"O brook! O foolish and tiresome little brook!" cried Pearl, after listening awhile to its talk. "Why art thou so sad? Pluck up a spirit, and do not be all the time sighing and murmuring!"
“啊，小河啊！啊，蠢得烦人的小河啊！”珠儿聆听了一阵儿流水的谈话后这样叫着人“你为什么这样伤心？打起点精神来，别总是哀声叹气的！”

But the brook, in the course of its little lifetime among the forest-trees, had gone through so solemn an experience that it could not help talking about it, and seemed to have nothing else to say. Pearl resembled the brook inasmuch as the current of her life gushed from a well-spring as mysterious, and had flowed through scenes shadowed as heavily with gloom. But, unlike the little stream, she danced and sparkled, and prattled airily along her course.
但在林间流过它短短生命的溪水，其经历是那样地肃穆，不可能不把它讲出来，而且看来也别无其它可说。珠儿与那溪水就有点相似，她的生命也是涌自一个神秘之泉，并流经同样阴沉的暗景。但同溪水不同的是，她是一路蹦蹦跳跳地走过来的，她容光焕发，谈吐轻快。

"What does this sad little brook say, mother?" inquired she.
“这条伤心的小河都说些什么啊；妈妈？”她询问道。

"If thou hadst a sorrow of thine own, the brook might tell thee of it," answered her mother, "even as it is telling me of mine! But now, Pearl, I hear a footstep along the path, and the noise of one putting aside the branches. I would have thee betake thyself to play, and leave me to speak with him that comes yonder."
“如果你有自己的忧伤，那么小溪也可以跟你把它说出来的，”她母亲回答，“就象它在对我谈我的忧伤一样！不过，珠儿，这会儿我听到有脚步声沿着小路走来，—还有拨开树枝的声音。我想让你自己去玩一会儿，留下我和走来的那人谈一谈。”

"Is it the Black Man?" asked Pearl.
“是那个黑男人吗？”珠儿问。

"Wilt thou go and play, child?" repeated her mother. "But do not stray far into the wood. And take heed that thou come at my first call."
“你去玩儿好吗，孩子？”她母亲又说了一遍。“可是别在林子里走得太远。留点心，我一叫你就回来。”

"Yes, mother," answered Pearl. "But if it be the Black Man, wilt thou not let me stay a moment, and look at him, with his big book under his arm?"
“好的，妈妈，”珠儿回答说。“不过，要是那个黑男人，你就让我稍稍呆上一会儿，看上他一眼，他还挟着那本大册子呢，不是吗？”

"Go, silly child!" said her mother impatiently. "It is no Black Man! Thou canst see him now, through the trees. It is the minister!"
“走吧，傻孩子！”她母亲不耐烦地说。“他不是黑男人！你现在就能看到他，正在穿过林子走来。那是牧师！”

"And so it is!" said the child. "And, mother, he has his hand over his heart! Is it because, when the minister wrote his name in the book, the Black Man set his mark in that place? But why does he not wear it outside his bosom, as thou dost, mother?"
“原来是他！”孩子说。“妈妈，他用手捂着心口呢！是不是因为牧师在册子上写下名字的时候，黑男人在那地方打下了记号？可是他干嘛不象你一样，把记号戴在胸口外面呢，妈妈？”