗜好皆不相同的同事或客户,到底要聊些什么?
(l)天气、气候。这是英国人的习惯,在火车上碰到同车的人,必定由天气展开话题。
(2)嗜好。以国家或人群之分的嗜好是最佳交际话题。
(3)新闻事件。尽管新闻每天都有很多人在看,也天天不同,但是,有些重要新闻事件人们还是喜欢听或者发表意见的。
(4)故乡,毕业学校。有可能因而找到同乡,拉近彼此间的距离。
此外家庭成员、居住地、喜欢的酒名、喜欢的食物、汽车等也可以作为聊天主题。
3、饮酒礼仪
(1)敬酒有序
一般情况下敬酒应以年龄大小、职位高低、宾主身份为序,敬酒前一定要充分考虑好敬酒的顺序,分明主次。即使与不熟悉的人在一起喝酒,也要先打听一下身份或是留意别人如何称呼,这一点心中要有数,避免出现尴尬或伤感情的局面。敬酒时一定要把握好敬酒的顺序。当帮助你的某位客人在席上时,对他自然要倍加恭 敬,但是要注意,如果在场有更高身份或年长的人,则不应只对能帮你忙的人毕恭毕敬,而要先给尊者长者敬酒,不然会使大家都很难为情。
(2)劝酒适度
在酒桌上往往会遇到劝酒的现象,有的人总喜欢把酒场当战场,想方设法劝别人多喝几杯,认为不喝到量就是不实在。以酒论英雄,对酒量大的人还可以,酒量小的就犯难了,有时过分地劝酒,会将原有的朋友感情完全破坏。
(3)避酒得当
不要主动出击,实行以守为攻战略。酒席宴上要看清场合,正确估价自己的实力,不要太冲动,尽量保留一些酒力,既不让别人小看自己又不要过分地表露自身,选择适当的机会,逐渐放射自己的锋芒,才能稳坐泰山,不致使别人产生“就这点能力”的想法,使大家不敢低估你的饮酒实力。
4、职场酒桌上的`礼仪和酒桌上的规矩
(1)酒桌上虽然“感情深,一口闷;感情浅,舔一舔”,但是喝酒的时候决不能把这句语挂在嘴上。
(2)韬光养晦,厚积薄发,切不可一上酒桌就充大。
(3)领导相互敬完才轮到自己敬酒。
(4)可以多人敬一人,决不可一人敬多人,除非你是领导。
(5)自己敬别人,如果不碰杯,自己喝多少可视乎情况而定,比如对方酒量,对方喝酒态度,切不可比对方喝得少,要知道是自己敬人。
(6)自己职位卑微,记得多给领导添酒,不要瞎给领导代酒,就是要代,也要在领导确实想找人代,还要装作自己是因为想喝酒而不是为了给领导代酒而喝酒。比如领导甲不胜酒力,可以通过旁敲侧击把准备敬领导甲的人拦下。
(7)端起酒杯(啤酒杯),右手扼杯,左手垫杯底,记着自己的杯子永远低于别人。自己如果是领导,知趣点,不要放太低,不然怎么叫下面的做人?
(8)如果没有特殊人物在场,碰酒最好按时针顺序,不要厚此薄彼。
(9)碰杯,敬酒,要有说辞。
(10)说错话,办错事,不要申辩,自觉罚酒才是硬道理。
(11)假如遇到酒不够的情况,酒瓶放在桌子中间,让人自己添,不要去一个一个倒酒,不然后面的人没酒怎么办?
(12)宴会结束的时候,一定还有一个碰杯酒,所以,不要让自己的酒杯空着。
(13)注意酒后不要失言,不要说大话,不要失态,不要吐沫横飞,筷子乱甩,不要手指乱指,喝汤不要发出声响,不要把“我不会喝酒”挂在嘴上,如果你已经喝了点酒的话。
散文是指以文字为创作、审美对象的文学艺术体裁,是文学中的一种体裁形式。下面整理了优美的英语散文,欢迎阅读。
优美的英语散文一:初雪
初雪来临的时候,有人在漫天飞舞的雪花中欢呼雀跃,恨不能随之飞舞;也有孩童迫不及待地冲出家门,想用初雪堆砌冬天第一个雪人;也有人望着落于手心,慢慢融化的雪花,神情恬淡而飘缈;亲爱的,你是怎样迎接每一场初雪的?
This morning, when I first caught sight of the unfamiliar whitened world, I could not help wishing that we had snow oftener, that English winters were more wintry.
今天早上,当我第一次看见这个陌生的银白色的世界时,我不禁衷心希望这里能够多下几场雪,这样我们英国的冬天才能更增添几分冬天的味道。
How delightful it would be, I thought, to have months of clean snow and a landscape sparkling with frost instead of innumerable grey featureless days of rain and raw winds.
我想,如果我们这里经常是个冰雪积月、霜华璀璨的景象,而不是像现在这种苦雨凄风永无尽期的阴沉而乏特色的日子,那该多么令人喜悦啊!
I began to envy my friends in such places as the Eastern States of America and Canada, who can count upon a solid winter every year and know that the snow will arrive by a certain date and will remain, without degenerating into black slush, until Spring is close at hand. To have snow and frost and yet a clear sunny sky and air as crisp as a biscuit - this seemed to me happiness indeed.
于是我羡慕起那些居住在美国东部各州和加拿大的我的友人们,他们那里年年都能出现一个像样的冬天,都能说得出降雪的确切日期,并能保证,直至大地春回之前,那里的雪绝无退化为黑色泥浆的可能。既有霜雪,又有晴朗温煦的天空,而且空气又非常凉爽清新——这在我看来实在是很大的快乐。
And then I saw that it would never do for us. We should be sick of it in a week. After the first day the magic would be gone and there would be nothing left but the unchanging glare of the day and the bitter cruel nights.
但马上我又觉得这样还是不行。不出一周人们就会对它感到厌烦。第一天后魔力便会消失,剩下的唯有白昼那种永无变化的耀眼阳光与刺骨严寒和凄冷的夜晚。
It is not the snow itself,the sight of the blanketed world, that is so enchanting, but the first coming of the snow, the sudden and silent change.Out of the relations, for ever shifting and unanticipated,of wind and water comes a magical event.
让人如此着迷的不是雪的本身,不在这个银装素裹的景象,而是初雪降临时,那突然而宁静的变化。正是从风风雨雨这类变幻无常和难以预期的关系之中才会出现这种以降雪为奇迹的情形。
Who would change this state of things for a steadily recurring round,an earth governed by the calendar? It has been well said that while other countries have a climate, we alone in England have weather. There is nothing duller than climate,which can be converted into a topic only by scientists and hypochondriacs.
谁又肯拿眼前这般景致去换上个永远周而复始的单调局面,一个全由年历来控制的大地?有一句话说的好,别的国家都有气候,唯有英国才有天气。气候是最为枯燥和乏味的,或许只有科学家与疑难杂症患者才会把它当做话题。
But weather is our earth's Cleopatra, and it is not to be wondered at that we, who must share her gigantic moods, should be for ever talking about her. Once we were settled in America, Siberia, Australia, where there is nothing but a steady pact between climate and the calendar,we should regret her very naughtinesses, her willful pranks,her gusts of rage, and sudden tears.
但是天气却是我们这块土地上的克里奥佩特拉,因而毫不奇怪,人们为它巨大情绪变化所左右,总不免要对她窃窃私议。假如一旦我们定居于美洲、西伯利亚与澳大利亚,在那里气候与年历之间早已有成约在先,我们即使仅仅因为失去她的调皮,她任性的恶作剧,她的狂忿盛怒与涕泣涟涟也会深感遗憾。
优美的英语散文二:一个更美好的明天
历史是一种经历和体验,它让我们可以反思,给我们一种警示,告诉我们何事可以做、何事不可以做。历史可以明鉴未来,熟悉历史是为了创造更美好的明天。
People often wonder why historians go to so much trouble to preserve millions of books, documents and records of the past. Why do we have libraries? What good are these documents and the history books? Why do we record and save the actions of men, the negotiations of statesmen and the campaigns of armies?
人们常常心存疑虑,为什么历史学家要费尽周折地保存数以万计过去的书籍、文献和记录。我们为什么要有图书馆呢?这些文献和史书有何用处呢?我们为什么要记载并保存人类的行为、政治家的谈判和军人队伍的战役呢?
Because, sometimes, the voice of experience can cause us to stop, look and listen. And because, sometimes, past records, correctly interpreted, can give us warning of what to do and what not to do.
因为,有时候经验之谈能促使我们停步、观察和倾听。也因为有时候过去的记载经过正确的诠释,可以给我们一种警示,告诉我们何事可做、何事不可做。
If we are ever to create enduring peace, we must seek its origins in human experience and in the record of human idealism. From the story of the fortitude, courage and devotion of men and women, we create the inspirations of youth. From stories of the ancient cave dwellers right down to today's environmental activists, history records people's success, intelligence and strength. Surely from these records there can come help to mankind in our confusions and promote and in our desires for peace.
如果我们想要永保和平,我们就必须从人类经验以及人类追求理想的历程中去探索其渊源。从体现男性和女性不屈不挠、勇敢和奉献精神的故事之中,我们获得了青春的启示。远自基督教殉道者,近到布达佩斯的当代英勇,历史记载着人类的一切苦难、克己、忠诚和英勇的事迹。当然,那些记载一定会对处于困惑、茫然和渴望和平的人们有所助益。
The supreme purpose of history is a better world. History gives a warning to those who would promote war. History brings inspiration to those who seek peace. In short, history helps us learn. Yesterday's records can keep us from repeating yesterday's mistakes. And from all these records, we can see the progress of mankind.
历史的终极目的是创造一个更加美好的世界。历史对那些力主战争的人加以警告。对于那些追寻和平的人予以启示。简而言之,历史帮助我们学习。昨日的记载可以使我们避免重蹈覆辙。而这些由历史学家所汇集的镶嵌图案艺术品,将会逐渐成为表现人类进步的伟大壁画。
优美的英语散文三:幼年的玛丽小姐
Nobody seemed to care about Mary.She was born in India,where her father was a British official.He was busy with his work,and her mother,who was very beautiful, spent all her time going to parties.So an Indian woman,Kamala,was paid to take care of the little girl.Mary was not a pretty child.She had a thin angry face and thin yellow hair. She was always giving orders to Kamala,who had to obey. Mary never thought of other people, but only of herself.In fact,she was a very selfish,disagreeable,bad-tempered little girl.
似乎没有人注意玛丽的存在。玛丽出生在印度,父亲是驻印的英国官员,总是忙着工作,母亲长得非常漂亮,把所有时间都花在参加聚会上。所以,一个名叫卡玛拉的印度女人被雇来照看这个小姑娘。玛丽长得不漂亮,消瘦的脸上总是一副生气的样子,头发稀疏枯黄。她总对卡玛拉发号施令,卡玛拉只好顺从她。她很少想到别人,只顾自己。她确实是一个非常自私,脾气怪戾,很难相处的女孩。
One very hot morning,when she was about nine years old, she woke up and saw that instead of Kamala there was a different Indian servant by her bed.
在她9岁那年的一个上午,天气很热,她醒来时发现站在床前的不是卡玛拉,而是另外一个印度女仆。
‘What are you doing here?’she asked crossly.‘Go away! And send Kamala to me at once!’
“你在这儿干什么?”她生气地问。“走开!叫卡玛拉马上到这儿来!”
The woman looked afraid.‘I'm sorry,Miss Mary,she— she—she can't come!’
那个女人看来很害怕。“对不起,玛丽小姐,她——她——她来不了了!”
Something strange was happening that day.Some of the house servants were missing and everybody looked frightened. But nobody told Mary anything,and Kamala still did not come.So at last Mary went out into the garden,and played by herself under a tree.She pretended she was making her own flower garden,and picked large red flowers to push into the ground.All the time she was saying crossly to herself,
那天发生了一些很奇怪的事情,房子里的一些仆人不见了,每个人看上去都惊恐异常。可是没有人告诉玛丽任何事情,卡玛拉也始终没来。最后玛丽只好一个人来到花园,在一棵树下玩耍。她假装是在给自己造一座花园,摘来大朵的红花插在土里,一边玩还一边堵气地自言自语。
‘I hate Kamala!I'll hit her when she comes back!’
“我讨厌卡玛拉!等她回来我要接她一顿!”
Just then she saw her mother coming into the garden,with a young Englishman.They did not notice the child,who listened to their conversation.
就在这会儿,她看见妈妈和一个年轻的英国人走进花园,玛丽听见了他们的谈话,他们却没注意到她。
‘It's very bad,is it?’her mother asked the young man in a worried voice.
“很严重,是吗?”妈妈问那个年轻人,声音充满焦虑。
‘Very bad,’he answered seriously.‘People are dying like flies.It's dangerous to stay in this town.You should go to the hills,where there's no disease.’
“非常严重,”他严肃地说。“人们像苍蝇一样死去,再在城里呆下去太危险了,你得到山里去,那里没有疾玻”
‘Oh,I know!’she cried.‘We must leave soon!’
“哦,我知道!”她叫道,“我们得马上离开!”
Suddenly they heard loud cries coming from the servants’rooms,at the side of the house.
突然,他们听到房子侧面用人屋里传来嚎啕大哭的声音。
‘What's happened?’cried Mary's mother wildly.
“出了什么事?”玛丽的妈妈慌乱地大叫着。
‘I think one of your servants has just died.You didn't tell me the disease is here,in your house!’
“我看是你的一个用人刚刚死去。你没告诉过我这儿也有疫病,在你的房子里!”
‘I didn't know!’she screamed.‘Quick,come with me!’And together they ran into the house.
“我根本不知道!”她尖声叫着。“快,跟我来。”他们一同冲进屋去。
Now Mary understood what was wrong.The terrible disease had already killed many people in the town,and in all the houses people were dying.In Mary's house it was Kamala who had just died.Later that day three more servants died there.
现在玛丽明白是哪儿不对了。可怕的疫病已经夺去了城里很多人的生命,到处都有人在死去。在玛丽家刚刚死去的正是卡玛拉。那天后来又有3个用人死了。
All through the night and the next day people ran in and out of the house,shouting and crying.Nobody thought of Mary. She hid in her bedroom,frightened by the strange and terrible sounds that she heard around her.Sometimes she cried and sometimes she slept.
整整一夜到第二天,人们跑进跑出,哭着,喊着,谁也没想起玛丽。她躲在卧室里,被周围这些可怕的声音吓坏了,不时地哭着,哭累了就睡上一会儿。
When she woke the next day,the house was silent.
第二天,当她醒来时,房子里一片寂静。
‘Perhaps the disease has gone,’she thought,‘and everybody is well again.I wonder who will take care of me instead of Kamala?Why doesn't someone bring me some food?It's strange the house is so quiet.’
“说不定疫病已经过去,人们又和从前一样健康了,”她想着,“谁会接替卡玛拉来照看我呢?为什么家里没人给我送点吃的来,房子里这么静,真是太奇怪了。”
But just then she heard men's voices in the hall.
就在这时,她听到客厅里男人说话的声音。
‘How sad!’ said one.‘That beautiful woman!’
“太惨啦!”有人说。“这么漂亮的女人!”
‘There was a child too,wasn't there?’said the other.‘Although none of us ever saw her.’
“还应该有个孩子的,是不是?”另外一个人说,“尽管我们都没有看见她。”
Mary was standing in the middle of her room when they opened the door a few minutes later.The two men jumped back in surprise.
几分钟后,他们推开门,玛丽站在房间的中间,两个男人吓得跳了回去。
‘My name is Mary Lennox,’she said crossly.‘I was asleep when everyone was ill,and now I'm hungry.’
“我叫玛丽·莲诺丝,”她生气地说。“他们生病时我睡着了,现在我很饿。”
‘It's the child,the one nobody ever saw!’said the older man to the other.‘They've all forgotten her!’
“就是这个孩子,谁都没看见她!”年长一点的男人对另一个说。“他们都把她忘了!”
‘Why was I forgotten?’asked Mary angrily.‘Why has nobody come to take care of me?’
“为什么把我忘了?”玛丽气呼呼地问。“为什么没人来照看我?”
The younger man looked at her very sadly.‘Poor child!’ he said.‘You see,there's nobody left alive in the house.So nobody can come.’
年轻一点的男人忧伤地看着她,“可怜的孩子!”他说。“听着,这幢房子里的人全死了,所以没有人能来照看你。”
In this strange and sudden way Mary learnt that both her mother and her father had died.The few servants who had not died had run away in the night.No one had remembered little Miss Mary.She was all alone.
以这样一种奇异而突然的方式,玛丽得知她的父母已不在人世,活下来的几个用人也趁半夜逃走了。没人想起年幼的玛丽小姐,就只剩下她一个人了。
Because she had never known her parents well,she did not miss them at all.She only thought of herself,as she had always done.
由于她跟父母并不亲近,也并不想念他们。像以前一样,她只想到了她自己。
‘Where will I live?’she wondered.‘I hope I'll stay with people who'll let me do what I want.’
“我该住哪儿呢?”她思量着。“我想跟那些让我想干什么就干什么的人在一起。”
At first she was taken to an English family who had known her parents.She hated their untidy house and noisy children, and preferred playing by herself in the garden.One day she was playing her favourite game,pretending to make a garden, when one of the children,Basil,offered to help.
一开始她被带到一户英国人家,他们认识她的父母。可她讨厌他们凌乱的房间和吵吵闹闹的孩子们,而宁愿一个人在花园里玩。一天,她正玩着最喜欢的造花园游戏,那家的孩子巴兹尔走过来想帮她忙。
‘Go away!’cried Mary.‘I don't want your help!’
“走开!”玛丽大声喊道,“我才不用你帮忙!”
For a moment Basil looked angry,and then he began to laugh He danced round and round Mary,and sang a funny little song about Miss Mary and her stupid flowers.This made Mary very cross indeed.No one had ever laughed at her so unkindly.
巴兹尔呆站了一会儿,很生气,可很快又乐开了。他围着玛丽又蹦又跳,一边唱起一支滑稽的'有关玛丽小姐和她愚蠢的花儿的歌。这可把玛丽气坏了,还从来没人这么刻薄地嘲笑过她呢!
‘You're going home soon,’said Basil.‘And we're all very pleased you're leaving!’
“你就快回家了,”巴兹尔说。“我们真高兴你快走了。”
‘I'm pleased too,’replied Mary.‘But where's home?’
“我也高兴,”玛丽答道。“可回哪儿的家?”
‘You're stupid if you don't know that!’laughed Basil. England,of course!You're going to live with your uncle,Mr Archibald Graven.’
“你连这都不知道,可真够傻的!”巴兹尔笑道,“当然是英国!你要去跟你舅舅阿奇伯德·克莱文先生住了!”
‘I've never heard of him,’said Mary coldly.
“我从来没听说过他。”玛丽冷冷地说。
‘But I know about him because I heard Father and Mother talking,’said Basil.‘He lives in a big lonely old house,and has no friends,because he's so badtempered.He's got a crooked back,and he's horrid!’
“可我知道,我听我爸爸妈妈谈论过他。他住在一幢孤零零的、又大又旧的房子里,一个朋友都没有,因为他脾气太坏了,他还是个驼背,可怕极了!”
‘I don't believe you!’cried Mary.But the next day Basil's parents explained that she was going to live with her uncle in Yorkshire,in the north of England.Mary looked bored and cross and said nothing.
“我才不信呢!”玛丽大声说。可是第二天,巴兹尔的父母解释说她将要到英格兰北部的约克郡,跟她的舅舅住在一起。玛丽显得又烦躁又恼怒,可什么都没说。
After the long sea journey,she was met in London by Mr Craven's housekeeper,Mrs Medlock.Together they travelled north by train.Mrs Medlock was a large woman,with a very red face and bright black eyes.Mary did not like her,but that was not surprising,because she did not usually like people.Mrs Medlock did not like Mary either.
轮船在海上航行了很久,克莱文先生的管家梅洛太太到伦敦来接玛丽,带她坐火车去北方。梅洛太太是个高大的女人,红脸膛,长着一双明亮的黑眼睛。玛丽不喜欢她,这也没什么好奇怪的,因为她谁也不喜欢。梅洛太太也不怎么喜欢玛丽。
‘What a disagreeable child!’thought the housekeeper.‘But perhaps I should talk to her.’
“这孩子可真不讨人喜欢!”管家心里想。“不过也许我能跟她聊聊。”
‘I can tell you a bit about your uncle if you like,’she said aloud.‘He lives in a big old house,a long way from anywhere. There are nearly a hundred rooms,but most of them are shut and locked.There's a big park round the house,and all kinds of gardens.Well,what do you think of that?’
“要是你愿意,我可以给你讲讲你舅舅的事。”她大声说。“他住在一幢很大的老宅子里,离哪儿都不近。那个宅子差不多有一百个房间,可大部分都是上了锁的。房子周围有一片很大的园林,还有各式的花园。你觉得怎么样?”
‘Nothing,’replied Mary.‘It doesn't matter to me.’
“不怎么样,”玛丽答道。“跟我一点关系都没有。”
Mrs Medlock laughed.‘You're a hard little girl!Well,if you don't care,Mr Craven doesn't either.He never spends time on anyone.He's got a crooked back,you see,and although he's always been rich,he was never really happy until he married.’
梅洛太太笑了,“你这个小倔丫头!好啦,如果你不在乎,克莱文先生自然也不在乎。他从不把时间花在任何人身上,他是个驼背,而且,尽管一直都很有钱,在他结婚之前他从来没有真正快乐过。”
‘Married?’repeated Mary in surprise.
“结婚?”玛丽惊奇地重复道。
‘Yes,he married a sweet,pretty girl,and he loved her deeply.So when she died—’
“是啊,娶了个温柔美丽的姑娘,他非常非常爱她。所以那姑娘一死——”
‘Oh!Did she die?’asked Mary,interested.
“哦!她死了吗?”玛丽感兴趣地问道。
‘Yes,she did.And now he doesn't care about anybody.If he's at home,he stays in his room and sees nobody.He won't want to see you,so you must stay out of his way and do what you're told.’
“是啊,她死了。所以克莱文先生谁也不关心了,他在家的时候就呆在屋子里谁也不见,他不会想见你的,所以你必须躲着他,照别人吩咐你的去做。”
Mary stared out of the train window at the grey sky and the rain.She was not looking forward to life at her uncle's house.
玛丽望着车窗外灰色的天空和飘落的雨水,对于住在舅舅家的生活没有一丝期盼。
The train journey lasted all day,and it was dark when they arrived at the station.Then there was a long drive to get to the house.It was a cold,windy night,and it was raining heavily. After a while Mary began to hear a strange,wild noise.She looked out of the window,but could see nothing except the darkness.
火车走了一天,到站时天已经黑了。可离那幢房子还有很远的路,要搭马车才能到。这是一个寒冷的夜晚,风疾雨骤。过了一阵,玛丽听到一种奇怪的狂野的声音,她向窗外看去,可除了黑暗什么都看不见。
‘What's that noise?’she asked Mrs Medlock.‘It's—It's not the sea,is it?’
“那是什么声音?”她问梅洛太太,“那——那不是海,对么?”
‘No,that's the moor.It's the sound the wind makes,blowing across the moor.’
“对,那不是海,是荒原的声音,是风吹过荒原时发出的声音。”
‘What is a moor?’
“荒原是什么?”
‘It's just miles and miles of wild land,with no trees or houses.Your uncle's house is right on the edge of the moor.’
“就是大片大片的荒地,没有树,也没有房屋,你舅舅家就住在荒原的尽头。”
Mary listened to the strange,frightening sound.‘I don't like it,’she thought.‘I don't like it.’She looked more disagreeable than ever.



