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They say that blood is thicker than water, that our relatives are more important to us than others. Everyone was so kind to the old lady on her birthday. Surely her daughter would make an even bigger effort to please her?
人们说血浓于水，即我们的亲属比别人对我们更重要。老太太生日这天，所有的人都对她那么好。无疑她的女儿将会做出更大的努力使她高兴了？
The Present
礼物
It was the old lady's birthday.
这天是老太太的生日。
She got up early to be ready for the post. From the second floor flat she could see the postman when he came down the street, and the little boy from the ground floor brought up her letters on the rare occasions when anything came.
为了静心等候邮件，她一早就起床了。邮差打马路那头过来的时候，她从三楼的公寓套间里一眼就可以看到。她难得有信，偶尔有邮件寄来，总是由住在底楼的小男孩给她送上来。
Today she was sure there would be something. Myra wouldn't forget her mother's birthday, even if she seldom wrote at other times. Of course Myra was busy. Her husband had been made Mayor, and Myra herself had got a medal for her work for the aged.
她相信今天肯定会有东西来。迈拉尽管在别的时候绝少写信，可母亲的生日她是不会忘记的。当然，迈拉很忙。她丈夫当上了市长，迈拉自己也由于悉心为老年人工作而获得了一枚奖章。
The old lady was proud of Myra, but Enid was the daughter she loved. Enid had never married, but had seemed content to live with her mother, and teach in a primary school round the comer.
老太太颇以迈拉自豪，但她真心疼爱的女儿却是伊妮德。伊妮德始终没结婚，但她似乎以跟老母同住，并任教于附近的一所小学而心满意足。
One evening, however, Enid said, "I've arranged for Mrs. Morrison to look after you for a few days, Mother. Tomorrow I have to go into hospital — just a minor operation. I'll soon be home."
然而一天傍晚，伊妮德却说：“妈妈，我已安排让莫里森太太来照顾你几天。明天我要去住院——只是动个小手术。我很快会回家来的。”
In the morning she went, but never came back — she died on the operating table. Myra came to the funeral, and in her efficient way arranged for Mrs. Morrison to come in and light the fire and give the old lady her breakfast.
第二天早上她去了，却再也没有回来——她死在了手术台上。迈拉来参加了葬礼，并以她特有的干练方式，安排莫里森太太来家生火，并为老太太准备早餐。
Two years ago that was, and since then Myra had been to see her mother three times, but her husband never.
那是两年以前的事了，打那以后，迈拉来看过她母亲三次，可她丈夫却一次也没来过。
The old lady was eighty today. She had put on her best dress. Perhaps — perhaps Myra might come. After all, eighty was a special birthday, another decade lived or endured just as you chose to look at it.
今天是老太太的八十寿辰。她穿上了她最好的衣裙。也许——也许迈拉会来的吧。不管怎么说，八十大寿毕竟非同一般——你又活了十年，或者说又熬过了十年，是活是熬，全在于你怎么看了。
Even if Myra did not come, she would send a present. The old lady was sure of that. Two spots of colour brightened her cheeks. She was excited — like a child. She would enjoy her day.
即便迈拉不来，她也会寄礼物来的。老太太对这点是拿得准的。脸颊上的两片红晕，使她满脸生辉。她心情激动——激动得像个小孩。她的这个生日一定会过得很快活。
