When we were fortunate enough to find a nest I never allowed her to carry the eggs home, making her understand by emphatic signs that she might fall and break them.
运气好的话，我们就会找到一个鸡窝，可是我从来不会让玛莎把鸡蛋带回家，我会做出强烈的手势让她明白，她应该把鸡蛋扔在地上打碎。
The
sheds
where
the
corn
was
stored,
the
stable
where
the
horses
were
kept,
and
the
yard
where
the
cows
were
milked
morning
and
evening
were
unfailing
sources
of
interest
to
Martha
and
me.
The
milkers
would
let
me
keep
my
hands
on
the
cows
while
they
milked,
and
I
often
got
well
switched
by
the
cow
for
my
curiosity.
像谷仓，马厩，还有每天早晚给奶牛挤奶的庭院都是我和玛莎最感兴趣的地方。挤奶工给牛挤奶的时候会让我把两手放在牛身上。为了满足自己的好奇心，我经常对牛又拧又掐。
The
making
ready
for
Christmas
was
always
a
delight
to
me.
Of
course
I
did
not
know
what
it
was
all
about,
but
I
enjoyed
the
pleasant
odours
that
filled
the
house
and
the
tidbits
that
were
given
to
Martha
Washington
and
me
to
keep
us
quiet.
We
were
sadly
in
the
way,
but
that
did
not
interfere
with
our
pleasure
in
the
least.
They
allowed
us
to
grind
the
spices,
pick
over
the
raisins
and
lick
the
stirring
spoons.
I
hung
my
stocking
because
the
others
did;
I
cannot
remember,
however,
that
the
ceremony
interested
me
especially,
nor
did
my
curiosity
cause
me
to
wake
before
daylight
to
look
for
my
gifts.
为圣诞节做准备总会令我欢欣鼓舞。当然，我并不知道这是一个什么样的节日，但是弥漫在房子里的香味令我陶醉其中，而花样繁多的美食也会让我和玛莎·华盛顿安静下来。我们俩也会有不顺心的时候，但是这丝毫也不妨碍我们享受节日的快乐。大人们会允许我们俩帮他们研磨香料，挑拣葡萄干，或者用勺子搅拌馅料。我也像其他人那样把自己的长袜挂起来，虽然不知道为什么这么做，可是这种仪式令我兴味盎然。这倒不是为了好奇，而是因为一觉醒来，我就可以在袜子里找到礼物。
Martha
Washington
had
as
great
a
love
of
mischief
as
I.
Two
little
children
were
seated
on
the
veranda
steps
one
hot
July
afternoon.
One
was
black
as
ebony,
with
little
bunches
of
fuzzy
hair
tied
with
shoestrings
sticking
out
all
over
her
head
like
corkscrews.
The
other
was
white,
with
long
golden
curls.
One
child
was
six
years
old,
the
other
two
or
three
years
older.
玛莎·华盛顿同我一样喜欢搞恶作剧。记得那年7月一个炎热的午后，有两个小孩儿坐在走廊的台阶上，一个是黑人小姑娘，梳着一束束俏皮的像螺丝锥一样的头发；另一个是白人小姑娘，有着一头长长的金色鬈发。其中一个孩子六岁，另一个只有两岁或三岁大。
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