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I shall not stay long at Morton, now that my father is dead, and that I am my own master.
我父亲已去世，我自己也就独立了，所以我不会在莫尔顿久待。
I shall leave the place probably in the course of a twelve-month;
我很可能在一年之内离开这个地方，
but while I do stay, I will exert myself to the utmost for its improvement.
但我还在时，我要竭尽全力使它有所改进。
Morton, when I came to it two years ago, had no school:
两年前我来到时，莫尔顿没有学校，
the children of the poor were excluded from every hope of progress.
穷人的孩子都被排除在一切渴求上进的希望之外，
I established one for boys: I mean now to open a second school for girls.
我为男孩子们建立了一所学校。现在我有意为女孩子开设第二所学校。
I have hired a building for the purpose, with a cottage of two rooms attached to it for the mistress's house.
我已租了一幢楼用于这个目的，附带两间破屋作为女教师的住房。
Her salary will be thirty pounds a year: her house is already furnished, very simply,
她的工资为三十镑一年，她的房子已安上家具，虽然简陋，
but sufficiently, by the kindness of a lady, Miss Oliver;
但已够用，那是奥利弗小姐做的好事，
the only daughter of the sole rich man in my parish --
她是我教区内唯一的一位富人奥利弗先生的独生女，
Mr. Oliver, the proprietor of a needle-factory and iron-foundry in the valley.
奥利弗先生是山谷中制针厂和铁铸厂的业主。
The same lady pays for the education and clothing of an orphan from the workhouse,
这位女士还为一个从济贫院来的孤儿付教育费和服装费，
on condition that she shall aid the mistress in such menial offices connected with her own house and the school as her occupation of teaching will prevent her having time to discharge in person.
条件是这位孤儿得协助教师，干些跟她住所和学校有关的琐碎事务，因为教学工作不允许女教师亲自来过问。
Will you be this mistress?"
你愿意做这样一位教师吗？”
He put the question rather hurriedly;
他的问题问得有些匆忙。
he seemed half to expect an indignant, or at least a disdainful rejection of the offer:
他似乎估计这个建议多半会遭到愤怒的，或者至少轻蔑的拒绝。
not knowing all my thoughts and feelings, though guessing some, he could not tell in what light the lot would appear to me.
他虽然可以作些猜测，但不完全了解我的思想和感情，无法判断我会怎样看待自己的命运。
In truth it was humble -- but then it was sheltered, and I wanted a safe asylum:
说实在，这工作很低下——但提供了住所，而我需要一个安全的避难所。
it was plodding -- but then, compared with that of a governess in a rich house, it was independent;
这工作沉闷乏味—一但比之富人家庭的女教师，它却是无拘无束的。
and the fear of servitude with strangers entered my soul like iron:
而替陌生人操劳的恐惧象铁钳一样夹住了我的心。
it was not ignoble -- not unworthy -- not mentally degrading, I made my decision.
这个工作并不丢脸——不是不值得一一精神上也并不低下，我下定了决心。
"I thank you for the proposal, Mr. Rivers, and I accept it with all my heart."
“谢谢你的建议，里弗斯先生。我欣然接受这份工作。”
