"Please, sir, he is weeding the garden," replied a small voice.
“先生,他在花園里拔草。”一個(gè)聲音低聲回答。
"To be sure," said Squeers, by no means disconcerted,
“怎么回事。”斯格威爾說(shuō)道,聲音坦然,沒(méi)有絲毫困窘不安。
so he is. B-o-t, bot, t-i-n, tin, n-e-y, ney, bottinney, noun substantive, a knowledge of plants.
哦,他在拔草, B-o-t, bot, t-i-n, tin, n-e-y,ney, bottinney,名詞性質(zhì),植物學(xué)知識(shí)。
When he has learned that bottinney means a knowledge of plants, he goes and knows 'em.
學(xué)生們學(xué)習(xí)植物學(xué),這詞表示植物類知識(shí),學(xué)生學(xué)習(xí)后了解植物,
That's our system, Nickleby: what do you think of it?
這就是我們的學(xué)習(xí)體系,尼克貝,你覺(jué)得呢?
"It's a very useful one, at any rate," answered Nicholas, significantly.
“無(wú)論如何,這門功課非常有用。”尼古拉斯意味深長(zhǎng)地回答。
"I believe you," rejoined Squeers, not remarking the emphasis of his usher. "Third boy, what's a horse?"
“我相信你。”斯格威爾接著說(shuō),并未覺(jué)察到尼克貝的弦外之音。“第三個(gè)回答的孩子,馬是什么?”
"A beast, sir," replied the boy.
“一種動(dòng)物,先生。”那男孩答道。
"So it is," said Squeers. "Ain't it, Nickleby?"
“正是。”斯格威爾說(shuō)。“莫非馬不是動(dòng)物?尼克貝?”
"I believe there is no doubt of that, sir," answered Nicholas.
“毫無(wú)疑問(wèn),馬是動(dòng)物,先生。”尼克貝答道。
"Of course there is n't," said Squeers.
“當(dāng)然,這里沒(méi)有馬,”斯格威爾說(shuō),
A horse is a quadruped, and quadruped's Latin for beast,
馬是一種四腳獸,四腳獸的拉丁語(yǔ)就是獸類,
as everybody that's gone through the grammar knows, or else where's the use of having grammars at all?
這一點(diǎn),每個(gè)學(xué)過(guò)語(yǔ)法的學(xué)生都知道,不然的話,學(xué)些語(yǔ)法還有什么用呢?
"Where, indeed!" said Nicholas, abstractedly.
“這究竟哪對(duì)哪,真是!”尼古拉斯心不在焉地小聲嘀咕。
"As you're perfect in that," resumed Squeers, turning to the boy,
“既然你們表現(xiàn)都還不錯(cuò),”斯格威爾接著轉(zhuǎn)向?qū)δ莻€(gè)男生說(shuō),
go and look after my horse, and rub him down well, or I'll rub you down.
現(xiàn)在就去照看我的馬匹,好好將它全身擦洗干凈,否則,仔細(xì)我修理你。
The rest of the class go and draw water up till somebody tells you to leave off,
其他的學(xué)生去提水,沒(méi)有吩咐不得停下休息,
for it's washing day to-morrow, and they want the coppers filled.
明天是清洗日,所有大缸小盆都要統(tǒng)統(tǒng)裝滿。