《远大前程》第3章 给匹普的一次机会(10)

　Miss Havisham smiled．‘You can go home．Come again in six days'time．Estella，give him some food．GO，Pip．’
　　And so I found myself back in the overgrown garden in the bright daylight．Estella put some bread and meat down on the ground for me，like a dog．I was so offended by her behaviour towards me that tears came to my eyes．As soon as she saw this，She gave a delighted laugh，and pushed me out of the gate．I walked the four miles home to the forge，thinking about all I had seen．As I looked sadly at my hands and boots，I remembered that I was only a common working boy，and wished I could be different．
　　My sister was curious to know all the details of my visit，and kept asking me question after question．Somehow I felt I could not，or did not want to，explain about Miss Havisham and her strange house．I knew my sister would not understand．And the worst of it was，that old fool Pumblechook arrived at tea-time，to ask more questions．Just looking at his fishy staring eyes and open mouth made me want to keep silent．
　　‘Leave this boy to me，madam，’he told Mrs Joe．‘I'll make him concentrate．Now，boy，what's forty-three and seventy-two？’
‘I don't know，’I said．I didn't care，either．
郝薇香小姐笑着说：“你会很快回家的，6天以后再来。艾丝黛拉，给他些吃的。去吧，匹普。”
　　我发现自己在强烈的阳光下回到了那个长满藤蔓的花园里。艾丝黛拉给我拿了些面包和肉食，放在地上，像喂狗一样。我被她的行为触怒了，我的眼泪夺眶而出。一看到这一切，她得意地一笑，就把我推出了门外。我走了4英里的路回到铁匠铺，想起我所看到的一切。当我伤心地看着我的双手和靴子，我记住了，我只是一个普通家庭的孩子，我希望我能改变这一切。
　　我姐姐好奇地想知道我出访的细节，一个问题接着一个问题地问我。不晓得什么缘故，我感到不可能，确实不能解释郝薇香小姐和她那奇怪的住宅，我知道我姐姐不会明白的。更糟糕的是老傻瓜潘波趣在喝茶的时间倒会来问更多的问题。看着他瞪着那鱼眼，张着嘴巴，这使我保持了沉默。
　　“把这孩子交给我，夫人，”他告诉乔夫人，“我会让他聚精会神。喂，孩子，43加72等于几？”
　　“不知道，”我说，我什么也不在乎。