美國語文第二冊 第54期：物歸原主
LESSON 58
第五十八課
lend
租借
Sarah
薩拉
comfort
安慰
ashamed
羞愧
yours
你的
willing
情愿
thimble
頂針
elsewhere
其他地方
using
使用
borrow
借
offended
冒犯
depended
依靠
A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING
物歸原主
Mary: I wish you would lend me your thimble, Sarah.
瑪麗：薩拉，我希望你能把你的頂針借給我。
I can never find my own.
我找不到自己的了。
Sarah: Why is it, Mary, you can never find it?
薩拉：為什么呀，瑪麗，你找不到了？
Mary: How can I tell?
瑪麗：我哪里知道為什么。
But if you will not lend me yours, I can borrow one elsewhere.
不過如果你不愿意把你的借給我，我可以去別的地方借。
Sarah: I am willing to lend mine to you, Mary.
薩拉：我愿意把我的借給你，瑪麗。
But I would very much like to know why you come to me to borrow so often.
但我很想知道你為什么經常找我借東西。
Mary: Because you never lose any of your things,
瑪麗：因為你從沒有弄丟過你的東西，
and always know where to find them.
總是知道在哪能找到它們。
Sarah: And why do I always know where to find my things?
薩拉：為什么我總知道在哪能找到我的東西呢？
Mary: I do not know why, I am sure.
瑪麗：是的，我也不知道為什么。
If I did know, I might sometimes find my own.
如果我知道，我可能就常會找到自己的東西了。
Sarah: I will tell you the secret.
薩拉：我告訴你這個密碼吧。
I have a place for everything,
我有個固定的地方放東西，
and I put everything in its place when I have done using it.
當我用完后，我會把所有東西放回原來的地方。
Mary: O Sarah!
瑪麗：噢，薩拉！
who wants to run and put away a thing as soon as she has used it,
誰會堅持在用完一件東西之后盡快收拾好，
as if her life depended upon it?
仿佛生活取決于它似的？
Sarah: Our life does not depend upon it,
薩拉：我們的生活不取決于它，
but our comfort does, surely.
但是我們的舒適感顯然取決于它。
How much more time will it take to put a thing in its place,
我們把東西放回遠處所花的時間，
than to hunt for it or to borrow whenever you want to use it ?
比我們想用東西時去找或借的時間多多少？
Mary: Well, Sarah,
瑪麗：好吧，薩拉，
I will never borrow of you again,
我以后不會再向你借東西了，
you may depend upon it.
你的舒適感去決于它。
Sarah: You are not offended with me, I hope.
薩拉：我希望你沒跟我生氣。
Mary: No, but I am ashamed.
瑪麗：沒有，但我覺得慚愧。
Before night, I will have a place for everything,
睡覺之前，我會找個固定的地方放東西，
and then I will keep everything in its place.
并且會把所有東西放回原處。
You have taught me a lesson that I shall remember.
你給我上了一堂應當牢記的課。
