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THE LITTLE MASON ON HIS SICK-BED.
病床中的“小石匠”
Tuesday, 18th.
周二，十八日
The poor little mason is seriously ill; the master told us to go and see him; and Garrone, Derossi, and I agreed to go together. Stardi would have come also, but as the teacher had assigned us the description of _The Monument to Cavour_, he told us that he must go and see the monument, in order that his description might be more exact. So, by way of experiment, we invited that puffedup fellow, Nobis, who replied "No," and nothing more. Votini also excused himself, perhaps because he was afraid of soiling his clothes with plaster.
可怜，“小石匠”患了大病！先生叫我们去访问，我就同卡隆、代洛西三人同往。斯带地本来也要去，因为先生叫他做什华伯纪念碑记》，他说要去实地看了那纪念碑再精密地做，所以就不去了。我们试约那高慢的诺琵斯，他只回答了一个“不”字，其余什么话都没有。华梯尼也谢绝不去。他们大概是恐怕被石灰沾污了衣服吧。
We went there when we came out of school at four o'clock. It was raining in torrents. On the street Garrone halted, and said, with his mouth full of bread:--
四点钟一放课，我们就去。雨像麻似的降着。卡隆在街上忽然站住，嘴里满满嚼着面包说：
"What shall I buy?" and he rattled a couple of soldi in his pocket. We each contributed two soldi, and purchased three huge oranges. We ascended to the garret. At the door Derossi removed his medal and put it in his pocket. I asked him why.
：“买些什么给他吧。”一面去摸那衣袋里的铜币。我们也各凑了两个铜币，买了三个大大的橘子。我们上那屋顶阁去。代洛西到了人口，把胸间的赏牌取下，放入袋里。“为什么？”我问。
"I don't know," he answered; "in order not to have the air: it strikes me as more delicate to go in without my medal." We knocked; the father, that big man who looks like a giant, opened to us; his face was distorted so that he appeared terrified.
“我自己也不知道，总觉得还是不挂的好。”他回答。我们一叩门，那巨人样的高大的父亲就把门开了，他脸孔歪着，见了都可怕。
"Who are you?" he demanded.
“哪几位？”他问。
Garrone replied:"We are Antonio's schoolmates, and we have brought him three oranges."
“我们是安托尼阿的同学。送三个橘子给他的。”卡隆答说。
"Ah, poor Tonino!" exclaimed the mason, shaking his head, "I fear that he will never eat your oranges!" and he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. He made us come in. We entered an attic room, where we saw "the little mason" asleep in a little iron bed; his mother hung dejectedly over the bed, with her face in her hands, and she hardly turned to look at us; on one side hung brushes, a trowel, and a plaster-sieve; over the feet of the sick boy was spread the mason's jacket, white with lime. The poor boy was emaciated; very, very white; his nose was pointed, and his breath was short. O dear Tonino, my little comrade! you who were so kind and merry, how it pains me! what would I not give to see you make the hare's face once more, poor little mason! Garrone laid an orange on his pillow, close to his face; the odor waked him; he grasped it instantly; then let go of it, and gazed intently at Garrone.
“啊！可怜，安托尼阿恐怕不能再吃这橘子了！”石匠摇着头大声说，且用手背去揩拭眼睛，引导我们入室。“小石匠”卧在小小的铁床里，母亲俯伏在床上，手遮着脸，也不来向我们看。床的一隅，挂有板刷、烙馒和筛子等类的东西，病人脚部盖着那白白地沾满了石灰的石匠的上衣。那小孩瘦瘠而白，鼻头尖尖的，呼吸很短促。啊！安托尼阿！我的小朋友！你原是那样亲切快活的人呢！我好难过啊！只要你再能做一会鬼脸给我看，我什么都情愿！安托尼阿！卡隆把橘子给他放在枕旁，使他可以看见。橘子的芳香把他熏醒了。他抓住了橘子，不久又放开手，频频地向卡隆看。
