小说原文The Castle of this ogress and child-queller was in a steep by-street at Brighton; where the soil was more than usually chalky, flinty, and sterile, and the houses were more than usually brittle and thin; where the small front-gardens had the unaccountable property of producing nothing but marigolds, whatever was sown in them; and where snails were constantly discovered holding on to the street doors, and other public places they were not expected to ornament, with the tenacity of cupping-glasses. In the winter time the air couldn't be got out of the Castle, and in the summer time it couldn't be got in. There was such a continual reverberation of wind in it, that it sounded like a great shell, which the inhabitants were obliged to hold to their ears night and day, whether they liked it or no. It was not, naturally, a fresh-smelling house; and in the window of the front parlour, which was never opened, Mrs Pipchin kept a collection of plants in pots, which imparted an earthy flavour of their own to the establishment. However choice examples of their kind, too, these plants were of a kind peculiarly adapted to the embowerment of Mrs Pipchin. There were half-a-dozen specimens of the cactus, writhing round bits of lath, like hairy serpents; another specimen shooting out broad claws, like a green lobster; several creeping vegetables, possessed of sticky and adhesive leaves; and one uncomfortable flower-pot hanging to the ceiling, which appeared to have boiled over, and tickling people underneath with its long green ends, reminded them of spiders - in which Mrs Pipchin's dwelling was uncommonly prolific, though perhaps it challenged competition still more proudly, in the season, in point of earwigs.
这位恶魔和儿童镇压者的城堡坐落在布赖顿的一条陡峭的小街上，那里的土壤比通常更富于白垩，更坚硬，更贫瘠；那里的房屋比通常更不坚固、更不厚实；房屋门前的小花园有一个莫名其妙的特点，就是：不论播种什么，长出的都是金盏花；那里经常可以看到蜗牛以吸杯那种毫不放松的劲头吸附在临街的大门上及其他人们不指望它们去装饰的公共场所。冬天空气不能从城堡中流出，夏天则空气不能流进去。风在里面经久不断地回荡着，城堡就像一只大贝壳似地发出声音，住在里面的人们不论是否乐意，都不得不日日夜夜捂着耳朵。房屋里的气味自然是不新鲜的；前面客厅的窗子永远也不打开；皮普钦太太在窗口摆了几盆植物，它们散发出的泥土气味充满了这座房屋。这些植物不论是从它们品种中多么精选出来的样品，它们都是属于特别适合于皮普钦太太住所的那种品种。这里有五六种仙人掌，像长了毛发的蛇似地围绕着一些板条蜿蜒移行，另外一个品种像绿色的大螯虾一样，伸出了宽阔的钳子；有几种爬行植物长着粘附性的叶子；有一个令人感到不快的花盆悬挂在天花板下面，盆里的植物看上去像是煮沸了的水似地从盆里漫溢出来，它长长的绿色的嫩枝撩拨着下面的行人，使他们联想起了蜘蛛；——皮普钦太太的住所中蜘蛛异常之多，然而在一年当中的某一个季节内，这个住所却可以更得意洋洋地提议以蠼螋的数目来跟别的住所竞赛。
Mrs Pipchin's scale of charges being high, however, to all who could afford to pay, and Mrs Pipchin very seldom sweetening the equable acidity of her nature in favour of anybody, she was held to be an old 'lady of remarkable firmness, who was quite scientific in her knowledge of the childish character.' On this reputation, and on the broken heart of Mr Pipchin, she had contrived, taking one year with another, to eke out a tolerable sufficient living since her husband's demise. Within three days after Mrs Chick's first allusion to her, this excellent old lady had the satisfaction of anticipating a handsome addition to her current receipts, from the pocket of Mr Dombey; and of receiving Florence and her little brother Paul, as inmates of the Castle.
可是皮普钦太太对于一切能支付得起的人收费都是昂贵的；皮普钦太太也很少为了照顾什么人而把她始终坚硬的心肠松软一下，所以人们都认为她是一位意志非常坚决、对孩子的性格掌握了十分科学的知识的老太太。她依仗着她的这种声誉，也依仗着皮普钦先生的破碎的心，在丈夫与世长辞之后，想方设法，年复一年，辛辛苦苦地维持了一个相当不错的生活。在奇克夫人第一次提到她之后的三天之内，这位卓越的老太太就称心满意地期待着在她现有的收入之外，再从董贝先生的钱袋中得到一笔可观的补充，同时期待着接受弗洛伦斯和她的小弟弟保罗成为这座城堡的居民。
Mrs Chick and Miss Tox, who had brought them down on the previous night (which they all passed at an Hotel), had just driven away from the door, on their journey home again; and Mrs Pipchin, with her back to the fire, stood, reviewing the new-comers, like an old soldier. Mrs Pipchin's middle-aged niece, her good-natured and devoted slave, but possessing a gaunt and iron-bound aspect, and much afflicted with boils on her nose, was divesting Master Bitherstone of the clean collar he had worn on parade. Miss Pankey, the only other little boarder at present, had that moment been walked off to the Castle Dungeon (an empty apartment at the back, devoted to correctional purposes), for having sniffed thrice, in the presence of visitors.
奇克夫人与托克斯小姐是在昨天夜间把他们姐弟两人领到布赖顿来的（他们在旅馆里度过了这一夜）。当她们乘坐着马车刚离开大门，又踏上归途的时候，皮普钦太太背对着壁炉，像一位老兵一样站在那里打量着这两位新来的人。皮普钦太太有一位中年的侄女，是她忠心耿耿的奴仆；她性情温厚，但却有着瘦削的、严厉的外貌，鼻子上长着一些疖子，使她十分苦恼；这时她正从比瑟斯通少爷身上脱下他刚才受检阅时所穿的一件干净的衣领。目前仅有的另一位寄宿生潘基小姐因为当着来访客人的面三次呼呼地吸气，在这之前已经被领到城堡地牢（这是后面的一个空房间，专用来作为惩罚的场所）里去了。
'Well, Sir,' said Mrs Pipchin to Paul, 'how do you think you shall like me?'
唔，先生，皮普钦太太对保罗说道，您应当喜欢我，这您是怎么想的？
'I don't think I shall like you at all,' replied Paul. 'I want to go away. This isn't my house.'
我想我根本不会喜欢您，保罗回答道。我 想离开这里，这不是我家的房屋。
'No. It's mine,' retorted Mrs Pipchin.
是的，这是我的房屋。重点讲解

注释：peculiarly adv. 特别；尤其；古怪地；奇怪地
例句：
(1) This question is peculiarly difficult.
这个问题特别难。
(2) He is peculiarly fortunate in his wife.
他有这样的好妻子是非常幸运的。
(3) All the characters were peculiarly unsympathetic.
所有的角色都让人特别地感到厌恶。
(4) Note, that this is not a peculiarly British problem.
需要指出的是，这不是英国特有的问题。
(5) The side mirrors are peculiarly hollow for the most part.
侧后视镜是诱因空心的大部分。
(6) Cricket is peculiarly the English man's own outdoor game.
板球乃英国人特有的户外运动。

present vt. 提出；介绍；呈现；赠送
vi. 举枪瞄准
adj. 现在的；出席的
n. 现在；礼物；瞄准
词组：
present oneself 出席
at present 目前，现在
present situation 现状
at the present 目前；当前
present condition 目前的状态
present status 现状
for the present 暂时，目前
present something at someone 举枪对准某人瞄准，用(武器)对准某人
present time 目前；现在时（时态）
present at 出席；在场
at the present time 目前
birthday present 生日礼物
present value 现值
present with 赠（礼物）
past and present 过去与现在
live in the present 活在当下
at the present stage 在现阶段；目前
net present value 净现值，现在净价值；纯现价
present itself vt. 出现，呈现
the present day 目前；当代
例句：
(1) It will be a great present.
这会是一个很棒的礼物。
(2) Here is a present from our company.
这是我们公司送给你的礼物。
(3) Why are you leaving your present job?
你为什么要离开现在的工作呢？
(4) Under the present educational system.
在现有的教育体制下。
(5) And what is the best present to all of them?
对以上的人及所有人的最好礼物是什么？
(6) I just got the best birthday present of all !
我刚刚得到了最好的生日礼物！
(7) Good idea! She'll be happy to see my present.
好主意！她看到我给她的礼物，一定会很高兴。