多功能英语阅读05 A Father's Gift（在线收听）

A Father's Gift

The visitor, on that morning before Easter, was a middle-aged, shabby-looking fellow, in white clothes with a queer waistcoat of light gray color. His small, neglected beard gave the impression that he had, perhaps, merely abandoned shaving and it has grown in his manner.

He spoke in a strange fluent dialect, "You posted a donation request for the marriage of poor girls in order to raise dowry money. "

"Yes, of course." I replied.

"I came here for that."

He uttered the words one by one in an articulate tone: as if he was not able to find appropriate ones. A mixed feeling of confusion and amazement enveloped me, for I could not understand him. No doubt, we had given an advertisement in a newspaper, but it was meant to raise funds. Though the advertisement had not brought sufficient response, it did not cause us any loss: the newspaper had printed it as a part of their charity services. Our orgination had recently taken up a poverty alleviation project, which included the marriage of poor girls as an integral compontent. We had already conducted a seminar for this purpose and its success had exceeded our expectations. In fact, we had succeded in afflicting the consciences of the participants and striking a responsive chord, and had received a number of promises, and anouncements of huge donations. The presence of news reporters at the occasion gave us an assurance that these promises would certainly materialize and that large sums would soon be deposited into our account.

On the next morning, we received, as promised, a cheque for two thousand dollars sent by Seth, a generous, patriotic entrepreneur who was also a member of the municipal council. Later on, a man from his group of companies told me that Seth Sahib did not let any of his workers miss the opportunity of earnning this good fame. He simply gave an order to deduct one day's salary from all his employees and thus contributed his share in our philanthropic mission. I didnot mind, as the means are no longer important when the ends are achieved.

Nawab gave us the same amount out of national grant for social development. He is a political figure who has played a role in amending the constitution of the commonwealth and who has nationalized all his belongings, his life, his property, his family etc., in the greater national interest. So, for him, there is no essential line that differentiates between personal and national assets. He thinks, and feels, for both in the same extravagant manner. Realizing that the national grant for uplifting the poor is about to terminate as the fiscal year approaches its end, he decided to donate an amount of money to it. He himself came to our office carrying the cheque and was accompanied by a sennior correspondant of a major newspaper. They had not forgotten to bring a photographer with them! The benifit of all this to his political career, was an obvious fact so it did not cause any confusion to me, but the visitor, standing in front of me at that moment, perplexed me.

In spite of my repeated expressions of not understanding the purpose of his visit, he was completely slient: perhaps, he felt same hesitation in telling me something. It made me all the more uneasy and rather anxious to know what he really wanted, which was beyond my comprehension.

Finally, I broke the ice. "Gentleman, have a seat please and explain yourself."

He placed some big notes in front of me, adding. "I have some money. I have brought it for you."

I was still going through the same uncertainty.

"But for what purpose?" I asked.

"You are raising funds for the dowry of poor girls. I have saved some amount and want to sponsor it."

Now the situation was becoming clear though my uncertainnty was natural, as I had never seen such a stranger donor before. Filled with an air of curiosity, I asked, "But why did you do that?"

"Is there any need to tell?" he asked.

"Yes, please."

He remained slient for a while, nodded his head in a negative way, then rose from his chair and spoke.

"No, sir, I don't think it necessary to tell. Let me go now!"

I was bewildered by his strange attitude and I spoke in a cold stubborn tone. "I am not accepting your amount if you will not tell me the truth."

He turned worried. "Is it so?"

"Yes. PLease let me know why you want to donate it. I am afraid of saying that you yourself seem to be in need of it. Please tell me clearly."

"Sir," he started saying in a coherent manner, "I am an unfortunate father of a daughter. I had been accumulating some money for her marriage and decided not to spend it on anything else but God had some other plans, as I could not see her happiness. She died when she was just sixteen after being diagnosed as being infected with a chronic gland tissue disease at nine; even homogeneous gennetic cloning couldn't help her; life is so fragile, but her death multiplied the love I had for her, and I kept on saving money from my wages in a frantic manner. It was already a thirteen-year-old habit, and was hardly to give up instantly. Then, I considered it to be a token of my love for her. I continued and when I saw your advertisement in the newspaper, I decided to give it to you. In this way, perhaps, my distress may become easier to endure and I may derive some peace from it." When he reached the last sentence he could not control himself, and liquid sorrow poured out of his eyes as the storm within him became wild and unrestrained.

Feeling a tear in my eyes, I rose up from my chair, placed my hand on his shoulder, and try to comfort him. Nothing is more comforting than time itself and she was quiet after a few moments. I asked his name and whereabouts merely to relieve the sadness in the atmosphere.

"No, perhaps, it is not required at all," he replied, "Please do not ask me. I am a poor carpenter and I don't what to be advertised for my love. Thank you very much. Just allow me to go, and thank you for everything."

Saying this, he rose and moved quickly towards the door. I placed my head against the back of my chair and closed my eyes and a feeling of intrinsic humanity spread within me. I saw a strange world that I could never see with open eyes: Seth and Nawab had turned into dwarfs in front of the humble carpenter. I saw him holding an invisible chain tied all those in the world who suffer. They were all so clearly tied and connected to each other that no one else, except themselves, come to help one another. A smile spread on my face with this enlightedment and I opened my eyes to see the world around me, with a revived interest in life.