"But you comprehend me?" he said.

“可是你理解我的意思吗？”他说。

"It is a village school: your scholars will be only poor girls -- cottagers' children -- at the best, farmers' daughters.

“这是一所乡村学校。你的学生都只是穷苦女孩——茅屋里的孩子——至多是农夫的女儿。

Knitting, sewing, reading, writing, ciphering, will be all you will have to teach.

编织、缝纫和读、写、算你都得教。

What will you do with your accomplishments?

你自己的技艺派什么用处呢？

What, with the largest portion of your mind -- sentiments -- tastes?"

你大部份的思想——感情——情趣又有什么用呢？”

"Save them till they are wanted. They will keep."

“留着它们等有用时再说。它们可以保存下来。”

"You know what you undertake, then?"

“那你知道你要干的事了。”

"I do."

“我知道。”

He now smiled: and not a bitter or a sad smile, but one well pleased and deeply gratified.

这时他笑了，不是苦笑，也不是伤心的笑，而是十分满意并深为感激的笑容。

"And when will you commence the exercise of your function?"

“你什么时候开始履行职务？”

"I will go to my house to-morrow, and open the school, if you like, next week."

“我明天就到自己的房子去，要是你高兴，下周就开学。”

"Very well: so be it."

“很好，就这样吧。”

He rose and walked through the room. Standing still, he again looked at me.

他立起身来，穿过房间，一动不动地站着再次看着我。

He shook his head.

他摇了摇头。

"What do you disapprove of, Mr. Rivers?" I asked.

“你有什么不赞成呢，里弗斯先生？”我问。

"You will not stay at Morton long: no, no!"

“你不会在莫尔顿呆得很久，不，不会的：”

"Why? What is your reason for saying so?"

“为什么？你这么说的理由是什么？”

"I read it in your eye; it is not of that description which promises the maintenance of an even tenor in life."

“我从你的眼睛里看到了。不是那种预示着要安度一生的表情。”

"I am not ambitious."

“我没有雄心。”

He started at the word "ambitious." He repeated,

他听了“雄心”两个字吃了一惊，便重复说：

"No. What made you think of ambition?

“不，你怎么会想到雄心？

Who is ambitious?

谁雄心勃勃呢？

I know I am: but how did you find it out?"

我知道自己是这样。但你怎么发现的？”