成長的過程 （2）

"Petty thieving, eh, Alfred.” said Mr. Carr. "And maybe you'd be good enough to tell me how long this has been going on."

“小偷小摸，是吧，艾爾弗雷德？”卡爾先生發話了�！耙苍S你能老實告訴我這種事已持續多久了？”

"This is the first time I ever took anything."

“這是我頭一次從店里拿東西�！�

Mr. Carr was quick to answer, "So now you think you'll tell me a lie, eh? What kind of fool I look like, huh? I don't know what goes on in my own store, eh? I tell you, you've been doing this for a long time." Mr. Carr had a strange smile on his face. "I don' t like to call the police," he said, "but maybe I should call your father, and let him know I'm going to have you put in jail."

卡爾先生當即反駁道：“你想騙我，嗯？看看我究竟有多傻，嗯？我會不知道我自己店里發生的事情，嗯？我告訴你，你這種行為已經持續很長一段時間了�！笨�爾先生瞼上露出了怪異的笑�！拔也幌虢芯�察，”他說，“但我也許應該給你父親打個電話，讓他知道我得把你送到監獄里去�！�

"My father is not home. He is a printer. He works nights."

“我父親不在家。他是個印刷工，上夜班�！�

"Who is at home?" Carr asked.

“那么誰在家？”卡爾問道。

"My mother, I think."

“我想，我母親大概在吧�！�

Mr. Carr started to go to the phone. Alfred's fear made him raise his voice. He wanted to show he was afraid of nobody. He acted this way every time he got into trouble. This had happened many times since he left school. At such times he always spoke in a loud voice, as he did tonight. "Just a minute," he said to Mr. Carr. "You don' t have to get anybody else into this. You don't have to tell her." Alfred tried to sound big, but deep down he was like a child. He hoped that someone at home would come quickly to save him. But Mr. Carr was already talking to his mother. He told her to come to the store in a hurry.

卡爾先生準備去打電話。因為恐懼，艾爾弗雷德提高了音量。他想以此顯示他誰也不怕。每當他碰上麻煩時，他都這么做。自從他離開學校后他經常闖禍。每次遇到這種情況，他就拉大嗓門說話，今晚也不例外�！吧缘纫幌�，”他對卡爾先生說，“你沒必要把別人扯進來。你沒必要告訴她�！卑瑺柛ダ椎抡f話時努力想使自己顯得像個大人，可內心里他卻像個孩子。他希望家里很快有人來救他。這時卡爾先生已在和他的母親通話了。他讓她趕緊到店里來。