双语有声阅读：善心可依(下)

What he looked for in others was a "good heart", and if he found one, the owner was good enough for him.

 

他所期望的是人家"善良的心"，当他得到时，人家真的对他很好。

Now that I am older, I believe that is a proper standard by which to judge people, even though I still don' t know precisely¹ what a "good heart" is. But I know the times I don't have one myself.

如今我已经长大成人，我明白了"善良的心"是评价人的恰当的标准，尽管我仍不很清楚它的确切涵义，但是我却知道我有缺乏善心的时候。

 

Unable to engage in many activities, my father still tried to participate in some way. When a local sandlot baseball team found itself without a manager, he kept it going. He was a knowledgeable² baseball fan and often took me to Ebbets Field to see the Brooklyn Dodgers³ play. He liked to go to dances and parties, where he could have a good time just sitting and watching.

 

虽然父亲不能参加许多活动，但他仍然没法以某种方式参与进来。当一个地方棒球队发现缺少一个领队时，他便作了领队。因为他是个棒球迷，有丰富的棒球知识，他过去常带我地埃比茨棒球场观看布鲁克林的鬼精灵队的比赛。他喜欢参加舞会和晚会，乐意坐着看。

 

On one memorable⁴ occasion a fight broke out at a beach party, with everyone punching and shoving. He wasn''t content to sit and watch, but he couldn''t stand unaided on the soft sand. In frustration⁵ he began to shout, "I'' ll fight anyone who will tit down with me!"

记得有一次的海边晚会上，不人打架，动了拳头，推推搡搡。他不甘于坐在那里当观众，但又无法在松软的沙滩上自己站起来。于是，失望之下，他吼了起来："谁想坐下和我打？"

Nobody did. But the next day people kidded him by saying it was the first time any fighter was urged to take a dive even before the bout⁶ began.

没有人响应。但是第二天，人们都取笑他说比赛还没开始，拳击手就被劝认输，这还是头一次看见。

I now know he participated in some things vicariously through me, his only son. When I played ball (poorly), he "played" too. When I joined the Navy he "joined" too.

现在我知道一些事情他是通过我--他唯一的儿子来做的。当我打球时(尽管我打得很差)，他也在"打球"。当我参加海军时，他也"参加"。

And when I came home on leave, he saw to it that " I visited his office. Introducing me, he was really saying, "This is my son, but it is also me, and I could have done this, too, if things had been different." Those words were never said aloud.

当时我回家休息时，他一定要让我去他的办公室，在介绍我时，他真真切切地说，"这是我儿子，但也是我自己，假如事情不是这样的话，我也会去参军的;

He has been gone many years now, but I think of him often. I wonder if he sensed my reluctance⁷ to be seen with him during our walks. If he did, I am sorry I never told him how sorry I was, how unworthy I was, how I reGREtted it. I think of him when I complain about trifles, when I am envious⁸ of another''s good fortune, when I don''t have a "good heart".

父亲离开我们已经很多年了，但是我时常想起他。我不知道他是否意识到我曾经不愿意让人看到和他走在一起的心理。假如他知道这一切，我现在感到很遗憾，因为我从没告诉过他我是多么愧疚、多么不孝、多么悔恨。每当我为一些琐事而抱怨时，为别人的好运而妒忌时，为我自己缺乏"善心"时，我就会想起我的父亲。

At such times I put my hand on his arm to regain⁹ my balance, and say, "You set the pace, I will try to adjust to you."

此时，我会挽着他的胳膊保持身体平衡，并且说，"你走你的，我想法儿跟上你。"

1 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

2 knowledgeable   

adj.知识渊博的；有见识的

参考例句：

• He's quite knowledgeable about the theatre.他对戏剧很有心得。
• He made some knowledgeable remarks at the meeting.他在会上的发言颇有见地。

3 dodgers   

n.躲闪者，欺瞒者( dodger的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a crackdown on fare dodgers on trains 对火车逃票者的严厉打击
• But Twain, Howells, and James were jeeringly described by Mencken as "draft-dodgers". 不过吐温、豪威尔斯和詹姆斯都是被门肯讥诮地叫做“逃避兵役的人。” 来自辞典例句

4 memorable   

adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的

参考例句：

• This was indeed the most memorable day of my life.这的确是我一生中最值得怀念的日子。
• The veteran soldier has fought many memorable battles.这个老兵参加过许多难忘的战斗。

5 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

6 bout   

n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛

参考例句：

• I was suffering with a bout of nerves.我感到一阵紧张。
• That bout of pneumonia enfeebled her.那次肺炎的发作使她虚弱了。

7 reluctance   

n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿

参考例句：

• The police released Andrew with reluctance.警方勉强把安德鲁放走了。
• He showed the greatest reluctance to make a reply.他表示很不愿意答复。

8 envious   

adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的

参考例句：

• I don't think I'm envious of your success.我想我并不嫉妒你的成功。
• She is envious of Jane's good looks and covetous of her car.她既忌妒简的美貌又垂涎她的汽车。

9 regain   

vt.重新获得，收复，恢复

参考例句：

• He is making a bid to regain his World No.1 ranking.他正为重登世界排名第一位而努力。
• The government is desperate to regain credibility with the public.政府急于重新获取公众的信任。