Unit 5
水手的圣诞礼物
威廉·J·莱德勒
去年圣诞期间，我、妻子和三个儿子在法国，从巴黎前往尼斯。一连五天都很倒霉，没有一件事顺心。入住的旅馆尽是些“宰客的黑店”，租用的汽车也坏了，一家人挤在车上个个显得烦躁不安。圣诞节前夜，我们住进了尼斯一家邋遢的旅店，心里没有半点圣诞感觉。close2RT It was raining and cold when we went out to eat. We found a boring looking little joint carelessly decorated for the holiday. It smelled greasy. Only five tables in the restaurant were occupied. There were two German couples, two French families, and an American sailor, by himself. In the corner a piano player monotonously played Christmas music.
我们外出就餐时，天正下着雨，天气寒冷。我们找到了一家小餐馆，这小店看着很乏味，只是随便装饰了一下来应节。餐馆散发着一股油腻的味道。里面只有五张桌子坐了人：两对德国夫妇，两户法国家庭和一名独自用餐的美国水手。在餐厅的一个角落里，钢琴师在无精打采地弹奏着圣诞乐曲。close3RT I was too stubborn and too tired and miserable to leave. I looked around and noticed that the other customers were eating in stony silence. The only person who seemed happy was the American sailor. While eating, he was writing a letter, and a half-smile lighted his face.
我情绪低落，加之疲惫不堪，执意不愿离开这儿去找别的餐馆了。我环顾四周，只见顾客们都默默地在吃着饭，唯一一个显得开心的是那位美国水手。他一边吃着，一边写信，脸上闪耀着淡淡的微笑。close4RT My wife ordered our meal in French. The waiter brought us the wrong thing. I scolded my wife for being stupid. She began to cry. The boys defended her, and I felt even worse.
妻子用法语点了菜，服务员给我们端来的却是别的东西。我骂妻子愚蠢，她哭了起来。孩子们护着妈妈，我的情绪变得更加糟糕。close5RT Then, at the table with the French family on our left, the father slapped one of his children for some minor fault, and the boy began to cry. On our right, the German wife began scolding her husband.
继而，坐在我们左侧餐桌上的那位法国父亲因为一点小事打了其中一个孩子一记耳光，小男孩大哭起来。我们的右边，那个德国妇女开始喋喋不休地数落她的丈夫。close6RT All of us were interrupted by an unpleasant blast of cold air. Through the front door came an old French flower woman. She wore a dripping, ragged overcoat, and dragged herself in on wet, rundown shoes. Carrying her basket of flowers, she went from one table to another.
一阵令人不快的寒风吹了进来。从前门进来一个卖花的法国老太太。她穿着一件湿淋淋的破旧大衣，穿一双水淋淋的旧鞋拖着腿进来。她提着花篮，沿桌叫卖。close7RT "Flowers, monsieur? Only one franc."
"买花吗，先生？只要一个法郎哩。"close8RT No one bought any.
谁也没有买。close9RT Wearily she sat down at a table between the sailor and us. To the waiter she said, "A bowl of soup. I haven't sold a flower all afternoon." To the piano player she said hoarsely, "Can you imagine, Joseph, soup on Christmas Eve?"
她疲惫不堪，在水手和我们之间的那张餐桌旁边坐了下来，对服务员说："请来碗汤吧。一下午连一朵花也没卖掉。"接着，她用嘶哑的声音对钢琴师说，"你能想象吗，约瑟夫，圣诞节前夜就喝点汤？"close10RT He pointed to his empty "tipping plate". The young sailor finished his meal and got up to leave. Putting on his coat, he walked over to the flower woman's table.
钢琴师指了指身旁的那只空空如也的"小费盘"。年轻的海员已吃完，起身准备离开。他穿上外套，走到卖花老太太的桌前。close11RT "Happy Christmas," he said, smiling and picking out two flowers. "How much are they?"
他笑着说了声"圣诞快乐！"，一边挑出两朵小小的花，"多少钱？"close12RT "Two francs, monsieur."
"两个法郎，先生。"close13RT Pressing one of the small flowers flat, he put it into the letter he had written, then handed the woman a twenty-franc note.
他把其中的一朵花压平，放进已经写好的信里，然后将一张20法郎面额的钞票递给了老妇。close14RT "I don't have change, monsieur," she said. "I'll get some from the waiter."
"我没有零钱找您，先生。"她说，"我去跟服务员换一点来。"close15RT "No, ma'am," said the sailor, leaning over and kissing the ancient cheek. "This is my Christmas present to you."
"不用了，夫人。"说着，水手俯身吻了吻那张老迈的脸，"这是我送给您的圣诞礼物。"close16RT Straightening up, he came to our table, holding the other flower in front of him. "Sir," he said to me, "may I have permission to present this flower to your beautiful daughter?" In one quick motion he gave my wife the flower, wished us a Merry Christmas, and departed.
他直起身，朝我们的餐桌走来，那另一朵鲜花举在他的胸前。"先生，"他对我说，"我可以将这花作为礼物送给您漂亮的女儿吗？"说着，他迅速地将那朵花塞到我妻子的手中，道了声"圣诞快乐"，就离去了。close17RT Everyone had stopped eating. Everyone had been watching the sailor. Everyone was silent. A few seconds later, Christmas exploded throughout the restaurant like a bomb. The old flower woman jumped up, waving the twenty-franc note. Hobbling to the middle of the floor she did a lively folk dance and shouted to the piano player, "Joseph, my Christmas present! And you shall have half, so you can have a feast, too."
人们都停止吃饭，大家都看到了那位水手的一举一动，整个餐厅鸦雀无声。几秒钟后，圣诞的欢乐激情像炸弹似的爆炸开来。卖花老妇腾身站起，挥动着她手中的那张20法郎的钞票。她蹒跚着走到餐厅的中央，欢快地踏起了舞步，冲着钢琴师嚷道："约瑟夫，我收到圣诞礼物了！我也让你分享一半，让你也能吃上一顿丰盛的圣诞晚餐。"close18RT The piano player began to sing loudly "Good King Wenceslaus," beating the keys with magic hands, nodding his head in rhythm.
钢琴师急速地弹起了"好国王瓦茨拉夫"舞曲，魔力十足的双手敲击着琴键，头和着乐曲的旋律频频点动。close19RT My wife waved her flower in time to the music. She was radiant and appeared twenty years younger. The tears had left her eyes, and the corners of her mouth turned up in laughter. She began to sing, and our three sons joined her, bellowing the song with uninhibited enthusiasm.
妻子也随着音乐的节奏挥动着那朵鲜花。她容光焕发，仿佛一下子年轻了20岁。泪水不见了，嘴角上绽出笑容。她启动歌喉，放声歌唱，我们的三个儿子随声和了起来，纵情高歌。close20RT "Gut!Gut!" shouted the Germans. They jumped on their chairs and began singing the words in German. The waiter embraced the flower woman. Waving their arms, they sang in French. The Frenchman who had slapped the boy beat rhythm with his fork against a bottle. The lad climbed on his lap, singing merrily too.
"好！好！"德国人高声喝彩。他们跳到椅子上，并用德语唱起这支歌。服务员上前拥抱着卖花的老太太，两人挥舞手臂，用法语唱了起来。那个打了儿子一巴掌的法国男子用餐叉敲击着酒瓶打起了拍子，那男孩爬上他爸爸的膝头，用童稚的高音歌唱起来。close21RT The Germans ordered wine for everyone. They delivered it themselves, hugging the other customers. One of the French families called for champagne — made the round, kissing each of us on both cheeks. The owner of the restaurant started "The First Noel", and we all joined in, half of us crying.
德国人请在场的每个人喝酒。人们自斟自饮，相互拥抱。其中的一家法国人要来了香槟——到每张桌上给人敬酒，亲吻每个人的双颊。饭馆老板带头唱起"耶稣降生"，我们大家都跟着唱，其中有半数人是含泪唱的。close22RT People crowded in from the street until many customers were standing. The walls shook as hands and feet kept time to the Christmas carols.
人们络绎不绝地从街上向餐馆涌来，后来连位子都不够了，一些顾客只好站着。人们和着圣诞歌的节奏手舞足蹈，声音震动了餐厅的四壁。close23RT The miserable evening in a dull restaurant ended up being the very best Christmas Eve we had ever experienced just because of a young sailor who had Christmas spirit in his soul. He released the love and joy that had been smothered within us by anger and disappointment. He gave us Christmas.
原本是在一家简陋的小餐馆里的一个凄凉的夜晚，结果竟变成我们一生中最最美好的圣诞前夜。这全亏那位灵魂中闪烁着圣诞精神的年轻海员。是他释放了我们心中那被愤懑和失望压抑的爱心和快乐。他赐给了我们圣诞的欢乐。Close
2
T Our "Family"
Linda Snelson This text is adapted from Chicken Soup at http://www.chickensoup.com.
close1RT My daughter Gina was in Mrs. Melton's fourth-grade class. After only a month in school, she began to come home on a regular basis asking for pencils, crayons, paper, etc. At first I provided whatever she needed.
我们"一家子"
琳达·斯内尔森
我的女儿吉娜在梅尔顿太太的班上读四年级，才上了一个月的学，就开始定期向家里要铅笔、蜡笔、纸张等学习用品。一开始我对她有求必应。close2RT After ongoing requests for items that should have easily lasted a mere six weeks of fourth grade, I became concerned and asked her, "Gina, what are you doing with your school supplies?" She would always give me a satisfactory answer.
我买给她的学习用品本来足够她用六个星期了，而她还在不断向我要。我开始担心起来，便问她："吉娜，你是怎么用你的学习用品的？"每次她都能给我一个合理的解释。 close3RT One day, after supplying the same thing only a week earlier, I became irritated (激怒，使烦躁) with her pleading (请求) for more and sternly (严厉地) asked her once more, "Gina! What is going on with your school supplies?" Knowing her excuses would no longer work, she bent her head and began to cry. I lifted her tiny chin (下巴) and looked into those big brown eyes, filled now with tears. "What? What is wrong?" My mind was racing with all sorts of ideas. Had she been bullied (欺辱，威逼) by another child? Was she giving her supplies to him or her to keep from being hurt? I couldn't imagine what was going on, but I knew it was something serious for her to cry. I waited for what seemed like an eternity for her to answer.
有一天，她又说要买学习用品了，而我一星期前才给她买过。我很不高兴，便厉声问她，"吉娜，你的学习用品用来干什么了？"这下她知道瞒不过去了，低下头哭起来。我抬起她的小下巴，盯着她那对棕色的大眼睛，那眼里已经满是泪水。"怎么了？到底怎么了？"我的脑海里满是疑问。她是不是被别的孩子欺负了？她是不是为了免受伤害而被迫把自己的学习用具给了出去？我不清楚究竟出了什么事，但她哭了说明事情一定很严重。我等着她的回答，似乎等了一万年。 close4RT "Mom," she began, "there is a boy in my class; he doesn't have any of the supplies he needs to do his work. The other kids make fun of him because his papers are messy and he only has two crayons to color with. I have been putting the new supplies you bought me in his desk before the others come in, so he doesn't know it's me. Please don't get mad at me, Mom. I didn't mean to tell you a lie, but I didn't want anyone to know it was me."
"妈妈，"她开口了，"我班上有个男孩，他没有文具做功课。其他的孩子们都取笑他，因为他的作业本很脏，他只有两种蜡笔涂色。我趁别人还没进教室前把你给我买的新文具放在他的书桌里，这样他就不会发现是我给的。你别生气，妈妈，我不是故意要撒谎的，我只是不想让任何人发现是我做的。"close5RT My heart sank as I stood there in disbelief. She had taken on the role of an adult and tried to hide it like a child. I knelt down, hugged her, and then said, "Gina, I would never get mad at you for wanting to help someone."
我心一沉，呆立着，简直无法相信这一切。她扮演了一个大人的角色，又像孩子般地藏藏掖掖。我蹲下身去，拥抱了她，然后说："吉娜，妈妈绝不会因为你想帮助别人而生你的气。"close6RT The next day I visited Mrs. Melton. I told her what Gina had said. She knew John's situation all too well. There were four boys in the family, John being the oldest. The parents had just moved here, and when the school presented them with the school supply list for all four grades they were overwhelmed. So, when the boys came to school the next week, they barely had the necessities.
第二天，我去见了梅尔顿太太，把吉娜的事告诉了她。梅尔顿太太对约翰一家的情况了如指掌。约翰是家中四个儿子中的长子，父母刚搬来不久。当学校把四个孩子所需的学习用品清单给约翰父母时，他们简直不知所措。第二个星期孩子们上学时，带的用品只勉强够用。close7RT I asked Mrs. Melton for the list from all four grades and told her I would take care of it the next day. She smiled and gave me the lists.
我向梅尔顿太太拿了四个年级需要的学习用品清单，告诉她第二天我会帮忙处理。她微笑着把单子给了我。close8RT The next day, we brought the supplies in and gave them to the office with instructions to give them to the boys.
第二天，我们买齐了学习用品，交给办公室，嘱咐他们转交给约翰四兄弟。 close9RT As Christmas neared, the thought of John, his brothers and family weighed heavily on my mind. What would they do? Surely they would not have money for gifts.
圣诞节快到了，我非常惦记约翰、他的弟弟以及他们全家。他们会做什么呢？他们一定没钱买礼物的。close10RT I asked Mrs. Melton if she could get me their address. At first she refused, reminding me that there was a policy that protected the privacy (隐私) of the students, but because she knew me from my work at the school and involvement on the PTA board, she slipped a piece of paper into my hand and whispered, "Don't tell anyone I gave it to you."
我问梅尔顿太太要约翰家的地址。一开始她不肯，说学校有规定要保护学生的隐私。但因为我参与一些学校和教师家长协会上的工作，她了解我，最后她还是将一张纸条塞给了我，悄悄地说："别说是我给的。"close11RT When my family began to set the stage for our traditional Christmas Eve, which was usually held at my house, I simply told them all that my husband, the kids and I did not want gifts, but instead we would prefer to have groceries and gifts for our "family". And we shopped throughout the holiday season for the four boys too. Gina was especially interested in things for John.
我的亲戚家人通常在我家庆祝圣诞前夜，当大家开始为这传统节日做准备时，我只告诉他们，我丈夫、孩子们和我不要礼物，而只要给我们"一家子"日用品和礼品。整个假日期间我们也在留意购买适合约翰四兄弟的物品。吉娜特别注意给约翰的礼物。close12RT Christmas Eve came and my family began to arrive. Each of them had bags of food and gifts wrapped for the children. My living room was full and the excitement was contagious (传染的；有感染力的).
圣诞前夜，亲戚们开始陆续来到。每个人都带来了左一包右一包的食物和给孩子们的礼物，把起居室都堆满了。我们激动的心情感染了大家。close13RT Finally at 9:00 we decided it was time to take our treasures to them. My brothers, dad, uncles and nephews loaded up their trucks and set out for the address that Mrs. Melton gave us.
终于到了九点，送礼的时候到了。我的兄弟、父亲、叔父和侄子们将东西装满了他们的货车，开始向梅尔顿太太提供的地址出发。close14RT They knocked on the door and a little boy appeared. They asked for his mother or dad and he ran away. The guys waited until a young man came to the door. He looked at the men standing there, with arms full of gifts and bags full of groceries, and couldn't say a word. The men pushed past him and went straight to the kitchen counter to set the bags down.
他们敲了门，一个小男孩出现了，听说要找他的父母，小孩便跑回去了。等了片刻，一个年轻人出来了。他看到抱着大包礼品与日用品的来人，不知说什么好。送礼的人们从他身边经过，直接将东西放在了厨房的灶台上。close15RT There was no furniture. It was an empty one-bedroom apartment with a few blankets on the floor and a small TV where they obviously spent their time. A Christmas tree was the result of the kids bringing in a bush they had found in the field behind their apartment. A few paper decorations made in their classrooms made it look like a real Christmas tree. Nothing was underneath.
这个一居室的家空空如也，连家具都没有。地板上扔着几张毯子，还有一台小小的电视，显然他们大部分的时间都在电视机前度过。"圣诞树"是孩子们从屋后的田里挖来的一丛灌木，挂着在教室里做的几样纸饰品，看上去还有一点圣诞节的味道。可树下什么也没有。close16RT The boys and their parents stood without speaking as the men sat down bag after bag. They finally asked who had sent them, how they knew them and so on. But the men just left them with shouts of "Merry Christmas!"
孩子们和他们的父母站在一旁，一言不发，看着大家把一袋袋的物品搬进来。最后他们终于开口问东西是谁让送来的，怎么认识他们的，等等。但来人只高喊了几声"圣诞节快乐"就离开了。close17RT When the guys got back to my house they didn't say a word. They couldn't.
送礼的人回到我家时，什么话也没说。什么话也说不出来。close18RT To break the silence, my aunt stood up and began to sing "Silent Night", and we all joined in.
为打破沉默，我的婶婶站起身，带头唱起"平安夜"这首歌，大家都跟着唱了起来。close19RT When school resumed, Gina came home daily telling of John's new clothes and how the other children now played with him and treated him like the rest of the children.
开学以后，吉娜每天都带回关于约翰的消息，他有新衣服穿了，其他孩子肯和他玩了，也平等对待他了。close20RT She never told a soul at school about what we did, but every Christmas since that one she will say to me, "Mom, I wonder what happened to John and his family?" While I'm not quite sure of the answer, I'd like to think that John and his family were somehow helped by my daughter's gift.
吉娜从来没有在学校里向任何人提起我们所做的一切，但那以后的每个圣诞节，她都会问我："妈妈，不知约翰和他的家人怎样了？"我虽然无法给她一个确切的答复，但我愿意相信，女儿的礼物多少帮助了约翰和他的家人。
