At first everything was work, sweat, and darkness. I had no idea when I would reach the light, or even if I would.
开始只有劳累、汗水和黑暗,不知道什么时候能见到光亮,甚至还不知道能否见到光亮。
But I persisted. I pounded and clawed and scraped, and finally I was rewarded.
但我坚持着,凿啊,挖啊,刮啊,终于得到了报偿。
I saw a chink of light. And then the chink got bigger and the sun came pouring in and all was bright.
我见到了一线光亮,这光亮越来越大,终于阳光洒进来了,一切都豁然开朗了。
Five grueling nights this took, but it was worth it. I had made a logician out of Polly; I had taught her to think. My job was done. She was worthy of me at last.
我辛辛苦苦地花了五个晚上,但总算还是没有白费,我使波利变成一个逻辑学家了,我教她学会了思考。
She was a fit wife for me, a proper hostess for my many mansions, a suitable mother for my well-heeled children.
我的任务完成了,她最终还是配得上我的。她会成为我贤慧的妻子,我那些豪华公馆里出色的女主人。
It must not be thought that I was without love for this girl. Quite the contrary, Just as Pygmalion loved the perfect woman he had fashioned, so I loved mine.
不要以为我不爱这姑娘了,恰恰相反。正如皮格马利翁珍爱他自己塑造的完美的少女像一样,我也非常地爱我的波利。我那些有良好教养的孩子们的合格的母亲。
I determined to acquaint her with my feeling at our very next meeting. The time had come to change our relationship from academic to romantic.
我决定下次会面时把自己的感情向她倾吐。该是把我们师生式的关系转化为爱情的时候了。
Polly, I said when next we sat beneath our oak, tonight we will not discuss fallacies.
波利,当我们又坐在我们那棵橡树下时,我说。今晚我们不再讨论谬误了。
Aw, gee, she said, disappointed.
怎么啦?她失望地问道。
My dear, I said, favoring her with a smile, we have now spent five evenings together. We have gotten along splendidly. It is clear that we are well matched.
亲爱的,我友好地对她笑了笑,我们已经一起度过了五个晚上,我们相处得很好。显然我们俩是很相配的。
Hasty Generalization, said Polly brightly.
草率结论,波利伶俐地说。
I beg your pardon, said I.
你是说…?我问道。
Hasty Generalization, she repeated. How can you say that we are well matched on the basis of only five dates?
草率结论,她重复了一遍。你怎么能凭我们仅有的五次约会就说我们俩很相配呢?