A Chance of a lifetime 生命的机遇（2）

I followed him through a tour of the house, then accepted when he offered me a cup of tea. Barry had a sophisticated kindness about him and listened attentively¹ as I chattered² nervously³ about myself. His silver-rimmed glasses accented a few gray streaks⁴ in his dark hair. Soon, his warm, inviting⁵ smile put me at ease, and we spent the next two hours talking casually⁶. Ultimately, I decided⁷ not to take the room and reluctantly bade him good-bye.

我便随着他参观了一下房子，并接受了他的邀请，喝了一杯茶。巴里沉稳而耐心，他专心地听我喋喋不休地谈论着自己。他那银镶边的眼镜使他深色头发中的几缕白发格外醒目。很快，他灿烂、热情的微笑令我放松。在接下来的两个小时里，我们随意地聊着。最后，我决定不租那房间，并依依不舍地和他道别。

The months went by quickly while I busied myself with preparation for the move. I thought of Bany often, but couldn't consider calling him.

之后，我整天忙于搬家的事，几个月飞快地过去了。这段日子里，尽管我常常想到巴里，却不曾想过要打电话给他。

"I'm moving to New York in three weeks, "I said to Stacy as we walked out of my office and into the dining area. "As much as I'd like to see him again, it would only complicate⁸ my life.

一天，当我和斯泰西离开我的办公室走向饭厅时，我说："再过三个星期，我就要去纽约了，再见他一面，只会使我的生活变得一团糟。"

"Well, brace⁹ yourself for complications," Stacy muttered, then nodded toward the door. Barry, with his big blue eyes and engaging smile, walked into my restaurant.

"那么，就让它一团糟吧！"斯泰西低语道，朝着门那边点了点头。是巴里，他用那双蔚蓝色的眼睛望着我，脸上带着摄人心魄的微笑，走进了饭店。

"Hello," he said softly. "Do you have time to join me for a cup of coffee?"
"Of course." I tried not to gasp¹⁰.

"你好，"他温柔地说道。"现在有空喝杯咖啡吗?quot;
"当然！"我试着不让自己窒息。

We slid into a booth and our conversation picked up where it left off before. He, too, was making a career change and was moving back to South Africa. His departure date was one week before mine. Now I knew I had to calm my pounding heart. We obviously had no future together. He took my phone number and invited me to dinner sometime. I accepted, suppressing my sadness, knowing I would be leaving in two short weeks and the date would probably never happen.

我们拐进了一家路边小店，接着上次的话题聊了起来。从他的谈话中，我得知他也正要换一份工作，回到南非去。他的行程先于我一个星期。现在我明白我必须让自己冲动的心冷静一下。很明显，我们俩不会有结果。他问了我的电话号码，说以后会请我吃饭。我强忍着悲痛接受了，因为我知道两个星期后我将离开，这可能是永远都无法实现的约会。

But it did. He picked me up a few days later for a movie and dinner. We talked for hours about our lives, our hopes, our separate dreams--- mine in New York, his in South Africa. Never had I spoken so freely, so comfortably, with a man. He reached across the table and took my hand. I thought I saw in his eyes the same love l felt swelling¹¹ in my hear. He said, "I'm just sorry I met you only one week before l leave."

可它竟然实现了！几天后，他来接我，我们一起看电影，吃晚饭。我们聊了几个小时，聊生活，聊希望，聊我们各自的梦想--我的在纽约，而他的在南非。我从不曾和一个男人谈得如此畅快，如此舒服。他握住我的手。从他的眼神里，我想我看到了正在我心中急剧膨胀的爱。他说。"我真的很遗憾，走前的一个星期才遇到你。"

"We still have seven days, " I said meekly¹².

"可我们还有整整七天。"我无限深情地答道。

"Then let's make the most of it." He helped me on with my sweater. Hand in hand, we strolled to the car and made plans for the next day and the next and the next. As he drove me home, Tracy Chapman sang, "Give me one reason to stay, and I'll turn right back around." Was his heart singing along like mine?

"那么就让我们充分地享受它们吧，"说着，他帮我穿上外套。我们手牵着手走向汽车，计划着我们的明天以及明天的明天。在他开车送我回家的路上，我心中响起了特蕾西·查普曼的歌? "给我一个留下的理由，我将会回头……"。不知他心里是否也在和我一起歌唱呢？

1 attentively   

adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神

参考例句：

• She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 chattered   

（人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤

参考例句：

• They chattered away happily for a while. 他们高兴地闲扯了一会儿。
• We chattered like two teenagers. 我们聊着天，像两个十多岁的孩子。

3 nervously   

adv.神情激动地，不安地

参考例句：

• He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇，努力忍着不哭出来。
• He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。

4 streaks   

n.（与周围有所不同的）条纹( streak的名词复数 )；（通常指不好的）特征（倾向）；（不断经历成功或失败的）一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 )；使布满条纹

参考例句：

• streaks of grey in her hair 她头上的绺绺白发
• Bacon has streaks of fat and streaks of lean. 咸肉中有几层肥的和几层瘦的。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

5 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

6 casually   

adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地

参考例句：

• She remarked casually that she was changing her job.她当时漫不经心地说要换工作。
• I casually mentioned that I might be interested in working abroad.我不经意地提到我可能会对出国工作感兴趣。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 complicate   

vt.使复杂化，使混乱，使难懂

参考例句：

• There is no need to complicate matters.没有必要使问题复杂化。
• These events will greatly complicate the situation.这些事件将使局势变得极其复杂。

9 brace   

n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备

参考例句：

• My daughter has to wear a brace on her teeth. 我的女儿得戴牙套以矫正牙齿。
• You had better brace yourself for some bad news. 有些坏消息,你最好做好准备。

10 gasp   

n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说

参考例句：

• She gave a gasp of surprise.她吃惊得大口喘气。
• The enemy are at their last gasp.敌人在做垂死的挣扎。

11 swelling   

n.肿胀

参考例句：

• Use ice to reduce the swelling. 用冰敷消肿。
• There is a marked swelling of the lymph nodes. 淋巴结处有明显的肿块。

12 meekly   

adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地

参考例句：

• He stood aside meekly when the new policy was proposed. 当有人提出新政策时，他唯唯诺诺地站 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He meekly accepted the rebuke. 他顺从地接受了批评。 来自《简明英汉词典》