8 The Gingerbread Boy

CHAPTER 8 The Gingerbread Boy Thursday came and went, but Jasper didn't arrive. The little Peppers were very disappointed. They had been looking forward with all their hearts to seeing Jasper and Prince again. "It was probably his mean, old father," Polly said, wiping away a tear. "I know he would have come if he could have."

第八章姜饼男孩星期四来了又去，但是贾斯帕没有来。 小辣椒们非常失望。 他们一直真心实意地盼望着再次见到贾斯帕和普林斯。 “可能是他那吝啬的老父亲干的。”波莉说着，擦去了一滴眼泪。 “我知道如果他能来的话，他一定会来的。”

"Well, he promised to come, and he didn't," Joel said angrily. "I don't care if ever comes back." "Joel, you should be ashamed of yourself. Jasper will come again. He will have a very good reason for why he didn't come today, too," Mrs. Pepper said. The next day, when Ben was at the general store to buy more flour, Mr. Atkins called out to him. He held up an envelope. "There is a letter here for your sister Polly," Mr. Atkins said. "It can't be for Polly," Ben said. "She's never gotten any letters before. None of us have." "Well, it says her name right here—Polly Pepper," Mr. Atkins said, pointing to the envelope. Ben could hardly believe it. A letter for Polly! Ben raced home as fast as he could. He ran through the house calling for Polly, until he could place the envelope into her hands.

“嗯，他答应过要来的，可他没有来。”乔尔生气地说。 “我不在乎它会回来。” “乔尔，你应该为自己感到羞耻。 贾斯珀会再来的。他也会有一个很好的理由来解释他今天为什么没来，”佩珀太太说。 第二天，本在杂货店买面粉时，阿特金斯先生叫住了他。 他举起一个信封。“这里有一封给你妹妹波莉的信，”阿特金斯先生说。 “不可能是波莉，”本说。 “她以前从来没有收到过信。 我们谁也没有。”“嗯，上面写着她的名字——波莉·佩珀，”阿特金斯先生指着信封说。 本简直不敢相信。 给波莉的信！本以最快的速度跑回家。 他在屋子里跑着喊波莉，直到把信封放到她手里。

Everyone gathered around to see whom it could be from. Polly opened the letter and read it aloud, Dear Polly, I was so sorry I couldn't come on Thursday, but my father was sick and I couldn't leave him. I had a cold, too. If you're willing to have me, though, I'd like to come again. Your friend, Jasper King "I want to make some lovely little cakes for Jasper," Polly said. "Can we, Mamsie? Please?" "We don't have any white flour, Polly,"

大家都围过来看是谁打来的。 波莉拆开信，大声读了起来：亲爱的波莉，很抱歉我星期四不能来，因为我父亲病了，我不能离开他。 我也感冒了。如果你愿意的话，我还想再来一次。 “我想给贾斯帕做一些可爱的小蛋糕，”波莉说。 “可以吗，小姐？”请?”“我们没有白面粉了，波莉。”

Mamsie said, looking up from her sewing. "I can make them with brown flour, and raisins. I know we have some," Polly said, heading for the cupboard. "I was saving those for plum pudding," Mrs. Pepper said. "No, don't give Jasper our raisins!" Joel yelled. "I want plum pudding. I do, I do. And Jasper doesn't deserve them," he added. "Joel Pepper! You should never have plum pudding again for saying something like that about Jasper. He rescued Phronsie, and we owe him all our thanks. Don't you forget it," Mrs. Pepper scolded. "Nevermind, Joel," Polly said, comforting him. "If you don't want me to use the raisins, I won't. It's just that Jasper's sick. Remember how you felt when you had the measles? You liked it when people sent you lovely things to eat, didn't you?" Joel hung his head in shame.

玛西说着，从针线活中抬起头来。 “我可以用黑面粉和葡萄干做。 我知道我们有一些。”波莉说着朝碗柜走去。 “我本来打算留着做葡萄干布丁的，”佩珀太太说。 “不，别把我们的葡萄干给贾斯帕！”乔喊道。 “我要葡萄干布丁。我知道，我知道。 贾斯珀不配得到这些，”他补充道。 “乔尔胡椒!你不该再吃葡萄干布丁因为你那样说贾斯帕。 他救了弗朗西，我们应该感谢他。 别忘了，”佩珀太太责备道。 “没关系，乔尔。”波莉安慰他说。 “如果你不想让我用葡萄干，我就不用了。 只是贾斯珀病了。 还记得你得麻疹时的感觉吗？ 你喜欢别人送你好吃的东西，是吗？”乔尔羞愧地低下了头。

"I'm sorry, Polly. I didn't mean it. Let's give Jasper all the raisins. Every last one of them!" Joel offered. Joel and the others got busy helping Polly prepare the little cakes. Mrs. Pepper smiled to herself to see her little brood so happy and busy. "Now," said Phronsie, "I will bake a gingerbread boy for my poor, sick friend." "You don't have to, Phronsie," Polly said. "One of the little cakes can be from you to Jasper." Phronsie shook her yellow head. "Not Jasper." "Do you mean Prince?" Polly asked, whipping up the batter for the cakes. "No!" Phronsie said. "My poor, sick friend," she repeated. "What do you mean?" Polly asked, dropping a lump of dough on the table. "I want to make a gingerbread boy. That's what he'd like best!"

“对不起，波莉。我不是故意的。 把所有的葡萄干都给贾斯珀。 一个都不放过！”乔尔。 乔尔和其他人忙着帮波莉准备小蛋糕。 佩珀太太看到她的孩子们如此快乐忙碌，不禁暗自发笑。 “现在，”弗朗西说，“我要为我可怜的生病的朋友烤一个姜饼男孩。” “你不必这样，弗朗西。”波莉说。 “你可以给贾斯帕一个小蛋糕。” 弗朗西摇了摇头。 “不是碧玉。”“你是说王子吗？”波莉一边问，一边搅起面糊做蛋糕。 “不!”Phronsie说。“我可怜的生病的朋友，”她重复道。 “你是什么意思？”波莉问，把一团生面团扔在桌子上。 “我想做一个姜饼男孩。 这才是他最喜欢的！”

"Who?" Joel asked, pouncing on the lump of raisin-filled dough. "Jasper's daddy!" Phronsie said. "But, Phronsie," Polly started to say. "A gingerbread boy!" Phronsie insisted, and she would not have it any other way. After several hours, the cakes were done. "They're beautiful little cakes, Polly," Joel said. "My gingerbread boy is the most beautiful of all," Phronsie said, holding up a lumpy gingerbread figure with one raisin eye, two crooked legs, and stubby arms. "Oh, what will Mr. King think of us," Polly whispered to Ben. "We can't let her send that." "Better let me and Davie have him," Joel said,

“谁?”乔尔一边问，一边扑向那块葡萄干馅儿的面团。 “碧玉的爸爸!”Phronsie说。 “可是，弗朗西。”波莉开口说。 “姜饼男孩！”弗朗西坚持要这样做，她没有别的办法。 几个小时后，蛋糕做好了。 “它们是漂亮的小蛋糕，波莉，”乔尔说。 “我的姜饼男孩是所有男孩中最漂亮的。”弗朗西说着，举起了一个姜饼男孩，他长着一只葡萄干眼睛，两条弯曲的腿和粗短的胳膊。 “哦，金先生会怎么看我们呢？”波莉小声对本说。 “我们不能让她寄出去。” “最好让我和大卫拥有它，”乔尔说，