Rose In Bloom - Chapter 17

Uncle Alec did not object and, finding that no one had any claim upon the child, permitted Rose to keep it for a time at least. So little Dulce, newly equipped even to a name, took her place among them and slowly began to thrive. But she did not grow pretty and never was a gay, attractive child, for she seemed to have been born in sorrow and brought up in misery ¹. A pale, pensive ² little creature, always creeping into corners and looking timidly out, as if asking leave to live, and, when offered playthings, taking them with a meek ³ surprise that was very touching ⁴., ,Rose soon won her heart, and then almost wished she had not, for baby clung to her with inconvenient ⁵ fondness, changing her former wail ⁶ of "Marmar" into a lament ⁷ for "Aunty Wose" if separated long. Nevertheless, there was great satisfaction in cherishing the little waif, for she learned more than she could teach and felt a sense of responsibility which was excellent ballast for her enthusiastic nature., ,Kitty Van, who made Rose her model in all things, was immediately inspired to go and do likewise, to the great amusement as well as annoyance ⁸ of her family. Selecting the prettiest, liveliest child in the Asylum ⁹, she took it home on trial for a week. "A perfect cherub ¹⁰" she pronounced it the first day, but an "enfant terrible" before the week was over, for the young hero rioted by day, howled by night, ravaged ¹¹ the house from top to bottom, and kept his guardians ¹² in a series of panics by his hairbreadth escapes. So early on Saturday, poor exhausted ¹³ Kitty restored the "cherub" with many thanks, and decided ¹⁴ to wait until her views of education were rather more advanced., , ,Jamie immediately fraternized with neighboring boys and devoted ¹⁹ himself to fishing with an ardor ²⁰ which deserved greater success. Aunt Jessie reveled in reading, for which she had no time at home, and lay in her hammock a happy woman, with no socks to darn, buttons to sew, or housekeeping cares to vex ²¹ her soul. Rose went about with Dulce like a very devoted hen with one rather feeble chicken, for she was anxious to have this treatment work well and tended her little patient with daily increasing satisfaction. Dr. Alec came up to pass a few days and pronounced the child in a most promising ²² condition. But the grand event of the season was the unexpected arrival of Phebe., ,Two of her pupils had invited her to join them in a trip to the mountains, and she ran away from the great hotel to surprise her little mistress with a sight of her, so well and happy that Rose had no anxiety left on her account., ,He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。,He looked suddenly sombre,pensive.他突然看起来很阴郁，一副忧虑的样子 。