英國語文第三冊(雙語):會反彈的石頭(下)
"In the course of the day, I thought I would try my skill upon her. She sat upon a post near the spot where she was to build her nest, and looked at me trustfully, as much as to say, 'You won't hurt me?' I found a nice stone, and, poising my arm, I threw it with my utmost skill. It struck the bird on the head, and she dropped dead!
那一整天，我都想捉弄一下它。它在它以前經常筑巢的地方停落，信任地看著我，好像在說“你不會傷害我吧？”我找到一個很合適的石頭，擺好姿勢，全力向哪只鳥扔去，砸中了了鳥頭，隨后它掉落在地，死了！
"I was sorry the moment I saw her fall. But the deed was done. All day long her mate flew about, and chirped in tones so sad, that he made my heart ache. Why had I taken a life so innocent,(5) and made the poor mate grieve so?
看到它被打落的那一瞬間我很遺憾，但事情已經這樣了。一整天它的伙伴都在上面飛來飛去，對在石頭哀鳴，我的心很痛。我為什么就這樣結束了一條無辜的生命以至于讓它的同伴悲傷至此？
"I said nothing to the old people about it. But, through a grandchild, they found it out; and, though they never said a word to me on the matter, I knew that they mourned for the bird, and were deeply grieved at my cruelty. I could never look them in the face afterwards as I had done before. Oh, that I had told them how sorry I was!
我什么都沒對老夫婦說。但是他們的孫子告訴了他們，雖然他們并未因此對我大加指責，我知道他們在為那只鳥默哀，并對我的殘忍痛心不已。我之后再也不敢像從前一樣正眼看他們。噢，我對他們說我是多么抱歉！
"They have been dead many, many years, and so has the poor bird; but don't you see how that stone rebounded and hit me? How deep a wound it made upon my memory!—how deep upon my conscience! Why, my dear boys, I would give a great deal to-day if I could undo that deed!
他們死了很多年了，那只可憐的鳥也一樣；但是你們沒看到我因此受到了什么樣的懲罰嗎？這在我的記憶深處永遠是個痛！——我的良心受到了多么強烈的譴責！為什么，親愛的孩子們，如果我當初沒那樣做，我今天也不會說這些了！
"For fifty years I have carried it in my memory. I have never spoken of it before; yet if what I have now said shall prevent you from throwing a stone that may rebound and deeply wound your conscience, I shall rejoice.
"五十年來，我一直不曾忘記這件事。我之前從未對人提起過；但是如果我說的話能讓你們放過那只鳥，以免受到石頭的反彈傷害，我會是多么高興。”
The boys at once dropped the stones they had in their hands, and the bird had no more trouble from them.
男孩們馬上扔掉了手中的石頭，從此再也不找那只鳥的麻煩。
QUESTIONS
問題
What did the old man tell the boys not to do? What did he say the stone might do? Did he mean that the stone would actually hit them? How, then, would they be hurt? What had he done in this way when a boy?, What did it make a deep wound upon? What did the boys do when they heard the story?
老人讓男孩們不要做什么？他說石頭會怎么樣？他真的是說石頭會反擊嗎？那男孩們又怎么會受傷的呢？老人年輕時在這條路上做了什么？給他留下了什么創(chuàng)傷？聽完故事后男孩們是怎么做的？
