After I read this strange, sad story, I understood the mystery of Allegra. Was she still alive? No. But her ghost was still in the world. The little girl in my room was the ghost of Claire Clairmont’s Allegra. She was unhappy and she couldn’t rest because she wanted to be with her mother. But she couldn’t find her. She knew that her mother was at Bagno a Ripoli, but she didn’t know how to get there. So her unhappy ghost lived and waited in the body of Allegra Henderson, Chiara’s daughter. At night it left Allegra’s body and came to my room for help. Then poor Allegra died of fever, just like Claire’s Allegra. But the ghost couldn’t rest; it had to find another child’s body.
But I already knew the answer. My Italian family in Florence had a little daughter. Her name was Allegra, and she would be five years and three months on April 21st.
读书笔记
是否公开
5
-
而现在是4月20日的傍晚。
读书笔记
是否公开
5
-
It was now the evening of April 20th.
读书笔记
是否公开
6
-
我立刻离开了酒吧,往那户人家里跑去。我到达时,女孩的妈妈正在哭。
读书笔记
是否公开
6
-
I left the bar quickly and ran back to my family’s house. When I arrived, the mother was crying.
Allegra is in hospital,’ she told me. ’She’s got a bad fever and the doctors aren’t sure what it is. Oh, I hope it isn’t dangerous! I hope she’ll get better soon!’
读书笔记
是否公开
8
-
“她不会有事的,”我说,“她会好的。”
读书笔记
是否公开
8
-
She’ll be all right,’ I said. ’She’ll get better.’
读书笔记
是否公开
9
-
可是,晚上回到房间里,我禁不住暗自祈祷:“千万不要,不要这样!”
读书笔记
是否公开
9
-
But that night in my room I said to myself, ’Oh, please — no, no!’
I walked round and round the room and I thought of my dear friend Allegra Henderson. I was afraid that Allegra Three was going to die the next day. But what could I do about it?
Oh, I’m going to see my dear Mamà!’ Allegra said. ’I’ll be with her after all these years. We’ll be so happy! I loved her and she loved me. But Papà took me away from her and he sent me to a convent school. I didn’t like it there. It was so cold and quiet! Mamà didn’t come and Papà didn’t come. Why didn’t they come?’
读书笔记
是否公开
21
-
讲到这儿,她却又笑了,还唱起一首意大利歌曲。
读书笔记
是否公开
21
-
But then she laughed and began to sing an Italian song.
读书笔记
是否公开
22
-
我们到达巴尼奥阿里波时,阿利格拉从车上跳下来,四处张望。
读书笔记
是否公开
22
-
When we arrived at Bagno a Ripoli, she jumped out of the car and looked around.
读书笔记
是否公开
23
-
“妈妈在哪儿?”她嚷道。
读书笔记
是否公开
23
-
Where is Mamà?’ she cried.
读书笔记
是否公开
24
-
“跟我来。”我对她说。
读书笔记
是否公开
24
-
Follow me,’ I said.
读书笔记
是否公开
25
-
我带她走进墓地,来到克莱尔·克莱尔蒙特的墓碑前。
读书笔记
是否公开
25
-
We went into the cemetery and I took her to Claire Clairmont’s tombstone.
读书笔记
是否公开
26
-
“她在这儿,”我说,“你的妈妈就在这儿。”
读书笔记
是否公开
26
-
She’s here,’ I said. ’Your Mamà is here.’
读书笔记
是否公开
27
-
阿利格拉读着墓碑上的名字。
读书笔记
是否公开
27
-
Allegra read the name on the tombstone.
读书笔记
是否公开
28
-
“妈妈?”她呼喊着,“你在吗?是我,阿利格拉。我来了,你的女儿阿利格拉来了。”她欣喜地呼唤着。
读书笔记
是否公开
28
-
Mamà?’ she called. ’Are you here? It’s me, Allegra. I’m here, your Allegra is here.’ She was crying with happiness.
I was happy too, but I was also afraid. The cemetery was dark and silent, there was a soft wind in the trees, and in front of my eyes was this little child’s ghost in a white nightdress, calling for its dead mother.