The First Snow-storm.

初雪

Saturday, 10th.

星期六，10日。

Farewell, walks to Rivoli! Here is the beautiful friend of the boys! Here is the first snow! Ever since yesterday evening it has been falling in thick flakes as large as gillyflowers. It was a pleasure this morning at school to see it beat against the panes and pile up on the window-sills; even the master watched it, and rubbed his hands; and all were glad, when they thought of making snowballs, and of the ice which will come later, and of the hearth at home.

利华利街的散步，暂时不必再想，现在，我们美丽的朋友来了——初雪下来了！昨天傍晚已大片飞舞，今晨积得遍地皆白。雪花在学校的玻璃窗上，片片地打着，窗框周围也积了起来，看了真有趣，连先生也搓着手向外观看。一想起做雪人呀，摘檐冰呀，晚上烧红了炉子围着谈有趣的故事呀，大家都无心上课。

Stardi, entirely absorbed in his lessons, and with his fists pressed to his temples, was the only one who paid no attention to it. What beauty, what a celebration there was when we left school! All danced down the streets, shouting and tossing their arms, catching up handfuls of snow, and dashing about in it, like poodles in water. The umbrellas of the parents, who were waiting for them outside, were all white; the policeman's helmet was white; all our satchels were white in a few moments. Every one appeared to be beside himself with joy--even Precossi, the son of the blacksmith, that pale boy who never laughs; and Robetti, the lad who saved the little child from the omnibus, poor fellow! he jumped about on his crutches. The Calabrian, who had never touched snow, made himself a little ball of it, and began to eat it, as though it had been a peach; Crossi, the son of the vegetable-vendor, filled his satchel with it; and the little mason made us burst with laughter, when my father invited him to come to our house tomorrow. He had his mouth full of snow, and, not daring either to spit it out or to swallow it, he stood there choking and staring at us, and made no answer.

只有斯带地热心在对付功课，毫不管下雪的事。放了课回去的时候，大家多高兴啊！都大声狂叫，跳着走，或是用手抓雪，或是在雪中跑来跑去。来接小孩的父兄们拿着的伞上也完全白了，警察的帽上也白了，我们的书袋，一不顾着转瞬也白了。大家都喜得像发狂。水没有笑脸的铁匠店里的儿子拨来可西今天也笑了；从马车下救出了小孩的洛佩谛也拄了拐杖跳着；还未曾手触着过雪的格拉勒利亚少年把雪围拢了，像吃桃子样地吃着；卖菜人家的儿子克洛西把雪装在书袋里。最可笑的是“小石匠”，我父亲叫他明天来玩，他口里正满含着雪，欲吐不得，欲咽不能，眼看着我父亲的脸。大家见了都笑了起来。