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Daddy's Nurse.
爸爸的看护者
(Monthly Story.)
（每月例话）
One morning, on a rainy day in March, a lad dressed like a country boy, all muddy and saturated with water, with a bundle of clothes under his arm, presented himself to the porter of the great hospital at Naples, and, presenting a letter, asked for his father. He had a fine oval face, of a pale brown hue, thoughtful eyes, and two thick lips, always half open, which displayed extremely white teeth. He came from a village in the neighborhood of Naples. His father, who had left home a year previously to seek work in France, had returned to Italy, and had landed a few days before at Naples, where, having fallen suddenly ill, he had hardly time to write a line to announce his arrival to his family, and to say that he was going to the hospital. His wife, in despair at this news, and unable to leave home because she had a sick child, and a baby at the breast, had sent her eldest son to Naples, with a few soldi, to help his father--his daddy, as they called him: the boy had walked ten miles.
正当三月中旬，春雨绵绵的一个早晨，有一乡下少年满身沾透泥水，一手抱了替换用的衣包，到了耐普尔斯市某著名的病院门口，把一封信递给管门的，说要会他新近入院的父亲。少年生着圆脸孔，面色青黑，眼中好像在沉思着什么，厚厚的两唇间露出雪白的牙齿。他父亲去年离了本国到法兰西去做工，前日回到意大利，在耐普尔斯登陆后忽然患病，进了这病院，一面写信给他的妻，告诉她自己已经回国，及因病人院的事。妻得信后很担心，因为有一个儿子也正在病着，还有正在哺乳的小儿，不能分身，不得已叫大儿子到耐普尔斯来探望父亲——家里都称为爸爸。少年天明动身，步行了十英里才到这里。
The porter, after glancing at the letter, called a nurse and told him to conduct the lad to his father.
管门的把信大略瞥了一眼，就叫了一个看护妇来，托她领少年进去。
"What father?" inquired the nurse.
“你父亲叫什么名字？”看护妇问。
The boy, trembling with terror, lest he should hear bad news, gave the name.
少年恐病人已有了变故，暗地焦急狐疑，颤抖地说出他父亲的姓名来。
The nurse did not recall such a name. "An old laborer, arrived from abroad?" he asked.
看护妇一时记不起他所说的姓名，他问：“是从外国回来的老年职工吗？”
"Yes, a laborer," replied the lad, still more uneasy; "not so very old. Yes, arrived from abroad."
“是的，职工呢原是职工，老还不十分老的，新近从外国回来。”少年说时越加担心。
"When did he enter the hospital?" asked the nurse.
“几时入院的？”
The lad glanced at his letter; "Five days ago, I think."
“五天以前。”少年看了信上的日期说。
The nurse stood a while in thought; then, as though suddenly recalling him; "Ah!" he said, "the furthest bed in the fourth ward."
看护妇想了一想，好像突然记起来了，说：“是了，是了，在第四号病室的床位里。”
"Is he very ill? How is he?" inquired the boy, anxiously.
“病得很厉害吗？怎样？”少年焦急地问。
The nurse looked at him, without replying. Then he said, "Come with me."
看护妇注视着少年，不回答他，但说：“跟了我来！”
They ascended two flights of stairs, walked to the end of a long corridor, and found themselves facing the open door of a large hall, wherein two rows of beds were arranged. "Come," repeated the nurse, entering. The boy plucked up his courage, and followed him, casting terrified glances to right and left, on the pale, emaciated faces of the sick people, some of whom had their eyes closed, and seemed to be dead, while others were staring into the air, with their eyes wide open and fixed, as though frightened. Some were moaning like children. The big room was dark, the air was impregnated with an acute odor of medicines. Two sisters of charity were going about with phials in their hands.
少年和看护妇上了楼梯，到了长廊尽处一间很大的病室里，病床分左右排列着。“请进来，”看护妇说。少年鼓着勇气进去，但见左右的病人都脸色发青，骨瘦如柴。有的闭着眼，有的向上凝视，又有的小孩似的在那里哭泣。薄暗的室中充满了药气，两个看护妇拿了药瓶匆忙地走来走去。
