評論
打印
114.A Favor Owed
114.有恩未報
"Hold on, James! I'll get a stick! Just don't go under, okay?
"堅持住，詹姆斯！我去找根棍子來！別從下面走，好嗎？
And if you do, hold your breath and I'll be right there!"
如果你從下面走，屏住呼吸，我馬上過去！"
Terry ran as fast as he could. James had fallen in the ice and his life was now held in the balance.
特里拼命地跑開了。詹姆斯掉進了冰里，現在是生死末卜。
Terry found a stick, ran back and rescued James. Ten minutes later they were in the cabin warming up.
特里找到了一根棍子,跑回來把詹姆斯救了出來。十分鐘后,他們在一間小木屋取起暖來。
"The city would have hit the roof if I had died!" James said. He held office as mayor.
"如果我死了，這座城市肯定會鬧翻天！"詹姆斯說。他擔任市長職務。
"Especially if Donovan was elected to replace me. Anyhow, I'm just glad to be alive." "Here, have some coffee!" Terry said.
"尤其是如果多諾萬被選上來取代我。不管怎樣，我很高興我還活著。""來，喝點咖啡！"特里說。
"Ah…That hits the spot! You know, you saved my life today, Terry."
"啊……太好啦！你知道嗎，你今天救了我的命，特里。"
"I hope you won't hold good opinion of me for what I did just now!" Terry joked.
"我希望你不會因為我剛才做了這么點小事就對我大加贊揚。"特里開玩笑道。
"No! I owe you. You're a good man and you should hold your head high.
"不！我應該感激你。你是個好人，你應該感到驕傲。
I tell you what. You can ask me to do anything for you. Whatever you ask, my promise will hold good!"
我跟你說，你可以讓我為你做任何事。不管你讓我做什么，我說過的話都管用！"
Terry thought for a moment while looking away and then said,
特里看著別處想了一會兒，然后說道：
"You should hold back from making that kind of promise, James.
"那種諾言你應該克制自己不要輕易許下，詹姆斯。
You don't know what I would ask for. I could ask you to hold a brief for your resignation, you know." James was silent.
你不知道我會跟你要什么。我也許會要你同意辭職。你知道吧。"詹姆斯沉默不語。
"Hmm. I guess I will hold off for a moment. You probably think I should resign for my family's sake.
"嗯……我想我要待會兒再說。你也許認為，看在我家庭的份上我應該辭職。
Well, right now the town is more important. They can wait a couple years." Now Terry was silent.
不過就目前來說，這座城市更重要。他們可以等一兩年再說。"現在是特里不說話了。
"Well，anyway," James continued. "You won't be able to hold me down from praising you in public.
"無論如何,"詹姆斯繼續說道，"你沒辦法制止我在公開場合表揚你。
Now I think I'll hit the sack. I'm exhausted."
現在我想我要睡覺了，我太累了。"
James never mentioned the promise again. He did think of Terry a year later, however, when his wife filed for divorce ...
詹姆斯再也沒提許諾的事。不過一年后他倒真的想起了特里，這時他的妻子已經提出要跟他離婚……
