◎ Juliet N.
Years of storms had taken their toll on the old windmill. Its wheel, rusted and fallen, lay silent in the lush[79]bluegrass. Its once animated silhouette was now a tall motionless steeple in the twilight sun.
多年的風(fēng)雨毀壞了古老的風(fēng)車。它的輪子銹了,倒了,靜靜地躺在蔥翠的早熟禾叢中。在夕陽(yáng)的映襯下,曾經(jīng)栩栩如生的風(fēng)車如今像高聳的塔尖那般毫無(wú)生氣。
I hadn’t walked across our old farm in fifteen years. Yet the sensations came flooding back. I could smell the freshness of new mown alfalfa. I could feel the ping of the ice cold summer rain, and the sun’s sudden warmth on my wet shoulders when it reappeared after a brisk July thunderstorm.
我已經(jīng)有15年沒(méi)有走過(guò)我們的農(nóng)場(chǎng)了。然而,昔日的感覺(jué)再次涌現(xiàn)。我仿佛聞到了剛剛修剪過(guò)的苜蓿的清新氣息;感覺(jué)到了冰冷的夏雨打在我的身上;還有7月的雨后太陽(yáng)照耀在濕漉漉的身上時(shí)那股突如其來(lái)的暖意。
Rain or shine, I used to walk this path each day to see Greta. She always made me smile, even after Sis and I had just had a big squabble[80]. I would help Greta with her chores. Then we would visit over a generous helping of her delicious homemade chocolate cookies and ice cream. Being confined to a wheel chair didn’t stop Greta from being a fabulous cook.
無(wú)論晴天或雨天,曾經(jīng)我每天都會(huì)走過(guò)這條小道去探望格麗塔。她總能逗得我開(kāi)懷一笑,即使我剛和姐姐大吵了一架。我會(huì)幫助格麗塔做些家務(wù)活。接著,我們會(huì)大口大口地吃著她親手制作的巧克力曲奇餅干和冰淇淋。即使只能靠輪椅行走,也無(wú)法阻擋格麗塔成為一個(gè)出色的廚師。
Greta gave me two of the greatest gifts I’ve ever received. First, she taught me how to read. She also taught me that when I forgave Sis for our squabbles, it meant I wouldn’t keep feeling like a victim. Instead, I would feel sunny.
格麗塔送給我兩份最好的禮物。首先,她教會(huì)了我認(rèn)字。除此之外,她還教我原諒?fù)覡?zhēng)吵的姐姐,讓我不再覺(jué)得委屈,我的心情也跟著開(kāi)朗起來(lái)。
Mr. Dinking, the local banker, tried to foreclose on Greta’s house and land after her husband passed away. Thanks to Pa and Uncle Johan, Greta got to keep everything. Pa said that it was the least he could do for someone talented enough to teach me to read!
格麗塔的丈夫去世后,當(dāng)?shù)氐你y行家丁肯先生試圖想要收取她抵押給銀行的房子。多虧了爸爸和約翰叔叔的幫忙,格麗塔才保住了一切。爸爸說(shuō)過(guò),那是他為一位聰明得能教我識(shí)字的人做的力所能及的一件小事。
Soon folks were coming from miles around to buy Greta’s homemade cakes, pies, breads, cookies, cider, and ice cream. Hank, the grocery store man, came each week to stock his shelves and bring Greta supplies.
不久,方圓數(shù)英里的人們都來(lái)買格麗塔親手做的蛋糕、餡餅、面包、曲奇餅、蘋果酒和冰淇淋。雜貨店的老板漢克每周都要給她送材料,并從她那兒進(jìn)貨。
Greta even had me take a big apple pie to Mr. Dinking who became one of her best customers and friends. That’s just how Greta was. She could turn anyone into a friend!
格麗塔甚至曾經(jīng)讓我給丁肯先生送去一個(gè)大蘋果餡餅。他也成為了她的顧客和朋友。這就是格麗塔,她可以和任何人成為朋友。
Greta always said, “Dear, keep walking in sunshine!”No matter how terrible my day started, I always felt sunny walking home from Greta’s house—even beneath the winter starlight.
格麗塔常說(shuō):“親愛(ài)的,記得要一直走在陽(yáng)光里!”無(wú)論每天一開(kāi)始時(shí)有多糟糕,可是當(dāng)我從格麗塔的小屋走出來(lái)之后,即使是在灑滿星光的冬日,我都會(huì)覺(jué)得心情舒暢。
I arrived at Greta’s house today just after sunset. An ambulance had stopped a few feet from her door, it’s red lights flashing. When I ran into the old house, Greta recognized me right away.
今天,太陽(yáng)一下山,我就來(lái)到了格麗塔的家。一輛救護(hù)車正停在她家門前,車上的紅燈不停地閃爍著。當(dāng)我跑進(jìn)那間破舊的房子時(shí),格麗塔立刻認(rèn)出了我。
She smiled at me with her unforgettable twinkling blue eyes. She was almost out of breath when she reached out and softly touched my arm. Her last words to me were “Dear, keep walking in sunshine!”
她沖我微笑著,那雙令人難忘的藍(lán)眼睛閃爍著光芒。當(dāng)她伸手輕輕撫摸著我的手時(shí),她已經(jīng)奄奄一息了。她對(duì)我說(shuō)的最后一句話就是:“親愛(ài)的,記得要一直走在陽(yáng)光里!”
I’m sure that Greta is walking in the brightest sunshine she’s ever seen. And, I’m sure that she heard every word I read at her memorial service.
我相信格麗塔此時(shí)一定漫步在她所見(jiàn)過(guò)的最明媚的陽(yáng)光里。而且,我也相信她聽(tīng)見(jiàn)了我在她的追悼會(huì)上念的每一個(gè)字。
I chose a beautiful verse by Leo Buscaglia. It’s one that Greta taught me to read many years ago...
我選了利奧·巴斯卡格里亞的一首優(yōu)美的詩(shī)歌,正是格麗塔多年前教我念的……
“Love can never grow old. Locks may lose their brown and gold. Cheeks may fade and hollow grow. But the hearts that love will know, never winter’s frost and chill, summer’s warmth is in them still.”
“愛(ài)能經(jīng)久不衰。華發(fā)或許會(huì)失去原有的光彩。雙頰或許會(huì)日顯消瘦黯淡。然而,有愛(ài)的心中,從無(wú)寒冬霜冰,只有夏之溫?zé)?。?
美麗語(yǔ)錄
When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile.
當(dāng)生活給你一百個(gè)理由哭泣時(shí),你就拿出一千個(gè)理由笑給它看。