不,我愛的人是你雙語(yǔ)閱讀
不,我愛的人是你雙語(yǔ)閱讀
下面是學(xué)習(xí)啦小編整理的雙語(yǔ)美文:不,我愛的人是你,歡迎大家閱讀!
A Legend of Love “不,我愛的人是你!”
If love does not know how to give and take without restrictions,it is not love,but a transaction. — Emma Goldman
如果愛不是自然而然地付出與獲得,那它就不是愛,而只是一種交易。 ——艾瑪•高曼
Edward Wellman bade good-bye to his family in the old country headed for a better life inAmerica. Papa handed him the family’s savings hidden in a leather satchel. “Times aredesperate here,” he said, hugging his son goodbye. “You are our hope.”
Edward boarded the Atlantic freighter offering free transport to young men willing toshovel coal in return for the month-long journey. If Edward struck gold in the Colorado Rockies,the rest of the family could eventually join him.
For months, Edward worked his claim tirelessly, and the small vein of gold provided amoderate but steady income. At the end of each day, as he walked through the door of histwo-room cabin, he yearned for the woman he loved to greet him. Leaving Ingrid behind beforehe could officially court her had been his only regret in accepting this American adventure.Their families had been friends for years and for as long as he could remember; he had secretlyhoped to make Ingrid his wife. Her long, flowing hair and radiant smile made her the mostbeautiful of the Henderson sisters. He had just begun sitting by her at church picnics andmaking up silly reasons to stop by her house, just so he could see her. As he went to sleep inhis cabin each night, Edward longed to stroke her auburn hair and hold her in his arms. Finally,he wrote to Papa, asking him to help make this dream come true.
After nearly a year, a telegraph came with a plan to make his life complete. Mr. Hendersonhad agreed to send his daughter to Edward in America. Because she was a hardworking youngwoman with a good mind for business, she would work alongside Edward for a year to help themining business grow. By then both families could afford to come to America for their wedding.
Edward’s heart soared with joy as he spent the next month trying to make the cabin into ahome. He bought a cot for him to sleep on in the living area and tried to make his formerbedroom suitable for a woman. Floral cloth from flour sacks replaced the burlap-bag curtainscovering the grimy window. He arranged dried sage from the meadow into a tincan vase onthe nightstand.
At last, the day he had been waiting for his whole life arrived. With a bouquet of fresh-picked daisies in hand, he left for the train depot. Steam billowed and wheels screeched as thetrain crawled to a stop. Edward scanned every window looking for Ingrid’s glowing hair andsmile.
His heart beat with eager anticipation, then stopped with a sinking thud. Not Ingrid, buther older sister Marta, stepped down from the train. She stood shyly before him, her eyes castdown.
Edward only stared - dumbfounded. Then with shaking hands he offered Marta thebouquet. “Welcome,” he whispered, his eyes burning. A smile etched across her plain face.
“I was pleased when Papa said you sent for me,” Marta said, looking into his eyes briefly,before dropping her head again.
“I’ll get your bags, “Edward said with a fake smile. Together they headed for the buggy.
Mr. Henderson and Papa were right. Marta did have a great grasp of business. While Edwardworked the mine, she worked the office. From her makeshift desk in one corner of the livingarea, she kept detailed records of all claim activity. Within six months, their assets doubled.
Her delicious meals and quiet smile graced the cabin with a wonderful woman’s touch. Butthe wrong woman, Edward mourned as he collapsed onto his cot each night. Why did they sendMarta? Would he ever see Ingrid again? Was his lifelong dream to have her as his wifeforsaken?
For a year, Marta and Edward worked and played and laughed, but never loved. Once, Martahad kissed Edward on the cheek before retiring to her room. He only smiled awkwardly. Fromthen on, she seemed content with their exhilarating hikes in the mountains and long talks onthe porch after suppers.
One spring afternoon, torrential rains washed down the hillside, eroding the entrance totheir mine. Furiously, Edward filled sand bags and stacked them in the water’s path. Soaked andexhausted, his frantic efforts seemed futile. Suddenly there was Marta at his side holding thenext burlap bag open. Edward shoveled sand inside, then with the strength of any man, Martahurled it onto the pile and opened another bag… For hours they worked, knee-deep in mud,until the rains diminished.
Hand in hand, they walked back to the cabin. Over warm soup Edward sighed, “I never couldhave saved the mine without you. Thank you, Marta.”
“You’re welcome,” she answered with her usual smile, then went quietly to her room.
A few days later, a telegraph came announcing the arrival of the Henderson and Wellmanfamilies next week. As much as he tried to stifle it, the thought of seeing Ingrid again startedEdward’s heart beating in the old familiar way.
Together, he and Marta went to the train station. They watched as their families exited thetrain at the far end of the platform. When Ingrid appeared, Marta turned to Edward. “Go toher,” she said.
Astonished, Edward stammered, “What do you mean?”
“Edward, I have always known I was not the Henderson girl you intended to send for. I hadwatched you flirt with Ingrid at the church picnics.” She nodded toward her sister descendingthe train steps. “I know it is she, not me, you desire for your wife.” “But ...”
Marta placed her fingers over his lips. “Shhh,” she hushed him. “I do love you, Edward. Ialways have. And because of that, all I really want is your happiness. Go to her.”
He took her hand from his face and held it. As she gazed up at him, he saw for the first timehow very beautiful she was. He recalled their walks in the meadows, their quiet evenings beforethe fire, her working beside him with the sandbags. It was then he realized what he had knownfor months.
“No, Marta. It is you I want.” Sweeping her into his arms, he kissed her with all the love burstinginside him. Their families gathered around them chorusing, “We are here for the wedding!”
愛德華•威爾曼就要告別家人、移民美國(guó)去尋求更美好的生活了。爸爸把家里所有的積蓄藏在一個(gè)小皮包里交給了他。“你知道,我們這兒的情況越來(lái)越糟了,日子越來(lái)越不好過(guò)了,”爸爸擁抱著愛德華,叮囑道:“你是我們?nèi)业南M?”
愛德華搭上了一艘大西洋貨船,貨船專門為愿意無(wú)償為貨船鏟煤的年輕人提供一個(gè)月的免費(fèi)旅行。如果愛德華能夠在美國(guó)科羅拉多州的落基山脈淘到黃金,那么,他的家人們就能夠到美國(guó)和他團(tuán)聚了。
經(jīng)過(guò)幾個(gè)月不知疲倦地工作,愛德華終于找到了一個(gè)小型的金礦,他開始有了一些收入,雖然不多,但是很穩(wěn)定。每天晚上,當(dāng)勞累了一天的他走進(jìn)他那有兩個(gè)房間的小木屋的門的時(shí)候,他多么希望他鐘愛的女人能在門口迎接他的歸來(lái)啊!直到如今,他惟一感到遺憾的仍舊是在他決定離開英格里德前來(lái)美國(guó)開創(chuàng)事業(yè)之前沒能正式向她求婚。他家和英格里德家是多年的世交,至少?gòu)挠浭乱詠?lái)就是。而英格里德是漢德森姐妹中最漂亮的一個(gè),她那一頭長(zhǎng)長(zhǎng)的、宛如流云飛瀑一般的秀發(fā)是那么地瀟灑飄逸;她那燦爛而又甜美的微笑是那么地令人心醉神迷……他一直都默默地愛著英格里德,期盼著有朝一日能夠娶她為妻。記得他很小的時(shí)候,就喜歡和英格里德在一起玩,即使是在教堂野餐時(shí),他也是從一開始就坐在她的旁邊,并且,他還總是找一些愚蠢的理由到她家里去拜訪,這樣一來(lái),他就能夠見到她了。如今,每天晚上,當(dāng)他回到他的小木屋,開始睡覺的時(shí)候,他總是渴望能夠輕撫著英格里德那赤褐色的長(zhǎng)發(fā),與她相擁而眠。終于,他再也無(wú)法忍受這相思之苦,提筆給他的爸爸寫了一封信,求他幫助他實(shí)現(xiàn)他的夢(mèng)想。
在經(jīng)歷了將近一年的漫長(zhǎng)期待之后,終于,一封寫著使他的生活更加完美的計(jì)劃的電報(bào)飛到了他的身邊。漢德森先生已經(jīng)同意讓他的女兒到美國(guó)來(lái)找愛德華了。由于她很有商業(yè)頭腦,而且又能吃苦耐勞,所以,她將在愛德華的身邊工作一年,幫助他料理金礦的事務(wù),以使金礦的生意不斷發(fā)展。到那時(shí),他們兩家就可以一起來(lái)美國(guó)參加他們的婚禮了。
愛德華高興極了,心也仿佛要飛出胸膛一樣。他花了一個(gè)月的時(shí)間,想盡一切辦法將他的小木屋改造成了一個(gè)“家”。他買了一張輕便小床,放在起居室里留自己睡覺,而把他原本睡覺的房間改造成一間適合女人居住的臥室。他用從面粉袋子上剪下來(lái)的花布做成窗簾,換下了原來(lái)掛在骯臟不堪的窗戶上的粗麻布口袋。他還從牧場(chǎng)里采摘來(lái)干的山艾,插在錫罐里,擺在床頭柜上。
終于,他生命里一直在期待的那天來(lái)到了。他采來(lái)一束新鮮的雛菊,拿在手里,前往火車站迎接心上人的到來(lái)。當(dāng)火車噴著蒸汽,車輪發(fā)出刺耳的尖叫聲徐徐駛進(jìn)車站的時(shí)候,愛德華懷著激動(dòng)的心情翹首向每一扇車窗里張望著,期待著能再見到英格里德那長(zhǎng)長(zhǎng)的秀發(fā)和迷人的微笑。
想著馬上就要見到最心愛的女孩了,因此,他興奮,他激動(dòng),他的心在劇烈地跳動(dòng)著。但是,不久,那顆充滿渴望的心就一下子跌落到了最底處。因?yàn)椋谒难矍?,正走下火車的不是英格里德,而是她的姐姐瑪?她羞答答地站在他面前,頭也不敢抬,眼睛注視著地面。
愛德華簡(jiǎn)直就不敢相信自己的眼睛――他大惑不解地站在那里,啞口無(wú)言。良久,他才顫抖著手把花遞給瑪塔。“歡迎你,”他輕聲說(shuō)道,眼睛仿佛被灼燒一樣難受。這時(shí),瑪塔的那平平常常的臉上掠過(guò)了一絲微笑。
“當(dāng)爸爸告訴我說(shuō)你希望我能來(lái)美國(guó)的時(shí)候,我真是高興極了,”瑪塔看著他的眼睛,羞澀地說(shuō),說(shuō)完,就又低下了頭。
“我來(lái)替你拿行李吧,”愛德華勉強(qiáng)地?cái)D出一絲笑容說(shuō)。然后,他們一起向馬車走去。
漢德森先生和爸爸說(shuō)的沒錯(cuò),瑪塔的確具有很強(qiáng)的商業(yè)頭腦。當(dāng)愛德華在金礦工作的時(shí)候,她則在辦公室里料理各方面的事務(wù)。在起居室的一個(gè)角落里,她臨時(shí)找了一張代用的辦公桌,并把所有顧客提出的要求都逐條記錄了下來(lái)。在半年的時(shí)間里,他們的資產(chǎn)翻了一番。
不僅如此,她還有一手精湛的廚藝,每天都能讓愛德華吃上可口的飯菜,還有她每天在門口迎接他歸來(lái)時(shí)那恬靜的微笑,這一切都使他的小木屋里有了一絲美好的女人的氣息。“但是,她并不是我想要的女人啊,”每天晚上,當(dāng)他拖著疲憊不堪的身體倒在他的輕便小床上時(shí),他總是會(huì)憂傷難過(guò)地想,“他們?yōu)槭裁醋尙斔?lái)?我是不是再也見不到英格里德了?我要娶英格里德為妻的終生的夢(mèng)想是不是實(shí)現(xiàn)不了了?”
轉(zhuǎn)眼,一年過(guò)去了。在這一年里,瑪塔和愛德華一起生活,一起工作,一起玩樂(lè),一起歡笑,但是,他們之間卻從來(lái)不曾有過(guò)愛情。有一次,在回自己的房間之前,瑪塔在愛德華的臉頰上輕輕地吻了一下。雖然,愛德華只是很笨拙地笑了笑,然而,就是從那時(shí)起,他們之間的任何一次愉快的爬山、旅行,或者是晚飯后坐在走廊里的促膝長(zhǎng)談,似乎都讓瑪塔感到非常滿足。
一個(gè)春日的午后,天空中突然下起了傾盆大雨,雨水形成的山洪猛烈地沖下山坡,把他們的金礦的入口沖垮了。眼看著自己的金礦即將毀于一旦,愛德華心里非常焦急,非常惱怒。他把沙袋堆積在一起,企圖阻擋住水流。盡管他已經(jīng)渾身濕透,且筋疲力盡,但是,他的努力好像沒有起到一點(diǎn)兒作用。就在這時(shí),突然,瑪塔來(lái)到了他的身邊,打開了一個(gè)粗麻布袋,示意愛德華向里面裝沙子。愛德華先是一愣,繼而奮力揮動(dòng)鐵锨,把沙子裝進(jìn)了粗麻布袋。然后,瑪塔竟像一個(gè)男人一樣,用力扛起沙袋,把它扔進(jìn)那一堆沙袋之中,接著,她又拿起了另一只粗麻布袋……他們一起在雨中奮戰(zhàn)了好幾個(gè)小時(shí),直到雨停。其實(shí),他們的膝蓋都已經(jīng)深陷淤泥之中了……
然后,他們拖著疲憊的身體,手拉著手回到了小木屋。喝過(guò)一碗熱湯之后,愛德華感慨地說(shuō):“如果沒有你,我根本保不住金礦。謝謝你,瑪塔。”
“不用謝,”她答道,臉上依舊蕩漾著與往常一樣的笑容,然后,她默默地走進(jìn)自己的房間里。
幾天之后,一封來(lái)自家鄉(xiāng)的電報(bào)又飛到了愛德華的手上。電報(bào)給他帶來(lái)了一個(gè)驚人的好消息:漢德森和威爾曼兩家將于下星期抵達(dá)美國(guó)。盡管,愛德華竭力控制著自己的喜悅與激動(dòng),但是,再次見到英格里德的喜悅使他的心又像以往那樣劇烈地跳動(dòng)起來(lái)……
轉(zhuǎn)眼,那一天到來(lái)了。愛德華和瑪塔早早來(lái)到了火車站,翹首盼望著。終于,他們看到了自己的家人走下火車,沿著遠(yuǎn)處的月臺(tái)向這邊走來(lái)。英格里德仍像以前一樣秀發(fā)飄逸,笑靨如花。這時(shí),瑪塔轉(zhuǎn)過(guò)身,看著愛德華,說(shuō):“去吧,愛德華。”
愛德華驚訝地看著瑪塔,結(jié)結(jié)巴巴地問(wèn):“你這是什么意思?”
“愛德華,其實(shí)我早就知道我并不是你所希望的來(lái)這里的女孩。我曾經(jīng)看到過(guò)你和英格里德在教堂野餐時(shí)坐在一起談情說(shuō)愛。”瑪塔一邊說(shuō)著,一邊向正走下臺(tái)階的妹妹點(diǎn)點(diǎn)頭,“我知道你想娶的人是她,不是我。”
“但是……”
“噓——”瑪塔把她的手指壓在愛德華的嘴唇上,示意他保持安靜。然后,她深情地說(shuō):“我愛你,愛德華,永遠(yuǎn)都是。正因?yàn)槿绱?,所以,我真誠(chéng)地希望你能幸福??烊ビ铀?。”
這時(shí),愛德華猛地抬起雙臂,雙手抓住了瑪塔壓在他嘴唇上的手,并緊緊地握著,握著?,斔痤^,癡癡地凝視著他。直到此時(shí),愛德華才第一次發(fā)現(xiàn)瑪塔竟是如此的美麗!昔日他們?cè)谝黄鹣嗵幍哪切┣榫按丝逃忠荒灰荒坏卦谒难矍伴W回:清晨的牧場(chǎng)里,他們并肩漫步;火紅的篝火旁,他們促膝談心;滂沱的大雨中,他們攜手奮戰(zhàn)……哦,其實(shí),早在幾個(gè)月以前,他就已經(jīng)意識(shí)到他愛的歸宿了!
“不,瑪塔。我愛的人是你。”說(shuō)著,愛德華將她擁入懷中。此刻,他那積聚在胸中的愛仿佛火山噴發(fā)一樣,恣意地、盡情地宣泄出來(lái),他用他全部的愛,忘情地、狂熱地親吻著她。這時(shí),他們的家人已經(jīng)聚攏到了他們的身旁,齊聲歡呼道:“哦,真是太好了,我們就是來(lái)參加婚禮的!”