The Last Wish in a Winter Night
冬夜里的最后心愿
Kent was a manger of a cement agency. His establishment nearly had gone bankrupt because one of his inferiors betrayed him. He lost his tongue in reality. Just now Kent had made a presentation to the board in the chamber, conceding the failure of his administration. He had temporarily stopped the provision of cement in all projects.
肯特是一位水泥经销部的经理。由于下属的背叛，他的公司已经濒临破产。在事实面前他无力辩驳。刚才在会议室里，肯特已经向公司董事会作了报告，承认自己的失误，并且暂时停止了所有工程的水泥供应。
It was a cold winter midnight. In corridor, the thermometer suspended showed the temperature was minus 9 degrees centigrade. The tragedy blurred Kent's mind, so he steered to a bar alone. He wanted nothing but to drink liquor tonight.
当时正值寒冷冬季的深夜。走廊里的温度计显示为零下9度。想着生意惨败，肯特情绪低落，独自驱车驶往一家酒吧。他打算今晚一醉方休。
There were few people in the street. Suddenly, a figure of an old madam exposed within his eyesight. She was standing sideways nearby a platform, dressed in a plain gown, wore a woolen scarf, hauling a portable suitcase, and holding with a plastic bag in the other hand. The slight old lady was seemingly more than 80. She was trembling in cutting wind with red nose. Now she kept motioning to Kent for a ride. Although Kent was somewhat angry about the old madam's disturbing and he wasn't induced at all to inquire any occurrence concerning her, he wouldn't like to leave her in the cold night. He thought that she presumably needed help. So he braked near her.
大街上空无一人。突然，在车子前方出现了一个老妇人侧身站在站台旁，拖着一个便携式的行李箱，提着一个塑料袋。老人看上去已有80多岁，她穿着长袍，围着一条羊毛围巾，瘦弱的身躯，鼻子通红，站在寒风中瑟瑟发抖。此时，她不停地向肯特的车子招手。尽管肯特有些懊恼，也无心理会老人身上发生了什么 ，但不忍把她丢在这寒夜中。肯特想老人可能需要帮助。于是，他刹车停在了老人的面前。

The madam pointed her wallet and said, "Would you please take me a ride? I can offer double fare…"
老人说：“先生，您可不可以载我一程？我给你双倍的车费……”
Kent interrupted her, "I will charge you nothing! Come on!"
肯特赶忙打断老人的话，说：“不用车费。快上车吧！”
The madam pointed her luggage (baggage) and said, "Could you put them into the car?"
老人又指了指地上的行李：“你可不可以帮我把它们放到车里？”
Kent stooped, heaved and put them in the car.
肯特忙弯腰用力提起箱子和塑料袋，放进了车里。
They proceeded to drive. Kent halted at a petroleum station where he wanted to purchase gallons of gasoline. During the interval they waited in a queue, the madam began with her narratives, "Could you please send me to the charity house in suburb, I want to give them the luggage. I had been rendered help as a refugee there 50 years ago." Kent was confused about the identity and behavior of the madam, so he asked, "Why do you do this at midnight?" The madam replied, "I retired on a pension. They prohibit (forbid) me from coming out during the day. In the case are the surplus jackets, jeans and pants of my nephews and nieces."
他们上路继续向前行驶。肯特路过一家加油站，在加油站排队等候的时候，老人打开了话匣子，“你可不可以先送我到市郊的济贫院去，我要把这些包裹送过去。50年前我曾得到过济贫院的救济呢！”肯特对老人的身份和行为充满迷惑，说：“您为什么要选择半夜送过去呢？”老人缓缓地说：“我现在退休了，白天他们不允许我出来，箱子里是我侄子和侄女们穿剩下的夹克、牛仔裤和裤子。”
After 2 hours' bump, Kent went out the entry of the charity house. They continued.
两个小时的颠簸后，肯特他们走出了济贫院的大门。他继续按照老人指的路线前进。
"Please wait a moment, Sir!" The madam said suddenly, fixed her eyesight on an old building. "You know the first house in the uppermost storey was the first home my husband and I leased (rented) where I dialed the up-to-date videophone the first time in my life. The landlord was a good guy." She burst into tears, "Now they've all gone to the heaven." Kent realized the madam was recalling a section (segment) of the good missing days. A penetrating feeling overwhelmed him, and he decided to cancel his plan and stay with the old madam.
“先生，请停一停。”老人突然说。这时，她的视线透过车窗久久地停留在了街边一幢破旧的大楼上。“您知道吗，这幢楼顶层的第一间，那是我和丈夫曾经租住的第一间房啊！房东是个好人。那里是我终生第一次使用可视电话的地方！”这时，老人久久凝视的目光中有泪光闪烁。“但是现在，他们都先后离开了我，去了天堂。”肯特这才明白，老人是在追忆昔日的美好时光。他被震撼了，决定放下一切，陪着老人。
As the old madam dictated, they went to a golf playground. The region, she said, was a dairy dozens of years ago. Everyday she went to the farm with sleeve covers, cushion, jar, towel and other auxiliary appliances. Her main work was to squeeze, transport and distribute milk. She also bred the cow sometimes.
接着，他按照老人的要求到了一个高尔夫球场旁边。老人说这里几十年前曾是一个牛奶场。她每天带着袖套、坐垫、罐子、毛巾和其他辅助用具去牛奶场。她的主要工作是挤牛奶、运送并分发牛奶，有时也去饲养奶牛。
Then the old madam instructed, "Please send me to the rest home in the town, sir." Hearing this, Kent pulsed quickly. He knew the rest home was prescribed for the cancer patients who were diagnosed without any remedy."
“先生，我有些累了，您还是送我去市区的疗养院吧。”老人说。肯特心头一阵惊悸。他知道市中心疗养院是专门收留无法救治的绝症病人的地方。
"I will soon die of liver cancer. I come out to say goodbye to my life. Now I will have no regrets before death. Thanks for your help!" The madam made an explanation with smile, walking into a timber room. Kent was dumb for a while. He was chewing what the madam said, happily thinking of her life without any regrets.
“我得了肝癌，我的时间已经不多了。这次，我是偷偷地从疗养院溜出来的。因为，我很想亲自向过去的一切告别。这样，在我人生结束的时候就没有遗憾了。非常感谢你的帮助！”老人微笑着解释，走进疗养院的木房子里。肯特一时无语，他想着老人的话，感到欣慰，因为老人的内心真的没有遗憾了。