美国少女成长系列:神秘的农场主(中文导读英文版)(txt+pdf+epub+mobi电子书下载)


发布时间:2020-05-15 03:28:18

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作者:莱曼•弗兰克•鲍姆

出版社:中国国际广播出版社

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美国少女成长系列:神秘的农场主(中文导读英文版)

美国少女成长系列:神秘的农场主(中文导读英文版)试读:

序言

《神秘的农场主》是“纯爱英文馆·美国少女成长”系列的第三本,讲述了约翰叔叔带着三个心爱的侄女——帕齐、贝丝和露易丝到位于乡村米尔维尔的一个新购置的小农场度假的故事。

本书接着约翰叔叔一行人在欧洲历险后讲起,富有的约翰叔叔将其资产的一部分拿出来用于帮助年轻人实现他们的梦想,这些事情都是由帕齐的父亲道尔上校打理的。一次道尔借给了一个名叫约瑟夫·维格的年轻发明家几千美元用于他的专利发明,但他以失败告终,他将从父亲那里继承来的一个偏远的小农场抵给了约翰叔叔。约翰叔叔获此消息时正值酷暑逼近,于是他决定带着三个侄女前往农场度假,故事由此展开。抱着最坏打算的约翰叔叔一行人在迈进农场的那一刻完全被眼前如画般的田园风景迷住了。他们对屋里精心的布置也很满意。随后的几天,小姐妹们各自沉浸在静谧悠闲的乡下生活中。

没过多久,露易丝的注意力就被一件大事吸引走了,她偶然发现原农场主维格的死有些蹊跷,他的好友威尔·汤普森在他死后变得疯疯癫癫,而且他和好友的财产在他死后均离奇失踪。所有的谜团引起露易丝强烈的好奇,她遂与小姐妹们偷偷地展开了侦查。维格原来是一位船长,后来举家迁入米尔维尔过起了隐居生活,他不务农却有花不完的钱,他原来的部下老哈克斯也带着他的瞎眼妻子与他们住在一起。老哈克斯总是带着一抹一成不变的微笑。三个少女很快就和汤普森的孙女埃塞尔成了好朋友。露易丝根据自己读过的侦探小说中的情节判断维格是被谋杀的,他的财产被抢走了。

但是她们对案情只停留在分析的层面上,一点线索都没有,进展缓慢。这时农场主的儿子约瑟夫在离开故土三年后再度现身,他带着满身的伤偷偷地躲藏在农场一间废弃的小木屋中,随着他的出现,事情真相渐渐明朗。故事究竟会向着怎样的方向发展呢?还是请您自己去品读吧。

本书最大的写作特点是乡土气息浓厚。从人物的语言到人物的性格,处处带着浓重的地域风情。而且本书开头就交代出,米尔维尔地理位置偏僻,交通不便,少有人去,文化落后了半个世纪。去这样的地方度假,多少有一些穿越时空的感觉。在这样的背景下,本书的作者鲍姆大胆地拿那些心胸狭窄、没见过世面的小人物开心。很多章节对这类人物的描写淋漓尽致,让读者多次捧腹不止。

农场代理人佩吉是这类乡村负面形象的代表人物。他为人猥琐,嫉妒心强,精于算计,见钱眼开,为了钱能做出很多疯狂的举动。书中第六章关于他去和约翰叔叔结算费用时的心理描写惟妙惟肖,约翰叔叔每次和他说完一句话,他就会在备选的两份账单上重新做一次选择,其唯利是图的小人形象跃然纸上。第二十六章中他被三个侄女捉弄,误将自己的西瓜地毁得一片狼藉的情节更是让人忍俊不禁。

在第十九章和第二十章短暂亮相的克拉克也是这类小人物之一。他目不识丁,没有主见,在唯利是图的母亲的教唆下,试图从约翰叔叔三个有“钱途”的侄女中选一位为妻,到头来却上演了一出欢乐的闹剧,为三个女孩的乡村度假生活增添一抹笑料。

鲍姆在对跳梁小丑进行酣畅淋漓的描写的同时,又不忘展现乡民的淳厚和质朴。老哈克斯夫妇和埃塞尔便是这类正面形象的代表。老哈克斯夫妇在丧子后忠心耿耿地服侍维格船长,不求取任何报酬。他们将乔视如己出,在乔重伤回到农场寻求帮助时,倾囊相助。乔的恋人埃塞尔是乡村教师,是村里为数不多的受过教育的人。她受佩吉的委托无偿将农场进行精心的布置,并打算如果哈克斯夫妇被赶走,她将把他们接到她家。不谙世故的埃塞尔和哈克斯夫妇同利欲熏心的佩吉形成了鲜明的对比。

本书还有一点值得一提,鲍姆尝试着在书中添加侦探元素,这更加增强了事件的神秘感,书中三个女孩大段的逻辑推理带着读者与主人公一同思考、猜想。

如果说《遗产之谜》中给人留下深刻印象的是坦率真诚的帕齐,《欧洲之行》让人难忘的是勇敢无畏的贝丝,那么《神秘的农场主》让我们铭记在心的则是心思缜密的露易丝。露易丝,18岁,是三个姐妹中最年长的一个,她聪明,善于洞察人心,但是这些优点都被她表面的肤浅和装出来的友善遮挡住了。自从她离开庸俗的母亲后,与帕齐和贝丝的更深入的接触也影响着她,她的优点开始灼灼发光。三个少女善良无邪,没有受到城市的庸俗气氛的影响,她们为维格船长和哈克斯夫妇的遭遇难过流泪,为约瑟夫和埃塞尔重获财产欢呼雀跃。

本书中带有浓重乡音的美国口语是地域风情的完美体现。这些口语单词的拼写并不规范。读者开始读起来可能会有一定的困难,但是很快你就会发现其实其中的规律很简单,而且边读边会觉出,这些口语是那样妙趣横生。本书未对这些口语的写法进行规范,保留了原貌。为便于读者更好地阅读并找出其中的规律,此处列出一些出现频率较高的口语词:

ye=you meself=myself kin=can git=get thet=that fer=for er=or ter=to ef=if ner=nor nuthin' =nothing s' pose=suppose ev' rybody=everybody on' y=only

本书中句式错落有致,运用了比喻、夸张等多种修辞手法,这些鲜活的语体特色可以让您在愉悦的阅读中更好地感悟英语的魅力,此处仅列出一些短语:

crazy as a loon:完全疯狂

crazy as a bedbug:非常疯狂

as neat as wax:十分整洁

go to blazes:完蛋

neither here nor there:与叙述不相干

like sixty:很有力地

再次回到故事,农场主的儿子乔(即约瑟夫·维格)带着一身伤痕返回到农场,他究竟发生了什么事?是他父亲的仇人向他寻仇吗?他对父亲的死有无半点怀疑?凶手是村里最富有的五金商韦斯特吗?他和青梅竹马的恋人最终会消除误会走到一起吗?让我们随约翰叔叔和三个可爱的侄女一同走进米尔维尔的维格农场,去享受恬静的田园生活,去找寻故事的答案吧。

在场人物

约翰叔叔Uncle John

帕齐Patsy

道尔上校(帕齐的父亲)Major Doyle

露易丝Louise

贝丝Beth

佩吉(马歇尔·麦克马洪·麦克纳特)(房地产代理商)Peggy (Marshall McMahon McNutt)

乔纳斯·维格(农场原主人)Jonas Wegg

约瑟夫·维格(乔纳斯的儿子)Joseph Wegg

塞拉斯·考德威尔(磨坊主)Silas Caldwell

赛斯·戴维斯(铁匠铺老板)Seth Davis

麦卡锡·克拉克(百货店老板)Marthy Clark

金布尔利·克拉克(克拉克的小儿子)Skimbley Clark

尼克·索恩(车马行老板)Nick Thorne

尼博·科金斯(杂货店店主)Nib Corkins

山姆·考廷(小卖店店主)Sam Cotting

鲍勃·韦斯特(五金商)Bob West

托马斯·哈克斯(农场佣人)Thomas Hucks

诺拉(哈克斯的妻子)Nora

阿朗佐·塔夫脱(木匠)Alonzo Taft

埃塞尔·汤普森(教师,威尔的孙女)Ethel Thompson

玛丽·维格(乔纳斯的妻子)Mary Wegg

威尔·汤普森(乔纳斯的好友)Will Thompson

切特·坎勃(旅店老板)Chet Kebble

坎勃夫人(旅店老板娘)Mrs. Kebble

凯特·坎勃(旅店店主的女儿)Kate KebbleChapter 1UNCLE JOHN'S FARM约翰叔叔忽然在米尔维尔拥有了一个农场,而且这个农场已经荒废了好几年。他知道这一消息后让帕齐的父亲给负责此农场的房地产代理商写封信,让他们尽快将农场收拾妥当,他将带着三个侄女到那儿避暑度假。

"How did I happen to own a farm? " asked Uncle John, interrupting his soup long enough to fix an inquiring glance upon Major Doyle, who sat opposite.

"By virtue of circumstance, my dear sir, " replied the Major, composedly. "It' s a part of my duty, in attending to those affairs you won' t look afther yourself, to lend certain sums of your money to needy and ambitious young men who want a start in life."

"Oh, Uncle! Do you do that? " exclaimed Miss Patricia Doyle, who sat between her uncle and father and kept an active eye upon both.

"So the Major says, " answered Uncle John, dryly.

"And it' s true, " asserted the other. "He' s assisted three or four score young men to start in business in the last year, to my certain knowledge, by lending them sums ranging from one to three thousand dollars. And it' s the most wasteful and extravagant charity I ever heard of."

"But I' m so glad! " cried Patsy, clapping her hands with a delighted gesture. "It' s a splendid way to do good—to help young men to get a start in life. Without capital, you know, many a young fellow would never get his foot on the first round of the ladder."

"And many will never get it there in any event, " declared the Major, with a shake of his grizzled head. "More than half the rascals that John helps go to the dogsentirely, and hang us up for all they' ve borrowed."

"I told you to help deserving young men, " remarked Uncle John, with a scowl at his brother-in-law.

"And how can I tell whether they' re desarving or not? "retorted Major Doyle, fiercely. "Do ye want me to become a sleuth, or engage detectives to track the objects of your erroneous philanthropy? I just have to form a judgment an' take me chances; and whin a poor devil goes wrong I charge your account with the loss."

"But some of them must succeed, " ventured Patsy, in a conciliatorytone.

"Some do, " said John Merrick; "and that repays me for all my trouble."

"All your throuble, sir? " queried the Major; "you mane all my throuble—well, and your money. And a heap of throuble that confounded farm has cost me, with one thing and another."

"What of it? " retorted the little round faced millionaire, leaning back in his chair and staring fixedly at the other. "That' s what I employ you for."

"Now, now, gentlemen! " cried Patsy, earnestly. "I' ll have no business conversation at the table. You know my rules well enough."

"This isn' t business, " asserted the Major.

"Of course not, " agreed Uncle John, mildly. "No one has any business owning a farm. How did it happen. Major? "

The old soldier had already forgotten his grievance. He quarreled persistently with his wealthy employer and brotherin-law—whom he fairly adored—to prevent the possibility (as he often confided to Patsy) of his falling down and worshiping him. John Merrick was a multi-millionaire, to be sure;but there were palliatingcircumstances that almost excused him. He had been so busily occupied in industry that he never noticed how his wealth was piling up until he discovered it by accident. Then he promptly retired, "to give the other fellows a chance, " and he now devoted his life to simple acts of charity and the welfare and entertainment of his three nieces. He had rescued Major Doyle and his daughter from a lowly condition and placed the former in the great banking house of Isham, Marvin & Company, where John Merrick' s vast interests were protected and his income wisely managed. He had given Patsy this cozy little apartment house at 3708 Willing Square and made his home with her, from which circumstance she had come to be recognized as his favorite niece.

John Merrick was sixty years old. He was short, stout and chubby-faced, with snow-white hair, mild blue eyes and an invariably cheery smile. Simple in his tastes, modest and retiring, lacking the education and refinements of polite society, but shrewd and experienced in the affairs of the world, the little man found his greatest enjoyment in the family circle that he had been instrumental in founding. Being no longer absorbed in business, he had come to detest its every detail, and so allowed his bankers to care for his fortune and his brother-in-law to disbursehis income, while he himself strove to enjoy life in a shy and boyish fashion that was as unusual in a man of his wealth as it was admirable. He had never married.

Patricia was the apple of Uncle John' s eye, and the one goddess enshrinedin her dotingfather' s heart. Glancing at her, as she sat here at table in her plain muslin gown, a stranger would be tempted to wonder why. She was red-haired, freckled as a robin' s egg, pug-nosed and wide-mouthed. But her blue eyes were beautiful, and they sparkled with a combination of saucymischief and kindly consideration for others that lent her face an indescribable charm.

Everyone loved Patsy Doyle, and people would gaze longer at her smiling-lips and dancing eyes than upon many a more handsome but less attractive face. She was nearly seventeen years old, not very tall, and her form, to speak charitably, was more neat than slender.

"A while ago, " said the Major, resuming the conversation as he carved the roast, "a young fellow came to me who had invented a new sort of pump to inflate rubber tires. He wanted capital to patent the pump and put it on the market. The thing looked pretty good, John; so I lent him a thousand of your money."

"Quite right, " returned Uncle John, nodding.

"But pretty soon he came back with a sad tale. He was in a bad fix. Another fellow was contesting his patent and fighting hard to head him off. It would take a lot of money to fight back—three thousand, at least. But he was decent about it, after all. His father had left him a little farm at Millville. He couldn' t say what it was worth, but there were sixty acres and some good buildings, and he would deed it to you as security if you would let him have three thousand more."

"So you took the farm and gave him the money? "

"I did, sir. Perhaps I am to blame; but I liked the young fellow' s looks. He was clean-cut and frank, and believed in his pump. I did more. At the climax of the struggle I gave another thousand, making five thousand in all."

"Well? "

"It' s gone, John; and you' ve got the farm. The other fellows were too clever for my young friend, Joseph Wegg, and knocked out his patent."

"I' m so sorry! " said Patsy, sympathetically.

The Major coughed.

"It' s not an unusual tale, my dear; especially when John advances the money, " he replied.

"What became ofthe young man? " asked the girl.

"He' s a competent chauffeur, and so he went to work driving an automobile."

"Where is Millville? " inquired Uncle John, thoughtfully.

"Somewhere at the north of the State, I believe."

"Have you investigated the farm at all? "

"I looked up a real estate dealer living at Millville, and wrote him about the Wegg farm. He said if any one wanted the place very badly it might sell for three thousand dollars."

"Humph! "

"But his best information was to the effectthat no one wanted it at all."

Patsy laughed.

"Poor Uncle John! " she said.

The little man, however, was serious. For a time he ate with great deliberation and revolved an interesting thought in his mind.

"Years ago." said he, "I lived in a country town; and I love the smell of the meadows and the hum of the bees in the orchards. Any orchards at my farm, Major? "

"Don' t know, sir."

"Pretty soon, " continued Uncle John, "it' s going to be dreadfully hot in New York, and we' ll have to get away."

"Seashore' s the place, " remarked the Major. "Atlantic City, or Swampscott, or—"

"Rubbish! " growled the other man, impatiently. "The girls and I have just come from Europe. We' ve had enough sea to last us all this season, at least. What we pine for is country life—pure milk, apple trees and new mown hay."

"We, Uncle? " said Patsy.

"Yes, my dear. A couple of months on the farm will do all of my nieces good. Beth is still with Louise, you know, and they must find the city deadly dull, just now. The farm' s the thing. And the Major can run up to see us for a couple of weeks in the hot weather, and we' ll all have a glorious, lazy time."

"And we can take Mary along to do the cooking, " suggested Patsy, entering into the idea enthusiastically.

"And eat in our shirt-sleeves! " said Uncle John, with a glowing face.

"And have a cow and some pigs! " cried the girl.

"Pah! " said the Major, scornfully. "You talk as if it were a real farm, instead of a place no one would have as a gift."

Uncle John looked sober again.

"Anyone live on the place, Major? " he inquired.

"I believe not. It' s gone to ruin and decay the last few years."

"But it could be put into shape? "

"Perhaps so; at an expense that will add to your loss."

"Never mind that."

"If you want farm life, why don' t you rent a respectable farm? " demanded the Major.

"No; this is my farm. I own it, and it' s my bounded duty to live on it, " said Uncle John, stubbornly. "Write to that real estate fellow at Millville tomorrow and tell him to have the place fixed up and put into ship-shape order as quickly as possible. Tell him to buy some cows and pigs and chickens, and hire a man to look after them. Also a horse and buggy, some saddle horses—"

"Go slow, John. Don' t leave such a job to a country real estate dealer. If I remember right the fellow wrote like a blacksmith. If you want horses and rigs, let Hutchinson send you down the right sort, with an experienced groom and stable hands. But I' m not sure there will be a place to put them."

"Oh, Uncle! " exclaimed Patsy; "don' t let us have all those luxuries. Let us live a simple life on the farm, and not degrade its charms by adding city fixin' s. The cow and the chickens are all right, but let' s cut out the horses until we get there. Don' t you know, dear, that a big establishment means lots of servants, and servants mean worry and strife? I want to let down the bars for the cow when she moos, and milk her myself."

"It takes a skilled mechanic to milk a cow, " objected the Major.

"But Patsy' s right! " cried her uncle, with conviction. "We don' t want any frillsat all. Just tell your man, Major, to put the place into good living condition."

"Patrichia, " softly remarked the Major, with an admiring glance at his small daughter, "has more sinse in her frizzledhead than both of us put together."

"If she hadn' t more than you, " retorted Uncle John, with a grin, "I' d put a candle inside her noodle and call her a JackLantern."Chapter 2THE AGENT农场中的家具等全都失修已久,房产代理人来信希望约翰叔叔能够汇50美元以便打理农场,约翰叔叔寄去了500美元。同时,他购买了各种所需用具并陆续托运到离农场最近的火车站,天气一天比一天热,大家都盼着早日去农场度假。

The Major hunted up the real estate dealer' s former letter as soon as he reached his office next morning. The printed letter-head, somewhat blurred, because too much ink had been used, read as follows:

Marshall McMahon McNutt,

Real Estate Dealer & Horses to Pasture

by the week or month.

Also Plymouth Rock Hens & Road Commissioner

Agent for Radley' s Lives of the Saints

Insurance and Watermelons My Specialty

Millville, Mount County, N.Y.

The Major shook his head doubtfully as he read the above announcement; but Mr. McNutt was the only known person to whom he could appeal to carry out John Merrick' s orders. So he dictated the following letter:Dear Sir:

Mr. John Merrick, the present owner of the Wegg farm at Millville, desires to spend his summer vacation on the premises, and therefore requests you to have the house and grounds put in first-class shape as soon as possible, and to notify me directly the work is done. Have the house thoroughly cleaned, the grass mowed around it and the barns and outbuildings repaired wherever it may be necessary. You are also instructed to procure for Mr. Merrick' s use a good Jersey cow, some pigs and a dozen or so barnyard fowls. As several ladies will accompany the owner and reside with him on the place, he would like you to report what necessary furniture, if any, will be required for their comfort. Send your bill to me and it will receive prompt attention.After several days this reply came:

Mister Doyle you must be crazy as a loon. Send me fifty cold dollars as an evvidence of good fayth and I wull see what can be done. Old Hucks is livin on the place yit do you want him to git out or what? Yours fer a square deal Marshall McMahon McNutt.

"John, " said the Major, exhibiting this letter, "you' re on the wrong tack. The man is justified in thinking we' re crazy. Give up this idea and think of something else to bother me."

But the new proprietor of the Wegg farm was obdurate. During the past week he had indulged in sundry sly purchases, which had been shipped, in his name to Chazy Junction, the nearest railway station to Millville. Therefore, the "die had been cast, " as far as Mr. Merrick was concerned, for the purchases were by this time at the farm, awaiting him, and he could not back out without sacrificing them. They included a set of gardening tools, several hammocks, croquet and tennis sets, and a remarkable collection of fishing tackle, which the sporting-goods man had declared fitted to catch anything that swam, from a whale to a minnow. Also, Uncle John decided to dress the part of a rural gentleman, and ordered his tailor to prepare a corduroy fishing costume, a suit of white flannel, one of khaki, and some old-fashioned blue jean overalls, with apron front, which, when made to order by the obliging tailor, cost about eighteen dollars a suit. To forego the farm meant to forego all these luxuries, and Mr. Merrick was unequal to the sacrifice. Why, only that same morning he had bought a charming cottage piano and shipped it to the Junction for Patsy' s use. That seemed to settle the matter definitely. To be balked of his summer vacation on his own farm was a thing Mr. Merrick would not countenancefor a moment.

"Give me that letter, Major, " he said; "I' ll run this enterprise myself."

The Major resigned with a sigh of relief.

Uncle John promptly sent the real estate agent a draft for five hundred dollars, with instructions to get the farm in shape for occupancy at the earliest possible day.

"If Old Hucks is a farm hand and a bachelor, " he wrote,"let him stay till I come and look him over. If he' s a married man and has a family, chuck him out at once. I' m sure you are a man of good taste and judgment. Look over the furniture in the house and telegraph me what condition it is in. Everything about the place must be made cozy and comfortable, but I wish to avoid an appearance of vulgarity or extravagance."The answer to this was a characteristic telegram:

Furniture on the bum, like everything else. Will do the best I can. McNutt.

Uncle John did not display this discouraging report to Patsy or her father. A little thought on the matter decided him to rectify the deficiencies, in so far as it lay in his power. He visited a large establishment making a specialty of "furnishing homes complete, " and ordered a new kitchen outfit, including a modern range, a mission style outfit for a diningroom, daintysummer furniture for the five chambers to be occupied by his three nieces, the Major and himself, and a variety of lawn benches, chairs, etc.

"Look after the details, " he said to the dealer. "Don' t neglect anything that is pretty or useful."

"I won' t, sir, " replied the man, who knew his customer was "the great John Merrick, " who could furnish a city"complete, " if he wished to, and not count the cost.

Everything was to be shipped in haste to the Junction, and Uncle John wrote McNutt to have it delivered promptly to the farm and put in order.

"As soon as things are in shape, " he wrote, "wire me to that effect and I' ll come down. But don' t let any grass grow under your feet. I' m a man who requires prompt service."

The days were already getting uncomfortably warm, and the little man was nervously anxious to see his farm. So were the nieces, for that matter, who were always interested in the things that interested their eccentric uncle. Besides Patricia Doyle, whom we have already introduced, these nieces were Miss Louise Merrick, who had just celebrated her eighteenth birthday, and Miss Elizabeth—or "Beth"—De Graf, now well past fifteen. Beth lived in a small town in Ohio, but was then visiting her city cousin Louise, so that both girls were not only available but eager to accompany Uncle John to his new domain and assist him to enjoy his summer outing.Chapter 3MILLVILLE HEARS EXCITING NEWS米尔维尔是个偏远的小村,村里零星分布着几家小店,由于交通不便,外面的人很少翻山越岭去那儿。那里的人过着简朴的生活,文化落后了近半个世纪。当约翰叔叔买下农场,并寄给代理商500元的打理费用的消息传进村镇时,村子里的人都按捺不住激动的心情……

Millville is rather difficult to locate on the map, for the railroads found it impossible to run a line there, Chazy Junction, the nearest station, is several miles away, and the wagon road ascends the foothills every step of the distance. Finally you pass between Mount Parnassus (whoever named it that? ) and Little Bill Hill and find yourself on an almost level plateau some four miles in diameter, with a placidlake in the center and a fringe of tall pines around the edge. At the South, where tower the northern sentries of the Adirondacks, a stream called Little Bill Creek comes splashing and dashing over the rocks to force its way noisily into the lake. When it emerges again it is humble and sedate, and flows smoothly to Hooker' s Falls, from whence it soon joins a tributarythat leads it to far away Champlain.

Millville is built where the Little Bill rushes into the lake. The old mill, with its race and sluice-gates, still grinds wearily the scantydole of grain fed into its hoppers and Silas Caldwell takes his toll and earns his modest living just as his father did before him and "Little Bill" Thompson did before him.

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