等到桃李及其他三春花卉次第开放之时，梅花已命定要隐退了。
THEgirlhood of Mannia was liketheblossoming of theplum flower in cold January, growing on hardened, twisted branches without leaves, thriving in thecold air betweentheend of winter andthecoming of spring, solitary and without its flower companions, and destined to retire and enjoy its own fragrance and dream its hours away within thehard bark of its branches whenthepeaches and pears and other spring flowers begin to bloom.
曼娘的少女时代就像寒冬腊月盛放的梅花，生在苍劲曲折的枝头上，在冬末春初的寒冷中开放，无绿叶为陪衬，无其他鲜花为伴侣，命中注定幽峭隐退，孤芳自赏；在桃李及其他春花初开之时，她在苍老挺硬的枝丫上已度过了梦幻的韶华。
THEgirlhood of Mannia was liketheblossoming of theplum flower in cold January, growing on hardened, twisted branches without leaves, thriving in thecold air betweentheend of winter andthecoming of spring, solitary and without its flower companions, and destined to retire and enjoy its own fragrance and dream its hours away within thehard bark of its branches whenthepeaches and pears and other spring flowers begin to bloom.
木兰来作客两个月在曼妮犹如一场美梦。
Thetwo months' visit of Mulan had been like an exquisite dream to her.
她到曾家遇着木兰做客的两月时光，正如同一场幽美的梦。
Thetwo months' visit of Mulan had been like an exquisite dream to her.
她正当十四岁，恰能把刚刚萌发的母性本能和从未表露过的长姐本能一齐倾注到木兰身上。 那时她正十四岁，她的母性的天性正如花初绽，大姐的天性含而初露，这两种天性就全倾注在木兰身上，
It came when she was fourteen and could bestow on Mulan all her budding instincts of motherhood andtheunexpressed instincts of an elder sister.
以前从未与别的女孩同榻而眠，夜间谈不尽姑娘之间的私话。
She had never before slept in thesame bed with another girl and talked at night as girls talk.
也从来没有跟别的女孩子同床睡眠，也没有像一般女孩子那样晚上在床上话说个没完。
She had never before slept in thesame bed with another girl and talked at night as girls talk.
她作为独生女长到十岁才有一个幼弟出世，可是木兰回北京的第二年五岁的幼弟又夭折了。
She was brought up as a lone child until she was ten when her younger brother ap-peared, butthebrother died at theage of five, a year after Mulan returned to Peking.
在她十岁时，一个弟弟出生之前，她完全是孤独一个人，而那个弟弟五岁时又因病夭亡，那是木兰回到北京后的第二年。
She was brought up as a lone child until she was ten when her younger brother ap-peared, butthebrother died at theage of five, a year after Mulan returned to Peking.
曼妮的叔叔子女全无，领养了一个孩子。
Mannia's uncle had no child, either girl or boy, and had adopted one.
曼娘的叔叔没有孩子，没男没女，收养了一个孩子。
Mannia's uncle had no child, either girl or boy, and had adopted one.
她祖父是曾老太太的兄弟，耗尽了家产，死于贫困，留下两子，曼妮的父亲和叔父，在姑妈接济下挣扎求生。
Her grandfather, a younger brother of Grandmother Tseng, had spent his fortune and died poor, leaving two sons, Mannia's father and uncle, to struggle along with thehelp of their aunt.
曼娘的祖父，就是曾家老太太的哥哥，把财产花光，穷困而死，留下两个儿子，就是曼娘的父亲和叔叔，由伯母帮助勉强过活。
Her grandfather, a younger brother of Grandmother Tseng, had spent his fortune and died poor, leaving two sons, Mannia's father and uncle, to struggle along with thehelp of their aunt.
家庭同树木一样，有的枝叶繁茂，有的再精心培育还是日益枯萎。
Families are like trees: some are prolific, and others gradually die in spite of all human care.
家就像树一样，有的繁盛，有的虽经人照顾，竟渐渐枯萎而死。
Families are like trees: some are prolific, and others gradually die in spite of all human care.
好像命中注定一样，曼妮头一年死丁叔父，第二年开春父亲也死了。 仿佛是天命难逃，曼娘的弟弟死后一年，在初春，她父亲也相继去世，
As fate would have it, a year after her brother died, Mannia's father died also, in theearly spring.
曾老太太于是想到为孙家立后嗣的事。
This madethegrandmother think of what was to be done to carry on thefamily name of theSuns.
这样一来，如何延续孙家的后代，曾老太太可就煞费心思了。
This madethegrandmother think of what was to be done to carry on thefamily name of theSuns.
曼妮成了继承孙家祠堂香火供奉的唯一嫡嗣。
Mannia wastheonly blood descendant to continuetheincense and candle offer-ings in theancestral temple.
曼娘于是成为唯一的继承孙家祖宗香烟的骨肉。
Mannia wastheonly blood descendant to continuetheincense and candle offer-ings in theancestral temple.
老太太很是忧虑，也就格外怜爱曼妮。
Thegrandmother was worried and was unusually kind to Mannia.
曾老太太很发愁，对曼娘也就特别好。
Thegrandmother was worried and was unusually kind to Mannia.
曾家请曼妮和她母亲搬来同住，给老太太作伴。
Mannia and her mother were asked to move into theTseng home and keepthegrandmother company.
曾家曾经请曼娘跟她母亲搬到曾家来，和曾老太太做伴儿。
Mannia and her mother were asked to move into theTseng home and keepthegrandmother company.