Thanks for the Best Laugh We've Had in Years
1 On a recent weekend in Atlantic City, a woman won a bucketful of quarters at a slot machine. She took a break from the slots for dinner with her husband in the hotel dining room.
2 But first she wanted to hide the quarters in her room. "I'll be right back and we'll go to eat," she told her husband and carried the coin- laden bucket to the elevator.
3 As she was about to walk into the elevator she noticed two men already aboard. Both were black. One of them was tall—very tall—an intimidating figure. The woman froze. Her first thought was: "These two are going to rob me." Her next thought was: "Don't be a bigot; they look like perfectly nice gentlemen." But racial stereotypes are powerful, and fear froze her blood. She stood and stared at the two men.
4 She felt anxious, upset and ashamed. She hoped they didn't read her mind but gosh, they had to know what she was thinking!!!
5 Her hesitation about joining them in the elevator was all too obvious now. Her face was flushed. She couldn't just stand there, so with a mighty effort of will she picked up one foot and stepped forward and followed with the other foot and was on the elevator. Avoiding eye contact, she turned around stiffly and faced the elevator doors as they closed. A second passed, and then another second, and then another. Her fear increased! The elevator didn't move. Panic consumed her. "My God," she thought, "I'm trapped and about to be robbed!" Her heart sank. Sweat poured from every pore.
6 Then one of the men said, "Hit the floor." Instinct told her to do what they told her. The bucket of quarters flew upwards as she threw out her arms and collapsed on the elevator floor. A shower of coins rained down on her. "Take my money and spare me," she prayed. More seconds passed. She heard one of the men say politely, "Ma'am, if you'll just tell us what floor you're going to, we'll push the button." The one who said it had a little trouble getting the words out. He was trying mightily to hold in a belly laugh.
7 The woman lifted her head and looked up at the two men. They reached down to help her up. Confused, she struggled to her feet. "When I told my friend here to hit the floor," said the average-sized one, "I meant that he should hit the elevator button for our floor. I didn't mean for you to hit the floor, Ma'am." He spoke pleasantly. He bit his lip.
8 It was obvious he was having a hard time not laughing. The woman thought: "My God, what a spectacle I've made of myself." She was too embarrassed to speak. She wanted to make an apology, but words failed her. How do you apologize to two perfectly respectable gentlemen for behaving as though they were going to rob you? She didn't know what to say. The three of them gathered up the scattered quarters and refilled her bucket.
9 When the elevator arrived at her floor they then insisted on walking her to her room. She se
emed a little unsteady on her feet, and they were afraid she might not make it down the corridor. At her door they bid her a good evening. As she slipped into her room she could hear them roaring with laughter as they walked back to the elevator. The woman brushed herself off. She pulled herself together and went downstairs for dinner with her husband.
10 The next morning flowers were delivered to her room—a dozen roses. Attached to EACH rose was a crisp one-hundred-dollar bill.
11 The card said: "Thanks for the best laugh we've had in years."
12 It was signed:
Eddie Murphy
Michael Jordan
谢谢您带给我们多年来最畅快的欢笑
1 最近一个周末，有位女士在大西洋城玩老虎机，赢了满满一桶二十五美分的硬币。她暂时离开赌博机，与丈夫前往旅馆餐厅吃晚饭。
2 不过，她想先去客房把硬币藏起来。“我去一会儿就回来，然后我们再去吃饭。”她对她的丈夫说道，之后，便提着满满一桶硬币朝电梯走去。
3 她正要走进电梯时，看到电梯里已经有两位男乘客。两位都是黑人，其中一位个头很高，体型令人望而生畏。这位女士一下子愣住了。她的第一反应是：“这两个男人会打劫我。”她转而又想：“不要戴着‘有色眼镜’看人；他们看上去完全像是绅士。”然而，种族偏见的力量是强大的，恐惧使她浑身发凉。她定在那里，眼睛紧盯着眼前两位男子。
4 她开始焦虑，心神不定，又感到不好意思。她希望他们没有看出她的心思，但是，天啊，他们肯定已经知道她在琢磨什么了！
5 要不要进去和他们同乘一部电梯？她迟疑不决的态度已经太过明显了。她涨得满脸通红。老站着不动也无济于事，于是她横下心来，抬起一只脚往前挪，接着另一只脚也跟了进来，站在电梯内。她不敢抬眼，僵直地转过身，脸朝外，这时，电梯门合上了。时间一秒一秒地过去。她越来越害怕！电梯纹丝不动。她陷入了恐惧的深渊。“我的天啊，”她暗忖，“我被困在这里，要遭人劫财！”她的心往下沉，每个毛孔都在冒汗水。
6 这时，她听到其中一个人说：“趴下（与“按下楼层”同音）。”她的本能反应就是照着他们的话做。于是她张开双臂，趴在了电梯地板上，满桶的硬币飞向空中，洒了出去。硬币如雨点般落在了她的身上。她在心里默祷：“把钱拿去吧，饶我一命。”又过了几秒钟，她听到其中一位男子彬彬有礼地说：“夫人，您只要告诉我您要去几楼，我们来按按钮。”说这话的人有点费力才把话说完，尽力忍住没有放声大笑。
7 这位女士抬起头望着这两位男乘客。他们弯下腰，把她搀扶起来。她满腹疑惑，挣扎着站了起来
。“我叫我这个朋友按楼层，”那位普通个头的男子说，“意思是叫他按我们要去的楼层的按钮。夫人，我并非要您趴在地上。”他说话时态度和蔼，紧咬着嘴唇。
8 很显然，他在极力忍住不笑出来。该女士心想：“我的天啊，真是丢人现眼，出大洋相了！”她羞愧难当，默不做声。她想要道一声歉，却不知如何开口。把两位绝对体面正派的绅士看作劫匪，如何请求他们的谅解？她不知该怎么说。他们三人拾起散落的硬币，重新放进了桶里。
9 电梯在她要去的楼层停下了，两位男士坚持要陪她到她的客房，因为她的脚步似乎有点摇晃，他们担心她在过道里会有闪失。他们将她送到门口，然后道了晚安。她迅速进入客房，耳边传来他们走回电梯时发出的哈哈大笑。她掸了掸灰，定了定神，便来到楼下与丈夫一起用餐。
10 第二天早晨，鲜花送到了她的客房——是12朵玫瑰，每一朵玫瑰都附上了一张崭新的百元美钞。
11 卡片上写着：“谢谢您带给我们多年来最畅快的欢笑。”
12 落款是：
艾迪·墨菲
迈克尔·乔丹
Harboring Ill Feelings
1 There was once a little boy who dreamed of sailing around the world. He shared his dream with his mother and father, his teachers and schoolmates, his minister and his friends. But instead of embracing his dream and encouraging him to follow his heart's desire, they made fun of him, laughed at him and belittled his vision.
2 "You will never sail around the world," his father scoffed. "When you are of age, I will get you a job at the factory where I work and you will follow in my footsteps."
3 "But I don't want to follow in your footsteps, I want to sail on the open seas and visit new lands," the little boy protested. The father just laughed and shook his head, showing no faith in his son or his dream.
4 The kids at school also made fun of him, so much so that he stopped sharing his thoughts and desires and kept them hidden within his heart, until the time arrived, when he could make them a reality.
5 It seemed that the world's thumb was pressing the boy down throughout his adolescence. Within fifteen years, the boy became a man. He had worked two jobs night and day saving his money, so he could put a down payment on a sailboat.
6 He answered an ad in the newspaper and set up a meeting with the owner of a sailboat at the local harbor. The young man bought the boat on site and immediately paid the down payment and signed the sales agreement. He was so happy he began to share the news with everyone he knew. They were surprised, to say the least, and wished him well, while never admitting they were wrong. But he didn't care, because now, he owned his own sailboat.
7 The next day, he went to the harbor intending to take his boat out on
the water, when he saw official-looking men surrounding his newly purchased sailboat. The men were federal agents who were preparing to seize the boat. The man who sold the boat was a con man and drug runner and the boat was now being confiscated in a federal drug sting operation.
8 The young man had lost his life's savings. He was horrified! The federal agents said they would be back in the morning to take possession of the boat and left without even showing concern for the young man's loss. As the young man was leaving, the harbormaster presented him with a bill in the amount of twelve hundred dollars for past docking fees, owed by the previous owner.
9 This was the last straw. The young man cursed the harbormaster and left. He came back later with a can of black spray paint and painted over the sign on the boat, which displayed the boat's name, " Serenity". He then wrote the new name he was now giving the boat, "Ill Feelings". He got on the boat and started to sail out to sea. If he could have the boat for only one night, then he was going to sail it.
10 The harbormaster waved his arms and yelled for the young man to stop, that there was a storm coming. But the young man just cursed him again and continued heading out to sea.
11 Sure enough, after sailing ten miles out a storm overtook the boat, tossing it from side to side. The young man frantically headed the boat back to shore. When he was a mile from the harbor, he radioed the harbormaster and asked him to prepare for his docking. The harbormaster told him no, that he wouldn't let him dock at his harbor.
12 "Was it because of what I said," the young man said in desperation.
13 "No, I never hold a grudge," the harbormaster said. "One thing is for sure… I never harbor ill feelings!"
心怀怨恨
1 有一个小男孩梦想着驾船环游世界，他把自己的梦想告诉给父母、老师、同学，告诉他的牧师和朋友们。然而他们不但不接受和鼓励他去实现自己的梦想，反而取笑他、嘲弄他，轻视他的憧憬。
2 “你永远不可能驾船环游世界。”他的父亲嘲笑道。“等你长大后，我会在我工作的工厂给你找份工作，你将跟我过一样的日子。”
3 “但我不想跟你一样，我想航行在辽阔的海洋上，见识见识陌生的国家。”小男孩抗议道。他父亲只是笑了笑，摇了摇头，对儿子和儿子的梦想没有什么信心。
4 在学校里，同学们也拿他开玩笑，以至于他再也不愿和他们交流想法和愿望，而是把这些想法和愿望埋藏在心底，等待着有一天能把它们变成现实。
5 在他年少时期，好像全世界都不支持他的想法。十五年后他长大成人了，他夜以继日地干着两份工作，终于攒够了购买一艘船所需的首付金。
6 他看到了报纸上的一则广告并写了回信，在当地港口见
了那个船主。这个年轻人当场买下了那艘船，并立刻付了首付金，签订了买卖合同。他太高兴了，把这个消息告诉给了所有他认识的人。他们很惊讶，这样说毫不夸张，但他们还是祝他一切顺利，然而绝不承认自己是错的。但他并不在乎这些，因为现在他拥有了自己的船。
7 第二天，他来到港口，打算让船下水，这时他看见一些官员模样的人正围着他新买的船。这些人是联邦特工，准备扣押这条船。卖船的那个人是个骗子和毒贩，这条船在联邦缉毒行动中也将被没收。
8 年轻人失去了他一生的积蓄。他非常震惊！联邦特工说他们第二天上午要过来没收这条船。他们离开时对这个年轻人的损失没有表现出一点同情。当年轻人要离开时，港务长给他一张1200美元的泊船费用账单，费用是先前的船主所欠下的。
9 忍无可忍。年轻人把港务长骂了一通离开了。过了一会他带了一罐黑色的喷漆回来，把船的标志SERENITY（宁静）用漆盖上。然后给这条船写上了新名字ILL FEELINGS（怨恨）。他登上船开始航行出海。即使他对这条船只能拥有一晚，他也要去航行。
10 港务长挥舞着手臂，高喊着暴风雨即将来临，要年轻人停下来。但是这个年轻人又一次咒骂他，继续向大海的方向驶去。
11 果然，航行十英里后，风暴袭击了小船，船被抛来抛去。年轻人狂乱地驾船返回岸边。在离港口还有一英里时，他用无线电向港务长发出信号，让他为他泊船做准备。港务长告诉他不行，他不会让他把船停泊在他的港口。
12 “是因为我说过的话吗？”年轻人绝望地说。
13 “不，我从不心怀怨恨。”港务长说。“这一点毫无疑问——我从不让‘怨恨’停留！”
Bathroom Policy
—by Hanno Beck
1 We were four college sophomores. And we were not going to live in a dorm, no sir, we figured that we were smart, mature fellows and so we arranged to rent a house. Each person would have his own private bedroom and we would share the bathroom. Four guys, one bathroom. That sounds reasonable, right?
2 But let me tell you about Edward. Nobody wanted to use the bathroom after Edward because something would be finished, gone, used up. No toilet paper? No soap? Edward somehow seemed always to be the last person to use these things. It reduced the value of the bathroom for the rest of us, yet we got no compensation. Edward was a taker. That felt unfair.
3 How about Charlie? Well, he had a problem too—shaving. It was always a disappointment to see Charlie walk into the bathroom, because by the time he was done, you would find shaving cream on the mirror, on the sink, on the floor. Lots of shaving cream was all over the place. And if it doesn't get cleaned up,
it looks bad and becomes unsanitary. The rest of us picked up after Charlie, but we got no compensation for doing so. Charlie was a polluter. That felt unfair.
4 Andrew was a nice fellow. He was thrifty and neat. But there was a difficulty. Once inside the bathroom, he wouldn't come out! The rest of us would be waiting around to use the bathroom, pleading, urging, and begging. It did no good. Andrew took long stretches of time in the bathroom. That restricted access for the rest of us, and yet we got no compensation. Andrew was a monopolizer. That felt unfair.
5 The fourth person? That was me. I had no bad habits, and treated the bathroom perfectly and with fairness to everyone. Or at least you'll have to believe that, because I am not going to give you the current address of Edward, Charlie or Andrew.
6 The four of us felt unhappy and dissatisfied that year. We had a "bathroom policy" problem and we did not find a way to solve it.
7 Now let's talk about you and everyone on Earth. We don't have to share a single bathroom. But we do all share one planet.
8 Our planet's natural resources are a common heritage for all humanity, just as the bathroom was a common resource for the four of us in college.
9 Look what is happening to our planet.
10 We see people or corporations like Edward, taking more than their fair share of oil, fresh water, minerals, without compensating the rest of us.
11 We see people or corporations like Charlie, polluting the land, water and air with toxic wastes, chemicals, carbons in the atmosphere, making the world less safe, forcing others to clean up, and they are not compensating the rest of us.
12 We see people or corporations like Andrew, monopolizing resources such as land —an urban land speculator who holds an acre out of use, anticipating a price rise, is displacing the rest of us, forcing development out into the countryside. A single acre of downtown land brought into use would save a dozen outside acres from premature sprawl development.
13 Those who take, monopolize, and pollute, are imposing costs on the rest of us and on the economy in general. We are forced to be less efficient, or forced to endure hardships, so that the takers, monopolizers and polluters can benefit. That is not fair.
14 Is there a solution? Of course there is. It's a simple solution. To respect our common interest in our planet's resources, those who take or monopolize or pollute more than their fair share of our planet should compensate those of us who they are taking them from.
15 You will find this idea and others like it, in the economic program of the Green Party of Ontario Canada and many other Green parties around the world.
16 If you've ever experienced a crisis similar to mine at college, you know how important it can be to have a good bathroom policy. Or a good planet policy.
洗手间使用规则
——汉诺·贝克
1 我们四个都上大二了，我们没打算住在宿舍，从来没想过。我们自以为自己既聪明又成熟，因此合计着租个房住。每个人都有自己单独的卧室，大家合用一个洗手间。四个小伙子，一个洗手间。听起来很合理，对不？
2 但还是先看看爱德华吧。爱德华一用完洗手间就没人想用了，因为总有东西会被用完、用光、用尽。没卫生纸了？没肥皂了？说来也奇怪，爱德华好像总是最后一个用完这些东西的人。因此对我们其他人而言，洗手间的作用就大打折扣了，然而我们并未因此得到补偿。东西都让爱德华用了，我们感到忿忿不平。
3 查理呢？哎，他刮胡子时也有一个毛病。一看到查理走进洗手间我们就沮丧，因为他一用完洗手间，镜子上、池子里、地板上到处都是剃须膏。整个洗手间剃须膏随处可见。如果不好好打扫，就会不堪入目，变得很脏。我们其他人只好在查理用完洗手间后彻底收拾一番，但干这些什么补偿也得不到。可环境都是查理污染的，我们心里有气。
4 安德鲁还不错，既节俭又干净。但也有麻烦。他一走进洗手间就不愿出来。我们其他人要用洗手间只能在外面干等，不停地呼喊、催促、哀求，但无济于事。安德鲁长时间占用洗手间，影响了我们其他人的使用，然而我们得不到任何补偿。安德鲁太霸道，我们感到没有公理可言。
5 那第四个人呢？那就是我。我没有什么不良恶习，对洗手间很爱护，对每个人也很公平。反正，你不得不这样认为，因为我不会告诉你他们三个中任何一个人目前的住址。
6 那一年我们四个郁郁寡欢、满腹牢骚。我们在“洗手间使用规则”上存在分歧，却没有找到解决的办法。
7 现在该轮到谈论你和地球上的其他人了。诚然，我们所有的人不必共用一个洗手间，但我们确实共享一个地球。
8 正如洗手间是我们四个大学生的公共资源一样，对于全人类来说，地球上的自然资源是共同财富。
9 来瞧瞧地球所受到的待遇吧。
10 我们看到诸如爱德华之类的人或公司过度使用石油、淡水和矿产资源，却不对我们其他人做出任何补偿。
11 我们看到像查理一样的人或公司将有毒废物、化学物质、碳排放到空气中，污染了土地、水和空气，造成世界生存危机，迫使其他人去清除污染，但他们却并未对我们其他人做出任何补偿。
12 我们看到像安德鲁一样的人或公司垄断了诸如土地之类的资源——大都市的一个土地投机商，占着一英亩地不用，期待地产涨价，把我们其他人赶走，把开发引向农村。市中心一英亩得到合理的开发，就可以避免郊
区十多英亩地被过早草率地开发。
13 那些占有者、垄断者和污染者正将他们的成本强加到我们其他人身上，强加到整个经济上。我们被迫降低效率或忍受艰辛，这样那些占有者、垄断者和污染者能够受益。我们对此气愤不已。
14 这个问题可以解决吗？当然可以。很简单。为了尊重我们在地球资源方面的共同利益，那些占有过多、垄断成性或污染地球的人应该赔偿那些受其害的人。
15 在加拿大安大略绿党和世界上许多其他绿党的经济计划中你会发现这种观念以及许多类似的观念。
16 如果你曾经有过类似我大学时代的危机的话，你肯定知道制定一个好的洗手间使用规则或制定一项好的地球资源使用规则是何等重要。
Bartleby
1 I was an old lawyer, and I had three men working for me. My business continued to grow and so I decided to get one more man to help write legal papers.
2 I had met a great many people in my days, but the man who answered my advertisement was the strangest person I have ever heard of or met. He stood outside my office and waited for me to speak. He was a small man, quiet and dressed in a clean but old suit of clothes. I asked him his name. It was Bartleby.
3 At first Bartleby did an extraordinary quantity of writing. He worked through the day by sunlight, and into the night by candlelight. I was happy with his work, but not happy with the way he worked. He was too quiet. But, he worked well…like a machine, never looking or speaking.
4 One day, I asked Bartleby to come to my office to study a legal paper with me. Without moving from his chair, Bartleby, in a singularly mild, firm voice, replied, "I would prefer not to."
5 I sat awhile in perfect silence, rallying my stunned faculties. Immediately it occurred to me that my ears had deceived me, or Bartleby had entirely misunderstood my meaning.
6 "You prefer not to," I echoed, rising in high excitement. "What do you mean, are you sick? I want you to help me with this paper."
7 "I would prefer not to."
8 His face was leanly composed; his gray eyes were dimly calm. This is strange, I thought. What should I do? But, the telephone rang, and I forgot the problem for the time being.
9 A few days later, four long documents came into the office. They needed careful study, and I decided to give one document to each of my men. I called and all came to my office. But not Bartleby.
10 "Bartleby, quick, I am waiting."
11 He came, and stood in front of me for a moment. "I would prefer not to," he said, then turned and went back to his desk.
12 I was so surprised; I could not move. There was something about Bartleby that froze me, yet, at the same time, made me feel sorry for him.
13 As time passed, I saw that Bartleby never went out to eat dinner. Indeed
, he never went anywhere. At eleven o'clock each morning, one of the men would bring Bartleby some ginger-nuts.
14 "Umm. He lives on them," I thought. "Poor fellow! He is a little foolish at times, but he means no mischief; it is plain he intends no insolence."
15 One Sunday I walked to my office to do some work. When I placed the key in the door, I couldn't open it. Quite surprised, I called out, when to my consternation a key was turned from within; and thrusting his lean visage at me, and holding the door ajar, the ghostly figure of Bartleby appeared, in his shirtsleeves, saying quietly that he was sorry, but he was deeply engaged just then, and—preferred not admitting me at present.
16 The idea of Bartleby living in my law office had a strange effect on me. I slunk away much like a dog does when it has been shouted at…with its tail between its legs.
17 Was anything wrong? It was out of the question that Bartleby would keep a woman in my office. But for some time he must have eaten, dressed and slept there. How lonely and friendless Bartleby must be.
18 I decided to help him. The next morning I called him to my office. "Bartleby, can you tell me anything about yourself?"
19 "I would prefer not to."
20 I sat down with him and said, "Bartleby, never mind then about revealing your history; but I am pleading with you, as a friend, to comply with the regulations of this office. Say now you will help to examine papers tomorrow or next day: in short, say now that in a day or two you will begin to be a little reasonable—say so, Bartleby."
21 "I have decided not to write any more," he said. And left my office.
22 What was I to do? Bartleby would not work at all. Then why should he stay on his job? At length, priority went to the consideration of the necessities of my business. Decently as I could, I told Bartleby that in six days' time he must unconditionally leave the office. I warned him to take measures, in the interval, for procuring a place to stay.
23 At the expiration of that period, I peeped into the office Bartleby used. He was still there.
24 The next morning, I went to the office early. All was still. I tried to open the door, but it was locked. Bartleby's voice came from inside. I stood as if hit by lightening. I walked the streets thinking, "Well, Bartleby, if you will not leave me, I shall leave you."
25 I paid some men to move all the office furniture to another place. Bartleby just stood there as the men took his chair away.
26 "Goodbye, Bartleby, I am going. Goodbye and God be with you. Here take this money." I placed it in his hands. It dropped to the floor; and then, strange to say, I had difficulty leaving the person I wanted to leave.
27 A few days later, a stranger visited me in my new office. "You are responsible for the man you left in your last office," he said. "The owner of the building has given me a court or
der which says you must take him away. He persisted in occupying the entry after being dismissed from the office."
28 I went back to my old office and found Bartleby sitting on the empty floor.
29 "Bartleby, will you come home with me and stay there until we decide what you will do?" He answered softly, "No, I would prefer not to make any changes."
30 Despairing of all further efforts, I fled. I rode around the city and visited places of historic interest, anything to get Bartleby off my mind.
31 When I entered my office later, I found a message for me. Bartleby had been taken to prison.
32 I found him there, and when he saw me he said, "I know you, and I have nothing to say to you."
33 "It was not I that brought you here, Bartleby." I was deeply hurt. I told him I gave the prison guard money to buy him a good dinner.
34 "I do not want to eat today," he said. "I never eat dinner."
35 Days passed, and I went to see Bartleby again. I was told he was sleeping in the prison yard outside.
36 Strangely huddled at the base of the wall, his knees drawn up, and lying on his side, his head touching the cold stones, I saw the wasted Bartleby. But nothing stirred. I paused; then went close up to him; stooped over, and saw that his dim eyes were open; otherwise he seemed to be profoundly sleeping.
37 "Won't he eat today, either, or does he live without eating?" the guard asked.
38 "Lives without eating," I answered…and closed his eyes.
39 "Uh…he is asleep, isn't he?" the guard said.
40 "With kings and counsellors," I answered.
41 One little story came to me some days after Bartleby died. I learned he had worked for many years in the post office. He was a subordinate clerk that opened all the nation's letters that never reached the people they were written to. It is called the Dead Letter Office. The letters are not written clearly, so the mailmen cannot read the addresses.
42 Well, poor Bartleby had to read the letters, to see if anyone's name was written clearly so they could be sent. Think of it. From one letter a wedding ring fell, the finger it was bought for perhaps lies rotting in the grave. Another letter has a banknote sent in swiftest charity—he whom it would relieve, neither eats nor hungers any more. Letters filled with hope for those who died without hope.
43 Poor Bartleby! He himself had lost all hope. His job had killed something inside him.
44 Ah, Bartleby! Ah, humanity!
巴特比
1 我以前是一个老律师，手下有三个人帮着干活。由于业务不断壮大，我决定再多找一个人帮忙写法律文书。
2 在我整个律师生涯中，我见过很多人，但看了招聘广告后来应聘的那个人，是我闻所未闻、见所未见的怪人。他站在我办公室门口，一声不吭，等着我开口。他个头不高，
沉默安静，穿一身干净但有些旧的衣服。我问他的名字，他回答说叫巴特比。
3 起初，巴特比写了大量的文书。他工作起来夜以继日，通宵达旦。我对他的工作很满意，但并不喜欢他的工作方式。他太安静了。但他干活非常出色……就像一台机器，从不东张西望，也不多言多语。
4 一天， 我叫巴特比来我的办公室一起研究一份法律文书。他，巴特比，居然坐在椅子上动都不动一下，非常温和却异常坚定地回答道：“我不想去。”
5 有一会儿，我坐在那完全呆住了，试图重拾被震惊的思绪。我第一个反应是会不会我听错了？抑或巴特比完全误解了我的意思？
6 “你不想来。”我重复着他的话，激动得站立起来，“什么意思？你不舒服吗？我要你来帮我研究这份文件。”
7 “我不想干。”
8 他面容瘦削，神情镇定，灰色的眼睛暗淡中透出一股平静。这太奇怪了，我想。该怎么办？正好此时电话响了，我也就暂时忘了这件事。
9 几天后，办公室收到了四份长长的文件，需要仔细研究，我决定给我手下四个人一人一份。我叫他们过来，都来了，除了巴特比。
10 “巴特比，快点，等你呢。”
11 他来了，在我面前站了一会后。他说：“我不想干。”话毕便转身坐回他的办公桌前。
12 我震惊不已，呆若木鸡。巴特比身上有种东西让我觉得僵冷，但与此同时，也让我为他难过。
13 时间一天天过去，我发现巴特比从不出去吃饭。事实上，他哪儿都不去。每天中午十一点的时候，就会有一个同事给他带回一些姜汁饼干。
14 “嗯，他就靠吃这个啊。”我想，“可怜的家伙！这家伙有时候傻里傻气的，但是，他并不想故意捣乱；很明显他不是要故意冒犯我。”
15 一个星期天，我去办公室办点事，但把钥匙插进门锁却怎么也打不开。我很吃惊，大声叫了起来，这时更让我惊讶的是，有钥匙从门里边转动，随后一张瘦削的面孔从微开的门缝中探了出来，幽灵一般的巴特比出现在我面前。他穿着衬衣，平静地说了声抱歉， 但他现在有事正忙着，并且不能让我进去。
16 巴特比住在我的律师事务所里这件事，让我产生了一种怪异的感觉。我活像一只被人呵斥的狗，夹着尾巴溜走了。
17 怎么回事？巴特比当然不可能带了个女人住在我的事务所里。但他肯定吃穿住在那里有一段时间了。巴特比一定十分孤单，缺朋少友。
18 我决定帮帮他。第二天早晨我把他叫进我办公室，对他说：“巴特比，随便给我谈谈你的情况，好吗？”
19 “我不想谈。”
20 我陪他坐下，说：“巴特
比，那就先不说你的过去了；但是，我以一个朋友的身份，请求你遵守本所的规定。答应我明后天你就会帮我审阅那些文件。总之，告诉我再过一两天你就会开始变得理性一些。你说呀，巴特比。”
21 “我已经决定什么都不再写了。”说完，他就离开了我的办公室。
22 我该怎么办？巴特比什么都不愿意做了，那他干吗还呆在这里？最后，以本事务所的业务实际需要为重，我尽量用一种体面的方式告诉巴特比，六天之内他必须无条件离开。我还警告他在这期间，想办法找个落脚的地方。
23 期限到了，我向巴特比办公室里偷偷张望了一下：他还在那里。
24 第二天上午，我早早就去了办公室。周遭一片静寂。我试图把门打开，但发现门被锁住了，从里面传来巴特比的声音，我如同遭到雷击般呆立在那里。走在大街上时我思忖道：“好吧，巴特比，你不走，我走。”
25 我雇来几个人把办公室所有的物品搬到另一个地方。巴特比就站在那儿，看着他们把他的椅子搬走。
26 “再见了，巴特比，我要走了。再见，愿上帝保佑你。拿着，这是给你的钱。”我把钱放在他的手里，钱却掉在地上。这个时候，我莫名其妙地居然有点难以离开这个我想离开的人了。
27 几天后，一个陌生人造访我的新办公室。“你必须对你留在旧办公室的那个人负责。”那人说，“大楼业主让我带来了法庭指令，你必须把他带走。那家伙被赶出办公室以后却赖在入口处不走。”
28 我回到我的旧办公室，发现巴特比正坐在空荡荡的地板上。
29 “巴特比，跟我一块回去住在我家吧，直到我们定下来你可以干点什么再说，好吗？”他轻声回答：“不，我不想有任何改变。”
30 知道再做什么努力也没用，我只好走开。我坐着马车满城乱跑，逛那些历史古迹，只为把巴特比从脑海中赶走。
31 等我回到办公室，有人给我留了一条消息：巴特比被送进了监狱。
32 我去探访他，看到我后他说：“我了解你，我没什么好跟你说的。”
33 “不是我把你送到这儿来的，巴特比。”我十分伤心地说道。我告诉他我给了狱警一些钱，给他买一份丰盛的晚饭。
34 “我今天不想吃饭。”他说，“我从来不吃晚饭。”
35 几天后，我再次去监狱探访巴特比，被告知他正在牢房外的院子里睡觉。
36 巴特比以一种奇怪的姿势蜷缩在墙根处，双腿弯曲，侧卧在地，头部枕在冰冷的石头上，我看到他已经形销骨立。但是，他纹丝不动。我迟疑了一会，终于还是走近他，弯下腰，看到他黯然无光的双眼睁着，若不是这一点，他
倒真的像是在熟睡。
37 “他今天也不吃饭吗？还是他从来不吃饭？”狱警问道。
38 “不用吃了。”我回答……伸手合上巴特比的双眼。
39 “呃……他睡着了，是吗？”狱警问道。
40 “永远地睡了。”我答道。
41 巴特比死后几天我了解到了一件事。他曾在邮局干过多年，是个小职员，负责拆看全国所有无法送达的死信，那个部门就叫死信处理部。那些字写得不清楚，投递员无法识别地址。
42 唉，可怜的巴特比就得去读这些信，看看能否从这些信中查找到有某个人清楚的名字，可以把信送出。想想看吧，有封信中掉出一枚婚戒，而这枚婚戒买来给佩戴的手指也许早就在坟墓中腐烂了。又一封信中夹着一张满怀慈悲心肠极速寄出的钞票，而要救济的人却再也不用吃饭，再也不会饥饿了。一封封信件都满怀希望，而那些收信人，却在绝望中死去。
43 可怜的巴特比！他自己也陷入了绝望的深渊。他的工作摧毁了他内心的某种东西。
44 啊，巴特比！啊，人哪！
Goodbye, Mr. Foster
by Steve Bruce
1 Can an employee do his or her job too well? If so, what do you do? Praise? Raise? Discipline? Terminate? Today's guest columnist tells the true story of Foster, who did his job too well.
2 I met him at least 8 years ago at the Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport. He wore black pants and a white shirt with a black tie and bib apron. "Let me carry that for you, young man," he said, noticing the balancing act I was performing with my luggage and the tray of food from Paschal's Restaurant.
3 The old fellow grabbed my tray with a smile and was off, limping heavily on one leg that was obviously shorter than the other. I followed him around the escalator to an empty table I would never have found, and it was only then when I realized that he had also brought napkins, a straw, and packages of salt and pepper...items I usually forget.
4 With a flourish, he wiped the table, removed my plate from the tray and arranged it carefully with the napkins and the iced tea. Pulling back my chair as I hurriedly retrieved three one-dollar bills from my pocket, he smiled and said, "God bless you." His name tag read: FOSTER.
5 I was curious to see if this was a new service the airport had put in place. Certainly, I had never been "helped" before. I saw several other men and women dressed like my new friend, loosely assembled, and talking with each other, waiting without enthusiasm for tables to become empty. At that point, one of them would disengage from the group, clear any trash left on the table, wipe it down, and return to their co-workers.
6 Glancing around the huge area, I quickly spotted Foster. Smiling, laughing, and moving fast, he helped one person after another. He never waited t
o be summoned. He went where he was needed.
7 I was back through the airport the next day and couldn't wait to visit the food court again. Sure enough, there he was, the old man with the big smile. He helped me to a table as he had the day before (with napkins, salt and pepper, and a straw) and said, "God bless you, young man." as he held out my chair.
8 I had a twenty folded and ready to place in his hand that day. I was impressed and inspired by this old man who struggled to walk, yet kept moving fast all the time as he cleaned empty tables and looked for people to serve. From that day forward, he was Mr. Foster to me.
9 As the years rolled by, I developed a great admiration for Mr. Foster. I saw him several times each month and introduced him to anyone with whom I was traveling. "Watch this guy," I would always instruct as he left our table. "And watch that bunch of other people over there dressed just like him." The contrast was clear.
10 I never once suspected Mr. Foster was making a play for tips. In fact, though I rarely slipped him less than twenty dollars, he often made me wait while he helped someone in obvious need of assistance. And whether they offered money or not, he always smiled, held their chairs and said, "God bless you."
11 And then he was gone. Unable to find my friend, I asked the ladies at Paschal's, "Where is Mr. Foster today?"
12 "Fired," they told me. "They fired him. Humiliated him. Sent the man home!"
13 The Atlanta Airport Authority, I was told, had determined that Mr. Foster had become "a distraction". They ordered him to stop helping people. "Stand with everyone else", he was told, "and wait for the tables to become empty. You are a busboy; act like one."
14 A few months later, he was back (happy as ever) on a trial basis. But I never again let him carry my tray. I did, however, continue with the tips. He took the money because I made him take it. I was mad about him and he knew it. His "God bless you" often came to me with a tear. His spirit was gone.
15 Today, I went by Paschal's. Before I could even ask, one of the ladies on the serving line spotted me. "I've been expecting you," she said. "Mr. Foster's gone. He quit. Told them he was old and sick and couldn't do the work no more." Then she cocked her head and added with a whisper, "He ain't sick. There ain't nothing broken about that old man."
16 Nope, I thought as I turned away, there ain't nothing broken about that old man. Nothing but his heart
别了，福斯特先生
斯蒂夫·布鲁斯
1 一个员工能把工作做得太好吗？如果他/她把事情做得太好了，是应该表扬？晋升？处分？还是炒鱿鱼？今天的客座专栏评论员讲述了一个关于福斯特的真实故事，他把工作做得太好了。
2 我是在亚特兰大哈兹斐尔德国际机场认识他的，至少有八年了。当时他身穿黑裤子
白衬衫打着黑领带，系着一条挡胸工作裙。他看到我一手提着行李，另一只手端着从帕斯卡餐厅买来的一盘食物, 正努力保持平衡，便说：“我来替你拿那东西，小伙子。”
3 这位老伙计笑着一把抢下我的盘子就走了。他走起路来瘸得很厉害，两条腿很明显长短不一。我跟着他绕过自动扶梯来到一张空桌子前。要不是他带路，我根本找不到这张空桌子。而这时，我才发现他把餐巾纸、吸管和食盐、胡椒粉也给带上了，都是些我自己往往会忘记的小东西。
4 只见他手一挥就擦好了桌子，从托盘上端下我的食物，小心地把它和餐巾纸还有冰茶摆在桌上。他把椅子往后拉的时候，我匆忙从兜里掏出三张一美元的纸币，他笑着说：“上帝保佑你！”我瞥见他的名牌上写着：福斯特。
5 我感到很新奇，想知道这是不是机场新的服务项目。当然，此前我从未享受过这种“服务”。我见到另外一些和我这位新朋友穿着一样的男男女女, 懒散地聚在一起聊天，毫无热情地等待着客人离开餐桌。那个时候，他们中才会有一人从扎堆中出来，清理留在桌上的垃圾，把桌子上上下下擦干净，然后又回到那群工友身边。
6 环顾宽广的餐饮区，我很快发现了福斯特的身影：他开心地笑着，快步移动着，不停地去帮助别人。他从不等待客人的召唤，哪里有需要他就出现在哪里。
7 第二天我返回时经过这个机场，迫不及待地又来到餐饮区。果然，他就在那儿，一位满脸笑容的老伙计。他就像前一天那样（带着餐巾纸、食盐、胡椒粉和吸管）把我领到一张桌子跟前，一边拉出我的座椅，一边说道：“上帝保佑你，小伙子！”
8 那天我把一张事先折好的20美元纸币放到他的手里。这位老人使我大为感佩：他行走不便，却毫不懈怠地去收拾桌子，寻找需要招呼的客人。从那天开始，他就是我心目中的福斯特先生。
9 随着岁月的流逝，我对福斯特先生产生了一种景仰之情。我每个月都见到他几回，而且总要把他介绍给我的同伴。在他转身离去的时候，我总是叫他们看：“瞧瞧这个伙计，再瞧瞧那边跟他一样打扮的那拨人。”两者的对比不言而喻。
10 我从未怀疑福斯特先生是为了小费而作秀。事实上，尽管我给他的小费难得少于20美元，但是他却常常要我等他招待好那些明显需要帮助的人之后才过来招呼我。而且不论他们是否给他小费，他总是微笑着帮他们摆好椅子，说声：“上帝保佑你！”
11 后来他不见了。我找不着这位朋友，就向帕斯卡餐厅的女工打听：“福斯特先生今天上哪儿啦？”
12 “被解雇了。”她们告诉我说：“他
们炒了他鱿鱼，羞辱他，赶他回家啦！”
13 我被告知亚特兰大国际机场管理层认为福斯特先生已经成了一个“搅乱人心之人”。他们下令他停止帮助顾客。他们对福斯特先生说：“你就跟其他人站在一起，等客人走了再干活。你只是个收盘子的，就收盘子吧。”
14 几个月之后，他又回到这里试工（依然是那股快活劲）。然而，我不再让他帮我端盘子。不过，小费我还是照付。他收了，因为我一定要他收下。我对他极其着迷，他也知道这个。他对我说“上帝保佑你”的时候眼里常常含着泪水；那股精神已不复存在。
15 我今天去帕斯卡餐厅，还没等我开口说话，一个女员工就发现了我。“我一直在等您来。”她对我说：“福斯特先生已经走了。他是辞职走的。他跟他们说自己老了，而且又有病，不能再干这个工作啦。”然后她抬起头，悄悄说了一句：“他没病。那老头子什么病都没有。”
16 不，我转身离开时心里想：他根本没病，那老伙计什么病都没有，他的病在心里。
The Debtor Generation
1 When they turn 18, they get calls from credit card companies. A few years later, they've got a load of debts—many of them with thousands of dollars in student loans and credit card bills. Then they buy cars, furniture and nice new clothes—mostly on credit.
2 They don't remain innocent for long. Many members of Generation D feel disillusioned when they make sacrifices to repay lenders who gave them credit before they had well-paying, full-time jobs.
A Real Revolution
3 Previous generations tended to begin adulthood in reduced circumstances —milk crates in the living room, Old Milwaukee in the fridge. They worked their way into material comfort while absorbing the lesson that buying is closely related to earning.
4 In contrast, many in Generation D begin adulthood with material comfort —shelves in the living room, Pete's Wicked Ale in the refrigerator. A little later, if they're not careful, they have to throttle back on their credit-fueled lifestyle so they can pay the bills. Not all can, and they pay the consequences.
5 Experts agree that today's 18- to 30-year-olds have more debts than their forebears. That's especially true of the majority of high school graduates who go on to college or trade school, where people commonly get student loans and credit cards, even if they don't have jobs.
6 People disagree about whether that's so bad. After all, young adults accept student loans and credit cards gladly and most repay dutifully. But critics worry that corrosive social effects result from the habit of taking on debt before one has sufficient income to repay.
Dreams and Debt
7 The lure of living on debt increased in the 1990s. Tuition and fees skyrocketed, the
federal government increased student loan limits, and credit cards were marketed vigorously on campus. In 2000, 78 percent of college undergraduates had credit cards.
8 Subtler changes abounded. The economy boomed, MTV broadcasted from exotic spring-break locales, Friends portrayed young adults living comfortably in roomy apartments in Manhattan. Twenty-somethings expected to live well right out of college or trade school.
9 Under these circumstances, why not borrow? An average student loan recipient owed $11,950 upon graduating from a public university in 1996. In 1998, the average undergraduate had a balance of $1,879 on 3.5 credit cards.
10 Some worry that all this debt forces grads to forsake exciting but low-paying jobs in favor of dreary but well-paying jobs. Patricia Somers, a University of Missouri researcher who interviewed 500 people for her research on student loans, tells of a Ph.D. candidate in English who was considering returning to her old job—dealing blackjack—after earning her doctorate.
Not Putting It Off
11 Most borrowers, of course, look at it another way when they sign those loan papers: Student loan debt enables them to pursue their dreams, and other sources of credit allow them to live in comfort.
12 Even as young people spend more than they earn, they're not postponing life's milestones—marriage, children and a house.
13 When researchers have asked students whether debt will cause them to delay marriage, parenthood or homeownership, a few say that debt indeed will have that effect. But studies show that deeds don't match words: People get married, have kids and buy houses when they want to, and debt has little to do with the timing.
14 Some people make a loftier claim: that debt forces people to grow up.
负债的一代
1 他们一满18岁，就会接到信用卡公司的电话。几年后，他们就会背负一大笔债务——他们中很多人都会欠下几千美元的学生贷款和信用卡账单。接着，他们还会买汽车，买家具，买漂亮的新衣服，几乎全是刷卡消费。
2 他们不会一直那样天真。当负债的一代还没有得到收入丰厚的全职工作，就要为偿还信用卡公司的债务而付出代价的时候，很多人就会醒悟过来。
一场真正的变革
3 前几代刚成年的时候，往往生活窘迫——客厅中摆放着牛奶箱，冰箱里放着老密尔沃基牌的啤酒。他们在为了舒适的物质生活而兢兢业业的奋斗中，学会了一个道理——花钱与赚钱密切相关。
4 与此相反，负债的一代中很多人刚成年的时候往往享受着优越的物质生活——客厅中摆着各种架子，冰箱里放着皮特牌淡啤酒。紧接着，如果他们稍不注意（开销），就不得不控制这种依赖信用卡消费的生活方式——以便可以付清账单。而这一点，
并不是所有的人都能做到，那么他们就会因此付出代价。
5 专家们认为，现在18至30岁之间的人比他们上几代欠的债更多。尤其对大多数高中毕业就上大学或职业学校的学生来说，情况更是如此。在大学或职业学校里，尽管学生没有工作，通常也可以申请学生贷款和信用卡。
6 人们对这种情况是否很糟糕意见不一。毕竟，年轻人很乐意接受学生贷款和信用卡， 而且大多数人能尽责地偿还。但是评论家们担心，这种个人还没有足够的收入来还款就背上债务的习惯会造成不良的社会影响。
梦想与债务
7 20世纪90年代，负债生活的诱惑日增。学杂费暴涨，联邦政府也加强了对学生贷款的限制，信用卡在校园市场的推销如火如荼。2000年，78%的大学本科生拥有信用卡。
8 更微妙的变化到处可见。经济蓬勃发展，在异国复活节假旅游胜地拍摄的MTV充斥荧屏，《老友记》描述了一群年轻人在曼哈顿宽敞公寓里的舒适生活。二十几岁的年轻人梦想着大学或职业学校一毕业就过上富足的生活。
9 在这些情况下，还有什么理由不借钱呢？1996年，公立大学里平均每位贷款的学生在毕业时欠债11950 美元。1998年，平均每个本科生有3.5张信用卡，负有1879美元的结欠款。
10 有人担心，这些债务将迫使毕业生放弃令人振奋但薪水不高的职业，而去从事沉闷乏味但收入丰厚的工作。密苏里大学研究员帕特里夏·萨默斯，在做学生贷款项目研究时曾采访了500多人，她说有一个准英语博士生打算拿到博士学位后就重操旧业——当21点扑克游戏的发牌员。
不推迟人生大事
11 当然，大多数贷款人在签署贷款文件时是以另一种角度看待这个问题的：学生贷款债务使他们能够追求自己的梦想，其他的信贷来源则让他们过上舒适的生活。
12 即使年轻人花的比赚的多，他们也不会推迟那些人生大事——结婚、生子、买房。
13 当被研究人员问及是否会因为债务而推迟结婚、生子或购房时，少数学生说债务确实会有那种影响。但研究表明，他们的言行并不一致：他们想结婚的时候就结婚、想生子的时候就生子，想买房的时候就买房，债务对此并没有多大影响。
14 有些人甚至自负地声称：债务会催人成长。
The Art Collector
1 Years ago, there was a very wealthy man who, with his devoted young son, shared a passion for art collecting. Together they travelled around the world, adding only the finest art treasures to their collection. Priceless works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet and many others adorned the walls of their family estate. The widowed elder man looked on with satisfaction as his only child became an expe
rienced art collector. The son's trained eye and sharp business mind caused his father to beam with pride as they dealt with art collectors around the world.
2 As winter approached, war engulfed the nation, and the young man left to serve his country. After only a few short weeks, his father received a telegram. His beloved son was missing in action. The art collector anxiously awaited more news, fearing he would never see his son again. Within days, his fears were confirmed; the young man had died while rushing a fellow soldier to a medic.
3 Distraught and lonely, the old man faced the upcoming Christmas holidays with anguish and sadness. The joy of the season, that he and his son had so looked forward to, would visit his house no longer.
4 On Christmas morning, a knock on the door awakened the depressed old man. As he walked to the door, the masterpieces of art on the walls only reminded him that his son was not coming home. As he opened the door, he was greeted by a soldier with a large package in his hands. He introduced himself to the old man by saying, "I was a friend of your son. I was the one he was rescuing when he died. May I come in for a few moments? I have something to show you."
5 As the two began to talk, the soldier told of how the old man's son had told everyone of his, not to mention his father's, love of fine art. "I am an artist," said the soldier, "and I want to give you this."
6 As the old man unwrapped the package, the paper gave way to reveal a portrait of his son. Though the world would never consider it the work of a genius, the painting featured the young man's face in striking detail.
7 Overcome with emotion, the old man thanked the soldier, promising to hang the picture above the fireplace. A few hours later, after the soldier had departed, the old man set about his task. True to his word, the painting went above the fireplace, pushing aside thousands of dollars worth of art. His task completed, the old man sat in his chair and spent Christmas gazing at the gift he had been given.
8 During the days and weeks that followed, the old man realized that even though his son was no longer with him, the boy's life would live on because of those he had touched. He would soon learn that his son had rescued dozens of wounded soldiers before a bullet stilled his caring heart.
9 As the stories of his son's gallantry continued to reach him, fatherly pride and satisfaction began to ease his grief. The painting of his son soon became his most prized possession, far eclipsing any interest in the pieces for which museums around the world clamored. He told his neighbors it was the greatest gift he had ever received.
10 The following spring, the old man became ill and passed away. The art world was in anticipation, that with the collector's passing, and his only son dead, those paintings would be sold at auction. According to the will of the old man, all of the art
works would be auctioned on Christmas Day, the day he had received the greatest gift.
11 The day soon arrived and art collectors from around the world gathered to bid on some of the world's most spectacular paintings. Dreams would be fulfilled this day; greatness would be achieved as many would hope to claim, "I have the greatest collection."
12 The auction began with a painting that was not on any museum's list. It was the painting of the old man's son. The auctioneer asked for an opening bid, but the room was silent.
13 "Who will open the bidding with $100?" he asked. Minutes passed, and no one spoke. From the back of the room came a voice, "Who cares about that painting? It's just a picture of his son." "Let's forget about it and move on to the good stuff," more voices echoed in agreement.
14 "No, we have to sell this one first," replied the auctioneer. "Now, who will take the son?"
15 Finally, a neighbor of the old man spoke. "Will you take ten dollars for the painting? That's all I have. I knew the boy, so I'd like to have it." "I have ten dollars. Will anyone go higher?" called the auctioneer. After more silence, the auctioneer said, "Going once, going twice, gone." The gavel fell.
16 Cheers filled the room and someone exclaimed, "Now we can get on with it and we can bid on the real treasures!" The auctioneer looked at the audience and announced that the auction was over.
17 Stunned disbelief quieted the room. Someone spoke up and asked, "What do you mean, it's over? We didn't come here for a picture of some old guy's son. What about all of these paintings? There are millions of dollars worth of art here! I demand that you explain what is going on!"
18 The auctioneer replied, "It's very simple. According to the will of the father, whoever takes the son...gets it all."
艺术品收藏家
1 许多年前，有位富翁，他和爱子都非常热爱艺术品收藏。他们一起周游世界，只收藏最好的艺术珍品。他们家的墙壁上装点着毕加索，凡·高，莫奈以及其他许多艺术名家的无价珍品。这位丧偶的老人看着自己唯一的儿子逐渐成长为经验丰富的艺术品收藏家，感到无比欣慰。在他们与世界各地的艺术品收藏者打交道时，儿子老练的眼光、敏捷的商业头脑，使父亲无比欣喜，倍感骄傲。
2 冬天来临了，国家陷入了战争之中，年轻的儿子离家去报效祖国。仅过短短几个星期，父亲就收到了一封电报。他心爱的儿子在战斗中失踪了。这位艺术品收藏家焦急地等待更多的消息。他担心再也见不到自己的儿子。几天后，他的担心被证实了，年轻的儿子在送战友赶往战地医院时牺牲了。
3 老人神思恍惚、孤零零地怀着丧子之痛和悲伤面对即将来临的圣诞节。他和儿子曾翘首期盼的这个节日的快乐，