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CIVIC VALOR.
少年受勋章
(_Monthly Story._)
（每月例话）
At one o'clock we went with our schoolmaster to the front of the town-hall, to see the medal for civic valor bestowed on the lad who saved one of his comrades from the Po.
午后一点钟，先生领我们到市政所去，参观把勋章授予前次在濮河救起小孩的少年。
On the front terrace waved a huge tricolored flag.
大门上飘着大大的国旗。
We entered the courtyard of the palace.It was already full of people. At the further end of it there was visible a table with a red cover, and papers on it, and behind it a row of gilded chairs for the mayor and the council; the ushers of the municipality were there, with their under-waistcoats of sky-blue and their white stockings. To the right of the courtyard a detachment of policemen, who had a great many medals, was drawn up in line; and beside them a detachment of custom-house officers; on the other side were the firemen in festive array; and numerous soldiers not in line, who had come to look on,--cavalrymen, sharpshooters, artillery-men. Then all around were gentlemen, country people, and some officers and women and boys who had assembled. We crowded into a corner where many scholars from other buildings were already collected with their teachers; and near us was a group of boys belonging to the common people, between ten and eighteen years of age, who were talking and laughing loudly; and we made out that they were all from Borgo Po, comrades or acquaintances of the boy who was to receive the medal. Above, all the windows were thronged with the employees of the city government; the balcony of the library was also filled with people, who pressed against the balustrade; and in the one on the opposite side, which is over the entrance gate, stood a crowd of girls from the public schools, and many _Daughters of military men_, with their pretty blue veils. It looked like a theatre. All were talking merrily, glancing every now and then at the red table, to see whether any one had made his appearance. A band of music was playing softly at the extremity of the portico. The sun beat down on the lofty walls. It was beautiful.
我们走进中庭，那里已是人山人海。前面摆着用红色桌布罩了的桌子，桌子上放着书件。后面是市长和议员的席次，有许多华美的椅子。着青背心穿白袜子的赞礼的傧相就在那里。再右边是一大队挂勋章的警察，税关的官员都在这旁边。这对面排着许多盛装的消防队，还有许多骑兵、步兵、炮兵和在乡军人。其他绅士呀、一般人民呀、妇女呀、小孩呀，都围集在这周围。我们和别校的学生并集在一角，旁有一群从十岁到十八岁光景的少年，谈着笑着。据说这是今天受勋章的少年的朋友，特从故乡来到会的。市政所的人员多在窗口下望，图书馆的走廊上也有许多人靠着栏杆观看。大门的楼上，满满地集着小学校的女学生和面上有青面罩的女会员。情形正像一个剧场，大家高兴地谈说，时时向有红毡的桌子的地方望，看有谁出来没有。乐队在廊下一角静奏乐曲，目光明亮地射在高墙上。
