I never had an education myself.
我自己从未受过教育。
After second grade the school was closed down.
我上完小学二年级时，学校关门了。
Don't ask me why. In 1927 colored asked fewer questions than they do now.
别问我为什么：1927年时有色人种不像现在问这么多问题。
Sometimes Maggie reads to me.
有时麦姬给我读点东西。
She stumbles along good-naturedly but can't see well.
她温厚地、结结巴巴地读者，因为她看不清楚。
She knows she is not bright.
她知道自己不聪明。
Like good looks and money, quickness passed her by.
正如姣好的相貌和金钱一样，机敏也没有光顾她。
She will marry John Thomas (who has mossy teeth in an earnest face) and then I'll be free to sit here and I guess just sing church songs to myself.
不久她就要嫁给约翰.托马斯（他有一张诚实的面孔和一口像长了苔的牙齿）。
Although I never was a good singer. Never could carry a tune. I was always better at a man's job.
麦姬结婚后，我将闲坐在家里，也许只对自己唱唱教堂歌曲，尽管我从来唱不好，总是走调，我对于男人活儿倒是更在行。
I used to love to milk till I was hooked in the side in '49.
我一向喜欢挤牛奶，直到1949年我的肋部被牛顶伤了为止。
Cows are soothing and slow and don't bother you, unless you try to milk them the wrong way.
母牛生性恬静、动作缓慢，不会伤害人，除非你挤奶时动作不得法。
I have deliberately turned my back on the house.
我故意背对这房子。
It is three rooms, just like the one that burned, except the roof is tin:
这房子有三个房间，除屋顶是锡皮的外，其他方面都与被烧掉的那所房屋一样。
they don't make shingle roofs any more.
现在再也找不到做木瓦屋顶的了。
There are no real windows, just some holes cut in the sides, like the portholes in a ship, but not round and not square, with rawhide holding the shutter s up on the outside.
房子没有真正的窗户，只是侧面墙上挖了几个洞，有点像船上的舷窗，但又不是圆的，也不是方形的。窗格子向外开，用生牛皮悬吊起来。
This house is in a pasture, too, like the other one.
这房子也像那所被烧的房子一样建在一个牧场上。