The scene changed once more, back into the small room we had begun with but this time there was no boy, an old man took his place.

又一次地，景象变幻了，变成了我们一开始看见的小房间，但这回取而代之那个小男孩的是一个老人。

youdao

A few minutes later, a small boy stuck his head in the room and pleaded, "Please, Sir, may we have our teacher back?"

几分钟后，一个小男孩探进头来，恳求道：“求求您，先生，能让我们的老师回去吗？”

youdao

Five minutes later, a small l boy came out of the first room and said, "When can we have our teacher back?"

五分钟以后，一个小男孩从第一间教室走进来，问道，“您什么时候能让我们的老师回去呢？”

youdao

Everyone in the room laughed, even little ignorant Lydia, and he felt himself shrink back to size: skinny boy on quaking stool, squawking sidekick to the great man.

NEWYORKER: Or Else