One day when I had lost my place in the class, I came home discouraged and fretful.
一天,因為考試不理想,我沮喪和煩躁地回到家里。
I went to my mother's chamber.
我走進母親的房間。
She was paler than usual, but she met me with the same affectionate smile that always welcomed my return.
她比以前更顯蒼白,可是她一如往常帶著親切的微笑歡迎我回來。
Alas! when I look back through the lapse of thirteen years, I think my heart must have been stone not to have been melted by it.
唉!十三年后回憶起來,我想當時我的心可能是石頭做的才沒被融化。
She requested me to go downstairs and bring her a glass of water.
她叫我下樓取一杯水。
I pettishly asked her why she did not call a domestic to do it.
我怒氣沖沖地說怎么不叫傭人去。
With a look of mild reproach, which I shall never forget if I live to be a hundred years old,
她略帶責備地說,這種責備即使活一百歲我也不會忘記,
she said, "Will not my daughter bring a glass of water for her poor, sick mother?"
我的女兒不愿意給她生病的可憐母親取杯水嗎?
I went and brought her the water, but I did not do it kindly.
我心不甘情不愿地取來了水。
Instead of smiling, and kissing her as I had been wont to do, I set the glass down very quickly, and left the room.
我沒有對她笑,也沒有像往常一樣親吻她,我放下杯子就離開了房間。
After playing a short time, I went to bed without bidding my mother good night;
在玩了一陣后,我上床了,沒有和母親說晚安;
but when alone in my room, in darkness and silence, I remembered how pale she looked, and how her voice trembled when she said,
可是當我獨自一人在安靜漆黑的房間里,我想起她臉色多么蒼白,她的聲音是多么顫抖,我無法入睡。
"Will not my daughter bring a glass of water for her poor, sick mother?" I could not sleep.
她說“我的女兒不愿意給她生病的可憐母親取杯水嗎?”
I stole into her chamber to ask forgiveness.
我偷偷走進她的房間請求她原諒我。
She had sunk into an easy slumber, and they told me I must not waken her.
可她已經(jīng)睡著了,人們告訴我不能驚醒她。