The Date Father Didn’t Keep （父亲失约）

The Date Father Didn’t Keep （父亲失约）
It happened in one of those picturesque¹ Danish taverns² that cater³ to tourists and where English is spoken． I was with my father on a business－and－pleasure trip，and in our leisure hours we were having a wonderful time．
“It‘s a pity your mother couldn’t come，”said Father．“It would be wonderful to show her around．”
He had visited Denmark when he was a young man． I asked him，“How long is it since you were here?”
“Oh，about 30 years． I remember being in this very inn，by the way．”He looked around，remembering．
“Those were gracious days－”He stopped suddenly，and I saw that his face was pale． I followed his eyes and looked across the room to a woman who was setting a tray of drinks before some customers． She might have been pretty once，but now she was stout⁴ and her hair was untidy．“Do you know her?”I asked……
“I did once，”he said．
The woman come to our table．“Drinks?”she inquired．
“We‘ll have beer，”I said． She nodded and went away．
“How she has changed！Thank heaven she didn‘t recognize me，”muttered Father mopping his face with a handkerchief．“I know her before I ever met your mother，”he went on．“I was a student，on a tour． She was a lovely young thing，very graceful⁵． I fell madly in live with her，and she with me．”
“Does Mother know about her?”I blurted⁶ out，resentfully．
“Of course，”Father said gently． He looked at me a little anxiously． I felt embarrassed for him．
I said，“Dad，you don‘t have to－”
“Oh，yes，I want to tell you． I don‘t want you wondering about this． Her father objected to our romance． I was a foreigner． I had no prospects，and was dependent on my father． When I wrote Father that I wanted to get married he cut off my allowance． And I had to go home． But I met the girl once more，and told her I would return to America，borrow enough money to get married on，and come back for her in a few months．”
“We know，”he continued，“that her father might intercept⁷ a letter，so we agreed that I would simply mail her a slip of paper with a date on it，the time she was to meet me at a certain place；then we‘d married． Well，I went home，got the loan and sent her the date． She received the note． She wrote me：”I’ll be there．“But she wasn‘t． Then I found that she had been married about two weeks before，to a local innkeeper． She hadn’t waited．”
Then my father said，“Thank God she didn‘t． I went home，met your mother，and we’ve been completely happy． We often joke about that youthful love romance．”
The woman appeared with our beer．
“You are from America?”she asked me．
“Yes，”I said．
She beamed．“A wonderful country，America．”
“Yes，a lot of your countrymen have gone there． Did you ever think of it?”
“Not me． Not now，”she said．“I think so one time，a ling time ago． But I stay here． I much better here．”
We drank our beer and left． Outside I said，“Father，just how did you write that date on which she was to meet you？”
He stopped，took out an envelope and wrote on it．“Like this，”he said．“12/11/73，which was，of course，December 11，1973．”
“No！”I exclaimed．“It isn‘t in Denmark or any European country． Over here they write the day first，then the month． So that date wouldn’t be December 11 but the 12th of November！”
Father passed his hand over his face．“So she was there！”he exclaimed．“And it was because I didn‘t show up that she got married．”He was silent a while．“Well，”he said．，“I hope she’s happy． She seems be．”
As we resumed walking I blurted out，“It is a lucky thing it happened that way． You wouldn‘t have met Mother．”
He put his arm around my shoulders，looked at me with a heart－warming smile，and said，“I was doubly lucky，young fellow，for otherwise I wouldn‘t have met you，either！”

1 picturesque   

adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的

参考例句：

• You can see the picturesque shores beside the river.在河边你可以看到景色如画的两岸。
• That was a picturesque phrase.那是一个形象化的说法。

2 taverns   

n.小旅馆，客栈，酒馆( tavern的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They ain't only two taverns. We can find out quick." 这儿只有两家客栈，会弄明白的。” 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
• Maybe ALL the Temperance Taverns have got a ha'nted room, hey, Huck?" 也许所有的禁酒客栈都有个闹鬼的房间，喂，哈克，你说是不是？” 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险

3 cater   

vi.(for/to)满足，迎合；(for)提供饮食及服务

参考例句：

• I expect he will be able to cater for your particular needs.我预计他能满足你的特殊需要。
• Most schools cater for children of different abilities.大多数学校能够满足具有不同天资的儿童的需要。

4 stout   

adj.强壮的，粗大的，结实的，勇猛的，矮胖的

参考例句：

• He cut a stout stick to help him walk.他砍了一根结实的枝条用来拄着走路。
• The stout old man waddled across the road.那肥胖的老人一跩一跩地穿过马路。

5 graceful   

adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的

参考例句：

• His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
• The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。

6 blurted   

v.突然说出，脱口而出( blurt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She blurted it out before I could stop her. 我还没来得及制止，她已脱口而出。
• He blurted out the truth, that he committed the crime. 他不慎说出了真相，说是他犯了那个罪。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 intercept   

vt.拦截，截住，截击

参考例句：

• His letter was intercepted by the Secret Service.他的信被特工处截获了。
• Gunmen intercepted him on his way to the airport.持枪歹徒在他去机场的路上截击了他。