那些給我智慧和勇氣的寓言故事66：太太，您富有嗎

They huddled inside the storm door -- two children in ragged outgrown coats.

他們蜷縮著相互偎依在我家的擋風(fēng)門棟里——兩個(gè)衣衫襤褸的孩子，他們的衣服小得不能再小了。

"Any old papers, lady?"

“太太，請(qǐng)問(wèn)您有舊報(bào)紙嗎?”

I was busy. I wanted to say no -- until I looked down at their feet. Thin little sandals, sopped with sleet.

當(dāng)時(shí)，我正忙著，本來(lái)想對(duì)他們說(shuō)沒(méi)有，但當(dāng)我看到他們腳上只穿著一雙被冰雪浸濕得再單薄不過(guò)的便鞋時(shí)，我再也說(shuō)不出口了。

"Come in and I'll make you a cup of hot cocoa."

“進(jìn)屋來(lái)吧，我來(lái)給你們煮一杯熱可可茶。”

There was no conversation. Their soggy sandals left marks upon the hearthstone.

默默地他們跟我進(jìn)了屋，爐邊他們浸濕的便鞋留下了一串腳印。

I served them cocoa and toast with jam to fortify against the chill outside.

我給他們端上可可茶和果醬面包，我想這能幫助他們抵御外面的風(fēng)寒。

Then I went back to the kitchen and started again on my household budget.

然后我回到了廚房，像往常一樣，為了明天的生活而精打細(xì)算。

The silence in the front room struck through to me. I looked in. The girl held the empty cup in her hands, looking at it.

前屋里沒(méi)有一點(diǎn)聲音，這讓我感到很奇怪。我向屋里望去，小女孩手里正端著那個(gè)已經(jīng)喝完了的茶杯，認(rèn)真地凝視著

The boy asked in a flat voice," Lady ... are you rich?"

“太太，您富有嗎?”男孩子語(yǔ)氣平緩地問(wèn)道。

"Am I rich? Mercy, no!" I looked at my shabby slipcovers.

“我富有嗎?”我看了看沙發(fā)上那寒酸的裝飾布，回答說(shuō)，“天哪，我可算不上。”

The girl put her cup back in its saucer -- carefully.

這時(shí)，那個(gè)小女孩非常小心地把杯子放回到茶碟里。

"Your cups match your saucers."

“您的杯子和茶碟非常相配。”

Her voice was old, with a hunger that was not of the stomach.

她說(shuō)話的聲音聽起來(lái)不像是個(gè)孩子，帶著一種對(duì)食物以外的東西的渴望。

They left then, holding their bundles of papers against the wind. They hadn't said thank you.

然后，他們抱著舊報(bào)紙，頂著風(fēng)雪離開了。他們甚至沒(méi)有說(shuō)一聲“謝謝”

They didn't need to. They had done more than that. Plain blue pottery cups and saucers. But they matched.

是的，他們根本沒(méi)有必要說(shuō)，實(shí)際上他們所做的比道謝更重要。非常平常的一對(duì)蘭色陶瓷杯碟，但它們確實(shí)很相配。

I tested the potatoes and stirred the gravy.

我查看了一下鍋里煮著的土豆然后又?jǐn)嚢枇藥紫氯庵?/p>

Potatoes and brown gravy, a roof over our heads, my man with a good steady job -- these things matched, too.

有土豆和棕色肉湯可以吃，有房子可以住，我的丈夫有一份很好很穩(wěn)定的工作--這一切的一切同樣也很匹配。

I moved the chairs back from the fire and tidied the living room.

我把椅子從爐邊向后拉開些，然后把起居室整理干凈。

The muddy prints of small sandals were still wet upon my hearth. I let them be.

地面上留下的泥腳印還沒(méi)干。

I want them there in case I ever forget again how very rich I am.

是的，我想讓它們留在那里，提醒我不要忘了我是多么的富有。