上饶县煤矿挖出“飞碟石”

• 　　核心提示：5月24日，上饶县煌固，当地一煤矿采煤时挖出酷似飞碟的石头，和煤一起挖出来的，因为不能做煤，被弃于一水塘边。

大江网5月25日报道 5月24日，上饶县煌固，当地一煤矿采煤时挖出酷似飞碟的石头，和煤一起挖出来的，因为不能做煤，被弃于一水塘边。

录像拍下清晰画面 尼斯湖水怪再度现身

5月31号，一段尼斯湖水怪的清晰录像，为这个不解之谜又蒙上了一层神秘的面纱

录像截图显示出水面上狭长的阴影

录像截图显示的“水怪”阴影

CCTV.com消息(朝闻天下)：提起英国苏格兰高原北部的大峡谷，人们可能还有点儿陌生。可要说到大峡谷里的尼斯湖，估计大家都耳熟能详。尼斯湖水怪，是地球上最神秘也最吸引人的谜题之一。

5月31号，一段最新公布的清晰录像，为这个不解之谜又蒙上了一层神秘的面纱。

上周六，来自约克郡的实验室技术员戈登·霍尔姆斯带着摄像机来到尼斯湖畔。突然，湖面上的异常景象引起了他的注意，他急忙举起摄像机，拍下了下面这段画面。

按照霍尔姆的描述，当时，湖面上的这个阴影足有15米长，正在以大概三米每秒的速度匀速前进。起初，他觉得这只是一条巨大的鳗鱼。可接下来，他意识到，自己可能幸运地拍到了尼斯湖水怪。

这段画面一经公布，立即受到了许多研究人员的高度重视。专门研究尼斯湖水怪现象的生物学家认 为，这是目前为止拍摄到的最清晰的尼斯湖水怪录像之一，非常具有研究价值。而且，画面开始时，镜头从湖畔的木制围栏一路推到湖面上的阴影处，一些专家也因 此认为这段连续的画面不存在伪造的可能。

天上人间

环玉天子和佩花仙女是住在天上，一对非常幸福的夫妻，天上的夫妻不像人间，他们既不吵架，也不哭泣；他们既不互相仇恨，也不互相伤害。
　　　　据说要在人间做了五百世恩爱的夫妻，才有福分在天上做神仙眷属。
　　　　住在天上的夫妻，他们想要食物就有了好吃的食物，想要衣服就有了美丽的衣服，因此，他们不必劳苦工作，也不必背负重担，他们时常牵着手在彩虹上散步，坐在云端与朋友喝茶，或者独自倾听天河的水声，欣赏自己美丽的容颜。
　　　　唯一使神仙眷属烦恼的是，仙寿也有享完的时候，在神仙寿命终了，他们会流汗，身上的香花会散落一地，头上的桂冠会枯萎，美丽的衣裳会一件一件飞丢，最后，从站立或坐着的地方倾倒，在倾倒的那一剎那，如灯焰突然灭去，只留下一缕轻烟，飞散于虚空。
　　　　佩花仙女与环玉天子已经一起度过几千年幸福的生活，在最近的日子，她偶尔会生起这样的念头：「这么幸福的生活不知道还有多久？」
　　　　有一天，佩花仙女飞到曼陀罗树上，想要采一些曼陀罗花给丈夫佩戴，因为所有的天人在出门前都要佩戴香花来庄严自己，这些香花都是由妻子准备的。
　　　　环玉天子正在沐浴，他用白云沾着阳光为自己净身，心里随意组合声音便化为美妙的音乐，音符随着光、镶着金边，流荡在家里美丽的花园。
　　　　听着丈夫内心的音乐，佩花仙女站在树上不觉得有点醉了，这时，她开始流下一些香汗，使她暗暗心惊。
　　　　她以紫罗兰编的花冠突然落了下来，碎成星星。
　　　　她缀满衣裳的金色百里香花，也像烟火四散，化为碎钻。
　　　　她银色薄纱的晚装，一片一片一丝一缕的飞去，成为天边的朵朵白云。
　　　　来不及说一句话，她物化了。
　　　　从数丈高的白色曼陀罗花树倾倒，倾倒，犹如闪光，消失了。
　　　　在消失的最后一刻，她的耳际还缭绕着丈夫的歌声。
　　　　佩花仙女再次醒过来时，是听见了自己的哭声，原来她已经投生人间了，大人们都以为孩子诞生时是被空气惊吓而哭，其实不然，像佩花仙女就是因为心海 中还留着丈夫的歌声，忆起在天上的幸福生活，忍不住悲哀啼泣。她出生时，屋里飘着曼陀罗花的香气，于是被取名为「曼瑰」。
　　　　曼瑰虽然记得天上的岁月，也常对父母亲人说：「我是三十三天上环玉天子的妻子佩花仙女」，并说起天上的情景。
　　　　但是，家人都不相信她，以为是少女对美好爱情的幻梦。
　　　　曼瑰成年以后被父母许配给邻近的青年为妻，她虽然尽力扮演好妻子的角色，内心却惦记着天上的丈夫，她知道要重回丈夫的身旁，唯有在短暂的人生拚命行善，并且永远保持着坚强的誓愿。
　　　　曼瑰经常在寺院中供养香花灯烛，以美味的斋品供养出家人，把食物衣服布施给穷人，她几乎就是为奉献与布施而生活着，并且把这种想法感动人间的丈夫，教育给四个孩子。
　　　　有一天，她在佛寺里供僧之后，突然感到头晕，靠着墙边休息，闻到一阵曼陀罗花香，就去世了。
　　　　张开眼睛，曼瑰正坐在曼陀罗树上采花，她看看自己的穿著，原来，她又化生为佩花仙女了。
　　　　环玉天子沐浴完毕，走进花园，对佩花仙女说：「我刚刚呼唤妳，妳没有听见吗？」环玉天子感到困惑，因为神仙眷属心意相通，从来没有呼唤而未响应的情景。
　　　　「环玉，我刚刚物化了，降生在人间。」
　　　　环玉大为惊奇：「这是真的吗？妳在人间多久的时间？」
　　　　「我在母亲的胎中十月才出生，十六岁被嫁到附近的人家，生了四个孩子，行各种善事，拚命做功德，我祈求能和你相会，所以又在曼陀罗树上化生了。」
　　　　「人的寿命有多长呢？」环玉天子问。
　　　　「人的寿命最多百年，百年等于我们三十三天的一昼夜。」
　　　　环玉天子又问：「那么，人在一百年内都做些什么？」
　　　　「人的一百年，有三分之一的时间用来睡眠；另外，有三分之一的时间用来追求衣食、满足欲望；其余约三分之一时间，用来生气、愤恨、追悔，以及互相 批评、仇视、斗争。大多数的人都是这样的过了一生，然后哭哭啼啼的死去。只有极少数的人会花时间欣赏美丽的事物、发展心灵更好的境界，追求有温柔品质的 爱。」
　　　　环玉天子听到妻子谈到人间的情景，心情大为激动：「难道那些世间的人，他们不会因为生命短促而警觉，去做一些有意义的事吗？」
　　　　佩花仙女说：「不会的，大部分的人都醉生梦死，就好象他们既不会老也不会死，只有到将死之际才会悲哀的啼哭！」
　　　　环玉天子与佩花仙女，谈到世间那些寿命短促的人，不懂得过爱与美的生活，不知道去做有意义的事，内心感慨万千。
　　　　佩花仙女说：「我们且不谈人间事了，来！我来给你别一朵曼陀罗花。」
　　　　说着，佩花仙女从高大的曼陀罗树飞下来。
　　　　当她飞到彩云铺成的地上，才发现自己踩不到云朵，整个身体犹如曼陀罗花飘落，穿过一层一层的云，往下坠落……。
　　　　「啊——！」
　　　　曼瑰从梦中惊醒，环顾四周，发现自己不是在光明的天上，而是在黑漆漆的屋子，身旁睡得正酣的最幼小的女儿，脸上还带着浅浅的微笑。
　　　　她想到丈夫为了谋取衣食，天还未亮，早就到田间工作了，披衣起身到院子里散步，一抹晚香玉的幽香流进胸腹。
　　　　「这是天上的梦呢？还是人间的梦？」
　　　　天空广大无边，一片沉寂，没有答案。
　　　　「天上是真实的？或者人间才是真实的？」
　　　　繁星点点，一片默然，没有答案。
　　　　当她这样自问的时候，第一道晨曦射穿彩云，透到人间来，四周的香气与声音也随着光，幽幽的醒转。
　　　　曼瑰还记得梦中的话：「难道那些世间的人，不会因为生命短促而警觉，去做一些有意义的事吗？」
　　　　她想到生命虽然短促，如果能够欣赏美丽的事物，发展心灵更好的境界，追求有温柔品质的爱，百年也不会空过了。
　　　　听到孩子醒来呼唤他*的声音，她想：「如果能过有意义的生活，人间就是天上！不能过有意义的生活，天上就是人间！」
　　　　据说曾有一个女人问一个大哲学家，是否愿意娶她为妻。
　　　　哲学家因为有思辩的习惯，就说：「让我想一想。」
　　　　因为他要想通和那美丽的女人结婚，到底有什么意义？他要想出所有赞成或反对的论点，然后才做结论。
　　　　他想了三年，终于做出一个最好的结论：「不论是好是坏，只有结过婚才知道结婚是好是坏。」
　　　　于是他去敲那女人的门。
　　　　她的父亲来开门：「你来做什么？」
　　　　哲学家说：「我想了三年，决定娶你的女儿为妻。」
　　　　父亲笑了，说：「太迟了！我的女儿早就结婚，而且生了一个孩子了！」
　　　　我过了四十岁以后，经常想到人生短暂，活着就要及时、要珍惜，与其渴望来世升天，不如把握好活着的当下时光。
　　　　有一天梦中醒来，写了这个佛经里的故事。

一个平凡老公的经典语句

1.没有钱，没有权，再不对你好点，你能跟我？

　　2.买了电脑不上宽带，就好比酒肉都准备好了却在吃饭前当了和尚。

　　3.天上掉钞票我不会弯腰，因为天上连馅饼都不会掉，更别说掉钞票了。

　　4.你给我买10条烟总比我去一次夜总会划算吧。

　　5.要我扫地就绝对不刷碗，要我刷碗就绝对不扫地，两样一起做？你当我是外星人啊！

　　6.躺在床上看电视不如在看电视时上床睡觉。

　　7.给我一个支点，我把邻居那小子的汽车翘到沟里去，省得他见我就按喇叭。

　　8.参加选美的那些女人，都找不到好男人，因为好男人都结婚了，比如我。

　　9.如果领导下个月再不给我加薪，我就辞职，辞职前再给他送两条中华，抽死他。

　　10.如果猪都会飞了，谁还买飞机？骑着猪上天不就行了。

　　11.我的领带又找不到了，是不是你昨天又没有找到抹布？

　　12.埃及，一个男人可以娶四个老婆，那得多累啊，还是中国好。

　　13.还是让我跪搓板吧，跪电暖气实在受不了啊！

　　14.就算是一只癞蛤蟆，我也决不娶母癞蛤蟆。

　　15.白酒一斤，我绝对没感觉，因为喝半斤就已经喝死了。

　　16.厕所看报纸等同于大便完了擦屁股，是一个流程，否则不叫完工。

　　17.儿子不听话可以适当的打打，要不就显不出老子的威严，台湾问题就是如此。

　　18.妈过生日，送脑白金还不如送两块大排骨煮煮吃，至少还能当下酒菜。

　　19.我才不去见网友，除非国家修改一夫一妻制。

　　20.下辈子我还找你，因为除了我，你是最傻的。

希望天使(Angel of Hope)

Ammie Reddick from East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, was only 18 months old when she had the accident that has scarred her for life. While her mother's back was turned for a moment, the inquisitive[好奇的] toddler[初学走路的孩童] reached up to grab the flex[电线] of a hot kettle[壶] in the family kitchen and poured boiling water over her tiny infant frame[稚嫩的肢体].

Her mother Ruby spun round[转过头来] and, seeing Ammie horribly scalded[烫伤], called an ambulance[救护车] which rushed her daughter to a nearby hospital. Twenty per cent of Ammie's body had been burned and all of her burns were third-degree. The doctors could tell immediately that Ammie's best chance of survival was a specialised burns unit some miles away at Glasgow Royal[皇家] Infirmary[医院]. There, using tissue taken from unburned areas of Ammie's body, surgeons[外科医生] performed complex skin grafts[移植] to close her wounds and control her injuries, an operation that took about six hours. Over the next 16 years, Ammie underwent[经受(苦难)] 12 more operations to repair her body.

When she started school at Maxwelton Primary at age four, other pupils made cruel comments or simply wouldn't play with her. "I was the only burned child in the street, the class and the school," she recalls. "Some children refused to become friends because of that."

Today, age 17, Ammie can only ever remember being a burned person with scars; pain is a permanent[持久的] part of her body. She still has to have two further skin grafts[移植]. Yet she is a confident, outgoing[开朗的] teenager who offers inspiration[鼓舞] and hope to other young burns victims[受害者].

Ammie's parents Ruby, a funeral director[葬礼承办人], and Gibby, a policeman, have been a tremendous[极大的] support. "They told me if people had a problem with my burns, the problem was theirs not mine," says Ammie. "They taught me to cope[应付] with other people's reactions and constantly reminded me I was valued and loved." Ammie's positive philosophy[积极人生观] means she is now in demand with burns organisations, helping younger patients build their self-esteem[自尊] to live with permanent[持久的] scars[伤痕].

She is a member of the Scottish Burned Children's Club, a charity[慈善组织] set up last year. Says Donald Todd, chairman of the club and a senior burns nurse at Edinburgh's Royal Hospital for Sick Children, "Ammie provides so much encouragement for younger ones. She is upbeat[乐观的] and outgoing[开朗的] and a perfect role model for them."

This month, Ammie will be joining the younger children at the Graffham Water Centre in Cambridgeshire for the charity's first summer camp . "I'll show them how to shrug off[一笑了之] unkind[不友善的] stares from others," she says. Ammie loves wearing fashionable sleeveless tops[无袖上衣], and she plans to show the youngsters at summer camp that they can too. "I do not go to great lengths[刻意] to hide my burns scars," she says. "I gave up wondering how other people would react years ago."

Donald Todd believes Ammie will be invaluable[举足轻重的] at the camp: "She is mature[成熟] beyond her years. Ammie has taken a tragic experience[悲惨的经历] and used it to shape a very strong, helpful personality[个性]."

一个朋友(A Friend)

Recently, one of my best friends, whom I've shared just about[几乎] everything with since the first day of kindergarten[幼儿园], spent the weekend with me. Since I moved to a new town several years ago, we've both always looked forward to the few times a year when we can see each other.

Over the weekend, we spent hours and hours, staying up late[迟迟不睡] into the night, talking about the people she was hanging around with[交往]. She started telling me stories about her new boyfriend, about how he experimented[尝试] with drugs[毒品,此处为大麻] and was into other self-destructive[自毁] behavior[行为]. I was blown away[震惊]! She told me how she had been lying to her parents about where she was going and even sneaking out[偷跑] to see this guy because they didn't want her around him. No matter how hard I tried to tell her that she deserved better, she didn't believe me. Her self-respect seemed to have disappeared.

I tried to convince her that she was ruining her future and heading for big trouble. I felt like I was getting nowhere[毫无进展]. I just couldn't believe that she really thought it was acceptable to hang with a bunch of losers, especially her boyfriend.

By the time she left, I was really worried about her and exhausted[疲惫] by the experience. It had been so frustrating[灰心的], I had come close to telling her several times during the weekend that maybe we had just grown too far apart to continue our friendship - but I didn't. I put the power of friendship to the ultimate[最后的] test. We'd been friends for far too long. I had to hope that she valued me enough to know that I was trying to save her from hurting herself. I wanted to believe that our friendship could conquer[克服] anything.

A few days later, she called to say that she had thought long and hard about our conversation, and then she told me that she had broken up with her boyfriend. I just listened on the other end of the phone with tears of joy running down my face. It was one of the truly rewarding[值得的] moments in my life. Never had I been so proud of a friend.(by Danielle Fishel)

朱子家训翻译欣赏

朱子家训是我国古时的家庭礼教文化精华，使人通人事，明事理，而张香桐院士的译文无论从用词，达意，音韵等方面都堪称翻译的典范，现摘抄数篇供大家欣赏。

（1）一粥一饭，当思来之不易。
半丝半缕，恒念物力维艰。
The growing of rice and of grain
Think on whenever you dine;
Remember how silk is obtained
Which keeps you warm and looks fine.

（2）宜未雨而绸缪，勿临渴而掘井。
In periods of drought
Wise birds mend their nest
So when the clouds burst
They snugly may rest;
Never be the fool
Who starts to dig a well in the ground
When he wants a drink of water
And water can’t be found.

（3）与肩挑贸易毋占便宜，
与贫苦亲邻须加温恤。
Bargain you not with the traveler who vends;
Share of your wealth with your neighbors and friends.

（4）居家戒争讼，讼则终凶；
处世戒多言，言多必失。
Don’t take into court your family disputes,
Unpleasant endings emerge from lawsuits;
To comport yourself well in society,
Restrain loose tongue’s impropriety.

（5）勿恃权势而凌孤寡；
勿贪口腹而恣杀性。
Use not your bow and arrow
To bully orphan and widow.
Do not dumb animals slaughter at will
Your appetite greedy to over fulfill.

（6）乖僻自是，悔悟必多；
颓惰自甘，家园终替。
Egocentric people grow
Much regret and sorrow;
Lazy, slothful people sow
Poverty tomorrow.

（7）施惠勿念；受恩莫忘。
In proclaiming your virtues go slow;
And be mindful of mercy you own.

（8）凡事当留余地，
得意不宜再往。
Leave room for retreat
When trying new feat.
You will try, try in vain
To repeat windfall gain.

（9）人有喜庆，不可生忌妒心；
人有祸患，不可生欣幸心。
Don’t envy other’s success;
Don’t gloat o’er other’s distress.
(注：o’er即over，为了译文的音律而采用缩略的形式)

（10）善欲人见，不是真善；
恶恐人知，便是大恶。
To brag of the good you have done
Will never impress anyone.
Personal scandals you try hard to hide
Will soon be known far and wide.

沙漠之花(Flower In The Desert)

这个美丽的故事流传在美洲印第安土著中已近200年了，一朵荒漠中的小花，不是为了自己的艳丽，而执着于点缀这个世界的一角……

This happened many many summers ago.

There was a young flower in the desert where all was dry and sad looking...It was growing by itself...enjoying every day...and saying to the sun "When shall I be grown up"? And the sun would say "Be patient"---Each time I touch you,you grow a little"...And she was so pleased.Because she would have a chance to bring beauty to this corner of sand...And this is all she wanted to do---bring a little bit of beauty to this world.

One day the hunter came by---and stepped on her.---She was going to die---and she felt so sad.Not because she was dying ---but because she would not have a chance to bring a little bit of beauty to this corner of the desert.

The great spirit saw her, and was listening.---Indeed,he said ...She should be living...And he reached down and touched her---and gave her life.

And she grew up to be a beautiful flower...and this corner of the desert became so beautiful because of her.

一小时(One Hour Of Time)

A man came home from work late again, tired and irritated[烦躁的], to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door. "Daddy, may I ask you a question?"

"Yeah, sure, what is it?" replied the man.

"Daddy, how much money do you make an hour?"

"That's none of your business. What makes you ask such a thing?" the man said angrily.

"I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?" pleaded the little boy.

"If you must know, I make $20.00 an hour."

"Oh," the little boy replied, head bowed[弯下脑袋].

Looking up, he said, "Daddy, may I borrow $10.00 please?"

The father was furious[生气的]. "If the only reason you wanted to know how much money I make is just so you can borrow some to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you're being so selfish. I work long, hard hours everyday and don't have time for such childish games."

The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. The man sat down and started to get even madder about the little boy's questioning. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money. After an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think he may have been a little hard on his son. Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $10.00 and he really didn't ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door.

"Are you asleep son?" he asked.

"No daddy, I'm awake," replied the boy.

"I've been thinking, may be I was too hard on you earlier," said the man.

"It's been a long day and I took my aggravation[恼怒] out on you. Here's that $10.00 you asked for."

The little boy sat straight up, beaming[愉快的]. "Oh, thank you daddy" he yelled.

Then, reaching under his pillow, he pulled out some more crumpled up[摺皱的] bills.The man, seeing that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, then looked up at the man. "Why did you want more money if you already had some? " the father grumbled[抱怨].

"Because I didn't have enough, but now I do," the little boy replied.

"Daddy, I have $20.00 now. Can I buy an hour of your time?"

Share $20.00 worth of time with someone you love...just a short reminder to all of us working so hard for our living. However, let us not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some quality time with those who really matter to us.

忙于工作的人们，别忘了生命中还有更重要的东西，请多花一些时间来陪伴我们的亲人。

假如给你一支笔(Suppose someone gave you a pen)

Suppose someone gave you a pen - a sealed, solid-colored pen.

假如有人送你一支笔，一支不可拆卸的单色钢笔。

You couldn't see how much ink it had. It might run dry after the first few tentative words or last just long enough to create a masterpiece[名著、杰作] (or several) that would last forever and make a difference in the scheme of things. You don't know before you begin. Under the rules of the game, you really never know. You have to take a chance[碰运气]!

看不出里面究竟有多少墨水。或许在你试探性地写上几个字后它就会枯干，或许足够用来创作一部影响深远的不朽巨著(或是几部)。而这些，在动笔前，都是无法得知的。 在这个游戏规则下，你真的永远不会预知结果。你只能去碰运气！

Actually, no rule of the game states you must do anything. Instead of picking up and using the pen, you could leave it on a shelf or in a drawer where it will dry up[干枯], unused. But if you do decide to use it, what would you do with it? How would you play the game? Would you plan and plan before you ever wrote a word? Would your plans be so extensive [广阔、宏大]that you never even got to the writing? Or would you take the pen in hand, plunge[把…投入] right in and just do it, struggling to keep up with the twists[旋涡] and turns of the torrents[急流] of words that take you where they take you? Would you write cautiously[谨慎的] and carefully, as if the pen might run dry the next moment, or would you pretend or believe (or pretend to believe) that the pen will write forever and proceed accordingly?

事实上，这个游戏里没有规则指定你必须要做什幺。相反，你甚至可以根本不去动用这支笔，把它扔在书架上或是抽屉里让它的墨水干枯。 但是，如果你决定要用它的话，那么你会用它来做什幺呢？你将怎幺来进行这个游戏呢？你会不写一个字，老是计划来计划去吗？你会不会由于计划过于宏大而来不 及动笔呢？或者你只是手里拿着笔，一头扎进去写，不停地写，艰难地随着文字汹涌的浪涛而随波逐流？ 你会小心谨慎的写字，好象这支笔在下一个时刻就可能会干枯；还是装做或相信这支笔能够永远写下去而信手写来呢？

And of what would you write: Of love? Hate? Fun? Misery? Life? Death? Nothing? Everything? Would you write to please just yourself? Or others? Or yourself by writing for others?
Would your strokes be tremblingly[颤抖地] timid or brilliantly bold[果敢]? Fancy[想象力] with a flourish[丰富] or plain? Would you even write? Once you have the pen, no rule says you have to write. Would you sketch? Scribble? Doodle[乱画] or draw? Would you stay in or on the lines, or see no lines at all, even if they were there? Or are they?

你又会用笔写下些什么呢：爱？恨？喜？悲？生？死？虚无？万物？你写作只是为了愉己？还是为了悦人？抑或是借替人书写而愉己？你的落笔会是颤抖胆怯的，还 是鲜明果敢的？你的想象会是丰富的还是贫乏的？甚或你根本没有落笔？这是因为，你拿到笔以后，没有哪条规则说你必须写作。也许你要画素描，乱写一气？信笔 涂鸦？画画？你会保持写在线内还是线上，还是根本看不到线，即使有线在那里？嗯，真的有线吗？

There's a lot to think about here, isn't there?

这里面有许多东西值得考虑，不是吗？

Now, suppose someone gave you a life...

现在，假如有人给予你一支生命的笔……

培根：论爱情(Bacon:Of Love)

The stage is more beholding to love, than the life of man. For as to the stage, love is ever matter of comedies, and now and then of tragedies; but in life it doth much mischief; sometimes like a siren, sometimes like a fury.

舞台上的爱情生活比生活中的爱情要美好得多。因为在舞台上，爱情只是喜剧和悲剧的素材，而在人生中，爱情却常常招来不幸。它有时象那位诱惑人的魔女(1)，有时又象那位复仇的女神(2)。

You may observe, that amongst all the great and worthy persons (whereof the memory remaineth, either ancient or recent) there is not one, that hath been transported to the mad degree of love: which shows that great spirits, and great business, do keep out this weak passion. You must except, nevertheless, Marcus Antonius, the half partner of the empire of Rome, and Appius Claudius, the decemvir and lawgiver; whereof the former was indeed a voluptuous man, and inordinate; but the latter was an austere and wise man: and therefore it seems (though rarely) that love can find entrance, not only into an open heart, but also into a heart well fortified, if watch be not well kept.

你可以看到，一切真正伟大的人物（无论是古人、今人，只要是其英名永铭于人类记忆中的），没有一个是因爱情而发狂的人。因为伟大的事业只有罗马的安东尼和 克劳底亚是例外(3)。前者本性就好色荒淫，然而后者却是严肃多谋的人。这说明爱情不仅会占领开旷坦阔的胸怀，有时也能闯入壁垒森严的心灵----假如手 御不严的话。

It is a poor saying of Epicurus, Satis magnum alter alteri theatrum sumus; as if man, made for the contemplation of heaven, and all noble objects, should do nothing but kneel before a little idol, and make himself a subject, though not of the mouth (as beasts are), yet of the eye; which was given him for higher purposes.

埃辟克拉斯(4)曾说过一句笨话：“人生不过是一座大戏台。”似乎本应努力追求高尚事业的人类，却只应象玩偶般地逢场作戏。虽然爱情的奴隶并不同于那班只顾吃喝的禽兽，但毕竟也只是眼目色相的奴隶，而上帝赐人以眼睛本来是有更高尚的用途的。

It is a strange thing, to note the excess of this passion, and how it braves the nature, and value of things, by this; that the speaking in a perpetual hyperbole, is comely in nothing but in love. Neither is it merely in the phrase; for whereas it hath been well said, that the arch-flatterer, with whom all the petty flatterers have intelligence, is a man's self; certainly the lover is more. For there was never proud man thought so absurdly well of himself, as the lover doth of the person loved; and therefore it was well said, That it is impossible to love, and to be wise. Neither doth this weakness appear to others only, and not to the party loved; but to the loved most of all, except the love be reciproque. For it is a true rule, that love is ever rewarded, either with the reciproque, or with an inward and secret contempt.

过度的爱情追求，必然会降低人本身的价值。例如，只有在爱情中，才总是需要那种浮夸陷媚的词令。而在其他场合，同样的词令只能招人耻笑。古人有一句名言： “最大的奉承，人总是留给自己的。”----只有对情人的奉承要算例外。因为甚至最骄傲的人，也甘愿在情人面前自轻自贱。所以古人说得好：“就是神在爱情 中也难保持聪明。”情人的这种弱点不仅在外人眼中是明显的，就是在被追求者的眼中也会很明显----除非她（他）也在追求他（她）。所以，爱情的代价就是 如此，不能得到回爱，就会得到一种深藏于心的轻蔑，这是一条永真的定律。

By how much the more, men ought to beware of this passion, which loseth not only other things, but itself! As for the other losses, the poet's relation doth well figure them: that he that preferred Helena, quitted the gifts of Juno and Pallas. For whosoever esteemeth too much of amorous affection, quitteth both riches and wisdom.

由此可见，人们应当十分警惕这种感情。因为它不但会使人丧失其他，而且可以使人丧失自己本身。甚至其他方面的损失，古诗人早告诉我们，那追求海伦的人，是放弃了财富和智慧的(5)。

This passion hath his floods, in very times of weakness; which are great prosperity, and great adversity; though this latter hath been less observed: both which times kindle love, and make it more fervent, and therefore show it to be the child of folly. They do best, who if they cannot but admit love, yet make it keep quarters; and sever it wholly from their serious affairs, and actions, of life; for if it check once with business, it troubleth men's fortunes, and maketh men, that they can no ways be true to their own ends.

由此可见，人们应当十分警惕这种感情。因为它不但会使人丧失其他，而且可以使人丧失自己本身。甚至其他方面的损失，古诗人早告诉我们，那追求海伦的人，是放弃了财富和智慧的(5)。

I know not how, but martial men are given to love: I think, it is but as they are given to wine; for perils commonly ask to be paid in pleasures.

我不懂是什么缘故，使许多军人更容易堕入情网，也许这正象他们嗜爱饮酒一样，是因为危险的生活更需要欢乐的补偿。

There is in man's nature, a secret inclination and motion, towards love of others, which if it be not spent upon some one or a few, doth naturally spread itself towards many, and maketh men become humane and charitable; as it is seen sometime in friars.

人心中可能普遍具有一种博爱倾向，若不集中于某个专一的对象身上，就必然施之于更广泛的大众，使他成为仁善的人，象有的僧侣那样。

Nuptial love maketh mankind; friendly love perfecteth it; but wanton love corrupteth, and embaseth it.

夫妻的爱，使人类繁衍。朋友的爱，给人以帮助。但那荒淫纵欲的爱，却只会使人堕落毁灭啊！

附注：
(1) 古希腊神话，传说地中海有魔女，歌喉动听，诱使过往船只陷入险境。
(2) 原文为“Flries”，传说中的地狱之神。
(3) 安东尼，恺撒部将。后因迷恋女色而战败被杀。克劳底亚，古罗马执政官，亦因好色而被杀。
(4) 埃辟克拉斯（前342--前270年），古罗马哲学家。
(5) 古希腊神话，传说天后赫拉，智慧之神密纳发和美神维纳斯，为争夺金苹果，请特洛伊王子评判。三神各许一愿， 密纳发许以智慧，维纳斯许以美女海伦，天后许以财富。结果王子把金苹果给了维纳斯。

美丽的微笑与爱心(Beautiful Smile and Love)

作 者介绍: 特蕾莎修女(Mother Teresa,1910-1997)，印度著名的慈善家，印度天主教仁爱传教会创始人，在世界范围内建立了一个庞大的慈善机构网，赢得了国际社会的广泛尊 敬。1979年被授予诺贝尔和平奖。本文所选即好在领取该奖项时的演讲辞，语言简洁质朴而感人至深。诺贝尔奖领奖台上响起的声音往往都是文采飞扬、热烈、 激昂。而特雷莎修女的演说朴实无华，其所举事例听来似平凡之至，然而其中所蕴含的伟大而神圣的爱感人至深。平凡中孕育伟大，真情才能动人。我们作文时，要 善于从自己所熟知的平凡中发掘伟大，以真情来打动读者。

The poor are very wonderful people. One evening we went out and we picked up four people from the street. And one of them was in a most terrible condition，and I told the sisters: You take care of the other three. I take care of this one who looked worse. So I did for her all that my love can do. I put her in bed, and there was such a beautiful smile on her face. She took hold of my hand as she said just the words “thank you” and she died. I could not help but examine my conscience[良心]before her and I asked what would I say if I was in her place. And my answer was very simple. I would have tried to draw a little attention to myself. I would have said I am hungry, that I am dying, I am cold, I am in pain, or something, but she gave me much more-she gave me her grateful love. And she died with a smile on her face. As did that man whom we picked up from the drain[阴沟、下水道], half eaten with worms, and we brought him to the home. “I have lived like an animal in the street, but I am going to die like an angel, loved and cared for.” And it was so wonderful to see the greatness of that man who could speak like that, who could die like that without blaming anybody, without cursing anybody, without comparing anything. Like an angel-this is the greatness of our people. And that is why we believe what Jesus had said: I was hungry, I was naked, I was homeless, I was unwanted, unloved, uncared for, and you did it to me.

穷人是非常了不起的人。一天晚上，我们外出，从街上带回了四个人，其中一个生命岌岌可危。于是我告诉修女们说：“你们照料其他三个，这个濒危的人就由我来 照顾了。”就这样，我为她做了我的爱所能做的一切。我将她放在床上，看到她的脸上绽露出如此美丽的微笑。她握着我的手，只说了句“谢谢您”就死了。我情不 自禁地在她面前审视起自己的良知来。我问自己，如果我是她的话，会说些什么呢？答案很简单，我会尽量引起旁人对我的关注，我会说我饥饿难忍，冷得发抖，奄 奄一息，痛苦不堪，诸如此类的话。但是她给我的却更多更多――她给了我她的感激之情。她死时脸上却带着微笑。我们从排水道带回的那个男子也是如此。当时， 他几乎全身都快被虫子吃掉了，我们把他带回了家。“在街上，我一直像个动物一样地活着，但我将像个天使一样地死去，有人爱，有人关心。”真是太好了，我看 到了他的伟大之处，他竟能说出那样的话。他那样地死去，不责怪任何人，不诅咒任何人，无欲无求。像天使一样――这便是我们的人民的伟大之所在。因此我们相 信耶稣所说的话――我饥肠辘辘――我衣不蔽体――我无家可归――我不为人所要，不为人所爱，也不为人所关心――然而，你却为我做了这一切。

I believe that we are not real social workers. We may be doing social work in the eyes of the people, but we are really contemplatives[修行者、沉思冥想的人] in the heart of the world. For we are touching the body of Christ twenty-four hours…And I think that in our family we don’t need bombs and guns, to destroy, to bring peace, just get together, love one another, bring that peace, that joy, that strength of presence of each other in the home. And we will be able to overcome all the evil that is in the world.

我想，我们算不上真正的社会工作者。在人们的眼中，或许我们是在做社会工作，但实际上，我们真的只是世界中心的修行者。因为，一天24小时，我们都在触摸 基督的圣体。我想，在我们的大家庭时，我们不需要枪支和炮弹来破坏和平，或带来和平――我们只需要团结起来，彼此相爱，将和平、欢乐以及每一个家庭成员灵 魂的活力都带回世界。这样，我们就能战胜世界上现存的一切邪恶。

And with this prize that I have received as a Prize of Peace, I am going to try to make the home for many people who have no home. Because I believe that love begins at home, and if we can create a home for the poor I think that more and more love will spread. And we will be able through this understanding love to bring peace be the good news to the poor. The poor in our own family first, in our country and in the world. To be able to do this, our Sisters, our lives have to be wove with prayer. They have to be woven with Christ to be able to understand, to be able to share. Because to be woven with Christ is to be able to understand, to be able to share. Because today there is so much suffering…When I pick up a person from the street, hungry, I give him a plate of rice, a piece of bread, I have satisfied. I have removed that hunger. But a person who is shut out, who feels unwanted, unloved, terrified, the person who has been thrown out from society-that poverty is so full of hurt and so unbearable…And so let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love, and once we begin to love each other naturally we want to do something.

我准备以我所获得的诺贝尔和平奖奖金为那些无家可归的人们建立自己的家园。因为我相信，爱源自家庭，如果我们能为穷人建立家园，我想爱便会传播得更广。而 且，我们将通过这种宽容博大的爱而带来和平，成为穷人的福音。首先为我们自己家里的穷人，其次为我们国家，为全世界的穷人。为了做到这一点，姐妹们，我们 的生活就必须与祷告紧紧相连，必须同基督结结一体才能互相体谅，共同分享，因为同基督结合一体就意味着互相体谅，共同分享。因为，今天的世界上仍有如此多 的苦难存在……当我从街上带回一个饥肠辘辘的人时，给他一盘饭，一片面包，我就能使他心满意足了，我就能躯除他的饥饿。但是，如果一个人露宿街头，感到不 为人所要，不为人所爱，惶恐不安，被社会抛弃――这样的贫困让人心痛，如此令人无法忍受。因此，让我们总是微笑想见，因为微笑就是爱的开端，一旦我们开始 彼此自然地相爱，我们就会想着为对方做点什么了。

最后一课(The Last Class)

都德的《最后一课》相信大家都在课本上读过，故 事借亚尔萨斯省一个小孩小弗朗士的自述，具体地描写一所小学所上的最后一堂法文课。作家回避了普法战争的正面战场，而把笔墨转向一幅极为平常的生活画面： 小学生迟到，老师讲课、提问，习字，拼音练习，下课……描写极为冷静、客观、朴素，却极具感染力。我们就用这部名篇的英文译本来体会一下：

I WAS very late for school that morning, and I was terribly afraid of being scolded[责骂], especially as Monsieur[法语:先生] Hamel had told us that he should examine us on participles[分词], and I did not know the first thing about them. For a moment I thought of staying away from school and wandering about the fields. It was such a warm, lovely day. I could hear the blackbirds whistling on the edge of the wood, and in the Rippert field, behind the sawmill[锯木厂], the Prussians going through their drill. All that was much more tempting to me than the rules concerning participles; but I had the strength to resist, and I ran as fast as I could to school.

那天早晨，我去上学，去得非常晚，我好害怕被责骂，特别是，阿麦尔先生跟我们说过，他要考一考分词规则，而我连头一个字都不会。这时，在我的 头脑里冒出了逃学、去田野跑一跑的念头。天气是那么暖和，那么晴朗！我听见乌鸦在小树林边鸣叫，普鲁士人正在锯木厂后面的里贝尔草地上操练。所有这一切都 比分词规则更吸引我，但我还是顶住了诱惑，加快脚步向学校方向跑去。

As I passed the mayor’s office, I saw that there were people gathered about the little board on which notices were posted. For two years all our bad news had come from that board—battles lost, conscriptions[征兵], orders from headquarters; and I thought without stopping:

“What can it be now?”

从村政府门前经过的时候，我看见许多人站在小布告栏前。这两年来，所有的坏消息，诸如吃败仗啦，征兵征物啦，还有普鲁士占领军司令部发布的命令啦，都是从那里来的。我边跑边想：“又有什么事吗？”

Then, as I ran across the square, Wachter the blacksmith, who stood there with his apprentice[学徒], reading the placard[布告], called out to me:

“Don’t hurry so, my boy; you’ll get to your school soon enough!”

I thought that he was making fun of me, and I ran into Monsieur Hamel’s little yard all out of breath.

当我跑着穿过广场的时候，正在布告栏前和徒弟一起看布告的瓦克特尔铁匠朝我高喊：“小家伙，不用赶得那么急；你去得再晚也不会迟到的！”我以为他在跟我开玩笑，便上气不接下气地跑进阿麦尔先生的小教室。

Usually, at the beginning of school, there was a great uproar[喧嚣] which could be heard in the street, desks opening and closing, lessons repeated aloud in unison[一致], with our ears stuffed in order to learn quicker, and the teacher’s stout ruler beating on the desk:

“A little more quiet!”

往常，开始上课的时候，总是一片乱哄哄的嘈杂声，斜面课桌的开关声，同学们一起捂住耳朵高声背诵课文的声音，街上都听得见。先生的大戒尺敲打着课桌：“安静一点！”

I counted on all this noise to reach my bench unnoticed; but as it happened, that day everything was quiet, like a Sunday morning. Through the open window I saw my comrades already in their places, and Monsieur Hamel walking back and forth[向前] with the terrible iron ruler under his arm. I had no open the door and enter, in the midst of that perfect silence. You can imagine whether I blushed[羞愧] and whether I was afraid!

我打算趁这片嘈杂声，偷偷地溜到我的座位上去。可是，这一天不同于往常，一切都很安静，就像是星期天的早晨。透过敞开的窗户，我看见同学们已 经整整齐齐地坐在他们的座上，阿麦尔先生腋下夹着那把可怕的铁戒尺，来回地踱着步子。必须推开教室门，在这一片静谧中走进教室。你们想一想，当时我是多么 尴尬，多么害怕！

But no! Monsieur Hamel looked at me with no sign of anger and said very gently:

“Go at once to your seat, my little Frantz; we were going to begin without you.”

可是，没有。阿麦尔先生看着我，没有生气，而是非常温和地对我说：“快点回到座位上，我的小弗朗茨；我们就要开始上课了。”

I stepped over the bench and sat down at once at my desk. Not until then, when I had partly recovered from my fright, did I notice that our teacher had on his handsome blue coat, his plaited ruff, and the black silk embroidered breeches, which he wore only on days of inspection or of distribution of prizes. Moreover, there was something extraordinary, something solemn about the whole class. But what surprised me most was to see at the back of the room, on the benches which were usually empty, some people from the village sitting, as silent as we were: old Hauser with his three-cornered hat, the ex-mayor, the ex-postman, and others besides. They all seemed depressed; and Hauser had brought an old spelling-book with gnawed edges, which he held wide-open on his knee, with his great spectacles askew.

我跨过凳子，马上坐到座位上。我从惊慌中稍稍定下神来，这才注意到，我们的老师穿着他那件漂亮的绿色常礼服，领口系着折迭得很精致的领结，头 上戴着那顶刺绣的黑绸小圆帽，这套装束，只有在上头派人来学校视察或学校发奖时他才穿戴的。此外，整个教室也有一种不同寻常的庄严的气氛。但是，最使我吃 惊的是，看到教室面，那些平常空着的凳子上，坐着一些跟我们一样默不作声的村里的人，有头戴三角帽的奥泽尔老人，有前任镇长，有以前的邮递员，另外还有其 他人。所有这些人都显得很忧伤；奥泽尔老人还带了一本边角都已破损的旧识字课本，摊放在膝头上，课本上横放着他那副大眼镜。

While I was wondering at all this, Monsieur Hamel had mounted his platform, and in the same gentle and serious voice with which he had welcomed me, he said to us:

“My children, this is the last time that I shall teach you. Orders have come from Berlin to teach nothing but German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The new teacher arrives to-morrow. This is the last class in French, so I beg you to be very attentive.”

正当我对这一切感到惊诧莫名时，阿麦尔先生在椅子上坐下，用刚才对我说话的那种既温和又庄重的声音，对我们说道：“孩子们，我这是最后一次给 你们上课了。柏林来了命令，阿尔萨斯和洛林两省的学校只准教德语……新的老师明天就到。今天是你们最后一堂法语课，所以我请你们一定专心听讲。”

Those few words overwhelmed me. Ah! the villains! that was what they had posted at the mayor’s office.

这几句话使我惊呆了。啊！这些坏蛋，他们贴在村政府布告栏上的就是这个消息。

My last class in French!

And I barely knew how to write! So I should never learn! I must stop short where I was! How angry I was with myself because of the time I had wasted, the lessons I had missed, running about after nests, or sliding on the Saar! My books, which only a moment before I thought so tiresome, so heavy to carry—my grammar, my sacred history—seemed to me now like old friends, from whom I should be terribly grieved to part. And it was the same about Monsieur Hamel. The thought that he was going away, that I should never see him again, made me forget the punishments, the blows with the ruler.

我的最后一堂法语课！……我只是刚刚学会写字！今后永远也学不到法语！法语就到此为止了！我现在是多么悔恨自己蹉跎光阴啊！悔恨自己从前逃课 去掏鸟窝，去萨尔河溜冰！我的那些书，我的语法课本，我的神圣的历史书，刚才背在身上还觉得那么讨厌，那么沉重，现在却像老朋友一样，让我难舍难分。还有 阿麦尔先生。一想到他就要走了，再也见不到了，我就忘记了以前的处惩和挨打。

Poor man! It was in honour of that last lesson that he had put on his fine Sunday clothes; and I understood now why those old fellows from the village were sitting at the end of the room. It seemed to mean that they regretted not having come oftener to the school. It was also a way of thanking our teacher for his forty years of faithful service, and of paying their respects to the fatherland which was vanishing.

可怜的人！他身着漂亮的节日盛装，为的是庆贺这最后的一堂课。现在，我明白了为什么村里的老人都坐在教室后面。这好像在说，他们后悔从前不常来学校。这也像是对我们的老师四十年的优秀教学，对今后不属于他们的国土表示他们的敬意的一种方式……”

I was at that point in my reflections, when I heard my name called. It was my turn to recite. What would I not have given to be able to say from beginning to end that famous rule about participles, in a loud, distinct voice, without a slip! But I got mixed up at the first words, and I stood there swaying against my bench, with a full heart, afraid to raise my head. I heard Monsieur Hamel speaking to me:

我正限于沉思之中，突然我听见叫我的名字。轮到我背分词规则了。要是我能把这条重要的分词规则大声、清晰、准确无误地从头背到尾，有什么代价我不愿付出呢？但是，我连开始的那些词都搞不清楚。我站在凳子前面，左摇右晃，心里难受极了，不敢抬头。我听见阿麦尔先生说话：

“I will not scold you, my little Frantz; you must be punished enough; that is the way it goes; every day we say to ourselves: ‘Pshaw! I have time enough. I will learn to-morrow.’ And then you see what happens. Ah! it has been the great misfortune of our Alsace always to postpone its lessons until to-morrow. Now those people are entitled to say to us: ‘What! you claim to be French, and you can neither speak nor write your language!’ In all this, my poor Frantz, you are not the guiltiest one. We all have our fair share of reproaches to address to ourselves.

“我不责备你，我的小弗朗茨，你可能受够了惩罚……事情就是如此。每天，我们都对自己说：算了吧！我有的是时间。我明天再学。现在，你知道出 了什么事……唉！我们阿尔萨斯人的最大不幸就是把教育拖延到明天。现在，那些人有权利对我们说：‘怎么！你们声称自己是法国人，可你们即不会说也不会写你 们的语言！’……我可怜的弗朗茨，造成所有这一切，责任最大的并不是你。我们每个人都有许多应该责备自己的地方。

“Your parents have not been careful enough to see that you were educated. They preferred to send you to work in the fields or in the factories, in order to have a few more sous. And have I nothing to reproach myself for? Have I not often made you water my garden instead of studying? And when I wanted to go fishing for trout, have I ever hesitated to dismiss you?”

“你们的父母没有尽心让你们好好读书。他们宁愿把你们打发到田里或纱厂里去干活，为的是多挣几个钱。我自己呢，难道我一点也没有应该责备自己的地方吗？我不也是经常让你们到我的花园浇水以此代替学习吗？当我想钓鳟鱼的时候，我不是随随便便就给你们放假吗？”

Then, passing from one thing to another, Monsieur Hamel began to talk to us about the French language, saying that it was the most beautiful language in the world, the most clear, the most substantial; that we must always retain it among ourselves, and never forget it, because when a people falls into servitude, “so long as it clings to its language, it is as if it held the key to its prison.” Then he took the grammer and read us our lesson. I was amazed to see how readily I understood. Everything that he said seemed so easy to me, so easy. I believed, too, that I had never listened so closely, and that he, for his part, had never been so patient with his explanations. One would have said that, before going away, the poor man desired to give us all his knowledge, to force it all into our heads at a single blow.

阿麦尔先生从一件事谈到另一件事，然后开始给我们讲法语，他说，法语是世界上最优美的语言，是最清晰的语言，最严谨的语言，我们应该掌握它， 永远也不要忘记，因为，当一个民族沦为奴隶时，只要它好好地保存自己的语言，就好像掌握了打开监牢的钥匙……然后，他拿了一本语法书，我们开始朗诵课文。 令我吃惊的是，我竟理解得这么透彻。他所讲的一切对我都显得很容易，很容易。我同样觉得，我还从来没有这么认真听讲过，他也从来没有这样耐心讲解过。这个 可怜的人，仿佛想在离开这里以前，把他全部的知识都灌输给我们，让我们一下子掌握这些知识。

When the lesson was at an end, we passed to writing. For that day Monsieur Hamel had prepared some entirely new examples, on which was written in a fine, round hand: “France, Alsace, France, Alsace.” They were like little flags, waving all about the class, hanging from the rods of our desks. You should have seen how hard we all worked and how silent it was! Nothing could be heard save the grinding of the pens over the paper. At one time some cock-chafers flew in; but no one paid any attention to them, not even the little fellows who were struggling with their straight lines, with a will and conscientious application, as if even the lines were French. On the roof of the schoolhouse, pigeons cooed in low tones, and I said to myself as I listened to them:

“I wonder if they are going to compel them to sing in German too!”

课文讲解完了，我们开始练习写字。这一天，阿麦尔先生为我们准备了许多崭新的字卡样，上面用美丽的圆体字写着：法兰西，阿尔萨斯，法兰西，阿 尔萨斯。这些字帖卡片悬挂在我们课桌的金属杆上，就像许多小旗在教室里飘扬。该知道每个人都是那样聚精会神，教室里是那样寂静无声！只听得见笔尖在纸上的 沙沙声。有一回，几只金龟子跑进了教室，但是谁也不去注意它们，连年龄最小的也不例外，他们正专心致志地练直杠笔划，仿佛这些笔划也是法语……学校的屋顶 上，鸽子低声地咕咕地叫着，我一边听，一边寻思：“他们该不会强迫这些鸽子用德语唱歌吧？”

From time to time, when I raised my eyes from my paper. I saw Monsieur Hamel sitting motionless in his chair and staring at the objects about him as if he wished to carry away in his glance the whole of his little schoolhouse. Think of it! For forty years he had been there in the same place, with his yard in front of him and his class just as it was! But the benches and desks were polished and rubbed by use; the walnuts in the yard had grown, and the hop-vine which he himself had planted now festooned the windows even to the roof. What a heart-rending thing it must have been for that poor man to leave all those things, and to hear his sister walking back and forth in the room overhead, packing their trunks! For they were to go away the next day—to leave the province forever.

我时不时地从书本上抬起眼睛，看见阿麦尔先生一动不动地坐在椅子上，注视着周围的一切东西，仿佛要把这个小小教室里的一切都装进目光里带 走……可想而知！四十年来，他一直呆在这个地方，守着对面的院子和一直没有变样的教室。唯独教室里的凳子、课桌被学生磨光滑了；院子里的胡桃树长高了，他 自己亲手种下的那棵啤酒花如今爬满了窗户，爬上了屋顶。这个可怜的人听到他妹妹在楼上的卧室里来来回回地收拾行李，想到自己就要告别眼前的一切，这对他来 说是多么伤心难过的事啊！因为，他们明天就要动身了，永远离开自己的家乡。

However, he had the courage to keep the class to the end. After the writing, we had the lesson in history; then the little ones sang all together the ba, be, bi, bo, bu. Yonder, at the back of the room, old Hauser had put on his spectacles, and, holding his spelling-book in both hands, he spelled out the letters with them. I could see that he too was applying himself. His voice shook with emotion, and it was so funny to hear him, that we all longed to laugh and to cry. Ah! I shall remember that last class.

他竟然还有勇气把我们的课上完。习字过后，我们上了历史课；接着小家伙们一起唱起了Ｂａ　Ｂｅ　Ｂｉ　Ｂｏ　Ｂｕ。教室后头，奥泽尔老人戴上 了眼镜，两手捧着识字课本，跟我们一起拼读。我发现他也一样专心，他的声音由于激动而颤抖，听起来很滑稽，叫我们又想笑又想哭。噢！我将永远也不会忘记这 最后的一课……

Suddenly the church clock struck twelve, then the Angelus rang. At the same moment, the bugles of the Prussians returning from drill blared under our windows. Monsieur Hamel rose, pale as death, from his chair. Never had he seemed to me so tall.

突然，教堂的钟声敲了十二下，而后是祈祷的钟声。与此同时，普鲁士士兵的操练完回营的号声在我们的窗户下回响……阿麦尔先生从椅子上站了起来，面色十分苍白。他在我的心目中，从来也没有显得这么高大。

“My friends,” he said, “my friends, I—I—”

“我的朋友们，”他说道，“我的朋友们，我……我……”

But something suffocated him. He could not finish the sentence.

Thereupon he turned to the blackboard, took a piece of chalk, and, bearing on with all his might, he wrote in the largest letters he could:

但是，有什么东西堵住了他的喉咙。他没能说完这句话。这时，他转过身子，拿起一截粉笔，使尽了全身力气，在黑板上尽可能大地写下几个字：

“VIVE LA FRANCE!”

Then he stood there, with his head resting against the wall, and without speaking, he motioned to us with his hand:

“That is all; go.”

　“法兰西万岁！”

　然后，他呆在那里，头靠着墙壁，一句话也不说，只是用手向我们示意：

　“课完了……你们走吧”

布雨之龙(The Dragons Who Rained)

一个英文写成的中国传统神话故事，关于中国四条江的形成。

Long, long ago, rain stopped falling in China. The people prayed for rain to the Jade Emperor, for it was he who looked after everything in heaven, on the land and in the sea, but no matter how much they prayed, rain did not fall.

在很久很久以前的中国，遇到了一次滴水不降的旱灾。人们就向掌管天上、地下、海洋的玉皇大帝求拜，但无论他们怎么祈求，雨始终不落一滴。

Four dragons lived in the East China Sea in those days. They swam to shore to see what was happening, and saw people tearing grass from the caked ground, for the people had nothing else left to eat.

当时，有四条龙住在中国的东海。他们游到岸边去看怎么回事，看到人们在从结块的土地上拔草吃，因为土地上实在没有别的东西吃了。

"We must do something," Long Dragon said, and Yellow Dragon nodded. "We must help them ourselves," said Pearl Dragon, "for the Jade Emperor will never answer their prayers."

“我们得做点什么，”长龙说道，黄龙点头附和。“我们一定得帮帮他们，”珠龙说，“因为玉帝是不会答应他们的祈求的。”

They suddenly thought of a way to help. They started swimming this way and that, scooping up water with their bodies. Then all four leapt into the sky. Black Dragon flew to the north, Long Dragon flew to the west, Pearl Dragon flew to the southernmost tip of China, and Yellow Dragon flew to the very center of the vast country. All at once, they let the water fall from their mouths, arms, legs, and even their tails.

他们突然想到了一个办法。他们在海里游，然后用他们的身体汲取水。然后他们四个分别腾飞天空。黑龙飞向了北面，长龙飞去了西面，珠龙飞去了中国的最南端，而黄龙则飞去了这个辽阔国度的最中心。突然，他们让水从他们的嘴巴、手脚、尾巴流出来。

The people down below looked up, but they could not see the dragons. They could only see the rain falling from the sky -- drops of rain more beautiful than any jewel. "Rain!" they cried joyfully, and all the people and animals ran out into the rain and started to dance.

地面的人们看到了，但他们看不到龙。他们只能看到雨从天空降下来——雨滴比任何珠宝都来得美丽。“雨！”人们欢呼雀跃，所有的人和动物都奔入雨中，欢呼起舞。

When the Jade Emperor saw the rain, he was furious. "Who dares to tamper with[干预] my world?" he shouted, and then saw the four dragons swooping around in the sky. "You will not escape!" he thundered, and summoning[招集] Mountain God, he ordered him to kill the dragons.

当玉帝看到雨，他十分震怒。“是谁干的？”他咆哮道，然后他看到了飞在空中的四条龙。“你们跑不了的！”他大吼道，然后招集山神，他命令山神杀死四条龙

Mountain God sent four mountains tumbling after the dragons. The moment the creatures landed, the four mountains landed on top of them, crushing them. Then an odd thing happened. Suddenly four rivers formed, springing out from beneath the mountains and spreading across the whole country.

山神派了四座山去压倒四龙。当龙一到，四座上就压倒他们，压垮他们。奇怪的事情发生了，突然间形成了四条河，从山下流出，贯穿了整个国家。

This, people say, is how the four great rivers of China were created: the Yangtze, the Yellow, the Pearl and the Heilongjiang are all that remain of the four great dragons who once saved the people of China.

人们说，这就是中国四条大江的由来，长江、黄河、珠江和黑龙江就是这四条龙的遗赠，他们曾经挽救过中国人们的生命。

老爸(Dad)

The first memory I have of him — of anything, really — is his strength. It was in the late afternoon in a house under construction near ours. The unfinished wood floor had large, terrifying holes whose yawning[张大嘴] darkness I knew led to nowhere good. His powerful hands, then age 33, wrapped all the way around my tiny arms, then age 4, and easily swung[摇摆] me up to his shoulders to command all I surveyed.

我对他——实际上是对所有事的最初记忆，就是他的力量。那是一个下午的晚些时候，在一所靠近我家的正在修建的房子里，尚未完工的木地板上有一个个巨大可怕 的洞，那些张着大口的黑洞在我看来是通向不祥之处的。时年33岁的爸爸用那强壮有力的双手一把握住我的小胳膊，当时我才4岁，然后轻而易举地把我甩上他的 肩头，让我把一切都尽收眼底。

The relationship between a son and his father changes over time. It may grow and flourish[繁茂] in mutual maturity[成熟]. It may sour in resented dependence or independence. With many children living in single-parent homes today, it may not even exist.

父子间的关系是随着岁月的流逝而变化的，它会在彼此成熟的过程中成长兴盛，也会在令人不快的依赖或独立的关系中产生不和。而今许多孩子生活在单亲家庭中，这种关系可能根本不存在。

But to a little boy right after World War II ,a father seemed a god with strange strengths and uncanny[离奇的] powers enabling him to do and know things that no mortal could do or know. Amazing things, like putting a bicycle chain back on, just like that. Or building a hamster[仓鼠] cage.Or guiding a jigsaw[拼板玩具] so it forms the letter F;I learned the alphabet[字母表] that way in those pre-television days.

然而，对于一个生活在二战刚刚结束时期的小男孩来说，父亲就像神，他拥有神奇的力量和神秘的能力，他无所不能，无所不知。那些奇妙的事儿有上自行车链条， 或是建一个仓鼠笼子，或是教我玩拼图玩具，拼出个字母“F”来。在那个电视机还未诞生的年代，我便是通过这种方法学会了字母表的。

There were, of course, rules to learn. First came the handshake. None of those fishy[冷冰冰的] little finger grips, but a good firm squeeze accompanied by an equally strong gaze into the other's eyes. “ The first thing anyone knows about you is your handshake,” he would say. And we'd practice it each night on his return from work, the serious toddler in the battered[用旧了的] Cleveland Indian's cap running up to the giant father to shake hands again and again until it was firm enough.

当然，还得学些做人的道理。首先是握手。这可不是指那种冷冰冰的手指相握，而是一种非常坚定有力的紧握，同时同样坚定有力地注视对方的眼睛。老爸常说： “人们认识你首先是通过同你握手。”每晚他下班回家时，我们便练习握手。年幼的我，戴着顶破克利夫兰印第安帽，一本正经地跌跌撞撞地跑向巨人般的父亲，开 始我们的握手。一次又一次，直到握得坚定，有力。

As time passed, there were other rules to learn. “Always do your best.”“Do it now.”“Never lie!” And most importantly,“You can do whatever you have to do.” By my teens, he wasn't telling me what to do anymore, which was scary[令人害怕的] and heady[使人兴奋的] at the same time. He provided perspective, not telling me what was around the great corner of life but letting me know there was a lot more than just today and the next, which I hadn't thought of.

随着时间的流逝，还有许多其他的道理要学。比如：“始终尽力而为”，“从现在做起”，“永不撒谎”，以及最重要的一条：“凡是你必须做的事你都能做到”。 当我十几岁时，老爸不再叫我做这做那，这既令人害怕又令人兴奋。他教给我判断事物的方法。他不是告诉我，在人生的重大转折点上将发生些什么，而是让我明 白，除了今天和明天，还有很长的路要走，这一点我是从未考虑过的。

One day, I realize now, there was a change. I wasn't trying to please him so much as I was trying to impress him. I never asked him to come to my football games. He had a high-pressure career, and it meant driving through most of Friday night. But for all the big games, when I looked over at the sideline, there was that familiar fedora. And by God, did the opposing team captain ever get a firm handshake and a gaze he would remember. 　　

有一天，事情发生了变化，这是我现在才意识到的。我不再那么迫切地想要取悦于老爸，而是迫切地想要给他留下深刻的印象。我从未请他来看我的橄榄球赛。他工 作压力很大，这意味着每个礼拜五要拼命干大半夜。但每次大型比赛，当我抬头环视看台时，那顶熟悉的软呢帽总在那儿。并且感谢上帝，对方队长总能得到一次让 他铭记于心的握手——坚定而有力，伴以同样坚定的注视。

Then, a school fact contradicted something he said. Impossible that he could be wrong, but there it was in the book. These accumulated over time, along with personal experiences, to buttress my own developing sense of values. And I could tell we had each taken our own, perfectly normal paths.

后来，在学校学到的一个事实否定了老爸说过的某些东西。他不可能会错的，可书上却是这样写的。诸如此类的事日积月累，加上我的个人阅历，支持了我逐渐成形的价值观。我可以这么说：我俩开始各走各的阳关道了。

I began to see, too, his blind spots, his prejudices[偏见] and his weaknesses. I never threw these up at him. He hadn't to me, and, anyway, he seemed to need protection. I stopped asking his advice; the experiences he drew from no longer seemed relevant to the decisions I had to make. 　　

与此同时，我还开始发现他对某些事的无知，他的偏见，他的弱点。我从未在他面前提起这些，他也从未在我面前说起，而且，不管怎么说，他看起来需要保护了。我不再向他征求意见；他的那些经验也似乎同我要做出的决定不再相干。

He volunteered advice for a while. But then, in more recent years, politics and issues gave way to talk of empty errands and, always, to ailments.

老爸当了一段时间的“自愿顾问”，但后来，特别是近几年里，他谈话中的政治与国家大事让位给了空洞的使命与疾病。

From his bed, he showed me the many sores and scars on his misshapen body and all the bottles for medicine. “ Sometimes,” he confided[倾诉], “ I would just like to lie down and go to sleep and not wake up.” 　　

躺在床上，他给我看他那被岁月扭曲了的躯体上的疤痕，以及他所有的药瓶儿。他倾诉着：“有时我真想躺下睡一觉，永远不再醒来。”

After much thought and practice (“ You can do whatever you have to do.” ), one night last winter, I sat down by his bed and remembered for an instant those terrifying dark holes in another house 35 years before. I told my fatherhow much I loved him. I described all the things people were doing for him. But, I said, he kept eating poorly, hiding in his room and violating the doctor's orders. No amount of love could make someone else care about life, I said; it was a two-way street. He wasn't doing his best. The decision was his. 　　

通过深思熟虑与亲身体验（“凡是你必须做的事你都能做到”），去年冬天的一个夜晚，我坐在老爸床边，忽然想起35年前那另一栋房子里可怕的黑洞。我告诉老 爸我有多爱他。我向他讲述了人们为他所做的一切。而我又说，他总是吃得太少，躲在房间里，还不听医生的劝告。我说，再多的爱也不能使一个人自己去热爱生 命：这是一条双行道，而他并没有尽力，一切都取决于他自己。

He said he knew how hard my words had been to say and how proud he was of me. “ I had the best teacher,” I said. “ You can do whatever you have to do.” He smiled a little. And we shook hands, firmly, for the last time. 　　

他说他明白要我说出这些话多不容易，他是多么为我自豪。“我有位最好的老师，”我说，“凡是你必须做的事你都能做到”。他微微一笑，之后我们握手，那是一次坚定的握手，也是最后的一次。

Several days later, at about 4 A.M., my mother heard Dad shuffling[拖着] about their dark room. “ I have some things I have to do,” he said. He paid a bundle of bills. He composed for my mother a long list of legal and financial what-to-do's “ in case of emergency.” And he wrote me a note.

几天后，大约凌晨四点，母亲听到父亲拖着脚步在他们漆黑的房间里走来走去。他说：“有些事我必须得做。”他支付了一叠帐单，给母亲留了张长长的条子，上面列有法律及经济上该做的事，“以防不测”。接着他留了封短信给我。


Then he walked back to his bed and laid himself down. He went to sleep, naturally. And he did not wake up.

然后，他走回自己的床边，躺下。他睡了，十分安详，再也没有醒来。

一杯牛奶的温暖(A Glass of Milk)

　　One day, a poor boy who was trying to pay his way through school by selling goods door to door found that he only had one dime left. He was hungry so he decided to beg for a meal at the next house.

　　一天，一个贫穷的小男孩为了攒够学费正挨家挨户地推销商品。饥寒交迫的他摸遍全身，却只有一角钱。于是他决定向下一户人家讨口饭吃。

　　However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so she brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?”

　　然而，当一位美丽的年轻女子打开房门的时候，这个小男孩却有点不知所措了。他没有要饭，只乞求给他一口水喝。这位女子看到他饥饿的样子，就倒了一大杯牛奶给他。男孩慢慢地喝完牛奶，问道：“我应该付多少钱？”

　　“You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Mother has taught me never to accept pay for a kindness.” He said, “Then I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but it also increased his faith in God and the human race. He was about to give up and quit before this point.

　　年轻女子微笑着回答：“一分钱也不用付。我妈妈教导我，施以爱心，不图回报。”男孩说：“那么，就请接受我由衷的感谢吧！”说完，霍华德-凯利就离开了这户人家。此时的他不仅自己浑身是劲儿，而且更加相信上帝和整个人类。本来，他都打算放弃了。

　　Years later the young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where specialists can be called in to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly, now famous was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately, he rose and went down through the hospital hall into her room.

　　数年之后，那位女子得了一种罕见的重病，当地医生对此束手无策。最后，她被转到大城市医治，由专家会诊治疗。大名鼎鼎的霍华德-凯利医生也参加了医疗方案的制定。当他听到病人来自的那个城镇的名字时，一个奇怪的念头霎时间闪过他的脑际。他马上起身直奔她的病房。

　　Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room and determined to do his best to save her life. From that day on, he gave special attention to her case.

　　身穿手术服的凯利医生来到病房，一眼就认出了恩人。回到会诊室后，他决心一定要竭尽所能来治好她的病。从那天起，他就特别关照这个对自己有恩的病人。

　　After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it and then wrote something on the side. The bill was sent to her room. She was afraid to open it because she was positive that it would take the rest of her life to pay it off. Finally she looked, and the note on the side of the bill caught her attention. She read these words...

　　经过艰苦的努力，手术成功了。凯利医生要求把医药费通知单送到他那里，他看了一下，便在通知单的旁边签了字。当医药费通知单送到她的病房时，她不敢 看。因为她确信，治病的费用将会花费她整个余生来偿还。最后，她还是鼓起勇气，翻开了医药费通知单，旁边的那行小字引起了她的注意，她不禁轻声读了出来：

　　“Paid in full with a glass of milk.”

　　(Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly

　　“医药费已付：一杯牛奶。”

　　(签名)霍华德-凯利医生

　　Tears of joy flooded her eyes as she prayed silently: “Thank You, God. Your love has spread through human hearts and hands.”

　　喜悦的泪水溢出了她的眼睛，她默默地祈祷着：“谢谢你，上帝，你的爱已通过人类的心灵和双手传播了。”

爱只是一根线(Love Is Just a Thread)

　　Sometimes I really doubt whether there is love between my parents. Every day they are very busy trying to earn money in order to pay the high tuition for my brother and me. They don’t act in the romantic ways that I read in books or I see on TV. In their opinion, “I love you” is too luxurious for them to say. Sending flowers to each other on Valentine’s Day is even more out of the question. Finally my father has a bad temper. When he’s very tired from the hard work, it is easy for him to lose his temper.

　　有时候，我真的怀疑父母之间是否有真爱。他们天天忙于赚钱，为我和弟弟支付学费。他们从未像我在书中读到，或在电视中看到的那样互诉衷肠。他们认为 “我爱你”太奢侈，很难说出口。更不用说在情人节送花这样的事了。我父亲的脾气非常坏。经过一天的劳累之后，他经常会发脾气。

　　One day, my mother was sewing a quilt. I silently sat down beside her and looked at her.

　　“Mom, I have a question to ask you,” I said after a while.

　　“What?” she replied, still doing her work.

　　“Is there love between you and Dad?” I asked her in a very low voice.

　　一天，母亲正在缝被子，我静静地坐在她旁边看着她。

　　过了一会，我说：“妈妈，我想问你一个问题。”

　　“什么问题？”她一边继续缝着，一边回答道。

　　我低声地问道：“你和爸爸之间有没有爱情啊？”

　　My mother stopped her work and raised her head with surprise in her eyes. She didn’t answer immediately. Then she bowed her head and continued to sew the quilt.

　　I was very worried because I thought I had hurt her. I was in a great embarrassment and I didn’t know what I should do. But at last I heard my mother say the following words:

　　母亲突然停下了手中的活，满眼诧异地抬起头。她没有立即作答。然后低下头，继续缝被子。

　　我担心伤害了她。我非常尴尬，不知道该怎么办。不过，后来我听见母亲说：

　　“Susan,” she said thoughtfully, “Look at this thread. Sometimes it appears, but most of it disappears in the quilt. The thread really makes the quilt strong and durable. If life is a quilt, then love should be a thread. It can hardly be seen anywhere or anytime, but it’s really there. Love is inside.”

　　“苏珊，看看这些线。有时候，你能看得见，但是大多数都隐藏在被子里。这些线使被子坚固耐用。如果生活就像一床被子，那么爱就是其中的线。你不可能随时随地看到它，但是它却实实在在地存在着。爱是内在的。”

　　I listened carefully but I couldn’t understand her until the next spring. At that time, my father suddenly got sick seriously. My mother had to stay with him in the hospital for a month. When they returned from the hospital, they both looked very pale. It seemed both of them had had a serious illness.

　　我仔细地听着，却无法明白她的话，直到来年的春天。那时候，我父亲得了重病。母亲在医院里待了一个月。当他们从医院回来的时候，都显得非常苍白。就像他们都得了一场重病一样。

　　After they were back, every day in the morning and dusk, my mother helped my father walk slowly on the country road. My father had never been so gentle. It seemed they were the most harmonious couple. Along the country road, there were many beautiful flowers, green grass and trees. The sun gently glistened through the leaves. All of these made up the most beautiful picture in the world.

　　他们回来之后，每天的清晨或黄昏，母亲都会搀扶着父亲在乡村的小路上漫步。父亲从未如此温和过。他们就像是天作之合。在小路旁边，有许多美丽的野花、绿草和树木。阳光穿过树叶的缝隙，温柔地照射在地面上。这一切形成了一幅世间最美好的画面。

　　The doctor had said my father would recover in two months. But after two months he still couldn’t walk by himself. All of us were worried about him.

　　医生说父亲将在两个月后康复。但是两个月之后，他仍然无法独立行走。我们都很为他担心。

　　“Dad, how are you feeling now?” I asked him one day.

　　有一天，我问他：“爸爸，你感觉怎么样？”

　　“Susan, don’t worry about me.” he said gently. “To tell you the truth, I just like walking with your mom. I like this kind of life.” Reading his eyes, I know he loves my mother deeply.

　　他温和地说：“苏珊，不用为我担心。跟你说吧，我喜欢与你妈妈一块散步的感觉。我喜欢这种生活。”从他的眼神里，我看得出他对母亲的爱之深刻。

　　Once I thought love meant flowers, gifts and sweet kisses. But from this experience, I understand that love is just a thread in the quilt of our life. Love is inside, making life strong and warm..

　　我曾经认为爱情就是鲜花、礼物和甜蜜的亲吻。但是从那一刻起，我明白了，爱情就像是生活中被子里的一根线。爱情就在里面，使生活变得坚固而温暖。

蝶吻(Butterfly Kisses)

My newlywed husband said the same thing every morning. "You're beautiful today."

　　我的新婚丈夫每天早晨都对我说出同样的话。“你今天真美。”

　　One glance in the mirror revealed that it was far from the truth.

　　只需往镜子里一瞥就能揭示他说的根本不是事实。

　　A skinny girl with mashed hair on one side of her head and no makeup smiled back at me. I could feel my sticky morning breath.

　　镜中的女孩瘦瘦的，乱乱的头发倒向头的一侧，没有任何化妆，她微笑地望着我。我还能感到早晨起来嘴里不大好闻的气味。

　　“Liar,” I shot back with a grin.

　　“说谎，”我咧着嘴笑，回敬了他一句。

　　It was my usual response. My mother's first husband was not a kind man and his verbal and physical abuse forced her and her two children to find a safe place. He showed up on her doorstep one day with roses. She let him in and he beat her with those roses and took advantage of her. Nine months later she gave birth to a 9 lb. 13 oz. baby girl -- me.

　　我总是这样回敬我的丈夫。我母亲的第一个丈夫可不是个善良的男人，他粗暴的语言攻击和身体虐待迫使我母亲带着两个孩子去寻找一个安全的地方。有一天他 出现在母亲的门前，手里拿着玫瑰花。她让他进了门，但他却用玫瑰花打她，并强行占了她的便宜。9个月后她生了一个9磅12盎司重的女孩——就是我。

　　The harsh words we heard growing up took root. I had trouble seeing myself as someone of value. I had been married two years when I surprised myself. My husband wrapped his arms around me and told me I was beautiful.

　　长大过程中我们听到的刺耳的话语也扎根在我心底。我难以把自己看作一个有价值的人。结婚两年后我感到惊讶了。我的丈夫双臂拥着我告诉我，我是美丽的。

　　“Thank you,” I said.

　　The same thin girl with the mousy3 brown hair still stared back at me in the mirror, but somehow the words had finally blossomed in my heart.

　　“谢谢你，”我说。

　　同样瘦弱，一头灰棕色头发的女孩在镜中盯着我，但是温柔的话语终于在我的心中开花了。

　　A lot of years have passed. My husband has grey in his hair. I'm no longer skinny. Last week I woke up and my husband's face was inches from mine.

　　许多年过去了。我的丈夫己经长出了灰发。我也不再骨瘦如柴。上周的一天早晨我醒来时，我丈夫的脸离我只有几英寸。

　　“What are you doing?” I asked.

　　“你在干什么？” 我问。

　　I covered my mouth, trying to hide my morning breath. He reached down and kissed my face.

　　我捂住嘴，不想让他闻到嘴里的气味。他俯身过来亲吻我的脸。

　　“What I do every morning,” he said.

　　“做我每天早晨都做的事。”他说。

　　He leaves in the early hours of the morning while I sleep. I miss our morning conversations, but I had not realized that he continued to tell me that he loved me even while I slept. When he left, I rolled over and hugged my pillow. I envisioned4 the picture of me lightly snoring5 with my mouth open and giggled.

　　他清晨就得离开家，我常常还在熟睡。我因我们早上没有谈话而感到遗憾，但是我还未曾意识到他一直在告诉我他爱我，哪怕是在我还睡着时。当他离开后，我在床上翻过身去，抱着我的枕头。我想象着我睡觉时轻轻打鼾，嘴巴还微微张着的样子，不禁咯咯笑了。

　　What a man! My husband understands my past. He's been beside me as I've grown from an unsure young girl to a confident woman, mother, speaker and author.

　　这样一个男人！我丈夫知道我的过去。在我从一个不自信的年轻女子变成一个成熟自信的女人、母亲、演讲者、作家的过程中，他一直在我身边。

　　But I'm not sure that he understands the part he played in that transition6. The words I heard growing up pierced7 my soul, yet his words pierced even deeper.

　　但是我不确信他是否知道在这一变化过程中他起着怎样的作用。伴我长大的话语曾刺入我的灵魂，但他的话语更是深深地感动了我的灵魂。

　　This Anniversary Day I plan to wake early. I want to tell Richard how much I love him. He may look in the mirror and see an extra pound or two, or wish for the day when his hair was dark and curly8, but all I'll see is the man who saw something in me when I couldn't see it myself, and who leaves butterfly kisses, even after twenty-three years of marriage.

　　今年的结婚周年纪念日我打算早点醒来。我要告诉理查德我是多么地爱他。照镜子时，他也许会发现又增加了一两磅体重，或者期望有一天他的头发又是乌黑拳 曲的，但是我所看到的是这样一个男人，是他发现我身上具备什么东西，而我未能发现，是他天天给我留下蝶吻，即使是在结婚23年后。

爱的力量治愈伤痛(The Power of Love to Transform and to Heal)

Jackie Lantry is a part-time hospital clerk in Rehoboth, Mass. She and her husband have adopted two girls and two boys from China. When Jackie asked her children what they believed in, they said "family."

Jackie Lantry是美国麻省利河伯镇的一位医院兼职会计。她和她的丈夫已经收养了两名中国男孩和两名中国女孩。当Jackie问及孩子们的信念时，孩子们异口同声地回答：“家庭”。


“It was not therapy, counselors or medications. It did not cost money, require connections or great privilege. It was love: just simple, plain, easy to give.”

“治愈和转变孩子，靠的不是医疗，也不是心理咨询，更不是药物。它并不需要花费金钱，也不需要什么社会关系或者特权。只需要爱，只需要付出简单而平实的爱”Jackie如是说。

I believe in the ingredients[成分] of love, the elements from which it is made. I believe in love's humble, practical components and their combined power.

We adopted[收养] Luke four years ago. The people from the orphanage[孤儿院] dropped him off at our hotel room without even saying goodbye. He was nearly six years old, only 28 pounds and his face was crisscrossed[交叉着] with scars. Clearly, he was terrified[害怕的]. "What are his favorite things?" I yelled. "Noodles," they replied as the elevator door shut.

Luke kicked and screamed. I stood between him and the door to keep him from bolting[门栓]. His cries were anguished[痛苦的], animal-like. He had never seen a mirror and tried to escape by running through one. I wound my arms around him so he could not hit or kick. After an hour and a half he finally fell asleep, exhausted[精疲力竭的]. I called room service. They delivered every noodle dish on the menu. Luke woke up, looked at me and started sobbing again. I handed him chopsticks[筷子] and pointed at the food. He stopped crying and started to eat. He ate until I was sure he would be sick.

That night we went for a walk. Delighted at the moon, he pantomimed[打手势], "What is it?" I said, "The moon, it's the moon." He reached up and tried to touch it. He cried again when I tried to give him a bath until I started to play with the water. By the end of his bath the room was soaked[浸湿的] and he was giggling[傻笑]. I lotioned him up, powdered him down and clothed him in soft PJs. We read the book One Yellow Lion. He loved looking at the colorful pictures and turning the pages. By the end of the night he was saying, "one yellow lion."

The next day we met orphanage officials to do paperwork. Luke was on my lap[膝] as they filed into the room. He looked at them and wrapped my arms tightly around his waist[腰].

He was a sad, shy boy for a long time after those first days. He cried easily and withdrew at the slightest provocation[激怒]. He hid food in his pillowcase[枕头套] and foraged[翻寻] in garbage cans. I wondered then if he would ever get over the wounds of neglect that the orphanage had beaten into[灌输给] him.

It has been four years. Luke is a smart, funny, happy fourth-grader. He is loaded with charm and is a natural athlete. His teachers say he is well behaved and works very hard. Our neighbor says she has never seen a happier kid.

When I think back, I am amazed at what transformed this abused, terrified little creature. It was not therapy, counselors or medications. It did not cost money, require connections or great privilege. It was love: just simple, plain, easy to give. Love is primal. It is comprised of compassion, care, security, and a leap of faith. I believe in the power of love to transform. I believe in the power of love to heal.

行胜于言(Louder than Anything You Can Say)

I teach economics at UNLV three times per week. Last Monday, at the beginning of class, I cheerfully asked my students how their weekend had been. One young man said that his weekend had not been so good. He had his wisdom teeth removed. The young man then proceeded to ask me why I always seemed to be so cheerful.

我在内华达大学拉斯维加斯分校教经济学，每周上三次课。上周一，在刚开始上课的时候，我兴致勃勃地问学生们周末过得怎么样。一个男生说，他的周末不太愉快，因为他的智齿被拔掉了，结果让他痛了一整天。然后，他又问我为何我总能保持那么快乐的心情。

His question reminded me of something I'd read somewhere before: "Every morning when you get up, you have a choice about how you want to approach life that day," I said. "I choose to be cheerful."

他的问题使我想起了一句不知出处的话：“每天早上，当你起床的时候，你可以选择如何面对一天的生活”，我说：“我选择快乐。”

"Let me give you an example," I continued, addressing all sixty students in the class. "In addition to teaching here at UNLV, I also teach out at the community college in Henderson, 17 miles down the freeway from where I live. One day a few weeks ago I drove those 17 miles to Henderson. I exited the freeway and turned onto College Drive. I only had to drive another quarter mile down the road to the college. But just then my car died. I tried to start it again, but the engine wouldn't turn over. So I put my flashers on, grabbed my books, and marched down the road to the college.

“我给你们举个例子吧，”我对着全班六十个学生继续说道，“除了在这儿上课，我还在一所社区大学任教，那儿离我家17英里。几周前的一天，我驾车前往那所 学校，驶离高速公路后，我转入了校园区。在只差400多米就到学校的时候，我的汽车抛锚了。我努力重新发动引擎，但就是不行。我只好把指示灯打亮，然后抓 起课本直奔学校。”

"As soon as I got there I called AAA and arranged for a tow truck to meet me at my car after class. The secretary in the Provost's office asked me what has happened. 'This is my lucky day,' I replied, smiling.

我一到学校就马上打电话给汽车协会，让他们在我下课后开辆拖车过来。院长办公室的秘书问我发生了什么事。“今天我真走运。”我笑着答道。

"'Your car breaks down and today is your lucky day?' She was puzzled. 'What do you mean?'

“你的车坏了，你还说今天走运？”她一脸的困惑。“你什么意思啊？”

"'I live 17 miles from here.' I replied. 'My car could have broken down anywhere along the freeway. It didn't. Instead, it broke down in the perfect place: off the freeway, within walking distance of here. I'm still able to teach my class, and I've been able to arrange for the tow truck to meet me after class. If my car was meant to break down today, it couldn't have been arranged in a more convenient fashion.'

我回答到：“我住在离这儿17英里的地方。其实我的车有可能在高速公路上的什么地方就坏掉了的，但庆幸的是，没有。相反，汽车是在离开了高速公路后才抛 锚，而且距离学校很近。我还赶得及上课，还能够安排拖车在课后来处理。如果我的汽车是注定了要在今天抛锚的，那在这个位置抛锚已经是非常幸运了。”

The secretary's eyes opened wide, and then she smiled. I smiled back and headed for class." So ended my story.

“那个秘书听得目瞪口呆地，然后她笑了。我也冲她笑了一下，便上课去了。”这就是我的故事。

I scanned the sixty faces in my economics class at UNLV. Despite the early hour, no one seemed to be asleep. Somehow, my story had touched them. Or maybe it wasn't the story at all. In fact, it had all started with a student's observation that I was cheerful.

我扫视了一下全班六十张脸。虽然是在大清早，但没有一个学生在打盹儿。不知道为什么，他们好像被我的故事触动了。也许触动他们的并不是故事本身。其实，从一开始有学生发现我兴致高昂的时候，他们便已经被我的快乐感染了。

Deepak Chopra has quoted an Indian wise man as saying, "Who you are speaks louder to me than anything you can say." I suppose it must be so.

著名的印度作家乔布拉，曾经引述过一位印度智者的名言：“你为人行事的本身，比你的语言更具说服力。”我认为这的确是真理。

海明威：一个干净明亮的地方(A Clean, Well-Lighted Place)

BY ERNEST HEMINGWAY
It was very late and everyone had left the cafe except an old man who sat in the shadow the leaves of the tree made against the electric light. In the day time the street was dusty, but at night the dew settled the dust and the old man liked to sit late because he was deaf and now at night it was quiet and he felt the difference. The two waiters inside the cafe knew that the old man was a little drunk, and while he was a good client they knew that if he became too drunk he would leave without paying, so they kept watch on him.

时间很晚了，大家都离开餐馆，只有一个老人还坐在树叶挡住灯光的阴影里。白天里，街上尽是尘埃，到得晚上，露水压住了尘埃。这个老人喜欢坐得很晚，因为他 是个聋子，现在是夜里，十分寂静，他感觉得到跟白天的不同。呆在餐馆里的两个侍者知道这老人有点儿醉了，他虽然是个好主顾，可是，他们知道，如果他喝得太 醉了，他会不付账就走，所以他们一直在留神他。

"Last week he tried to commit suicide," one waiter said.

"Why?"

"He was in despair."

"What about?"

"Nothing."

"How do you know it was nothing?"

"He has plenty of money."

"上个星期他想自杀，"一个侍者说。

"为什么？"

"他绝望啦。"

"干吗绝望？"

"没事儿。"

"你怎么知道是没事儿？"

"他有很多钱。"

They sat together at a table that was close against the wall near the door of the cafe and looked at the terrace where the tables were all empty except where the old man sat in the shadow of the leaves of the tree that moved slightly in the wind. A girl and a soldier went by in the street. The street light shone on the brass number on his collar. The girl wore no head covering and hurried beside him.

他们一起坐在紧靠着餐馆大门墙边的桌旁，眼睛望着平台，那儿的桌子全都空无一人，只有那个老人坐在随风轻轻飘拂的树叶的阴影里。有个少女和一个大兵走过大街。街灯照在他那领章的铜号码上。那个少女没戴帽子，在他身旁匆匆走着。

"The guard will pick him up," one waiter said.

"What does it matter if he gets what he's after?"

"He had better get off the street now. The guard will get him. They went by five minutes ago."

The old man sitting in the shadow rapped on his saucer with his glass. The younger waiter went over to him.

"What do you want?"

The old man looked at him. "Another brandy," he said.

"警卫队会把他逮走，"一个侍者说。

"如果他到手了他要找的东西，那又有什么关系呢？"

"他这会儿还是从街上溜走为好。警卫队会找他麻烦，他们五分钟前才经过这里。"

那老人坐在阴影里，用杯子敲敲茶托。那个年纪比较轻的侍者上他那儿去。

"你要什么？"

老人朝他看了看。"再来杯白兰地，"他说。

"You'll be drunk," the waiter said. The old man looked at him. The waiter went away.

"你会喝醉的，"侍者说。老人朝他看了一看。侍者走开了。

"He'll stay all night," he said to his colleague. "I'm sleepy now. I never get into bed before three o'clock. He should have killed himself last week."

"他会通宵呆在这里，"他对他的同事说。"我这会儿真想睡。我从来没有在三点钟以前睡觉过。他应该在上星期就自杀了。"

The waiter took the brandy bottle and another saucer from the counter inside the cafe and marched out to the old man's table. He put down the saucer and poured the glass full of brandy.

侍者从餐馆里的柜台上拿了一瓶白兰地和另一个茶托，大步走了出来，送到老人桌上。他放下茶托，把杯子倒满了白兰地。

"You should have killed yourself last week," he said to the deaf man. The old man motioned with his finger. "A little more," he said. The waiter poured on into the glass so that the brandy slopped over and ran down the stem into the top saucer of the pile. "Thank you," the old man said. The waiter took the bottle back inside the cafe. He sat down at the table with his colleague again.

"你应该在上星期就自杀了，"他对那个聋子说。老人把手指一晃。"再加一点，"他说。侍者又往杯子里倒酒，酒溢了出来，顺着高脚杯的脚流进了一叠茶托的第一只茶托。"谢谢你，"老人说。侍者把酒瓶拿回到餐馆去。他又同他的同事坐在桌旁。

"He's drunk now," he said.

"He's drunk every night."

"What did he want to kill himself for?"

"How should I know."

"How did he do it?"

"He hung himself with a rope."

"Who cut him down?"

"他这会儿喝醉了，"他说。

"他每天晚上都喝醉。"

"他干吗要自杀呀？"

"我怎么知道。"

"他上次是怎样自杀的？"

"他用绳子上吊。"

"谁把他放下来的？"

"His niece."

"Why did they do it?"

"Fear for his soul."

"How much money has he got?" "He's got plenty."

"He must be eighty years old."

"Anyway I should say he was eighty."

"他侄女。"

"干吗要把他放下来？"

"为他的灵魂担忧。"

"他有多少钱？"

"他有很多钱。"

"他准有八十岁喽。"

"不管怎样，我算准他有八十岁。"

"I wish he would go home. I never get to bed before three o'clock. What kind of hour is that to go to bed?"

"我真希望他回家去。我从来没有在三点钟以前睡觉过。那是个什么样的睡觉时间呀？"

"He stays up because he likes it."

"他因为不喜欢睡觉所以才不睡觉。"

"He's lonely. I'm not lonely. I have a wife waiting in bed for me."

他孤孤单单。我可不孤单。我有个老婆在床上等着我呢。"

"He had a wife once too."

"他从前也有过老婆。"

"A wife would be no good to him now."

"这会儿有老婆对他可没好处。"

"You can't tell. He might be better with a wife."

"话可不能这么说。他有老婆也许会好些。"

"His niece looks after him. You said she cut him down."

"他侄女会照料他。你刚才说是她把他放下来的。"

"I know." "I wouldn't want to be that old. An old man is a nasty thing."

"我知道。" "我才不要活得那么老。老人邋里邋遢。"

"Not always. This old man is clean. He drinks without spilling. Even now, drunk. Look at him."

"不一定都是这样。这个老人干干净净。他喝啤酒来并不滴滴答答往外漏。哪怕这会儿喝醉了。你瞧他。"

"I don't want to look at him. I wish he would go home. He has no regard for those who must work."

"我才不想瞧他。我希望他回家去。他并不关心那些非干活不可的人。"

The old man looked from his glass across the square, then over at the waiters.

那老人从酒杯上抬起头来望望广场，又望望那两个侍者。

"Another brandy," he said, pointing to his glass. The waiter who was in a hurry came over.

"再来杯白兰地，"他指着杯子说。那个着急的侍者跑了过去。

"Finished," he said, speaking with that omission of syntax stupid people employ when talking to drunken people or foreigners. "No more tonight. Close now."

"没啦，"他不顾什么句法地说，蠢汉在对醉汉或外国人说话时就这么说法。"今晚上没啦。打烊啦。"

"Another," said the old man.

"再来一杯，"那老人说。

"No. Finished." The waiter wiped the edge of the table with a towel and shook his head.

"不，没啦，"侍者一边拿块毛巾揩揩桌沿，一边摇摇头。

The old man stood up, slowly counted the saucers, took a leather coin purse from his pocket and paid for the drinks, leaving half a peseta tip. The waiter watched him go down the street, a very old man walking unsteadily but with dignity.

老人站了起来，慢慢地数着茶托，打口袋里摸出一只装硬币的起夹子来，付了酒账，又放下半个比塞塔作小账。那个侍者瞅着他顺着大街走去，这个年纪很大的人走起路来，虽然脚步不挺稳，却很有神气。

"Why didn't you let him stay and drink?" the unhurried waiter asked. They were putting up the shutters. "It is not half-past two."

"你干吗不让他呆下来喝酒呢？"那个不着急的侍者问道。他们这会儿正在拉下百叶窗。"还不到二点半呢。"

"I want to go home to bed."

"我要回家睡觉了。"

"What is an hour?"

"一个钟头算啥？"

"More to me than to him."

"他无所谓，我可很在乎。"

"An hour is the same."

"反正是一个钟头。"

"You talk like an old man yourself. He can buy a bottle and drink at home."

"你说得就象那个老人一模一样。他可以买啤酒回家去喝嘛。"

"It's not the same."

"这可不一样。"

"No, it is not," agreed the waiter with a wife. He did not wish to be unjust. He was only in a hurry.

"是呀，这是不一样的。"那个有老婆的侍者表示同意说。他不希望做得不公道，他只是有点儿着急。

"And you? You have no fear of going home before your usual hour?"

"那么你呢？你不怕不到你通常的时间就回家吗？"

"Are you trying to insult me?"

"你想侮辱我吗？"

"No, hombre, only to make a joke."

"不，老兄，只是开开玩笑。"

"No," the waiter who was in a hurry said, rising from pulling down the metal shutters. "I have confidence. I am all confidence."

"不，"那个着急的侍者一边说，一边拉下了铁百叶窗后站了起来。"我有信心。我完全有信心。"

"You have youth, confidence, and a job," the older waiter said. "You have everything."

"你有青春，信心，又有工作，"那个年纪大些的侍者说，"你什么都有了。"

"And what do you lack?"

"那么，你缺少什么呢？"

"Everything but work."

"除了工作，什么都缺。"

"You have everything I have."

"我有什么，你也都有了。"

"No. I have never had confidence and I am not young."

"不，我从来就没有信心，我也不年轻了。"

"Come on. Stop talking nonsense and lock up."

"好啦，好啦，别乱弹琴了，把门锁上吧。"

"I am of those who like to stay late at the cafe," the older waiter said.

"With all those who do not want to go to bed. With all those who need a light for the night."

"我是属于那种喜欢在餐馆呆得很晚的人，"那个年纪大些的侍者说。"我同情那种不想睡觉的人，同情那种夜里要有亮光的人。"

"I want to go home and into bed."

"我要回家睡觉去了。"

"We are of two different kinds," the older waiter said. He was now dressed to go home. "It is not only a question of youth and confidence although those things are very beautiful. Each night I am reluctant to close up because there may be some one who needs the cafe."

"我们是不一样的，"那个年纪大些的侍者说。这会儿，他穿好衣服要回家了。"这不光是个年轻和信心的问题，虽然青春和信心都是十分美妙的。我每天晚上都很不愿意打烊，因为可能有人要上餐馆。"

"Hombre, there are bodegas open all night long."

"老兄，开通宵的酒店有的是。"

"You do not understand. This is a clean and pleasant cafe. It is well lighted. The light is very good and also, now, there are shadows of the leaves."

"你不懂。这儿是个干净愉快的餐馆。十分明亮。而且这会儿，灯光很亮，还有飘渺的树影。"

"Good night," said the younger waiter.

"再见啦，"那个年轻的侍者说。

"Good night," the other said. Turning off the electric light he continued the conversation with himself, It was the light of course but it is necessary that the place be clean and pleasant. You do not want music. Certainly you do not want music. Nor can you stand before a bar with dignity although that is all that is provided for these hours. What did he fear? It was not a fear or dread, It was a nothing that he knew too well. It was all a nothing and a man was a nothing too. It was only that and light was all it needed and a certain cleanness and order. Some lived in it and never felt it but he knew it all was nada y pues nada y nada y pues nada. Our nada who art in nada, nada be thy name thy kingdom nada thy will be nada in nada as it is in nada. Give us this nada our daily nada and nada us our nada as we nada our nadas and nada us not into nada but deliver us from nada; pues nada. Hail nothing full of nothing, nothing is with thee. He smiled and stood before a bar with a shining steam pressure coffee machine.

"再见，"年纪大些的侍者说。他关了电灯，继续在自说自话。亮固然要很亮，但也必须是个干净愉快的地方。你不要听音乐。你肯定不要听音乐。你也不会神气地 站在酒吧前面，虽然这会儿那里应有尽有。他怕什么？他不是怕，也不是发慌。他心里很有数，这是虚无缥缈。全是虚无缥缈，人也是虚无缥缈的。人所需要的只是 虚无缥缈和亮光以及干干净净和井井有条。有些人生活于其中却从来没有感觉到，可是，他知道一切都是虚无缥缈的，一切都是为了虚无缥缈，虚无缥缈，为了虚无 缥缈。我们的虚无缥缈就在虚无缥缈中，虚无缥缈是你的名字，你的王国也叫虚无缥缈，你将是虚无缥缈中的虚无缥缈，因为原来就是虚无缥缈。给我们这个虚无缥 缈吧，我们日常的虚无缥缈，虚无缥缈是我们的，我们的虚无缥缈，因为我们是虚无缥缈的，我们的虚无缥缈，我们无不在虚无缥缈中，可是，把我们打虚无缥缈中 拯救出来吧；为了虚无缥缈。欢呼全是虚无缥缈的虚无缥缈，虚无缥缈与汝同在。他含笑站在一个酒吧前，那儿有架闪光的蒸气压咖啡机。

"What's yours?" asked the barman.

"你要什么？"酒吧招待问道。

"Nada."

"虚无缥缈。"

"Otro loco mas," said the barman and turned away.

"又是个神经病，"酒吧招待说过后，转过头去。

"A little cup," said the waiter.

"来一小杯，"那个侍者说。

The barman poured it for him.

酒吧招待倒了一杯给他。

"The light is very bright and pleasant but the bar is unpolished," the waiter said.

"灯很亮，也很愉快，只是这个酒吧没有擦得很光洁，"侍者说。

The barman looked at him but did not answer. It was too late at night for conversation.

酒吧招待看看他，但是，没有答腔，夜深了，不便谈话。

"You want another copita?" the barman asked.

"你要再来一小杯吗？"酒吧招待问道。

"No, thank you," said the waiter and went out. He disliked bars and bodegas. A clean, well-lighted cafe was a very different thing. Now, without thinking further, he would go home to his room. He would lie in the bed and finally, with daylight, he would go to sleep. After all, he said to himself, it's probably only insomnia. Many must have it.

"不，谢谢你，"侍者说罢，走出去了。他不喜欢酒吧和酒店。一个干净明亮的餐馆又是另一回事。现在他不再想什么了，他要回家，到自己屋里去。他要去躺在床上，最后，天亮了，他就要睡觉了。到头来，他对自己说，大概又只是失眠。许多人一定都失眠。

珍惜每一天(Everyday is A Gift)

My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister's bureau and lifted out a tissue-wrapped package. "This", he said, "is not a slip. This is lingerie." He discarded the tissue and handed me the slip.

妹夫打开了妹妹衣柜最底层抽屉，拿出一个用纸包装的包裹。“这个，”他说，“不是件普通内衣，而是一件豪华内衣。”他把薄纸撕开，递给了我那件内衣。

It was exquisite, silk, handmade and trimmed with a cobweb of lace. The price tag with an astronomical figure on it was still attached.

它的确精致无比，丝质、全手工缝制，周围还有一圈网状蕾丝花边。价签都尚未拆去，上面的数字高得惊人。


"Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least 8 or 9 years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion.

“这是我们第一次去纽约时简买的，至少已是八、九年前的事了。她从没有穿过它。她想等一个特殊的日子再穿它。”

Well, I guess this is the occasion.

唉，我想现在便是那特殊的日子了。

He took the slip from me and put it on the bed, with the other clothes we were taking to the mortician. His hands lingered on the soft material for a moment, then he slammed the drawer shut and turned to me, "Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you' re alive is a special occasion."

妹夫从我手中拿过内衣放在床上，和其他我们要带给殡仪服务人员的衣服放在一起。他的手在那柔软织物上徘徊了一会儿，随即砰然关上抽屉，转身对我说：“永远不要把任何东西留给什么特殊日子。你活着的每一天就是一个特殊的日子。”

I remembered those words through the funeral and the days that followed when I helped him and my niece attend to all the sad chores that follow an unexpected death. I thought about them on the plane returning to California from the midwestern town where my sister's family lives. I thought about all the things that she hadn't seen or heard or done. I thought about the things that she had done without realizing that they were special.

这两句话久久在我耳边回响着，伴我度过了葬礼和帮妹夫、侄女处理妹妹意外死亡后的伤心后事的那几天。我从位处中西部的妹妹家返回加州时，在飞机上还是在想这两句话。我想到妹妹未曾有机会看到、听到或去做的事。我想到她淡然做过，但却没有意识到其特殊性的事。


I'm still thinking about his words, and they've changed the weeds in the garden. I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time in committee meetings. Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experience to savour, not endure. I'm trying to recognize these moment now and cherish them.

我至今还在想着妹夫说的话，正是它们改变了我的心境。我花了更多的时间与家人朋友在一起，而少花些时间在那些工作会议上。无论何时，生活应当是一种“品味”而非一种“忍受”。我在学习欣赏每一刻，并珍惜每一刻。

I'm not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for every special. Event such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, the first camellia blossom… I wear my good blazer to the market if I feel like it. My theory is if I look prosperous, I can shell out $28. 49 for one small bag of groceries without wincing. I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties; clerks in hardware stores and tellers in banks have noses that function as well as my party going friends.

我不再去“珍藏”任何东西；只要有一点好事，我们就不吝啬使用精美的瓷器和水晶制品，比如说当体重减了一磅时，当厨房水槽堵塞通了时，当第一朵山茶花绽放 时……如果我想穿，我就穿上我名牌衣服去市场购物。我的理论是：如果我看上去还富足的话，我可以毫不心疼地为一小袋杂货付出28.49美元。我不再为特殊 的派对而珍藏我上好的香水；五金店售货员和银行出纳员们的嗅觉，不会比派对上朋友们来得差。


"Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their grip on my vocabulary. If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now. I' m not sure what my sister would've done had she know that she wouldn't be here for the tomorrow we all take for granted.

“有朝一日”和“终有一天”这样的词正从我的常用词汇中淡出。如果值得去看、去听或去做，我当即就要去看、去听或去做。人们总是理所当然的以为自己必然有明天，不知假如妹妹知道她将没有明日，她会做些什么。

I think she would have called family members and a few close friends. She might have called a few former friends to apologize, and mend fences for past squabbles. I like to think she would have gone out for a Chinese dinner, her favorite food. I'm guessing. I'll never know.

我想她会给家人和几位密友打电话。她可能还会给几位昔日朋友打电话主动道歉，摒弃前嫌。我想她可能会外出吃顿她喜欢的中餐。我只是猜想而已。我永远也不会知道。

It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew that my hours were limited. Angry because I put off seeing good friends whom I was going to get in touch with someday. Angry because I hadn't written certain letters that I intended to write one of these days. Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my husband and daughter often enough how much I truly love them.

假如我知道我的时间不多了，那些没来得及做的小事会让我恼火。恼火是因为我一拖再拖没能去看看“有朝一日”会去看的好友们。恼火是因为我还没有写出我“终有一天”要写的信。恼火与内疚是因为我没能更经常地告诉我的丈夫和女儿：我是多么真切地爱他们。

I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter and luster to our lives. And every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that every day, every minute, every breath truly, is... a gift from God.

我正努力不再拖延、保留或珍藏那些能给我们生活带来欢笑和光彩的东西。每天清晨当我睁开双眼，我便告诉自己每一天、每一分钟、每一瞬间都真是……上帝赐予的礼物。