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To the piano player she said hoarsely, can you imagine, Joseph, soup on Christmas Eve?
接著，她轉向那位鋼琴師，用嘶啞的聲音問，在圣誕節前夕喝碗湯，約瑟夫，你能設想這種滋味嗎？
He pointed to his empty tipping plate. The young sailor finished his meal and got up to leave.
鋼琴師指了指身旁的那只空空如也的放小費的盤子。那位年輕的海員已用罷晚餐，起身準備離開餐館。
Putting on his coat, he walked over to the flower woman's table.
他披上外套，走到賣花老嫗的桌前。
Happy Christmas! He said, smiling, and picking out two corsages, how much are they?
祝您圣誕快樂！說著，他笑嘻嘻地從花籃里挑出兩束專供婦女佩帶在前胸的鮮，多少錢？
Two francs, monsieur. Pressing one of the small corsages flat, he put it into the letter he had written,
兩個法郎，先生。他把其中的一束花壓平，放進一封已經寫好的箋里，
then handed the woman a 20-franc note.
然后將一張20法郎面額的鈔票遞給了老人。
I don't have change, monsieur, she said, I'll get some from the waiter.
我沒有零錢找您，先生。她說，我這就向服務員去借。
No, ma'am, said the sailor, leaning over and kissing the ancient cheek.
不用了，夫人。說著，水手俯身吻了吻老太婆那張皺紋褶褶的老臉，
This is my Christmas present to you.
這是我送給您的圣誕禮物。
Straightening up, he came to our table holding the other corsage in front of him.
他直起身朝我們的餐桌走來，那另一束鮮花擎在他的胸前。
Sir, he said to me, may I have permission to present these flowers to your beautiful daughter?
先生，他對我 說，我可以將這束花作為禮物送給您漂亮的女兒嗎？
In one quick motion, he gave my wife the corsage, wished us a Merry Christmas
說著，他迅速地將那束鮮花塞到我妻子的手中，道了聲圣誕快樂。
The piano player began to beat out Good King Wenceslaus, beating the keys with magic hands, nodding his head in rhythm.
鋼琴師急速地彈起了《好國王溫西斯勞斯》舞曲，魔術般的指頭敲打著琴鍵，頭部和著樂曲的旅律頻頻點動。
My wife waved her corsage in time with the music.
我的妻子也隨著音樂的節奏揮動著那束鮮花。
She was radiant and appeared 20 years younger.
她容光煥發，仿佛一下子年輕了20歲。
The tears had left her eyes and the corners of her mouth turned up in laughter.
幸福的淚水奪眶而出，嘴角上綻出青春的笑容。
She began to sing, and our three sons joined her, bellowing the song with uninhibited enthusiasm.
她啟動歌喉，放聲歌唱，我們的三個孩子隨聲和了起來。他們縱情高歌，沒有一絲半縷的拘謹感。
Gut, gut, shouted the Germans.
好！好！德國人高聲喝彩。
They jumped on their chairs and began singing the words in German.
他們跳到椅子上，并用德語唱起這支歌。
The waiter embraced the flower woman.
服務員上前擁抱著賣花的老太太，
Waving their arms, they sang in French.
兩人同時揮舞手臂，用法語唱了起來。
The Frenchman who had slapped the boy beat rhythm with a fork against a bottle.
那個曾打了他的兒子一巴掌的法國男子用餐叉敲擊著酒瓶打起了拍子，
The lad climbed on his lap, singing in a youthful soprano.
那男孩爬上他爸爸的膝蓋，用童聲歌唱起來。
The Germans ordered wine for everyone.
德國人請在場的每個人喝酒。
They delivered it themselves, hugging the other customers.
人們自斟自飲，相互擁抱。
One of the French families called for champagne—made the rounds, kissing each one of us on both cheeks.
那家法國人當中的一位要來了香檳—到每張桌上給人敬酒，并吻了每個人的雙頰。
The owner of the restaurant started The First Noel, and we all joined in, half of us crying.
飯館老板帶頭唱起圣誕歌，我們大家都跟著唱，其中有半數人是含淚而歌。
People crowded in from the street until many customers were standing.
人們絡繹不絕地從街上向餐館涌來，其中一些顧客由于沒有空位而只好站在那里。
The walls shook as hands and feet kept time to the Christmas carols.
人們和著圣誕歌的節奏手舞足蹈，聲音震得餐廳的四壁陣陣發顫。
The miserable evening in a shoddy restaurant ended up being the very best Christmas Eve we had ever experienced.
沒想到在這家簡陋的小餐館里所度過的那個凄涼的夜晚，結果竟變成我們終生難忘的最美好的圣誕之夜。
just because of a young sailor who had Christmas spirit in his soul.
這全虧那位靈魂中閃爍著圣誕精神的年輕海員。
He released the love and joy that had been smothered within us by anger and disappointment. He gave us Christmas.
是他釋放了我們心中那被憤懣和失望壓抑的愛心和快樂。他賜給了我們圣誕的歡樂。
