小说搜索     点击排行榜   最新入库
首页 » 儿童英文小说 » Five Little Peppers And How They Grew » POLLY'S DISMAL MORNING
选择底色: 选择字号:【大】【中】【小】
POLLY'S DISMAL MORNING
关注小说网官方公众号(noveltingroom),原版名著免费领。
 Everything had gone wrong with Polly that day. It began with her boots.
 
Of all things in the world that tried Polly's patience most were the troublesome little black buttons that originally adorned1 those useful parts of her clothing, and that were fondly supposed to be there when needed. But they never were. The little black things seemed to be invested with a special spite, for one by one they would hop2 off on the slightest provocation3, and go rolling over the floor, just when she was in her most terrible hurry, compelling her to fly for needle and thread on the instant. For one thing Mrs. Pepper was very strict about—and that was, Polly should do nothing else till the buttons were all on again, and the boots buttoned up firm and snug4.
 
“Oh dear!” said Polly, sitting down on the floor, and pulling on her stockings. “There now, see that hateful old shoe, mamsie!” And she thrust out one foot in dismay.
 
“What's the matter with it?” said Mrs. Pepper straightening the things on the bureau. “You haven't worn it out already, Polly?”
 
“Oh no,” said Polly, with a little laugh. “I hope not yet, but it's these dreadful hateful old buttons!” And she twitched5 the boot off from her foot with such an impatient little pull, that three or four more went flying under the bed. “There now—there's a lot more. I don't care! I wish they'd all go; they might as well!” she cried, tossing that boot on the floor in intense scorn, while she investigated the state of the other one.
 
“Are they all off?” asked Phronsie, pulling herself up out of a little heap in the middle of the bed, and leaning over the side, where she viewed Polly sorrowfully. “Every one, Polly?”
 
“No,” said Polly, “but I wish they were, mean old things; when I was going down to play a duet with Jasper! We should have had a good long time before breakfast. Oh, mayn't I go just once, mamsie? Nobody'll see me if I tuck my foot under the piano; and I can sew 'em on afterwards—there'll be plenty of time. Do, just once, mamsie!”
 
“No,” said Mrs. Pepper firmly, “there isn't any time but now. And piano playing isn't very nice when you've got to stick your toes under it to keep your shoes on.”
 
“Well then,” grumbled6 Polly, hopping7 around in her stocking-feet, “where is the work-basket, mamsie? Oh—here it is on the window-seat.” A rattle8 of spools9, scissors and necessary utensils10 showed plainly that Polly had found it, followed by a jumble11 of words and despairing ejaculations as she groped hurriedly under chairs and tables to collect the scattered12 contents.
 
When she got back with a very red face, she found Phronsie, who had crawled out of bed, sitting down on the floor in her little nightgown and examining the boot with profound interest.
 
“I can sew 'em, Polly,” she said, holding up her hand for the big needle that Polly was trying to thread—“I can now truly; let me, Polly, do!”
 
“Dear no!” said Polly with a little laugh, beginning to be very much ashamed. “What could you do with your little mites13 of hands pulling this big thread through that old leather? There, scamper14 into bed again; you'll catch cold out here.
 
“Tisn't very cold,” said Phronsie, tucking up her toes under the night-gown, but Polly hurried her into bed, where she curled herself up under the clothes, watching her make a big knot. But the knot didn't stay; for when Polly drew up the long thread triumphantly15 to the end—out it flew, and away the button hopped16 again as if glad to be released. And then the thread kinked horribly, and got all twisted up in disagreeable little snarls17 that took all Polly's patience to unravel18.
 
“It's because you're in such a hurry,” said Mrs. Pepper, who was getting Phronsie's clothes. And coming over across the room she got down on one knee, and looked over Polly's shoulder. “There now, let mother see what's the matter.”
 
“Oh dear,” said Polly, resigning the needle with a big sigh, and leaning back to take a good stretch, followed by Phronsie's sympathizing eyes; “they never'll be on! And there goes the first bell!” as the loud sounds under Jane's vigorous ringing pealed19 up over the stairs. “There won't be time anyway, now! I wish there wasn't such a thing as shoes in the world!” And she gave a flounce and sat up straight in front of her mother.
 
“Polly!” said Mrs. Pepper sternly, deftly20 fastening the little buttons tightly into place with quick, firm stitches, “better be glad you've got them to sew at all. There now, here they are. Those won't come off in a hurry!”
 
“Oh, mamsie!” cried Polly, ignoring for a moment the delights of the finished shoe to fling her arms around her mother's neck and give her a good hug. “You're just the splendidest, goodest mamsie in all the world. And I'm a hateful, cross old bear, so I am!” she cried remorsefully21, buttoning herself into her boots. Which done, she flew at the rest of her preparations and tried to make up for lost time.
 
But 'twas all of no use. The day seemed to be always just racing22 ahead of her, and turning a corner, before she could catch up to it, and Ben and the other boys only caught dissolving views of her as she flitted through halls or over stairs.
 
“Where's Polly?” said Percy at last, coming with great dissatisfaction in his voice to the library door. “We've called her, I guess a million times, and she won't hurry.”
 
“What do you want to have her do?” asked Jasper, looking up from the sofa where he had flung himself with a book.
 
“Why, she said she'd make Van and me our sails you know,” said Percy, holding up a rather forlorn looking specimen23 of a boat, but which the boys had carved with the greatest enthusiasm, “and we want her now.”
 
“Can't you let her alone till she's ready to come?” said Jasper quickly. “You're always teasing her to do something,” he added.
 
“I didn't tease,” said Percy indignantly, coming up to the sofa, boat in hand, to enforce his words. “She said she'd love to do 'em, so there, Jasper King!”
 
“Coming! coming!” sang Polly over the stairs, and bobbing into the library, “Oh—here you are, Percy! I couldn't come before; mamsie wanted me. Now, says I, for the sails.” And she began to flap out a long white piece of cotton cloth on the table to trim into just the desired shape.
 
“That isn't the way,” said Percy, crowding up, the brightness that had flashed over his face at Polly's appearance beginning to fade. “Hoh! those won't be good for anything—those ain't sails.”
 
“I haven't finished,” said Polly, snipping24 away vigorously, and longing25 to get back to mamsie. “Wait till they're done; then they'll be good—as good as can be!”
 
“And it's bad enough to have to make them,” put in Jasper, flinging aside his book and rolling over to watch them, “without having to be found fault with every second, Percy.”
 
“They're too big,” said Percy, surveying them critically, and then looking at his boat.
 
“Oh, that corner's coming off,” cried Polly cheerfully, giving it a sharp cut that sent it flying on the floor. “And they won't be too big when they're done, Percy, all hemmed26 and everything. There,” as she held one up for inspection27, “that's just the way I used to make Ben's and mine, when we sailed boats.”
 
“Is it?” asked Percy, looking with more respect at the piece of cloth Polly was waving alluringly28 before him. “Just exactly like it, Polly?”
 
“Yes,” said Polly, laying it down again for a pattern—“oh, how does this go—oh—that's it, there—yes, this is just exactly like Bensie's and mine—that was when I was ever so little; and then I used to make Joel's and Davie's afterwards and—”
 
“And were theirs just like this?” asked Percy, laying his hand on the sail she had finished cutting out.
 
“Pre-cisely,” said Polly, with a pin in her mouth. “Just as like as two peas, Percy Whitney.”
 
“Then I like them,” cried Percy, veering29 round and regarding them with great satisfaction—as Van bounded in with a torrent30 of complaints, and great disappointment in every line of his face.
 
“Oh now, that's too bad!” he cried, seeing Polly fold up the remaining bits of cloth, and pick up the scraps31 on the floor. “And you've gone and let her cut out every one of 'em, and never told me a word! You're a mean, old hateful thing, Percy Whitney!”
 
“Oh don't!” said Polly, on her knees on the floor.
 
“I forgot—” began Percy, “and she cut 'em so quick—and—”
 
“And I've been waiting,” said Van, in a loud wrathful key, “and waiting—and waiting!”
 
“Never mind, Van,” said Jasper consolingly, getting off from the sofa and coming up to the table.
 
“They're done and done beautifully, aren't they?” he said, holding up one.
 
But this only proved fresh fuel for the fire of Van's indignation.
 
“And you shan't have 'em, so!” he cried, making a lunge at the one on the table, “for I made most of the boat, there!”
 
“Oh no, you didn't!” cried Percy in the greatest alarm, hanging on to the boat in his hand. “I cut—all the keel—and the bow—and—”
 
“Oh dear!” said Polly, in extreme dismay, looking at Jasper. “Come, I'll tell you what I'll do, boys.”
 
“What?” said Van, cooling off a little, and allowing Percy to edge into a corner with the beloved boat and one sail. “What will you, Polly?”
 
“I'll make you another pair of sails,” said Polly groaning32 within herself as she thought of the wasted minutes, “and then you can see me cut 'em, Van.”
 
“Will you really,” he said, delight coming all over his flushed face.
 
“Yes, I will,” cried Polly, “wait a minute till I get some more cloth.” And she started for the door.
 
“Oh now, that's too bad!” said Jasper. “To have to cut more of those tiresome33 old things! Van, let her off!”
 
“Oh no, I won't! I won't!” he cried in the greatest alarm, running up to her as she stood by the door. “You did say so, Polly! You know you did!”
 
“Of course I did, Vanny,” said Polly, smiling down into his eager face, “and we'll have a splendid pair in just—one—minute!” she sang.
 
And so the sails were cut out, and the hems34 turned down and basted35, and tucked away into Polly's little work-basket ready for the sewing on the morrow. And then Mr. King came in and took Jasper off with him; and the two Whitney boys went up to mamma for a story; and Polly sat down in mamsie's room to tackle her French exercise.
 
 

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 adorned 1e50de930eb057fcf0ac85ca485114c8     
[计]被修饰的
参考例句:
  • The walls were adorned with paintings. 墙上装饰了绘画。
  • And his coat was adorned with a flamboyant bunch of flowers. 他的外套上面装饰着一束艳丽刺目的鲜花。
2 hop vdJzL     
n.单脚跳,跳跃;vi.单脚跳,跳跃;着手做某事;vt.跳跃,跃过
参考例句:
  • The children had a competition to see who could hop the fastest.孩子们举行比赛,看谁单足跳跃最快。
  • How long can you hop on your right foot?你用右脚能跳多远?
3 provocation QB9yV     
n.激怒,刺激,挑拨,挑衅的事物,激怒的原因
参考例句:
  • He's got a fiery temper and flares up at the slightest provocation.他是火爆性子,一点就着。
  • They did not react to this provocation.他们对这一挑衅未作反应。
4 snug 3TvzG     
adj.温暖舒适的,合身的,安全的;v.使整洁干净,舒适地依靠,紧贴;n.(英)酒吧里的私房
参考例句:
  • He showed us into a snug little sitting room.他领我们走进了一间温暖而舒适的小客厅。
  • She had a small but snug home.她有个小小的但很舒适的家。
5 twitched bb3f705fc01629dc121d198d54fa0904     
vt.& vi.(使)抽动,(使)颤动(twitch的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • Her lips twitched with amusement. 她忍俊不禁地颤动着嘴唇。
  • The child's mouth twitched as if she were about to cry. 这小孩的嘴抽动着,像是要哭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 grumbled ed735a7f7af37489d7db1a9ef3b64f91     
抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 ); 发牢骚; 咕哝; 发哼声
参考例句:
  • He grumbled at the low pay offered to him. 他抱怨给他的工资低。
  • The heat was sweltering, and the men grumbled fiercely over their work. 天热得让人发昏,水手们边干活边发着牢骚。
7 hopping hopping     
n. 跳跃 动词hop的现在分词形式
参考例句:
  • The clubs in town are really hopping. 城里的俱乐部真够热闹的。
  • I'm hopping over to Paris for the weekend. 我要去巴黎度周末。
8 rattle 5Alzb     
v.飞奔,碰响;激怒;n.碰撞声;拨浪鼓
参考例句:
  • The baby only shook the rattle and laughed and crowed.孩子只是摇着拨浪鼓,笑着叫着。
  • She could hear the rattle of the teacups.她听见茶具叮当响。
9 spools 18804a56ac4c1a01100511d70fe46ac2     
n.(绕线、铁线、照相软片等的)管( spool的名词复数 );络纱;纺纱机;绕圈轴工人v.把…绕到线轴上(或从线轴上绕下来)( spool的第三人称单数 );假脱机(输出或输入)
参考例句:
  • I bought three spools of thread at the store. 我在这个店里买了三轴线。 来自辞典例句
  • How many spools of thread did you use? 你用了几轴线? 来自辞典例句
10 utensils 69f125dfb1fef9b418c96d1986e7b484     
器具,用具,器皿( utensil的名词复数 ); 器物
参考例句:
  • Formerly most of our household utensils were made of brass. 以前我们家庭用的器皿多数是用黄铜做的。
  • Some utensils were in a state of decay when they were unearthed. 有些器皿在出土时已经残破。
11 jumble I3lyi     
vt.使混乱,混杂;n.混乱;杂乱的一堆
参考例句:
  • Even the furniture remained the same jumble that it had always been.甚至家具还是象过去一样杂乱无章。
  • The things in the drawer were all in a jumble.抽屉里的东西很杂乱。
12 scattered 7jgzKF     
adj.分散的,稀疏的;散步的;疏疏落落的
参考例句:
  • Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来,塞进文件夹里。
13 mites d5df57c25d6a534a9cab886a451cde43     
n.(尤指令人怜悯的)小孩( mite的名词复数 );一点点;一文钱;螨
参考例句:
  • The only discovered animals are water bears, mites, microscopic rotifers. 能够发现的动物只有海蜘蛛、螨和微小的轮虫。 来自辞典例句
  • Mites are frequently found on eggs. 螨会经常出现在蛋上。 来自辞典例句
14 scamper 9Tqzs     
v.奔跑,快跑
参考例句:
  • She loves to scamper through the woods of the forest.她喜欢在森林里的树林中穿梭嬉戏。
  • The flash sent the foxes scampering away.闪光惊得狐狸四处逃窜。
15 triumphantly 9fhzuv     
ad.得意洋洋地;得胜地;成功地
参考例句:
  • The lion was roaring triumphantly. 狮子正在发出胜利的吼叫。
  • Robert was looking at me triumphantly. 罗伯特正得意扬扬地看着我。
16 hopped 91b136feb9c3ae690a1c2672986faa1c     
跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 ); 单足蹦跳; 齐足(或双足)跳行; 摘葎草花
参考例句:
  • He hopped onto a car and wanted to drive to town. 他跳上汽车想开向市区。
  • He hopped into a car and drove to town. 他跳进汽车,向市区开去。
17 snarls 73979455e5f6e24a757b5c454344dab7     
n.(动物的)龇牙低吼( snarl的名词复数 );愤怒叫嚷(声);咆哮(声);疼痛叫声v.(指狗)吠,嗥叫, (人)咆哮( snarl的第三人称单数 );咆哮着说,厉声地说
参考例句:
  • I don't know why my hair snarls easily. 我不知道我的头发为什么容易缠结。 来自辞典例句
  • She combed the snarls out of her hair. 她把头发的乱结梳理通。 来自辞典例句
18 unravel Ajzwo     
v.弄清楚(秘密);拆开,解开,松开
参考例句:
  • He was good with his hands and could unravel a knot or untangle yarn that others wouldn't even attempt.他的手很灵巧,其他人甚至都不敢尝试的一些难解的绳结或缠在一起的纱线,他都能解开。
  • This is the attitude that led him to unravel a mystery that long puzzled Chinese historians.正是这种态度使他解决了长期以来使中国历史学家们大惑不解的谜。
19 pealed 1bd081fa79390325677a3bf15662270a     
v.(使)(钟等)鸣响,(雷等)发出隆隆声( peal的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The bells pealed (out) over the countryside. 钟声响彻郊野。 来自辞典例句
  • A gun shot suddenly pealed forth and shot its flames into the air. 突然一声炮响,一道火光升上天空。 来自辞典例句
20 deftly deftly     
adv.灵巧地,熟练地,敏捷地
参考例句:
  • He deftly folded the typed sheets and replaced them in the envelope. 他灵巧地将打有字的纸折好重新放回信封。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • At last he had a clew to her interest, and followed it deftly. 这一下终于让他发现了她的兴趣所在,于是他熟练地继续谈这个话题。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
21 remorsefully 0ed583315e6de0fd0c1544afe7e22b82     
adv.极为懊悔地
参考例句:
  • "My poor wife!" he said, remorsefully. “我可怜的妻子!”他悔恨地说。 来自柯林斯例句
22 racing 1ksz3w     
n.竞赛,赛马;adj.竞赛用的,赛马用的
参考例句:
  • I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
  • The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。
23 specimen Xvtwm     
n.样本,标本
参考例句:
  • You'll need tweezers to hold up the specimen.你要用镊子来夹这标本。
  • This specimen is richly variegated in colour.这件标本上有很多颜色。
24 snipping 5fe0030e9f7f57e9e018d33196ee84b6     
n.碎片v.剪( snip的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • The crew had been snipping it for souvenirs. 舰上人员把它剪下来当作纪念品。 来自辞典例句
  • The gardener is snipping off the dead leaves in the garden. 花匠在花园时剪枯叶。 来自互联网
25 longing 98bzd     
n.(for)渴望
参考例句:
  • Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。
  • His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。
26 hemmed 16d335eff409da16d63987f05fc78f5a     
缝…的褶边( hem的过去式和过去分词 ); 包围
参考例句:
  • He hemmed and hawed but wouldn't say anything definite. 他总是哼儿哈儿的,就是不说句痛快话。
  • The soldiers were hemmed in on all sides. 士兵们被四面包围了。
27 inspection y6TxG     
n.检查,审查,检阅
参考例句:
  • On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查,发现肉变质了。
  • The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。
28 alluringly 4cb8e90f55b9777ad8afb3d3ee3b190a     
诱人地,妩媚地
参考例句:
  • She turned and smiled alluringly at Douglas. 她转过身对道格拉斯报以迷人的一笑。 来自柯林斯例句
29 veering 7f532fbe9455c2b9628ab61aa01fbced     
n.改变的;犹豫的;顺时针方向转向;特指使船尾转向上风来改变航向v.(尤指交通工具)改变方向或路线( veer的现在分词 );(指谈话内容、人的行为或观点)突然改变;(指风) (在北半球按顺时针方向、在南半球按逆时针方向)逐渐转向;风向顺时针转
参考例句:
  • Anyone veering too close to the convoys risks being shot. 任何人改变方向,过于接近车队就有遭枪击的风险。 来自互联网
  • The little boat kept veering from its course in such a turbulent river. 小船在这湍急的河中总是改变方向。 来自互联网
30 torrent 7GCyH     
n.激流,洪流;爆发,(话语等的)连发
参考例句:
  • The torrent scoured a channel down the hillside. 急流沿着山坡冲出了一条沟。
  • Her pent-up anger was released in a torrent of words.她压抑的愤怒以滔滔不绝的话爆发了出来。
31 scraps 737e4017931b7285cdd1fa3eb9dd77a3     
油渣
参考例句:
  • Don't litter up the floor with scraps of paper. 不要在地板上乱扔纸屑。
  • A patchwork quilt is a good way of using up scraps of material. 做杂拼花布棉被是利用零碎布料的好办法。
32 groaning groaning     
adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式
参考例句:
  • She's always groaning on about how much she has to do. 她总抱怨自己干很多活儿。
  • The wounded man lay there groaning, with no one to help him. 受伤者躺在那里呻吟着,无人救助。
33 tiresome Kgty9     
adj.令人疲劳的,令人厌倦的
参考例句:
  • His doubts and hesitations were tiresome.他的疑惑和犹豫令人厌烦。
  • He was tiresome in contending for the value of his own labors.他老为他自己劳动的价值而争强斗胜,令人生厌。
34 hems 0589093300357a3b2e40a5c413f0fd09     
布的褶边,贴边( hem的名词复数 ); 短促的咳嗽
参考例句:
  • I took the hems of my dresses up to make them shorter. 我把我的连衣裙都改短了。
  • Hems must be level unless uneven design feature is requested. 袖口及裤脚卷边位置宽度必须一致(设计有特别要求的除外)。
35 basted 87bfdf6905a5c84b5ebdaa0ff333f45a     
v.打( baste的过去式和过去分词 );粗缝;痛斥;(烤肉等时)往上抹[浇]油
参考例句:
  • The turkey is basted to keep it from drying out. 烤火鸡时润以油脂以免烤干。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Meat is basted to keep it from drying out and to improve its flavour. 烤肉时润以脂油使不致烤焦并可增加香味。 来自《简明英汉词典》


欢迎访问英文小说网

©英文小说网 2005-2010

有任何问题,请给我们留言,管理员邮箱:[email protected]  站长QQ :点击发送消息和我们联系56065533