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Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter, Chapter 12. Before The Ladies' Aid

Chapter 12. Before The Ladies' Aid

Dinner, which came at noon in the Harrington homestead, was a silent meal on the day of the Ladies' Aid meeting. Pollyanna, it is true, tried to talk; but she did not make a success of it, chiefly because four times she was obliged to break off a "glad" in the middle of it, much to her blushing discomfort. The fifth time it happened, Miss Polly moved her head wearily.

"There, there, child, say it, if you want to," she sighed. "I'm sure I'd rather you did than not if it's going to make all this fuss." Pollyanna's puckered little face cleared. "Oh, thank you. I'm afraid it would be pretty hard--not to say it. You see I've played it so long." "You've--what?" demanded Aunt Polly.

"Played it--the game, you know, that father--" Pollyanna stopped with a painful blush at finding herself so soon again on forbidden ground. Aunt Polly frowned and said nothing. The rest of the meal was a silent one.

Pollyanna was not sorry to hear Aunt Polly tell the minister's wife over the telephone, a little later, that she would not be at the Ladies' Aid meeting that afternoon, owing to a headache. When Aunt Polly went up-stairs to her room and closed the door, Pollyanna tried to be sorry for the headache; but she could not help feeling glad that her aunt was not to be present that afternoon when she laid the case of Jimmy Bean before the Ladies' Aid. She could not forget that Aunt Polly had called Jimmy Bean a little beggar; and she did not want Aunt Polly to call him that--before the Ladies' Aid. Pollyanna knew that the Ladies' Aid met at two o'clock in the chapel next the church, not quite half a mile from home. She planned her going, therefore, so that she should get there a little before three.

"I want them all to be there," she said to herself; "else the very one that wasn't there might be the one who would be wanting to give Jimmy Bean a home; and, of course, two o'clock always means three, really--to Ladies' Aiders." Quietly, but with confident courage, Pollyanna ascended the chapel steps, pushed open the door and entered the vestibule. A soft babel of feminine chatter and laughter came from the main room. Hesitating only a brief moment Pollyanna pushed open one of the inner doors.

The chatter dropped to a surprised hush. Pollyanna advanced a little timidly. Now that the time had come, she felt unwontedly shy. After all, these half-strange, half-familiar faces about her were not her own dear Ladies' Aid. "How do you do, Ladies' Aiders?" she faltered politely. "I'm Pollyanna Whittier. I--I reckon some of you know me, maybe; anyway, I do you --only I don't know you all together this way." The silence could almost be felt now. Some of the ladies did know this rather extraordinary niece of their fellow-member, and nearly all had heard of her; but not one of them could think of anything to say, just then.

"I--I've come to--to lay the case before you," stammered Pollyanna, after a moment, unconsciously falling into her father's familiar phraseology. There was a slight rustle.

"Did--did your aunt send you, my dear?" asked Mrs. Ford, the minister's wife. Pollyanna colored a little.

"Oh, no. I came all by myself. You see, I'm used to Ladies' Aiders. It was Ladies' Aiders that brought me up--with father." Somebody tittered hysterically, and the minister's wife frowned. "Yes, dear. What is it?" "Well, it--it's Jimmy Bean," sighed Pollyanna. "He hasn't any home except the Orphan one, and they're full, and don't want him, anyhow, he thinks; so he wants another. He wants one of the common kind, that has a mother instead of a Matron in it--folks, you know, that'll care. He's ten years old going on eleven. I thought some of you might like him--to live with you, you know." "Well, did you ever!" murmured a voice, breaking the dazed pause that followed Pollyanna's words. With anxious eyes Pollyanna swept the circle of faces about her.

"Oh, I forgot to say; he will work," she supplemented eagerly. Still there was silence; then, coldly, one or two women began to question her. After a time they all had the story and began to talk among themselves, animatedly, not quite pleasantly.

Pollyanna listened with growing anxiety. Some of what was said she could not understand. She did gather, after a time, however, that there was no woman there who had a home to give him, though every woman seemed to think that some of the others might take him, as there were several who had no little boys of their own already in their homes. But there was no one who agreed herself to take him. Then she heard the minister's wife suggest timidly that they, as a society, might perhaps assume his support and education instead of sending quite so much money this year to the little boys in far-away India. A great many ladies talked then, and several of them talked all at once, and even more loudly and more unpleasantly than before. It seemed that their society was famous for its offering to Hindu missions, and several said they should die of mortification if it should be less this year. Some of what was said at this time Pollyanna again thought she could not have understood, too, for it sounded almost as if they did not care at all what the money did , so long as the sum opposite the name of their society in a certain "report" "headed the list"--and of course that could not be what they meant at all! But it was all very confusing, and not quite pleasant, so that Pollyanna was glad, indeed, when at last she found herself outside in the hushed, sweet air--only she was very sorry, too: for she knew it was not going to be easy, or anything but sad, to tell Jimmy Bean to-morrow that the Ladies' Aid had decided that they would rather send all their money to bring up the little India boys than to save out enough to bring up one little boy in their own town, for which they would not get "a bit of credit in the report," according to the tall lady who wore spectacles. "Not but that it's good, of course, to send money to the heathen, and I shouldn't want 'em not to send some there," sighed Pollyanna to herself, as she trudged sorrowfully along. "But they acted as if little boys here weren't any account--only little boys 'way off. I should think , though, they'd rather see Jimmy Bean grow--than just a report!"

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Chapter 12. Before The Ladies' Aid Capítulo 12. Ante las Damas de Socorro Chapitre 12. Devant le Ladies' Aid 第12章.レディース・エイドの前に 第12章 女士们的援助之前

Dinner, which came at noon in the Harrington homestead, was a silent meal on the day of the Ladies' Aid meeting. ||||buổi trưa||||nông trại|||||||||||| Обед, который наступил в полдень в усадьбе Харрингтонов, был тихой трапезой в день собрания Дамской помощи. Pollyanna, it is true, tried to talk; but she did not make a success of it, chiefly because four times she was obliged to break off a "glad" in the middle of it, much to her blushing discomfort. ||||||||||||||||||||||bị buộc||||||||||||||| Поллианна, правда, пыталась говорить, но у нее ничего не получалось, главным образом потому, что четыре раза ей приходилось прерывать "рад" на середине разговора, к ее смущению. The fifth time it happened, Miss Polly moved her head wearily.

"There, there, child, say it, if you want to," she sighed. ||||||||||thở dài "Ну-ка, ну-ка, дитя, скажи, если хочешь", - вздохнула она. "I'm sure I'd rather you did than not if it's going to make all this fuss." "Я уверен, что лучше бы ты это сделал, чем нет, если это вызовет столько шума". Pollyanna's puckered little face cleared. ||nhỏ nhắn|| Маленькое сморщенное личико Поллианны прояснилось. "Oh, thank you. I'm afraid it would be pretty hard--not to say it. Боюсь, это было бы очень трудно - не сказать этого. You see I've played it so long." Видите, я так долго играл". "You've--what?" demanded Aunt Polly. đã yêu cầu||

"Played it--the game, you know, that father--" Pollyanna stopped with a painful blush at finding herself so soon again on forbidden ground. |||||||||||||đỏ mặt||||||||cấm kỵ| "Играла в нее... в игру, знаете, в которую отец..." Поллианна остановилась, болезненно покраснев от того, что так скоро снова оказалась на запретной территории. Aunt Polly frowned and said nothing. ||nhăn mặt||| The rest of the meal was a silent one. Остаток трапезы прошел в молчании.

Pollyanna was not sorry to hear Aunt Polly tell the minister's wife over the telephone, a little later, that she would not be at the Ladies' Aid meeting that afternoon, owing to a headache. Поллианна не пожалела, когда немного позже тетя Полли сообщила жене священника по телефону, что ее не будет на собрании дамской помощи во второй половине дня из-за головной боли. When Aunt Polly went up-stairs to her room and closed the door, Pollyanna tried to be sorry for the headache; but she could not help feeling glad that her aunt was not to be present that afternoon when she laid the case of Jimmy Bean before the Ladies' Aid. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||trình bày||||||||| Когда тетя Полли поднялась к себе в комнату и закрыла дверь, Поллианна попыталась пожалеть о головной боли; но она не могла не радоваться, что тетя не будет присутствовать в тот полдень, когда она будет рассматривать дело Джимми Бина в Женском совете. She could not forget that Aunt Polly had called Jimmy Bean a little beggar; and she did not want Aunt Polly to call him that--before the Ladies' Aid. Она не могла забыть, что тетя Полли назвала Джимми Бина маленьким нищим; и она не хотела, чтобы тетя Полли называла его так - перед женской консультацией. Pollyanna knew that the Ladies' Aid met at two o'clock in the chapel next the church, not quite half a mile from home. ||||||||||||nhà nguyện|||||||||| Поллианна знала, что Женская помощь собирается в два часа в часовне рядом с церковью, не более чем в полумиле от дома. She planned her going, therefore, so that she should get there a little before three. Поэтому она спланировала свой путь так, чтобы прийти туда немного раньше трех.

"I want them all to be there," she said to herself; "else the very one that wasn't there might be the one who would be wanting to give Jimmy Bean a home; and, of course, two o'clock always means three, really--to Ladies' Aiders." "Я хочу, чтобы они все были там", - сказала она себе; "иначе тот, кого там не будет, может оказаться тем, кто захочет дать Джимми Бину дом; и, конечно, два часа всегда означают три, на самом деле - для Ladies' Aiders". Quietly, but with confident courage, Pollyanna ascended the chapel steps, pushed open the door and entered the vestibule. ||||||leo lên||nhà nguyện||||||||| Тихо, но с уверенной смелостью Поллианна поднялась по ступеням часовни, толкнула дверь и вошла в вестибюль. A soft babel of feminine chatter and laughter came from the main room. ||||nữ|nói chuyện||||||| Hesitating only a brief moment Pollyanna pushed open one of the inner doors. |||một khoảnh khắc||||||||| Задержавшись лишь на мгновение, Поллианна толкнула одну из внутренних дверей.

The chatter dropped to a surprised hush. |nói chuyện||||| Pollyanna advanced a little timidly. Поллианна немного робко продвинулась вперед. Now that the time had come, she felt unwontedly shy. Теперь, когда время пришло, она чувствовала себя неожиданно скованно. After all, these half-strange, half-familiar faces about her were not her own dear Ladies' Aid. ||||||quen thuộc|gương mặt||||||||| В конце концов, эти полустранные, полузнакомые лица вокруг нее не были ее собственной дорогой дамской помощью. "How do you do, Ladies' Aiders?" she faltered politely. |ngập ngừng| "I'm Pollyanna Whittier. I--I reckon some of you know me, maybe; anyway, I do you --only I don't know you all together this way." ||cho rằng|||||||dù sao|||||||||||| Я... я думаю, что некоторые из вас знают меня, возможно; во всяком случае, я знаю вас - только я не знаю вас всех вместе таким образом". The silence could almost be felt now. Some of the ladies did know this rather extraordinary niece of their fellow-member, and nearly all had heard of her; but not one of them could think of anything to say, just then. |||||||khá|||||đồng nghiệp||||||||||||||||||||| Некоторые из дам действительно знали эту довольно необычную племянницу своего коллеги, и почти все слышали о ней; но ни одна из них не могла придумать, что сказать в этот момент.

"I--I've come to--to lay the case before you," stammered Pollyanna, after a moment, unconsciously falling into her father's familiar phraseology. ||||||||||nói lắp bắp||||||||||| "Я... я пришла, чтобы... чтобы изложить вам дело", - заикаясь, проговорила Поллианна через мгновение, бессознательно впадая в привычную фразеологию своего отца. There was a slight rustle. |||nhẹ|

"Did--did your aunt send you, my dear?" asked Mrs. Ford, the minister's wife. Pollyanna colored a little. Поллианна немного раскраснелась.

"Oh, no. I came all by myself. You see, I'm used to Ladies' Aiders. It was Ladies' Aiders that brought me up--with father." Это "Ladies' Aiders" воспитали меня - вместе с отцом". Somebody tittered hysterically, and the minister's wife frowned. ||một cách điên cuồng|||||nhăn mặt Кто-то истерически засмеялся, и жена министра нахмурилась. "Yes, dear. What is it?" "Well, it--it's Jimmy Bean," sighed Pollyanna. |||||thở dài| "He hasn't any home except the Orphan one, and they're full, and don't want him, anyhow, he thinks; so he wants another. "У него нет никакого дома, кроме сиротского, а они переполнены, и он им не нужен, во всяком случае, он так думает; поэтому он хочет другой. He wants one of the common kind, that has a mother instead of a Matron in it--folks, you know, that'll care. Ему нужен один из обычных, в котором есть мать, а не Матрона - люди, знаете ли, которым не все равно. He's ten years old going on eleven. I thought some of you might like him--to live with you, you know." Я подумала, что кому-то из вас он может понравиться - жить с вами, знаете ли". "Well, did you ever!" "Ну, ты когда-нибудь!" murmured a voice, breaking the dazed pause that followed Pollyanna's words. thì thầm|||||choáng váng||||| прошептал голос, нарушив ошеломленную паузу, последовавшую за словами Поллианны. With anxious eyes Pollyanna swept the circle of faces about her. |lo lắng|||quét|||||| Тревожными глазами Поллианна окинула круг лиц вокруг себя.

"Oh, I forgot to say; he will work," she supplemented eagerly. "О, я забыла сказать: он будет работать", - с нетерпением добавила она. Still there was silence; then, coldly, one or two women began to question her. Все еще стояла тишина; затем одна или две женщины холодно начали расспрашивать ее. After a time they all had the story and began to talk among themselves, animatedly, not quite pleasantly. Через некоторое время они все узнали историю и начали говорить между собой, оживленно, не совсем приятно.

Pollyanna listened with growing anxiety. ||||lo âu Поллианна слушала с растущим беспокойством. Some of what was said she could not understand. Кое-что из сказанного она не могла понять. She did gather, after a time, however, that there was no woman there who had a home to give him, though every woman seemed to think that some of the others might take him, as there were several who had no little boys of their own already in their homes. ||tập hợp||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Однако через некоторое время она поняла, что там нет ни одной женщины, у которой был бы дом, чтобы отдать его, хотя каждая женщина думала, что кто-то из других может взять его, так как среди них было несколько человек, у которых в доме не было своих маленьких мальчиков. But there was no one who agreed herself to take him. Then she heard the minister's wife suggest timidly that they, as a society, might perhaps assume his support and education instead of sending quite so much money this year to the little boys in far-away India. |||||||một cách nhút nhát||||||||giả định||||||||||||||||||||| Затем она услышала, как жена министра робко предложила, что они, как общество, могли бы взять на себя его содержание и образование вместо того, чтобы посылать в этом году столько денег маленьким мальчикам в далекой Индии. A great many ladies talked then, and several of them talked all at once, and even more loudly and more unpleasantly than before. |||||||||||||||||to tiếng lớn||||| Тогда многие дамы заговорили, причем некоторые из них говорили все сразу, и еще громче и неприятнее, чем раньше. It seemed that their society was famous for its offering to Hindu missions, and several said they should die of mortification if it should be less this year. |||||||||sự cống hiến|||||||||||||||||| Оказалось, что их общество славится своими пожертвованиями индуистским миссиям, и несколько человек сказали, что они умрут от горя, если в этом году их будет меньше. Some of what was said at this time Pollyanna again thought she could not have understood, too, for it sounded almost as if they did not care at all what the money did , so long as the sum opposite the name of their society in a certain "report" "headed the list"--and of course that could not be what they meant at all! ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||đối diện|||||||||||||||||||||||| Кое-что из того, что было сказано в это время, Поллианна снова подумала, что тоже не смогла бы понять, потому что это звучало почти так, как будто им было совершенно все равно, что делают деньги, лишь бы сумма напротив названия их общества в определенном "отчете" "возглавляла список" - и, конечно, это не могло быть тем, что они имели в виду! But it was all very confusing, and not quite pleasant, so that Pollyanna was glad, indeed, when at last she found herself outside in the hushed, sweet air--only she was very sorry, too: for she knew it was not going to be easy, or anything but sad, to tell Jimmy Bean to-morrow that the Ladies' Aid had decided that they would rather send all their money to bring up the little India boys than to save out enough to bring up one little boy in their own town, for which they would not get "a bit of credit in the report," according to the tall lady who wore spectacles. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||kính Но все это было очень запутанно и не совсем приятно, так что Поллианна была очень рада, когда, наконец, оказалась на улице, в тихом, сладком воздухе - но ей было и очень жаль: Ибо она знала, что завтра ей будет нелегко и даже грустно рассказывать Джимми Бину о том, что Дамская помощь решила, что они скорее направят все свои деньги на воспитание маленьких индийских мальчиков, чем накопят достаточно средств на воспитание одного маленького мальчика в своем городе, за что, по словам высокой дамы в очках, они не получат "ни малейшего кредита в отчете". "Not but that it's good, of course, to send money to the heathen, and I shouldn't want 'em not to send some there," sighed Pollyanna to herself, as she trudged sorrowfully along. "Нет, конечно, это хорошо, посылать деньги язычникам, и я бы не хотела, чтобы они не посылали их туда", - вздохнула про себя Поллианна, печально ступая по дороге. "But they acted as if little boys here weren't any account--only little boys 'way off. "Но они вели себя так, как будто здешние мальчишки не имеют никакого значения - только мальчишки "вдалеке". I should think , though, they'd rather see Jimmy Bean grow--than just a report!" Я думаю, они предпочтут увидеть, как растет Джимми Бин, а не только отчет!".