JOHN ANDY，THE SELFISH BOY（CONTINUED）
约翰o安迪，自私的孩子（续）
1.After this，the boys were forming themselves into a military company，and invited him to join them，offering him the office of sergeant.
2.He demanded to be captain，declaring that he would have nothing to do with the company unless he could be at its head.His demand was refused.He was too well known to be popular.
3.Too many of the boys had played jackal to his lion，to enlist under him as head officer.But John persisted in his demand，and the company was organized and went into drill without him.
4.When he saw it on its first grand march，drums beating and banners flying，he went to the captain and offered to accept a vacant office.
5.“Our offices are all filled，”returned the captain，who was not an admirer of John，“and well filled，too，”he added，with dignity.
6.John then wished to join it as a private，but was told that no “raw recruit”could be received on parade-day；that on certain named days he might be permitted to enlist，on signing the articles of the company.
7.John was greatly humiliated by this cool treatment，and still more when，after enlisting，he was obliged to take his place in the rear rank.
8.A giant snow-man was to be built by the boys of the school where John went，and all hands were hard at work building him，rolling little balls into larger ones，and piling large ones above each other.All were at work but John.
9.“Why don‘t you take hold and help，John？”asked one andanother.
10.“I don’t like piling snow，but I‘ll be the spirit，when the old fellow’s finished，”said John.
11.“O，will you！how obliging！perhaps you will！”answeredsome of the indignant boys，in a tone of irony.
12.The man of snow was made hollow，and so large that a boy could stand within him and speak for him，answering questions put to him，telling fortunes，reciting verses，or declaiming speeches.The boy who occupied and animated the snow-man was called his “spirit.”
13.When his snow-excellency was finished，even to his red flannel lips，inked paper eyes and eyelids，and a pasteboard crown on his immense head，the boys loudly summoned the “spirit”to do its duty.
14.John ventured to consult him as to his fortune and fate.There was something in the deep，sepulchral voice，which reminded one of the precocious captain，as the prophet slowly and solemnly pronounced this doom，making John turn pale and tremble：
15.“Art thou selfish？thou shalt be hated in life，neglected indeath，and despised in thy grave.”
16.The snow-prophet spoke the truth.Though he could not look into the future，he knew something of it from the past.John felt that he spoke the truth，for he was already hated by some and shunned by many.
17.Poor John！It is so hard to overcome selfishness.It requires such close watching，hard，inward struggling，and earnest prayer for help from God.But how brave，how worthy is he who overcomes it！“Better is he that ruleth his spirit，than he that taketh a city.”
【中文阅读】
1.这之后，一些男孩子自己成立了一个军事公司，他们邀请约翰加入，希望他当中士。
2.但他却要求做上尉，而且还说除非他做他们的上尉，否则就不加入。他的要求被拒绝，大家对他太了解了。
3.因为太多的人当过豺狼，做过他的手下。可约翰还是坚持他的要求，而公司已经形成，而且公司的职位都已经固定下来了。
4.公司第一次大游行时，他看到鼓声震天，旗帜飘扬，于是他就找到上尉，请求给他一个位置。
5.“我们的职位都已经满了，”这个上尉一点都不喜欢约翰，所以他还傲慢地加了一句，“而且人满为患了。”
6.于是约翰希望能作为一名士兵加入，但是得到的回答是：游行日不招募，只有一些固定的日子才进行招募，他才能加入公司。7.约翰被这样的冷遇羞辱了一番。后来，他加入公司后，被迫从最低等的士兵开始做起。
8.约翰所在的学校要堆一个很大很大的雪巨人，大家一起努力地滚着雪球，把小球滚成大球，把大球再一个一个堆起来，所有人都在努力工作着，唯独约翰在一边呆着不动。
9.“约翰，你怎么不动手呢？”谁见到他都问他。
10.“我不喜欢堆雪人，不过我要在雪人堆完之后，做雪人的灵魂。”约翰回答。
11.“哦，是吗！真是够乐于助人的啊！真有你的！”有些同学气愤地用奇怪的声调说道。
12.雪人做完了，中间是空的。雪人里面非常大，能站进去一个人替雪人说话、回答问题、为人占卜、背诵《圣经》，或是发布课程安排。站在里面说话的这个孩子就被称为“灵魂”。
13.雪人完全做好了，甚至在他巨大的脑袋上还点了红嘴唇、沾上了在纸上画出来的眼睛和眼皮、纸板做成的皇冠。同学们要求轮流值班做“灵魂”。
14.约翰向雪人灵魂询问自己的运程，雪人发出了低沉、忧郁的声音，这个声音使人想到他就是那个有些早熟的上尉，他用深沉、庄重的嗓音宣布了下面这个让约翰毛骨悚然的如世界末日般的话：
15.“你自私吗？你一生将被人厌恶，死时无人理会，进了坟墓都被人看不起。”
16.这个雪人先知说的是实话，尽管他看不到未来，但是他能从过去判断出未来。约翰也觉得他说的是实话，因为现在就已经有人恨他了，而且已经有很多人都躲着不理他了。
17.可怜的约翰！克服自私的缺点很难，这要求他要仔细审视自己，内心要有复杂的斗争，还要有诚信请求上帝的帮助。但是无论有多困难，只要能克服这个缺点都是勇敢的、值得的！