LESSON 21“I PITY THEM.” “我同情他們”

1.A poor man once undertook to emigrate^[1] from Castine, Me., to Illinois.When he was attempting to cross a river in New York, his horse broke through the rotten timbers of the bridge, and was drowned.He had but this one animal to convey all his property and his family to his new home.

2.His wife and children were almost miraculously^[2] saved from sharing the fate of the horse; but the loss of this poor animal was enough.By its aid the family, it may be said, had lived and moved; now they were left helpless in a land of strangers, without the ability^[3] to go on or return, without money or a single friend to whom to appeal.The case was a hard one.

3.There were a great many who “passed by on the other side.” Some even laughed at the predicament^[4] in which the man was placed; but by degrees a group of people began to collect, all of whom pitied him.

4.Some pitied him a great deal, and some did not pity him very much, because, they said, he might have known better than to try to cross an unsafe bridge, and should have made his horse swim the river.Pity, however, seemed rather to predominate^[5].Some pitied the man, and some the horse; all pitied the poor, sick mother and her six helpless children.

5.Among this pitying party was a rough son of the West, who knew what it was to migrate some hundreds of miles over new roads to locate^[6] a destitute^[7] family on a prairie.Seeing the man’s forlorn situation, and looking around on the bystanders, he said, “All of you seem to pity these poor people very much, but I would beg leave to ask each of you how much.”

6.“There, stranger,” continued he, holding up a ten-dollar bill, “there is the amount of my pity; and if others will do as I do, you may soon get another pony.God bless you.” It is needless to state the eff ect that this active charity produced.In a short time the happy emigrant arrived at his destination^[8], and he is now a thriving^[9] farmer, and a neighbor to him who was his “friend in need, and a friend indeed.”

【中文閱讀】

1.從前，一個窮人帶著全家老小從美國緬因州卡斯廷鎮遷往伊利諾伊州。當他們途經紐約州，正打算從橋上穿過一條河流時，他家里的馬撞斷橋上腐朽的欄桿，不幸掉進河里淹死了——這匹馬是他用來承載所有家產和家人的唯一運輸工具。

2.這個窮人的妻小近乎奇跡般地從失去馬匹的絕望深淵中恢復過來了，但這匹可憐動物的死給他們造成了巨大損失。或許可以這么說，無論居住或者搬遷，馬對這個處于遷徙狀態中的家庭來說，畢竟舉足輕重。如今，他們身處一片舉目無親、孤立無援的土地上求告無門，進退兩難，缺少盤纏但無人可以求助，他們的處境的確非常糟糕。

3.那時，還有大批移民逆向涌來。有些人對這個家庭所處的困境幸災樂禍，但漸漸的，另一些人，那些同情他們處境的人，開始聚集起來。

4.在這些人當中，有些人對他們的困境感同身受，也有些人雖然同情他們，卻覺得男主人應該事先考慮到這些，不該試圖從這座搖搖欲墜的橋上穿過，而應該讓那匹馬從河上游過去。然而，同情的情緒在人群中蔓延開來。有些人同情這個窮人，有些人為那匹馬嘆息，而那位窮苦病弱的母親和她六個無助的孩子讓所有人都心生憐憫。

5.人群中有一個從西部來的男人，性格相當直率。他清楚從數百英里以外的地方遷徙而來，并試圖在大草原上找到棲身地，對一個貧困家庭而言，有多困難。目睹這個窮人的窘迫，他環視著周圍的旁觀者，說道：“大家看起來都很同情這個可憐的家庭。請原諒我冒昧地問一句：你們有多同情他們？”

6.“請看這里，我們原本素昧平生，”他拿出一張十美元的鈔票，“這是我對他們的同情。如果有人愿意像我一樣，我馬上送你一匹小馬駒，愿上帝保佑你！”不用說，當時募捐場面相當火爆。因為不久以后，這個新遷來的家庭迅速定居下來，男主人很快成為一個家業蒸蒸日上的農民，而他也收獲了一個“患難中見真情”的鄰居，那個在他艱難時幫他伸手募捐的朋友。

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【注釋】

[1] Emigrate, to remove from one country or state to another for the purpose of residence, to migrate.

[2] Miraculously, as if by miracle, wonderfully.

[3] Ability, power, capability.

[4] Predicament, condition, plight.

[5] Predominate, to prevail, to rule.

[6] Locate, to place.

[7] Destitute, needy, poor.

[8] Destination, end of a journey.

[9] Thriving, prosperous through industry, economy, and good management.