Chapter 1

The Clarkson family lived in the country near Cambridge,about half a mile from the nearest village and about a mile from the river.They had a big,old house with a beautiful garden,a lot of flowers and many old trees.

克拉克森家住在剑桥附近的乡下，里最近的村庄约有半英里路，距离河边有1英里左右。他们有幢大而古老、并带有美丽花园的房子，花园里有许多花和许多古树。

One Thursday morning in July,Jackie came in from the garden.She was a tall, fat women,thirty years old.It was the hottest day of the year,but she wore a warm brown skirt and yellow skirt.She went into the kitchen to get a drink of water.Just then the phone rang.

七月的一个星期四早上，杰基从花园进了屋。她是个高大，肥胖，30来岁的女人。这是一年中最热的日子，而她却穿着暖色调的黄色衬衫和棕色裙子。她走进厨房去喝水，这时电话响了。

杰基·克拉克森“Cambridge 1379,”Jackie said.

杰基·克拉克森“剑桥1379号，”杰基说。

黛安娜·克拉克森“Hello.This is Diane.I want to talk to mother.”

黛安娜·克拉克森“你好！我是黛安娜。我想和妈妈说话。”

杰基·克拉克森“Mother isn't here,”Jackie said.“She's at the doctor's.”

杰基·克拉克森“妈妈不在家，”杰基说。“她看医生去了。”

黛安娜·克拉克森“Why?What's wrong?”

黛安娜·克拉克森“怎么了？出了什么事？”

杰基·克拉克森“Nothing's wrong,”Jackie said.“Why are you telephoning?You are going to come this weekend?Mother wants everyone to be here.”

杰基·克拉克森“没什么，”杰基说。“你打电话干嘛？这个周末你回来吗？妈妈希望每个人都在。”

黛安娜·克拉克森“Yes,I want to come,”Diane said.“I'm phoning because I have no money for the train ticket.”

黛安娜·克拉克森“是啊，我想回来，”黛安娜说。“我正因为没钱买火车票，才打电话。”

杰基·克拉克森“No money!Mother is always giving you money!”

杰基·克拉克森“没钱！妈妈总是给你钱！”

黛安娜·克拉克森“This phone call is very expensive,”Diane said coldly.“Tell Mother please.I need the money.”

黛安娜·克拉克森“电话费很贵，”黛安娜冷冷说到。“请告诉妈妈，我需要钱。”

Jackie put the phone down.She took a cigarette from her bag and began to smoke.She felt angry because her sister always asked for money.Diane was twenty years old,the youngest in the family.She lived in London,in one room of a big house.She wanted to be a singer.She sang very well but she could never get work.

杰基放下电话，她从包里拿了支烟抽起来。她因她的妹妹总是要钱感到生气。黛安娜20岁了，在家里最小。她住在伦敦，在一所大房间里有间屋子。她想成为一个歌唱家，她唱得很棒，可是她却从来不愿找工作。

Jackie went back into the kitchen and began to make some sandwiches.Just then the back door opened,and her mother came in.

杰基走回厨房动手做一些三明治。这时候门开了，她的母亲走了进来。

莫利·克拉克森“It's very hot!”Molly said.She took off her hat and put it down on the table.She was a tall,dark woman with beautiful eyes.

莫利·克拉克森“天太热了！”莫利说道，她摘下帽子放在桌上。她是位高个子，皮肤浅黑，有双美丽眼睛的女人。

Two big,black dogs came into the kitchen after her and ran across to her.She sat down and put her hands on their heads.

两条大黑狗跟着她进了厨房围着她转，她坐下来把手放在它们的头上。

杰基·克拉克森Jackie put the sandwiches on the table.“Mother,”she said.“Diane phoned.She wants money for her train ticket.”

杰基·克拉克森杰基把三明治放在桌上。“妈妈，”她说道，“黛安娜打来电话，她想要钱买火车票。”

莫利·克拉克森Molly closed her eyes for a minute.Then she stood up.“This afternoon I want you to get the house ready for the weekend,”she said,“Oh,and please go to the village later and get my tablets.”

莫利·克拉克森莫利闭了一会儿眼，然后站起来。“下午我希望你收拾一下房子，为周末做准备，”她说，“哦，随后请去村里给我买些药片。”

杰基·克拉克森“Yes,Mother,”Jackie said.

杰基·克拉克森“好的，妈妈，”杰基说。

Molly wentvto the door.

莫利向门口走去。

杰基·克拉克森“Mother,please wait a minute,”Jackie said.“Peter Hobbs came here this morning.He's very angry with you about that letter.He lost his job,you know.Why did you write to his office?He wants to talk to you about it.”

杰基·克拉克森“妈妈，请等一会。”杰基说。“彼得·霍布斯今早来了，他对你的那封信很生气。你知道，他丢了工作。你为什么写信给他的办公室？他想和你谈谈这事。”

莫利·克拉克森“Well,I don't want to talk to him,”Molly said.She opened the door.

莫利·克拉克森“好啦，我不想和他谈，”莫利说道。她打开了门。

杰基·克拉克森“But Mother,you don't understand.He's seventeen,and it was his first job.He's very,very angry.He says…he says he's going to kill you!”

杰基·克拉克森“可是妈妈，你不明白。他十七岁了，那是他第一份工作，他非常非常生气。他说……他说他会杀了你！”

Molly did not answer.She went out of the room and closed the door.

莫利没答话，她走出房间关上了门。

各位亲们你们好，因小星本人是名学生，所以三天左右才能更一章，我是个新人，还请多多关照。