1 Sheila stamped into the staff room, her uniform stained with someone’s dinner. “I don’t know how you do it!” She fumed to Helen, the nurse supervising the evening shift.Sheila slumped into a chair and looked gloomily at her? crumpled lunch bag. “Mrs. Svoboda just threw her tray at me again, and she’s so troublesome. I don’t know how I’ll? be able to clean her up before bed. Why don’t you have so? much trouble with her?”

希拉跺著腳走進(jìn)員工休息室，她的制服上沾著別人的晚餐?！拔也恢滥闶窃趺醋龅降?”她對(duì)監(jiān)督晚班的護(hù)士海倫發(fā)火了。希拉癱坐在椅子上，沮喪地看著她那皺巴巴的午餐袋?！八刮植┻_(dá)太太剛剛又把她的盤子扔向我，她真麻煩。我不知道怎么才能在她睡覺前把她收拾干凈。為什么你對(duì)她沒有那么多麻煩呢?”

希拉大步走進(jìn)員工室，她的制服上沾著別人的晚餐?！拔也恢滥闶窃趺醋龅降?！”她向負(fù)責(zé)晚班的護(hù)士海倫發(fā)火。希拉癱坐在椅子上，憂郁地看著她皺巴巴的午餐袋?！八刮植┻_(dá)太太又把盤子扔給我了，她太麻煩了。我不知道我怎么能在睡前把她清理干凈。你為什么不跟她鬧這么多？”

2 Helen smiled sympathetically. How could she explain? what she saw underneath the aging exteriors of the nursing? home residents they care for?

海倫同情地笑了。她怎么能解釋在他們照顧的養(yǎng)老院居民老化的外表下看到的東西呢?

海倫同情地笑了笑。她如何解釋她在養(yǎng)老院護(hù)理人員老化的外表下看到的東西？

3 “Sheila,” she began slowly. “I know it’s hard to? work with people like Mrs. Svoboda. She’s rude and not? cooperative. But there’s more to her than the dementia you? see every day. I’d like to tell you about when I first met the? Svobodas.

“希拉，”她慢慢地說?！拔抑篮退刮植┻_(dá)夫人這樣的人共事很難。她很粗魯，不合作。但除了你每天看到的癡呆，她還有更多的東西。我想告訴你我第一次見到斯沃博達(dá)一家的時(shí)候。

“希拉，”她慢慢地說?！拔抑篮退刮植┻_(dá)夫人這樣的人一起工作很難。她很粗魯，也不合作。但對(duì)她來說，除了你每天看到的癡呆癥之外，還有更多。我想告訴你我第一次見到斯沃博達(dá)斯夫婦的時(shí)候。

4 “When Mrs. Svoboda was admitted she wasn’t as? bad as she is now, but she was still pretty critical. She? used to give me grief over the smallest things. On her? bad days she’d accuse us all of stealing her things. I had? no patience with her, until one day her husband Troy? happened to be there during bath time. I was gearing up? for the usual fight with her when he asked if he could? help. ‘Sure.’ I said gratefully. She was OK until I started? lowering her into the tub. It’s a good thing that the safety restraints were on when she began kicking and? screaming.

“當(dāng)斯沃博達(dá)夫人被承認(rèn)時(shí)，她并不像現(xiàn)在這樣糟糕，但她仍然很挑剔。她過去常常為一件小事而使我難過。心情不好的時(shí)候，她會(huì)指責(zé)我們所有人偷了她的東西。我對(duì)她再也沒有耐心了，直到有一天她的丈夫特洛伊在洗澡的時(shí)候碰巧在那里。當(dāng)他問我是否需要幫忙時(shí)，我正準(zhǔn)備和她像往常一樣吵架。的肯定。我感激地說。她本來沒事，直到我開始把她放進(jìn)浴缸里。好在她開始又踢又叫的時(shí)候安全帶還在。

“當(dāng)斯沃博達(dá)夫人被承認(rèn)時(shí)，她沒有現(xiàn)在那么糟糕，但她仍然很挑剔。她過去常常為最微小的事情而讓我悲傷。在她不好的日子里，她會(huì)指責(zé)我們所有人都偷了她的東西。我對(duì)她沒有耐心，直到有一天她的丈夫特洛伊在洗澡時(shí)碰巧在那里。我正準(zhǔn)備和她進(jìn)行通常的斗爭(zhēng)，他問我是否可以幫忙?！??！爱?dāng)然?！蔽腋屑さ卣f。她沒事，直到我開始把她放進(jìn)浴缸。當(dāng)她開始踢腿和尖叫時(shí)，安全約束裝置打開了，這是一件好事。

5 “I began washing her quickly, anxious to get it over? with, when Troy laid his hand on my arm. ‘Give her a? moment to get used to the water,’ he asked. Then he? began talking softly in Russian. After a few moments she? became calm and seemed to listen to him. Very gently, he took the cloth and soap from me and washed each of her hands. Then slowly and carefully, he washed her arms and shoulders, working his way over the wrinkled, sallow skin. Each touch was a caress, each movement a promise, and moment of intimacy. After a while, she closed her eyes and? I suddenly became aware that I was intruding on a rare relaxed into the warm water. ‘My beautiful Nadja,’ the old man murmured. ‘You are so beautiful.’ To my surprise, Mrs. Svoboda opened her eyes and murmured back, ‘My beautiful Troy.’ Even to my astonishment, she had tears in her eyes!

我開始迅速地給她洗澡，急于把它洗完，這時(shí)托伊把手放在我的胳膊上?！敖o她一點(diǎn)時(shí)間來適應(yīng)水，”他問。然后他開始輕聲地用俄語說話。過了一會(huì)兒，她平靜下來，似乎在聽他說話。他輕輕地從我手里接過布和肥皂，為她洗了雙手。然后，他慢慢地、仔細(xì)地洗她的胳膊和肩膀，洗過她那布滿皺紋、蠟黃的皮膚。每一次觸摸都是愛撫，每一個(gè)動(dòng)作都是承諾，都是親密的時(shí)刻。過了一會(huì)兒，她閉上了眼睛，我突然意識(shí)到我闖入了一個(gè)難得的放松到溫暖的水中。“我美麗的娜佳，”老人喃喃地說?！澳阏嫫痢Ａ钗页泽@的是，斯沃博達(dá)太太睜開眼睛，低聲回答道:“我美麗的托伊。”“甚至使我吃驚的是，她的眼里還含著淚水!”

“當(dāng)特洛伊把手放在我的手臂上時(shí)，我開始迅速地給她洗衣服，急于把它洗干凈?！o她一點(diǎn)時(shí)間，讓她習(xí)慣水，’他問道。然后他開始用俄語輕聲說話。過了一會(huì)兒，她變得平靜起來，似乎在聽他的話。他非常溫柔地從我身上拿走布和肥皂，洗了她的每一只手。然后，他慢慢而小心地洗了她的手臂，喊道德斯，在布滿皺紋、蠟黃的皮膚上努力工作。每一次觸摸都是一次愛撫，每一個(gè)動(dòng)作都是一個(gè)承諾，都是親密的時(shí)刻。過了一會(huì)兒，她閉上了眼睛，我突然意識(shí)到我正在闖入一個(gè)罕見的放松的溫水中?！薄拔颐利惖哪燃?，”老人喃喃地說你真漂亮?！绷钗殷@訝的是，斯沃博達(dá)夫人睜開眼睛，低聲回答道：“我美麗的特洛伊。”甚至令我驚訝的是，她眼里含著淚水！

6 “Mr. Svoboda reclined the lift and released her hair into the water. The old woman sighed with pleasure as he stroked and lathered and rinsed. Then, he kissed her temple. ‘All done, my beauty. Time to get out.’

斯沃博達(dá)把電梯傾斜，把她的頭發(fā)放進(jìn)水里。老婆婆高興地嘆了口氣，他一邊撫摸，一邊擦洗，一邊沖洗。然后，他吻了她的太陽穴。“好了，我的美人兒。該出去了?！?/p>

“斯沃博達(dá)先生斜倚電梯，把她的頭發(fā)放進(jìn)水里。老婦人一邊撫摩一邊高興地嘆了口氣，一邊涂上肥皂，一邊沖洗。然后，他吻了吻她的太陽穴?！磺卸己昧?，我的美女。該出去了?！?/p>

7 “I had to stay with them, even though they didn’t need me. But I’d caught a glimpse of the well-loved woman who hid deep within the ruin of old age.”

“我必須和他們呆在一起，即使他們不需要我。但我瞥見了一個(gè)深埋在老年廢墟中的深愛的女人?！?/p>

“我不得不和他們?cè)谝黄?，盡管他們不需要我。但我瞥見了一個(gè)深愛的女人，她隱藏在老年的廢墟中?！?/p>

8 Sheila was quiet as she stirred her yogurt without looking up. Helen took a deep breath and continued her story.

希拉在攪拌酸奶時(shí)很安靜，頭也不抬。海倫深吸一口氣，繼續(xù)講她的故事。

希拉靜靜地?cái)嚢柚崮?，頭也不抬。海倫深吸了一口氣，繼續(xù)她的故事。

9 “Mrs. Svoboda stayed calm that whole afternoon. Her husband helped me dress her, slowly fed her the meal and talked to her until she was willing to go to bed.

斯沃博達(dá)太太整個(gè)下午都很冷靜。她丈夫幫我給她穿衣服，慢慢地喂她吃飯，和她說話，直到她愿意去睡覺。

“整個(gè)下午，斯沃博達(dá)夫人都很平靜。她的丈夫幫我給她穿衣服，慢慢地給她喂飯，并和她說話，直到她愿意睡覺。

10 “The old man looked completely exhausted. I asked? him why he insisted on doing so much himself when? we were paid to do it. He turned to me and said simply,? ‘Because I love her.’

老人看上去精疲力竭。我問他為什么要自己做這么多事，明明是我們付錢給他做的。他轉(zhuǎn)向我，簡(jiǎn)單地說:“因?yàn)槲覑鬯?。?/p>

“老人看起來筋疲力盡。我問他，當(dāng)我們得到報(bào)酬時(shí)，他為什么堅(jiān)持自己做這么多。他轉(zhuǎn)向我，簡(jiǎn)單地說，‘因?yàn)槲覑鬯！?/p>

11 “‘But you’re wearing yourself out,’ I answered.

“‘可是你把自己累壞了，’我回答。

“但你累壞了，”我回答。

12 “‘You don’t understand,’ he continued. ‘We’ve been? married for almost forty-nine years. When we started out,? life on the farm was harder than you can imagine. The? drought killed our crops, and there wasn’t enough pasture? for the cattle. Our children were small, and I didn’t know? how we were going to survive the winter. I felt so helpless, and it vexed me. Nadja put up with my moods, and left? me alone, but one night I blew up at the supper table.? She’d made our favorite treat, rice pudding, and all I? could think about was how much sugar and milk she’d used.’

“‘你不明白，’他繼續(xù)說?！拔覀兘Y(jié)婚快四十九年了。剛開始的時(shí)候，農(nóng)場(chǎng)的生活比你想象的要艱苦得多。干旱殺死了我們的莊稼，又沒有足夠的牧場(chǎng)放牧。我們的孩子還小，我不知道我們要怎么熬過這個(gè)冬天。我感到很無助，這讓我很惱火。娜佳容忍了我的情緒，讓我一個(gè)人呆著，但有一天晚上，我在晚餐桌上發(fā)了火。她做了我們最喜歡的米布丁，我滿腦子想的都是她用了多少糖和牛奶。”

“你不明白，”他繼續(xù)說道。“我們結(jié)婚差不多49年了。剛開始時(shí)，農(nóng)場(chǎng)的生活比你想象的要艱難。干旱殺死了我們的莊稼，也沒有足夠的牧場(chǎng)養(yǎng)牛。我們的孩子很小，我不知道我們?nèi)绾味冗^冬天。我感到很無助，這讓我很惱火。納賈忍受了我的情緒，讓我一個(gè)人呆著，但有一天晚上我在晚餐桌上發(fā)了脾氣。她做了我們最喜歡的食物，大米布丁，我所能想到的就是她用了多少糖和牛奶?！?/p>

13 “‘Suddenly, I picked up my bowl and threw it? against the wall, and stormed out to the barn. I don’t? know how long I stayed there, but around sundown,? Nadja came out to find me. “Troy,” she said, “you are? not alone in your troubles. I promised to stand beside? you through everything life brought our way. But if you? won’t let me, then you have to go.” She had tears in her? eyes, but her voice was firm. “You are not yourself right? now, but when you are ready to be with us again, we? are here.” Then she kissed my cheek and walked back to? the house.

“‘突然，我撿起我的碗，把它扔到墻上，然后沖到谷倉(cāng)。我不知道我在那里呆了多久，但日落時(shí)分，娜佳出來找我。“特洛伊，”她說，“你不是一個(gè)人在煩惱。我答應(yīng)過會(huì)陪在你身邊度過生活中遇到的一切。但如果你不讓我去，那你就得走?！彼劾锖鴾I水，但聲音堅(jiān)定?！澳悻F(xiàn)在不是你自己，但當(dāng)你準(zhǔn)備好再次和我們?cè)谝黄饡r(shí)，我們就在這里。”然后她吻了我的臉頰，走回了房子。

“突然，我拿起碗，把它扔在墻上，怒氣沖沖地走到谷倉(cāng)。我不知道我在那里呆了多久，但在日落時(shí)分，娜佳出來找我?！碧芈逡粒八f，”你不是唯一一個(gè)有麻煩的人。我答應(yīng)在生活給我們帶來的一切中都站在你身邊。但如果你不讓我走，那你就得走了?！彼劾镟咧鴾I水，但她的聲音很堅(jiān)定?！澳悻F(xiàn)在不是你自己，但當(dāng)你準(zhǔn)備好再次和我們?cè)谝黄饡r(shí)，我們就在這里?！比缓笏橇宋俏业哪橆a，走回了房子。

14 “‘I stayed in the barn that night, and the next day I? headed into town to look for a job. After about a week, I? was ready to give up. I felt a complete failure, at farming,? as a man. I started for home, not knowing if I’d be? welcome, but I didn’t have anywhere else to go. When she? saw me coming down the lane, Nadja came out running,? threw her arms around me and I began to weep. I clung? to her like a newborn baby. She just stroked my head and? held me. Then we went in the house, as if nothing had ever? happened.

“‘那天晚上我呆在谷倉(cāng)里，第二天我去鎮(zhèn)上找工作。大約一個(gè)星期后，我準(zhǔn)備放棄了。作為一個(gè)男人，我覺得自己在務(wù)農(nóng)方面完全失敗了。我開始回家，不知道我是否會(huì)受到歡迎，但我沒有其他地方可去。娜佳看見我沿著小路走過來，就跑出來，摟著我，我哭了起來。我像抱著剛出生的嬰兒一樣抱著她。她只是撫摸著我的頭，抱著我。然后我們進(jìn)了房子，好像什么事都沒發(fā)生過。

“那天晚上我呆在谷倉(cāng)里，第二天我進(jìn)城找工作。大約一周后，我準(zhǔn)備放棄。作為一個(gè)男人，我覺得自己在農(nóng)業(yè)上完全失敗了。我開始回家，不知道是否會(huì)受到歡迎，但我沒有其他地方可以去。當(dāng)她看到我從車道上下來時(shí)，娜佳跑了出來，摟著我，我開始哭泣。我像剛出生的嬰兒一樣緊緊抓住她。她只是撫摸著我的頭，抱著我。然后我們走進(jìn)房子，好像什么都沒發(fā)生過一樣。

15 “‘If she could stay committed to me during my? worst times, during the hardest times of our life, the least? I can do is comfort her now. And remind her of the good? times we had. We always smiled at each other when we? ate rice pudding, and it’s one of the few things she still remembers.’”

“‘如果在我最糟糕的時(shí)候，在我們生命中最艱難的時(shí)候，她能一直陪在我身邊，至少我現(xiàn)在能做的就是安慰她。讓她想起我們一起度過的美好時(shí)光。當(dāng)我們吃米布丁時(shí)，我們總是互相微笑，這是她仍然記得的為數(shù)不多的事情之一。’”

“‘如果她能在我最糟糕的時(shí)候，在我們生活中最艱難的時(shí)候，對(duì)我不離不棄，我現(xiàn)在至少能安慰她。提醒她我們?cè)?jīng)的美好時(shí)光。我們吃米飯布丁時(shí)總是彼此微笑，這是她至今仍記得的為數(shù)不多的事情之一?！?/p>

16 Helen was quiet. Suddenly Sheila pushed back her? chair. “My break is over,” she said, dabbing at the tears? that rolled down her cheeks. “And I know an old lady? who needs another dinner.” She smiled at Helen. “If I ask? them nicely, I’ll bet the kitchen can rustle up a dish of rice pudding for her, too.”

海倫很安靜。突然希拉把椅子往后推了推?！拔业男菹r(shí)間結(jié)束了，”她說著，輕輕擦了擦臉頰上滾落的眼淚?！拔疫€認(rèn)識(shí)一位老太太，她還需要一頓晚餐?！彼龑?duì)海倫微笑?！叭绻液煤玫卣?qǐng)他們，我敢打賭廚房也能給她做一盤米飯布丁?！?/p>

海倫很安靜。突然，希拉把椅子往后推?！拔业男菹⒔Y(jié)束了，”她說，輕撫著臉頰上滾落的淚水。“我認(rèn)識(shí)一位老太太，她需要另一頓晚餐。”她對(duì)海倫微笑。“如果我問得好，我敢打賭廚房也能為她做一盤米飯布丁?！?/p>