时光在等一个人叶紫txt:窗 外（图）

（译者按）常言道：“听景不如看景”，此话当真？看看观赏美景的欲望给两位病友带来了什么，或许你会拥有异样的感触……

窗  外

胡德良 译

两个男人同患重病，同住一间病室。其中一人的病床靠着唯一的窗子，医生准许他每天在床上坐一个小时，以排掉肺部的积水。而另外一个人不得不整天平躺着。

两个男人一谈就是连续几个小时。他们谈及各自的妻子、家人、家乡、工作、参军服役和所到度假胜地等情况。每天下午，窗边的男人可以坐起来时，他总是向同室病友描述从窗外看到的所有情况，以此来打发时光。

另一张病床上的男人总是盼望那一个小时的时光，因为在那段时间里，窗外的活动和色彩使他的世界变得天高地阔、生机勃勃。那位曾说过，从窗口远远望去，可见一座公园，公园里镶嵌着一个秀丽的湖泊；湖面上鸭子与天鹅在戏水，孩子们划着自己的船模；情人们互挽着手臂，在色彩如虹的花丛中走过；参天的古树将风景装点得更加优雅；遥远的天空尽头，清晰地呈现出都市的轮廓……窗边的男人极其详尽地描述这一切时，病房那边的男人就会闭上眼睛，想象这美丽如画的景色。

一个暖洋洋的下午，窗边的男人描述到一支游行通过的队伍。由于描绘用语生动形象，另一个男人虽说听不到乐队的伴奏，却也可以想象出这番景象。不料，此人有一个怪异的想法袭上心头：为何他总是有幸看到这一切，而我则不能看到任何景色？这好象不公平啊！这个想法作怪时，他起初还感到羞愧。但随着时间日复一日地推移，他仍未能看到更多的景物，嫉妒之心便化为怨恨之情，而且不久其人品变质。他开始陷入沉思，夜不成寐。他应该住在靠窗口的位置啊！此时，这个想法牢牢地左右着他的生活。

一天深夜，他正躺着凝视天花板，窗边的男人开始咳嗽，肺部的积水令其窒息。在昏暗的病房中，他观察到窗边的男人在挣扎着摸索呼救按钮。听着那边传来的声音，他一动未动，始终没有按下自己的按钮—他自己的按钮本来也可以很快唤来护士的。不出五分钟，咳嗽和哽噎的声音停止了，呼吸的声音也结束了。此时，只剩下寂静—死一般的寂静。

第二天早上，值白班的护士到来，为他们带来了洗澡水。当发现窗边男人的死尸时，她感到不胜悲伤，并传唤医院的勤杂工将尸体推走—默默无语，一切井然有序。事情看起来刚刚办妥，那个男人便询问可否将他搬到窗边。护士乐意为他变换床位，并且确保他感觉舒适之后，离他而去。

为了看好这第一眼，他忍受着痛苦，缓慢地用一侧的肘部支撑起身体。他终于可以愉快地独自欣赏这一切了！他竭尽全力，慢慢地转过身体，向床边的窗口外望去……

窗口却对着一堵光秃秃的墙壁！

译自：: www.indianchild.com/inspiring_stories.htm

原著：佚名

 The Window

By Author unknown

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour a day to drain1 the fluids from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back2.

The men talked for hours on end3. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement4 in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed next to the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed would live for5 those one-hour periods when his world would be broadened and enlivened6 by all the activity and color of the outside world. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake, the man had said. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Lovers walked arm in arm amid flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced7 the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline8 could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail9, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque10 scene.

One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by.  Although the other man could not hear the band, he could see it in his mind's eye11 as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive12 words. Unexpectedly, an alien13 thought entered his head: Why should he have all the pleasure of seeing everything while I never get to see anything? It didn't seem fair. As the thought fermented14, the man felt ashamed at first. But as the days passed and he missed seeing more sights, his envy eroded15 into resentment and soon turned him sour. He began to brood16 and found himself unable to sleep. He should be by that window—and that thought now controlled his life.

Late one night, as he lay staring at the ceiling, the man by the window began to cough. He was choking on the fluid in his lungs. The other man watched in the dimly lit room as the struggling man by the window groped17 for the button to call for help. Listening from across the room, he never moved, never pushed his own button which would have brought the nurse running. In less than five minutes, the coughing and choking stopped, along with the sound of breathing. Now, there was only silence—deathly silence.

The following morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths. When she found the lifeless body of the man by the window, she was saddened and called the hospital attendant to take it away—no words, no fuss18. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up19 on one elbow to take his first look. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it all himself. He strained20 to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. 

It faced a blank wall.

From: www.indianchild.com/inspiring_stories.htm

Notes注释：

1．排出（液体等）。

2．仰卧着。

3．连续地。

4．参与，卷入。

5．为……而生活，盼望。

6．enliven使有生机。

7．grace使更优美。

8．以天空为背景映出的轮廓或图象。

9．极其细致地。

10．美丽的，如画的。

11．in one’s mind's eye在某人的想象中。

12．描述性的；生动的。

13．陌生的，怪异的。

14．ferment发酵，骚动。

15．erode遭受腐蚀（这里指逐渐向坏处转变）。

16．沉思，冥想。

17．grope摸索，搜寻。

18．大惊小怪，忙乱。

19．prop…up将……支撑起来。

20．strain尽力，竭力。