Well, Amy, how are you getting on with your napkin?" cried Lizzy, whose swift fingers seemed to fly over her work. 喂，艾米，你的手帕弄得怎么样了？”利奇大声说，她敏捷的手指飞一般地做着活。

　　Not very fast," replied quiet little Amy, without raising her eyes; "I have almost finished one side." 不是很快，”安静的小艾米眼睛也不抬一下地回答道；“我快要完成一边了。”

　　One side!" said Lizzy, with a laugh which was neither pleasant nor kind; 一边？”利奇不爽又刻薄地笑道，

　　"why, we both began hemming our napkins at the same time, and I'm now at the fourth side of mine!" “为什么我们同时开始缝手帕的，我的到现在都已经缝到第四边了？”

　　I know that I am slow," sighed Amy. 我知道我比较慢，”艾米叹着气说。

　　You may well say that!" cried Lizzy. 你那么说也有道理哦！”利奇嚷道。

　　But I'll try to be steady, and to do my best," said the little girl, as she threaded her tiny needle, and went on with her work. 但我会尽量做得牢固些，”小女孩儿说着，给她细小的针上穿线，然后继续做她的活。

　　As I sew so fast," cried Lizzy, "I am sure to have finished my napkin long before the bell rings for dinner. 既然我缝的这么快，”利奇嚷着说，“我敢肯定晚餐的铃声响起之前我早都已经缝好手帕了。

　　I'll just run for a minute to the garden, to see if the roses are out;"—so, tossing down her work on a chair, Lizzy flew off. 我要去花园里玩一会儿，去看看玫瑰花开了没有；”——于是将手工活仍在椅子上，利奇飞跑了出去。

　　Amy longed for the fresh air and the flowers, but her work must first be done. 艾米很渴望新鲜的空气和那些花，但是她的手工活必须先做完。

　　Steadily she laid down her broad hem, and had finished the second side of her napkin before her sister came back. 稳稳底，她放下宽大的褶边，在姐姐回来前她完成了手帕的第二边。

　　Ah, you plodding little thing!" cried Lizzy; "you will never get up to me. 啊，你这慢吞吞地小东西！”利奇喊道，“你永远也赶不上我。

　　I'll have time to go to my room and put my new picture on the wall." 我还有时间到我房间把新画挂到墙上。”

　　Off went gay little Lizzy: Amy went on with her work. 利奇放肆地走开了，艾米则继续着她的手工活。

　　Before her sister again entered the room, the third side of her napkin was hemmed. 在她姐姐再次回到房间里来之前，她手帕的第三边已经缝好了。

　　Had you not better finish your sewing?" said Amy. "It must be near dinner-time now." 你最好还是先完成你的缝纫活吧！”艾米说，“现在快到晚饭时间了。”

　　Oh! I can finish it in two minutes; only I want to look at that story, which Tom told us was so amusing." 哦！我两分钟就能完成，我就想读读那个汤姆将给我们的故事，太有趣了。”

　　But if you are late?" 但是如果你迟到了怎么办呢？”

　　No fear of that!" cried Lizzy; "no one is so likely to be late as a slow little creature like you!" 不要担心！”利奇嚷道，“除了你这样慢的生物，没有人会迟到的！”

　　Poor Amy made no reply; stitch after stitch, stitch after stitch, quietly she worked on. 可怜的艾米没有回答，缝啊缝，一针一针地缝，她安静地做着活。

　　Lizzy was soon so deep in her story that she forgot all about her work, till startled by the sound of the bell. 利奇很快深深陷入她的故事书里，以至于忘了她该做的手工活，直到被第二个(晚餐)铃声吓到。

　　Can it be dinner-time!" she cried. "Oh dear, and my napkin is not hemmed! And yours—" 晚餐时间了吗？”她喊着，“哦天啊，我的手帕还没缝完！而你的——”

　　It is just finished," said Amy, as she quietly folded it up. 我的正好刚缝完了，”艾米边说边安静地叠起手帕。

　　'Tis just like 'The Hare and the Tortoise,'" thought Lizzy, who, though pert and vain, had enough of sense to take a lesson. 这就像是那个’龟兔赛跑’的故事”鲁莽自负的利奇想到这儿，已经充分领受了教训。

　　Quickness may have the start, but the quiet, steady worker does most in the end. 速度快可以有好的开始，但是安静、沉稳的执行者最后往往做得最好。