新视野大学英语读写教程第四册第三单元B篇原文和翻译

unit3BABlindManHelpedMeSeetheBeautifulWorldItwaslateafternoonwhenthechairmanofourBangkok-basedcompanygavemeanassignment:IwouldleavethenextdaytoaccompanyanimportantChinesebusinessmantotouristsitesinnorthernThailand.Silentlyangry,Istaredatmydesk.Thestacksofpaperborewitnesstoahugeamountofworkwaitingtobedone,eventhoughIhadbeenworkingsevendaysaweek.HowwillIevercatchup?Iwondered.Afteraone-hourflightthenextmorning,wespentthedayvisitingattractionsalongwithhundredsofothertourists,mostofthemloadedwithcamerasandsmallgifts.Irememberfeelingannoyedatthisdensecollectionofhumanity.ThateveningmyChinesecompanionandIclimbedintoacharteredvantogotodinnerandashow,onewhichIhadattendedmanytimesbefore.Whilehechattedwithothertourists,Iexchangedpoliteconversationinthedarkwithamanseatedinfrontofme,aBelgianwhospokefluentEnglish.Iwonderedwhyheheldhisheadmotionlessatanoddangle,asthoughhewereinprayer.Thenthetruthstruckme.Hewasblind.Behindmesomeoneswitchedonalight,andIcouldseehisthicksilveryhairandstrong,squarejaw.Hiseyesseemedtocontainawhitemist."CouldIpleasesitbesideyouatthedinner?"heasked."AndI'dloveitifyou'ddescribealittleofwhatyousee.""I'dbehappyto,"Ireplied.Myguestwalkedaheadtowardtherestaurantwithnewlyfoundfriends.TheblindmanandIfollowed.Myhandheldhiselbowtosteerhim,buthesteppedforwardwithnosignofhesitationorstoop,hisshoulderssquared,hisheadhigh,asthoughhewereguidingme.Wefoundatableclosetothestage.HeorderedhalfaliterofbeerandIorderedagrapesoda.Aswewaitedforourdrinks,theblindmansaid,"ThemusicseemsoutoftunetoourWesternears,butithascharm.Pleasedescribethemusicians."Ihadn'tnoticedthefivemenperformingatthesideofthestageasanintroductiontotheshow."They'reseatedcross-leggedonarug,dressedinloosewhitecottonshirtsandlargeblacktrousers,withfabricaroundtheirwaiststhathasbeendyedbrightred.Threeareyounglads,oneismiddle-agedandoneiselderly.Onebeatsasmalldrum,anotherplaysawoodenstringedinstrument,andtheotherthreehavesmaller,violin-likepiecestheyplaywithabow."Asthelightsdimmed,theblindmanasked,"Whatdoyourfellowtouristslooklike?""Allnationalities,colors,shapesandsizes,agalleryofhumanfaces,"Iwhispered.AsIloweredmyvoicefurtherandspokeclosetohisear,theblindmanleanedhisheadeagerlytowardme.Ihadneverbeforebeenlistenedtowithsuchintensity."VeryclosetousisanelderlyJapanesewoman,"Isaid."Justbeyondherayellow-hairedScandinavianboyofaboutfiveisleaningforward,hisfacejustbelowhers.They'remotionless,waitingfortheperformancetostart.It'stheperfectlivingportraitofchildhoodandoldage,ofEuropeandAsia.""Yes,yes,Iseethem,"theblindmansaidquietly,smiling.Acurtainatthebackofthestageopened.Sixyounggirlsappeared,andIdescribedtheirviolet-coloredsilkskirts,whiteblouses,andgold-coloredhatslikesmallcrowns,withflexiblepointsthatmovedinrhythmwiththedance."Onthetipsoftheirfingersaregoldennailsperhaps8centimeterslong,"Itoldtheblindman."Thenailshighlighteachelegantmovementoftheirhands.It'sadelightfuleffect."Hesmiledandnodded."Howwonderful—Iwouldlovetotouchoneofthosegoldennails."Thefirstperformanceendedjustaswefinisheddessert,andIexcusedmyselfandwenttotalktothetheatermanager.Uponreturning,Itoldmycompanion,"You'vebeeninvitedbackstage."Afewminuteslaterhewasstandingnexttooneofthedancers,herlittlecrownedheadhardlyreachinghischest.Sheshylyextendedbothhandstowardhim,thebrassfingernailsshiningintheoverheadlight.Hishands,fourtimesaslarge,reachedoutslowlyandheldthemasthoughtheywereholdinguptwotinybirds.Ashefeltthesmooth,curvingsharpnessofthemetaltips,thegirlstoodquitestill,gazingupintohisfacewithanexpressionofwonder.Alumpformedinmythroat.Aftertakingacabbacktotheinn,withmyChinesegueststillwiththeothers,theblindmanpattedmyshoulder,thenpulledmetowardhimandembracedmetightly."Howbeautifullyyousaweverythingforme,"hewhispered."Icanneverthankyouenough."LaterIthought:Ishouldhavethankedhim.Iwastheonewhohadbeenblind,myeyesmerelyskimmingthesurfaceofthings.Hehadhelpedmelifttheveilthatgrowssoquicklyoveroureyesinthisbusyworld,toseeawholenewrealmI'dfailedtoappreciatebefore.Aboutaweekafterourtrip,thechairmantoldmetheChineseexecutivehadcalledtoexpressgreatsatisfactionwiththetrip."Welldone,"thechairmansaid,smiling.Iknewyoucoulddothemagic."Iwasnotabletotellhimthatthemagichadbeendonetome.Words:901已经是下午很晚了，我们驻曼谷公司的主席分配给我一个任务：要我在第二天陪一位重要的中国客商去泰国北部的旅游点。我眼睛瞪着桌子，心里直冒火。桌上成堆的文件足以证明，尽管我一周七天都在工作，可还有大量的工作等着我去做。我真不知道如何才能把这些活儿赶出来。第二天早晨，坐了一个小时飞机后，我们与其他数百名游客一起游览了一些景点。他们大多数都带着相机，满载着小礼物。我仍记得那天挤在密集的人群中，心里很恼火。当天晚上我和这位中国伙伴一起坐上了旅游包车去吃晚饭、看表演。那场表演我以前看过很多次了。他跟其他游客聊着天，我则在黑暗中跟一位坐在我前面的男士说些应酬的话。他是位比利时人，讲一口流利的英语。我开始感到奇怪，为什么他的头一动不动地保持着一个古怪的角度，好像在祷告一样。后来我才恍然大悟，他是位盲人。我身后有人打开了灯，我看到了他浓密的银发，还有方正有力的下巴。他的双眼里似乎有一层白膜。“我吃饭时能坐在您的旁边吗？”他问道。“我很想您能把看到的向我略作介绍。”“我很乐意，”我回答说。我的客人与几位新交的朋友径直走进了餐馆，我和这位盲人跟了进去。我用手搀着他的肘部给他领路，但他昂首挺胸地前行，没有丝毫的犹豫或佝偻，好像是他在给我带路。我们找了一张靠近舞台的桌子，他要了半升啤酒，我则要了一杯葡萄汽水。我们等着上饮料时，这位盲人说：“我们西方人听起来这首乐曲似乎变调了，但还是挺有魅力的，您能描述一下奏乐的人吗？”我并没注意到舞台那头的五个人，他们在奏着演出的开场乐曲。“他们盘着腿坐在小地毯上，身着宽松的白色棉布衬衫和肥大的黑裤，腰系染成鲜红色的布带。他们中三个是年轻小伙子，还有一位中年乐手和一位老年乐手。他们中一个击鼓，另一个奏着木制的弦乐器，另外三个用琴弓拉着一种类似小提琴但要小一些的乐器。”光线暗下来，盲人问：“那些游客们都长什么模样？”“他们来自不同国家，肤色、体形、个头也都不同，简直就是一个不同种族人的大聚会，”我低声说。我把声音压得更低，凑近他的耳朵说话，他也热切地把头靠过来。从来没有人如此强烈地想听我讲话。“离我们很近的是一位日本老妇人，”我说。“她旁边有一个黄头发的斯堪的纳维亚男孩，大约五岁