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The Sick Master.
病中的先生
Saturday, 25th.
星期六，25日。
Yesterday afternoon, on coming out of school, I went to pay a visit to my sick master. He made himself ill by overworking. Five hours of teaching a day, then an hour of gymnastics, then two hours more of evening school, which is equivalent to saying but little sleep, getting his food by snatches, and working breathlessly from morning till night. He has ruined his health. That is what my mother says. My mother was waiting for me at the big door; I came out alone, and on the stairs I met the teacher with the black beard--Coatti,--the one who frightens every one and punishes no one. He stared at me with wide-open eyes, and made his voice like that of a lion, in jest, but without laughing. I was still laughing when I pulled the bell on the fourth floor; but I ceased very suddenly when the servant let me into a wretched, half-lighted room, where my teacher was in bed. He was lying in a little iron bed. His beard was long. He put one hand to his brow in order to see better, and exclaimed in his affectionate voice:--"Oh, Enrico!"
昨日下午从学校回来，顺便去望先生的病。先生是因过于劳累得病的。每日教五小时的课，运动一小时，再去夜学校担任功课二小时，吃饭只是草草地吞咽，从朝到晚一直没有休息，所以把身体弄坏了。这些都是母亲说给我听的。母亲在先生门口等我，我一个人进去，在楼梯里看见黑发的考谛先生，他就是只吓唬小孩从不加罚的先生。他张大了眼看着我，毫无笑容地用了狮子样的声音说可笑的话。我觉得可笑，一直到四层楼去按门铃的时候还是笑着。仆人把我带进那狭小阴暗的房间里，我才停止了笑。先生卧在铁制的床上，胡须长得深深的，一手放在眼旁。看见了我，他用了含着深情的声音说：啊！安利柯吗？
I approached the bed; he laid one hand on my shoulder and said:--"Good, my boy. You have done well to come and see your poor teacher. I am reduced to a sad state, as you see, my dear Enrico. And how fares the school? How are your comrades getting along? All well, eh? Even without me? You do very well without your old master, do you not?"
我走近床前，先生一手搭在我的肩上：“来得很好！安利柯！我已病得这样了！学校里怎样？你们大家怎样？好吗？啊！我虽不在那里，你们也可以好好地用功的，不是吗？”
I was on the point of saying "no"; he interrupted me.
我想回答说“不”，先生拦住了我的话头：
"Come, come, I know that you do not hate me!" and he heaved a sigh.
“是的，是的，你们都看重我的！”说着叹息。
I glanced at some photographs fastened to the wall.
我眼看着壁上挂着的许多相片。
