双语阅读：Back | 背影

It is more than two years since I saw my father last time, and what I can never forget is the sight of his back. In the winter of more than two years ago, grandma died and father lost his job. Misfortunes never come singly. I left Beijing for Xuzhou to join father in hastening home to attend grandmas funeral. When I met father in Xuzhou, the sight of the disorderly mess in his courtyard and the thought of grandma started tears trickling down my cheeks. Father said, "That things have come to such a pass, now not be too sad. Fortunately, Heaven always leaves one a way out."

我与父亲不相见已二年余了,我最不能忘记的是他的背影.那年冬天,祖母死了,父亲的差使也交卸了,正是祸不单行的日子,我从北京到徐州,打算跟着父亲奔丧回家.到徐州见着父亲,看见满院狼藉的东西,又想起祖母,不禁簌簌地流下眼泪.父亲说："事已如此,不必难过,好在天无绝人之路!"

After arriving home, father sold out all the family belongings in order to pay off the debts. He also borrowed money to meet the funeral expenses. Between grandmas funeral and fathers unemployment, our family was then in reduced circumstances. After the funeral was over, father was to go to Nanjing to look for a job and I was to return to Beijing to study, so we started out together.

父亲回家变卖典质,父亲还了亏空；又借钱办了丧事.这些日子,家中光景很是惨淡,一半为了丧事,一半为了父亲的赋闲.丧事完毕,父亲要到南京谋事,我也要回北京念书,我们便同行.

I spent the first day in Nanjing strolling about with some friends at their invitation. The next morning, Id ferry across the river to Pukou, and, from there, catch an afternoon train for Beijing. Father said he was too busy to go and see me off at the railway station, but would ask a hotel waiter that he knew to accompany me there instead. He urged the waiter again and again to take good care of me, but still did not quite trust him. He hesitated for quite a while about what to do. As a matter of fact, nothing would matter at all because I was already twenty then and had gone to Beijing quite a few times. After some wavering, he finally decided that he himself would accompany me to the station. I repeatedly tried to talk him out of it, but he only said, "never mind! It wont be comfortable for them to go there!"

到南京时,有朋友约去游逛,勾留了一日；第二日上午便须渡江到浦口,下午上车北去.父亲因为事忙,本已说定不送我,叫旅馆里一个熟识的茶房陪我同去.他再三嘱咐茶房,甚是仔细.但他还是不放心,怕茶房不妥帖；颇踌躇了一会.其实我那年已二十岁,北京已来往过两三次,是没有什么要紧的了.他踌躇了一会,终于决定还是自己送我去.我两三回劝他不必去；他只说："不要紧,他们去不好!"

We entered the railway station after crossing the river. While I was at the booking office buying a ticket, father saw to my luggage. There was quite a bit of luggage and he had to bargain with the porter over the fee. I was then such a smart-aleck that I frowned upon the way father was haggling and on the verge of chipping in a few words when the bargain was finally clinched. Getting on the train with me, he picked me a seat close to the carriage door.

我们过了江,进了车站.我买票,他忙着照顾行李.行李太多了,得向脚夫行些小费,才可过去.他便又忙着和他们讲价钱.我那时真是聪明过分,总觉他说话不大漂亮,非自己插嘴不可.但他终于讲定了价钱,就送我上车.他给我拣定了靠车门的一张椅子；

I put on the brownish fur-lined overcoat he had tailor-made for me. He told me to be watchful on the way and be careful not to catch cold at night. He also asked the train attendants to take good care of me. I sniggered at father for being so impractical; for it was utterly useless to entrust me to those attendants, who cared for nothing but money. Besides, it was certainly no problem for a person of my age to look after himself. Oh, when I come to think of it, I can see how smarty I was in those days!

我将他给我做的紫毛大衣铺好座位.他嘱我路上小心,夜里要警醒些,不要受凉.又嘱托茶房好好照应我.我心里暗笑他的迂；他们只认得钱,托他们真是白托!而且我这样大年纪的人,难道还不能料理自己么?唉,我现在想想,那时真是太聪明了!

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