女巫的面包
Miss Martha Meacham kept the little bakerybakery n.面包店 on the corner （the one where you go up three steps，and the bell tinkles when you open the door）。
玛莎·米查姆小姐是街角上那家小面包店的老板娘（那家店铺门口有三级台阶，当你推门进去时，门上的小铃就会响起来）。
Miss Martha was forty，her bankbook showed a credit of two thousand dollars，and she possessed two false teeth and a sympatheticsympathetic adj.有同情心的，合意的，赞成的n.[解］交感神经，容易感受的人 heart. Many people have married whose chances to do so were much inferior to Miss Marthas.
玛莎小姐今年四十岁了，她有两千元的银行存款，两枚假牙和一颗多情的心。结过婚的女人如此之多，但同玛莎小姐比起来，她们的条件可差得远啦。
Two or three times a week a customer came in whom she began to take an interest. He was a middleaged man，wearing spectaclesspectacles n. 眼镜 and a brown beard trimmed to a careful point.
有一个顾客每星期来两三次，玛莎小姐逐渐对他产生了好感。他是个中年人，戴眼镜，棕色的胡子修剪得整整齐齐的。
He spoke English with a strong German accent. His clothes were worn and darneddarn n.v.织补 in places，and wrinkled and baggy in others. But he looked neat，and had very good manners.
他说英语时带很重的德国口音。他的衣服有的地方磨破了，经过织补，有的地方皱得不成样子。但他的外表仍旧很整洁，并且是个很有礼貌的人。
He always bought two loaves of stalestale n.（牲畜等的）尿 adj.不新鲜的，陈腐的，疲倦的，陈旧的 vt.使变旧，走味 vi.变陈旧，变无味，失时效，撒尿 bread. Fresh bread was five cents a loaf. Stale ones were two for five. Never did he call for anything but stale bread.
他老是买两个陈面包。新鲜面包是五分钱一个，陈面包五分钱却可以买两个。除了陈面包以外，他从来没有买过别的东西。
Once Miss Martha saw a red and brown stain on his fingers. She was sure then that he was an artist and very poor. No doubt he lived in a garretgarret n.顶楼，where he painted pictures and ate stale bread and thought of the good things to eat in Miss Marthas bakery.
有一次，玛莎小姐注意到他手指上有一块红褐色的污迹。她立刻断定这位顾客是一个非常穷困的艺术家。毫无疑问，他准是住阁楼的人物，他在那里画画，啃啃陈面包，呆想着玛莎小姐面包店里各式各样好吃的东西。
Often when Miss Martha sat down to her chops and light rolls and jam and tea she would sigh，and wish that the gentlemannered artist might share her tasty meal instead of eating his dry crust in that draughtydraughty adj.通风良好的，有隙缝风吹入的 attic. Miss Marthas heart，as you have been told，was a sympathetic one.
玛莎小姐坐下来吃肉排、面包卷、果酱和喝红茶的时候，常常会好端端地叹起气来，希望那个斯文的艺术家能够分享她美味的饭菜，不必待在阁楼里啃硬面包。玛莎小姐的心，正像我所告诉过你们的，是多情的。
In order to test her theory as to his occupation，she brought from her room one day a painting that she had bought at a sale，and set it against the shelves behind the bread counter.
为了证实她对这个顾客的职业猜测得是否正确，她把以前买来的一幅绘画从房间里搬到外面，搁在面包柜台后面的架子上。
It was a Venetian scene. A splendid marblemarble n.大理石，（玩具）弹球。石弹子，雕刻品 adj.大理石的，冷酷无情的，坚硬的 palazzio （so it said on the picture） stood in the foreground—or rather forewater. For the rest there were gondolasgondola n.狭长小船，两头尖的平底船，无盖货车 （with the lady trailing her hand in the water），clouds，sky，and chiarooscuro in plenty. No artist could fail to notice it.
那是一幅威尼斯风景。一座壮丽的大理石宫殿（画上这样标明）矗立在画面的前景——或者不如说，前面的水景上。此外，还有几条小平底船（船上有位夫人把手伸到水面，带出了一道浪迹），有云彩、苍穹和许多明暗烘托的笔触。艺术家是不可能注意不到的。
Two days afterward the customer came in.
两天后，那个顾客来了。
“Two loafs of stale bread，if you please.”
“两个陈面包，劳驾。”
“You have here a fine picture，madame.” he said while she was wrapping up the bread.
“夫人，你这幅画不错。”当她用纸把面包包起来的时候，顾客说道。
“Yes？” says Miss Martha，reveling in her own cunning. “I do so admire art and （no，it would not do to say “artists” thus early），and paintings.” she substituted. “You think it is a good picture？”
“是吗？”玛莎小姐说，她看到自己的计谋得逞了，便大为高兴。“我最爱好艺术和——”（不，这么早就说“艺术家”是不妥的）“和绘画。”她改口说，“你认为这是一幅好画吗？”
“Der balance.” said the customer，is not in good drawing. Der bairspective of it is not true. Good-bye，madame.”
“宫殿，”顾客说，“画得不太好。透视法用得不真实。再见，夫人。”
He took his bread，bowed，and hurried out.
他拿起面包，欠了欠身，匆匆走了。
Yes，he must be an artist. Miss Martha took the picture back to her room.
是啊，他准是一个艺术家。玛莎小姐把画搬回房间里。
How gentle and kindly his eyes shone behind his spectacles！ What a broad brow he had！ To be able to judge perspectiveperspective n.透视画法，透视图，远景，前途，观点，看法，观点，观察 at a glance—and to live on stale bread！ But genius often has to struggle before it is recognized.
他眼镜后面的目光是多么温柔和善啊！他的前额有多么宽阔！一眼就可以判断透视法——却靠陈面包过活！不过天才在成名之前，往往要经过一番奋斗。
What a thing it would be for art and perspective if genius were backed by two thousand dollars in bank，a bakery，and a sympathetic heart to—But these were daydreams，Miss Martha.
假如天才有两千元银行存款、一家面包店和一颗多情的心作为后盾，艺术和透视法将能达到多么辉煌的成就啊——但这只是白日梦罢了，玛莎小姐。
Often now when he came he would chat for a while across the showcaseshowcase n.（商店或博物馆的玻璃）陈列橱，<主美>显示优点的东西。 He seemed to crave Miss Marthas cheerful words.
最近一段时间他来的时候通常隔着货柜聊一会儿。他似乎渴望着同玛莎小姐的愉快的谈话。
He kept on buying stale bread. Never a cake，never a pie，never one of her delicious Sally Lunns.
他一直买陈面包。从没有买过蛋糕、馅饼，或是她店里的可口的甜菜点。
She thought he began to look thinner and discourageddiscouraged adj.气馁的。 Her heart ached to add something good to eat to his meagre purchasepurchase vt.买，购买 n.买，购买，but her courage failed at the act. She did not dare affront him. She knew the pride of artists.
她觉得他仿佛瘦了一点，精神也有点颓废。她很渴望在他买的寒酸的食物里加上一些好吃的东西，只是鼓不起勇气来。她不敢冒失。她了解艺术家高傲的心理。