4 Miss Petula Perpetual-Motion

Miss PETULA Perpetual- Motion

佩图拉小姐永动机

THIS IS THE STORY OF A GIRL who would not sit still. Miss Petula Perpetual-Motion was forever in motion. Whether she was in a lesson, in church or even playing Musical Statues, some part of her would always be moving. It might be her foot, or her arm, or even her entire body.

这是一个不愿安静地坐着的女孩的故事。 佩图拉小姐永远在运动。 无论她是在上课，在教堂里，还是在演奏音乐雕像，她的某些部分总是在动。 可能是她的脚，或者她的手臂，甚至她的整个身体。

It would start with a little wiggle, then become a waggle, before turning into a jiggle and progressing to a JOGGLE. Next she would be cartwheeling across the room, creating pandemonium wherever she went. Petula was even in motion as she slept. Sometimes the other girls at her posh boarding school, Modesty Plice would hear a noise in the dead of night. They would peek out from under their bedcovers and see Petula ballet-dancing across the dormitory with her eyes closed. One day, Petula's rather grand headmistress announced that the girls of Modesty Place were to go on an awfully special trip.

它会从一个小的摆动开始，然后变成一个摆动，然后变成一个摆动，然后发展到一个JOGGLE。 接下来，她就会在房间里翻筋斗，所到之处都是一片混乱。 佩图拉睡觉时甚至还在动。 有时，她所在的豪华寄宿学校的其他女孩会在夜深人静的时候听到噪音。 他们会从被窝里往外偷看，看到佩图拉闭着眼睛在宿舍里跳芭蕾舞。 一天，佩图拉的大女校长宣布，端庄园的女孩们要进行一次非常特别的旅行。

"Quiet, girls!" ordered the lady as she stood on stage at assembly. Miss Prigg's grey hair was styled in a magnificent bouffant hairdo and a pair of half-moon spectacles hung from her neck on a gold chain. If she was about to tell someone off (which was often), the spectacles would be lifted up to her eyes so she could stare her victim down and give them the willies. "Now, girls, we are going to take a school trip to somewhere I-your beloved headmistress-have chosen myself. We are going to visit my favourite PORCELAIN museum. Needless to say, I expect you to be on your absolute best behaviour. I don't want any mishaps."

“安静，姑娘们！”这位女士站在集会的舞台上命令道。 普里格小姐灰白的头发做了一个华丽的蓬松发型，脖子上挂着一副半月形的眼镜，上面挂着一条金链子。 如果她要责备某人（这是经常发生的），她就会把眼镜举到眼睛上，这样她就可以盯着她的受害者，让他们毛骨悚然。 “现在，姑娘们，我们要进行一次学校旅行，去一个我——你们亲爱的校长——自己选定的地方。 我们要去参观我最喜欢的瓷器博物馆。 不用说，我希望你表现得最好。 我可不想出事。”

Suddenly all eyes were on Petula. OH NO! thought the good girls sitting in the front row. OH YES! thought the bad girls sitting in the back: row. To make matters worse (or better, depending on whether you were a good or bad girl), Petula was bouncing up and down on her seat like it was a space hopper. "BOING! BOING! BOING!

突然，所有的目光都集中在佩图拉身上。 噢,不!想着坐在前排的好女孩。 哦,是的!我以为坏女孩坐在后排。 更糟糕的是（或好或坏，取决于你是好女孩还是坏女孩），佩图拉在她的座位上跳上跳下，就像一个太空跳跃器。 “啵嘤!啵嘤!啵嘤!

"PORCELAIN has long been a personal passion of mine," continued the headmistress, who loved making lengthy speeches. "Now I-your beloved headmistress -want to share that passion with YOU. This museum is the best in Europe. Every single piece on display is a priceless antique. There shall be no 'accidents.' Do I make myself clear?" There was a faint murmur from the pupils. "I SAID DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!" she bellowed. "Yes, Headmistress," chimed the girls in unison. "Excellent! Now, Miss Petula Perpetual-Motion, I need. to see you in my study right away." The girl glowed as red as a tomato driving a fire engine. What had she done wrong now? Surely the time when she accidentally spun backwards into the science block had been put behind her? Yes, the experiment taking place that day went badly wrong. Yes, there was still a huge hole in the floor where the acid burned through it. But Petula swore it was an accident.

“瓷器一直是我个人的爱好，”喜欢长篇演讲的女校长继续说。 “现在，我——你们敬爱的女校长——想和你们分享这份激情。 这个博物馆是欧洲最好的。 展出的每一件展品都是无价的古董。 不应该有“意外”。我讲清楚了吗？”学生们发出了微弱的低语声。 “我说我讲清楚了吗？！”她吼道。 “是的，校长。”女生们齐声附和。 “太好了!佩图拉永动机小姐，我需要。 马上到我书房来见你。” 那个女孩开着消防车，脸红得像个西红柿。 现在她又做错了什么？ 她不小心向后旋转撞进科学楼的那次肯定已经被抛在脑后了吧？ 是的，那天进行的实验出了严重的问题。 是的，地板上仍然有一个大洞，酸把它烧穿了。 但佩图拉发誓说那是个意外。