VOA慢速英语2020 米丽亚姆（在线收听）

Mrs. Henry Miller had lived alone for several years. Her husband was dead. But he had left her a comfortable amount of money. He also had left her a nice apartment in New York City near the East River. There were three other apartments in the large brown building where Mrs. Miller lived with her bird, a yellow canary name Tommie. Mrs. Miller was 61 years old. She had no friends and no special interests. One evening in January, Mrs. Miller saw an advertisement for a movie. It looked so interesting that Mrs. Miller decided to go to see it. There was a long line of people waiting to buy tickets for the movie. Mrs. Miller stood at the end of the line. Looking around her, Mrs. Miller noticed a little girl standing near the line. The child's hair was absolutely white, silver white in fact. The child was thin and delicate. She wore a blue silk dress under her red velvet coat. Mrs. Miller felt strangely excited. And when the little girl looked at her, Mrs. Miller gave her a warm smile. The little girl walked over to her and said, "Would you do me a favor? Would you buy a ticket for me? They won't let me go into the movies alone."

《米丽亚姆》。亨利·米勒太太一个人生活了很多年，她丈夫去世了。但他给她留下一大笔钱。他还在纽约市东河附近给她留下一套漂亮的公寓。米勒太太和一只叫汤米的黄色金丝雀住在一幢棕色的大房子里，另外还有三间公寓。米勒夫人61岁，她没有朋友，也没有特别的爱好。一月份的一个晚上，米勒太太看到一则电影广告，它看起来很有趣，米勒太太决定去看看。等候买电影票的人排了很长的队，米勒太太站在队伍的尽头。米勒太太环顾四周，发现一个小女孩站在队伍旁边。那个孩子的一头白发，事实上是银白色。她身材纤细，红色天鹅绒外套下穿了一件蓝色丝绸连衣裙。米勒太太感到莫名的激动。当小女孩看着她时，米勒太太给了她一个温暖的微笑。小女孩走到她跟前说：“你能帮我个忙吗？能给我买张电影票吗？他们不会让我一个人看电影。”

She handed Mrs. Miller the money and they stood together in the line. Mrs. Miller felt there were something strange about the little girl. Her eyes were gray and very large. But they did not seem like the eyes of a child. "What's your name, dear?" Mrs. Miller asked. "Miriam." The child replied. Mrs. Miller smiled "Why isn't that funny? That's my name too. I am Miriam Miller." The little girl was silent. By this time, they had reached the ticket office. Mrs. Miller bought two tickets. She gave one to Miriam and said, "It was nice to meet you, but I must go now." Miriam just nodded her head. The next week one evening after dinner, Mrs. Miller's doorbell rang. She opened the door. The little girl in the red coat was standing there. "Hello," said Miriam. Mrs. Miller did not know what to say. Miriam stepped into the apartment. She took off her red velvet coat and dropped it on the chair. The dress made a soft swishing sound as Miriam walked around the room. "What do you want?" Mrs. Miller asked, "And how did you know where I live?" Miriam laughed, "Let's talk about something else." She said. She walked over to the birdcage, which was covered by a piece of cloth. Mrs. Miller raised her voice, "Leave my bird alone." "All right." Miriam said, "But I am hungry." "Look," Mrs. Miller said, "If I prepare something for you to eat, will you be a good girl and go home?" "I promise." The little girl said.

她把钱递给米勒太太，她们站在一起排队。米勒太太觉得这个小女孩有点奇怪。她有一双灰色的大眼睛，但看起来不像是孩子的眼睛。“你叫什么名字，亲爱的？”米勒太太问。“米丽亚姆。”孩子回答。米勒太太笑了，“这难到不好笑吗？我也叫这个名字。我叫米丽亚姆·米勒。”小女孩没说话。这时，她们已经到了售票处。米勒太太买了两张票。她给了米丽亚姆一张票，说：“很高兴遇见你，但我现在必须走了。”米丽亚姆只是点点头。下周的一天晚上，在晚饭后，米勒太太的门铃响了。她打开门，穿红外套的小女孩站在门外。“你好，”米丽亚姆说。米勒太太不知道该说什么。米丽亚姆走进公寓，脱下她的红色天鹅绒外套，把它扔在椅子上。米丽亚姆在房间里走来走去，裙子发出轻柔的嗖嗖声。“你想干嘛？”米勒太太问：“你怎么知道我住在哪里？”米丽亚姆笑了，“我们谈谈别的事吧。”她说。她走到鸟笼前，鸟笼上盖着一块布。米勒太太提高嗓门说，“别碰我的鸟。”“好吧，”米丽亚姆说，“但我饿了。”“听着，”米勒太太说，“如果我给你准备点吃的，你会做个好女孩回家吗？”“我保证。”小女孩说。

Mrs. Miller's hands were shaking as she made the sandwich and put a glass of milk for Miriam. She kept asking herself who this little girl was and why she had come to her house. Mrs. Miller carried the food into the living room. The room was empty. Mrs. Miller began to feel a little frightened. She went into her bedroom. Her jewelry box was open and Miriam was looking at Mrs. Miller's jewels. The child turned to the old woman looking deeply into her eyes. "I want this pearl necklace." She told her. "Put that back." Mrs. Miller ordered, "You can't have it. That necklace was a gift from my husband." "But I want it." Miriam insisted, "It's beautiful. Give it to me." Mrs. Miller suddenly felt very weak. She felt if she was going to faint. Miriam put on the pearl necklace and went into the living room. She ate the sandwich and drank the milk quickly. "That’s very nice." She said when she had finished the food. "But I wish I had some cookies or chocolates." Mrs. Miller sat on the sofa. Her face was very white and her eyes were staring into space. "You promise to leave if I made the sandwich." She said. Miriam picked up her coat and put it on. Then she walked to Mrs. Miller "Kiss me that night." She ordered. Mrs. Miller trembled "Please." The old woman whispered "I, I do not want to." "All right." Miriam said, lifting in eyebrow."

米勒太太一边做三明治，一边给米丽亚姆倒了一杯牛奶，她双手在颤抖。她不停问自己，这个小女孩是谁，为什么来她家。米勒太太把食物端进客厅。房间里空荡荡的，米勒太太开始感到有点害怕。她走进卧室，她的首饰盒打开了，米丽亚姆正看着米勒太太的珠宝。孩子转向那个老妇人，深深地望着她的眼睛。“我想要这条珍珠项链。”她告诉她。“把它放回去，”米勒太太命令道，“你不能要它，那条项链是我丈夫送给我的礼物。”“但我想要它，”米丽亚姆坚持说，“它很漂亮，把它给我。”米勒太太突然感觉很虚弱，她觉得自己可能会晕倒。米丽亚姆戴上珍珠项链走进客厅。她吃了三明治，很快喝完了牛奶。“真好吃。”她吃完食物后说，“但我真希望能吃点饼干或巧克力。”米勒太太坐在沙发上。她脸色苍白，眼睛凝视着空旷的房子。“你答应过，我做三明治的话，你就离开。”她说。米丽亚姆拿起外套穿上。然后，她走到米勒太太跟前，命令道：“和我吻别。”。米勒太太颤抖着说：“请。”老妇人低声说：“我，我不想做。”“好吧，”米丽亚姆扬起眉毛说道。

She walked slowly to the door, turned and looked at Mrs. Miller. Then she was gone. Mrs. Miller spent the next day in bed. The day after that, Mrs. Miller woke up feeling much better. The sun was shining and when she opened her bedroom window. She discovered the weather felt almost like spring. The day was so beautiful. She decided to walk along the wide avenues of New York's East Side. When she came to a big shop, something strange happened. Mrs. Miller could not stop her feet from carrying her inside the store. She spent ten dollars for a bag of chocolates and some cookies. The weather had changed again. By the time, Mrs. Miller came out of the big shop. Winter clouds through gray shadows over the sun. A cold wind blew in the streets. Soon, snow began to fall. Mrs. Miller hurried home. As soon as she entered her apartment, she put the chocolates on a plate with the cookies. At exactly five o'clock, the doorbell rang. "Is that you?" Mrs. Miller called. "Of course." Answered Miriam. "Open the door." "Go away," Said Mrs. Miller. She sat down on the sofa. Mrs. Miller did not move for ten minutes. Then she walked quietly to the door and opened it a little bit. Miriam was sitting on a large box outside the door. She was holding a beautiful French doll.

她慢慢走到门口，转过身来看着米勒太太。然后她就走了。米勒太太第二天就躺在床上。随后的一天，米勒太太醒来时感觉好多了。她打开卧室的窗户，阳光明媚。她发现天气就像春天一样。这一天太美了，她决定沿着纽约东区宽阔的街道散步。她来到一家大商店时，发生了一件怪事。米勒太太控制不住自己走进一家店铺，她花了十美元买了一袋巧克力和一些饼干。天气又变了。那时，米勒太太从那家大商店走出来。冬天的云朵穿过太阳的灰色阴影，街上刮起了冷风。很快，开始下雪。米勒太太急忙回家。她一进公寓，就把巧克力和饼干放在盘子里。五点整时，门铃响了。“是你吗？”米勒太太喊道。“当然是。”米丽亚姆回答说，“开门。”“走开，”米勒太太说。她坐到沙发上，十分钟都没有动弹。然后，她悄悄走到门前，把门打开一点。米丽亚姆坐在门外的一个大箱子上，抱着一个漂亮的法国娃娃。

"Really," Miriam said, "I thought you never open this door. Help me get this box into your apartment. It's very heavy." Mrs. Miller felt as if she were in a dream as she carried the heavy box into her living room. Miriam sat on the sofa watching Mrs. Miller. She picked up a chocolate and put it into her mouth. "I will come to live with you." She said. Mrs. Miller's face turned into a mask of ugly red lines. She began to cry and ran out of her apartment. She ran down the steps and began knocking loudly at the first door she came to. A short man with red hair opened the door. A young woman stood behind him. "Please," cried Mrs. Miller, "I am your neighbor. I live upstairs." She covered her face with her hands. "I know I am some crazy. But I am afraid of a little girl in my apartment. She won't leave. She has already stolen my pearl necklace. I just know she wants to do something terrible to me." "Calm down." The young woman said, "Harry will go upstairs and take care of her." Mrs. Miller sat down. "You are very kind." She told the young woman, "and I am sorry to cause you any trouble." After a few minutes, they heard Harry coming down the stairs. Harry came into his apartment shaking his head. "Nobody is there." He said. Mrs. Miller stood up. "Did you see a large box or a doll?" "No man." Harry said slowly.

“真的，”米丽亚姆说，“我以为你永远不会开门，帮我把这个盒子拿进你的公寓。它很重。”米勒太太把那个沉重的箱子抬进起居室，感觉自己像在做梦。米丽亚姆坐在沙发上看着米勒太太，她拿起一块巧克力放进嘴里。“我要来和你一起住。”她说。米勒太太的脸变成了一副布满丑陋红线的面具。她哭了起来，跑出公寓。她跑下台阶，开始大声敲打遇到的第一户人家的门。一个红发的矮个子男人打开门，他身后站着一个年轻女子。“求你了，”米勒太太喊道，“我是你们的邻居。我住在楼上。”她用手捂着脸，“我知道我有点疯狂，但是我害怕我公寓里的那个小女孩。她不走了，她已经偷了我的珍珠项链。我只知道她想害我。”“冷静点，”年轻的女人说，“哈里会上楼去看看她。”米勒太太坐了下来，“你们真好。”她对年轻女说，“很抱歉给你们添麻烦。”几分钟后，她们听到哈里从楼梯上下来，他摇着头走进公寓。“屋里没人。”他说。米勒太太站起来，“你看到一个大盒子或是一个洋娃娃吗？”“没有人。”哈利慢慢地说。

Mrs. Miller went back to her apartment. The chocolates and cookies were still there. But the room was empty. Where was Miriam? Where was she? Mrs. Miller sat down. The room was dark and getting darker. Mrs. Miller closed her eyes and began thinking. Maybe there was no girl named Miriam. Maybe she had imagined everything like a dream. Mrs. Miller began to feel better. She was Mrs. Henry Miller. She lived in this apartment. She cooked her own meals. She owned canary. Mrs. Miller knew who she was. She felt safe and relaxed. Then she heard the songs coming from her bedroom. Someone was opening and closing the drawers of her bureau. Mrs. Miller sat with her eyes closed tightly. She heard the soft swishing sound of a silk dress. The sound grew louder and louder until the walls of the apartment began to shake. Mrs. Miller opened her eyes. "Hello," said Miriam.

米勒太太回到自己的公寓，饼干和巧克力还在那儿。但是房间里什么也没有。米里亚姆在哪儿？她在哪儿？米勒太太坐下来。房间里一片漆黑，越来越黑。米勒太太闭上眼睛开始思考。也许没有一个叫米丽亚姆的女孩，也许一切都是她想象的梦。米勒太太开始感觉好些了。她是亨利·米勒夫人，她住在这间公寓里。她自己做饭，有一只金丝雀。米勒太太知道自己是谁，她感到安心又放松。然后，她听到卧室里传来歌声。有人在拉开又关上她的抽屉。米勒太太紧闭着眼睛坐着，她听到一件丝绸衣服轻柔的嗖嗖声。声音越来越大，公寓的墙壁都开始摇晃。米勒太太睁开眼睛。“你好，”米丽亚姆说。