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A year and a half later，she was dead．
一年半以后，她死了。
She did not die quickly．She was in bed for seven long months，in awful pain．
她去得并不快。在极度的痛苦中她在病榻上捱了7个月之久。
The doctor came often，and her sister Elizabeth came too，to help．
医生常来看她，她姐姐伊丽莎白也来帮忙。
The children were ill，as well．It was a terrible time．
孩子们也病了。那真是段可怕的日子。
My wife Maria died in September，1821．She was thirty-eight．
我妻子玛丽亚死于1821年，享年38岁，
It was my job to bury her in the church．
是我为她在教堂主持的葬礼，
Our six young children stood and watched quietly．
我们的6个孩子站在一旁默默地看着。
Afterwards，we went back to the house．
然后我们回家了。
I called them into this room and spoke to them．
我把他们叫进房间谈话。
I said：You must not cry too much，my dears．
我说：你们不必太悲伤，亲爱的孩子们。
Your mother is with God now．She is happy．
你们的妈妈现在和上帝在一起。她很快乐，
One day you will all die，and if you are good，you will go to God too．
有一天你们也都会死，如果你们是好人，也会去上帝那儿的。"
'But why？'Maria asked．'Why did she die now，father？We need her．'
"可是为什么？"小玛丽亚问道，"为什么她现在就死了？爸爸，我们需要她呀！"
'This world is a hard place，children，and we cannot understand everything that God does．
"这个世界是个苦难的地方，孩子们，我们无法理解上帝所作的每一件事。
But God loves us，never forget that．
但是上帝爱我们，永远不要忘记这一点。
Your mother loved you，and perhaps she can see you now．
你们的妈妈爱你们，也许她现在还可以看见你们。
We must all try to work hard，learn as much as possible，and be kind to each other．
我们大家都应努力工作，努力学习更多的知识，并且彼此友爱。
Will you do that？Yes，father．
你们能做到吗？是的，爸爸。
They all looked so sad，I remember，and they listened so carefully．
我记得他们看上去非常难过，却都那么仔细地听着。
Little Emily said：Who will be our mother now？
小爱米丽说："现在谁当妈妈呢？"
'Maria is the oldest，so she will help me．
"玛丽亚最大，她将协助我。
You must all listen to her，and do what she says．And your Aunt Elizabeth is here，too．
你们都得听她的，按她说的去做。你们的伊丽莎白姨妈也在这儿。
Perhaps she will stay for a while．
也许她会住一阵子。"
Elizabeth did stay．She was older than my wife，and she wasn't married．
伊丽莎白真的住下了。她比我妻子年长，一直未婚。
We called her Aunt Branwell．
我们叫她布兰韦尔姨妈。
She came from Penzance in Cornwall，a warm，sunny place by the sea in the south-west of England．
她来自英格兰西南部康沃尔的一个叫潘赞斯的靠海的地方，那里温暖而且充满阳光。
It is often cold on the moors behind Haworth，and the winds blow all winter．
但霍沃斯后面的荒野经常很冷，整个冬天都刮着寒风。
Aunt Branwell hated Haworth，but she stayed here all her life，to help me with her sister's children．
兰韦尔姨妈讨厌霍沃斯，但她后来一直住在这儿，帮我照料她妹妹的孩子们。
She was a good，kind woman．
布她真是个心地善良的女人。
I was very proud of my little Maria．
我为我的小玛丽亚非常自豪。
She was only eight years old，but she worked all day like an adult．
她只有8岁，但她像个大人那样整天忙着。
She helped the little ones to get washed and dressed；
她帮弟弟妹妹洗澡、穿衣服；
she helped them to play and draw and read．
她带他们玩耍、画画、读书。
She was like a little mother to them．
她就是他们的小妈妈。
She could read very well herself．
她自己能读书而且读得很好。
We always had books and newspapers in the house，
我们家里总是有书和报纸，
and I talked to the children about them every day．
而我每天和孩子们谈论这些书报。
I talked to them about adult things：the Duke of Wellington，and the important things that he was doing in London．
我给他们讲大人的事情：惠灵顿公爵及他在伦敦所做的重大事情。
The children listened carefully，and tried hard to understand．
孩子们仔细倾听并试着去理解。
Maria often read to the others from the newspaper，and asked me questions about it．
玛丽亚经常给别人念报纸，还问我些问题。
She understood it better than most men．
她理解得比大多数成年人还好。
I was sure my children were very clever．
我知道我的孩子们非常聪明。
But I did not have time to talk to them all day；I had my work to do．
但我常常整天都没有时间和她们谈话，我有自己的工作要做。
So，in 1824，I sent them to school．
于是在1824年，我把他们送进了学校。
