Pearl had not found the hour pass wearisomely, while her mother sat talking with the clergyman. The great black forest- stern as it showed itself to those who brought the guilt and troubles of the world into its bosom- became the playmate of the lonely infant, as well as it knew how. Sombre as it was, it put on the kindest of its moods to welcome her. It offered her the partridge-berries, the growth of the preceding autumn, but ripening only in the spring, and now red as drops of blood upon the withered leaves. These Pearl gathered, and was pleased with their wild flavour. The small denizens of the wilderness hardly took pains to move out of her path. A partridge, indeed, with a brood of ten behind her, ran forward threatingly, but soon repented of her fierceness, and clucked to her young ones not to be afraid. A pigeon, alone on a low branch, allowed Pearl to come beneath, and uttered a sound as much of greeting as alarm. A squirrel, from the lofty depths of his domestic tree, chattered either in anger or merriment- for a squirrel is such a choleric and humorous little personage, that it is hard to distinguish between his moods- so he chattered at the child, and flung down a nut upon her head. It was a last year's nut, and already gnawed by his sharp tooth. A fox, startled from his sleep by her light footstep on the leaves, looked inquisitively at Pearl, as doubting whether it were better to steal off, or renew his nap on the same spot. A wolf, it is said- but here the tale has surely lapsed into the improbable- came up, and smelt of Pearl's robe, and offered his savage head to be patted by her hand. The truth seems to be, however, that the mother-forest, and these wild things which it nourished, all recognised a kindred wildness in the human child.
她母亲坐在那儿和牧师谈话的当儿,珠儿并不觉得时间过得无聊。那座阴森森的大树林——对那些把世间的罪孽和烦恼都装进胸扉的人们来说,虽然显得那么严厉,但却成了那孤独的幼儿的玩伴,而且懂得怎么陪着她玩。大森林尽管阴沉忧郁,却露出最亲切的心情来欢迎她。向她提供了红树浆果,那是去年秋天长出,今年春天才成熟的,此时红得象珠珠血滴,树在枯叶上。珠儿采集了这些浆果,很喜欢那种野果的滋味。那些野生的小动物,都不肯从她的小径上走开。一只身后随着十只雏鸟的雌鹧鸪,确曾冲上前来威吓她,但很快就后悔那么凶,还咯咯叫着她的孩子不必害怕。一只独栖在低校上的野鸽,在珠儿来到树下时没有飞开,只是发出一声既象问候又象惊讶的叫声。一只松鼠从它作巢的高树的密时中叽叽咕咕,不知是生气还是高兴——因为松鼠本是爱发怒又逗人爱的小家伙,它的脾气实在让人捉摸不定——它边向那孩子叽叽咕咕,还扔下一颖坚果在她的头上。那是一颗去年结下的坚果,已经被它的利齿咬啮过了。一只狐狸被她踏在落时上的轻轻的脚步声所惊醒,探头探脑地望着珠儿,似乎拿不定主意,是悄悄溜走,还是呆在原地继续它的瞌睡。据说——故事叙述到这里确实有些荒唐了——,还有一只狼走上前来,嗅了嗅珠儿的衣服,还把它那野兽的头仰起来让她拍拍。不过,实情大概是:那森林母亲及其养育的这些野兽,全都在这人类的孩子身上辨出了一种亲切的野味。

And she was gentler here than in the grassy-margined streets of the settlement, or in her mother's cottage. The flowers appeared to know it; and one and another whispered as she passed, "Adorn thyself with me, thou beautiful child, adorn thyself with me!"- and, to please them, Pearl gathered the violets, and anemones, and columbines, and some twigs of the freshest green, which the old trees held down before her eyes. With these she decorated her hair, and her young waist, and became a nymph-child, or an infant dryad, or whatever else was in closest sympathy with the antique wood. In such guise had Pearl adorned herself, when she heard her mother's voice, and came slowly back.
而她在这林中,也要比在居民区两边铺了草的街道上,或是她母亲的茅屋中,显得温和些。花朵象是明白这一点;在她经过时,就会有那么一两朵悄声低语:“用我来打扮打扮你自己吧,你这漂亮的孩子,用我来打扮打扮你自己吧!”——而为了让它们高兴,珠儿也就摘了几朵紫罗兰、银莲花和耧斗菜,以及一些从老树上垂到她眼前的翠绿的嫩枝。她用这些花枝编成花环,戴往头发上,缠在腰肢间,于是便成了一个小仙子,或是林中小仙女,或是同古老的树林最为亲密无间的什么精灵。珠儿把自己这样打扮好了,便听到她母亲的呼唤,慢慢地往回走去。

Slowly; for she saw the clergyman!
她走得很慢,因为她看到了牧师。