散文佳作108篇 第66期:A Sailor's Christmas Gift 一個水手的圣誕禮物

一個水手的圣誕禮物

William J·Lederer

威廉·J·萊德勒

Last year at Christmas time my wife，three boys，and I were in France，on our way from Paristo Nice.For five wretched days ererything had gone wrong.Our hotels were“touristtraps”;our rented car broke down;we were all restless and irritable in the crowded car.OnChristmas Eve，when we checked into a dingy hotel in Nice，there was no Christmas spirit inour hearts.

去年，在圣誕節(jié)期間，我和我的妻子以及我們的三個孩子，從法國踏上由巴黎到尼斯的旅途。由于接連五天的惡劣天氣，旅途上一切很不順心。我們下榻的旅館盡是些敲詐勒索旅客的“陷阱”;我們租用的那輛汽車老是發(fā)生故障，在擁擠不堪的車子上大家個個顯得煩躁不安。圣誕節(jié)前夕，我們住進了尼斯的一家旅店，這家旅店又臟又暗，我們打心眼里感覺不到絲毫的節(jié)日氣氛。

It was raining and cold when we went out to eat.We found a drab littlejoint shoddily decoratedfor the holiday.It smelled greasy.Only five tables in the restaurant were occupied.Therewere two German couples，two French families，and an American sailor，by himself.In thecorner a piano player listlessly played Christmas music.

我們外出就餐時，天正下著小雨，天氣寒冷。我們找到了一家死氣沉沉的小餐館。為點綴一下節(jié)日的氣氛，這家餐館剛剛做了番粗劣的裝潢。一進門就聞到一股刺鼻的油污氣味。整個餐廳只有五張桌子有人就餐：兩對德國夫婦，兩戶法國家庭和一名孑然一身的美國水手。在餐廳的一個角落里，有位鋼琴師在無精打采地彈奏著圣誕樂曲。

I was too stubborn and too tired and miserable to leave.I looked around and noticed thatthe other customers were eating in stony silence.The only person who seemed happy was theAmerican sailor.While eating，he was writing a letter，and a half-smile lighted his face.

我情緒低落，加之疲憊不堪，執(zhí)意不愿離開這兒去找別的餐館了。我環(huán)顧四周，見這里的顧客一個個沉默不語，只顧吃著、喝著，唯獨那位美國水手看上去興高采烈。他一邊吃著，一邊寫信，面帶微笑，神采奕奕。

Mywife ordered our meal in French.The waiter brought us the wrong thing.I scolded my wifefor being stupid.She began to cry.The boys defended her，

and I felt even worse.

我的妻子給我們叫來了法國式的飯菜，而服務員給我們端來的卻是別的東西。我斥責妻子盡干些蠢事，她哭了起來。孩子們一個個都護著他們的媽媽，于是我的情緒變得更加糟糕。

Then，at the table with the French family on our left，the father slapped one of his children forsome minor infraction，and the boy began to cry.On our right，the German wife beganberating her husband.

繼而，坐在我們左側餐桌上的那家法國人父親因為一點雞毛蒜皮的小事動手打了他的一個孩子一記耳光，那個小男孩哇哇大哭起來。在我的右邊，那個德國婦女不知因何緣故開始喋喋不休地數落、責罵起她的丈夫來。

Allof us were interupted by an unpleasant blast of old air.Through the front door came an oldFrench flower woman.She wore a dripping，tattered overcoat，and shuffled in onwet，rundown shoes.Carrying her basket of flowers，she went from one table to the other."

我們大家都被一陣令人不快、死灰復燃的陳規(guī)陋習弄得心煩意亂。這時，從前門進來一個賣花的法國老嫗。她渾身濕透，衣衫襤褸，腳穿一雙水淋淋的破鞋，手里提著花籃，沿桌叫賣。

Flowers，monsieur?Only one franc."

“買花嗎，先生?一束才一個法郎哩。”

No one bought any.

誰也沒有答理她。

Wearilyshe sat down at a table between the sailor and us.To the waiter she said，"A bowl ofsuop.I haven't sold aflower all afternoon." To the piano player she said hoarsely，"Can youimagine，Joseph，soup on Christmas Eve?"

她疲憊不堪，在水手和我們之間的那張餐桌旁邊坐了下來，對服務員說："請來碗湯吧。整整一下午，我連一朵花也不曾脫手。"接著，她轉向那位鋼琴師，用嘶啞的聲音問，"在圣誕節(jié)前夕喝碗湯，約瑟夫，你能設想這種滋味嗎?"

He pointed to his empty"tipping plate".

鋼琴師指了指身旁的那只空空如也的"放小費的盤子"。

The young sailor finished his meal and got up to leave.Putting on his coat，he walked over tothe flower woman's table.

那位年輕的海員已用罷晚餐，欠起身來準備離開餐館。他披上外套，走到賣花老嫗的桌前。

"Happy Christmas，" he said，smiling and picking out two orsages."How much are they?"

"祝您圣誕快樂!"說著，他笑嘻嘻地從花籃里挑出兩束專供婦女佩帶在前胸的鮮，"多少錢?"

"Two francs，monsieur.

"兩個法郎，先生。"

Pressing one of the small corsages flat，he put it into the letter he had written，then handedthe woman a twentyfranc note."

他把其中的一束花壓平，放進一封已經寫好的箋里，然后將一張20法郎面額的鈔票遞給了老嫗。

I don't have change，monsieur，" she said."I'll get some from the waiter."

"我沒有零錢找您，先生。"她說，"我這就向服務員去借。"

"No，ma'am，" said the sailor,leaning over and kissing the ancient cheek."This is myChristmas present to you."

"不用了，夫人。"說著，水手俯身吻了吻老太婆那張皺紋褶褶的老臉，"這是我送給您的圣誕禮物。"

Straightening up, he came to our table,holding the other corsage in front of him."Sir," he saidto me,"may I have permission to present these flowers to your beautiful daughter?"In onequick motion he gave my wife the corsage,wished us a Merry Christmas,and departed.

他直起身軀，朝我們的餐桌走來，那另一束鮮花擎在他的胸前。"先生，"他對我說，"我可以將這束花作為禮物送給您漂亮的妻子嗎?"說著，他迅速地將那束鮮花塞到我妻子的手中，道了聲"圣誕快樂"，便轉身走出了餐館。

Everyonehad stopped eating.Everyone had been watching the sailor.Everyone was silent.Afew seconds later,Christmas exploded throughout the restaurant like a bomb.The old flowerwoman jumped up, waving the twenty franc note.Hobbling to the middle of the floor she did amerry jig and shouted to the piano player, "Joseph, my Christmas present! And you shall havehalf, so you can have a feast, too."

人們都放下手中的餐具，個個目不轉睛地看著那位水手，整個餐廳悄無聲息。幾秒鐘后，圣誕節(jié)日那固有的歡樂激情像枚炸彈似地爆裂開來。賣花老嫗騰身站起，揮動著她手中的那張20法郎的鈔票。她跌跌絆絆地走到餐廳的中央，歡快地踏起了舞步，沖著鋼琴師大聲嚷："約瑟夫，瞧瞧我這份圣誕禮物吧!說什么我也得讓你分享其中的一半，讓你也能吃上一頓豐盛的圣誕晚餐。"

The piano player began to belt out"Good King Wenceslaus," beating the keys with magic hands,nodding his head in rhythm.

鋼琴師急速地彈起了《好國王溫西斯勞斯》舞曲，魔術般的指頭敲擊著琴鍵，頭部和著樂曲的旅律頻頻點動。

My wife waved her corsage in time to the music.She was radiant and appeared twenty yearsyounger.The tears had left her eyes, and the corners of her mouth turned up in laughter.Shebegan to sing, and our three sons joined her, bellowing the song with uninhibitedenthusiasm.

我的妻子也隨著音樂的節(jié)奏揮動著那束鮮花。她容光煥發(fā)，仿佛一下子年輕了20歲。幸福的淚水奪眶而出，嘴角上綻出青春的笑容。她啟動歌喉，放聲歌唱，我們的三個孩子隨聲和了起來。他們縱情高歌，沒有一絲半縷的拘謹感。

"Gut! Gut! "shouted the Germans.They jumped on their chairs and began singing the words inGerman. The waiter embraced the flower woman.Waving their arms, they sang inFrench.The Frenchman who had slapped the boy beat rhythm with his fork against abottle.The lad climbed on his lap, singing in a youthful soprano.

"好!好!"德國人高聲喝彩。他們跳到椅子上，并用德語唱起這支歌。服務員上前擁抱著賣花的老太太，兩人同時揮舞手臂，用法語唱了起來。那個曾打了他的兒子一巴掌的法國男子用餐叉敲擊著酒瓶打起了拍子，那男孩爬上他爸爸的膝蓋，用童聲歌唱起來。

TheGermans ordered wine for everyone.They delivered it themselves, hugging the othercustomers.One of the French families called for champagne-made the rounds, kissing each ofus on both cheeks.The owner of the restaurant started "The First Noel," and we all joined in,half of us crying.

德國人請在場的每個人喝酒。人們自斟自飲，相互擁抱。那家法國人當中的一位要來了香檳---到每張桌上給人敬酒，并吻了每個人的雙頰。飯館老板帶頭唱起圣誕歌，我們大家都跟著唱，其中有半數人是含著眼淚唱的。

Peoplecrowded in from the street until many customers were standing.The walls shook ashands and feet kept time to the Christmas carols.

人們絡繹不絕地從街上向餐館涌來，其中一些顧客由于沒有空位而只好站在那里。人們和著圣誕歌的節(jié)奏手舞足蹈，聲音震得餐廳的四壁陣陣發(fā)顫。

Themiserable evening in a shoddy restaurant ended up being the very best Christmas Eve wehad ever experienced just because of a young sailor who had Christmas spirit in his soul.Hereleased the love and joy that had been smothered within us by anger anddisappointment.He gave us Christmas.

沒想到在這家簡陋的小餐館里所度過的那個凄涼的夜晚，結果竟變成我們終生難忘的最最美好的圣誕之夜。這全虧那位靈魂中閃爍著圣誕精神的年輕海員。是他把我們由于憤懣和失望而被壓抑在內心深處的愛心和歡樂給引發(fā)出來的。他賜給了我們圣誕的歡樂。