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'You're very lucky，Mr Duncan，'simon's father said．'You have a beautiful house with a lovely river at the end of the garden．'
“你很幸運，鄧肯先生，”西蒙的父親說，“你有一座漂亮的房子，花園盡頭是可愛的河。”
'I haven't always been lucky，'John answered．'People used to say I was a very unlucky man．'He stood still，thinking．He remembered how unhappy he had been in the little flat in the middle of the town．He had been unemployed then，with no money to buy good things for his children．But he had always been able to talk to them．Now he was a rich man，a success，and his children didn't want to talk to him．
“我不總是幸運，”約翰回答道。“人們曾經說我是一個很不幸的人。”他站在那兒不動，思考著。他記得他曾多么不幸福，住在小鎮中部的一所小公寓里。然后他失業了，沒錢給他的孩子們買好東西。但是他總能夠跟他們交談。現在他是一個富人、一個成功者，可他的孩子不愿跟他交談。
He smiled at Mr and Mrs MacDonald．'Yes，'he said．'I'm a very lucky man．I have Simon for my son-in-law．I'm very pleased for my daughter．'
他沖著麥克唐納夫婦笑著說：“是的，我是一個非常幸運的人，我有西蒙做我的女婿。我為我女兒感到非常高興。”
Mrs MacDonald was pleased．'We're very pleased to have Christine for our daughter-in-law，too，'she said．'And I'm sure Simon will help you with this river，Mr Duncan．I understand there's a disease in it，which is making the seals ill．Simon told me he's going to work very hard to find the reason for that，and clean up the river．I'm sure you're pleased about that，Mr Duncan．'
麥克唐納太太很滿意。“能有克里斯汀做我們的兒媳，我們也非常高興，”她說。“我相信西蒙會幫助你解決河的問題，鄧肯先生。我知道河里有病菌使海豹得病。西蒙告訴我他將努力去查找原因，清理河流。我相信你會對此滿意的，鄧肯先生。”
'Yes，of course．'John had seen Simon's article in the newspaper last night，about the diseases that came from the sewage works．David Wilson had shown it to him．John didn't want to talk about it．
“這當然。”約翰昨晚已經看到報紙上西蒙寫的關于疾病來自污水處理廠的文章。是大衛·威爾遜拿給他看的。約翰不想說什么。
He saw his daughter laughing with Simon，Andrew and some friends．He had never seen her look so happy．He remembered his own wedding，and the hopes he and Rachel had had．
他看到他女兒與酉蒙、安德魯和一些朋友在一起歡笑。他從沒看到過她有這么高興。他想起了自己的婚禮，以及他和雷切爾曾有過的愿望。
'Let me get you another drink，Mrs MacDonald，'he said．'We must drink to our children's future，and wish them luck．'
“我再給你斟一杯，麥克唐納太太，”他說。“我們要為我們孩子的將來干杯，祝他們好運。”
At the bar in the house he met Mary．She came back to the town sometimes，and twice he had visited her in Scotland．
在屋中的酒吧前他遇見了瑪麗。她有時回到鎮上，他也曾兩次去蘇格蘭拜訪她。
'This day's been a great success，John，'she said．'You must be a happy man．'
“這一天很成功，約翰，”她說。“你一定是個幸福的人。”
He touched her arm thoughtfully．'I'd like to be，Mary，'he said．'I've tried，you know．I've done my best．But it's their world now．They must do what they can with it． '
他深思地摸著她的胳臂。“我很想成為一個幸福的人，瑪麗，”他說，“我努力過，你知道，我盡力了。但現在是他們的世界，他們應該為之努力。”
