When first he came in, he had spoken to her but little; but every five minutes seemed to be giving her more of his attention.

不过话说回来，虽然终身幸福也抵偿不眼前痛苦，可是不到几分钟工夫，她看到姐姐美貌又打动她先前那位情人心，于是她痛苦便大大减轻。

Set in the early 20th century, it's the story of a teenage boy, pawned by his father to pay a debt, who finds himself thrown into the complex world of pre-colonial East Africa.

故事设定在20世纪初， 讲述十几岁男孩，被父亲抵押以抵偿债务，从而被卷入殖民前东非错综复杂世界。

Yet the misery, for which years of happiness were to offer no compensation, received soon afterwards material relief, from observing how much the beauty of her sister re-kindled the admiration of her former lover.

不过话说回来，虽然终身幸福也抵偿不眼前痛苦，可是不到几分钟工夫，她看到姐姐美貌又打动她先前那位情人心，于是她痛苦便大大减轻。