读者文摘:父亲在工作和照顾女儿之间的斗争(6)（打印版）

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 frail, loyal, and lovable Dumpty will vanish from the life of a little girl who has outgrown 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 hood 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 frantic 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。