Aunt Jane’s Nieces by L. Frank Baum, CHAPTER VIII. THE DIPLOMAT.

CHAPTER VIII. THE DIPLOMAT.

Aunt Jane was in her garden, enjoying the flowers. This was her especial garden, surrounded by a high-box hedge, and quite distinct from the vast expanse of shrubbery and flower-beds which lent so much to the beauty of the grounds at Elmhurst. Aunt Jane knew and loved every inch of her property. She had watched the shrubs personally for many years, and planned all the alterations and the construction of the flower-beds which James had so successfully attended to. Each morning, when her health permitted, she had inspected the greenhouses and issued her brief orders—brief because her slightest word to the old gardener incurred the fulfillment of her wishes. But this bit of garden adjoining her own rooms was her especial pride, and contained the choicest plants she had been able to secure. So, since she had been confined to her chair, the place had almost attained to the dignity of a private drawing-room, and on bright days she spent many hours here, delighting to feast her eyes with the rich coloring of the flowers and to inhale their fragrance. For however gruff Jane Merrick might be to the people with whom she came in contact, she was always tender to her beloved flowers, and her nature invariably softened when in their presence.

By and by Oscar, the groom, stepped through an opening in the hedge and touched his hat.

"Has my niece arrived?" asked his mistress, sharply.

"She's on the way, mum," the man answered, grinning. "She stopped outside the grounds to pick wild flowers, an' said I was to tell you she'd walk the rest o' the way." "To pick wild flowers?" "That's what she said, mum. She's that fond of 'em she couldn't resist it. I was to come an' tell you this, mum; an' she'll follow me directly." Aunt Jane stared at the man sternly, and he turned toward her an unmoved countenance. Oscar had been sent to the station to meet Louise Merrick, and drive her to Elmhurst; but this strange freak on the part of her guest set the old woman thinking what her object could be. Wild flowers were well enough in their way; but those adjoining the grounds of Elmhurst were very ordinary and unattractive, and Miss Merrick's aunt was expecting her. Perhaps—

A sudden light illumined the mystery.

"See here, Oscar; has this girl been questioning you?" "She asked a few questions, mum." "About me?" "Some of 'em, if I remember right, mum, was about you." "And you told her I was fond of flowers?" "I may have just mentioned that you liked 'em, mum." Aunt Jane gave a scornful snort, and the man responded in a curious way. He winked slowly and laboriously, still retaining the solemn expression on his face.

"You may go, Oscar. Have the girl's luggage placed in her room." "Yes, mum." He touched his hat and then withdrew, leaving Jane Merrick with a frown upon her brow that was not caused by his seeming impertinence.

Presently a slight and graceful form darted through the opening in the hedge and approached the chair wherein Jane Merrick reclined.

"Oh, my dear, dear aunt!" cried Louise. "How glad I am to see you at last, and how good of you to let me come here!" and she bent over and kissed the stern, unresponsive face with an enthusiasm delightful to behold.

"This is Louise, I suppose," said Aunt Jane, stiffly. "You are welcome to Elmhurst." "Tell me how you are," continued the girl, kneeling beside the chair and taking the withered hands gently in her own. "Do you suffer any? And are you getting better, dear aunt, in this beautiful garden with the birds and the sunshine?" "Get up," said the elder woman, roughly. "You're spoiling your gown." Louise laughed gaily.

"Never mind the gown," she answered. "Tell me about yourself. I've been so anxious since your last letter." Aunt Jane's countenance relaxed a trifle. To speak of her broken health always gave her a sort of grim satisfaction.

"I'm dying, as you can plainly see," she announced. "My days are numbered, Louise. If you stay long enough you can gather wild flowers for my coffin." Louise flushed a trifle. A bunch of butter-cups and forget-me-nots was fastened to her girdle, and she had placed a few marguerites in her hair.

"Don't laugh at these poor things!" she said, deprecatingly. "I'm so fond of flowers, and we find none growing wild in the cities, you know." Jane Merrick looked at her reflectively.

"How old are you, Louise," she asked. "Just seventeen, Aunt." "I had forgotten you are so old as that. Let me see; Elizabeth cannot be more than fifteen." "Elizabeth?" "Elizabeth De Graf, your cousin. She arrived at Elmhurst this morning, and will be your companion while you are here." "That is nice," said Louise. "I hope you will be friends." "Why not, Aunt? I haven't known much of my relations in the past, you know, so it pleases me to find an aunt and a cousin at the same time. I am sure I shall love you both. Let me fix your pillow—you do not seem comfortable. There! Isn't that better?" patting the pillow deftly. "I'm afraid you have needed more loving care than a paid attendant can give you," glancing at old Martha Phibbs, who stood some paces away, and lowering her voice that she might not be overheard. "But for a time, at least, I mean to be your nurse, and look after your wants. You should have sent for me before, Aunt Jane." "Don't trouble yourself; Phibbs knows my ways, and does all that is required," said the invalid, rather testily. "Run away, now, Louise. The housekeeper will show you to your room. It's opposite Elizabeth's, and you will do well to make her acquaintance at once. I shall expect you both to dine with me at seven." "Can't I stay here a little longer?" pleaded Louise. "We haven't spoken two words together, as yet, and I'm not a bit tired or anxious to go to my room. What a superb oleander this is! Is it one of your favorites, Aunt Jane?" "Run away," repeated the woman. "I want to be alone." The girl sighed and kissed her again, stroking the gray hair softly with her white hand.

"Very well; I'll go," she said. "But I don't intend to be treated as a strange guest, dear Aunt, for that would drive me to return home at once. You are my father's eldest sister, and I mean to make you love me, if you will give me the least chance to do so." She looked around her, enquiringly, and Aunt Jane pointed a bony finger at the porch.

"That is the way. Phibbs will take you to Misery, the housekeeper, and then return to me. Remember, I dine promptly at seven." "I shall count the minutes," said Louise, and with a laugh and a graceful gesture of adieu, turned to follow Martha into the house. Jane Merrick looked after her with a puzzled expression upon her face.

"Were she in the least sincere," she muttered, "Louise might prove a very pleasant companion. But she's not sincere; she's coddling me to win my money, and if I don't watch out she'll succeed. The girl's a born diplomat, and weighed in the balance against sincerity, diplomacy will often tip the scales. I might do worse than to leave Elmhurst to a clever woman. But I don't know Beth yet. I'll wait and see which girl is the most desirable, and give them each an equal chance."

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CHAPTER VIII. THE DIPLOMAT. |第八章||外交官 CAPÍTULO VIII. EL DIPLOMAT.

Aunt Jane was in her garden, enjoying the flowers. ||||||欣赏|| This was her especial garden, surrounded by a high-box hedge, and quite distinct from the vast expanse of shrubbery and flower-beds which lent so much to the beauty of the grounds at Elmhurst. ||||||||||篱笆|||||||||灌木丛||||||||||||||| |||особливий||оточений|||||жива огорожа|||окремий||||||кущі||||||||||||||| Il s'agissait de son jardin particulier, entouré d'une haie de buis, et bien distinct de la vaste étendue d'arbustes et de parterres de fleurs qui contribuait tant à la beauté du domaine d'Elmhurst. Aunt Jane knew and loved every inch of her property. 简·阿姨知道并热爱她的每一寸土地。 She had watched the shrubs personally for many years, and planned all the alterations and the construction of the flower-beds which James had so successfully attended to. ||||灌木|||||||||改动|||||||||||||照顾| ||||кущі||||||||||||||||||||||доглядав за| Elle avait surveillé personnellement les arbustes pendant de nombreuses années et avait planifié toutes les modifications et la construction des parterres de fleurs dont James s'était occupé avec tant de succès. 她亲自照料这些灌木多年，并规划了所有的改建和詹姆斯成功处理的花坛建设。 Each morning, when her health permitted, she had inspected the greenhouses and issued her brief orders—brief because her slightest word to the old gardener incurred the fulfillment of her wishes. ||||||||||温室||发出|||||||||||||导致||实现|||愿望 |||||дозволяло|||перевіряла||||видала|||||||||||||||виконання||| Chaque matin, quand sa santé le lui permettait, elle avait inspecté les serres et donné ses brefs ordres - brefs parce que le moindre mot au vieux jardinier entraînait la réalisation de ses souhaits. Щоранку, коли їй дозволяло здоров'я, вона оглядала теплиці і віддавала свої короткі розпорядження - короткі, тому що найменше слово старого садівника тягнуло за собою виконання її бажань. 每天早晨，只要她的健康允许，她就会检查温室并发出简短的命令——简短是因为她对老园丁的每一句话，都意味着她的愿望得到了实现。 But this bit of garden adjoining her own rooms was her especial pride, and contained the choicest plants she had been able to secure. |||||邻接的|||||||骄傲||||最好的||||||| ||||||||||||гордість||||||||||| Mais ce bout de jardin attenant à ses propres chambres faisait sa fierté et contenait les plantes les plus belles qu'elle avait pu se procurer. Але цей шматочок саду, що прилягав до її власних кімнат, був її особливою гордістю і містив найкращі рослини, які вона змогла роздобути. So, since she had been confined to her chair, the place had almost attained to the dignity of a private drawing-room, and on bright days she spent many hours here, delighting to feast her eyes with the rich coloring of the flowers and to inhale their fragrance. |||||||||||||达到||||||||||||||||||||欣赏||||||着色||||||吸|| |||||обмежена|||||||майже||||гідність|||||||||||||||радіючи||потішати||||||||||||||аромат Ainsi, depuis qu'elle était confinée dans son fauteuil, l'endroit avait presque atteint la dignité d'un salon privé, et les jours de beau temps, elle y passait de nombreuses heures, se délectant des riches couleurs des fleurs et respirant leur parfum. Відтоді, як вона була прикута до свого крісла, це місце майже набуло гідності приватної вітальні, і в ясні дні вона проводила тут багато годин, насолоджуючись милуванням очей багатим забарвленням квітів і вдихаючи їхні пахощі. 所以，自从她被限制在椅子上，这个地方几乎达到了私密客厅的尊严，在晴朗的日子里，她会在这里度过很多小时，喜欢用花朵丰富的色彩来陶醉自己的眼睛，并吸入它们的芳香。 For however gruff Jane Merrick might be to the people with whom she came in contact, she was always tender to her beloved flowers, and her nature invariably softened when in their presence. |||||||||||||||||||温柔|||心爱的|||||总是||||| |||||||||||||||||||ніжний|||улюблені|||||||||| Car si Jane Merrick pouvait être bourrue avec les gens qu'elle côtoyait, elle était toujours tendre avec ses fleurs bien-aimées, et sa nature s'adoucissait invariablement en leur présence. 因为无论简·梅里克与她接触的人有多么粗鲁，她对她心爱的花总是很温柔，并且她的性格在它们的陪伴下总是变得温和。

By and by Oscar, the groom, stepped through an opening in the hedge and touched his hat. |||||||||缝隙||||||| ||||||||||||жива огорожа|||| 过了一会儿，马夫奥斯卡通过树篱中的一个开口走了进来，触碰了他的帽子。

"Has my niece arrived?" asked his mistress, sharply. 他厉声问他的女主人。

"She's on the way, mum," the man answered, grinning. ||||||||微笑着 ||||||||усміхаючись "Elle est en route, maman", répond l'homme en souriant. 那人笑着回答：“她在路上，妈妈。” "She stopped outside the grounds to pick wild flowers, an' said I was to tell you she'd walk the rest o' the way." ||||场地||采|||||||||||||||| "Elle s'est arrêtée à l'extérieur pour cueillir des fleurs sauvages et m'a dit de vous dire qu'elle ferait le reste du chemin à pied." "Вона зупинилася за територією, щоб нарвати польових квітів, і попросила передати вам, що решту шляху вона пройде пішки". “她在场外停下来采野花，说让我告诉你她会走完剩下的路。” "To pick wild flowers?" |采|| "That's what she said, mum. She's that fond of 'em she couldn't resist it. ||так любить|||||опиратися| Вона так любить їх, що не могла встояти перед цим. 她那么喜欢他们，以至于无法抗拒。 I was to come an' tell you this, mum; an' she'll follow me directly." Je devais venir te le dire, maman, et elle me suivra directement." 我应该来告诉您这个，妈妈；她会直接跟着我。 Aunt Jane stared at the man sternly, and he turned toward her an unmoved countenance. |||||||||||||无动于衷|面容 ||пильно дивилася|||||||||||| Tante Jane fixa l'homme d'un regard sévère, et celui-ci tourna vers elle un visage impassible. 简阿姨严厉地盯着那个男人，他转向她，面无表情。 Oscar had been sent to the station to meet Louise Merrick, and drive her to Elmhurst; but this strange freak on the part of her guest set the old woman thinking what her object could be. |||||||||||||||||||феномен|||||||||||||||| Oscar avait été envoyé à la gare pour retrouver Louise Merrick et la conduire à Elmhurst ; mais cette étrange bizarrerie de la part de son invitée amena la vieille femme à se demander quel pouvait être son objectif. Wild flowers were well enough in their way; but those adjoining the grounds of Elmhurst were very ordinary and unattractive, and Miss Merrick's aunt was expecting her. |||||||||||||||||||||||||在等| |||||||||||||||||||||Міс||||очікувала| Les fleurs sauvages sont assez bien dans leur genre, mais celles qui jouxtent les terrains d'Elmhurst sont très ordinaires et peu attrayantes, et la tante de Mlle Merrick l'attend. 野花在它们的方式上还不错；但是靠近艾尔姆赫斯特庄园的那些花朵非常普通且缺乏吸引力，梅里克小姐的姑姑在期待着她。 Perhaps— 也许——

A sudden light illumined the mystery. |||照亮||谜团一道突如其来的光芒照亮了这个谜团。

"See here, Oscar; has this girl been questioning you?" |||||||询问| |||||||питати| "She asked a few questions, mum." "About me?" "Some of 'em, if I remember right, mum, was about you." "And you told her I was fond of flowers?" "I may have just mentioned that you liked 'em, mum." Aunt Jane gave a scornful snort, and the man responded in a curious way. ||||зневажливий||||||||| Tante Jane poussa un grognement méprisant et l'homme répondit d'une manière curieuse. He winked slowly and laboriously, still retaining the solemn expression on his face. ||||费力地|||||||| |підморгнув|||||||урочистий|||| Il cligna des yeux lentement et laborieusement, tout en conservant l'expression solennelle de son visage. 他缓慢而费力地眨了眨眼，但仍保持着他脸上的严肃表情。

"You may go, Oscar. “你可以走了，奥斯卡。 Have the girl's luggage placed in her room." |||行李|||| 把女孩的行李放到她的房间里。” "Yes, mum." He touched his hat and then withdrew, leaving Jane Merrick with a frown upon her brow that was not caused by his seeming impertinence. ||||||||||||皱眉|||额头|||||||似乎|无礼 ||||||||||||||||||||||помітною|непристойність Il toucha son chapeau et se retira, laissant Jane Merrick avec un froncement de sourcils qui n'était pas dû à son apparente impertinence. 他触摸了一下帽子，然后退去，留下简·梅里克皱着眉头，这不是因为他的看似无礼。

Presently a slight and graceful form darted through the opening in the hedge and approached the chair wherein Jane Merrick reclined. тепер||легкий||граційний||промайнувала||||||жива огорожа||підходила|||в якому||| 不久，一个轻盈而优雅的身影从篱笆的缝隙中闪过，走向简·梅里克所靠的椅子。

"Oh, my dear, dear aunt!" "哦，我亲爱的，亲爱的姑姑！" cried Louise. "How glad I am to see you at last, and how good of you to let me come here!" and she bent over and kissed the stern, unresponsive face with an enthusiasm delightful to behold. ||||||||无动于衷||||||| |||||||||||||приємний|| 她弯下腰，亲吻了那张严峻而无动于衷的脸，满脸欣喜，令人看了心情愉悦。

"This is Louise, I suppose," said Aunt Jane, stiffly. ||||||||незграбно “我想这是路易丝，”简阿姨僵硬地说道。 "You are welcome to Elmhurst." “欢迎来到艾尔姆赫斯特。” "Tell me how you are," continued the girl, kneeling beside the chair and taking the withered hands gently in her own. "告诉我你怎么样，"女孩继续说道，跪在椅子旁边，轻轻地握住那双枯萎的手。 "Do you suffer any? ||страждаєте| "你有痛苦吗？ And are you getting better, dear aunt, in this beautiful garden with the birds and the sunshine?" Et vous allez mieux, chère tante, dans ce beau jardin avec les oiseaux et le soleil ?" 亲爱的姑姑，在这座美丽的花园里，有鸟儿和阳光，你感觉好些了吗？" "Get up," said the elder woman, roughly. "Lève-toi", dit brutalement la femme la plus âgée. "You're spoiling your gown." |||сукня "你在弄坏你的裙子。" Louise laughed gaily. ||весело 路易丝愉快地笑了。

"Never mind the gown," she answered. "Не зважай на сукню", - відповіла вона. "别在乎裙子，" 她回答道。 "Tell me about yourself. I've been so anxious since your last letter." Aunt Jane's countenance relaxed a trifle. |||||трохи To speak of her broken health always gave her a sort of grim satisfaction. ||||||||||||похмурий| Parler de sa mauvaise santé lui procurait toujours une sorte de satisfaction sinistre.

"I'm dying, as you can plainly see," she announced. "My days are numbered, Louise. "我的日子不多了，路易斯。" If you stay long enough you can gather wild flowers for my coffin." "如果你待久一点，你可以为我的棺材采集野花。" Louise flushed a trifle. |||一点 |засоромилася трохи||трохи червоніла 路易斯微微脸红。 A bunch of butter-cups and forget-me-nots was fastened to her girdle, and she had placed a few marguerites in her hair. ||||花||||勿忘我||系着|||腰带|||||||雏菊||| ||||||||||прикріплено||||||||||||| Un bouquet de boutons d'or et de myosotis était attaché à sa ceinture, et elle avait mis quelques marguerites dans ses cheveux. 一束黄水仙和勿忘我花系在她的腰带上，几朵雏菊插在她的头发里。

"Don't laugh at these poor things!" "不要嘲笑这些可怜的东西！" she said, deprecatingly. ||轻蔑地 dit-elle, dépitée. 她谦逊地说道。 "I'm so fond of flowers, and we find none growing wild in the cities, you know." |||||||||||||城市|| ||люблю||||||||||||| Jane Merrick looked at her reflectively. |||||задумливо

"How old are you, Louise," she asked. "Just seventeen, Aunt." "I had forgotten you are so old as that. ||忘记|||||| 我忘了你竟然这么老。 Let me see; Elizabeth cannot be more than fifteen." 让我看看；伊丽莎白最多也就十五岁。 "Elizabeth?" 伊丽莎白？ "Elizabeth De Graf, your cousin. She arrived at Elmhurst this morning, and will be your companion while you are here." ||||||||||伴侣|||| "That is nice," said Louise. "I hope you will be friends." "Why not, Aunt? I haven't known much of my relations in the past, you know, so it pleases me to find an aunt and a cousin at the same time. ||||||||||||||让我高兴|||||||||||| I am sure I shall love you both. Let me fix your pillow—you do not seem comfortable. There! Isn't that better?" patting the pillow deftly. |||熟练地 "I'm afraid you have needed more loving care than a paid attendant can give you," glancing at old Martha Phibbs, who stood some paces away, and lowering her voice that she might not be overheard. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||降低||||||||被听到 |||||||||||||||кидаючи погляд|||||||||||знижуючи||||||||почуто "Je crains que vous n'ayez eu besoin de plus de soins affectueux qu'une personne rémunérée ne peut vous donner", dit-elle en jetant un coup d'œil à la vieille Martha Phibbs, qui se tenait à quelques pas de là, et en baissant la voix pour ne pas être entendue. "But for a time, at least, I mean to be your nurse, and look after your wants. "但至少在一段时间内，我打算做你的护士，照顾你的需求。" You should have sent for me before, Aunt Jane." Vous auriez dû me faire venir avant, tante Jane." "你应该早些叫我，简姨。" "Don't trouble yourself; Phibbs knows my ways, and does all that is required," said the invalid, rather testily. |||||||||||||||||生气地 ||||||||||||необхідне|||||досить буркливо "Ne vous inquiétez pas ; Phibbs connaît mes habitudes et fait tout ce qu'il faut", dit l'invalide d'un ton plutôt sévère. "别为我操心；菲布斯知道我的习惯，并且做所有需要做的事，"病人有些不耐烦地说道。 "Run away, now, Louise. The housekeeper will show you to your room. It's opposite Elizabeth's, and you will do well to make her acquaintance at once. ||伊丽莎白的||||||||||| |||||||||||знайомство|| C'est en face de chez Elizabeth, et vous ferez bien de faire sa connaissance tout de suite. 它在伊丽莎白的对面，你最好立刻去认识她。 I shall expect you both to dine with me at seven." 我期待你们今晚七点和我一起吃晚饭。 "Can't I stay here a little longer?" "我不能再待一会儿吗？" pleaded Louise. 求情| благає| "We haven't spoken two words together, as yet, and I'm not a bit tired or anxious to go to my room. |||||||||||||||тривожний||||| "Nous n'avons pas encore prononcé deux mots ensemble, et je ne suis pas du tout fatiguée ni impatiente d'aller dans ma chambre. "我们还没有说过两句话，我一点也不觉得累，也不想回房间。 What a superb oleander this is! ||美妙|夹竹桃|| ||чудовий||| Quel superbe laurier-rose ! 这是一株多么华丽的夹竹桃啊！ Is it one of your favorites, Aunt Jane?" |||||最喜欢的|| |||||улюблені|| 这是你最喜欢的花之一吗，简阿姨？" "Run away," repeated the woman. "I want to be alone." The girl sighed and kissed her again, stroking the gray hair softly with her white hand. |||||||抚摸||灰色的|||||| La jeune fille soupira et l'embrassa à nouveau, caressant doucement les cheveux gris de sa main blanche.

"Very well; I'll go," she said. "But I don't intend to be treated as a strange guest, dear Aunt, for that would drive me to return home at once. ||||||лікували|||||||||||||||| "Mais je n'ai pas l'intention d'être traitée comme une invitée étrangère, chère tante, car cela me pousserait à retourner immédiatement à la maison. “但我不打算被当作一个怪异的客人，亲爱的姨妈，因为那会让我立刻想要回家。” You are my father's eldest sister, and I mean to make you love me, if you will give me the least chance to do so." Vous êtes la sœur aînée de mon père, et j'ai l'intention de vous faire aimer, si vous me donnez la moindre chance d'y parvenir". “您是我父亲的长姐，我想让您爱我，前提是您给我一点机会。” She looked around her, enquiringly, and Aunt Jane pointed a bony finger at the porch. ||||||||||瘦骨嶙峋的|||| ||||||||||||||поріг Elle regarda autour d'elle, curieuse, et tante Jane pointa un doigt osseux vers le porche. 她环顾四周，疑惑地问道，简姨妈用骨瘦如柴的手指指向门廊。

"That is the way. Phibbs will take you to Misery, the housekeeper, and then return to me. |||||Мізерія||||||| Remember, I dine promptly at seven." "I shall count the minutes," said Louise, and with a laugh and a graceful gesture of adieu, turned to follow Martha into the house. ||||||||||||||||告别||||||| |||||||||||||елегантний|жест||||||||| "我会数分钟的," Louise 说道，随后她轻笑着，优雅地挥手告别，转身跟着 Martha 走进屋里。 Jane Merrick looked after her with a puzzled expression upon her face. |||||||困惑|||| |||||||збентежена|||| Jane Merrick 目送她离去，脸上带着困惑的表情。

"Were she in the least sincere," she muttered, "Louise might prove a very pleasant companion. |||||真诚||||||||| |||||щирою||||||||| "Si elle était un tant soit peu sincère, murmura-t-elle, Louise pourrait être une compagne très agréable. "如果她有一点诚意," 她嘟囔着，"Louise 可能会是一个非常愉快的伴侣。 But she's not sincere; she's coddling me to win my money, and if I don't watch out she'll succeed. |||||宠着||||||||||||| |||щирий|||||||||||||||успішно Mais elle n'est pas sincère ; elle me dorlote pour gagner mon argent, et si je ne fais pas attention, elle réussira. Але вона не щира; вона няньчиться зі мною, щоб виграти мої гроші, і якщо я не буду пильнувати, їй це вдасться. 但她不真诚；她在溺爱我以赢取我的钱，如果我不留心，她就会成功。 The girl's a born diplomat, and weighed in the balance against sincerity, diplomacy will often tip the scales. |||||||||||诚意|外交|||||天平 ||||||||||проти|щирість|||||| La jeune fille est une diplomate née, et dans la balance de la sincérité, la diplomatie fait souvent pencher la balance. Дівчинка - природжений дипломат, і на терезах проти щирості дипломатія часто схиляє шальки терезів на користь щирості. 这个女孩天生就是个外交家，在与真诚相比时，外交手段往往会占上风。 I might do worse than to leave Elmhurst to a clever woman. Je pourrais faire pire que de laisser Elmhurst à une femme intelligente. Я міг би вчинити гірше, ніж залишити Елмхерст розумній жінці. 我可能不如把埃尔姆赫斯特留给一个聪明的女人。 But I don't know Beth yet. 但我还不认识贝丝。 I'll wait and see which girl is the most desirable, and give them each an equal chance." |||||||||||||||рівний| 我会耐心等待，看看哪个女孩最值得追求，并给她们每个人一个平等的机会。