有一种真情，直到老了才能体会：有一种眷恋，想来平凡但又真切。谁说陌生人眼里只有陌生？只要用心体会，人与人的沟通就会更加顺畅……
NotthatIwouldhavecared.No,itisnotthereasonwhyIstopped.Hegaveafaintsigh,likethesighofonewhohasathousandstoriestotellbutonlyamomentleftinone’slife.
Infactitwasthesoundofapieceofmetalhittingthepavementthatmademeturnaround.Ihadalreadypassedtheman,walkingpromptlyasIalwaysdo.Ihadallthetimeintheworldthatevening,andIhadnowheretogo--Ijusttookawalkalongthestreet.
ButasItriedtodrawoutmykeysfromthepocketofmybrownleatherjacket,asmallcoinfellonthegroundmakingthatclinking(叮当响的)noise.WhywouldIpulloutthekeysfromthepockethere,onthestreet,kilometersawayfromanydoorwhichthekeyscouldopen?Itwasthesenseofsecurity:wishingtobesurethateverythingiscompletelyinmycontrol.
Yes,Ihadheardthesoundright:therewasaten-centcoinlyingonthegroundbesideanoldman,astrangertome,andseemingly(看来)astrangertoallthepeoplewhopassedhimonthepavementthatafternoon.Itwasspringthen;thefirstwarmandsunnyeveningsoftheyearwereathand.Thedaywasalltoobeautifultobewastedintalkingtoacompletestranger,whowasnotevenhandsomeorbeautifulorgood-looking,andlisteningtotheobscuregroansheuttered.WhyshouldIcarewhathewastryingtosay,whatkindofaburdenhemighthaveonhisheart?
ButIdidpickupthecoinfromtheground,andputitintothepocketofmyfashionableleatherjacket."Fashionable",that’swhattheysaidintheadvertisementsoftheclothingcompany.Latestdesigns,latestcuts,bestcolors.
Iwasbetteroff(富裕的)thantheoldman,whowassittingonthebenchwithanewspaperinhishands,murmuringsomethingatme.Iguessmyincomehadtobetwicemorethanwhathehad.AndIlookedmorestylish--younger,healthier,morejoyous(高兴的).
Themangrabbedthesleeveofmyjacketanddrewmeclosertohimself.Itwassurprising--suchsuddendemandofpersonalcontactandintimacywhichtwostrangerspassingeachotheronthestreetdidnotoftendevelopbetweenthemselves.Iwascurioustoknowwhatcouldcomeoutofsuchanexceptionalsituation,I...Iforgottodrawmyselfback,toforcefullyfreemyselfofthegripofthemanandrushaway.
Theoldmanputhisnewspaperinmyhandandsaid,"Pleasereaditforme."Iamnotsosurewhattheexactwordswerewhichheutteredfromhismouth,butIunderstoodwhathismeaningtobe.Themanwasnotblind;hecouldseebothmeandallthepeoplewhowerewalkingonthestreet.Butperhapshissightwastooweakforreadingthesmallprintofthenewspaper.
Ilookedatthefrontpage;itwasdatedfourdaysago.Iwasdisappointed.Ididn’twanttowasteanicedayinreadingnewsthatwerenonewsanymore.Wasn’titlikethrowingone’scoinsawaywhenonecouldaswellbuycandieswiththem,orsittingbesideastrangerwhenonecouldaswellwalkfreeandaloneonthestreet,hurryingsomewhere?
"Readtheclassifiedadvertisements",saidtheoldman,whomIscarcelyknewatall,butwhohadcourageously(勇敢地)grabbedmysleevewithoutpermission,demandingmetopayattentiontohim.
Iopenedtherequestedpage.Whatthen?ShouldIreadalltheads:catsforsale,lostdogswanted,motorvehiclesrented,repaired,washed,andpainted?
"Gotothemiscellaneous(综合的，混杂的)section,"themanpleaded.
Thoseadswerenotsomany,onlyfifteenortwenty.InamonotonousvoiceIrecitedannouncementafterannouncement:second-handbicycles,unusedelectronicdevices,lostweddingring...
"There!Readthatoneagain,please,"saidtheman,filledwithexcitement.
"Mr.Whoever(敬启者，某某先生),thelostweddingringdescribedinyouradisinmypossession.MeetmeatrailwaystationnextSunday,at19o’clock."Ireadtheannouncementonceagain.
ItwasSundaythen.Andthetimewas,atthemomentwhenIlookedatmywatchandannouncedittothemanwhoaskedaboutit,18:27.
Theoldmanwantedtoexplainsomethingtome.Heleanedforward,gettinghisfaceclosetomyear,andwhispered,"Itistheringofmywife.Shelostitamonthago.Oh!Whatasorrowfulthingitwastofindoutthattheringwhichyouhavewornforfivedecadescannotbefoundanywhere.IboughtitatDahlberg’sjewelleryshop.Icanstillrememberhowthesaleswomanwasdressedthatmorning.Inpink,that’swhatitwas,insoft,charmingpink...Buttheshopisn’tthereanymore.Ithinktheywentbankruptsoonafterthewar.Suchapity,itwasanicelittlestore.AndwehaveourfiftiethanniversaryonSunday."
Themandidn’tsaymoreabouthiswifeortheweddingring;heonlybrushedhisgrayhairwithaplasticcomb.
"IthinkIwillgoandbuyabunchofroses",thegray-hairedgentlemansaid."I’11askthesaleswomantochoosebeautifulones.Whatdoyouthink,willshebedressedinlightpink,justliketheladyatDahlberg’sjewelleryshop?Butmywifeworeadarkdressthismorning.That’showyoucantellthatawomanisgettingold...Theyweardarkerclothes.No,Iwilltellmydarlingtowearsomethingbrighterthisevening."
Themanstoodupandstartedtoslowlywalktowardthedirectionoftherailwaystation.Therewasanairofsteadfastness(坚定)inhim--somethingthatcouldnotbepurchasedwithmoney,orwoninalottery.Washestylish?Yes--hewasnotlikethelaughingyoungstersintheadvertisements,buttherewassomethingelseinhim,somethingmoreadmirable,morevaluable.
Istillheldthenewspaperinmyhandwhentheoldgentlemandisappearedbehindthecornerofoneofthehouses.Ididn’topenorreadthepaperanymore,Ionlysatinsilenceonthebench.Timewastheonlythingthatmoved;everythingelsestoodstill.
Ileanedbackinthebenchandstaredintothedistance.Ididnotwanttowalkaway,hurryingintoadirectionchosenatrandom.
注释:
sigh
promptly
nowhere
securitycure
wastewaste
obscure
groan
burden
advertisement
grab
surprising
intimacy
exceptional
grip
candy
classifyclass
scarcely
courageouslycourage
permission
section
plead
monotonous
reciterecite
announcement
electronicelectricity
excitement
lean
sorrowfulsorry
decadedecember
jewellery
saleswoman
bankruptinterrupt
anniversaryyear
plastic
bunch
lottery
admirableadmire
random