傻瓜歌词【傻瓜】
时间：2018-12-27 03:35:20 来源：柠檬阅读网 本文已影响 人 
A few days ago I asked my children"s governess2, Julia, to come into my study. "Sit down, Julia," I said. "Let"s settle our accounts3. Although you most likely need some money,you stand on ceremony4 and won"t ask for it yourself. Now then5, we agree on thirty rubles6 a month..."
"Forty."
"No, thirty. I made a note of it. I always pay the governess thirty.Now then,you"ve been here two months,so..."
"Two months and five days."
"Exactly two months. I made a specific note of it. That means you have sixty rubles coming to you. Subtract7 nine Sundays...you know you didn"t work with Kolya on Sundays, you only took walks. And three holidays..."
Julia flushed8 a deep red and picked at the flounce9 of her dress, but ―― not a word.
"Three holidays, therefore take off twelve rubles. Four days Kolya was sick and there were no lessons, as you were only occupied with Vanya.Three days you had a toothache and my wife gave you permission not to work after lunch. Twelve and seven ―― nineteen. Subtract...that leaves...hmm...forty-one rubles. Correct?"
Julia"s left eye reddened and filled with moisture10. Her chin11 trembled12; she coughed nervously and blew her nose, but ―― not a word.
"Around New Year"s you broke a teacup and saucer13: take off two rubles. The cup cost more, it was an heirloom14, but ―― let it go. When didn"t I take a loss? Then, due to your neglect, Kolya climbed a tree and tore his jacket: take off ten. Also due to your heedlessness15 the maid stole Vanya"s shoes. You ought to watch everything!You get pay for it. So, that means five more rubles off. The tenth of January I gave you ten rubles..."
"You didn"t," whispered16 Julia.
"But I made a note of it."
"Well...all right."
"Take twenty-seven from forty-one ―― that leaves fourteen."
Both eyes filled with tears. Perspiration17 appeared on the thin, pretty little nose. Poor girl!
"Only once was I given any money," she said in a trembling voice, "and that was by your wife. Three rubles, nothing more."
"Really? You see now, and I didn"t make a note of it!Take three from fourteen... leaves eleven. Here"s your money, my dear. Three, three, three, one and one. Here it is!"
I handed her eleven rubles. She took them and with trembling fingers stuffed18 them into her pocket.
"Merci19," she whispered.
I jumped up and started pacing the room. I was overcome with anger.
"For what, this ―― "merci"?" I asked.
"For the money."
"But you know I"ve cheated you, for God"s sake ―― robbed you!I have actually stolen from you!Why this "merci"?"
"In my other places they didn"t give me anything at all."
"They didn"t give you anything? No wonder!I played a little joke on you, a cruel20 lesson, just to teach you.... I"m going to give you the entire eighty rubles!Here they are in an envelope all ready for you.... Is it really possible to be so spineless21? Why don"t you protest? Why be silent? Is it possible in this world to be without teeth and claws ―― to be such a nincompoop?"
She smiled crookedly22 and I read in her expression: "It is possible."
I asked her pardon for the cruel lesson, and, to her great surprise,gave her the eighty rubles. She murmured23 her little "merci" several times and went out. I looked after her and thought:"How easy it is to crush the weak in this world!"
注释
1. nincompoop n. 傻子，笨蛋
2. governess n. 家庭女教师
3. account n. [常用作～s]待结账目
4. ceremony n. 行礼如仪的日常小事，繁文缛节 stand on ～ 讲究礼节，拘礼
5. now then [表示告诫或引起注意等] 喂，听着
6. ruble n. 卢布
7. subtract vt. 减，减去
8. flush vi. (脸)发红，脸红
9. flounce n. (衣裙上的)荷叶边
10. moisture n. 泪汪汪
11. chin n. 下巴，劾
12. tremble vi. 颤抖，抖动
13. saucer n. 茶托，茶碟
14. heirloom n. 传家宝，祖传遗物
15. heedlessness n. 掉以轻心，不加注意，粗心
16. whisper vt. 低声说，悄声说
17. perspiration n. 汗，汗水
18. stuff vt. 把…塞进，把…装进
19. merci vt. (法)谢谢
20. cruel adj. 残忍的，残酷的
21. spineless adj. 没有骨气的，软弱的
22. crookedly adv. 扭曲地，不自然地
23. murmur vt. 小声说
几天前，我把孩子们的家庭女教师，朱莉娅，叫到了我的书房。
“坐吧，朱莉娅，”我说，“让我们来结一下帐吧。尽管你很可能缺钱用，但拘于礼节你却不会主动向我讨要。是这样，我们的协议是一个月30卢布……”
“40”。
“不，是30。我记录着呢。我向来都给家庭教师付30卢布。啊，你已经到我这儿两个月了，因此……”
“两个月零五天。”
“整整两个月。我做了详细的记录：也就是说你将得到60卢布。除去9个星期天――你也知道你星期天只是散步而不为克莱雅上课。还有3个假期……”
朱莉娅飞红了脸，拉扯着她衣服上的荷叶边。但是，没有说一句话。
“3个假期，因此扣掉12卢布。有4天克莱雅因生病而没上课，你只给瓦尼雅上课。还有3天，你牙痛。我妻子准许你午饭后不工作。12加7，19，减去……剩下……嗯……41卢布。对吗?
朱莉娅的左眼红红的，盈满了泪水。她的下巴颤抖着；她不安地咳嗽并且擤了擤鼻涕，但是，仍然没说一句话。
“新年前后你打破了一套茶杯茶托：扣掉两卢布。茶杯还更贵一点，它可是件传家宝，不过――算了吧。我什么时候不吃亏呢?还有，因为你的疏忽大意，克莱雅爬树并且弄破了他的夹克衫，扣掉10卢布。同样由于你的粗心，女仆偷了瓦尼雅的鞋子。你应该看管好每件东西!你得为此付出代价!因此，再扣去5卢布。1月10号，我给了你10卢布……”
“您没有给。”朱莉娅悄声说。
“但是我有记录啊。”
“那……好吧。”
“41减去27――还剩14卢布。”
她的双眼盈满了泪水。瘦小可爱的鼻头上也冒出了汗珠。可怜的姑娘!“只有一次我拿到了钱，”她用颤抖的声音说：“那是您太太给我的。3卢布，再也没有其他的了。”
“是吗?你看，这点我倒没记上!14减去3，还剩11，这儿是你的钱，我可爱的姑娘。3卢布、3卢布、3卢布、1卢布、1卢布。给你!”
我递给她11卢布。她用颤抖的手抓过它们并塞进了她的口袋。
“谢谢，”她低声说。
我猛地站起来并开始在屋里踱步，气恼得不能自持。
“为什么而‘感谢’?”我问。
“为了这些钱。”
“但是你知道我骗了你，天啊――抢了你!实际上是偷了你!为什么仍要‘感谢’?”
“在其他地方，他们根本就没给过我一分钱。”
“他们不给你一分钱?怪不得呢!我和你开了一个小小的玩笑。残忍的一课，只是想让你知道……当然我会给你那完整的80卢布! 在这个信封里，我早已为你准备好了……你就真如此胆小软弱吗?你为什么不提出抗议?为什么要保持沉默?在这个世界上不去抵抗与斗争，甘做一个如此愚蠢的人?”
她歪嘴笑了。从她的脸上我也读出了答案：“可以的。”
让她吃惊的是，我不仅为我残忍的―课请求她的原谅，而且还如数给了她80卢布。她小声咕哝了几句“谢谢”就出去了。我在后面看着她，想道：“在这个世界上欺凌压制一个弱者是多么容易的事啊!”
