读者文摘:父亲在工作和照顾女儿之间的斗争(5)

She sees me looking! Back to work.

她看见我在望着她！接着出题。

("What is the significance of the motto carved on the bow of Benito Cereno's ship?")

（“刻在贝尼托·塞莱诺船头上的格言有什么意义?”）

She pats the wicker chair, the comfortable one we sit in together to watch TV or to read,

她拍了拍柳条椅，那是我们坐在一起看电视或读书舒服的一张椅子，

and she hastily gathers her books:

她急忙收集起书来：

The Poky Little Puppy, The Magic Bus, The Cat in the Hat, even that ancient copy of National Geographic¹ with the penguin² on the cover?…

《可爱的小狗》、《神奇巴士》、《戴帽子的猫》甚至还有那本封面上有只企鹅的古老的国家地理杂志，……

Good Lord, she's got them all.

老天爷，她都收集起来了，

With her free hand, she tugs³ at my sleeve.

她用空的另只手拉着我的袖子。

"No, Meghan," I snap irritably⁴. "Not now.

“不，梅根。”我厉声说。“现在不行。

Go away and leave me alone. And take your library with you."

走开，别打扰我，看你的书去。”

THAT DOES IT; she leaves. She makes no further attempt to bother me.

够了，她走开了，不再打扰我了。

I can finish the test easily now without interference.

现在我可以专心出题，没有任何人干扰。

No one trying to climb onto my lap; no extra fingers helping⁵ me type.

不会有人爬上我的膝盖；不会有多余的手指帮我打字。

I see her standing⁶ quietly with her back against the sofa,

我看见她背靠着沙发静静地站着，

tears running down her cheeks.

眼泪顺着脸颊流了下来。

She has two fingers of her right hand in her mouth.

右手的两个手指含在嘴里。

She holds the tragic⁷ Dumpty in her left.

左手拿着Dumpty。

She watches me type and slowly brushes the tip of Dumpty's anemic arm across her nose for comfort.

她看着我，慢慢地将Dumpty瘦胳膊的一角往自己鼻子上揉了揉，安抚下来

At this moment, only for a moment, I see things as God must—in perspective, with all the pieces fitting.

这一刻，只有这片刻，我站在上帝的角度审视着这一切。

I see a little girl cry because I haven't time for her.

我看到一个小女孩哭了，因为我没有时间陪她。

Imagine ever being that important to another human being!

你能想象一个人对另一个人来说是多么重要!

1 geographic   

adj.地理学的，地理的

参考例句：

• The city's success owes much to its geographic position. 这座城市的成功很大程度上归功于它的地理位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Environmental problems pay no heed to these geographic lines. 环境问题并不理会这些地理界限。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

2 penguin   

n.企鹅

参考例句：

• The penguin is a flightless bird.企鹅是一种不会飞的鸟。
• He walked with an awkward gait like a penguin.他走路的步子难看得就像企鹅。

3 tugs   

n.猛拉( tug的名词复数 )；猛拖；拖船v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The raucous sirens of the tugs came in from the river. 河上传来拖轮发出的沙哑的汽笛声。 来自辞典例句
• As I near the North Tower, the wind tugs at my role. 当我接近北塔的时候，风牵动着我的平衡杆。 来自辞典例句

4 irritably   

ad.易生气地

参考例句：

• He lost his temper and snapped irritably at the children. 他发火了，暴躁地斥责孩子们。
• On this account the silence was irritably broken by a reproof. 为了这件事，他妻子大声斥责，令人恼火地打破了宁静。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

5 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

6 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

7 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。