◎ Davis, Audrey W.
One day, a poor boy who was trying to pay his way through school by selling goods door to door found that he only had one dime left. He was hungry so he decided to beg for a meal at the next house.
一天,一個可憐的小男孩兒為湊足學費正挨家挨戶地推銷商品。他發(fā)現(xiàn)身上只剩一角錢了。他很餓,所以他決定從下一家討口飯吃。
However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so she brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?”
然而,當一位年輕貌美的女子打開門時,他卻緊張得不知所措。他沒有要吃的,只是乞求給他一口水喝。女子看到小男孩兒饑餓的樣子,頓生憐憫之心,就倒了一大杯牛奶遞給他。男孩慢慢地喝光了牛奶,問道:“我需要付您多少錢呢?”
“You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Mother has taught me never to accept pay for a kindness.” He said, “Then I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but it also increased his faith in God and the human race. He was about to give up and quit before this point.
“你不必付錢給我,”女子答道,“媽媽教育我說,愛心善舉,不求回報?!蹦泻⒄f:“那么我就由衷地向您說聲謝謝!”當霍華德·凱利離開這所房子時,他覺得渾身充滿了力量,也對上帝和整個人類充滿了信心。而原本,他正打算放棄。
Years later the young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where specialists can be called in to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly, now famous was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately, he rose and went down through the hospital hall into her room.
數(shù)年之后,那位女子得了重病,當?shù)蒯t(yī)生對此束手無策。最后,他們把她送到大城市去醫(yī)治,由專家會診,研究她這種罕見病癥。著名的霍華德·凱利醫(yī)生也參與了醫(yī)療方案的制定。當他得知這位病人來自那個城鎮(zhèn)時,一個奇怪的念頭在他的腦海中閃過,他馬上起身,穿過醫(yī)院的大廳直奔她的病房。
Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room and determined to do his best to save her life. From that day on, he gave special attention to her case.
身著白大褂的凱利醫(yī)生走進了病房,一眼便認出了那個女子,她正是他的恩人。回到會診室后,他下定決心一定要竭盡全力挽救她的生命。從那天起,他就特別關照她的病情。
After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it and then wrote something on the side. The bill was sent to her room. She was afraid to open it, because she was positive that it would take the rest of her life to pay it off. Finally she looked, and the note on the side of the bill caught her attention. She read these words...
經(jīng)過長期艱苦的努力,手術終獲成功。凱利醫(yī)生要求把醫(yī)藥費結算單送到他那兒,他看了一下,便在上面簽了字。當結算單送到女子的病房時,她甚至不敢打開來看,因為她知道這醫(yī)藥費一定極其昂貴,或許她要用整個余生來償還。最后,她還是鼓足勇氣打開了看,她注意到單子旁邊的一行小字,不禁小聲地念起來:
“Paid in full with a glass of milk.”
醫(yī)藥費繳足:一杯牛奶。
(Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly
霍華德·凱利醫(yī)生(簽名)
Tears of joy flooded her eyes as she prayed silently: “Thank You, God. Your love has spread through human hearts and hands.”
喜悅的淚水溢出了她的眼眶,她默默地祈禱著:“感謝您,上帝!您的愛已經(jīng)通過人類的心靈和雙手傳遞開來?!?