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But
it
was
generally
said
that
Mrs
Pipchin
was
a
woman
of
system
with
children;
and
no
doubt
she
was.
Certainly
the
wild
ones
went
home
tame
enough,
after
sojourning
for
a
few
months
beneath
her
hospitable
roof.
It
was
generally
said,
too,
that
it
was
highly
creditable
of
Mrs
Pipchin
to
have
devoted
herself
to
this
way
of
life,
and
to
have
made
such
a
sacrifice
of
her
feelings,
and
such
a
resolute
stand
against
her
troubles,
when
Mr
Pipchin
broke
his
heart
in
the
Peruvian
mines.
不过人们通常都说，皮普钦太太是一位很有办法管理孩子的女人，毫无疑问她也确实如此。那些粗野的孩子在她款待周到的屋顶下寄居几个月之后，回家时确实都十分驯服。人们通常也说，当皮普钦先生在秘鲁的矿井伤心而死去以后，她献身于这样一种生活方式，在感情上作出这样大的牺牲，这样坚决地克服各种困难，这是令人极为钦佩的。
At
this
exemplary
old
lady,
Paul
would
sit
staring
in
his
little
arm-
chair
by
the
fire,
for
any
length
of
time.
He
never
seemed
to
know
what
weariness
was,
when
he
was
looking
fixedly
at
Mrs
Pipchin.
He
was
not
fond
of
her;
he
was
not
afraid
of
her;
but
in
those
old,
old
moods
of
his,
she
seemed
to
have
a
grotesque
attraction
for
him.
There
he
would
sit,
looking
at
her,
and
warming
his
hands,
and
looking
at
her,
until
he
sometimes
quite
confounded
Mrs
Pipchin,
Ogress
as
she
was.
Once
she
asked
him,
when
they
were
alone,
what
he
was
thinking
about.
对于这位堪称楷模的老太太，保罗总是在壁炉旁边坐在他的小扶手椅子里，目不转睛地看着，不论时间有多久。当他一动不动地看着皮普钦太太的时候，他似乎从来不知道疲倦。他不喜欢她；他不怕她。但是在他那老气而又老气的心绪中，她似乎对他有一种奇异的吸引力。他会坐在那里看着她，烘烘手，又看着她，直到有时他使皮普钦太太也感到十分困窘（尽管她是一位恶魔）。有一次当只有他们两个人的时候，她问他，他在想什么。
'You,
'
said
Paul,
without
the
least
reserve.
“ 想您，”保罗十分坦率地说道。
'And
what
are
you
thinking
about
me?
'
asked
Mrs
Pipchin.
“您想我什么？”皮普钦太太问道。
'I'm
thinking
how
old
you
must
be,
'
said
Paul.
“我在想您该有多老了，”保罗说道。
'You
mustn't
say
such
things
as
that,
young
gentleman,
'
returned
the
dame.
'That'll
never
do.
'
“您不应该说这样的话，年轻的先生，”那位老太太回答道，“那是绝对不合适的。”
'Why
not?
'
asked
Paul.
“为什么不合适？”保罗问道。
'Because
it's
not
polite,
'
said
Mrs
Pipchin,
snappishly.
“因为那不礼貌，”皮普钦太太暴躁地说道。
'Not
polite?
'
said
Paul.
“不礼貌吗？”保罗说道。
'No.
'
“是的。”
'It's
not
polite,
'
said
Paul,
innocently,
'to
eat
all
the
mutton
chops
and
toast,
Wickam
says.
“威肯姆说，“保罗天真地说道，“一个人把所有的羊排和烤面包片都吃掉是不礼貌的。”
'Wickam,
'
retorted
Mrs
Pipchin,
colouring,
'is
a
wicked,
impudent,
bold-
faced
hussy.
'
“威肯姆，”皮普钦太太红着脸，回答道，“是个 邪恶的、冒失无礼的、厚颜无耻的 贱货。”
'What's
that?
'
inquired
Paul.
“那是什么？”保罗问道。
'Never
you
mind,
Sir,
'
retorted
Mrs
Pipchin.
'R |