The red room 书虫双语读物.doc

1 The red room 　 　　We could not go for a walk that afternoon．There was such a freezing cold wind，and such heavy rain，that we all stayed indoors．I was glad of it．I never liked long walks，especially in winter．I used to hate coming home when it was almost dark，with ice-cold fingers and toes，feeling miserable bccause Bessie，the nursemaid，was always scolding me．All the time I knew I was different from my cousins，Eliza，John and Georgiana Reed．They were taller and stronger than me，and they were loved． 　　These three usually spent their time crying and quarrelling，but today they were sitting quietly around their mother in the sitting-room．I wanted to join the family circle，but Mrs Reed，my aunt，refused Bessie had complainted about me． 　　No，Im sorry，Jane．Until I hear from Bessie，or see for myself，that you are really trying to behave better，you cannot be treated as a good，happy child，like my children． 　　What does Bessie say I have done？I asked． 　　Jane，it is not polite to question me in that way．If you cannot speak pleasantly，be quiet． 　　I crept out of the sitting-room and into the small room next door，where I chose a book full of pictures from the bookcase． I climbed on to the window-seat and drew the curtains，so that I was completely hidden．I sat there for a while．Sometimes I looked out of the window at the grey November afternoon，and saw the rain pouring down on the leafless garden．But most of the time I studied the book and stared，fascinated，at the pictures．Lost in the world of imagination，I forgot my sad，lonely existence for a while，and was happy，I was only afraid that my secret hiding-place might be discovered． 　　Suddenly the door of the room opened．John Reed rushed in． 　　Where are you，rat？he shouted．He did not see me behind the curtain．Eliza！Georgy！Jane isnt here！Tell Mamma shes run out into the rain—what a bad animal she is！ 　　How lucky I drew the curtain，I thought．He would never have found me，because he was not very intelligent．But Eliza guessed at once where I was． 　　S