讀點好英文:The Lonely Old Man 孤獨的老人

The Lonely Old Man 孤獨的老人

He was a little, wrinkIed, all-skin-and-bones old man and lived all alone. No one knew much about him.One day he got a bad cold and he called for a doctor.

While the doctor was examining the old man, he asked，“Haven't you a friend who could come in to look after you?”“No, I have no friends-never had any.”the old man replied.“What！You've lived in this village all your life and never had a friend！”“Well, I am not ashamed to say that I have passed sixty-four years but I never met anyone I could call a friend for long. If it isn't one thing wrong with them, it's another.”“Come, come！Our village headman, Mr.Li, will surely come to your aid if he knows you are sick.I am sure you too know him.”“Of course, I know him，”replied the old man，“but he is such a bore.To hear him talk, you'd imagine the world had nothing in it but his wheat field and how wonderful and healthy his pigs are.”

“Then what about Mr. Ma who lives down the road?”“A more selfish fellow I ever came across, though I admit he has got a head on him.He has traveled and read many books and he's mighty interesting to talk to.He used to come in here a lot at one time.But he would come only when he felt like doing so and he would stay away for long periods of time.I don't call that neighborly.”

The doctor laughed.“You can't bring up anything against Mr. Zhou?Everyone loves him.”“You're right，”agreed the old man.“Zhou would live on my doorstep if I let him.He's a bit of a wit and rattling good company, but his noisy tongue makes my poor head ache.”

“I'm afraid you see so much of your neighbor's failings that you're blind to their virtues. You're a hard nut to crack, old man！Anyway, please call me if you need me.As a doctor I will attend to you regardless whether you like me or not！”The doctor remarked as he took up his bag and hat to leave.The door banged and not a word of“thank you”was heard.

他是一個小老頭，皮膚皺縮，瘦得皮包骨頭，自己一個人住。大家對他都不太了解。有一天，他得了重感冒，請了一位醫(yī)生過來。

醫(yī)生在給老人檢查時問：“沒有朋友來照顧你嗎？”“沒有，我沒有朋友——從來都沒有?！崩先嘶卮稹！笆裁?！你在村子里住了一輩子，竟然連一個朋友也沒有！”“活了64歲卻沒有遇到一個可以長久做朋友的人，我并不感到羞于啟齒。他們不是這方面不好，就是那方面有問題。”“好啦，好啦！如果我們的村長李先生知道你病了，肯定會來幫你的。你肯定認識他吧。”“當然，我認識他?！崩先嘶卮?，“但是，他這個人很無聊，聽他說話，你會覺得世界上就只有他的麥田和他那壯實、健康的豬?！?/p>

“那么住在這條街上的馬先生怎么樣？”“我從沒見過這么自私的家伙，盡管我承認他有點兒頭腦。他去過很多地方，也讀過很多書，和他聊天非常有趣。有一段時間，他常來我這里。但是，他只有在想來的時候才來，而且他會一連好長時間都不露面。我可不認為他這樣做像個鄰居的樣子。”

醫(yī)生笑了?！澳憧偺舨怀鲋芟壬拿“?？每個人都喜歡他。”“你說得對?！崩先吮硎就猓叭绻以敢?，周先生會與我住得很近。他很風(fēng)趣，是個絕好的伴兒，但他說起話來吵得我頭疼?！?/p>

“恐怕是你太看重鄰居們的缺點而無視他們的優(yōu)點了。老先生，您可真難伺候！不管怎樣，需要的時候就叫我。作為一名醫(yī)生，不管你喜不喜歡我，我都會照顧你的！”醫(yī)生邊說邊拿起包和帽子離開了。門“砰”的一聲被關(guān)上了，連一句“謝謝”都沒有聽到。