痛心的教训

　　It was Sunday. The trains were crowded. A gentleman was walking along the platform looking for a place. In one of the cars he saw a vacant seat. But a samll suit-case was lying on it and a stout gentleman was sitting next to it.

　　那天是星期天。火车上乘客很多。一个绅士沿着站台一路寻找座位。在车厢里，他看到了一个空座位，但是上面放着只小提箱，一个胖绅士坐在提箱旁边。

　　"Is this seat vacant?" asked the gentleman.

　　“这座位没人吧？”绅士问道。

　　"No, it is my friend's," answered the gentleman. "He is just coming--this is his suitcase."

　　“不，这是我朋友的座位。”那位绅士回答，“他就要来了——这是他的小提箱。”

　　"Well," said the gentleman, "I'll sit here till he comes." Five minutes later the train started, but nobody came.

　　“那么，”绅士说，“我先坐着，他来了再说。”五分钟后火车开动了，可是他的朋友并没有来。

　　"Your friend is late," said the gentleman. "He has missed his train, but he need not lose his suitcase." And with these words he took the suitcase and threw it out of the window.

　　“你的朋友迟到了。”绅士说，“他赶不上火车了。可他不该把提箱也弄丢了。”说着，他拿起小提箱，扔出了窗外。

　　The stout gentleman got up and tried to catch the suitcase, but it was too late. It was his suitcase and he had taken a second seat for his own comfort.

　　那个胖绅士赶紧站起来，想抓住那个小提箱，可是为时已晚。那是他的小提箱，他本想占两个位子，让自己舒服些。