Unit-5-Fourteen-Steps课文翻译综合教程二

Unit5FourteenStepsHalManwaring1Theysayacathasninelives,1andIaminclinedtothinkthatpossiblesinceIamnowlivingmythirdlifeandI’mnotevenacat.Myfirstlifebeganonaclear,colddayinNovember1934,whenIarrivedasthesixthofeightchildrenofafarmingfamily.MyfatherdiedwhenIwas15,andwehadahardstruggletomakealiving.Asthechildrengrewup,theymarried,leavingonlyonesisterandmyselftosupportandcareforMother,whobecameparalyzedinherlastyearsanddiedwhilestillinher60s.Mysistermarriedsoonafter,andIfollowedherexamplewithintheyear.2ThiswaswhenIbegantoenjoymyfirstlife.Iwasveryhappy,inexcellenthealth,andquiteagoodathlete.MywifeandIbecametheparentsoftwolovelygirls.IhadagoodjobinSanJoseandabeautifulhomeupthepeninsulainSanCarlos.Lifewasapleasantdream.Thenthedreamended.Ibecameafflictedwithaslowlyprogressivediseaseofthemotornerves,affectingfirstmyrightarmandleg,andthenmyotherside.Thusbeganmysecondlife…3InspiteofmydiseaseIstilldrovetoandfromworkeachday,withtheaidofspecialequipmentinstalledinmycar.AndImanagedtokeepmyhealthandoptimism,toadegree,becauseof14steps.4Crazy?Notatall.Ourhomewasasplit-levelaffairwith14stepsleadingupfromthegaragetothekitchendoor.Thosestepswereagaugeoflife.Theyweremyyardstick,mychallengetocontinueliving.IfeltthatifthedayarrivedwhenIwasunabletoliftonefootuponestepandthendragtheotherpainfullyafterit—repeatingtheprocess14timesuntil,utterlyspent,Iwouldbethrough—Icouldthenadmitdefeatandliedownanddie.2SoIkeptonworking,keptonclimbingthosesteps.Andtimepassed.Thegirlswenttocollegeandwerehappilymarried,andmywifeandIwerealoneinourbeautifulhomewiththe14steps.5Youmightthinkthatherewalkedamanofcourageandstrength.Notso.Herehobbledabitterlydisillusionedcripple,amanwhoheldontohissanityandhiswifeandhishomeandhisjobbecauseof14miserablestepsleadinguptothebackdoorfromhisgarage.3AsIbecameolder,Ibecamemoredisillusionedandfrustrated.6ThenonadarknightinAugust,1971,Ibeganmythirdlife.ItwasrainingwhenIstartedhomethatnight;gustywindsandslashingrainbeatdownonthecarasIdroveslowlydownoneoftheless-traveledroads.4Suddenlythesteeringwheeljerkedinmyhandsandthecarswervedviolentlytotheright.InthesameinstantIheardthedreadedbangofablowout.Ifoughtthecartostopontherain-slickshoulderoftheroadandsatthereastheenormityofthesituationsweptoverme.5Itwasimpossibleformetochangethattire!Utterlyimpossible!Athoughtthatapassingmotoristmightstopwasdismissedatonce.Whyshouldanyone?IknewIwouldn’t!ThenIrememberedthatashortdistanceupalittlesideroadwasahouse.Istartedtheengineandthumpedslowlyalong,keepingwelloverontheshoulderuntilIcametothedirtroad,whereIturnedin—thankfully.LightedwindowswelcomedmetothehouseandIpulledintothedrivewayandhonkedthehorn.7Thedooropenedandalittlegirlstoodthere,peeringatme.IrolleddownthewindowandcalledoutthatIhadaflattireandneededsomeonetochangeitformebecauseIhadacrutchandcouldn’tdoitmyself.Shewentintothehouseandamomentlatercameoutbundledinraincoatandhat,followedbyamanwhocalledacheerfulgreeting.Isattherecomfortableanddry,andfeltabitsorryforthemanandthelittlegirlworkingsohardinthestorm.Well,Iwouldpaythemforit.Therainseemedtobeslackeningabitnow,andIrolleddownthewindowallthewaytowatch.ItseemedtomethattheywereawfullyslowandIwasbeginningtobecomeimpatient.Iheardtheclankofmetalfromthebackofthecarandthelittlegirl’svoicecameclearlytome.“Here’sthejack-handle,Grandpa.”Shewasansweredbythemurmuroftheman’slowervoiceandtheslowtiltingofthecarasitwasjackedup.6Therefollowedalongintervalofnoises,joltsandlowconversationfromthebackofthecar,butfinallyitwasdone.Ifeltthecarbumpasthejackwasremoved,andIheardtheslamofthetrucklid,andthentheywerestandingatmycarwindow.8Hewasanoldman,stoopedandfrail-lookingunderhisslicker.Thelittlegirlwasabouteightorten,Ijudged,withamerryfaceandawidesmileasshelookedupatme.Hesaid,“Thisisabadnightforcartrouble,butyou’reallsetnow.”“Thanks,”Isaid.“HowmuchdoIoweyou?”Heshookhishead.“Nothing.Cynthiatoldmeyouwereacripple—oncrutches.Gladtobeofhelp.Iknowyou’ddothesameforme.There’snocharge,friend.”Iheldoutafive-dollarbill.“No!Iliketopaymyway.”Hemadenoefforttotakeitandthelittlegirlsteppedclosertothewindowandsaidquietly,“Grandpacan’tseeit.”9InthenextfewfrozensecondstheshameandhorrorofthatmomentpenetratedandIwassickwithanintensityIhadneverfeltbefore.7Ablindmanandachild!Fumbling,feelingwithcold,wetfingersforboltsandtoolsinthedark—adarknessthatforhimwouldprobablyneverenduntildeath.Idon’trememberhowlongIsatthereaftertheysaidgoodnightandleftme,butitwaslongenoughformetosearchdeepwithinmyselfandfindsomedisturbingtraits.IrealizedthatIwasfilledtooverflowingwithself-pity,selfishness,indifferencetotheneedsofothersandthoughtlessness.8Isatthereandsaidaprayer.10“Thereforeallthingswhatsoeveryewouldthatmenshoulddotoyou,doyeevensotothem:forthisisthelawandtheprophets.”9Tomenow,monthslater,thisScripturaladmonitionismorethanjustapassageintheBible.Itisawayoflife,onethatIamtryingtofollow.Itisn’talwayseasy.Sometimesitisfrustrating,sometimesexpensiveinbothtimeandmoney,butthevalueisthere.Iamtryingnownotonlytoclimb14stepseachday,butinmysmallwaytohelpothers.Someday,perhaps,Iwillchangeatireforablindmani