Weeks passed. By June we had already baled one cutting of hay and gotten it safely into the barn. I gradually settled into a routine of daily work with Grandpa. He had a mental schedule of things that needed doing, and we worked on part of it each day. In the evenings I usually read or talked with Grandma. She never grew tired of hearing about college or anything I was involved in. She told me stories about her childhood, family and the early years after she and Grandpa had married.

几周过去了。到六月份我们已经砍了第一批干草并打成捆，安全运进谷仓了。我和外公一起干活已逐渐上了轨道，每天例行的事也熟悉了。要做的事在外公的脑子里都想好了，每天做一部分。晚上我一般看看书或和外婆聊聊天。我和她讲大学里的事，讲我自己的一些事，她都爱听。她和我谈她的童年，她的娘家，她和外公结婚最初几年的情况。

The last Saturday in June, Grandpa suggested we go fishing, since we were caught up on everything. The pond was in a low pasture near the woods. Years before, Grandpa had stocked it with fish. We drove the pickup to the pond that day, looking over the livestock as we went. We hadn't expected what we saw when we got to the pond that morning: One of the swans was dead. Grandpa had given the pair of swans to Grandma on their fiftieth anniversary. "Why don't we see about buying another one," I suggested, hoping the situation could somehow be righted. Grandpa thought for a few moments before answering.

He finally said, "no... it's not that easy, Bruce. You see, swans mate for life." He raised his finger to point, holding the fishing pole in his other hand. "There's nothing we can do for the one that's left. He has to work it out for himself."

六月最后一个星期六，外公提议去钓鱼，因为事情都赶着做完了。几年前外公已经在里面放了鱼苗。那天我们开了那辆小货车去池塘，一路上还查看了牲畜的情况。那天上午到达池塘时见到了一件意外的事：一只天鹅死了。这是一对中的一只，这对天鹅是他们结婚五十周年时外公送给外婆的。我说：“干吗不再买一只，”希望那可以弥补一下这种状况。

外公想了一会儿才回答。他最后说：“不，……不那么简单，布鲁斯。你知道吗，天鹅是终生为伴。” 他一手拿着钓竿，另一手抬起来指了一指。“对于留下来的这只我们无能为力，只好靠它自己了。”

We caught enough fish that morning for lunch. On the way back to the house, Grandpa asked me not to tell Grandma about the swan. She didn't get down to the pond much anymore, and there was no sense in her knowing about it right away.
A few days later, we drove by the pond while doing our morning check on the cows. We found the other swan lying near the same spot we had found the first one. It, too, was dead.

那天上午我们钓了不少鱼供午餐用。回家的路上，外公要我别向外婆提及天鹅的事。她现在不常来池塘这边，没有必要让她马上知道。几天以后的一个清晨，我们驱车去查看母牛时从池塘边走过。在离第一只天鹅死的地方不远，我们见到另一只天鹅躺在那儿。它也死了。

The month of July started with me and Grandpa putting up a new stretch of fence. Then July 12 came. That was the day Grandma passed away. I'd overslept that morning. Grandpa had not knocked on my door, either. It was nearly eight o'clock by the time I could hurriedly dress myself and get down to the kitchen. I saw Dr. Morgan sitting at the kitchen table. He was a neighbor of my grandparents' age, long since retired. He'd come to the house several times before on social calls. I immediately knew something was wrong. This morning, his tattered old black bag was by his feet, and my grandfather was obviously shaken. Grandma had died suddenly that morning of a stroke. By the afternoon, my parents were there. The old house was soon crowded with relatives and Grandpa's friends.

七月初我和外公建造了一堵新围栏。然后到了七月十二日，就在那一天外婆过世了。那天早晨我睡过了头。外公也没有敲我的门。 差不多八点了我才匆匆穿好衣服，下楼来到厨房。我见到摩根医生坐在厨房桌子边。他是外公家邻居，和外公差不多年纪，也早就退休了。他曾来过外公家串过几次门。我立刻感到出了事。这天早晨，他脚边放着他那破旧的黑包，外公的身子直发抖。外婆那天早晨患中风突然逝世。下午我父母来了。这间老屋一下子亲友云集，显得很拥挤。

The funeral was held the next day. Grandpa had insisted on having it as soon as possible. On the second day after the funeral, Grandpa announced at the breakfast table, "This is a working farm. We have a lot of things to do. The rest of you should get back to your own lives." Most of the family had already left, but this was Grandpa's way of telling the rest it was time for them to go home. My parents were the last to leave after lunch.

第二天举行葬礼。外公坚持尽快举行。葬礼后的第二天，外公在早餐时宣布：“农场要干活，我们有很多事要做。你们剩下的人都请回吧。” 家族大多数人已经走了，而外公就用这种方法告诉剩下的人是回去的时候了。我父母吃过午饭后离开了，他们是最后走的人。