读者文摘:父亲在工作和照顾女儿之间的斗争(6)

I see the day when it won't mean so much to a tiny soul to have me sit next to her and read a story, one that means little to either of us

我看到有一天，我坐在她旁边对她来说不再那么意义非凡，读着我们两个都觉得毫无意义的故事，

realizing somehow that it is the sitting next to each other that means everything.

却意识到，坐在一起胜过一切。

And I see the day when the frail¹, loyal, and lovable Dumpty will vanish from the life of a little girl who has outgrown² him.

我看到有一天，虚弱、忠诚、可爱的Dumpty将从一个比他大得多的小女孩的生命中消失。

I resent Dumpty for an instant.

一瞬间,我对Dumpty有过怨恨。

He's consoling my girl, and that is my job.

他在安慰我的女儿，而这是我该干的事。

She and I have few enough days like this to share.

像这样的日子，我们几乎没有一起度过。

So the paper slips gently into the top drawer; the hood³ slides over the typewriter.

于是，我把纸轻轻地放进最上面的抽屉；盖上打字机的罩。

The test will get done somehow. Tests always get done.

不管怎样，工作总会完成的，题目总是会出完的。

"Meghan, I feel like taking a walk down to the park.

“梅根，我想去公园散散步。

I was wondering if you and Edward would care to join me.

我想知道你和爱德华是否愿意和我一起。

I thought you might like to go on the swings for a while.

我想你可能想荡会儿秋千。

Bring Dumpty—and your red sweater too. It might be windy down there."

带上Dumpty——还有你的红毛衣，下面可能有风。”

At the word park, the fingers leave the mouth. She laughs excitedly and begins the frantic⁴ search for her socks.

在公园，她没有把手指放进嘴巴，兴奋地笑着，开始疯狂地寻找她的袜子。

Melville will have to wait,

梅尔维尔将不得不等待，

but he won't mind. He waited most of his life for someone to discover the miracle of Moby-Dick

但他不会介意，他一生中大部分时间都在等待有人发现《白鲸》的奇迹

—and died 30 years before anyone did.

——他离世30年后，才有人发现。

No, he won't mind.

是的，他不会介意的。

Besides, he'd understand why I must go right now—

而且，他会理解我为什么现在走——

while bib-bibs still spark wonder

因为bib-bibs仍会引发奇想，

and before dandelions become weeds

蒲公英还没有变成野草，

and while a little girl thinks that a leaf from her father is a gift beyond measure.

小女孩认为从父亲那里得到的叶子是一份无价的礼物。

1 frail   

adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的

参考例句：

• Mrs. Warner is already 96 and too frail to live by herself.华纳太太已经九十六岁了，身体虚弱，不便独居。
• She lay in bed looking particularly frail.她躺在床上，看上去特别虚弱。

2 outgrown   

长[发展] 得超过（某物）的范围( outgrow的过去分词 )； 长[发展]得不能再要（某物）； 长得比…快； 生长速度超过

参考例句：

• She's already outgrown her school uniform. 她已经长得连校服都不能穿了。
• The boy has outgrown his clothes. 这男孩已长得穿不下他的衣服了。

3 hood   

n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖

参考例句：

• She is wearing a red cloak with a hood.她穿着一件红色带兜帽的披风。
• The car hood was dented in.汽车的发动机罩已凹了进去。

4 frantic   

adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的

参考例句：

• I've had a frantic rush to get my work done.我急急忙忙地赶完工作。
• He made frantic dash for the departing train.他发疯似地冲向正开出的火车。