A Bouquet for Miss Benson

送给卞老师的一束花

Paul Villiard

保罗·维拉德

Miss Benson was the kindest, sweetest, most beautiful person that ever walked the earth. She was my second-grade teacher, and I was going to marry her when I grew up—if she would wait. I would sit squirming in my seat for the entire morning to keep from raising my hand. I could not bear to miss one precious moment of her presence by leaving the room.

卞老师是世界上最亲切可爱、美得出奇的人。她是我二年级的老师，我长大了一定要娶她——只要她肯等我。我常常一整个上午都憋在座位上扭来扭去，就是不举手。有她在教室，一时一刻都很宝贵，我舍不得出去。

My hand was always the first to be raised, however, when Miss Benson called for volunteers to clean the blackborads or to gather papers and bring them to her desk. That was the best chore of all. It made possible getting near enough to her to close out the others in the classroom. I would arrange and rearrange the papers. They had to be in perfect order before I would make my reluctant way back to my seat.

但是，老师如果问谁愿意擦黑板，谁愿意收卷子交到讲台上，我总是头一个举手。这可是最美的差事了。可以撇开班上的同学，接近她，我会把卷子理了又理，放得整整齐齐，才依依不舍地回到座位上去。

Early in the term, I started asking my mother to put an extra apple or peach in my lunch. I never quit worked up the courage to say it was for my teacher, as I never quite worked up the courage to hand my gift to her directly. Each day the delicacy found its way unobserved to the corner of her desk. And each day the response was the same.

开学不久，我就缠着我妈要她在我的午饭盒里多放一个苹果或者桃子。我一直没敢说这是给老师的，也一直没敢当面送给卞老师。每天都有好吃的东西偷偷地放在讲台上。她每天的反应也是一样。

Miss Benson would come in and sit down. "Good morning, children."

卞老师进教室，坐下。“小朋友早!”

"Good morning, Miss Benson." in unison.

“卞老师早！”全班齐声回答。

"Why, how nice!" She would pick up the offering of the day, then look around the room. "What thoughtful little boy or girl brought me this?"

“哈，真好！”她拿起当天的礼物，四下看看，“是哪个体贴人的小朋友送我的？”

No one claimed the honor, least of all me. I kept my head down, looking at my desk.

谁也没争这份功，我就更甭说了。我低着头，两眼盯着书桌。

"Can it be that I have a secret admirer?" she would ask.

她会问：“是不是有人喜欢我，又不肯说？”

I would feel the red rising in my face. I was certain that everyone was looking at me, and I would sigh with relief when Miss Benson put the fruit away and started the lesson.

我都觉得出脸发红了。我肯定大伙都在盯着我，只见老师把水果放在一边，开始讲课，我这才松了口气。

One fall morning, the class was abuzz with excitment. Someone had discovered that the next day, Friday, was Miss Benson's birthday. Everyone wanted to get her a present. My heart gave a leap, at last I could give her someting, openly. That afternoon was spent combing the fields for wild flowers. Not many were in bloom at that time of year, but I found several kinds of height berries on shrubs, some dry thistle heads. And finally I came upon a patch of gorgeous crimson leaves....

一个秋天的上午，全班闹腾起来。原来有人发现，第二天星期五，是卞老师的生日。谁都想送件礼物给她。我的心都快蹦了出来：终于可以大大方方送她东西了。那天下午，我一直在田野里搜寻野花。那个季节开花的不多见了，不过我还是在灌木丛里找到了好几种鲜艳的浆果，摘到写干枯的蓟花头。后来我还看到有一小块地里，好一片鲜红的红叶……

In the morning I hung back as others presented their gifts. Finally I went to the desk and gave the bouquet to Miss Benson. She exclaimed with pleasure as she look it, and held it to her cheek for a moment. My reward was a smile and a pat on the head.

第二天早晨，大家都纷纷献礼，我拖到最后才走上讲台，把一束花送给了老师。她接过花，高兴得叫了起来，又捧在脸上好个亲。她对我报以一笑，还拍了拍我的头。

The next Monday, Miss Benson was not in class. About the middle of the morning, I was asked to go to the principal's office. When I arrived, I was surprised to see my mother. On a table was my bouquet.

接下去那个星期一，卞老师没来上课。上午过了半晌，我给叫到校长室去。我一进去，想不到我妈也在。桌上还放着我那束花。

"Do yon know where Miss Benson is today?" the principal asked.

“你知道卞老师今天去哪儿了？”校长问。

"No, sir," I answered.

“你知道卞老师今天去哪儿了？”校长问。

"Miss Benson." he said, slowly and clearly, "is in the hospital, and you sent her there!"

“你知道卞老师今天去哪儿了？”校长问。

I sat, stricken, in my chair.

我坐在椅子上，吓坏了。

"Do you know what you gave her?" he continued.

“你知道你送她什么啦？”他又问。

I nodded. "Berries, thistles and pretty red leaves." I listed.

我点点头。“有浆果、蓟花，还有挺好看的红叶。”我一一数道。

"Those 'pretty red leaves' are poison ivy, young man." (Poison ivy is a kind of sumac which can cause a severe skin rash if touched) His voice was filling with anger. "How did you protect yourself when you picked them? Gloves?"

“小家伙，那些‘挺好看的红叶’就是毒葛！”（毒葛是一种苏模叶，可触发严重的皮疹。）他越说越生气，“你摘的时候是怎么保护自己的？戴手套了？”

I shook my head. "Honest, I didn't know they were poison ivy." I started to cry.

我摇摇头。“真的，我不知道是毒葛。”我哭了起来。

The principal stood up. "Paul, I am suspending you for ten days. What happens after that depends upon your behavior when you return.

校长站起身。“保罗，我罚你停学十天。十天后复学，以观后效。”

I sniffied all the way home.Not because I had been put out of school, but because of the appalling tragedy to my lady love. I went to the woods to pick posion-ivy leaves and show them to my mother. "You see," I said, holding back the tears, "I didn't wear anything at all."

我一路抽噎回家。倒不是因为停学，是因为意中人惨遭不幸。我跑到树林里摘了些野葛叶子，拿回家给妈看。“您看，”我忍着眼泪说，“我手上根本没有戴什么呀！”

Mother looked at the leaves. "Put them in the garbage can, honey . Then wash your hands real well."

妈看看红叶。“赶快丢到垃圾桶里去，宝宝。然后把手好好洗干净。”

When I went back, Mother was sitting in her rocker, she held out her arms, and I sat in her lap while she rocked me for a few minutes. "Let's have a party!" she exclaimed finally. "What would you like to do the very most?"

我洗手回来，我妈正坐在摇椅上。她伸开双臂，把我搂在怀里摇了一阵。“我们找点什么来玩吧！”她最后问了我一声，“你最想做什么？”

"I'd like to go see Miss Benson," I replied.

“我想去看卞老师。”我回答。

Miss Benson was sitting up in bed when we arrived. Her face was covered with bandages. Only one eye was showing. Both of her hands were swathed as well.

我们到了医院，卞老师坐在病床上。她的脸上缠满了绷带，只露出一只眼睛，两只手也裹着绷带。

"I didn't know they were poison ivy," I blurted out. "I didn't mean to make you sick. I only wanted to give you something...." I stopped talking and swallowed hard.

“我不知道那是毒葛，”我脱口说了出来，“我不是有意伤害您。我就想送你一点东西……”我说不下去了，强憋住不哭。

Miss Benson's one eye studied me. "You wanted to give me something special, didn't you Paul?" I nodded.

卞老师那只眼打量我。“你想送我一点特别的东西，对吧，保罗?”我点点头。

"All those apples were from you, weren't they?" Again I nodded.

“那些苹果也都是你送的，对吧？”我又点点头。

"When I get these bandages off," she said, "I am going to give you a great big hug."

“等我拆掉绷带，”她说，“我要好好地拥抱你。”

I was filled with happiness. She was not mad at me.

我好快活啊。她没生我的气啊。

"And I'll tell vou a great big secret, too. Paul," she continued, "When I am married, if I have a son, I would like him to grow up just like you."

“保罗，我还要告诉你一个天大的秘密，”她接着说，“等我结了婚，要是有个儿子，我就要他长大了和你一个样。”

I wasn't certain that I saw a tear in her eye as Mother led me out of the room.

我妈领我走出病房的时候，我仿佛看到卞老师的那只眼里正闪着泪花。

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