01 David Copperfield's childhood(9)

That evening Mr Murdstone's sister arrived to ‘help’my mother in the house． A tall dark lady， with a stern， frowning face，she looked and sounded very much like her brother．I thought she was planning to stay with us for a long time， and I was right．In fact，she intended to stay for ever． She started work the next morning. ‘Now， Clara，’ she said firmly to my mother at breakfast，‘I am here to help you. You’ re much too pretty and thoughtless to worry about the servants， the food and so on． So just hand me your keys to all the cupboards， and I'll take care of everything for you．’ My poor mother just blushed，looked a little ashamed，and obeyed. From then on， Miss Murdstone took complete control of the house， keeping the keys hanging from her waist as she hurried through the house，checking that everything was being done just as she wished.
当天晚上，摩德斯通先生的姐姐来到家中“帮助”我母亲料理家务。她又高又黑，眉头紧锁，板着面孔，神态和说话声音和她兄弟别无两样。我想她可能要长期和我们呆在一起了，果不出所料，她准备永远住下去。第二天一早她就开始行动起来了。
　　“现在，克拉拉，”早餐时她严肃地告诉我母亲，“我到这儿是来帮助你的。你在安排用人、食品等方面显得太幼稚，太没主意。所以你把所有橱子、柜子的钥匙交给我，我来为你照料一切。”
　　可怜的母亲只是一阵阵脸红，显得很羞愧，最终还是同意了。从那以后，摩德斯通小姐完全掌管了家事，她把钥匙挂在手腕上，来回地穿梭在屋里屋外，检查着每一件事是否照她的意思办了。