Lesson 9 : Meddlesome Matty

Lesson 9
Meddlesome (爱管闲事的，好干涉的） Matty

1. Oh, how one ugly trick has spoiled 

    The sweetest and the best!

    Matilda, though a pleasant child,

    One grievous (严重的，剧烈的，痛苦的） fault possessed.

    Which, like a cloud before the skies,

    Hid all her better qualities.

2. Sometimes, she'd lift the teapot lid

    To peep at what was in it;

    or tilt, the kettle, if you did 

    But turn your back a minute. 

    In vain you told her not to touch,

    Her trick of meddling grew so much.

        

3. Her Grandmamma went out one day,

   And, by mistake, she laid 

   Her spectacles and snuffbox(鼻烟壶） gay（色彩艳丽的）,

   too near the little maid（少女）;

  "Ah! well," thought she, "I'll try them on,

   as soon as grandamma is gone.”

4. Forthwith(立刻，马上 at once）, she placed upon her nose

   the glasses large and wide;

   and looking round, as I suppose,

   the snuffbox, too, she spied. 

   "Oh, what a pretty box is this!"

   "I'll open it," said little miss.

5. "I know that grandmamma would say,

     “Don't meddle with it, dear;”

    But then she's far enough away,

    and no one else is near;

   Beside, what can there be amiss (有毛病，有缺陷，有差错，wrong ,fault. ）

   in opening such a box as this?"

6. So, thumb and finger went to work

    to move the stubborn lid;

    And, presently, a mighty(有力的，强有力的）jerk （抖 shake,tremble)

    the mighty mischief (恶作剧，小聪明）did;

    For all at once; ah! woeful（不幸的，悲惨的，可怜的）case!

    the snuff came puffing（噗，吹 blow）in her face.

7. Poor eyes, and nose, and mouth and chin

    and dismal sight presented

    And as the snuff go further in,

    sincerely she repented（后悔，忏悔） .

    In vain she ran about for ease,

    She could do nothing else but sneeze（喷嚏， 打喷嚏）.

8. She dashed the spectacles away,

    to wipe her tingling(刺痛的） eyes
    And , as in twenty bites they lay,
    Her Grandmamma  she spies.
    Heyday（嘿，表示喜悦或惊奇）! and what's the matter now?"
    Cried grandmamma, with angry brow （眉毛，表情）.

9. Matilda, smarting with pain,

    And tingling still and sore（疼痛的，痛心的）, Made many a promise to refrain

   From meddling evermore

   And 't is a fact, as I have heard.

   She ever since has kept in her word.