Miss Brill by Katherine Mansfield

布里尔小姐是英国人,独自生活在法国,靠教几个孩子英语,给病人做伴谋生.她是个老姑娘,孤独,敏感,很容易收到伤害.这一天在公园中,她看到眼前演绎出地各色人生,开始感到自己也是这人生之剧中地参与者,喜悦之情涌上心头.正在此时,她听到了旁边一对年轻恋人谈话中对她地蔑视和嫌弃.故事反映了那个社会地冷酷,也反映出作为个人希望在人类群体中获得生命地价值地理想.

本文具有短篇小说地典型特点:故事发展到高潮时在结尾出现出乎意外地突变,变现出作品地真正内涵.故事地抒述者是布里偶尔小姐本人,情节主要通过她的内心活动来表现,需要仔细体会揣摩.

accompaniment         n         伴奏(唱),合奏;伴随物,附属物

bandsman         n         乐队队员

bosom          n          胸部,胸怀,内心

brute         n 畜生,野兽,残酷无情的人,adj         畜生般的,粗暴的

chill         n 寒气,寒颤发抖 v         (使)变冷,使颤抖

clasp         v 紧握,紧抱,钩住,扣住,n         紧握,钩,扣

crow         vi         (公鸡)啼叫,(婴儿)欢叫 ,夸说

dab         n         轻涂,轻敷,v         轻涂,轻触,轻拍

dashing adj         劲头十足的,精神抖擞的

droop         vi         下垂,低垂

eiderdown         n         鸭绒被,鸭绒垫

embroider         v         刺绣

ermine          n         貂皮 ,貂

flap         v         n         拍动,拍打,拍打声

flop         adv ,v         扑拍,跳动,脚步沉重的走,噗地一声放下,拍打声

flutey (fluty)         adj         柔和而清脆的,象长笛声的

flute         n         长笛

frail         adj          衰弱的,虚弱的,脆弱的

high-stepping         adj          时髦做作的,脚步抬得很高的

hobble         vi         蹒跚,跛行

iced         adj         冰镇的

ice         vi         结冰

invalid         adj         n         有病的,病人用的,n         病人,病弱者,伤残者

knitting          n         编结者,编织物,针织品

moth         n          蛀虫,蛾子

moth-powder          n         防蛀粉

motionless         adj          不动的,静止的

necklet          n         小围脖

patter         vi          哒哒地走(跑),发出哒哒声,n   

paw          n         爪子,脚爪         v         抓,

pinch         v         n         使消瘦,使萎缩,捏,掐,夹,拧

puff          n         v         一股,一阵,喘气

queer         adj         奇怪的,稍有不适的

railing         n         栏杆,扶手

rescue         n vt         救助,援助,营救

rogue         n         小淘气,无赖,流氓

rooster         n         公鸡,雄鸡

rotunda n (有圆顶的)圆形建筑物,圆形大厅

scold         v         呵斥,责骂

sealing-wax          n         封蜡,火漆

shabby         adj         破旧的,褴褛的,简陋的

sideways         adv         ,adj          斜着的,以侧面对着的

spectacles         n         眼镜,护目镜

swoop         vi         n         猛扑,猛冲,俯冲下来攻击

tingle         n         v          感到刺痛,抖动,刺痛

to and fro          来回地,往复地

toque         n         无檐帽

trot          v         小跑,快步疾走

unclasp         v         架开(扣子,钩子等),放开,松开

walking-stick         n         手杖

whisker         n         腮须,胡须

whiting         n         牙雪鱼

Although it was so brilliantly fine--the blue sky powdered with gold and the great spots of light like white wine splashed over the Jardins Publiques--Mis       Brill was glad that she had decided on her fur.The air was motionless,but when you opened you mouth there was just a faint chill, like a chill from a galss of iced water before you sip,and now and again a leaf came drifting--from nowhere, from the sky.Miss Brill put up her hand and touched her fur,Dear little thing!It was nice to feel it again.She had taken it out of its box that afternoon,shaken out the moth-powder,given it a good brush,and rubbed the back into the dim little eyes."What has been happening to me?" said the sad little eyes,Oh ,how sweet it was to see which was of some black composition,wasn't at all firm.It must have had a knock,somehow,Never mind---a little dab of black sealing-wax when the time came--when it was absolutely necessary...Little rogue! Yes,she really felt like that about it ,Little rogue bitting its tail just by her left ear.She could have takenit off and laid it on her lap and stroked it.She felt a tingling in her hands and arms,but that came from walking,she supposed.And when she breathed,something light and sad--no,but sad,exactly--something gentle seemed to move in her bosom.

There were a number of people out this afternoon,far more than last Sunday.And the band sounded louder and gayer .That was because the Season had begun.For although the band played all the year round on Sundays,out of season it was never the same.It was like someone playng with only the family to listen;it didn't care hot it played if there weren't any strangers present.Wasn't the conductor wearing       a new coat,too?She was sure it was nesw.He scraped with his foot and flapped his arms like a rooster about to crow,and       the bandsmen sitting in the green rotunda blew out their cheeks and galared at the music.Now there came a little "flutey" bit--very pretty!---a little chain of bright drops,She was sure it would be repeated,It was ;she lifted her head and smiled.

Only two people shared her "special "seat:a fine old man in a velvet(鸭绒) coat,his hands clasped over a huge carved walking-stick.and a big old woman,sitting upright(笔直的,竖立的).,with a roll of knitting on her embroidered apron(围裙).They did not speak,This was disappointing,for Miss Brill always looked forward to the conversation.She had become really quite expert,she thought,at listening as though she didn't listen,at sitting in other people's lives just for a minute while they talked round her.

She glanced,sideways,at the old couple.Perhaps they would go soon.Last Sunday,he wearing a dreadful Panama hat and she button boots.And she's gone on the whole time about how she ought to wear spectacles;she knew she needed them;but that it was no good getting any;they'd be sure to break and they's never kee on.And he'd been so patient.He'd suggested everything-gold rims(边。棱),the kind that curved round your ears,little pads inside the bridge.No,nothing would please her."They 'll always be sliding down my nose!"Miss Brill had wanted to shake her.

The old people sat on the bench ,still as statues,Never mind there was always the crowd to watch .To an fro,in front of the flower-beds and the band rotunda, the couples and groups paraded(游行, 炫耀, 阅兵, 检阅, 阅兵场),stopped to talk,to greet,to buy a handful of flowers from the old beggar who had his tray(盘子，碟子) fixed to the railings.Little children ran among them,swooping and laughing;little boys with big white silk bows under their chins;little girls ,little French dolls,dressed up in velvet(天鹅绒, 柔软, 光滑) and lace,And sometimes a tiny staggerer(摇晃者, 犹豫者)came suddenly rocking (摇摆, 使动摇) into the open from under the trees,stopped ,stared ,as suddenly sat down "flop,".until its small high-stepping mother,like a young hen(母鸡).rushed scolding to its rescue.Other people sat on the benches and green chairs,but they were nearly always the same,Sunday after Sunday,and --Miss Brill had often noticed-there was something funny about nearly all of them.They war odd,silent ,nearly all old .and from the way they stared they looked as thought they's just come from dark little rooms or evern --even cuboards.

Behind the rotunda the slender trees with yellow leaves down drooping ,and through them just a line of sea,and beyond the blue sky with gold-veined(血管，静脉，脉) clouds.

Tum-tum-tum tiddle-um(微醉的)!Tiddle-um!Tum diddley-um tum ta! Blew the band.

Two young girls in red came by and two young soldiers in blue met them,and they langhed and paired and went off arm in arm.Two peasant women with funny straw hats(草帽) passed,gravely,leading beautiful smoke-coloured donkey,A cold ,pale nun hurried by.A beautiful woman came along and dropped her bunche of viloets ,and a little boy ran after to hand them to her.and she tool them and trrew them away as if they'd been poisoned .Dear me!Miss Brill didn't know whether to admire that or not!And now an ermine toque and a gentleman in grey met just in front of her.He was tall,stiff（呆板的）,dignified(高贵的),and she was wearing the ermine toque she'd bought when her hair was yellow。Now everything ,her hair,her face,even her eyes,was the same colour as the shabby ermine,and her hand ,in its cleaned glove.lifted to dab her lips ,was a tiny yellowish paw,Oh,she was so pleased to se him--delighted!She described where she'd been--everywhere,here,there,along by the sea,The day was so charming--didn't he agree?And wouldn't he ,perhaps?...But her shook kis head,lighted a scigarette,slowly breathed a grat deep puff into her face and ,even while she was still talking and laughing,flicked the match away and walked on.The ermine toque was alone'she smiled more brightly than ever.But even the band seemed to know what she was feeling and played more softly.played tenderly and the drum beat"The Brute!the Brute" over and over.What would she do?What was going to happen now?But as Miss Brill wonderd,the ermine toque turned,raised her hand as though she'd seen someone else,much nicer,just over there,and pattered away.And the band changd again and played more quickly.more gaily(华丽地，欢乐地）than over.and the old couple on Miss Brill's seat got up and marched(步行，行进) away,and such a funny old man with long whiskers    hobbled along in time to the music and was nearly knocked over by four girls walking abreast(胸部)。

Oh，how fascinating(迷人的, 醉人的, 着魔的) it was!How she enjoyed it ! How she loved sitting here,watching it all! It was like a play ,it was exactly like a play.who could believe the sky at the back wasn't painted?But it wasn't till a little brown dog trotted（小跑 ） on solemnly (严肃的，庄严的)and then slowly trottd off,like a little theatre dog.a little dog    that had been drugged,that Miss Brill discovered what it was that made it so exciting ,They wer    all on the stage,Thery weren't only the audience,not only looking on;they were acting,Even she had a part and came every Sunday.No doubt dsomebody would have noticed if she hadn't been there;she was part of the performance,after all.How strange she'd never thougth of it like that before!And yet it explaind why she made such a pint of starting from home at just the same time each week--so as not to be late for the performance -and it also explained why she had quite a queer,shy feeling at telling her English pupils(小学生) how she spent her Sunday afternoons,No wondr!Miss Brill nearly laughed out loud,She was on the stage,She thought of the old invalid gentlemann to whom she read the newspaper four afternoons a week while he slept in the garden.She had got quite used to the frail head on the cotton pillow,the hollowed eyes,the open mouth and the high pinched nose. If he'd been dead she mightn't have noticed for weeks;she wouldn't have minded,But suddenly he knew he was having the paper read to him by an actress!"An actress!"The old head lifted;tow points of light quivered(震动, 颤抖, 箭袋) in the old eyes,"An actress--are ye?'And Miss Brill smoothed the newspaper as though it were the manuscript(手稿, 原稿) of her part and said gently:"Yes,I have been an actress for a long time'.

The band had been having a rest ,Now they stared again,And what they played was warm,sunny,yet there was just a faint chill --a    something ,what was it?--not sadness--no ,not sadness-a something that made you want to sing,The tune lifted ,lifted,the light shone;and it seemed to Miss Vrill that in another moment all of them,all the whole company,would begin singing ,The young ones,the laughing ones who were moving together,they would begin,and the men's voices,very resolute and brave,would join them.And then she too,she too,and th others on the benches--they would come in with a kind of accompaniment--something low.that scarcely rose or fell.something so beautiful--moving ...and Miss Brill's eyes filled with tears and she looked smiling at all the other members of the company.Yes we under stand,we understand ,she thought--though what they understood she didn't know.

Just at that moment a boy and a girl came and sat down where the old couple had been,They were beautifully dressed;they were in lover,The hero and heroine ,of course ,just arrived from his father's vacht,And still soundlessly singing ,still with that trembling smile k,Miss brill prepared to listen.

"No ,not now ,said the girl."Not here,I can't"

"But why? because of theat stupid old thing at the end there?"asked the boy."Why does she come here at all--who wants her?Why doesn't she keep her silly old mug at home?"

"It's her fu-fur which is so funny,"giggled the girl."Tit's exactly like a fried whiting "

"Ah ,be    off with you!"said the boy in an angry whisper .Then "Tell me ma petite chere---"

"No,not here,"said the girl.""Not yet"

On her way home she ususlly bought a slice of honey-cake at the baker's,It was her Sunday treat,Sometimes thate was an almond(杏仁) in her slice,sometimers not,It made a great difference,If there was an almond it was like carrying home a tiny present--a surprise-- something that might very well not have been there,She hurried on the almond Sundays and struck the match for the kettle in quite a dashing way.

But today she passed the baker's by,climbed the stairs,went into the little dark room--her room like a cupboard(食橱, 碗碟橱) --and sat down on the red eiderdown.She sat ther for a long time,The bosx that the fur came out of was on the bed,She unclasped the necklet(小首饰, 皮围巾) quickly ;quickly,without looking.laid it inside,But when she put the lid on she thought she heard something crying.