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They huddled inside the storm door — two children in ragged outgrown coats.
他們蜷縮著相互偎依在我家的擋風門棟里——兩個衣衫襤褸的孩子，他們的衣服小得不能再小了。
"Any old papers, lady?"
“太太，請問您有舊報紙嗎？”
I was busy. I wanted to say no — until I looked down at their feet. Thin little sandals, sopped with sleet.
當時，我正忙著，本來想對他們說沒有，但當我看到他們腳上只穿著一雙被冰雪浸濕得再單薄不過的便鞋時，我再也說不出口了。
"Come in and I'll make you a cup of hot cocoa."
“進屋來吧，我來給你們煮一杯熱可可茶。”
There was no conversation. Their soggy sandals left marks upon the hearthstone.
默默地他們跟我進了屋，爐邊他們浸濕的便鞋留下了一串腳印。
I served them cocoa and toast with jam to fortify against the chill outside.
我給他們端上可可茶和果醬面包，我想這能幫助他們抵御外面的風寒。
Then I went back to the kitchen and started again on my household budget.
然后我回到了廚房，像往常一樣，為了明天的生活而精打細算。
The silence in the front room struck through to me. I looked in. The girl held the empty cup in her hands, looking at it.
前屋里沒有一點聲音，這讓我感到很奇怪。我向屋里望去，小女孩手里正端著那個已經(jīng)喝完了的茶杯，認真地凝視著
The boy asked in a flat voice," Lady ... are you rich?"
“太太，您富有嗎？”男孩子語氣平緩地問道。
"Am I rich? Mercy, no!" I looked at my shabby slipcovers.
“我富有嗎？”我看了看沙發(fā)上那寒酸的裝飾布，回答說，“天哪，我可算不上。”
The girl put her cup back in its saucer — carefully.
這時，那個小女孩非常小心地把杯子放回到茶碟里。
"Your cups match your saucers."
“您的杯子和茶碟非常相配。”
Her voice was old, with a hunger that was not of the stomach.
她說話的聲音聽起來不像是個孩子，帶著一種對食物以外的東西的渴望。
They left then, holding their bundles of papers against the wind. They hadn't said thank you.
然后，他們抱著舊報紙，頂著風雪離開了。他們甚至沒有說一聲“謝謝”
They didn't need to. They had done more than that. Plain blue pottery cups and saucers. But they matched.
是的，他們根本沒有必要說，實際上他們所做的比道謝更重要。非常平常的一對蘭色陶瓷杯碟，但它們確實很相配。
I tested the potatoes and stirred the gravy.
我查看了一下鍋里煮著的土豆然后又攪拌了幾下肉汁。
Potatoes and brown gravy, a roof over our heads, my man with a good steady job — these things matched, too.
有土豆和棕色肉湯可以吃，有房子可以住，我的丈夫有一份很好很穩(wěn)定的工作——這一切的一切同樣也很匹配。
I moved the chairs back from the fire and tidied the living room.
我把椅子從爐邊向后拉開些，然后把起居室整理干凈。
The muddy prints of small sandals were still wet upon my hearth. I let them be.
地面上留下的泥腳印還沒干。
I want them there in case I ever forget again how very rich I am.
是的，我想讓它們留在那里，提醒我不要忘了我是多么的富有。
