书城外语摇响青春的风铃
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第43章 19个空蛋壳 (2)

Next Doris found a rock with moss on it. She explained that the moss, too, showed life. Billy spoke up from the back of the classroom. “My Daddy helped me!” he beamed.

Then Doris opened the fourth egg. She gasped. The egg was empty! Surely it must be Jeremy’s, she thought, and, of course, he did not understand her instructions. If only she had not forgotten to phone his parents. Because she did not want to embarrass him, she quietly set the egg aside and reached for another. Suddenly Jeremy spoke up. “Miss Miller, aren’t you going to talk about my egg?” Flustered, Doris replied, “but Jeremy, your egg is empty!” He looked into her eyes and said softly, “Yes, but Jesus’ tomb was empty too!”

Time stopped. When she could speak again, Doris asked him, “Do you know why the tomb was empty?” “Oh yes!” Jeremy exclaimed, “Jesus was killed and put in there. Then his Father raised him up!”

The recess bell rang. While the children excitedly ran out to the school yard, Doris cried. The cold inside her melted completely away.

Three months later Jeremy died. Those who paid their respects at the mortuary were surprised to see 19 eggs on top of his casket, all of them empty.

杰里米天生畸形,大脑反应迟钝,慢性绝症吞噬着他年轻的生命。可是他的父母却一直竭尽全力地让他能过正常人的生活,送他到圣·特蕾莎小学上学。

杰里米12岁了,还在读二年级,看起来是没有能力再读下去了。他的举动常常把老师多丽丝·米勒惹恼。他常在座位上极不安分地动来动去,嘴里还流着口水,不时发出“咕噜咕噜”的声响。有时,他也能清晰地讲话,就像一道智慧之光照亮了他混沌的头脑似的。然而,多数时侯,杰里米总是让他的老师恼火万分。

一天,老师打电话给杰里米的父母,要他们来学校面谈一下孩子的事。福里斯特夫妇安静地坐在空荡荡的教室里,多丽丝对他们说:“杰里米真的应该去特殊学校接受教育,在这儿和正常孩子一起学习,对他来说是很不公平的。因为他的智力与同龄的孩子相比要滞后五年。”

福里斯特夫人手拿面巾纸,掩面轻声抽泣着,她的丈夫对老师说:“米勒小姐,我们附近没有那种学校。如果不让他继续在这儿上学的话,对杰里米来说将是沉重的打击,我们知道他确实喜欢这里。”他们走后,多丽丝呆呆地坐了好久,望着窗外的雪,一种莫名的寒冷袭上心头。她真的很同情这对夫妇,毕竟他们唯一的孩子得的是绝症。可是,把他放在自己的班级确实有失公平。她还有其他的18个学生要教,而杰里米只会影响他们。况且他永远也不会真正学好读书和写字,为什么还要让他做无用功,把时间白白地浪费在这上面呢?

想到这儿,她的内疚感油然而生。“哦,天啊,”她大喊道:“与这户可怜人家相比,我那点儿苦根本不算什么!我却在这儿怨天尤人!请帮帮我,让我更有耐心对待杰里米吧。”

从那天以后,她努力不去注意杰里米的咕噜声和迷茫的眼神。一天,杰里米拖着那条病腿,一瘸一拐地来到讲桌旁,说:“我爱你,米勒小姐!”他的声音大得穿透了整个班级,其他孩子都窃笑了起来,多丽丝的脸突然红了,她吞吞吐吐地说道:“哦,哦,太好了!杰里米,请回座位上去吧。”

春天来了,孩子们兴致勃勃地谈论着即将到来的复活节。多丽丝给他们讲了有关耶稣的故事,为了强调春天是孕育万物的这一思想,她发给每个孩子一个大塑料鸡蛋。“现在,”她对孩子们说,“我想让你们把这蛋带回家去,里面放些能表示生命诞生的东西,明天上学再带来,明白了吗?”

“明白了,米勒小姐。”孩子们热情洋溢地回答着——除了杰里米。他在全神关注地听着,目不转睛地看着老师,就连平常的咕噜声都没有了。他理解了她所讲的有关耶稣死亡和复活的故事了吗?他知道都布置了什么作业吗?或许她该给他父母打电话,向他们再说明一下。

傍晚,多丽丝家厨房的水槽堵了,她给房东打电话,等了一个小时,房东才来疏通。之后,她又忙着去买些杂货,熨衣服,准备孩子们第二天的词汇测验。她把要给杰里米父母打电话的事忘到了脑后。

第二天早上,19个孩子到了学校,他们笑着把鸡蛋放进米勒小姐桌子上的大篮子里。下了数学课,该打开这些鸡蛋看了。

第一个鸡蛋里,多丽丝发现了一朵花。“噢,花儿的确预示着新生命的诞生。”她说:“当植物破土而出的时侯,我们便知道春天来了。”前排一个小女孩摆动着双臂大叫着:“那是我的,米勒小姐。”第二个鸡蛋里,装着一个逼真的塑料蝴蝶。多丽丝把它拿出来,说:“大家都知道,毛虫会慢慢长大变成美丽的蝴蝶。这也算是新生命的诞生。”朱迪骄傲地笑道:“米勒小姐,那个是我的。”

接下来,多丽丝看到一块长满苔藓的石头。她解释说,苔藓也标志着新生命的诞生。坐在教室后排的比利笑着说:“那是爸爸帮我做的!”

然后,多丽丝打开第四个鸡蛋。惊呆了,这个蛋竟然是空的!她确信一定是杰里米的,她想,他一定是没明白她的要求。要是没忘记给他父母打电话就不会这样了。她不想让杰里米尴尬,就把空蛋放到了一边儿,去拿另一个。突然,杰里米大声说:“米勒小姐,难道你不打算谈论一下我的蛋吗?”多丽丝不安地说:“可是,杰里米——你的蛋是空的呀!”杰里米望着老师的眼睛,轻声地说:“是啊,但耶稣的墓也是空的呀!”

此刻时间似乎凝滞了。当多丽丝回过神,问杰里米:“那你知道耶稣的墓为什么是空的吗?”“当然知道了!”杰里米喊道:“耶稣遇害后葬在这儿,后来上帝把他救了出来,他复活了!”

下课铃响了,孩子们都兴奋地冲向操场,多丽丝哭了,她内心冰冷的感觉彻底消失了。

三个月后,杰里米去世了。去墓地送葬的人们惊异地发现,他的棺材顶上放着19个蛋,并且都是空的。

记忆填空

1. He would squirm in his , drool and make grunting noises. At other , he spoke clearly and distinctly, as if a spot of had penetrated the darkness of his . Most of the time, however, Jeremy irritated his .

2. The next , 19 children came to school, laughing and talking they placed their eggs in the large wicker on Miss Miller’s desk. After they completed Math lesson, it was time to the eggs.

佳句翻译

1. 有时,他也能清晰地讲话,就像一道智慧之光照亮了他混沌的头脑似的。

2. 或许她该给他父母打电话,向他们再说明一下。

3. 她不想让杰里米尴尬,就把空蛋放到了一边儿,去拿另一个。

短语应用

1. His teacher, Doris Miller, often became exasperated with him.

be exasperated with:感到恼怒;懊恼

2. Doris sat for a long time after they left, staring at the snow outside the window.

stare at:凝视,注视