I look at spiders and butter-flies . I watch caterpillars and moths . Sometimes I think I'm the only one who notices these things . But if it hadn't been for a crowded cafeteria , I wouldn't Have ever noticed Valeri . After all , I wasn't looking for new friends .
我觀察蜘蛛和蝴蝶,還研究毛毛蟲和飛蛾。有時(shí),我想我是唯一注意這些事物的人了。要不是一家擁擠的自助餐廳,我將永遠(yuǎn)不會注意到瓦萊麗。畢竟,我一直都沒有找新朋友。
Valeri was a new student . She walked to class with her boooks huddled against her chest and her head down . He talked only when the teacher asked her a question . After a month at our school , she hadn't made any friend . At recess , she sat on a bench and read . If you asked who she was , you'd get a response like this , "She's in my PE class , I can't remenber her name ."
瓦萊麗是新來的學(xué)生。她總是將書抱在胸前,低著頭走進(jìn)教室。只有在老師提問她時(shí),她才肯說話。她來我們學(xué)校一個(gè)月了,還沒交到一個(gè)朋友。課間,她就坐在長椅上看書。如果你想知道她是誰,那你多半會得到這樣的答復(fù):“我和她在一起上體育課,但我不記得她叫什么。”
One day at lunch , I had nowhere to sit . Most tables were full , my friends scattered among them . But Valeri sat alone , book in hand , I walked over to her .
一天,吃午餐時(shí),餐桌差不多都坐滿了,我沒地方坐了,我的朋友們都分散開了。但瓦萊麗拿著書一個(gè)人坐在那兒。于是,我朝她走了過去。
"May I sit here ?"I asked .
“我可以坐在這兒嗎?”我問。
"Sure ,"she said .
“當(dāng)然可以。”她說。
The cafeteria was noisy , but silence hung between us . Valeri didn't seem to mind , but it drove me crazy . I searched my mind for things to say .
餐廳里喧鬧不已,而我們一直都沉默著。瓦萊麗好像并不在意,但我憋得受不了了。我絞盡腦汁,想找點(diǎn)話說。
"So,"I said , "is that a good book?"Valeri gave a small nod and went back to reading . "What's it about?"I asked , after several more agonizing seconds of silence . She looked at me , her eyes sparkling .
“呃,那本書很好看吧?”瓦萊麗輕輕的點(diǎn)了點(diǎn)頭,又繼續(xù)看書。“都寫了些什么呢?”我問道。一陣令人惱火的沉默之后,她終于看著我,眼中閃出異樣的光芒。
"Well , it's called Eragon , and it's about a dragon!This boy , Eragon , finds this dragon egg when he goes hunging one day . He thinks it's a rock !The egg hatches and Eragon hides the dragon from his cousin and uncle until it gets too big ."
“唔,它叫《龍騎士》,講的是關(guān)于一條龍的故事!一天,一個(gè)名叫鄂爾根的男孩打獵時(shí),發(fā)現(xiàn)了一枚龍蛋。他以為那是一塊石頭,但那枚龍蛋孵化出龍來,鄂爾根怕他的叔叔和堂兄發(fā)現(xiàn),便把那條龍藏了起來,直到它長大。”
As I rushed out of the cafeteria , I called to Valeri , "See you later ."
“聽來真不錯(cuò)。”我說。我還想再問個(gè)問題,可上課鈴響了。
"Yeah,"she said,"see you later."She sounded doubtful .
我一邊往餐廳外沖,一邊對她大叫:“再見。”
A couple days later , I spotted Valeri looking for a place to sit at lunch .
“好的,”她說,“再見。”她的聲音若有若無。
"Valeri , ouer here."I pointed to an empty chair .
“瓦萊麗,來這里。”我指著一個(gè)空座位說。
She sat down and pulled out her book . Everyone was talking about next week's talent show . "So ,what are you doing for the show? "My friend Erin asked my friend Kelly .
她坐了下來,拿出書。當(dāng)時(shí),大家都在談?wù)撓聜€(gè)星期的才藝展示會。“你打算表演什么?”我的朋友埃林和凱利交談著。
"Oh,I don't know , probably nothing,"Kelly sighed ."What are you doing?"She pointed to Valeri.
“噢,我不知道,也許會放棄,”凱利嘆著氣,“你呢?”她問瓦萊麗。
"Oh."Valeri put her book down ."I don't know . Maybe nothing."
“噢,”瓦萊麗放下書,“我不知道,也許什么也不演。”
The week flew by . Before I knew it . I was sitting in the auditorium , listening to a group of girls sing the latest pop songs at the talent show . I was bored out of my life , and I wanted it to end so I could read Eragon . I'd checked it out at the library , Then a shy girl walked on stage . I recongized her immediately . Valeri clutched a violin in one hand and a bow in the other .
不知不覺中,周末就到了,我坐在會堂里,聽一群女孩子唱當(dāng)下最流行的歌曲,感覺卻枯燥極了,真希望演唱快點(diǎn)結(jié)束,那樣我就可以看《龍騎士》了,我在圖書館找到了這本書。這時(shí),一個(gè)靦腆的女孩走上了舞臺,我立刻認(rèn)出了她------瓦萊麗。她一手抓著小提琴,一手拿著琴弓。
She stared to play . The notes formed a soft , weet tune . Then it turned fast , then faster . The music stopped altogether before the soft tune retumed . Valeri ended the song with one hard , fast , loud note . The auditorium fell completely silent until we realized the music was finished . Still in a halftrance , we burst into applause . Valeri took a swift bow and walked off stage .
她開始拉提琴了。一個(gè)個(gè)音符變成了柔和,優(yōu)美的旋律,韻律逐漸加快,她越拉越急,音樂聲戛然而止。樂曲在瓦萊麗拉出一串強(qiáng)硬,急速,洪亮的音符后歸于沉寂。會堂里出奇的安靜,過了一會兒,我們才意識到她已經(jīng)演奏完了。仍陶醉于美妙中的我們對她報(bào)以雷鳴般的掌聲。瓦萊麗快速地鞠了一躬,走下了舞臺。
I smiled to myself . Valeri wasn't just a "quiet girl" .She knew about wonderful books and could play the violin like nothing I'd ever heard . Like a caterpillar or butterfly , she was beautiful and amazing when you looked closely .
我暗自微笑,原來瓦萊麗不僅僅是一個(gè)“安靜的女孩”,她博覽奇妙的好書,能拉出我聞所未聞的小提琴曲。她就像那毛毛蟲或蝴蝶,當(dāng)你靠近她,仔細(xì)的觀察,你會發(fā)現(xiàn),她有著驚人的美。