We finished eating our meal．Soon after，Greta Ross came into the kitchen．
我们吃完了饭。不久之后格里塔·罗斯来到了厨房。
‘Mr Ross wants to see you and your daughter now，Mrs Sanders，'she said Follow me，please．’
罗斯先生现在想见见你和你的女儿，桑德斯夫人。她说，请跟我来。
We followed her through the house and into a big room．This was Mr Ross's office and he was sitting behind a desk．
我们跟着她穿过房子来到一个大房间里。这是罗斯先生的办公室，他正坐在办公桌的后面。
I was surprised．He was a young man，about thirty．He had a moustache，short dark hair，and he wore glasses．
我很惊讶。他是个年轻人，大约三十岁。他留着胡子，长着黑色短发，并戴着眼镜。
Mr Ross was speaking into the telephone．‘Who does he look like？’I thought．‘Is it Tony Duncan？’
罗斯先生正在打电话。他看上去像谁呢？我思考着。像托尼·邓肯？
‘Mr Ross is talking to a business friend in New York，'said Greta．‘Please，sit down．’
罗斯先生正在与纽约的一位商界朋友通话。格里塔说，请吧，坐下。
While we waited， I looked around the office．There were three telephones，a computer， and lots of books and papers．
我们等着的时候，我打量了一下这间办公室。屋里有三部电话、一台电脑以及许多书本和文件。
There was another door and I could see a smaller room，next to the office．There was a smaller desk and another computer in there．
办公室还有一个门，所以我可以看到紧挨着办公室的一个小一些的房间。那里面有一张小一些的办公桌，另有一台电脑。
Mr Ross finished speaking on the phone，then looked care fully at my mother and me．For a few seconds he didn't speak，and just watched us．Then he said，‘I'm pleased to meet you，Mrs Sanders．I need some help with my work．My secretary is in hospital，and there's a lot of work to do． Sometimes you’11have to work late at night，because of time differences in New York and Tokyo．Is that all right？’
罗斯先生打完了电话，然后仔细地看了看我妈妈和我。有那么片刻他默默不语，只是在打量我们。然后他说：见到你们很高兴，桑德斯夫人。我需要人帮助处理我的工作。我的秘书正在住院，有许多事情要处理。由于纽约和东京都有时差问题，有时候你得在深夜工作。你看行吗？
‘Yes， that's all right，’said my mother．
行，那没什么。我妈妈说。
‘Can you use a computer？’
你会用电脑吗？
‘Yes．’
会用。
‘Good．’He looked at me．‘Is this your daughter？’
那很好。他看了看我。这是你女儿吗？
‘Yes， this is Carol，'said my mother．
是，这是卡罗尔。我妈妈说。
‘Hallo，’I said．
您好，我说。
‘Greta says you like gardening．There's a big garden here，so you can help Mr Duncan．And there's a farm．Dan and Stella Parks live in the farmhouse and work on the farm．You can help them，too．We have some animals．Some sheep，a few cows and chickens．And there's a horse called Smoke．He's grey，like his name．Can you ride？’
格里塔说你喜欢园艺。这里有个大园子，所以你可以给邓肯先生帮帮忙。这里还有个农场。丹·帕克斯和斯特拉·帕克斯住在农舍里并在农场干活。你也可以给他们帮帮忙。我们养了些动物。一些羊，几头牛和数只小母鸡。还有一匹叫‘烟’的马。这匹公马灰色，跟它的名字一样。你会骑马吗？
‘Yes，’I said．‘I can ride a horse．’
会骑，我说，我会骑马。
‘You can ride Smoke around the is land，if you like．’
如果你喜欢，你可以骑‘烟’在岛上转转。
‘I'd like that，’I said．‘Thank you．’
那太好了。我说，谢谢您。
‘And we grow vegetable and fruit，’he said．‘I work on the farm sometimes．I enjoy it．’
我们还培植蔬菜和水果。他说，我有时在农场里干些活。我喜欢干农活。
I smiled at him but he didn't smile back．
我朝他笑了笑，可他没回敬我的笑。
‘Carol will enjoy working on the farm，'said my mother．‘Won't you，Carol？’
卡罗尔会喜欢在农场干活的。我妈妈说，是不是，卡罗尔？
‘Yes，’I said．
是的，我说。
‘Mr Ross looks sad，’I thought．‘But how did he get all his money？ And why does he hide away on an island？’
罗斯先生显得有些忧伤。我想，但是他怎么会有那么多钱呢？而且为什么他要隐匿在一个岛上呢？
