雙語暢銷書《我是馬拉拉》第25章:尾聲(3)
I know my mother is lonely.
She was very sociable – all the women of the neighbourhood used to gather in the afternoons on our back porch and women who worked in other houses came to rest.
她很熱衷社交活動——過去，鄰里的女性常在午後聚集在我家後面的走廊，而在其他地方工作的女人也會在休息時來此歇息。Now she is always on the phone to everyone back home.
現在，她總是在打電話給老家的人。
It's hard for her here as she does not speak any English.
這裏的生活對她來說很艱難，因爲她不會說半句英語。Our house has all these facilities, but when she arrived they were all mysteries to her and someone had to show us how to use the oven, washing machine and the TV.
我們家的設備一應俱全，但當她初抵此處時，它們對她來說卻等同於一道又一道的謎題，還得找人來教我們怎麼使用煤氣爐、洗衣機和電視。As usual my father doesn't help in the kitchen.
像以前一樣，父親不願意在廚房幫忙。I tease him, 'Aba, you talk of women's rights, but my mother manages everything! You don't even clear the tea things.'
我藉此取笑他：“爸爸，你最喜歡談女權，卻讓我母親幹所有家務！就連茶具你都不肯刷洗。”There are buses and trains but we are unsure about using them.
這裏有巴士和火車，但我們不知道如何搭乘。My mother misses going shopping in Cheena Bazaar.
母親懷念在耆那市場逛街購物的日子。She is happier since my cousin Shah came to stay.
直到我的表哥搬來與我們同住之後，她的心情纔有所好轉。He has a car and takes her shopping, but it's not the same as she can't talk to her friends and neighbours about what she bought.
表哥有一輛車，可以載她出門購物，但這和家鄉的生活還是不同，因爲她不能和朋友或鄰居分享她購物的喜悅。A door bangs in the house and my mother jumps – she jumps these days at the slightest noise. She often cries then hugs me'.
只要有人敲門，母親就會一躍而起——最近，即便是最細微的聲響都能讓她雀躍。她時常抱着我落淚。'Malala is alive,' she says. Now she treats me as if I was her youngest rather than eldest child.
“馬拉拉還活着。”她說。她現在把我當成她最年幼，而非最年長的孩子。
