儿子(The Son)

　  一位富翁和他儿子爱好收藏画，他们收藏了从毕加索到拉费奥等很多艺术品。常常他俩坐在一起欣赏着大师的作品。

　　when the vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. he was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. the father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

　　当越战爆发的时候，儿子投入了战争。他非常勇敢，在一次作战中因为抢救战友而牺牲了。父亲接到了通知，深深地哀恸他唯一的儿子。

　　about a month later, just before christmas, there was a knock at the door. a young man stood there with a large package in his hands. he said "sir, you don't

　　know me, but i am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. he saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the

　　heart and he died instantly. he often talked about you and your love for art.’’ the young man held out his package. "i know this isn't much. i'm really not a great artist, but i think your son would have wanted you to have this." the father opened the package. it was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man.

　　he stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. the father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes swelled up

　　with tears. he thanks the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. "oh no, sir, i could never repay what you son did for me. it's a gift.

　　约一个月之后，正好是圣诞节前，门上传来敲门声。一位年轻人站在那里，手里拿着一个很大的包裹。他说道：“先生，你不认识我，我就是你儿子为了救我而牺牲的那个战士。那天他救了很多人，当他背着我走向安全地带的时候，一颗子弹击中了他的心脏，他顿时就牺牲了。他常常说起你和你对艺术的爱好，”年轻人举起他的包裹，“我知道这不算什么，我是真的不怎样的艺术家，但我想你儿子会要你保留这幅画的。”父亲打开了包裹，是他儿子的一幅肖像画，是这年轻人画的。他惊奇地注视着画中那士兵是如何捕捉到他儿子的个性的。父亲如此地被画里的眼睛吸引，他自己的眼睛也充满了泪水。他谢了那年轻人并提议买下这幅画。“噢，不要钱，先生，我永远不能偿还你儿子给我做的一切。这是礼物。”

　　the father hung the portrait over his mantle. every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

　　父亲把这肖像画挂在壁炉架上，每次有客人来他家拜访，他总是在给他们看他收藏的许多名作之前，先带他们看儿子的肖像。

　　the man died a few months later. there was to be a great auction of his great works of art. many people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and

　　having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. on the platform sat the portrait of his son. the auctioneer pounded his gavel, "we will start with this portrait of the son. who will bid for this picture?

　　富翁在几个月之后死了。他的伟大收藏也将要被拍卖掉。许多人聚集着，为能一睹这些伟大的收藏以及能从他的收藏里买一个加入自己的收藏品这一机会而激动不已。在讲台上安置着那儿子的肖像画

　　there was silence. then a ! voice in the back of the room shouted "we want to see the famous paintings. skip this one."