莱曼?弗兰克?鲍姆L. Frank Baum (1856-1919),美国儿童文学作家,从15岁开始进行创作,一生共写作62部作品。
他创作的《鹅爸爸的故事》是美国儿童文学史上第一部短篇童话集。1900年,他又创作了《绿野仙踪》(原名《奥茨国的魔术师》)。这本书一问世就取得了巨大成功,被视为20世纪美国儿童文学史上第一部现代童话,从出版一直畅销至今。
从1906年开始,鲍姆以伊迪斯?凡?戴恩(Edith Van Dyne)为笔名写的《简姨妈的侄女们》系列在青少年女生中广为流行。1911年,该系列已经出版的前六部书总销量已经达到了22569册。事实上,在鲍姆晚年,该系列书的销量已经超过了他的《绿野仙踪》系列书。
目錄:
Chapter 1 UNCLE JOHN''S FARM
Chapter 2 THE AGENT
Chapter 3 MILLVILLE HEARS EXCITING NEWS
Chapter 4 ETHEL MAKES PREPARATION
Chapter 5 THE ARRIVAL OF THE NABOBS
Chapter 6 PEGGY PRESENTS HIS BILL
Chapter 7 LOUISE SCENTS A MYSTERY
Chapter 8 THE LITTLE SCHOOL-MA''AM
Chapter 9 THE "LIVES OF THE SAINTS"
Chapter 10 THE MYSTERY DEEPENS
Chapter 11 THREE AMATEUR DETECTIVES
Chapter 12 THE BAITING OF PEGGY MCNUTT
Chapter 13 BOB WEST, HARDWARE DEALER
Chapter 14 THE MAJOR IS PUZZLED
Chapter 15 THE MAN IN HIDING
Chapter 16 A MATTER OF SPECULATION
Chapter 17 JOE TELLS OF "THE GREAT TROUBLE"
Chapter 18 THE LOCKED CUPBOARD
Chapter 19 THE COURT''N'' OF SKIM CLARK
Chapter 20 A LOST CAUSE
Chapter 21 THE TRAP IS SET
Chapter 22 CAUGHT!
Chapter 23 MR. WEST EXPLAINS
Chapter 24 PEGGY HAS REVENGE
Chapter 25 GOOD NEWS AT LAST
內容試閱:
露易丝将自己对维格船长的猜测告诉了贝丝和帕齐,三个“小侦探”展开了激烈的讨论。一种猜测认为维格做了违法的事情潜逃至此,妻子发现其龌龊行为后悲痛至极而死;还有人断言维格被仇敌谋杀了……最后,露易丝和贝丝一致认为老仆人托马斯是解开秘密的突破口。
Puzzling her brain what to do next, Louise suddenly decided to confide her secret to her two cousins. Not that she considered them capable of a greater success than she could herself accomplish, but they might prove valuable assistants in the capacity of lieutenants . She had great respect for Beth''s calm judgment and keen intuitions, and Patsy had a way of accomplishing difficult things with ease.
The two girls listened to Louise with expressions of mingled wonder and amusement while she confided to them her first suspicions that Captain Wegg had been murdered, and then the bits of information she had gathered to strengthen the surmise and assure her she was justified in her efforts to untangle the web of mystery." You see, my dears," she explained, impressively, as the three lounged upon the grass in the shade of the right wing of the house, "there is a very interesting story about these people that ought to guide us directly to a solution of the puzzle. A roving sea captain marries a girl of good family in spite of the opposition of her relatives. His boatswain, a confidential servant, marries the girl''s maid. The next thing we know is that a ''great trouble'' causes them to flee—doubtless some crime committed by the captain. It may have been robbery, or perhaps piracy on the high seas; who knows? Anyhow, he steals away to this forsaken spot, far from the sea or the railroads, and builds a fine house on a worthless farm, showing that he has money, but that retirement is his main object. Here the Weggs make no friends: but the wife cries her eyes out until she dies miserably, leaving a son to the tender mercies of a wicked father. So fearful is he of discovery that he will not allow the boy to go to school, but tries to educate him himself."