“Can I see my baby?” the happy new mother asked.

 

“我可以看看我的宝宝吗？”初为人母的她开心地问道。

 

When the bundle was nestled in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped.

 

当裹在襁褓里的婴儿被放到她臂弯里时，她掀开折叠着的布，看到他的小脸时，她不禁倒吸了一口气。

 

The doctor turned quickly and looked out the tall hospital window.

 

医生迅速地转过身，透过医院的高层窗户向外看去。

 

The baby had been born without ears.

 

婴儿生下来就没有耳朵。

 

Time proved that the baby’s hearing was perfect.

 

时间证明，婴儿的听力毫无问题。

 

It was only his appearance that was marred.

 

这只是有损他的相貌。

 

When he rushed home from school one day and flung himself into his mother’s arms, she sighed, knowing that his life was to be a succession of heartbreaks.

 

一天，当他匆匆从学校跑回家，扑向母亲的怀抱时，她叹了口气，意识到他的生活注定会遭受一连串的打击。

 

He blurted out the tragedy. “A boy, a big boy... called me a freak.”

 

他脱口诉说遭到的不幸：“一个男孩，一个大个子男孩……他喊我怪胎。”

 

He grew up, handsome for his misfortune.

 

他长大了，俊朗的长相弥补了他的不幸。

 

A favorite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that.

 

他颇受同学欢迎，要不是有缺陷，很可能就当了班长。

 

He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music.

 

他对文学和音乐很有天赋和潜质。

 

“But you might mingle with other young people.” his mother reproved him, but felt a kindness in her heart.

 

“但你可能会和其他年轻人一样。”母亲责备地说，但从心底觉得很欣慰。

 

The boy’s father had a session with the family physician,“Could nothing be done?”

 

男孩的父亲与家庭医生商量：“难道真的无法补救吗？”

 

“I believe I could graft on a pair of outer ears, if they could be procured.”the doctor decided.

 

“我认为可以移植一双外耳，如果能够找到的话，”医生做了决定。

 

Whereupon the search began for a person who would make such a sacrifice for a young man.

 

于是他们开始寻求一个愿意为这个年轻人做出牺牲的人。

 

Two years went by. One day, his father said to the son, “You’re going to the hospital, son.

 

两年过去了。一天，父亲对儿子说：“孩子，你要住院了。

 

Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need.

 

我和你妈找到愿意为你捐献耳朵的人了。

 

The operation was a brilliant success, and a new person emerged.

 

手术获得了巨大成功，一个新人诞生了。

 

His talents blossomed into genius, and school and college became a series of triumphs.

 

他的潜力转化为巨大的才能，在中学和大学都取得了一连串的成功。

 

Later he married and entered the diplomatic service.

 

后来他结婚了，进入外交行业工作。

 

One day, he asked his father, “Who gave me the ears? Who gave me so much? I could never do enough for him or her.”

 

一天，他问父亲：“是谁给了我耳朵？谁给了我那么多？我做多少都无法报答他/她。”

 

“I do not believe you could,” said the father, “but the agreement was that you are not to know... not yet.”

 

“我也这样认为，”父亲说，“但是协议上说你不能知道……还不到时候。”

 

The years kept their profound secret, but the day did come.

 

多年以来，他们一直保守着秘密，但这天终于来了。

 

One of the darkest days that ever pass through a son.

 

这也是儿子度过的最黑暗的日子。

 

He stood with his father over his mother’s casket.

 

他和父亲站在母亲的棺木前。

 

Slowly, tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish brown hair to reveal the mother had no outer ears.

 

慢慢地，轻柔地，父亲伸出一只手，掀开母亲浓密的、红褐色的头发——母亲竟然没有耳朵！

 

“Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut,” his father whispered gently,“and nobody ever thought mother less beautiful, did they?”

 

“你母亲说过她很高兴，她从不理发，”父亲轻柔地低声说，“但没人觉得母亲没以前美丽，是吧？”