For many of us, one Christmas stands out from all the others, the one when the meaning of the day shone clearest. My own "truest" Christmas began on a rainy spring day in the bleakest year of my life.
對我們許多人來說，總有某一個(gè)圣誕節(jié)因?yàn)槲覀兂浞指惺艿竭@一天的意義而顯得格外難忘。我自己的“最真實(shí)”的圣誕節(jié)發(fā)生在我一生中最為凄涼的那一年。
Recently divorced, I was in my 20s, had no job and was on my way downtown to go the rounds of the employment offices. I had no umbrella, for my old one had fallen apart, and I could not afford another one. I sat down in the streetcar--and there against the seat was a beautiful silk umbrella with a silver handle inlaid with gold and necks of bright enamel. I had never seen anything so lovely.
話得從春季的一個(gè)雨天開始說起，20多歲的我，剛剛離婚，沒有工作，正再一次趕往市中心的求職處。我沒帶傘，舊傘已經(jīng)破損，而新的又買不起。我在有軌電車?yán)镒聛?，發(fā)現(xiàn)座位邊有一把漂亮的絲質(zhì)傘，銀把手上面還鑲嵌著金子和亮麗的小片琺瑯。我從沒見過這么漂亮的東西。
I examined the handle and saw a name engraved among the golden scrolls. The usual procedure would have been to turn in the umbrella to the conductor, but on impulse I decided to take it with me and find the owner myself. I got off the streetcar in a downpour and thankfully opened the umbrella to protect myself. Then I searched a telephone book for the name on the umbrella and found it. I called and a lady answered.
我查看了把手，發(fā)現(xiàn)在金色的卷軸中刻著一個(gè)名字。在這種情況下，人們通常的做法是把傘交給售票員，但我一時(shí)沖動(dòng)決定把傘留著，自己去找失主。我在傾盆大雨中下了車，感激不盡地打開那把傘遮雨。隨后我在電話簿里查找傘上的名字，確有其人。我打了個(gè)電話，接電話的是一位女士。
Yes, she said in surprise, that was her umbrella, which her parents, now dead, had given her for a birthday present. But, she added, it had been stolen from her locker at school (she was a teacher) more than a year before. She was so excited that I forgot I was looking for a job and went directly to her small house. She took the umbrella, and her eyes filled with tears.
是的，她詫異地說那是她的傘，那是她已故的雙親送給她的生日禮物。但是，她補(bǔ)充說，傘一年多前被人從學(xué)校的柜子里偷走了（她是個(gè)教師）。我聽出她很激動(dòng)，我竟忘了自己還在找工作，直接到她家去了。她熱淚盈眶地接過傘。
The teacher wanted to give me a reward, but--though twenty dollars was all I had in the world--her happiness at retrieving this special possession was such that to have accepted money would have spoiled something. We talked for a while, and I must have given her my address. I don't remember.
那老師要給我酬金，盡管我當(dāng)時(shí)身邊一共也不過20元錢，可看到她找回這件特別之物的巨大幸福時(shí)，接受她的錢無疑會(huì)破壞這種感覺。我們聊了一會(huì)兒。我很可能留下了我的地址。我記不得了。
The next six months were wretched. I was able to obtain only temporary employment here and there, for a small salary. But I put aside twenty-five or fifty cents when I could afford it for my lithe girl's Christmas presents. My last job ended the day before Christm
對我們許多人來說，總有某一個(gè)圣誕節(jié)因?yàn)槲覀兂浞指惺艿竭@一天的意義而顯得格外難忘。我自己的“最真實(shí)”的圣誕節(jié)發(fā)生在我一生中最為凄涼的那一年。
Recently divorced, I was in my 20s, had no job and was on my way downtown to go the rounds of the employment offices. I had no umbrella, for my old one had fallen apart, and I could not afford another one. I sat down in the streetcar--and there against the seat was a beautiful silk umbrella with a silver handle inlaid with gold and necks of bright enamel. I had never seen anything so lovely.
話得從春季的一個(gè)雨天開始說起，20多歲的我，剛剛離婚，沒有工作，正再一次趕往市中心的求職處。我沒帶傘，舊傘已經(jīng)破損，而新的又買不起。我在有軌電車?yán)镒聛?，發(fā)現(xiàn)座位邊有一把漂亮的絲質(zhì)傘，銀把手上面還鑲嵌著金子和亮麗的小片琺瑯。我從沒見過這么漂亮的東西。
I examined the handle and saw a name engraved among the golden scrolls. The usual procedure would have been to turn in the umbrella to the conductor, but on impulse I decided to take it with me and find the owner myself. I got off the streetcar in a downpour and thankfully opened the umbrella to protect myself. Then I searched a telephone book for the name on the umbrella and found it. I called and a lady answered.
我查看了把手，發(fā)現(xiàn)在金色的卷軸中刻著一個(gè)名字。在這種情況下，人們通常的做法是把傘交給售票員，但我一時(shí)沖動(dòng)決定把傘留著，自己去找失主。我在傾盆大雨中下了車，感激不盡地打開那把傘遮雨。隨后我在電話簿里查找傘上的名字，確有其人。我打了個(gè)電話，接電話的是一位女士。
Yes, she said in surprise, that was her umbrella, which her parents, now dead, had given her for a birthday present. But, she added, it had been stolen from her locker at school (she was a teacher) more than a year before. She was so excited that I forgot I was looking for a job and went directly to her small house. She took the umbrella, and her eyes filled with tears.
是的，她詫異地說那是她的傘，那是她已故的雙親送給她的生日禮物。但是，她補(bǔ)充說，傘一年多前被人從學(xué)校的柜子里偷走了（她是個(gè)教師）。我聽出她很激動(dòng)，我竟忘了自己還在找工作，直接到她家去了。她熱淚盈眶地接過傘。
The teacher wanted to give me a reward, but--though twenty dollars was all I had in the world--her happiness at retrieving this special possession was such that to have accepted money would have spoiled something. We talked for a while, and I must have given her my address. I don't remember.
那老師要給我酬金，盡管我當(dāng)時(shí)身邊一共也不過20元錢，可看到她找回這件特別之物的巨大幸福時(shí)，接受她的錢無疑會(huì)破壞這種感覺。我們聊了一會(huì)兒。我很可能留下了我的地址。我記不得了。
The next six months were wretched. I was able to obtain only temporary employment here and there, for a small salary. But I put aside twenty-five or fifty cents when I could afford it for my lithe girl's Christmas presents. My last job ended the day before Christm