評論
打印
A Snowball
雪球
Friday, 16th.
星期五，16日。
It is still snow, snow. A shameful thing happened in connection with the snow this morning when we came out of school. A flock of boys had no sooner got into the Corso than they began to throw balls of that watery snow which makes missiles as solid and heavy as stones. Many persons were passing along the sidewalks. A gentleman called out, "Stop that, you little rascals!" and just at that moment a sharp cry rose from another part of the street, and we saw an old man who had lost his hat and was staggering about, covering his face with his hands, and beside him a boy who was shouting, "Help! help!"
雪還是不斷地下著，今天從學校回來的時候，雪地里發生了一件可憐的事；小孩們一出街道，就將雪團成了石頭一樣硬的小球來往投擲，有許多人正在旁邊通過。行人之中有的叱叫著說，“停止停止！他們大惡作劇了。”忽然聽見驚人的叫聲，急去看時，有一老人落了帽子雙手遮了臉，在那里蹣跚著。一個少年立在旁邊叫著：“救人啊！救人啊！”
People instantly ran from all directions. He had been struck in the eye with a ball. All the boys dispersed, fleeing like arrows. I was standing in front of the bookseller's shop, into which my father had gone, and I saw several of my companions approaching at a run, mingling with others near me, and pretending to be engaged in staring at the windows: there was Garrone, with his penny roll in his pocket, as usual; Coretti, the little mason; and Garoffi, the boy with the postage- stamps. In the meantime a crowd had formed around the old man, and a policeman and others were running to and fro, threatening and demanding: "Who was it? Who did it? Was it you? Tell me who did it!" and they looked at the boys' hands to see whether they were wet with snow.
人從四方集攏來，原來老人被雪球打傷了眼了！小孩們立刻四面逃散。我和父親站在書店面前，向我們這邊跑來的小孩也有許多。嚼著面包的卡隆、可萊諦、“小石匠”、收集舊郵票的卡洛斐，都在里面。老人已被人圍住，警察也趕來了。也有向這里那里跑著的人。大家都齊聲說：“是誰擲傷了的？”
Garoffi was standing beside me. I perceived that he was trembling all over, and that his face was as white as that of a corpse.
卡洛斐立在我旁邊，顏色蒼白，身體戰抖著。
"Who was it? Who did it?" the crowd continued to cry.
“誰？誰？誰闖了這禍？”人們叫著說。
Then I overheard Garrone say in a low voice to Garoffi, "Come, go and present yourself; it would be cowardly to allow any one else to be arrested."
卡隆走近來，低聲向著卡洛斐說：“喂！快走過去承認了，瞞著是卑怯的！”
"But I did not do it on purpose," replied Garoffi, trembling like a leaf.
“但是，我并不是故意的。”卡洛斐聲音發抖地回答。
"No matter; do your duty," repeated Garrone.
“雖則不是故意的，但責任總須你負。”卡隆說。
"But I have not the courage."
“我不敢去！”
"Take courage, then; I will accompany you."
“那不成。來！我陪了你去。”
And the policeman and the other people were crying more loudly than ever: "Who was it? Who did it? One of his glasses has been driven into his eye! He has been blinded! The ruffians!"
警察和觀者的叫聲，比前更高了：一是誰投擲的？眼鏡打碎，玻璃割破了眼，恐怕要變成瞎子了。投擲的人真該死！”
