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书虫1级《爱情故事集:桥及其他》桥

所属教程:书虫1级 爱情故事集:桥及其他

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2022年07月24日

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The Bridge

Alma closed the door of her parents' home, and she and her friend Barbara stood in the sun for a moment. 'Your mother is so nice, Alma,' said Barbara. 'She said to me, "We love to see Alma's friends." She wants me to stay for a week!'

Alma smiled. 'She likes you, Barbara. You're a good friend to me, and my mother knows that,' she said. She looked around her at the street. 'After six years away, this city feels very different to me.'

Barbara smiled. 'Yes,' she said, 'after your six years in Vienna, you're more Austrian than I am. But Everything feels different now, it's true. Six long years of study – and now we're doctors!'

And next month Everything changes for you again,' Alma said. 'A new life in Salzburg. I'm really happy for you.'

A new life, a new city, a new hospital,' said Barbara. 'It's a famous hospital, too. I'm lucky to get work there.' She turned to her friend. 'But what about you, Alma? What are you going to do? Are you going back to live in Vienna again? Or are you going to look for work here?'

I don't know,' said Alma slowly. 'Before I can answer that question, I need to tell you a story. The story of Nina.' They started walking to the river, and Alma began her story.

I need to tell you a story,' said Alma. 'The story of Nina...'

Nina was my little sister. She was beautiful – much more beautiful than me, with her black hair and green eyes. And she was full of life, and clever too.

There were always boyfriends at the door, but they changed all the time. Then when she was eighteen, she began to study at the university. One day she came home with a smile on her face.

What is it, Nina?' I asked. 'You look excited about something. Or is it somebody? Tell me!'

I met someone today,' she said happily. 'He's called Dragan and he's studying maths too. And he's... he's wonderful.'

That's great, Nina,' I said. 'Where in the city does he live?'

My sister did not answer this question. She began to talk about a party on Friday night. I looked at her face carefully. I knew my little sister very well.

Nina,' I said. 'Come on, tell me. Where does Dragan live?'

Again, Nina said nothing, but I knew the answer. It was bad news – bad news for Nina, bad news for our parents, bad news for everyone.

Two weeks later, Nina brought Dragan to our house. Dragan was tall and dark, with bright eyes and a quick smile. He loved Nina, and she loved him – we could all see that. Dragan had dinner with us, and then we had coffee and talked. Then my father spoke.

Dragan loved Nina, and she loved him – we could all see that.

Dragan,' he said, 'your people are not our people.'

I looked at Nina. She was quiet, and watched my father carefully, but she said nothing. Dragan looked worried.

We live on this side of the river, and your people live on the other side,' my father said. 'We have our places of worship, and you have yours. We are different. We have our ways, and your people have their ways. It was like that when I was a boy, and it is still like that now.'

Then he smiled.

But we can be friends,' he said. 'You are a good man, and my daughter loves you. Anybody can see that. Our door is always open to you, Dragan.'

Thank you,' said Dragan quietly. And Nina smiled – at him, at my father, at me, at everybody.

After that, they were always together. At the university, at home, in town – it was always Nina and Dragan. They studied together and went to parties together. They were two young people, happy and in love.

And then the war began. At first things were difficult, but they could still meet sometimes. But then things began to change. When the university closed, Nina and Dragan could not see each other every day. They talked on the phone, but it was not the same.

I can't live without him,' Nina said to us one night, with tears on her face. 'I must see him! I must.'

I can't live without him,' Nina said.

Nina, you can't cross the bridge,' my father said. 'It's dangerous for you over there. There are men with guns everywhere, and they watch the bridge night and day. And Dragan can't come here – not now. We must all wait. Perhaps one day you can see him again.'

Wait?' said Nina, and the tears came to her eyes again. 'For how long?'

A week later, Nina left our house very early one morning. Nobody heard her. Dragan left his house, too, and they both walked carefully and quietly to the bridge. They just wanted to see each other. Nina left a message for us in her room.

I'm not going onto the bridge,' the message said, 'but I must see him. I can't wait any longer.'

We waited all day. Where was she? My mother phoned all our friends, but nobody had any news. Then that evening an old friend of the family came to the door.

I have some terrible news,' he said. 'I'm so sorry, so sorry.'

At once my mother began to cry. My father put his arm around her. 'Tell us,' he said. 'It's about my daughter, yes? My little Nina...'

It happened this morning,' our friend said. 'On the bridge. Your daughter saw her boyfriend Dragan on the other side. She called his name, and he ran onto the bridge – and somebody shot him. When he fell, she ran onto the bridge at once. She took him in her arms, but somebody shot her too. They died on the bridge together. We are trying to bring their bodies back, but it's very difficult. I am very sorry.'

Your daughter ran onto the bridge at once.'

I went to Nina's room. Next to her bed, there was a photo of her and Dragan. She told me once, 'I can't live without him.' And it was true. But now they are together – for ever.

So we waited. Those were terrible days. Nobody said very much, and my mother cried a lot. In my room at night, I cried too. And then, on a beautiful spring day, we went to a hill above the town. It was sunny all day. Nina loved the sun, I remembered. And there we buried them together – my sister Nina, and her Dragan.

For a few minutes, the two women did not speak. They walked slowly along by the river. The water was bright in the sunlight.

Then Barbara said, 'And when did you leave and go to Austria?'

A week later,' Alma said. 'My parents sent me to my mother's sister Ana in Vienna. I did not want to leave them, but it was dangerous here – more dangerous every day. They did not want to lose two daughters. Ana was good to me – she understood. She helped me to begin my studies again.'

And now you are back in your home town,' said Barbara. 'Why now?'

When the war ended,' Alma said, 'I wanted to come back. But I wasn't ready. "Finish your studies first," my parents said, and they were right. But now it's the right time. I needed to see my family, and I needed to go to the bridge.'

Alma stopped, and turned to her friend. Her face was white. 'And there it is,' she said, very quietly. 'Just along the river. Look. You can see it now.'

And there it is,' Alma said. 'Just along the river.'

Barbara took her friend's arm. 'Let's go over there to that café,' she said. 'You need to sit down.'

The Bridge Café,' said Alma. 'I remember it – Nina often waited for Dragan there. Yes, let's go there – I feel close to Nina there.'

They crossed the road and sat down at a table outside the café. They both had coffee, and Alma began to look better.

Are you OK?' asked Barbara.

Yes, thanks,' said Alma. 'I just need some time – and some more coffee perhaps.'

Barbara felt the warm sun on her face. 'This is a difficult day for Alma,' she thought. 'But the sun's shining, and people are doing the usual things – working, driving around, shopping, talking, having coffee... Perhaps that can help her.'

Alma and Barbara had another coffee, and watched the river. Just then a big black car stopped near the bridge. A beautiful young woman in a long white dress got out of the car with a young man. She carried a bouquet of white flowers in one hand, and the young man held her other hand. They walked onto the bridge, and when they got to the middle, they stopped. The young woman took two flowers from her bouquet. She dropped one flower into the river, and her husband dropped the second flower.

Alma and Barbara watched all this. 'What are they doing?' Alma whispered. 'Find out for me, Barbara. Ask somebody.'

Barbara turned to a man at the next table. 'Excuse me,' she said. 'I'm a visitor here. Can you answer a question for me?'

Yes, of course,' the man said. 'What do you want to know?'

Those two young people on the bridge,' said Barbara. 'What are they doing? Why are they dropping flowers into the water?'

It's their wedding day,' said the man. 'In the war, two young lovers died on the bridge. They were called Nina and Dragan. We don't want to forget them. Now, after a wedding, people come here and drop two flowers into the river – one for Nina, one for Dragan. Watch them now – they are saying their names.'

Barbara was afraid to look at Alma's face. Alma sat so still, so still.

On the bridge, the man and woman watched the flowers in the water for a moment. The man put his arm around his young wife. Then they walked slowly back to the car and drove away.

Who did it first? I don't know,' said the man at the next table. 'But now everybody comes here on their wedding day. We all remember the war, of course we do, but we must remember love too. Love is more important than war.'

Thank you,' said Barbara. 'Thank you very much for telling us that story.'

She looked at Alma's white face. 'Come,' she said quietly. 'Let's walk onto the bridge together.'

She took Alma's arm and they walked onto the bridge. At the middle of the bridge Barbara stopped, and looked out over the river.

Look,' she said to Alma. 'The flowers are still there. Do you see? Flowers for Nina and Dragan. That's so beautiful.'

The two white flowers were bright in the sun.

Love is more important than war,' Alma whispered. There were tears on her face, and she watched the flowers for a long time. Then she looked at Barbara, and slowly smiled.

Love is more important than war.'

Barbara, I know the answer to my question,' she said. 'I can live here again. This is my home.'

They walked off the bridge. The two flowers, together in the water, moved slowly away on the river.

* * *

worship n. the activity of praying or singing in a religious building in order to show respect and love for a god 做礼拜

war n. when there is fighting between two or more countries or between opposing groups within a country, involving large numbers of soldiers and weapons 战争

gun n. a metal weapon which shoots bullets or shells 枪

terrible adj. something terrible makes you very afraid or unhappy 可怕的,糟糕的

shoot v. to deliberately kill or injure someone using a gun 射击

body n. the dead body of a person 尸体

white adj. looking pale, because of illness, strong emotion etc (脸色)苍白的

bouquet n. an attractive group of flowers, especially given as a present 花束

whisper v. to speak or say something very quietly, using your breath rather than your voice 低语

wedding n. a marriage ceremony 结婚庆典

阿尔玛关上父母家的门,她和朋友芭芭拉在阳光下站了一会儿。

“你妈妈人真好,阿尔玛。”芭芭拉说,“她对我说:‘我们很高兴见到阿尔玛的朋友。’她希望我在这儿住一个星期!”

阿尔玛笑了。“她喜欢你,芭芭拉。你是我的好朋友,我妈妈知道的。”她说。她环顾街道四周。“出去六年了,这座城市让我感觉大不一样了。”

芭芭拉笑了。“是啊。”她说,“你在维也纳住了六年,比我更像一个奥地利人了。不过现在感觉一切都变了,这是真的。六年的学习生涯——现在我们都是医生了!”

“下个月,你的一切又要改变了。”阿尔玛说,“萨尔茨堡的新生活。我真为你高兴。”

“新的生活,新的城市,新的医院。”芭芭拉说,“那也是家著名的医院。我能得到那里的工作机会真是幸运。”她转向她的朋友。“那你呢,阿尔玛?你想做什么?你打算回维也纳住吗?还是准备在这里找工作?”

“我不知道。”阿尔玛慢悠悠地说,“回答这个问题之前,我要给你讲个故事。尼娜的故事。”她们往河边走去,阿尔玛开始讲了起来。

尼娜是我的妹妹。她很漂亮——比我漂亮多了,黑头发,绿眼睛。她充满活力,而且人很聪明。

她总有男朋友在门口等候,只不过一直在换人。她十八岁时上大学。有一天她回到家,脸上挂着笑容。

“怎么了,尼娜?”我问,“你一脸兴奋,是因为什么事,还是因为什么人?告诉我!”

“我今天认识了一个人。”她开心地说,“他叫德拉甘,他也是学数学的。而且,他……他棒极了。”

“那很好啊,尼娜。”我说,“他住在城里哪个地方?”

我妹妹没有回答这个问题。她讲起了周五晚上的一个派对。我端详着她的脸。我很了解我的妹妹。

“尼娜,”我说,“来,告诉我,德拉甘住在哪儿?”

尼娜又没有回答,不过我已经知道答案了。这是个坏消息——对尼娜、对我们的父母、对任何人来说都是个坏消息。

两个星期之后,尼娜把德拉甘带到了家里。德拉甘个子高高的,皮肤黝黑,眼睛明亮,脸上随时带着笑容。他爱尼娜,尼娜也爱他——我们都看得出来。德拉甘和我们一起吃了晚餐,然后大家一起边喝咖啡边聊天。这时候我爸爸说话了。

“德拉甘,”他说,“你们和我们不是一种人。”

我看着尼娜。她不作声,小心翼翼地看着爸爸,却一句话也不说。德拉甘看上去有些担忧。

“我们住在河的这边,你们住在河的那边。”我爸爸说,“我们有我们做礼拜的地方,你们也有你们的。你们和我们是不同的。我们有我们的方式,你们有你们的方式。我还是个孩子的时候就是如此,至今也依然如此。”

然后他笑了。

“但我们可以做朋友。”他说,“你是个好人,我的女儿爱你。大家都能看出来。我们家的门永远为你打开,德拉甘。”

“谢谢。”德拉甘轻声说。尼娜笑了——冲着德拉甘,冲着我爸爸,冲着我,冲着每一个人笑了。

从那以后,他们形影不离。在大学,在家,在城里——总能看到两人在一起。他们一起学习,一起参加派对。他们是两个快乐且沐浴在爱河中的年轻人。

随后战争爆发了。开始的时候,情况不好,但他们有时还能见面。可是后来形势就改变了。大学停了课,尼娜和德拉甘不能天天见面了。他们打电话,但是电话与见面是不一样的。

“我的生命里不能没有他。”有天晚上,尼娜流着泪对我们说,“我一定要见到他!一定要。”

“尼娜,你不能过桥。”我爸爸说,“那边对你来说太危险了。那里到处都是拿着枪的人,他们日夜监视着那座桥。而且,德拉甘也不能过来——现在不行。我们都得等。或许有一天你能再见到他。”

“等?”尼娜说,她的眼泪又再次涌出来。“要等多久呢?”

一个星期之后的一个早上,尼娜一大清早离开了家。没有人听到她出门,德拉甘也离开了他家。他们小心谨慎地、悄悄地往桥那边走去。他们只是想见见对方。尼娜在她的房间里给我们留了字条。

“我不会走上桥的,”字条上写道,“但我一定要见到他。我不能再等了。”

我们等了一整天。她去哪儿了?我妈妈给所有的朋友打了电话,但没有人知道她的下落。然后傍晚时,我家的一位老朋友找上门来。

“我有个令人难过的消息。”他说,“我感到非常,非常惋惜。”

我妈妈一下子就哭了出来。我爸爸搂住她。“告诉我们吧。”他说,“是关于我们女儿的,对吧?我的小尼娜……”

“这是今天早上发生的事情。”我们的朋友说,“在桥上发生的。你们女儿看见她的男朋友德拉甘在桥的另一头。她喊他的名字,他就跑上了桥——然后有人向他开枪。他倒下了,尼娜就立刻跑上了桥。她把他抱在怀里,但同样被枪击。他们一起死在桥上。我们正想办法把他们的尸体弄回来,但太困难了。我非常抱歉。”

我走进尼娜的房间。她床边放着她和德拉甘的合影。她曾经对我说:“我的生命里不能没有他。”这是真的。不过现在,他们在一起了——永远在一起。

于是我们等待着。那段日子真是难捱。大家都沉默寡言,我妈妈哭了不知多少次。晚上,我在自己的房间里也会哭。后来,在春光明媚的一天,我们登上一座可以俯视这座城市的小山。那天一整天天气晴朗。尼娜喜欢阳光,我记得。我们就在那儿把他们俩埋葬了——我的妹妹尼娜和她的德拉甘。

过了好几分钟,两个女孩都没有说话。她们沿河边慢慢地走着。河水在阳光下泛着波光。

后来芭芭拉说:“你是什么时候离开这里去奥地利的?”

“一个星期后。”阿尔玛说,“我父母把我送到维也纳的安娜阿姨那里。我不想离开他们,但这里太危险了——一天比一天危险。他们不想失去两个女儿。安娜对我很好——她理解我。她帮助我重新开始了学业。”

“现在你回到自己的家乡了。”芭芭拉说,“为什么现在回来呢?”

“战争结束之后,”阿尔玛说,“我就想回来。不过我还没准备好。‘先完成你的学业。’我父母说。他们是对的。但现在时机正合适。我需要回来看看我的家人,我需要去那座桥上看看。”

阿尔玛停下了脚步,转向她的朋友。她脸色苍白。“那边就是了。”她说,声音细若无声。“沿着河边。看,你现在能看到了。”

芭芭拉扶着她朋友的胳膊。“我们去那边的咖啡店吧。”她说,“你需要坐一会儿。”

“桥头咖啡店。”阿尔玛说,“我记得——尼娜经常在那里等德拉甘。好,我们去那儿——在那儿我会觉得离尼娜很近。”

她们穿过马路,在咖啡店外面的一张桌子旁坐了下来。她们喝了些咖啡,阿尔玛看上去好些了。

“你还好吗?”芭芭拉问。

“还好,谢谢。”阿尔玛说,“我只是需要一些时间——或许再喝点咖啡。”

芭芭拉感到阳光晒在脸上暖暖的。“今天对阿尔玛来说是难熬的一天。”她想,“然而阳光灿烂,人们一切如常——工作,开车转悠,购物,谈天,喝咖啡……也许这些能对她有帮助。”

阿尔玛和芭芭拉又点了咖啡,然后望着河水。这时,一辆黑色的大轿车停在了桥边。一位身穿白色长裙的漂亮年轻女子和一位年轻男子从车里走了下来。她一只手捧着一束白花,另一只手让年轻男子牵着。他们走上桥,走到桥中间的时候停了下来。那年轻女子从花束中抽出两枝花。她把一枝丢进了河里,她丈夫将另一枝丢进了河里。

阿尔玛和芭芭拉看着这一切。“他们在做什么呢?”阿尔玛小声说,“帮我弄清楚,芭芭拉。找个人问问吧。”

芭芭拉转向邻桌的一个男子。“打扰一下,”她说,“我是个游客。可以回答我一个问题吗?”

“当然可以。”那个男子说,“你想知道什么?”

“桥上的两个年轻人。”芭芭拉说,“他们在做什么呢?他们为什么把花儿扔到水里?”

“他们今天举行婚礼。”那个男子说,“战争时期,一对年轻情侣死在了这座桥上。他们名叫尼娜和德拉甘。我们不愿忘记他们。如今,婚礼过后,人们会来这里往河里丢两枝花——一枝给尼娜,一枝给德拉甘。你看那两个年轻人,他们在念尼娜和德拉甘的名字呢。”

芭芭拉不敢看阿尔玛的脸色。阿尔玛僵坐着,一动不动。

在桥上,男女二人望了一会儿水里的花。男子搂住年轻的妻子。随后他们慢慢地回到了车里,开着车走了。

“谁最先这么做的?我不知道。”邻桌的男子说,“不过如今人们在婚礼当天都会到这里来。我们不会忘记战争,那是当然的,但我们也不会忘记爱情。爱情比战争更重要。”

“谢谢你。”芭芭拉说,“非常感谢你告诉我们这个故事。”

她看着阿尔玛苍白的面颊。“来,”她轻轻地说,“我们一起往桥上走走。”

她挽起阿尔玛的胳膊,两个人走上了桥。走到桥中央的时候,芭芭拉停住了脚步,向河面望去。

“看啊,”她对阿尔玛说,“花儿还在那儿呢。你看到了吗?献给尼娜和德拉甘的花。真美。”

两朵白花在阳光下亮闪闪的。

“爱情比战争更重要。”阿尔玛轻声说。她脸上挂着泪水,盯着那两朵花看了很长时间。然后她看着芭芭拉,渐渐地露出了笑容。

“芭芭拉,我的那个问题有答案了。”她说,“我可以重新住在这里。这里是我的家。”

她们走下了桥。水中相伴的那两朵花,在河面上缓缓地漂远了。

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