乞丐老杰克与埃迪女士

　　As a woman walked down the streets one day on a cold day in February, she spotted a beggar. The man looked dirty, old, unshaven and didn't even wear a proper coat. Every passer-by looked at him with contempt. Not like they had anything against him, but merely because of who he was: a filthy beggar.

　　在二月的一个寒冷的日子里，一位女士走在街上时发现了一个乞丐。这个男人看上去又脏又老，满脸胡子拉渣，甚至连件合身的外套都没穿。每个经过他身边的路人都会向他投去蔑视的目光。他们这样做似乎并不是因为他们对他有什么反感，只是因为他的身份——一个肮脏的乞丐。

　　"Sir? Are you all right?" The lady asked him. The old beggar thought that this well-dressed, obviously wealthy lady, was mocking him. "Leave me alone!" he growled. She did not move. "Are you hungry?" She asked with a gentle smile. "No, I've just had lunch with the president." The beggar replied sarcastically. Her smile did not fade, and she tried to pick him up. "What do you think you are doing woman!" The beggar cried.

　　“先生？您还好吧？”那位女士问他。这位老乞丐认为这位穿着讲究、显然很有钱的女士想要嘲弄他。“离我远点儿！”他咆哮道。但那位女士依然站在那里。“您饿了吗？”她问道，脸上带着和蔼的微笑。“不饿，我刚刚和总统吃过午餐”乞丐用讽刺的口吻回答道。她依旧保持着笑容，试图把乞丐搀扶起来。“你到底要做什么，女士？”乞丐大喊道。

　　"Is there a problem ma'am?" a passing policeman asked. "Not at all officer. I'm just trying to get this man on his feet." The woman replied. Surprised, the policeman said: "That's old Jack, he has been here for years. What have you got to do with him?" "I am taking him to the cafeteria to get warm and eat something." The woman answered.

　　一名过路的警察问道：“夫人，有什么问题吗？”“没什么，警官。我只是想让这个人站起来。”女士回答说。警察惊讶地说：“这不是老杰克吗？！他在这里已经好几年了。你和他什么关系？”“我要带他去自助餐厅，暖和一下，吃点东西。”女士回答说。

　　Angry, the old beggar now shouted: "Are you crazy!? I don't want to go in there!" But then he felt strong hands lifting him up. "Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything!" "Don't blow this good chance to feed yourself Jack." The officer advised. Together, they dragged jack into the cafeteria.

　　这时，那位老乞丐生气地喊道：“你疯了吗！？我不想去那！”不过，他很快就感到有一双强有力的手将自己扶了起来。“放开我，警官。我什么也没有做！”“别错过这个让自己饱餐一顿的机会，杰克。”警察劝说道。随后，警察与女士合力把杰克拖进了自助餐厅。

　　"What's going on here!? People like him are bad for business. We won't serve him anything here!" The manager of the cafeteria said, angrily. "Now you know why I didn't want to come in here woman." Jack said to the lady. "Now let me go!"

　　“怎么回事？像他这种人会有损我们的生意，我们是不会为他提供任何服务的！”自助餐厅经理愤怒地说。“现在你知道我为什么不想进来了吧！”杰克对女士说，“那就放我走吧！”

　　Smiling, the woman turned to the cafeteria manager and said: "Sir, I reckon you know Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?" "Of course I do, they hold their weekly business lunches here." The manager retorted. "I am the CEO of the company" the woman replied. "o-o-oh..." The manager stuttered, and had nothing else left to say.

　　女士微笑着转向自助餐厅经理，说道：“先生，我猜您知道Eddy and Associates吧？就是街边的那家银行。”“当然知道，他们每周都会在这里办商业午餐。”经理反驳说。“我就是那家银行的CEO。”女士回答说。“哦-哦-哦……”经理变得哑口无言，只是这样结结巴巴地回应道。

　　"Would you like a cup of coffee or a meal, officer?" She asked. "No thanks, ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty." The lady, however, insisted that he'd at least get a cup of coffee to go,which the manager brought to all three of them, almost instantly.

　　“您想要一杯咖啡还是吃点什么，警官？”她问道。“不了，谢谢啦，女士，”警察回答说，“我正在执勤。”不过，女士坚持要他至少点杯咖啡带走。那位经理几乎一转眼就为他们三人一人上了一杯咖啡。

　　"You just taught him a good lesson in hospitality." Said the officer." Oh, that was not really what I intended." She stared at Jack and said: "Jack, do you remember me?" "Well you do look familiar.” Jack said while examining her face.

　　“您刚刚教了他该如何提供热情周到的服务。”警察说。“哦，这并不是我真正想要的。”她盯着杰克说：“杰克，您还记得我吗？”“嗯，看着很眼熟。”杰克回答道，同时审视着她的容颜。

　　"Do you remember a cold and hungry girl who once visited this place when you worked here? She has, perhaps, grown old hasn't she?" Jack nodded, he was speechless. "I was just graduated, unemployed and lost my apartment for I couldn't afford the rent anymore. I wandered on these streets looking for work for days. It was cold. One day I walked in this cafeteria, hoping to find something eatable that my meagre budget would allow. When you saw me, you offered me the biggest roast beef sandwich ever and a good cup of coffee. You did not charge me anything."

　　“您还记得您以前在这里工作的时候，曾经来过一个饥寒交迫的女孩吗？她或许已经变老了，不是吗？“杰克点点头，什么也没说。“那时我刚刚毕业就失业了，还因为交不起房租而无家可归。我在附近街道上游荡了好几天。天气非常寒冷。一天，我走进了这家自助餐厅，希望找到一些我能负担得起的东西吃。当您看到我时，就给了我一份最大号的烤牛肉三明治和一杯香醇的咖啡。当时您一分钱也没有收我。”

　　"So you started your own business?" Old Jack mumbled after a long silence. "Yes, I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up and started my own business." She gave him a business card and said: "Please go to the HR manager of my company. I'll make sure my company has a vacancy for someone just like you." Fighting back his tears, Jack asked,"How can I ever repay your kindness?" "You don't have to." She said.

　　“那你后来自己创业了？”经过长时间的沉默之后，老杰克喃喃地问道。“是的，我当天下午就找到了份工作。之后，我一直非常努力地工作，并开创了自己的事业。”她给了老杰克一张名片，说：“请去找我公司的人事经理。我确认我的公司需要像您这样的人。”老杰克擒住眼泪，问道：“我该怎样报答您的好意？”“您不必报答。”她说。

　　While leaving, she said: "Thank you for all your help officer." On the contrary, Ms. Eddy, thank you! Also for the coffee." "I forgot to ask you whether you used cream or sugar. That's black. I'm so sorry." She said, frowning. "Please don't be! I do use more sugar than what is good for me, but this black coffee tastes as sweet as sugar." He replied.

　　离开的时候，她说：“感谢您的帮助，警官。”“正好相反，埃迪女士，我应该感谢您！还有您给买的咖啡。”“我都忘了问您是否加奶油或糖，给您喝的是黑咖啡，为此我感到非常抱歉。”她皱着眉头说。“您可别这样说！我确实比较喜欢在咖啡里放很多糖，但这黑咖啡的味道与糖一样甜。”他回答说。