一杯牛奶

A GLASS OF MILK

A poor boy who was trying to pay his way through school by selling goods door to door found that he only had one dime left. He was hungry so he decided to beg for a meal at the next house.

However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so she brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?”

“You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Mother has taught me never to accept pay for a kindness.” He said, “Then I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but it also increased his faith in God and the human race. He was about to give up and quit before this point.

Years later the young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where specialists can be called in to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly, now very famous, was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately, he rose and went down through the hospital hall into her room.

Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room and determined to do his best to save her life. From that day on, he gave special attention to her case.

After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it and then wrote something on the side. The bill was sent to her room. She was afraid to open it because she was positive that it would take the rest of her life to pay it off. Finally she looked, and the note on the side of the bill caught her attention. She read these words:

“Paid in full with a glass of milk.”

(Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly

Tears of joy flooded her eyes as she prayed silently: “Thank you, God. Your love has spread through human hearts and hands.”

【日積月累】

◇dime n. 一角硬幣

◇critically adv.嚴重地

◇baffle v. 困惑，為難

◇specialist n. 專科醫師，專家

◇consultation n. 咨詢；診察；會議

【參考譯文】

一杯牛奶

一個貧窮的男孩為了賺取學費正挨家挨戶地兜售著商品。他發現身上只有一角硬幣。他很餓，決定向下一戶人家討頓飯吃。

但是，當一位年輕甜美的女子打開門時，他失去了勇氣。他沒有要一頓飯，只要了一杯水。她覺得他看起來很餓，所以給了他一大杯牛奶。他慢慢地喝完了，然后問：“我應該付多少錢？”

“你不用付給我什么，”她回答道，“我媽媽教我，永遠不要因為幫助了別人而接受回報。”他說，“那么我只能從心底里感謝你。”霍爾頓·凱利離開那所房子的時候，他不僅覺得體力恢復了很多，而且對上帝和人類的信念也越加堅定了。本來在此之前，他都打算放棄了。

幾年后那位年輕的女士患了重病。當地眾醫生束手無策。最后他們把她轉移到了大城市，在那專家們可以為她這個罕見的病會診。已頗有名氣的霍爾頓·凱利醫生也來為她會診。當聽到她家鄉的名字時，他眼睛突然亮了起來。他馬上站起身，走出醫院會議廳來到她的病房。

他身穿白色大褂走進去，一眼就認了出來是她。他回到會診大廳，決定盡全力救治她。從那天起，他對她的病情就特別盡心。

經過長時間的努力，手術成功了。凱利醫生請財務科把醫藥費通知單拿給他審批。他看了一眼，在旁邊寫了幾個字。醫藥費通知單送到了她的病房。她不敢打開看，因為她很肯定下半輩子都得花在償還這筆帳上了。最后她打開一看，通知單旁邊的字引起了她的注意。她看到幾個字

“醫藥費已付：一杯牛奶。”

（簽名）霍爾頓·凱利醫生

喜悅的眼淚充盈著她的眼眶，她默默地禱告：“謝謝你，上帝。你的愛已通過人類的心靈和雙手傳播了。”

【人生啟迪】

 還是那句老話：“好人終有好報。”當你向他人伸出援助之手時，你就在別人心里種下了一粒種子，最后它會發芽成長，結出的果實可以造福更多人，你也可能成為其中一位受益人。如果象征著樂于助人精神的這種樹在每人心中生長，我們總有一天會擁有一片森林，以及享不盡的陰涼和保護。