双语美文：小伯特的感恩节第三话

Bert's face grew sober in a moment. "That's the question! Why don't I? I'll tell you why I don't. I've got the best mother in the world! What I want more than anything is to be with my mother and my two sisters again, and I am not ashamed to say so. "Bert's eyes grew very tender, and he went on; while his companion across the table watched him with a very gentle, searching look. "I haven't been with her now for two years—hardly at all since father died. Mom couldn't support my sisters and so I said, I'm a boy; I can do something to help. I'll go to work, and maybe help you a little, besides taking care of myself."

伯特突然变得严肃了起来。“这的确是个问题,为什么我没和妈妈一起共进晚餐呢?我来告诉你为什么我没有。我拥有世界上最好的妈妈。而我现在最想做的事就是跟妈妈和两个姐妹重聚,这么说我丝毫不觉得难为情。”伯特的眼神变得很温柔,并继续叙说着。坐在桌子对面的老人也投以温和的目光,注视着伯特。“我离开我妈妈生活已经有两年了,几乎是在父亲去世后就没有见过。妈妈独自一人支撑不起这个家庭,所以我对妈妈说,我是一个男孩,我可以帮上一些忙。我可以去工作,或许还可以帮助妈妈你一些,而且我也可以照顾好自己。”

"What could you do?" said the little old man.“

你那时能做什么呢?”那个消瘦的老人说。

"That's it; I was only eleven years old; and what could I do? So I started selling newspapers. I've sold newspapers ever since, and I shall be twelve years old next month."

“这就是问题所在,那时我只有11岁,我能做什么来补贴家里呢?所以我就开始卖报纸。从那时起我就一直卖报纸到现在,下个月我就要12岁了。”

"You like it?" said the old man.

“你喜欢这份工作吗?”老人问伯特。

"It's okay to help make my own living," replied Bert, proudly. "But what I want is, to learn some trade, or regular business, and settle down and make a home for my mother. But there's no use talking about that.""Well I've told you about myself," added Bert; "now suppose you tell me something?"

“它可以帮我维持生计”,伯特自豪地回答说。“但我真正需要的是学习一些交易或是常规生意方面的知识,并且能够安定下来给妈妈一个家。但是光说这些都没有用。”“好了,我已经告诉了你我的一些情况”,伯特补充说,“现在你可以跟我分享一些关于你的事情了吗?”

"About myself?"

“关于我的?”

"Yes. I think that would go pretty well with the pie."

“是的。我想我们可以一边聊一边品尝南瓜派。”

But the man shook his head. "Life isn't what we think it will be, when we are young. You'll find that out soon enough. I am all alone in the world now; and I am nearly seventy years old."

但是老人摇了摇头。“当我们年轻的时候,生活并不会时常如意。这个道理你将会很快领悟。如今我在这个世界上是孤身一人,而且即将步入七旬。”

"It must be so lonely, at your age! What do you do for a living?"

“在你这样的年纪,一定很孤单吧。那你靠什么来维持你的生活呢?”

"I have a little place in Devonshire Street. My name is Mr. Crooker. You'll find me up two flights of stairs, back room at the right. Come and see me, and I'll tell you all about my business and perhaps help you get a better job, for I know several business men." And Mr. Crooker wrote his address, with a little stub of a pencil, on a corner of the newspaper which had led to their acquaintance, tore it off carefully, and gave it to Bert.“

我在德文郡街有一间小住处。我叫克鲁克。我家在二楼,上楼后的右手边最里面的房间。来找我吧,我会跟你谈谈我的生意,或许还能帮你找到一份好工作,因为我认识几个商业人士。”克鲁克老先生握着一支短小的铅笔,在报纸上写下了地址,也正是这份报纸才让他们彼此熟悉起来。写完后,老人小心翼翼地撕下写着地址的报纸一角,把它递给了伯特