孩子的礼物
It was Christmas 1961. I was teaching in a small town in Ohio where my twenty seven third [url=http://dict.hjenglish.com/app/w/grader][color=#0000ff]graders[/color][/url] [url=http://dict.hjenglish.com/app/w/eagerly][color=#0000ff]eagerly[/color][/url] [url=http://dict.hjenglish.com/app/w/anticipate][color=#0000ff]anticipated[/color][/url] the great day of gifts giving.那是1961年的圣诞节。我在俄亥俄州的一个小镇上教小学三年级。班上27个孩子都在热切盼望着这个互赠礼品、激动人心的日子到来。
Each day the children produced some new wonder—strings of popcorn, hand made [url=http://dict.hjenglish.com/app/w/trinket][color=#0000ff]trinkets[/color][/url], and German bells made from wallpaper samples, which we hung from the ceiling. Through it all she remained [url=http://dict.hjenglish.com/app/w/aloof][color=#0000ff]aloof[/color][/url], watching from afar, seemingly miles away. I wondered what would happen to this quiet child, once so happy, now so suddenly [url=http://dict.hjenglish.com/app/w/withdrawn][color=#0000ff]withdrawn[/color][/url]. I hoped the [url=http://dict.hjenglish.com/app/w/festivity][color=#0000ff]festivities[/color][/url] would [url=http://dict.hjenglish.com/app/w/appeal][color=#0000ff]appeal[/color][/url] to her. But nothing did.
每天孩子们都会做点儿新玩意——爆米花串成的细链子、手工做的小装饰品和墙纸做的德国式风铃，我们把这些风铃挂在了天花板上。但自始至终，她都是孤零零地远远观望，仿佛是隔了一道几里长的障碍。我猜想着这个安静的孩子发生了什么事，原先是那么快乐，怎么突然变得沉默寡言起来。我希望节日的活动能吸引她，可还是无济于事。
The day of gift giving finally came. We oohed and aahed over our [url=http://dict.hjenglish.com/app/w/handiwork][color=#0000ff]handiwork[/color][/url] as the presents were exchanged. Through it all, she sat quietly watching. I had made a special pouch for her, red and green with white lace. I wanted very much to see her smile. She opened the package so slowly and carefully. I waited but she turned away.
赠送礼物的那天终于到了。在交换礼物时我们为对方亲手做的小礼品不停地欢呼叫好。而整个过程中，她只是安静地坐在那儿看着。我为她做的小袋很特别，红绿相间还镶着白边。我非常想看到她笑一笑。她打开包装，动作又慢又小心。我等待着，但是她却转过了身。
After school the children left in little groups, but she [url=http://dict.hjenglish.com/app/w/linger][color=#0000ff]lingered[/color][/url], watching them go out the door. I sat down to catch my breath, hardly aware of what was happening when she came to me with [url=http://dict.hjenglish.com/app/w/outstretch][color=#0000ff]outstretched[/color][/url] hands, bearing a small white box, [url=http://dict.hjenglish.com/app/w/unwrapped][color=#0000ff]unwrapped[/color][/url] and [url=http://dict.hjenglish.com/app/w/slightly][color=#0000ff]slightly[/color][/url] soiled, as though it had been held many times by unwashed, childish hands. "For me?" I asked with a weak smile. She said not a word, but nodded her head. I took the box and gingerly opened it. There inside, [url=http://dict.hjenglish.com/app/w/glisten][color=#0000ff]glistening[/color][/url] green, lay a golden chain. In a flash I knew—she had made it for her mother, a mother she would never see again, a mother who would never hold her or brush her hair or share a funny story, a mother who would never again hear her childish joys or [url=http://dict.hjenglish.com/app/w/sorrow][color=#0000ff]sorrows[/color][/url]. A mother who had taken her own life just three weeks before.
放学后，学生们三三两两地离开了，但她磨磨蹭蹭，看着大家走出门外。我坐下来稍稍松了口气，对要发生的事没有一点准备。这时她向我走来，双手拿着一个白色的盒子向我递过来。盒子没有打包装，稍微有些脏，好像是被孩子未洗过的小手摸过了许多遍。“给我的吗？”我微微一笑。她没出声，只是点点头。我接过盒子，非常小心地打开它。盒子里面有一条金色的链子，闪闪发光。我在一瞬间明白过来——这是她为妈妈做的项链，她再也见不到的妈妈，再也不能抱她、给她梳头或一起讲故事的妈妈。她的妈妈再也不能分享她童年时光的快乐和忧伤。就在三个星期前她的妈妈离开了人世。
I held out the chain. She took it in both her hands, reached forward, and secured the simple [url=http://dict.hjenglish.com/app/w/clasp][color=#0000ff]clasp[/color][/url] at the back of my neck. She stepped back then as if to see that all was well. I looked down at the golden chain, then back at the giver, "Maria, it is so beautiful. She would have loved it." Neither of us could stop the tears. She [url=http://dict.hjenglish.com/app/w/stumble][color=#0000ff]stumbled[/color][/url] into my arms and we wept together. And for that brief moment I became her mother, for she had given me the greatest gift of all: herself.
我拿起那条链子。她用双手接过它，向前探了探身，在我的脖子后把简易的项链钩系好。然后她向后退了几步，好像在看看是否合适。我低下头看着金色的链子，然后抬起头望着她，说道：“玛丽亚，这链子真漂亮。你妈妈一定会喜欢的。”我们已无法抑制住泪水。她踉踉跄跄地扑进我的怀里，我们都哭了。在那短暂的一刻我成为她的妈妈，因为她把一份最珍贵的礼物送给了我：她自己。 this is the best present from student [b]回复 [url=http://bbs.tingroom.com/redirect.php?goto=findpost&pid=527837&ptid=265724]2#[/url] [i]tingroom[/i] [/b]
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