Chapter 10 The House on Mango Street 4

　　Once when we were living on Loomis, a nun¹ from my school passed by and saw me playing out front. The Laundromat downstairs had been boarded up because it had been robbed² two days before and the owner had painted on the wood YES WE'RE OPEN so as not lose business.

　　Where do you live? She asked.　
　　There, I said pointing up to the third floor.　
　　You live there?

　　There. I had to look to where she pointed³ –—— the third floor, the paint peeling, wooden bars Papa had nailed⁴ on the windows so we wouldn't fall out. You live there? The way she said it made me feel like nothing. There. I lived there. I nodded.

　　I knew then I had to have to house. A real house. One I could point to .but this isn't it. The house on Mango Street isn't it. For the time being, Mama says. Temporary, says Papa. But I know how those things go.

　　　　　　　　　　　　

　　我们住在Loomis时，有一回学校的嬷嬷经过那里，看到我在房前玩。楼下的自助洗衣店被用木板封了起来，因为两天前刚被洗劫过。为了不走掉生意，主人在木头上涂抹了几个字：“是的，我们在营业。”

　　“你住哪里呀？”她问。　
　　那里。我说，指了指三楼。　
　　你住在那里？

　　那里。我不得不朝他指的地方看去——三层楼上，那里墙皮斑驳，窗上横着几根木条，是爸爸钉上去的，那样我们就不会掉出来。你住在那里？她说话的样子让我觉得自己什么都不是。那里，我住在那里。我点头。

　　于是，我明白，我得有一所房子。一所真正的大屋。一所可以指给别人看的房子。可这里不是。芒果街上的小屋不是。目前就这样，妈妈说。这是暂时的，爸爸说。可恶知道事情是怎样的。

1 nun   

n.修女，尼姑

参考例句：

• I can't believe that the famous singer has become a nun.我无法相信那个著名的歌星已做了修女。
• She shaved her head and became a nun.她削发为尼。

2 robbed   

v.抢夺( rob的过去式和过去分词 )；抢劫；掠夺；使丧失

参考例句：

• Would you be able to identify the man who robbed you? 你能够认出那个抢你东西的人吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They stood looking on while the man was robbed. 正当那个人被抢劫时，他们却站在那儿袖手旁观。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

4 nailed   

v.钉住( nail的过去式和过去分词 )；抓住；证明…不属实；揭露

参考例句：

• I can't get this lid off—It'seems to be nailed down. 我打不开这个盖子，好像是被钉住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The letter was nailed to the wall with an arrow. 一支箭把信钉在了墙上。 来自《简明英汉词典》