LESSON 68

BESSIE

贝　希

dug roots thump offense
toad spools heaped smoothed
forth apron closets dandelions

  1. One day, Bessie thought how nice it would be to have a garden with only wild flowers in it. So into the house she ran to find her Aunt Annie, and ask her leave to go over on the shady hillside, across the brook, where the wild flowers grew thickest.

  2. "Yes, indeed, you may go," said Aunt Annie; "but what will you put the roots and earth in while you are making the garden?"

  3. "Oh," said Bessie, "I can take my apron."

  4. Her aunt laughed, and said, "A basket will be better, I think." So they looked in the closets and the attic, everywhere; but some of the baskets were full, and some broken; not one could they find that would do.

  5. Then Aunt Annie turned out the spools and the bags from a nice large workbasket, and gave that to Bessie. "You may have this for your own," she said, "to fill with earth, or flowers, or anything you like."

LESSON 68 - 图1

  1. "Oh! thank you," said Bessie, and she danced away through the garden. She slipped through the gate, out into the field all starred with dandelions, down in the hollow by the brook, then up on the hillside out of sight among the shady trees.

  2. How she worked that afternoon! She heaped up the dark, rich earth, and smoothed it over with her hands. Then she dug up violets, and spring-beauties, and other flowers, — running back and forth, singing all the while.

  3. The squirrels peeped out of their holes at Bessie. The birds sang in the branches overhead. Thump, came something all at once into the middle of the bed. Bessie jumped and upset the basket, and away it rolled down the hill.

  4. How Bessie laughed when she saw a big, brown toad winking his bright eyes at her, as if he would say, "No offense, I hope."

  5. Just then Bessie heard a bell ringing loudly. She knew it was calling her home; but how could she leave her basket? She must look for that first.

  6. "Waiting, waiting, waiting," all at once sang a bird out of sight among the branches; "waiting, Bessie."

  7. "Sure enough," said Bessie; "perhaps I'm making dear mother or auntie wait; and they are so good to me. I'd better let the basket wait. Take care of it, birdie; and don't jump on my flowers, Mr. Toad."

【中文阅读】

1．一天，贝希在想，如果她有一个开满野花的花园该有多好啊。于是她跑到房子里去找阿姨安妮，问她可不可以越过绿树成荫的山坡，穿过小溪，到长满野花的地方去。

2．“没问题，你当然可以去。”安妮阿姨说，“但你在打造花园的时候用什么来装花草和土壤呢？”

3．“噢。”贝希说，“我可以拿着我的围裙。”

4．她的阿姨笑着说：“我觉得带只篮子会更好。”于是，她们到壁橱和阁楼里去找篮子。她们到处找遍了，可那些篮子不是满的就是坏的，没有一个可用。

5．于是，安妮阿姨从一个漂亮的大针线盒里翻出了线轴和布袋，然后交给了贝希。“你自己用吧，这个给你了。”她说，“你可以用它来装土、装花，装任何你喜欢的东西。”

6．“噢，谢谢您。”贝希说。她迈着轻快的舞步穿过花园，跑出大门。她走进布满蒲公英的田野，穿过溪边的山洞，登上绿树成荫的山坡。

7．看看她一下午都是怎么干的！她把肥沃的黑土堆成一堆，然后用双手夯实。接着，她挖出紫罗兰、春美人以及其他花朵。她跑前跑后，忙来忙去，嘴里一直哼着歌曲。

8．松鼠们从它们的洞里探出头来瞧着贝希，鸟儿在头顶的树枝上唱着歌。砰的一声，一个东西一下子蹦到道路中央。贝希惊得跳了起来，篮子翻了，一直滚到山下。

9．可贝希笑得合不拢嘴，她看到一只棕色的大蛤蟆眨着一双明亮的大眼睛望着她，好像在说：“希望我没有犯错误。”

10．就在这时，贝希听到了一阵响亮的铃声。她知道那是在叫她回家，但她怎么能把篮子丢掉呢？她必须先把篮子找回来。

11．“等一等，等一等，等一等。”一只小鸟突然在树枝上叫道，“等一等，贝希。”

12．“当然可以。”贝希说，“可能我这样做的话会让亲爱的妈妈或阿姨等我，她们对我很好。我还是让篮子等我一会儿吧。小鸟，请好好照看我的篮子。蛤蟆先生，记得别跳到我的花上去。”