評論
打印
They say that blood is thicker than water, that our relatives are more important to us than others. Everyone was so kind to the old lady on her birthday. Surely her daughter would make an even bigger effort to please her?
人們說血濃于水，即我們的親屬比別人對我們更重要。老太太生日這天，所有的人都對她那么好。無疑她的女兒將會做出更大的努力使她高興了？
The Present
禮物
It was the old lady's birthday.
這天是老太太的生日。
She got up early to be ready for the post. From the second floor flat she could see the postman when he came down the street, and the little boy from the ground floor brought up her letters on the rare occasions when anything came.
為了靜心等候郵件，她一早就起床了。郵差打馬路那頭過來的時候，她從三樓的公寓套間里一眼就可以看到。她難得有信，偶爾有郵件寄來，總是由住在底樓的小男孩給她送上來。
Today she was sure there would be something. Myra wouldn't forget her mother's birthday, even if she seldom wrote at other times. Of course Myra was busy. Her husband had been made Mayor, and Myra herself had got a medal for her work for the aged.
她相信今天肯定會有東西來。邁拉盡管在別的時候絕少寫信，可母親的生日她是不會忘記的。當然，邁拉很忙。她丈夫當上了市長，邁拉自己也由于悉心為老年人工作而獲得了一枚獎章。
The old lady was proud of Myra, but Enid was the daughter she loved. Enid had never married, but had seemed content to live with her mother, and teach in a primary school round the comer.
老太太頗以邁拉自豪，但她真心疼愛的女兒卻是伊妮德。伊妮德始終沒結婚，但她似乎以跟老母同住，并任教于附近的一所小學而心滿意足。
One evening, however, Enid said, "I've arranged for Mrs. Morrison to look after you for a few days, Mother. Tomorrow I have to go into hospital — just a minor operation. I'll soon be home."
然而一天傍晚，伊妮德卻說：“媽媽，我已安排讓莫里森太太來照顧你幾天。明天我要去住院——只是動個小手術。我很快會回家來的。”
In the morning she went, but never came back — she died on the operating table. Myra came to the funeral, and in her efficient way arranged for Mrs. Morrison to come in and light the fire and give the old lady her breakfast.
第二天早上她去了，卻再也沒有回來——她死在了手術臺上。邁拉來參加了葬禮，并以她特有的干練方式，安排莫里森太太來家生火，并為老太太準備早餐。
Two years ago that was, and since then Myra had been to see her mother three times, but her husband never.
那是兩年以前的事了，打那以后，邁拉來看過她母親三次，可她丈夫卻一次也沒來過。
The old lady was eighty today. She had put on her best dress. Perhaps — perhaps Myra might come. After all, eighty was a special birthday, another decade lived or endured just as you chose to look at it.
今天是老太太的八十壽辰。她穿上了她最好的衣裙。也許——也許邁拉會來的吧。不管怎么說，八十大壽畢竟非同一般——你又活了十年，或者說又熬過了十年，是活是熬，全在于你怎么看了。
Even if Myra did not come, she would send a present. The old lady was sure of that. Two spots of colour brightened her cheeks. She was excited — like a child. She would enjoy her day.
即便邁拉不來，她也會寄禮物來的。老太太對這點是拿得準的。臉頰上的兩片紅暈，使她滿臉生輝。她心情激動——激動得像個小孩。她的這個生日一定會過得很快活。
