第2章 悟人生的真谛
Life Is an Opportunity
Life is an opportunity. A chance to influence someone else's life by your daily example.
I have experienced loss,gain,hope and sorrow. My experiences have made me into the person I am today.Yes,I could wallow in the despair that comes with the loss of a loved one or the failure of a venture,but why choose sorrow when you can choose joy?
When my dear friend and mentor Debbie passed away,my family and I took it very hard. She was a wonderful person,an inspiration to everyone she met.I was devastated when I found out that she had cancer.I prayed,cried,and was very angry for a long time.She should not deserve this！When I went to visit her she looked pale.I did everything I could to hold back my tears.There before me was a beautiful and handsome woman who did so much for so many,as a teacher and a friend.She was obviously in a great deal of pain,but she smiled.I'll never forget it.In her weakness she reached out to me.She chose to have a good outlook on her life.
She chose to be strong. She chose to live,and so do I.
人生是一次机遇
人生是一次机遇。是一次用你的日常典范去影响他人生活的机会。
我曾经历过失败、收获、希望和悲伤。我这些经历使我成了今天这样的人。是的，我可以沉迷在痛失我爱的绝望中或沉迷在冒险的失败中，但在你可以选择快乐时，为什么要去选择悲伤？
我的良师益友黛比去世时，我和家人都很难接受。黛比是一个了不起的人，她鼓舞着每一个遇到的人。发现她患癌症时，我不知所措。我祈祷过，哭泣过，而且愤怒了很长时间。她不该得到这种结局！我去看望她时，她面无血色，我竭尽全力忍住眼泪。我面前的是一位美丽大方的女人，她既是老师又是朋友，为这么多人做了这么多事。显然她剧痛难忍，但她面带微笑。这情景我永远难忘。她虚弱地向我伸出手。她选择快乐地面对生活。
她选择坚强。她选择活下去，我也要这样。
The Three Boxes of Life
A rich man lives in his enormous villa,enjoying the extremely luxurious life.
Every day there are some strangers who take away a couple of boxes from his home. The rich man decided to follow them and came to a mysterious valley.Seeing they were about to throw the three boxes in the abyss,he demanded with surprise，“Please tell me what's in boxes.”
The strangers answered indifferently，“They are the feelings that you have abandoned.”
“No,it's impossible！”The rich man disbelieved them and opened them.
In the first box there was his beloved one walking alone slowly along the beach at night.
His close friend was in the second box. After bankruptcy,his friend was longing for help and consolation from him.
His parents were seen in the third box. They have prepared a table of delicious food for dinner,waiting for him to reunion.
Seeing them,he felt that his heart was lashed by a burning whip full of misery and guilt. He begged the strangers，“Please give them back to me.I have a lot of money.You can take as much as you want！”
However,the strangers told him with a serious look，“It's too late to take them back. The woman you loved never showed up again at charming night；your friend,having endured the long daytime,finally made out the stars with different distance；your parent bought a dog and found love and warmness from it.”
After finishing their words,they threw the three boxes down to the abyss and disappeared.
With a lonely look,the rich man stood there still,gazing at the hollow of the valley in front of him……
人生的三只箱子
富翁住在巨大的别墅里，享受着非常豪华的生活。
每天都有几个陌生人从他家里搬走几只箱子。富翁决定跟踪他们，随后来到了一个神秘的山谷。他看到这些人正准备把三只箱子扔进深渊，便吃惊地问道：“请告诉我，这些箱子里装的是什么。”
陌生人冷冷地回答说：“它们是你抛弃的那些感情。”
“不，这不可能！”富翁不相信他们的话，就打开了那三只箱子。
第一只箱子里装的是他心爱的人夜晚独自在海滩慢慢地走着。
第二只箱子里装的是他的密友。公司破产后，密友渴望富翁的帮助和安慰。
第三只箱子里装的是他的父母亲。他们做了一桌美餐等待他回家团聚。
看完后，他感到心像被火辣辣的鞭子抽打了一般，充满了痛苦和愧疚。他哀求陌生人说：“请把它们还给我吧。我有的是钱，你们要多少都可以拿去！”
然而，陌生人一脸严肃地告诉他说：“太晚了，无法收回了。你爱的女人在迷人的夜晚再也没有出现。你的朋友熬过长长的白天后，终于看清了那些远近不一的星星。你的父母买了一条狗，从它身上找到了爱和温暖。”
说完，陌生人把三只箱子扔下了山谷，就消失了。
富翁神情孤独，站在那里一动不动，凝望着眼前空荡荡的山谷……
The Orientation of Life
In 1957 ，in an Arkansas primary school,there were two good friends：one was named Bill,the other John. Once,they lay basking on the lawn.After drinking a coke,John said to Bill as if he suddenly discovered the New World，“Originally,Roosevelt who led the Americans to win World War II was handicapped！”
“Yes,he is my idol！”Bill said.“His spirit of perseverance is worth studying for us.”
“He is my idol,too！”John said.“I think the most important point of his success is his adversity！”
Later,John stubbornly amputated his legs because he wanted to create the same adversity for himself as Roosevelt and became a great man like Roosevelt. However,he did not become the President of the United States,but only won a medal in the Games for the Disabled.
Bill learned Roosevelt's industrious character and indomitable spirit. Finally,he became master of the White House.His name was Bill Clinton.
人生的定位
1957年，在美国阿肯色州一所小学里有一对好朋友，一个叫比尔，一个叫约翰。一次，两人躺在草坪上晒太阳。约翰喝了一口可乐后，突然像发现新大陆似的对比尔说：“原来带领美国人赢得二战胜利的罗斯福是一个残疾人呀！”
“是的，他是我的偶像！”比尔说，“他做事执着的精神值得我们学习。”
“他也是我的偶像！”约翰说，“我认为他成功的最重要一点是他的不幸！”
后来，约翰固执地锯掉了双腿，因为他想给自己创造一个和罗斯福一样的逆境，成为像罗斯福一样的伟人。不过，他并没有成为总统，只是在一届残疾人运动会上拿到了一枚奖牌。
比尔则学习罗斯福刻苦勤奋的品格和不屈不挠的精神。最后，他成了美国白宫的主人。他的名字叫比尔·克林顿。
The Philosophy of a Mirror
“Dr. Papaderos,what is the meaning of life?”I asked.
Papaderos looked at me for a long time,and taking his wallet out of his hip pocket,he fished into a leather billfold and brought out a very small round mirror,about the size of a quarter.
And what he said went like this，“When I was a small child,during the war,we were very poor living in a remote village. One day,on the road,I found the broken pieces of a mirror.A German motorcycle had been wrecked in that place.
“I tried to find all the pieces and put them together,but it was not possible,so I kept only the largest piece. By polishing it on a stone,I made it round.I began to play with it as a toy and became fascinated by the fact that I could reflect light into dark places where the sun would never shine—in deep holes and crevices and dark closets.It became a game for me to get light into the most inaccessible places I could find.
“As I became a man,I grew to understand that this was not just a child's game but a metaphor for what I might do with my life. I came to understand that I am not the light or the source of light.But light—truth,understanding,knowledge—is there,and it will shine in many dark places as long as I reflect it.
“I am a fragment of a mirror whose whole design and shape I do not know. Nevertheless,with what I have I can reflect light into the dark places of this world—into the black places in the hearts of men—and change some things in some people.Perhaps others may see and do likewise.This is what I am about.This is the meaning of life.”
一面镜子的人生哲理
“帕帕德罗斯博士，人生的意义是什么？”我问。
帕帕德罗斯看了我好一阵子，然后从裤子后面的口袋里掏出一只皮夹，拿出了一块非常小的圆镜，大概有25分硬币大小。
随后，他这样说道：“战争期间，我还很小的时候，我们很穷，住在一个偏僻的村里。有一天，我在路上发现了一块镜子的那些碎片，是一辆德国摩托车在那个地方发生了事故。
“我设法找到所有的碎片，把它们拼在一起，但那不可能做到，所以我只保留了最大的那块碎片。我在一块石头上打磨，使它变圆。我开始把它当玩具玩，渐渐着迷，发现自己可以用它把光线反射到太阳永远照不到的暗处：深洞、裂缝和黑暗的壁橱。这渐渐成了我的一种游戏，把光线照到我能找到的那些最难接近的地方。
“随着我渐渐长大，我慢慢明白了这不只是一个孩子的游戏，而且对我的人生是一种象征。我最终明白自己既不是光，也不是光源，但真理、理解和知识这些光就在那里，只要我反射，它就会照亮许多黑暗的地方。
“我是镜子的一块碎片，我并不知道整个镜子的图案和形状。不过，我尽力把光照射到世界上那些黑暗的地方，照射到人们心灵的黑暗处，让一些人有所改变。说不定其他人看到，也会这样做。这就是我的看法，这就是人生的意义。”
The Art of How to Hold Life
The art of life is to know when to hold fast and when to let go. For life is paradox：it gives us many gifts,but eventually it will take them back.Someone said in this way，“A man comes to this world with his fists clenched,but when he dies,his hands are open.”
Surely we ought to hold fast to life,for it is wondrous. We know that this is so,but all too often we recognize this truth only in our backward glance and then suddenly realize that it is no more.
A recent experience re-taught me this truth. Due to a severe heart attack I was hospitalized for several days.
One morning I had to have some additional tests,so I had to be wheeled across the courtyard. As we emerged from our ward,the sunlight hit me.I looked to see whether anyone else relished the sun's golden glow,but everyone was hurrying to and fro,most with eyes fixed on the ground.Then I remembered how often I,too,had been indifferent to the grandeur of each day.
So we should be reverent before each dawning day. Embrace each hour.Seize each minute.
Hold fast to life,but not so fast that you cannot let go. This is the second side of life's coin,the opposite pole of its paradox：we must accept our losses,and learn how to let go.
At every stage of life we sustain losses and grow in the process.
把握人生的艺术
生活的艺术是知道何时抓紧、何时放手。因为生活自相矛盾：它赐给我们很多礼物，但最终会一一收回。有人这样说道：“人紧握拳头来到世间，离世时却两手张开。”
的确，我们应该紧紧抓住生活，因为生活非常精彩。尽管我们知道如此，但我们常常是在回首的那一刻才认识到这个真理，随后突然明白一切都不复存在。
最近的一次经历又教给了我这个真理。由于严重心脏病，我住院治疗了好几天。
一天早上，我必须做一些额外的体检，所以必须坐轮椅穿过院子。我们刚一出病房，阳光就照在了我身上。我看了看周围，看其他人是不是也喜欢太阳的金色光芒，但每个人都来去匆匆，大部分人眼睛盯着地面。随后，我想起了自己平时对每天的壮观景象也是无动于衷。
所以，我们要虔诚地对待每个黎明，拥抱每个小时，抓住每一分钟。
紧紧抓住生命，但不能抓得太紧而无法放手。这就是生活的另一面，也是生活矛盾体的另一面：我们必须接受失去、学会放手。
在生命的每个阶段，我们既忍受失去，又在这个过程中成长。
The Law of Life Grandma Taught Me
Two years ago my grandma left this earth. It wasn't until she died that I truly recognized how much she meant to me.She was my friend,my teacher and my inspiration.She taught me things that became my own personal laws of life,which have helped me get through each day with a smile,have made me aware of my strong points as well as my weaknesses,and helped me overcome those weaknesses.They are true lessons to live by,and I hope I will never forget them.
As we each let our own light shine,through our talents and ideas,we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. Just think about what our world could be like if each and every one of us let our own light shine through.I think it would be a better place.
One lesson my grandma taught me was to always go for my dreams and never give up. She once told me，“Shoot for the moon because even if you fall,you'll land among the stars.”
I have never heard anything truer in all my life. I have tried to live by these words,and have figured out that it is very important to go for your dreams and never let anything get in your way.Even if you have had a bitter experience in the past,never limit your view of life by that experience.I believe that life is constantly testing our commitment,and I am convinced life's greatest rewards are reserved for those who show a never-ending commitment to act until they achieve.This kind of determination can accomplish miracles,but it must be continual and consistent.Simple as this may sound,it is still the common denominator separating those who live their dreams from those that live in regret.
Another great lesson my grandma taught me was，“Never let anyone come to you without coming away better and happier.”Everyone should see goodness in your face,in your eyes,in your smile. Too often we underestimate the power of such things：a touch,a smile,a kind word,a listening ear,an honest compliment,or even the smallest act of caring.All have the potential to turn a life around.
My grandma is no longer present here on earth,but she will always remain present in my heart. Her words and personality have affected my life.Her lessons on life have become a part of me,and have made me a better person.I will never forget the great love my grandma shared with everyone.She is my idol.My grandma's laws of life will live in me forever.
奶奶教给我的人生准则
两年前，奶奶离开了这个世界。她去世后，我才真正认识到，她对我有多么重要。她是我的朋友、我的老师和我的灵感。她教给我的东西渐渐成了我个人生活的准则。这些准则帮助我微笑度过每一天，使我认识到自己的优点与缺点，并帮助我克服那些弱点。它们是我赖以为生的真正训诫，我希望自己永远不要忘记它们。
当我们各自通过自己的才能和思想让自己发光时，我们无意中就同意别人也这样做。试想一下，如果每个人都让自己的光照亮别人，我们的世界会是什么景象。我想那会是一个更加美好的地方。
奶奶教给我的一个训诫是，要永远追逐自己的梦想、绝不放弃。她曾告诉我说：“争取摘到月亮，因为即使你坠落，也会落在群星间。”
我一生从来没有听过比这更真实的事情。我努力按照这些话去生活，而且明白这对追逐梦想非常重要，永远不要让任何事情阻挡你的道路。即使过去曾有过惨痛经历，也永远不要让那种经历限制自己的人生观。我相信，生活总在考验我们的责任感，而且我确信，生活最大的奖赏就是为那些不懈奋斗，直至成功的人而准备。这种决心可以成就奇迹，但必须始终如一。尽管这听起来可能简单，但仍是区分追逐梦想者和懊悔过去者的共同点。
奶奶教给我的又一大训诫是：“离开时不能给人留下更幸福、更美好的印象，千万不要让任何人到你身边来。”每个人都应该从你的脸上、你的眼里和你的微笑中看到善意。我们常常会低估一次抚摸、一个微笑、一句善言、一只倾听的耳朵、一声真诚的赞美甚或最小的一个关爱之举这些东西的力量。所有这些都有转变人生的可能。
尽管奶奶已不在人世，但她会永远活在我的心里。她的话语和人格魅力已经影响了我的人生。她对人生的训诫已经成为我的一部分，使我更加出色。我永远不会忘记奶奶和每个人分享的大爱。她是我的偶像，奶奶的人生准则将永远活在我的心里。
The Best Time of My Life
It was June 15 ，and in two days I would be turning thirty. I was insecure about entering a new decade of my life and feared that my best years were now behind me.
My daily routine included going to the gym for a workout before going to work. Every morning I would see my friend Nicholas at the gym.He was seventy-nine years old and in terrific shape.As I greeted Nicholas on this particular day,he noticed I wasn't full of my usual vitality and asked if there was anything wrong.I told him I was feeling anxious about turning thirty.I wondered how I would look back on my life once I reached Nicholas's age,so I asked him，“What was the best time of your life?”
Without hesitation,Nicholas replied，“Well,Joe,this is my philosophical answer to your philosophical question.
“When I was a child in Austria and everything was taken care of for me and I was nurtured by my parents,that was the best time of my life.
“When I was going to school and learning the things I know today,that was the best time of my life.
“When I got my first job and had responsibilities and got paid for my efforts,that was the best time of my life.
“When I met my wife and fell in love,that was the best time of my life.
“The Second World War came,my wife and I had to flee Austria to save our lives. When we were together and safe on a ship bound for North America,it was the best time of my life.
“When we came to Canada and started a family,that was the best time of my life.
“When I was a young father,watching my children grow up,that was the best time of my life.
“And now,Joe,I am seventy-nine years old. I have my health,I feel good and I am in love with my wife just as I was when we first met.This is the best time of my life.”
我一生中最好的时光
那天是6月15日，再过两天我就要30岁了。我对要进入生命中又一个新的10年没有把握，害怕自己最好的时光现在就会远去。
我每天上班前都要去体育馆锻炼一会儿。每天早上，我都会在体育馆见到我的朋友尼古拉斯。他79岁了，身材特棒。那天我跟他打招呼时，他注意到我不像往常那样充满活力，便问我是不是有什么不舒服。我对他说我对自己快要30岁感到担忧。我不知道自己到了尼古拉斯的岁数会怎么回顾一生，就问他：“你一生中最好的时光是什么时候？”
尼古拉斯毫不犹豫地回答说：“噢，乔，这是我对你的哲理问题做出的哲理回答。
“小时候我在奥地利时，一切都被照顾得很好，我被父母抚养成人，那是我一生中最好的时光。
“我上学时学会了我现在熟悉的那些事情，那是我一生中最好的时光。
“我找到第一份工作，承担职责并因努力而拿到报酬时，那是我一生中最好的时光。
“当我遇到妻子并坠入爱河时，那是我一生中最好的时光。
“二次大战来临，我和妻子为了活命，不得不逃离奥地利。当我们一起平安坐上驶向北美洲的一艘轮船时，那是我一生中最好的时光。
“当我们来到加拿大建立家庭时，那是一生中最好的时光。
“当我成了一位年轻的父亲，看着自己的孩子长大时，那是我一生中最好的时光。
“而现在，乔，我都79岁了。我身体健康，感觉良好，和我们初次相遇时一样爱我的妻子。这是我一生中最好的时光。”
The Inquiry of Life
During my junior year in high school,Mr. Reynolds,my English teacher,handed each student a list of thoughts or statements written by other students,then gave us a creative writing assignment based on one of those thoughts.
At 17 ，I was beginning to wonder about many things,so I chose the statement，“I wonder why things are the way they are?”That night,I wrote down in the form of a story all the questions that puzzled me about life. I realized that many of them were hard to answer,and perhaps others could not be answered at all.
When I turned in my paper,I was afraid that I might fail the assignment because I had not answered the question，“I wonder why things are the way they are?”I had no answers. I had only written questions.
The next day Mr. Reynolds called me to the front of the class and asked me to read my story for the other students.He handed me my paper and sat down in the back of the room.The class became quiet as I began to read my story：
Mommy,Daddy……Why?
Mommy,why are the roses red?
Mommy,why is the grass green and the sky blue?
Why does a spider have a web and not a house?
Daddy,why can't I play in your toolbox?
Teacher,why do I have to read?
Mother,why can't I wear lipstick to the dance?
Daddy,why can't I stay out until 12 :00?The other kids can.
Mother,why do you hate me?
Daddy,why don't the boys like me?
Why do I have to be so skinny?
Why do I have braces and wear glasses?
Why do I have to be 16 ?
Mom,why do I have to graduate?
Dad,why do I have to grow up?
Mom,Dad,why do I have to leave?
Mom,why don't you write more often?
Dad,why do I miss my old friends?
Dad,why do you love me so much?
Dad,why do you spoil me?
Your little girl is growing up.
Mom,why don't you visit me?
Mom,why is it hard to make new friends?
Dad,why do I miss being at home?
Dad,why does my heart skip a beat when he looks in my eyes?
Mom,why do my legs tremble when I hear his voice?
Mother,why is being“in love”the greatest feeling in the world?
Daddy,why don't you like to be called“Gramps”?
Mother,why do my baby's tiny fingers cling so tightly to mine?
Mother,why do they have to grow up?
Daddy,why do they have to leave?
Why do I have to be called“Grannie”?
Mommy,Daddy,why did you leave me?I need you.
Why did my youth slip past me?
Why does my face show every smile that I have ever given to a friend or a stranger?
Why does my hair glisten shiny silver?
Why do my hands quiver when I bend to pick a flower?
Why are the roses red?
At the conclusion of my story,my eyes locked with Mr. Reynolds'eyes,and I saw a tear slowly sliding down his cheek.It was then that I realized that life is not always based on the answers we receive,but also on the questions that we ask.
人生的疑问
我上初中时，英语老师雷诺先生给每位同学发了一个其他同学写的各种想法或说法的清单。随后，他要我们据此写一篇有创意的作文。
17岁的我对很多事都想知道，所以就选了“我想知道为什么事情是这样？”这个题目。那天晚上，我以故事形式写下了我对人生的所有困惑。我知道很多问题很难回答，也许有些问题根本无法回答。
交过作文后，我担心作业可能过不了关，因为我没有回答“我想知道为什么事情是这样？”这个问题。我找不到答案，只写出了问题。
第二天，雷诺先生让我到堂前，让我把自己的作文念给其他同学听。他把我的作业递给我，在教室后面坐下来。我开始念自己的故事时，全班鸦雀无声：
妈妈、爸爸……为什么？
妈妈，为什么玫瑰是红的？
妈妈，为什么草是绿的、天是蓝的？
为什么蜘蛛有网、没有房？
爸爸，为什么我不能在你的工具箱里玩耍？
老师，为什么我得读书？
妈妈，为什么我不能抹口红参加舞会？
爸爸，为什么我不能在外面待到12点？别的小孩都可以。
妈妈，为什么你讨厌我？
爸爸，为什么男生不喜欢我？
为什么我得那样骨感？
为什么我要系背带、戴眼镜？
为什么我得过16岁？
妈，为什么我得毕业？
爸，为什么我得长大？
妈，爸，为什么我得离开家？
妈，为什么您不常写信来？
爸，为什么我想老朋友？
爸，为什么您这样爱我？
爸，为什么您这样宠我？
您的小女儿渐渐长大。
妈，为什么您不来看我？
妈，为什么交新朋友这样难？
爸，为什么我想在家的日子？
爸，为什么每次他看着我的眼睛时我就怦然心动？
妈，为什么听到他的声音我就双腿打战？
妈妈，为什么“堕入爱河”是世界上最美妙的感觉？
爸爸，为什么您不喜欢有人叫您“外公”？
妈妈，为什么我宝宝的小手指那样紧地抓住我的手？
妈妈，为什么他们得长大？
爸爸，为什么他们得离开家？
为什么要有人叫我“奶奶”？
妈妈、爸爸，为什么你们要离我而去？我需要你们呀！
为什么我的青春悄悄从我的身边溜走？
为什么我要对朋友和陌生人面带微笑？
为什么我的头发银光闪闪？
为什么我弯腰摘花时双手颤抖？
为什么玫瑰是红的？
我念完故事，望着雷诺先生，雷诺先生也望着我。我看到一颗泪珠正慢慢地滑过他的脸颊。就在那时，我意识到，生活并不总是以我们得到的答案为基础，而且也以我们提出的问题为基础。
First Change Yourself
A man hired a taxi outside the airfield. The cab had a woolen carpet with brilliant laces.On the grass partition that shielded the driver's seat was a replica of a famous painting.Its windows were all clean.
The passenger was surprised very much and said to the driver，“I've never seen a nicer cab.”
“Thank you for your praise，”the driver answered smilingly.
“How did it occur to you to decorate your car?”asked the passenger.
“The car isn't mine，”said the driver.“It belongs to the company. I used to be a cleaner of cabs.When they returned,all of them were as dirty as garbage cans with cigarette butts and rubbish scattered here and there.On the seats and door-handles could be found something sticky like peanut sauce or chewing gum.Why so?I thought if the car itself were very clean,the passengers would mostly likely be considerate and refrain from littering.
“So when I got a license to be a taxi-driver,I began to put my idea into practice-to tidy and decorate the car. Now before a new passenger gets on my car,I'd make a check and be sure it is in good order.When my car returns after a day's work,it always remains spotless.”
When doing a thing,one makes efforts and wants to see the result. To change others,one has to make twice the effort but get half the result.To change oneself is the other way round.One had better ask oneself why one makes demands on others much more than on oneself.If you take enough care to do as best you can for other people's sake,your efforts will yield results.If you look into the inner world of your own,examine yourself and wipe out the dust and dirt,instead of fixing your eyes on other people,you will find a cheerful mood for yourself and create a pleasant environment for others.
改变从自己做起
一个人在机场租了一辆出租车。出租车铺着绣有鲜艳花边的羊毛地毯，保护司机座的玻璃隔板上是一幅名画的复制品，车窗都非常干净。
乘客非常惊讶，对司机说：“我从未见过这样漂亮的出租车。”
“谢谢你的赞扬。”司机笑着回答说。
“你为什么要装饰你的车呢？”乘客问道。
“车不是我的，”他说，“车是公司的。我以前是出租公司的清洁工。每当出租车回来时，都像垃圾桶一样脏，地板上到处都是烟蒂和垃圾，座位上或车门把手上还有花生酱、口香糖之类的粘东西。为什么会这样？我当时想，如果车本身很干净，乘客们十有八九都会体谅我们，不乱扔东西。
“所以，我取得出租车驾驶执照后，就开始把自己的想法付诸行动——收拾并装饰车子。现在每位乘客上车前，我都要检查，确保车子井然有序。经过一天工作，我的车子回公司时仍然一尘不染。”
有人做一件事付出努力，就想看到结果。改变别人是事倍功半，改变自己则事半功倍。一个人最好扪心自问，为什么要求别人的多，要求自己的少。如果你尽最大可能去关心别人的利益，你的努力就会产生效果。如果你审视自己的内心世界，检查自我，打扫干净其中的尘埃，而不是眼睛盯着别人，你会发现，在自己愉快的同时，也为别人创造了舒适的环境。
The Ebb and Flow of Life
During my first year in Japan I took a hitchhiking trip and went to numerous fishing villages on the west coast of Japan.
In one village I had the privilege of meeting a very special man. He was in his sixties and walked with a noticeable limp.He told me that as a youth he was very involved in karate,but at the age of twenty-five he was injured while working on his father's fishing boat,and he had been limping ever since.
We sat out on a small wooden dock one night as he told me about his life. He said once he realized he would no longer be able to actively take part in karate,he made up his mind to use his life as a fisherman to further his martial arts studies.He read various martial arts books and then applied what he read to his work life.
“One of the most important things I have learned，”he said.“is to create a rhythm with your presence,movements,and breathing,which matches the rhythm of nature. This is a phrase numerous martial arts masters wrote about in the books I have read.”
As we sat by the water,he asked me to notice the ebb and flow of the ocean and the sounds of the tide lapping against the pillings of the pier.“As you notice your movements and breathing,you can sense the movement and sounds of the ocean,and realize how you go with the rhythm of this flow.”
I began to do as he suggested,and I quickly felt I was being drawn into a parallel world,that I was somehow usually ignoring,or simply not noticing.
“Feel the life force of the ocean，”he said.“And breathe with the ocean. Feel the life force of the ocean,and without doing anything,allow yourself to move with the ocean……Breathe,move,and feel your heartbeat……Invite your heartbeat to synchronize with the heartbeat of the ocean.”
Now you are becoming one with the water,and the fluid inside your body begins to become a tiny powerful ocean that ebbs and flows throughout your system.
Now,like the ocean,you can begin to feel the power of flowing without resisting. Flowing without fighting against.
The water surrounds and moves past all obstacles. There is no forcing,and no need for strength.Only flow……The power is in the flow,and each drop of water is pliant and soft.No one drop of water is powerful on its own.
We sat there together for a while. The man,myself,and the ocean.I felt the power and presence of the ocean,myself,and the fisherman.Not separate,but together.And I knew very clearly that all this power was really one.
The one tiny drop of water that you are.
The ebb and flow of your life mirrors the ebb and flow of all life. When you calm yourself,slow down,and become one with your surroundings,you realize that nature offers you a parallel understanding of life.The tiny drop of water known as“me”is an integral part of the ocean of life,and your power manifests most gracefully when you join your individual spirit with the spirit of all creation.
Breathe deeply,calm yourself,and begin to notice and appreciate the ebb and flow of the world around you……You will discover the power of the universe is the power that nurtures your life.
人生的涨落
在日本的第一年，我搭便车旅行，到过日本西海岸的无数渔村。
我在一个村里有幸遇到了一个非常特别的人。他年过花甲，走路明显一瘸一拐。他告诉我说，他年轻时热衷空手道，但他25岁时在父亲的渔船上干活时受伤，从那以后就一直一瘸一拐。
一天夜里，我们坐在外面的一个木制小码头上，他对我说起了自己的人生。他说，一旦意识到自己再也不能积极参加空手道，他就下定决心这辈子做个渔民，进一步研究武术。他阅读了各种武术书籍，然后把看到的知识运用到了工作生活中去。
“我学到的最重要的一件东西，”他说，“就是创造一种与自然韵律协调一致的自身、运动和呼吸的节奏。这是我看过的书里许多武术大师都写道的一个用语。”
我们坐在水边，他让我注意大海的涨落和潮水拍打码头木桩的声音。“就像你注意自己的运动和呼吸一样，你可以感受到大海的运动和声音，然后领悟到你怎样和这流水的节奏保持一致。”
我开始像他建议的那样去做，很快就感到自己正被引入一个常常忽视或根本没有注意过的相似世界。
“感受大海的生命力，”他说，“和大海一起呼吸。感受大海的生命力，什么也不做，让自己和大海一起运动……呼吸，运动，感受自己的心跳……让自己的心跳和大海的心跳保持同步。”
现在你渐渐和海水融为一体，体内的液体开始变成在你全身涨落、威力无穷的小小海洋。
现在，像大海一样，你能渐渐感受到没有阻挡的流动力量，没有对抗的流动力量。
海水包围并流过了一切障碍。没有强迫，无须用力。只是流动……力量就在流动中，每一滴水都顺从温柔。哪一滴水本身都不强大。
我们一起坐了一会儿。老人、我自己和大海。我感受到了大海、我自己和渔民的力量与存在。不是各自孤立，而是合为一体。而且我非常清楚所有这力量其实都是一体的。
你就是那小小的一滴水。
你的生命涨落反映了所有生命的涨落。当你平静下来，放慢速度，与周围环境融为一体时，就会认识到大自然为你提供了对生命的相似理解。被称为“我”的小小水滴是生命海洋的一个完整部分。当你自己的精神和天地万物的精神合在一起时，你的力量才会最优美地呈现出来。
深呼吸，保持平静，开始注意和欣赏你周围世界的涨落……你会发现宇宙的力量正是滋养你生命的力量。
The Journey of Life Starts from the Set Goal
Bissel is a small village of the West Sahara. It lies next to a patch of 1 .5-square-kilometer oasis,from where three days and nights are generally required to go out of the desert.However,before Ken Levin discovered it in 1926 ，none of the people had walked out of the desert.Reportedly,they were not reluctant to leave this barren land,but had no way to walk out of it after they had tried many times.
As an academician of the British Royal College of Sciences,Ken Levin,of course,did not believe this viewpoint. He asked the reason of the people here.As a result,the answer of each was the same：To whichever direction they went from here,they would eventually return to this place.To prove this parlance,he did an experiment.He went north from Bissel Village and finally walked out from it in three and a half days.
Why couldn't the Bissel villagers walk out of it?Ken Levin was very puzzled. In the end,he had to employ a Bissel villager to lead the way and wanted to find out the reason.They prepared the water that could be used for half a month and two camels while only leaning on a stick,Ken Levin put away the compass and other facilities,following the man.
Ten days later,they walked for about 800 miles. On the 11 th morning,an oasis came into their view.They really came back again to Bissel.This time,Ken Levin came to understand：the Bissel people couldn't walk out of the desert because they had no knowledge of the North Star.
In the boundless desert,if a person goes forward relying on his or her sense,he or she will make lots and lots of circles of different sizes,and the final footprints will be most likely the shape of a tape. Bissel Village was in the middle of the immense desert with more than one thousand square kilometers,so without a compass,it was indeed impossible to walk out of the desert.
Leaving Bissel Village,Ken Levin brought a young man called Argutel,who was the man who had cooperated with him last time. He told the young man，“As long as you rest in the daytime and walk towards the brightest star at night,would be able to walk out of the desert.”Argutel did as he was told.Three days later,he,sure enough,came to the edge of the desert.
Now in the West Sahara Bissel has been a bright pearl,where tens of thousands of tourists come here. As the pioneer of Bissel,Argutel's bronze statue stands in the center of the town.On the base of the bronze statue the following line were engraved，“A new life starts from the fixed direction.”
人生之旅从选定目标开始
比塞尔是西撒哈拉沙漠中的一个小村庄，它靠在一片1.5平方公里的绿洲旁，从这里走出沙漠一般需要三个昼夜。可是，在肯·莱文1926年发现它之前，这里的人没有一个走出过大沙漠。据说，他们不是不愿意离开这块贫瘠的地方，而是尝试过很多次都没有走出来。
作为英国皇家学院的院士，肯·莱文当然不相信这种说法。他用手语向这里的人问其原因，结果每个人的回答都是一样的：从这里无论向哪个方向走，最后都还要转回到这个地方。为了证实这种说法，他做了一次试验。从比塞尔村向北走，结果三天半就走了出来。
比塞尔人为什么走不出来呢？肯·莱文非常纳闷。最后，他只得雇一个比塞尔人，让他带路，看看到底是怎么回事。他们准备了能用半个月的水，牵上两匹骆驼，肯·莱文收起指南针等设备，只拄了一根木棍，跟在后面。
十天过去了，他们走了大约800英里的路程，第11天早晨，一块绿洲出现在眼前，他们果然又回到了比塞尔。这一次肯·莱文终于明白了，比塞尔人之所以走不出大沙漠，是因为他们根本就不认识北极星。
在一望无际的沙漠里，一个人如果凭感觉往前走，会走出许许多多、大小不一的圆圈，最后的足迹十有八九是一把卷尺的形状，比塞尔村处在浩瀚的沙漠中间，方圆上千公里，没有指南针，想走出沙漠，确实是不可能的。
离开比塞尔村时，肯·莱文带了一个叫阿古特尔的青年，这个青年就是上次和他合作的人。他告诉这个青年说：“只要你白天休息，夜晚朝着北面那颗最亮的星星走，就能走出沙漠。”阿古特尔照着去做，3天后果然来到了大漠边缘。
现在比塞尔已是西撒哈拉沙漠中的一颗明珠，每年有数以万计的旅游者来到这里。阿古特尔作为比塞尔的开拓者，他的铜像竖立在小城中央，铜像底座上刻着一行字：“新生活从选定方向开始。”
Position Your Life
Everyone has two natures. One wants us to advance and the other wants to pulls us back.The one that we cultivate and concentrate on decides what we are at the end.Both natures are trying to gain control.The will alone decides the issue.A man by one supreme effort of the will may change his whole career and even create miracles.You may be that man if you will,for will can find a way or make one.
You alone can decide when the turning point will come. He is the director of his life if he wills to be.What we are to do is the result of our training.We can be completely controlled by our will power.
Habit is a matter of acquirement. You hear people say，“He comes by this or that naturally,a chip off the old block，”meaning that he is only doing what his parents did.This is quite often the case,but there's no reason for it,for a person can break a habit just the moment he masters the“I will.”A man may have been a“good-for-nothing”all his life up to this very minute,but from this time on he begins to amount to something.Even old men have suddenly changed and accomplished wonders.
“I lost my opportunity，”says one. That may be true,but by sheer force of will,we can find a way to bring us another opportunity.There is no truth saying that opportunity knocks at our door but once in a lifetime.The fact is,opportunity never seeks us；we must seek it.What usually turns out to be one man's opportunity was another man's loss.In this day one man's brain is matched against another's.It is often the quickness of brain action that determines the result.
Many people read good books,but say they do not get much good out of them. They don't realize that the knowledge of books can awaken their potentials；to stimulate them to use their will power.A sage said，“You can lead him to the fountain,but you can't make him drink.”
定位你的人生
每个人都有两种天性，一种想让我们前进，另一种想拉我们后退。我们创造并培养的那种天性决定我们最终会成为什么样的人。这两种天性都在设法得到控制权，只有意志决定这个问题。一个意志坚强、竭诚努力的人可以改变整个事业，甚至可以创造奇迹。只要你愿意，就可能成为那种人，因为意志能找到方法或创造方法。
只有你能决定转折点何时会来。只要愿意，他就可以成为生活的主人。我们要做什么，是看我们训练的结果，完全是由自己的意志力控制。
习惯是慢慢养成的一种东西。你常常听人们说：“他生来就是这样，活像他的父母。”这意味着他父母亲做什么他也会做什么。事情常常就是这样，但绝不是原因，因为一个人只要把握“我一定会行”，就能打破一种习惯。一个人也许一直到此刻都一无是处，但从这一刻起，他会开始有所作为。就是老年人也会突然发生改变，创造奇迹。
有人常常说：“我错失了良机。”那也许没错，但凭借绝对的毅力，我们可以找到给我们带来另一次机遇的方法。说机遇一辈子只敲我们的门一次，根本没有事实依据。其实，机遇根本不会寻找我们，我们必须寻找机遇。通常的结果是，一个人得到的机遇正是另一个人错失的良机。当今时代，一个人的大脑与另一个人的大脑不相上下，常常是反应迅速的大脑决定最后的结果。
尽管许多人曾看过好书，但又说自己并没有从中获得多少好处。他们没有意识到书里的知识能唤醒自己的潜能，激励他们运用自己的毅力。一位智者说过：“你可以把他领到泉水边，但你不能强迫他喝。”
Life Is a Symphony
The symphony is a symbol for life,especially in a community. The blend of each instrument gives the symphony its unique sound.This is also true in life and the world we live.Individuals bring in their own influence.A symphony orchestra is composed of a variety of brass,woodwind,percussion and stringed instruments.Each of these instruments has its own unique sound but when played together they complement each other.Like a symphony and its instruments,the world is composed of many races and cultures.They are uniquely different but can have an influence on each other even if it is not intentional.
Individuality is an important part of the symphony. Each player has his or her own part to perform.These parts can be played on their own but do not have the same effect as when they are combined with the other parts of the orchestra.They blend into a harmonious piece of music.In other words,you can hear what each person has to contribute and how each performer works together.In life,each person has a talent that they are particularly good at.When they work together,it accentuates their talent.
Carnegie said that individuality was important,but should not be taken so far that it separates everyone from each other. Each person should contribute their own ideas that better help the community as a whole.
Another similarity between life and the symphony is that a performer may not have the melody but will accompany someone who does. In life,everybody has their moments of glory although they may go unnoticed like the accompanist.This does not mean,however,that they are any less important than anyone else.The melody doesn't stay with one instrument for the whole song but moves throughout the orchestra.As in life,everyone eventually has their moment to shine and their chance to be in the spotlight.
When preparing for a concert,the musicians are reminded by their conductor to stagger their breathing. They can,of course,breathe when they need to but they have to try not to breathe at the same time as the person sitting next to them.If everyone breathed at the same time,there would be a noticeable moment of silence in the song.This is yet another example that can be applied to life.
The orchestra continues to play. It moves together as a group yet separately.Each musician is an active member of the symphony.In life,we contribute what we have to offer from day to day as active members in our community.The orchestra plays their last note and the song is over.There is a moment of silence that is broken by the thunderous applause of the audience.
人生是一曲交响乐
交响乐是生命的象征，尤其是在团队中。各种乐器交织在一起，使交响乐发出独一无二的声音。我们的人生和居住的世界也是这样，每个人都会带来各自的影响。交响乐队由多种不同的铜乐器、木管乐器、打击乐器和弦乐器组成，每种乐器都有其独特的声音，但一起演奏时，它们总是互补。像交响乐和它的乐器一样，世界也是由许多种族和文化组成。尽管它们各不相同，但能在不经意间相互影响。
每个人都是交响乐中重要的一部分。每个演奏者都有其演奏的片段。尽管这些片段都可以独自演奏，但和交响乐团中的其他部分合奏时，它们会产生不同的效果，合成为一首和谐曲。换句话说，你可以听到每个人都得独奏，也可以听到每个演奏者怎样一起合奏。在生活中，每个人都拥有各自的特长，他们一起合作时，各自的天赋就会更加突出。
卡耐基认为个性非常重要，但不应该和他人偏离太远。每个人都应该贡献自己的观点，这更有助于整个社会。
生活和交响乐的另一个相似点是，演奏者不可能总是演奏出优美的旋律，但可以为演奏出优美旋律的人伴奏。在人生中，每个人都有其辉煌的时刻，尽管他们也许会像伴奏者那样不引人注目。然而，这并不意味着他们没有别人重要。整首歌曲的优美旋律不会停留在一种乐器上，而是要通过整个乐队演奏。人生也是这样，每个人最终都会有发光的时刻，也会有聚焦的机会。
准备一场音乐会时，乐队指挥会提醒音乐家们交错呼吸。需要呼吸时，他们当然可以呼吸，但必须尽量不要和邻座的人同时呼吸。如果大家同时呼吸，音乐中就会出现明显寂静的时刻。这是实用于人生的另一个例子。
乐队继续演奏。他们既是一个团体，又是分离的个体。每个音乐家都是交响乐中发挥作用的一名成员。在生活中，作为社会中发挥作用的成员，我们每天都贡献自己的一切。乐队演奏完最后的音符，乐曲结束，观众们雷鸣般的掌声便会打破片刻的宁静。
Sense Life
I've learned that sometimes all a person needs a hand to hold and a heart to understand.
I've learned that we didn't do it all in one day.
I've learned that love,not time,heals all wounds.
I've learned that everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.
I've learned that there's nothing sweeter than sleeping with your babies and feeling their breath on you cheeks.
I've learned that no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.
I've learned that opportunities are never lost；someone will take the ones you miss.
I've learned that when you harbor bitterness,happiness will dock elsewhere.
I've learned that I wish I could have told my mom that I love her one more time before she passed away.
I've learned that one should keep his words both soft and tender because tomorrow he may have to eat them.
I've learned that a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.
I've learned that I can't choose how I feel,but I can choose what I do about it.
I've learned that everyone wants to stand on top of the mountain,but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.
I've learned that it is best to give advice in only two circumstances：when it is requested and when it is a life-threatening situation.
I've learned that the less time I have to work with,the more things I get done.
感悟人生
我已经明白了，有时一个人想要的只是一只可握的手和一颗明白的心。
我已经明白了，一天做不完所有的事情。
我已经明白了，治愈一切创伤的是爱，而不是时间。
我已经明白了，你相遇的每一个人都值得你笑脸相迎。
我已经明白了，没有比和宝宝睡在一起并感受到他们的呼吸吹在你脸上更甜蜜的事情。
我已经明白了，只有爱一个人时才会认为他/她十全十美。
我已经明白了，机会从来不会失去，有人会抓住你错过的机会。
我已经明白了，当你心怀痛苦时，幸福就会停靠到别的地方。
我已经明白了，我本应在妈妈去世前再对她说一次我爱她。
我已经明白了，一个人应该信守诺言，因为明天他可能不得不自食其言。
我已经明白了，微笑是改善容貌的一种容易的方式。
我已经明白了，我无法选择自己的感觉，但我可以选择做事的方式。
我已经明白了，每个人都想站在山顶，但所有的幸福和成长都发生在爬山的过程中。
我已经明白了，最好只在两种情况下提出忠告：别人要求时和生命攸关时。
我已经明白了，工作时间越少，工作效率越高。
The Splashes of Life
My grandfather took me to a fish pound on the farm when I was about seven,and he told me to throw a stone into the water and watch the circles created by the stone. Then he asked me to think of myself as that stone.
“You may create lots of splashes in your life,but the waves that come from those splashes will disturb the peace of all your fellow creatures，”he said.
“Remember that you are responsible for what you put in your circle and that circle will also touch many other circles.
“You will need to live in a way that allows the good that comes from your circle to send the peace of that goodness to others. The splash that comes from anger or jealousy will send those feelings to other circles.You are responsible for both.”
That was the first time I realized that each person creates the inner peace or discord that flows out into the world. We can't create world peace if we are riddled with inner conflict,hatred,doubt,or anger.
We radiate the feelings and thoughts that we hold inside,whether we speak them or not. Whatever is splashing around inside of us is spilling out into the world,creating beauty or discord with all other circles of life.
人生的波纹
我大约7岁那年，祖父带我来到农场的一个鱼塘边。他让我把一个石子扔进水里，吩咐我观察石子激起的一圈圈波纹，然后让我把自己当成那个石子。
他说：“你在人生中也许能激起许多波纹，但你激起的波纹会打破别人的平静。
“记住，你要对自己激起的波纹负责，你的波纹会触及其他许多的波纹。
“你需要让自己波纹中善的一面传播给他人和平。来自愤怒或嫉妒的波纹会把这些情绪传给其他的波纹，你要对双方负责。”
这是我第一次认识到，每个人内心的平静或不和，都会流向世界。如果我们内心充满了冲突、仇恨、疑虑或愤怒，就无法创造世界和平。
无论说不说，我们都会传播内心的感觉和想法。无论我们内心激起的是什么波纹，它们都会流向世界，创造美或与人生的其他所有波纹产生影响。
Do not Meddle
About twenty years ago there lived a singular gentleman in the Old Hall among the elm trees. He was about three-score years of age,very rich,and somewhat odd in many of his habits,but for generosity and benevolence he had no equal.
No poor cottager stood in need of comforts,which he was not ready to supply；no sick man or woman languished for want of his assistance；and not even a beggar,unless a known impostor,went empty-handed from the Hall. Like the village pastor described in Goldsmith's poem of“The Deserted Village，”
“His house was known to all the vagrant train；
He chid their wand'rings,but relieved their pain；
The long-remembered beggar was his guest，
Whose beard descending swept his aged breast.”
Now it happened that the old gentleman wanted a boy to wait upon him at table,and to attend him in different ways,for he was very fond of young people. But much as he liked the society of the young,he had a great aversion to that curiosity in which many young people are apt to indulge.He used to say，“The boy who will peep into a drawer will be tempted to take something out of it；and he who will steal a penny in his youth will steal a pound in his manhood.”
No sooner was it known that the old gentleman was in want of a boy than twenty applications were made for the situation；but he determined not to engage anyone until he had in some way ascertained that he did not possess a curious,prying disposition.
On Monday morning seven lads,dressed in their Sunday clothes,with bright and happy faces,made their appearance at the Hall,each of them desiring to obtain the situation. Now the old gentleman,being of a singular disposition,had prepared a room in such a way that he might easily know if any of the young people who applied were given to meddle unnecessarily with things around them,or to peep into cupboards and drawers.He took care that the lads who were then at Elm Tree Hall should be shown into this room one after another.
And first,Charles Brown was sent into the room,and told that he would have to wait a little. So Charles sat down on a chair near the door.For some time he was very quiet,and looked about him；but there seemed to be so many curious things in the room that at last he got up to peep at them.
On the table was placed a dish cover,and Charles wanted sadly to know what was under it,but he felt afraid of lifting it up. Bad habits are strong things；and,as Charles was of a curious disposition,he could not withstand the temptation of taking one peep.So he lifted up the cover.
This turned out to be a sad affair；for under the dish cover was a heap of very light feathers；part of the feathers,drawn up by a current of air,flew about the room,and Charles,in his fright,putting the cover down hastily,puffed the rest of them off the table.
What was to be done?Charles began to pick up the feathers one by one；but the old gentleman,who was in an adjoining room,hearing a scuffle,and guessing the cause of it,entered the room,to the consternation of Charles Brown,who was very soon dismissed as a boy who had not principle enough to resist even a slight temptation.
When the room was once more arranged,Henry Wilkins was placed there until such time as he should be sent for. No sooner was he left to himself than his attention was attracted by a plate of fine,ripe cherries.Now Henry was uncommonly fond of cherries,and he thought it would be impossible to miss one cherry among so many.He looked and longed,and longed and looked,for some time,and just as he had got off his seat to take one,he heard,as he thought,a foot coming to the door；but no,it was a false alarm.
Taking fresh courage,he went cautiously and took a very fine cherry,for he was determined to take but one,and put it into his mouth. It was excellent；and then he persuaded himself that he ran no risk in taking another；this he did,and hastily popped it into his mouth.
Now,the old gentleman had placed a few artificial cherries at the top of the others,filled with Cayenne pepper；one of these Henry had unfortunately taken,and it made his month smart and burn most intolerably. The old gentleman heard him coughing,and knew very well what was the matter.The boy that would take what did not belong to him,if no more than a cherry,was not the boy for him.Henry Wilkins was sent about his business without delay,with his mouth almost as hot as if he had put a burning coal in to it.
Rufus Wilson was next introduced into the room and left to himself；but he had not been there ten minutes before he began to move from one place to another. He was of a bold,resolute temper,but not overburdened with principle；for if he could have opened every cupboard,closet,and drawer in the house,without being found out,he would have done it directly.
Having looked around the room,he noticed a drawer to the table,and made up his mind to peep therein. But no sooner did he lay hold of the drawer knob than he set a large bell ringing,which was concealed under the table.The old gentleman immediately answered the summons,and entered the room.
Rufus was so startled by the sudden ringing of the bell,that all his impudence could not support him. He looked as though anyone might knock him down with a feather.The old gentleman asked him if he had rung the bell because he wanted anything.Rufus was much confused,and stammered,and tried to excuse himself,but all to no purpose,for it did not prevent him from being ordered off the premises.
George Jones was then shown into the room by an old steward；and being of a cautious disposition,he touched nothing,but only looked at the things about him. At last he saw that a closet door was a little open,and,thinking it would be impossible for anyone to know that he had opened it a little more,he very cautiously opened it an inch farther,looking down at the bottom of the door,that it might not catch against anything and make a noise.
Now had he looked at the top,instead of the bottom,it might have been better for him；for to the top of the door was fastened a plug,which filled up the hole of a small barrel of shot. He ventured to open the door another inch,and then another,till,the plug being pulled out of the barrel,the leaden shot began to pour out at a strange rate.At the bottom of the closet was placed a tin pan,and the shot falling upon this pan made such a clatter that George was frightened half out of his senses.
The old gentleman soon came into the room to inquire what was the matter,and there he found George nearly as pale as a sheet. George was soon dismissed.
It now came the turn of Albert Jenkins to be put into the room. The other boys had been sent to their homes by different ways,and no one knew what the experience of the other had been in the room of trial.
On the table stood a small round box,with a screw top to it,and Albert,thinking it contained something curious,could not be easy without unscrewing the top；but no sooner did he do this than out bounced an artificial snake,full a yard long,and fell upon his arm. He started back,and uttered a scream which brought the old gentleman to his elbow.There stood Albert,with the bottom of the box in one hand,the top in the other,and the snake on the floor.
“Come,come，”said the old gentleman，“one snake is quite enough to have in the house at a time；therefore,the sooner you are gone the better.”With that he dismissed him,without waiting a moment for his reply.
William Smith next entered the room,and being left alone soon began to amuse himself in looking at the curiosities around him. William was not only curious and prying,but dishonest,too,and observing that the key was left in the drawer of a bookcase,he stepped on tiptoe in that direction.The key had a wire fastened to it,which communicated with an electrical machine,and William received such a shock as he was not likely to forget.No sooner did he sufficiently recover himself to walk,than he was told to leave the house,and let other people lock and unlock their own drawers.
The other boy was Harry Gordon,and though he was left in the room full twenty minutes,he never during that time stirred from his chair. Harry had eyes in his head as well as the others,but he had more integrity in his heart；neither the dish cover,the cherries,the drawer knob,the closet door,the round box,nor the key tempted him to rise from his feet；and the consequence was that,in half an hour after,he was engaged in the service of the old gentleman at Elm Tree Hall.He followed his good old master to his grave,and received a large legacy for his upright conduct in his service.
莫管闲事
20多年前，有一位脾气古怪的老绅士住在有很多榆树环绕的古老庄园里。他大约60多岁，是个富翁，性格孤僻古怪，但他的慷慨仁慈却无人能及。
对需要安慰的穷苦佃农，对需要他帮助的病人，甚至对乞丐，当然不包括那些冒名顶替的人，他总是慷慨解囊，没有人空着手离开他的庄园，就像村里的牧师在一首名为《被遗弃的村庄》里描述的：
所有流浪的队伍都知道他的住处，
他斥责他们的流浪，却纾解他们的痛苦；
他总是记得他招待过的那位乞丐，
乞丐的白须飘在苍老的胸前。
现在，这位老绅士想找一个男孩服侍他的饮食起居，帮助他做些事情，因为他非常喜欢年轻人。虽然他对年轻人的世界很感兴趣，可是他非常厌恶年轻人难以自拔的好奇心。他经常说：“向抽屉里偷看的孩子，总会禁不住诱惑。俗话说：‘小时偷针，大时偷金。’”
人们得知老绅士要找侍童的消息后，都想得到这个职位，很快老绅士就收到了20多封求职信。但是老绅士已经决定，一定要找一位没有好奇心、不爱管闲事的人。
在一个星期一的早晨，7个身着盛装、打扮光亮的小伙子出现在庄园里，每个人都暗下决心，一定要得到这份工作。这位脾气古怪的老绅士准备了一个房间，以便观察哪个年轻人喜欢管闲事，或喜欢往壁橱、抽屉里偷看。他做好安排之后，让榆树庄园里的这些小伙子逐个进入这个房间。
首先，查尔斯·布朗被叫到房间里，老绅士请他在这里等一会儿。于是查尔斯在门旁的一个椅子上坐下。开始一段时间他非常安静，坐在椅子上向四周看着。但是他发现房间里有很多非常稀罕的东西，他终于站起来，偷偷窥探。
桌子上放着一个罩子，查尔斯非常想知道下面是什么，但是他又不敢掀起罩子。坏习惯对人的影响是非常大的，而查尔斯的性格又是非常好奇的，他怎么也忍不住想看个究竟，于是他掀起了罩子。
结果真是令人沮丧，罩子下面是一堆非常轻的羽毛。有些羽毛被流动的空气带起来，飞到房间里。查尔斯非常害怕，匆匆把罩子放下，可这下桌子上其余的羽毛也被吹到了地上。
这可怎么办？查尔斯一根一根地把羽毛捡起来。老绅士一直待在隔壁的房间，他听到这里的动静，猜到发生了什么事情，就走进房间，正好看到查尔斯·布朗慌乱的样子。他很快就把查尔斯打发走了，因为他确定查尔斯连最小的诱惑都抵制不了。
老绅士又重新布置了房间，然后叫进亨利·威尔金斯。当房间只剩下亨利一个人时，他的目光就被一盘诱人而熟透的樱桃吸引了。其实，亨利特别爱吃樱桃，而且他想，这里有这么多樱桃，就是吃掉一个，老绅士也不会发觉。他看看想想，想想看看，就在他从椅子上站起来想拿一个的时候，他似乎听到门口有脚步声。不过还好，是他听错了。
亨利又重新鼓足勇气，小心翼翼地站起来，拿起一个特别好的樱桃放进嘴里，他当时下定决心就只拿一个。太好吃了！他想，再吃一个也没关系。于是他又拿起一个，匆匆塞进嘴里。其实，老绅士在樱桃中间放了几个假樱桃，假樱桃里面全是辣椒。不幸的是，亨利凑巧拿了一个假樱桃，他的嘴立刻辣得刺痛起来，想着了火一样。老绅士听到他在咳嗽，明白了怎么回事。这个孩子不仅会拿樱桃，还会拿别的不属于他的东西，这个孩子当然是老绅士不喜欢的。亨利·威尔金斯也被打发走了，他的嘴热辣辣的，就好像刚向里面投进一块炭。
接下来，鲁弗斯·威尔森被叫了进来，自己待在房间里。但是他在里面待了不到十分钟，就开始摸摸这儿，碰碰那儿。他鲁莽而倔强，也没有什么原则，如果他能打开房间里的每个壁橱、储藏室和抽屉，而不被人发现的话，他会毫不犹豫地这么做。
他看了看四周，发现桌子上有一个抽屉，就想窥探一下里面。但是他刚把手放在抽屉把手上，一阵铃声响起。原来桌子下面藏着一个响铃。老绅士听到铃声，赶忙走进房间。
鲁弗斯被突然的铃声吓了一跳，虽然他的脸皮很厚，可是这时也开始觉得羞愧，他看上去脆弱不堪。老绅士问他，他打铃是不是因为想要什么东西，鲁弗斯非常困惑，结结巴巴地试图道歉，但是这一点用也没有，他从候选名单上被剔除了出去。
然后，乔治·琼斯被一名老管家领到房间里。他的性格比较谨慎，什么也没有碰，只是向四下里看着。最后，他发现一扇壁橱的门有些虚掩着。他想，如果他再把门打开些，肯定不会有人发现。于是他看着门的下方，以免碰到什么东西引起响动，小心地把门打开了一英寸。如果他看上面，而不是看下面，那就好了。因为门上系着一个小塞子，塞子堵住了一个小桶，小桶里盛满了小铅球。他冒险又将门打开了一英寸，又一英寸，直到塞子被拽了出来，小铅球蹦了出来。壁橱的底部放着一个锡盘，小铅球落在锡盘上，发出很大的响声，乔治吓得魂飞魄散。
老绅士很快出现，看看是怎么回事。他看到乔治的脸像纸一样苍白，就把他打发走了。
现在轮到阿尔伯特·詹金斯了。其他的男孩被各自送回家，没人知道这些人在房间里的经历。
桌子上有一个小圆盒子，盒子有个旋盖。阿尔伯特断定里面的东西很奇怪，他坐立不安，非常想拧开盒盖。但是他刚刚打开，盒子里就跳出一条假蛇，它足有一码长，缠绕在他的胳膊上。他往后退去，尖叫了一声。叫声引来了老绅士，他看到阿尔伯特一手拿着盒子，一手拿着盖子，蛇掉在地板上。
“起来，起来，”老绅士说，“屋里有一条蛇就够了，你还是快出去吧。”他就这样打发了这个男孩，连任何解释都没有听。
接下来，威廉·史密斯走进了房间，老绅士离开房间以后，他就开始好奇地左看右看。威廉不仅好奇、爱管闲事，还不诚实。他发现书柜的抽屉上还挂着钥匙，就踮着脚尖走过去。钥匙上系着一段金属线，金属线与一台电机相连，威廉被狠狠地击中，这下可够他受的。他刚刚恢复神志可以行走，老绅士就告诉他，以后最好还是让抽屉的主人亲自开锁或上锁，并让他离开了房间。
最后一个男孩叫哈里·戈登。他独自在房间里待了足足有20分钟，但是他安静地坐在椅子上，从未离开。哈里虽然也能看见有趣的东西，但是他的心灵正直。罩子、樱桃、抽屉把手、壁橱门、圆盒子或钥匙都没能引诱他离开座位。结果，半个小时后，他被录用了，留在榆树庄园为老绅士服务。他一直服侍老绅士，直到他离开人世，并因为他的正直而从老绅士那里得到了一大笔遗产。
The Fish I Didn’t Catch
Our bachelor uncle who lived with us was a quiet,genial man,much given to hunting and fishing；and it was one of the pleasures of our young life to accompany him on his expeditions to Great Hill,Brandy-brow Woods,the Pond,and,best of all,to the Country Brook. We were quite willing to work hard in the cornfield or the haying lot to finish the necessary day's labor in season for an afternoon stroll through the woods and along the brookside.
I remember my first fishing excursion as if it were but yesterday. I have been happy many times in my life,but never more intensely so than when I received that first fishing pole from my uncle's hand,and trudged off with him through the woods and meadows.It was a still,sweet day of early summer；the long afternoon shadows of the trees lay cool across our path；the leaves seemed greener,the flowers brighter,the birds merrier,than ever before.
My uncle,who knew by long experience where were the best haunts of pickerel,considerately placed me at the most favorable point. I threw out my line as I had so often seen others,and waited anxiously for a bite,moving the bait in rapid jerks on the surface of the water in imitation of the leap of a frog.Nothing came of it.“Try again，”said my uncle.Suddenly the bait sank out of sight.“Now for it，”thought I；“here is a fish at last.”
I made a strong pull,and brought up a tangle of weeds. Again and again I cast out my line with aching arms,and drew it back empty.I looked at my uncle appealingly.“Try once more，”he said；“we fishermen must have patience.”
Suddenly something tugged at my line,and swept off with it into deep water. Jerking it up,I saw a fine pickerel wriggling in the sun.“Uncle！”I cried,looking back in uncontrollable excitement，“I've got a fish！”“Not yet，”said my uncle.As he spoke there was a plash in the water；I caught the arrowy gleam of a scared fish shooting into the middle of the stream,my hook hung empty from the line.I had lost my prize.
We are apt to speak of the sorrows of childhood as trifles in comparison with those of grown-up people；but we may depend upon it the young folks don't agree with us. Our griefs,modified and restrained by reason,experience,and self-respect,keep the proprieties,and,if possible,avoid a scene；but the sorrow of childhood,unreasoning and all-absorbing,is a complete abandonment to the passion.The doll's nose is broken,and the world breaks up with it；the marble rolls out of sight,and the solid globe rolls off with the marble.
So,overcome with my great and bitter disappointment,I sat down on the nearest hassock,and for a time refused to be comforted,even by my uncle's assurance that there were more fish in the brook. He refitted my bait,and,putting the pole again in my hands,told me to try my luck once more.
“But remember,boy，”he said,with his shrewd smile，“never brag of catching a fish until he is on dry ground. I've seen older folks doing that in more ways than one,and so making fools of themselves.It's no use to boast of anything until it's done,nor then,either,for it speaks for itself.”
How often since I have been reminded of the fish that I did not catch. When I hear people boasting of a work as yet undone,and trying to anticipate the credit which belongs only to actual achievement,I call to mind that scene by the brookside,and the wise caution of my uncle in that particular instance takes the form of a proverb of universal application：“NEVER BRAG OF YOUR FISH BEFORE YOU CATCH HIM.”
那条我没钓到的鱼
我们的单身汉叔叔和我们住在一起，他是个安静而和蔼的人，他喜欢狩猎和钓鱼，和他一同去山里、树林、池塘等，是我们的一大乐趣。我们到过格瑞特山、布兰迪山坡树林、大湖和康瑞河，那是我们最喜欢去的地方。我们总是很高兴去玉米地或干草堆那儿干活，忙完在这个季节必须要做的工作，好有一个下午的时间和他一起去树林或小溪边散步。
我还记得我的第一次探险好像还是在昨天发生的事。我的人生中有许许多多的趣事，但是都没有我从叔叔手里接过我的第一根鱼竿更能让我感到快乐。我记得那是夏天一个风和日丽的日子，大树的阴影投射在道路上，显得格外的凉爽，叶子更绿了，花儿也更漂亮了，鸟儿的叫声比以往更动听了。
叔叔经验丰富，他知道哪里是捕获小梭鱼的最佳场所，他把我放在了捕小梭鱼的最佳位置。我像其他钓鱼的人一样，抛出了鱼线，然后焦急地等待它上钩。我用青蛙在水上跳跃的方式，把鱼饵提出水面，并快速地让它在水面上来回抽动，但是什么也没有出现。“再试一次。”叔叔说。突然鱼漂沉入了水底。“就是现在，拉起来，”我想，“这回终于有鱼了。”
我用力把鱼漂拉了回来，却是一些杂草。我一次又一次地用酸痛的胳膊抛出鱼饵，可每次都是无功而返。我可怜巴巴地看着我的叔叔，“再试一次，”他说，“我们钓鱼的人必须要有耐心。”
突然，我感觉有什么东西在拉我的鱼线，很快，鱼线沉入水底，我猛地把鱼饵拉起来，看到一条大梭鱼在金灿灿的阳光下摆动尾巴。“叔叔！”我难以控制激动的情绪，大叫道，“我钓到了大鱼！”“还没呢。”叔叔说。我看到这条受了惊吓的鱼像箭一般地冲进小河，我的鱼钩上面空了，钓到的大鱼就这么跑了。
我们总是愿意把童年琐事所带来的悲伤和成年后所遭受的悲痛做比较，尽管童年时的懊恼不值一提，但年轻人不同意我们的观点。成年后的悲痛，受到理性、经验还有自尊的调整和制约，要尊重社会传统习俗，而且还要尽可能避免当众出丑。但是孩童时期的悲痛是毫无理由的，沉湎其中而难以化解，这是任由激情放纵的表现。比如，一个玩具娃娃的鼻子坏了，就觉得这个世界抛弃了自己；弹珠滚丢了，整个天也觉得塌陷了。
于是，我在巨大的失落感的支使下，一屁股坐在了离我最近的草丛里，并且拒绝别人的安慰，即使是我叔叔肯定地告诉我，这小溪里还有数不清的鱼也无济于事。他重新弄好我的鱼饵，并把鱼竿再一次放在我手上，并且跟我说，再试试运气。
“不过，要记住，孩子，”他露出了狡猾的微笑说，“永远不要在鱼被拽上岸之前，炫耀自己钓到了鱼。我看到过的老钓手都这么干，结果总是让自己出丑。所以说，在一件事情做完之前就夸耀是没有用的；而且，即使事情成功了，也没必要炫耀，因为那时候你的成功是大家有目共睹的。”
从那以后，每当我听到有人在没做完事就开始炫耀自己的时候，我就会想起那条我没有钓到的鱼。小溪边的场景在我的脑海里还历历在目，我叔叔那次对我的教诲可以换成一句全球通用的谚语：“在鱼到手之前，绝不要吹嘘自己钓到了鱼。”
Behind Time
A railroad train was rushing along at almost lightning speed. A curve was just ahead,beyond which was a station where two trains usually met.The conductor was late，—so late that the period during which the up train was to wait had nearly elapsed；but he hoped yet to pass the curve safely.Suddenly a locomotive dashed into sight right ahead.In an instant there was a collision.A shriek,a shock,and fifty souls were in eternity；and all because an engineer had been behind time.
A great battle was going on. Column after column had been precipitated for eight hours on the enemy posted along the ridge of a hill.The summer sun was sinking in the west；reenforcements for the obstinate defenders were already in sight；it was necessary to carry the position with one final charge,or everything would be lost.
A powerful corps had been summoned from across the country,and if it came up in season all would yet be well. The great conqueror,confident in its arrival,formed his reserve into an attacking column,and ordered them to charge the enemy.The whole world knows the result.Grouchy failed to appear；the imperial guard was beaten back；and Waterloo was lost.Napoleon died a prisoner at St.Helena because one of his marshals was behind time.
A leading firm in commercial circles had long struggled against bankruptcy. As it had large sums of money in California,it expected remittances by a certain day,and if they arrived,its credit,its honor,and its future prosperity would be preserved.But week after week elapsed without bringing the gold.At last came the fatal day on which the firm had bills maturing to large amounts.The steamer was telegraphed at daybreak；but it was found,on inquiry,that she brought no funds,and the house failed.The next arrival brought nearly half a million to the insolvents,but it was too late；they were ruined because their agent,in remitting,had been behind time.
A condemned man was led,out for execution. He had taken human life,but under circumstances of the greatest provocation,and public sympathy was active in his behalf.Thousands had signed petitions for a reprieve；a favorable answer had been expected the night before,and though it had not come,even the sheriff felt confident that it would yet arrive.Thus the morning passed without the appearance of the messenger.
The last moment was up. The prisoner took his place,the cap was drawn over his eyes,the bolt was drawn,and a lifeless body swung revolving in the wind.Just at that moment a horseman came into sight,galloping down hill,his steed covered with foam.He carried a packet in his right hand,which he waved frantically to the crowd.He was the express rider with the reprieve；but he came too late.A comparatively innocent man had died an ignominious death because a watch had been five minutes too late,making its bearer arrive behind time.
It is continually so in life. The best laid plans,the most important affairs,the fortunes of individuals,the weal of nations,honor,happiness,life itself,are daily sacrificed,because somebody is“behind time.”There are men who always fail in whatever they undertake,simply because they are“behind time.”There are others who put off reformation year after year,till death seizes them,and they perish unrepentant,because forever“behind time.”
为时晚矣
一辆列车以闪电般的速度飞驰，前面是一段弯路，弯路前是一个车站，通常两列列车会在这里汇合。列车长迟到了，前面的那辆列车应该早已出发了，但他还是希望在前面的弯道处减速。这时，后面的火车冲了过来，两辆列车相撞了。一声尖叫之后，50人丧生，然而这一切仅仅是因为列车长误时了。一场激烈的战争正在进行，足足8小时，一队又一队的战士冲向敌人占领的山冈。夏日的太阳将要西沉，不远处，顽固的守卫者的援兵快要到了，因此，必须进行最后一次冲锋，否则之前的努力都是徒劳。
一支强大的军队接到派遣命令，如果他们及时赶到，一切都会非常顺利。这位伟大的统治者自信地将剩余的兵力组成进攻纵队，命令他们向敌人发起进攻。全世界的人都知道这场战争的结果，葛罗奇没有出现，皇家军队被击退，滑铁卢失陷了。拿破仑成了一个囚犯，他死在了圣赫勒拿，就因为他的一位将军误时了。
一个商业界的龙头企业，面临破产危机，一直挣扎着。这家公司在加利福尼亚有一笔巨额钱款，他们预计这笔资金会及时汇过来，那样，公司的名誉就可以得到挽救，以后的发展前景也是相当可观的。但时间一周一周地过去了，那笔钱一直没有汇过来。最后公司的大量账单已经到期，汽船在拂晓时刻到达，但一经询问，它并没有带来资金，就这样，公司破产了。然而，下一艘汽船却给那群破产的人带来了将近五十万的资金，但这一切都晚了，就因为代理商在汇款的时候误时了。
一个被宣判有罪的人被押往刑场。他杀了人，但那是在他受到极端挑衅的时候才这么做的。公众都非常同情他，上千人为他签了一份请愿书，请求对他缓刑。前一天晚上，人们本以为会得到一个肯定的答复，虽然没有等到答复，但就连法官也坚信会得到答复。可是第二天，上午慢慢过去了，但迟迟不见送信使者的身影。
最后的时刻到了，囚犯站在了他应该站的位置，有人用帽子遮住了他眼睛，扎栓落下了，没有了生命的身体在风中旋转着。就在这时，一个骑马的人出现在人们的视野中，他飞奔过山冈，胯下的马已经累得口吐白沫。他的右手高举一个包裹，冲着人群疯狂地挥舞。缓刑的答复带来了，但来得太晚了。仅仅因为钟表走慢了五分钟，送信人误时了，导致一个本来清白的人死于非命。
生活中有很多事都是如此，本来完美的计划、最重要的事情、个人的命运、国家的福祉、个人的荣誉和快乐，甚至生命本身，每天都会因为有人“误时”而牺牲。有些人不论干什么都会失败，仅仅是因为他“误时”了，另一些人年复一年地推迟着，直到死亡也不愿改变，他们遭到万劫不复的毁灭，因为他们永远都在“误时”。
Control Your Temper
No one has a temper naturally so good,that it does not need attention and cultivation,and no one has a temper so bad,but that,by proper culture,it may become pleasant. One of the best disciplined tempers ever seen,was that of a gentleman who was naturally quick,irritable,rash,and violent；but,by having the care of the sick,and especially of deranged people,he so completely mastered himself that he was never known to be thrown off his guard.
The difference in the happiness which is received or bestowed by the man who governs his temper,and that by the man who does not,is immense. There is no misery so constant,so distressing,and so intolerable to others,as that of having a disposition which is your master,and which is continually fretting itself.There are corners enough,at every turn in life,against which we may run,and at which we may break out in impatience,if we choose.
Look at Roger Sherman,who rose from a humble occupation to a seat in the first Congress of the United States,and whose judgment was received with great deference by that body of distinguished men. He made himself master of his temper,and cultivated it as a great business in life.There are one instance which show this part of his character in a light that is beautiful.
One day,after having received his highest honors,he was sitting and reading in his parlor. A roguish student,in a room close by,held a looking-glass in such a position as to pour the reflected rays of the sun directly in Mr.Sherman's face.He moved his chair,and the thing was repeated.A third time the chair was moved,but the looking-glass still reflected the sun in his eyes.He laid aside his book,went to the window,and many witnesses of the impudence expected to hear the ungentlemanly student severely reprimanded.He raised the window gently,and then shut the window blind！
请君制怒
没有人天生就是好脾气，它并不需要你多么专注或多么有教养；当然，也没有人生来就是坏脾气。不过，只要你接受的是正确的文化传统，你就能成为一个讨人喜欢的人。我所见过的最好的、最有规矩的情感来自一位绅士，他生性急躁、爱发脾气、做事鲁莽，却能照顾那些生病的人，特别是那些精神病患者，在照顾这些人的时候，他能完全控制住自己的情绪。
一个能控制自己情绪的人所能感受到的快乐，和一个不能控制自己情绪的人所能感受到的快乐相比，是存在巨大差异的。这个世上没有永恒的、令人烦恼的痛苦，这种痛苦让旁人难以忍受。你应该控制自己的情绪，然而你的情绪却又在不停地阻挠自己。生活中总会有不开心的事，它会阻挡我们前进，也会让我们失去耐心。
看看罗杰·谢尔曼，从一事无成到成为美国第一届国会议员，那些声名显赫的人会恭恭敬敬地接受他的裁决。他懂得如何控制自己的情绪，并把它当作至关重要的素养，专门对此进行精心培养。下面的故事，能够突显他高尚的人格光辉。
一天，当他接受了最高的荣誉之后，坐在客厅里看书，一个坐在他附近的淘气学生拿着镜子，摆好角度，直接把太阳光反射到罗杰·谢尔曼的脸上。他挪了挪位置，但是，那个男孩又把阳光射到了他的脸上。罗杰·谢尔曼再一次挪动了自己的椅子，但是，那个男孩还是用镜子把太阳光反射到他的脸上。于是，他放下书，走到窗户旁边，那些看到此情此景的傲慢学生都希望这个不懂礼貌的同学能够受到严厉的训斥。然而，罗杰·谢尔曼轻轻地提起窗户，把它关上了。
The Artist Surprised
It may not be known to all the admirers of the genius of Albert Durer,that that famous engraver was endowed with a“better half，”so peevish in temper,that she was the torment not only of his own life,but also of his pupils and domestics. Some of the former were cunning enough to purchase peace for themselves by conciliating the common tyrant,but woe to those unwilling or unable to offer aught in propitiation.Even the wiser ones were spared only by having their offenses visited upon a scapegoat.
This unfortunate individual was Samuel Duhobret,a disciple whom Durer had admitted into his school out of charity. He was employed in painting signs and the coarser tapestry then used in Germany.He was about forty years of age,little,ugly,and humpbacked；he was the butt of every ill joke among his fellow disciples,and was picked out as an object of especial dislike by Madame Durer.But he bore all with patience,and ate,without complaint,the scanty crusts given him every day for dinner,while his companions often fared sumptuously.
Poor Samuel had not a spice of envy or malice in his heart. He would,at any time,have toiled half the night to assist or serve those who were wont oftenest to laugh at him,or abuse him loudest for his stupidity.True,he had not the qualities of social humor or wit,but he was an example of indefatigable industry.He came to his studies every morning at daybreak,and remained at work until sunset.Then he retired into his lonely chamber,and wrought for his own amusement.
Duhobret labored three years in this way,giving himself no time for exercise or recreation. He said nothing to a single human being of the paintings he had produced in the solitude of his cell,by the light of his lamp.But his bodily energies wasted and declined under incessant toil.There was none sufficiently interested in the poor artist,to mark the feverish hue of his wrinkled cheek,or the increasing attenuation of his misshapen frame.
None observed that the uninviting pittance set aside for his midday repast,remained for several days untouched. Samuel made his appearance regularly as ever,and bore with the same meekness the gibes of his fellow-pupils,or the taunts of Madame Durer,and worked with the same untiring assiduity,though his hands would sometimes tremble,and his eyes become suffused,a weakness probably owing to the excessive use he had made of them.
One morning Duhobret was missing at the scene of his daily labors. His absence created much remark,and many were the jokes passed upon the occasion.One surmised this,and another that,as the cause of the phenomenon；and it was finally agreed that the poor fellow must have worked himself into an absolute skeleton,and taken his final stand in the glass frame of some apothecary,or been blown away by a puff of wind,while his door happened to stand open.No on thought of going to his lodgings to look after him or his remains.
Meanwhile,the object of their mirth was tossing on a bed of sickness. Disease,which had been slowly sapping the foundations of his strength,burned in every vein；his eyes rolled and flashed in delirium；his lips,usually so silent,muttered wild and incoherent words.In his days of health,poor Duhobret had his dreams,as all artists,rich or poor,will sometimes have.He had thought that the fruit of many years'labor,disposed of to advantage,might procure him enough to live,in an economical way,for the rest of his life.He never anticipated fame or fortune；the height of his ambition or hope was,to possess a tenement large enough to shelter him from the inclemencies of the weather,with means enough to purchase one comfortable meal per day.
Now,alas！however,even that one hope had deserted him. He thought himself dying,and thought it hard to die without one to look kindly upon him,without the words of comfort that might soothe his passage to another world.He fancied his bed surrounded by fiendish faces,grinning at his sufferings,and taunting his inability to summon power to disperse them.At length the apparition faded away,and the patient sunk into an exhausted slumber.
He awoke unrefreshed；it was the fifth day he had lain there neglected. His mouth was parched；he turned over,and feebly stretched out his hand toward the earthen pitcher,from which,since the first day of his illness he had quenched his thirst.Alas！it was empty！Samuel lay for a few moments thinking what he should do.He knew he must die of want if he remained there alone；but to whom could he apply for aid?
An idea seemed,at last,to strike him. He arose slowly,and with difficulty,from the bed,went to the other side of the room,and took up the picture he had painted last.He resolved to carry it to the shop of a salesman,and hoped to obtain for it sufficient to furnish him with the necessaries of life for a week longer.Despair lent him strength to walk,and to carry his burden.On his way,he passed a house,about which there was a crowd.He drew nigh,asked what was going on,and received for an answer,that there was to be a sale of many specimens of art,collected by an amateur in the course of thirty years.It has often happened that collections made with infinite pains by the proprietor,have been sold without mercy or discrimination after his death.
Something whispered to the weary Duhobret,that here would be the market for his picture. It was a long way yet to the house of the picture dealer,and he made up his mind at once.He worked his way through the crowd,dragged himself up the steps,and,after many inquiries,found the auctioneer.That personage was a busy man,with a handful of papers；he was inclined to notice somewhat roughly the interruption of the lean,sallow hunchback,imploring as were his gesture and language.
“What do you call your picture?”at length,said he,carefully looking at it.
“It is a view of the Abbey of Newburg,with its village and the surrounding landscape，”replied the eager and trembling artist.
The auctioneer again scanned it contemptuously,and asked what it was worth.“Oh,that is what you please；whatever it will bring，”answered Duhobret.
“Hem！it is too odd to please,I should think；I can promise you no more than three thalers.”
Poor Samuel sighed deeply. He had spent on that piece the nights of many months.But he was starving now；and the pitiful sum offered would give bread for a few days.He nodded his head to the auctioneer,and retiring took his seat in a corner.
The sale began. After some paintings and engravings had been disposed of,Samuel's was exhibited.“Who bids at three thalers?Who bids?”was the cry.Duhobret listened eagerly,but none answered.“Will it find a purchaser?”said he despondingly,to himself.Still there was a dead silence.He dared not look up；for it seemed to him that all the people were laughing at the folly of the artist,who could be insane enough to offer so worthless a piece at a public sale.
“What will become of me?”was his mental inquiry.“That work is certainly my best；”and he ventured to steal another glance.“Does it not seem that the wind actually stirs those boughs and moves those leaves！How transparent is the water！What life breathes in the animals that quench their thirst at that spring！How that steeple shines！How beautiful are those clustering trees！”This was the last expiring throb of an artist's vanity. The ominous silence continued,and Samuel,sick at heart,buried his face in his hands.
“Twenty-one thalers！”murmured a faint voice,just as the auctioneer was about to knock down the picture. The stupefied painter gave a start of joy.He raised his head and looked to see from whose lips those blessed words had come.It was the picture dealer,to whom he had first thought of applying.
“Fifty thalers，”cried a sonorous voice. This time a tall man in black was the speaker.There was a silence of hushed expectation.“One hundred thalers，”at length thundered the picture dealer.
“Three hundred！”“Five hundred！”“One thousand！”
Another profound silence,and the crowd pressed around the two opponents,who stood opposite each other with eager and angry looks.
“Two thousand thalers！”cried the picture dealer,and glanced around him triumphantly,when he saw his adversary hesitate.“Ten thousand！”vociferated the tall man,his face crimson with rage,and his hands clinched convulsively. The dealer grew paler；his frame shook with agitation；he made two or three efforts,and at last cried out“Twenty thousand！”
His tall opponent was not to be vanquished. He bid forty thousand.The dealer stopped；the other laughed a low laugh of insolent triumph,and a murmur of admiration was heard in the crowd.It was too much for the dealer；he felt his peace was at stake.“Fifty thousand！”exclaimed he in desperation.It was the tall man's turn to hesitate.Again the whole crowd were breathless.At length,tossing his arms in defiance,he shouted“One hundred thousand！”The crestfallen picture dealer withdrew；the tall man victoriously bore away the prize.
How was it,meanwhile,with Duhobret,while this exciting scene was going on?He was hardly master of his senses. He rubbed his eyes repeatedly,and murmured to himself，“After such a dream,my misery will seem more cruel！”When the contest ceased,he rose up bewildered,and went about asking first one,then another,the price of the picture just sold.It seemed that his apprehension could not at once be enlarged to so vast a conception.
The possessor was proceeding homeward,when a decrepit,lame,and humpbacked invalid,tottering along by the aid of a stick,presented himself before him. He threw him a piece of money,and waved his hand as dispensing with his thanks.“May it please your honor，”said the supposed beggar，“I am the painter of that picture！”and again he rubbed his eyes.
The tall mall was Count Dunkelsback,one of the richest noblemen in Germany. He stopped,took out his pocketbook,took out a leaf,and wrote on it a few lines.“Take it,friend，”said he；“it is a check for your money.Adieu.”
Duhobret finally persuaded himself that it was not a dream. He became the master of a castle,sold it,and resolved to live luxuriously for the rest of his life,and to cultivate painting as a pastime.But,alas,for the vanity of human expectation！He had borne privation and toil；prosperity was too much for him,as was proved soon after,when an indigestion carried him off.His picture remained long in the cabinet of Count Dunkelsback,and afterward passed into the possession of the King of Bavaria.
一鸣惊人的艺术家
也许，并不是所有仰慕阿尔伯特·杜勒才华的人都知道这位著名的雕刻家拥有一位“贤内助”，由于他脾气暴躁，因此不但她在他自己的生活中受尽了折磨，而且还殃及他的学生和家庭。他以前的学生非常圆滑，他们会以安抚这位共同暴君的方式给自己换来和平；然而对于那些倒霉鬼来说，他们不乐意或是没办法拿出任何可以让他满意的东西。甚至更明智的人也只有利用嫁祸替罪羊的方式，来宣泄内心的不爽。
这个不幸的人就是塞缪尔·杜霍布赖特。杜勒因为可怜他才将他招致门下，让他负责在标志牌和粗制绒绣毯上涂颜色，然后再把它们运到德国。他大约四十岁，身体单薄，相貌丑陋，还有些驼背，因此杜勒的一些学生总是恶毒地嘲笑他。阿尔伯特·杜勒夫人尤其讨厌他，可以说他就是她的眼中钉。但是他十分有耐心，且毫无怨言，尽管他每天的晚饭只是一些面包屑，而同伴们的饭菜要比他的丰盛得多。
可怜的塞缪尔心里没有丝毫的嫉妒或怨恨。任何时候，他都是卖力劳动到半夜，为那些嘲笑他并大声辱骂他愚笨的人服务。是的，他不具备社交幽默或者才智，但他是不知疲倦、勤勤恳恳的模范。每天，他总是在天刚蒙蒙亮的时候就开始学习，直到日落黄昏。然后他会只身来到自己的小屋里休息，逗自己开心。
塞缪尔以这种方式吃了三年的苦头，既没有任何练习的时间，也没有放松神经的机会。他没有向任何人讲他独自一人在小屋子里凭借昏暗的灯光思考绘画的事情。但是，这样长年累月的辛劳将他身体里的能量都耗干了。没有人关注这个可怜的艺术家，也没有谁注意他满是皱纹的脸上泛出的病态的红晕，他那畸形的身躯日益变得瘦弱。
没有人注意到他的薪水几乎买不了一顿午饭，此后数天都是如此。塞缪尔像往常一样出现，忍受同学的嘲讽，或者是来自阿尔伯特·杜勒夫人的嘲弄，继续毫不松懈地努力工作，有时他的手会颤抖，眼睛遍布血丝，他畸形的身躯大概就是因为过度辛劳而导致的。
一天早上，塞缪尔没来画室，人们对他的旷工议论纷纷，很多人更是冷嘲热讽。大家互相猜测他为什么会旷工，或者细细研究产生这种事情的原因，最终大家一致认为那个可怜的家伙一定是死了，变成了一具骷髅，正在某个药剂师的玻璃框架里面做展示，或者是他家的大门碰巧没关上，从屋外刮进来的大风把他给吹走了。总之，没有人愿意去他家探望，看看他到底出了什么事。
与此同时，大家取乐的对象塞缪尔已经卧床不起，疾病慢慢地吞噬着他的身体，阻塞他的每一条血管；他的眼睛开始打转，并且因为兴奋而闪亮无比；他平常不怎么说话的嘴巴此时有些语无伦次地说着什么。在身体健康的时候，可怜的塞缪尔做过各种各样的美梦，要么是成了一位大艺术家，要么是成了一个非常富有的人，或者又变成了一个贫苦的穷人。他本打算依靠自己多年的辛苦劳动，认为只要保持勤俭节约的方式就能生活下去，那么他以后就不会为了生活而忧愁。他从来不期望自己有很大的名气或者很有钱；他的期望或者希望，就是拥有一所足够大的房子来躲避恶劣的天气，有足够的钱来买每天必需的食物。
然而，现在所有的愿望都离他而去，他觉得自己快死了，但是他不想就这么轻易死掉，因为还没有人好好地照看过他，也没有人说过一些安慰他的话，让他安心去另一个世界。他想象到，自己的床周围都是恶魔般的脸孔，对他的不幸遭遇进行冷嘲热讽，他无力驱散这些邪恶的面孔，最终那些面孔消失了，他很快陷入了疲惫的沉睡。
他醒来时，觉得一点精神都没有，他已经在这里躺了五天五夜，但就是没有人来看他。他十分口渴，翻了个身，虚弱地把手伸向陶制水壶。从生病一开始，他就用这个水壶止渴。啊！水壶里竟然是空的！塞缪尔躺了几分钟，心想接下来该怎么做。他知道如果他被遗弃在这里，他就会被口渴折磨致死。但是谁能帮助他呢？
终于，一个突发奇想触动了他。他缓慢地直起身来，挣扎着从床上下来，走到屋子的另一边，取出自己最近一次创作的油画，决定把画带到画商的店里，希望用这幅画获取能够让他再活一个礼拜的生活必需品。绝望在驱使他前进，同时肩负着沉甸甸的担子。在去商店的路上，他从一所房子边走过，看到那里聚集着一大群人，于是他凑过去，问道：“这里发生了什么事？”他得到的回答是这里要进行一场艺术品拍卖会，这些艺术品是一位业余收藏家花费30年时间收集起来的。通常这些作品都是作者本人花费巨大努力才画成的，然后在这些画家死去之后，这些作品会被毫不怜惜或不加区分地以低价变卖出去。
一些人的谈话传到了机警的塞缪尔的耳朵里，他认为在这里可以把自己的画卖出去，况且从这里到商店还有很长的一段路要走；于是他做出了决定，穿过人群，在询问了几个人之后，他找到了拍卖商。拍卖商正在忙得不可开交，手里拿着一堆文件，注意到了这个衣衫褴褛、瘦弱并且驼背的人，所以就用手势和话语试探了他一下。
“你怎么看你的画？”终于，拍卖商在仔细看过这幅画之后说。
“这幅画画的是纽伯格大修道院，背景是它所在的村落和周围的景色。”画家急切而有些颤抖地说。
拍卖商再次用轻蔑的眼神看起这幅画来，问他打算卖多少钱。“噢，你觉得多少钱合适，就多少钱拿走吧。”塞缪尔答道。
“哼！太蹩脚了，还真没法给价啊。不过，我可以向你保证，这画最多值三泰勒。”
可怜的塞缪尔深深地叹了口气。他想不到自己花费数个夜晚完成的这幅画才值这么点钱。但是他现在饥饿难耐，即使可怜的三泰勒也能买到足够维持数天的面包。他冲拍卖商点点头，便在拍卖场的一处角落坐下来。
拍卖开始了。在拍卖商拍卖了几幅油画和雕刻品之后，塞缪尔的作品被展示出来。“谁出3泰勒？有谁愿出价？”拍卖商大声喊道。塞缪尔急切地听着，但是没有人回答。“会有人买吗？”他沮丧地对自己说道。拍卖会上仍然一片死寂。他都不敢抬头看了，因为在他看来，在场的所有人都在嘲笑画这幅画的作者有多么愚蠢。因为他太过疯狂，竟然在公开拍卖会上拍卖如此毫无价值的作品。
“我的作品会怎么样？”他扪心自问，“这是我画得最好的作品。”他鼓起勇气偷看了一下。“没有人注意到风激起了那些树枝，吹动了那些树叶！画里面的水是多么的清澈啊！在泉水旁喝水的动物生活得多么自在啊！那尖塔是多么的闪亮啊！那些树是多么的美丽啊！”这是这位艺术家自尊心即将消亡的最后悸动。悲剧的寂静仍在继续，塞缪尔的心里感到十分痛苦，他把头埋在了手心。
就在拍卖商取下这幅画的时候，突然传来一个微弱的声音：“我出21泰勒。”塞缪尔目瞪口呆，开始兴奋起来。他抬起了头，想看看究竟是谁开的尊口。那个喊价的是一名画商，他之前就认为这个人会首先喊价。
“50泰勒！”一个响亮的声音传来。这次是一位身着黑色上衣、手拿扬声器的大高个儿。在充满期望的寂静过后，“100泰勒！”终于，画商大声喊道。
“300泰勒！”
“500泰勒！”
“1000泰勒！”
场上再一次陷入了寂静，众人都围在这两个竞争者之间，他们面对面坐着，脸上都带着既热情又胜券在握的表情，怒目相视。
“2000泰勒！”画商叫道，当他看到竞争对手犹豫了，便炫耀似地打量着他。“10000泰勒！”那个高个儿喊道，他的脸由于愤怒而变得通红，双手紧握，犹如痉挛一般。画商的脸变得苍白起来，他的身躯因激动而开始抖动，在竞拍了两三次之后，终于他大叫道：“两万泰勒！”
那个高个儿的竞争对手并没有因此而屈服。他出价四万泰勒，画商不再出价了；那个高个儿用充满轻蔑的笑声炫耀他的胜利，人群里传来了低声的赞叹。对于画商来说，这样的声音太刺耳了，他感到自己没法再保持平稳的心态了。“五万泰勒！”画商充满绝望地吼道。这次轮到那个高个儿的出价者犹豫了。人群再一次陷入了令人难以呼吸的紧张氛围之中。终于，高个儿蔑视地举起手，拼尽全力高喊：“十万泰勒！”那位画商终于望而却步，高个儿拿着那幅画，胜利而归。
与此同时，面对这样激动人心的时刻，塞缪尔的心情又是怎样的呢？在拍卖结束之后，塞缪尔无法控制自己的情感。他反复擦拭自己的眼睛，对自己小声说：“做过这样的梦之后，我的痛苦将变得更加残酷！”当拍卖结束的时候，他充满疑惑地站起来，接连打听了好几个人，问他们刚才那幅画卖了多少钱。很显然，他还无法理解10万泰勒到底是多少钱。
当那个苍老、虚弱并且驼着背的塞缪尔拄着拐杖踉跄地朝前走的时候，那个高个儿的出价者正在回家的路上。塞缪尔走到他前面，刚打算做自我介绍，高个儿给塞缪尔扔了一块钱，还没等他说谢谢，就急忙摆手。“谢谢您的慷慨，”塞缪尔说，“我是这幅画的作者。”说着，他再一次擦了擦自己的眼睛。
这个高个儿就是敦克尔巴克伯爵，德国最有钱的绅士之一，他停了下来，拿出支票簿，从里面撕下来一张支票，在上面写了几行字。“拿着，我的朋友，”他说，“这是张支票，里面是你应得的钱。再会！”
最终，塞缪尔说服了自己这不是一场梦。他买下了一座城堡，后来，又把城堡卖了，并且下定决心，在剩下的后半生要过奢侈的生活，并且把绘画当作消遣。真是让人唏嘘，人类的期望竟是如此的空虚！他家境贫困，受尽折磨，对他来说富有竟然难以承受，正如后来的事实所证明的那样，他因奢侈的生活而丧了命。他的那幅作品一直放在敦克尔巴克伯爵的陈列室里，之后又流落到巴伐利亚国王手中。