February
二月
A Medal Well Bestowed.
奖牌授予
Saturday, 4th.
星期六，4日。
THIS morning the superintendent of the schools, a gentleman with a white beard, and dressed in black, came to bestow the medals. He entered with the headmaster a little before the close and seated himself beside the teacher. He questioned a few, then gave the first medal to Derossi, and before giving the second, he stood for a few moments listening to the teacher and the headmaster, who were talking to him in a low voice. All were asking themselves, "To whom will he give the second?" The superintendent said aloud:--
今天，视学官到学校里来，说是来给予赏牌的。那是有白须着黑服的绅士，在功课将完毕的时候，和校长先生一同到了我们的教室里，坐在先生的旁边，对三四个学生做了一会儿考问。把一等奖的赏牌给与代洛西，又和先生及校长低声谈说。“受二等奖的不知是谁？”我们正这样想，一边默然地咽着唾液。继而，视学官高声说：
"Pupil Pietro Precossi has merited the second medal this week,--merited it by his work at home, by his lessons, by his handwriting, by his conduct in every way." All turned to look at Precossi, and it was evident that all took pleasure in it. Precossi rose in such confusion that he did not know where he stood.
“配托罗·泼来可西此次应受二等奖。他答题、功课、作文、操行，一切都好。”大家都向泼来可西看，心里都代他欢喜。泼来可西不知如何才好。

"Come here," said the superintendent. Precossi sprang up from his seat and stepped up to the master's table. The superintendent looked attentively at that little waxen face, at that puny body enveloped in turned and ill-fitting garments, at those kind, sad eyes, which avoided his, but which hinted at a story of suffering; then he said to him, in a voice full of affection, as he fastened the medal on his shoulder:--
“到这里来！”视学官说。泼来可西离了座位走近先生的案旁，视学官用打量着泼来可西的蜡色的脸和缝补过的不合身材的服装，替他将赏牌悬在眉下，深情地说：
"I give you the medal, Precossi. No one is more worthy to wear it than you. I bestow it not only on your intelligence and your good will; I bestow it on your heart, I give it to your courage, to your character of a brave and good son. Is it not true," he added, turning to the class, "that he deserves it also on that score?"
“泼来可西！今天给你赏牌，因为没有比你更值得的人，并不单只因为你的才能与勤勉；这赏牌还奖励你的心情、勇气及强固的孝行。”说着又问我们：“不是吗？他是这样的吧？”
"Yes, yes!" all answered, with one voice. Precossi made a movement of the throat as though he were swallowing something, and cast upon the benches a very sweet look, which was expressive of immense gratitude.
“是的，是的！”大家齐声回答。泼来可西喉头动着，好像在那里咽什么，过了一会儿，用很好的脸色对我们看，充满了感谢之情。