散文佳作108篇 第56期:A Bouquet for Miss Benson 送給卞老師的一束花
送給卞老師的一束花
Paul Villiard
保羅·維拉德
Miss Benson was the kindest, sweetest, most beautiful person that ever walked the earth. Shewas my second-grade teacher, and I was going to marry her when I grew up—if she would wait.I would sit squirming in my seat for the entire morning to keep from raising my hand. I couldnot bear to miss one precious moment of her presence by leaving the room.
卞老師是世界上最親切可愛、美得出奇的人。她是我二年級的老師，我長大了一定要娶她——只要她肯等我。我常常一整個上午都憋在座位上扭來扭去，就是不舉手。有她在教室，一時一刻都很寶貴，我舍不得出去。
My hand was always the first to be raised, however, when Miss Benson called for volunteers toclean the blackborads or to gather papers and bring them to her desk. That was the bestchore of all. It made possible getting near enough to her to close out the others in theclassroom. I would arrange and rearrange the papers. They had to be in perfect order beforeI would make my reluctant way back to my seat.
但是，老師如果問誰愿意擦黑板，誰愿意收卷子交到講臺上，我總是頭一個舉手。這可是最美的差事了?？梢云查_班上的同學，接近她，我會把卷子理了又理，放得整整齊齊，才依依不舍地回到座位上去。
Early in the term, I started asking my mother to put an extra apple or peach in my lunch. Inever quit worked up the courage to say it was for my teacher, as I never quite worked up thecourage to hand my gift to her directly. Each day the delicacy found its way unobserved tothe corner of her desk. And each day the response was the same.
開學不久，我就纏著我媽要她在我的午飯盒里多放一個蘋果或者桃子。我一直沒敢說這是給老師的，也一直沒敢當面送給卞老師。每天都有好吃的東西偷偷地放在講臺上。她每天的反應也是一樣。
Miss Benson would come in and sit down. "Good morning, children."
卞老師進教室，坐下。“小朋友早!”
"Good morning, Miss Benson." in unison.
“卞老師早!”全班齊聲回答。
"Why, how nice!" She would pick up the offering of the day, then look around the room. "Whatthoughtful little boy or girl brought me this?"
“哈，真好!”她拿起當天的禮物，四下看看，“是哪個體貼人的小朋友送我的?”
No one claimed the honor, least of all me. I kept my head down, looking at my desk.
誰也沒爭這份功，我就更甭說了。我低著頭，兩眼盯著書桌。
"Can it be that I have a secret admirer?" she would ask.
她會問：“是不是有人喜歡我，又不肯說?”
I would feel the red rising in my face. I was certain that everyone was looking at me, and Iwould sigh with relief when Miss Benson put the fruit away and started the lesson.
我都覺得出臉發(fā)紅了。我肯定大伙都在盯著我，只見老師把水果放在一邊，開始講課，我這才松了口氣。
One fall morning, the class was abuzz with excitment. Someone had discovered that the nextday, Friday, was Miss Benson's birthday. Everyone wanted to get her a present. My heart gavea leap, at last I could give her someting, openly. That afternoon was spent combing the fieldsfor wild flowers. Not many were in bloom at that time of year, but I found several kinds ofheight berries on shrubs, some dry thistle heads. And finally I came upon a patch of gorgeouscrimson leaves....
一個秋天的上午，全班鬧騰起來。原來有人發(fā)現，第二天星期五，是卞老師的生日。誰都想送件禮物給她。我的心都快蹦了出來：終于可以大大方方送她東西了。那天下午，我一直在田野里搜尋野花。那個季節(jié)開花的不多見了，不過我還是在灌木叢里找到了好幾種鮮艷的漿果，摘到寫干枯的薊花頭。后來我還看到有一小塊地里，好一片鮮紅的紅葉……
In the morning I hung back as others presented their gifts. Finally I went to the desk and gavethe bouquet to Miss Benson. She exclaimed with pleasure as she look it, and held it to hercheek for a moment. My reward was a smile and a pat on the head.
第二天早晨，大家都紛紛獻禮，我拖到最后才走上講臺，把一束花送給了老師。她接過花，高興得叫了起來，又捧在臉上好個親。她對我報以一笑，還拍了拍我的頭。
The next Monday, Miss Benson was not in class. About the middle of the morning, I was askedto go to the principal's office. When I arrived, I was surprised to see my mother. On a table wasmy bouquet.
接下去那個星期一，卞老師沒來上課。上午過了半晌，我給叫到校長室去。我一進去，想不到我媽也在。桌上還放著我那束花。
"Do yon know where Miss Benson is today?" the principal asked.
“你知道卞老師今天去哪兒了?”校長問。
"No, sir," I answered.
“你知道卞老師今天去哪兒了?”校長問。
"Miss Benson." he said, slowly and clearly, "is in the hospital, and you sent her there!"
“你知道卞老師今天去哪兒了?”校長問。
I sat, stricken, in my chair.
我坐在椅子上，嚇壞了。
"Do you know what you gave her?" he continued.
“你知道你送她什么啦?”他又問。
I nodded. "Berries, thistles and pretty red leaves." I listed.
我點點頭。“有漿果、薊花，還有挺好看的紅葉。”我一一數道。
"Those 'pretty red leaves' are poison ivy, young man." (Poison ivy is a kind of sumac which cancause a severe skin rash if touched) His voice was filling with anger. "How did you protectyourself when you picked them? Gloves?"
“小家伙，那些‘挺好看的紅葉’就是毒葛!”(毒葛是一種蘇模葉，可觸發(fā)嚴重的皮疹。)他越說越生氣，“你摘的時候是怎么保護自己的?戴手套了?”
I shook my head. "Honest, I didn't know they were poison ivy." I started to cry.
我搖搖頭。“真的，我不知道是毒葛。”我哭了起來。
The principal stood up. "Paul, I am suspending you for ten days. What happens after thatdepends upon your behavior when you return.
校長站起身。“保羅，我罰你停學十天。十天后復學，以觀后效。”
I sniffied all the way home.Not because I had been put out of school, but because of theappalling tragedy to my lady love. I went to the woods to pick posion-ivy leaves and showthem to my mother. "You see," I said, holding back the tears, "I didn't wear anything at all."
我一路抽噎回家。倒不是因為停學，是因為意中人慘遭不幸。我跑到樹林里摘了些野葛葉子，拿回家給媽看。“您看，”我忍著眼淚說，“我手上根本沒有戴什么呀!”
Mother looked at the leaves. "Put them in the garbage can, honey . Then wash your hands realwell."
媽看看紅葉。“趕快丟到垃圾桶里去，寶寶。然后把手好好洗干凈。”
When I went back, Mother was sitting in her rocker, she held out her arms, and I sat in her lapwhile she rocked me for a few minutes. "Let's have a party!" she exclaimed finally. "What wouldyou like to do the very most?"
我洗手回來，我媽正坐在搖椅上。她伸開雙臂，把我摟在懷里搖了一陣。“我們找點什么來玩吧!”她最后問了我一聲，“你最想做什么?”
"I'd like to go see Miss Benson," I replied.
“我想去看卞老師。”我回答。
Miss Benson was sitting up in bed when we arrived. Her face was covered with bandages. Onlyone eye was showing. Both of her hands were swathed as well.
我們到了醫(yī)院，卞老師坐在病床上。她的臉上纏滿了繃帶，只露出一只眼睛，兩只手也裹著繃帶。
"I didn't know they were poison ivy," I blurted out. "I didn't mean to make you sick. I onlywanted to give you something...." I stopped talking and swallowed hard.
“我不知道那是毒葛，”我脫口說了出來，“我不是有意傷害您。我就想送你一點東西……”我說不下去了，強憋住不哭。
Miss Benson's one eye studied me. "You wanted to give me something special, didn't you Paul?"I nodded.
卞老師那只眼打量我。“你想送我一點特別的東西，對吧，保羅?”我點點頭。
"All those apples were from you, weren't they?" Again I nodded.
“那些蘋果也都是你送的，對吧?”我又點點頭。
"When I get these bandages off," she said, "I am going to give you a great big hug."
“等我拆掉繃帶，”她說，“我要好好地擁抱你。”
I was filled with happiness. She was not mad at me.
我好快活啊。她沒生我的氣啊。
"And I'll tell vou a great big secret, too. Paul," she continued, "When I am married, if I have ason, I would like him to grow up just like you."
“保羅，我還要告訴你一個天大的秘密，”她接著說，“等我結了婚，要是有個兒子，我就要他長大了和你一個樣。”
I wasn't certain that I saw a tear in her eye as Mother led me out of the room.
我媽領我走出病房的時候，我仿佛看到卞老師的那只眼里正閃著淚花。
