温馨夜读II PART2 5.Grandpa’s Valentine

 

[00:00.74]5.Grandpa’s Valentine

[00:05.97]I received a call from the nursing home. 

[00:09.45]Grandpa was failing rapidly. I should come. 

[00:13.60]There was nothing to do but hold his hand. 

[00:16.72]“I love you, Grandpa. Thank you for always being there for me.”

[00:22.17]Memories...memories...six days a week, 

[00:26.21]Grandpa in that old blue shirt caring for those cattle...on hot summer days plowing¹ the soil, 

[00:33.91]planting the corn and beans and harvesting them in the fall...always working from dawn to dusk. 

[00:39.90]Survival demanded work, work, work.

[00:43.61]But on Sundays he put on his gray suit and hat. 

[00:47.52]Grandma wore her wine-colored dress and ivory beads², and they went to church. 

[00:53.29]Grandpa and Grandma were quiet, peaceful, unemotional people.

[00:58.19]The nurse apologized for having to ask me so soon to remove Grandpa’s things from the room. 

[01:05.49]It would not take long. There wasn’t much. 

[01:08.76]Then I found it in the top drawer of his nightstand. 

[01:13.33]It looked like a very old handmade valentine. 

[01:17.58]What must have been red paper at one time was a streaked³ faded pink. 

[01:22.92]A piece of white paper had been glued to the center of the heart. 

[01:27.49]On it, penned in Grandma’s handwriting, were these words:

[01:32.17]TO LEE FROM HARRIET

[01:35.98]With All My Love,

[01:37.94]February 14, 1895

[01:43.38]Are you alive? Real? Or are you the most beautiful dream that I have had in years? 

[01:51.77]Are you an angel — or a figment of my imagination? 

[01:56.12]Someone I fabricated to fill the void? To soothe⁴ the pain? 

[02:01.46]Where did you find the time to listen? How could you understand?

[02:06.69]You made me laugh when my heart was crying. 

[02:10.39]You took me dancing when I couldn’t take a step. 

[02:14.64]You helped me set new goals when I was dying. 

[02:18.45]You showed me dew drops and I had diamonds. 

[02:22.80]You brought me wildflowers and I had orchids⁵. 

[02:27.71]You sang to me and angelic choirs⁶ burst forth⁷ in song. 

[02:32.60]You held my hand and my whole being loved you. 

[02:37.18]You gave me a ring and I belonged to you. 

[02:41.10]I belonged to you and I have experienced all.

[02:45.89]Tears streamed down my cheeks as I read the words. 

[02:50.80]I pictured the old couple I had always known. 

[02:54.73]It’s difficult to imagine your grandparents in any other role than that. 

[02:59.98]What I read was so beautiful and sacred. 

[03:03.81]Grandpa had kept it all those years. 

[03:06.98]Now it is framed on my dresser, a treasured part of family history.

1 plowing   

v.耕( plow的现在分词 )；犁耕；费力穿过

参考例句：

• "There are things more important now than plowing, Sugar. "如今有比耕种更重要的事情要做呀，宝贝儿。 来自飘（部分）
• Since his wife's death, he has been plowing a lonely furrow. 从他妻子死后，他一直过着孤独的生活。 来自辞典例句

2 beads   

n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链

参考例句：

• a necklace of wooden beads 一条木珠项链
• Beads of perspiration stood out on his forehead. 他的前额上挂着汗珠。

3 streaked   

adj.有条斑纹的，不安的v.快速移动( streak的过去式和过去分词 )；使布满条纹

参考例句：

• The children streaked off as fast as they could. 孩子们拔脚飞跑 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• His face was pale and streaked with dirt. 他脸色苍白，脸上有一道道的污痕。 来自辞典例句

4 soothe   

v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承

参考例句：

• I've managed to soothe him down a bit.我想方设法使他平静了一点。
• This medicine should soothe your sore throat.这种药会减轻你的喉痛。

5 orchids   

n.兰花( orchid的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Wild flowers such as orchids and primroses are becoming rare. 兰花和报春花这类野花越来越稀少了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She breeds orchids in her greenhouse. 她在温室里培育兰花。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 choirs   

n.教堂的唱诗班( choir的名词复数 )；唱诗队；公开表演的合唱团；（教堂）唱经楼

参考例句：

• They ran the three churches to which they belonged, the clergy, the choirs and the parishioners. 她们管理着自己所属的那三家教堂、牧师、唱诗班和教区居民。 来自飘（部分）
• Since 1935, several village choirs skilled in this music have been created. 1935以来，数支熟练掌握这种音乐的乡村唱诗班相继建立起来。 来自互联网

7 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。