美国语文第二册 第54期：物归原主
LESSON 58
第五十八课
lend
租借
Sarah
萨拉
comfort
安慰
ashamed
羞愧
yours
你的
willing
情愿
thimble
顶针
elsewhere
其他地方
using
使用
borrow
借
offended
冒犯
depended
依靠
A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING
物归原主
Mary: I wish you would lend me your thimble, Sarah.
玛丽：萨拉，我希望你能把你的顶针借给我。
I can never find my own.
我找不到自己的了。
Sarah: Why is it, Mary, you can never find it?
萨拉：为什么呀，玛丽，你找不到了？
Mary: How can I tell?
玛丽：我哪里知道为什么。
But if you will not lend me yours, I can borrow one elsewhere.
不过如果你不愿意把你的借给我，我可以去别的地方借。
Sarah: I am willing to lend mine to you, Mary.
萨拉：我愿意把我的借给你，玛丽。
But I would very much like to know why you come to me to borrow so often.
但我很想知道你为什么经常找我借东西。
Mary: Because you never lose any of your things,
玛丽：因为你从没有弄丢过你的东西，
and always know where to find them.
总是知道在哪能找到它们。
Sarah: And why do I always know where to find my things?
萨拉：为什么我总知道在哪能找到我的东西呢？
Mary: I do not know why, I am sure.
玛丽：是的，我也不知道为什么。
If I did know, I might sometimes find my own.
如果我知道，我可能就常会找到自己的东西了。
Sarah: I will tell you the secret.
萨拉：我告诉你这个密码吧。
I have a place for everything,
我有个固定的地方放东西，
and I put everything in its place when I have done using it.
当我用完后，我会把所有东西放回原来的地方。
Mary: O Sarah!
玛丽：噢，萨拉！
who wants to run and put away a thing as soon as she has used it,
谁会坚持在用完一件东西之后尽快收拾好，
as if her life depended upon it?
仿佛生活取决于它似的？
Sarah: Our life does not depend upon it,
萨拉：我们的生活不取决于它，
but our comfort does, surely.
但是我们的舒适感显然取决于它。
How much more time will it take to put a thing in its place,
我们把东西放回远处所花的时间，
than to hunt for it or to borrow whenever you want to use it ?
比我们想用东西时去找或借的时间多多少？
Mary: Well, Sarah,
玛丽：好吧，萨拉，
I will never borrow of you again,
我以后不会再向你借东西了，
you may depend upon it.
你的舒适感去决于它。
Sarah: You are not offended with me, I hope.
萨拉：我希望你没跟我生气。
Mary: No, but I am ashamed.
玛丽：没有，但我觉得惭愧。
Before night, I will have a place for everything,
睡觉之前，我会找个固定的地方放东西，
and then I will keep everything in its place.
并且会把所有东西放回原处。
You have taught me a lesson that I shall remember.
你给我上了一堂应当牢记的课。
