点不亮的蜡烛

 　　一个男人有一个小女儿，那是唯一的孩子，他深深地爱着她，为她而活，她就是他的生命。所以，当女儿生病时，他像疯了一般竭尽全力想让她恢复健康。

　　A man had a little daughter—an only and much-loved child. He lived for her—she was his life. So when she became ill, he became like a man possessed¹, moving heaven and earth to bring about her restoration to health.

　　His best efforts, however, proved unavailing and the child died. The father became a bitter recluse², shutting himself away from his many friends and refusing every activity that might restore his poise³ and bring him back to his normal self. But one night he had a dream.

　　He was in heaven, witnessing a grand pageant⁴ of all the little child angels. They were marching in a line passing by the Great White Throne. Every white-robed angelic child carried a candle. He noticed that one child’s candle was not lighted. Then he saw that the child with the dark candle was his own little girl. Rushing to her, he seized her in his arms, caressed⁵ her tenderly, and then asked, “How is it, darling, that your candle alone is unlighted?” “Daddy, they often relight it, but your tears always put it out.”

　　Just then he awoke from his dream. The lesson was crystal clear, and its effects were immediate⁶. From that hour on he was not a recluse, but mingled⁷ freely and cheerfully with his former friends and associates. No longer would his darling’s candle be extinguished by his useless tears.

　　一个男人有一个小女儿，那是唯一的孩子，他深深地爱着她，为她而活，她就是他的生命。所以，当女儿生病时，他像疯了一般竭尽全力想让她恢复健康。

　　然而，他所有的努力都无济于事，女儿还是死了。父亲变得痛苦遁世，避开了许多朋友，拒绝参加一切能使他恢复平静，回到自我的活动。但有一天夜里，他做了一个梦。

　　他到了天堂，看到所有的小天使都身穿白色天使衣，手里拿着一根蜡烛。他注意到有一个小天使的蜡烛没有点亮。随后，他看到那个拿着没有点亮的蜡烛的小天使是自己的女儿。他奔过去，一把将女儿抱在怀里，亲切地爱抚着她，然后问道：“宝贝儿，为什么只有你的蜡烛没有点亮呢？”“爸爸，他们经常重新点亮蜡烛，可是你的眼泪总是把它熄灭。”

　　就在这时，他从梦中醒来。梦给他上的一课像水晶般透明，而且立竿见影。从那个时刻起，他不再消极遁世，而是自由自在，兴高采烈的回到从前的朋友和同事们中间。宝贝女儿的蜡烛再也没有被他无用的眼泪熄灭过。

1 possessed   

adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的

参考例句：

• He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
• He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

2 recluse   

n.隐居者

参考例句：

• The old recluse secluded himself from the outside world.这位老隐士与外面的世界隔绝了。
• His widow became a virtual recluse for the remainder of her life.他的寡妻孤寂地度过了余生。

3 poise   

vt./vi. 平衡，保持平衡；n.泰然自若，自信

参考例句：

• She hesitated briefly but quickly regained her poise.她犹豫片刻，但很快恢复了镇静。
• Ballet classes are important for poise and grace.芭蕾课对培养优雅的姿仪非常重要。

4 pageant   

n.壮观的游行；露天历史剧

参考例句：

• Our pageant represented scenes from history.我们的露天历史剧上演一幕幕的历史事件。
• The inauguration ceremony of the new President was a splendid pageant.新主席的就职典礼的开始是极其壮观的。

5 caressed   

爱抚或抚摸…( caress的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His fingers caressed the back of her neck. 他的手指抚摩着她的后颈。
• He caressed his wife lovingly. 他怜爱万分地抚摸着妻子。

6 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

7 mingled   

混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系]

参考例句：

• The sounds of laughter and singing mingled in the evening air. 笑声和歌声交织在夜空中。
• The man and the woman mingled as everyone started to relax. 当大家开始放松的时候，这一男一女就开始交往了。