“I loved school, though I didn't make good grades. Miss Wood's room was a happy place; it seemed like heaven to me. One day, after my folks had a big fight at breakfast, I came to school late, holding back the tears. Miss Wood kept me after school. I thought she would scold me but, instead, she let me tell her my troubles. She made me feel how much my brothers and sisters, and even my parents, needed me and from that day on, my life was worth living.
“我喜欢上学,虽然功课不怎么样。伍德小姐的教室是个快乐的地方,在我看来就像天堂一样。有一天,我爸妈早餐时大吵一场,我上学都迟到了,还眼泪汪汪的。伍德小姐放学后让我留下来。我以为她要批评我,可相反,她却让我把不高兴的事说给她听。她让我明白,我的弟弟妹妹们,甚至我的父母,是多么的需要我—从那天起,我的生活就变得有意义了。
“A few months later, I heard a little girl say: ‘Miss Wood's going to marry a missionary and go live in China!' I went home crying. My parents stopped in the middle of a fight to ask me what was wrong, but they could not know how great a light was going out in my life. I couldn't sleep that night.
“几个月之后,我听见一个小女孩说:‘伍德小姐要嫁给一个传教士了,还要到中国去住呢!'我哭着回到了家。正在吵架的父母停下来问我出了什么事,可他们没法理解,我的生活中将要失去多大一片光明。那一夜我没睡着。
“The next day, Miss Wood again kept me after school to see what was wrong.
“第二天,伍德小姐又让我放学后留下来,问我出了什么事。
“When I told her, she looked surprised and tender. ‘Please don't go way off to China!' I begged.
“我告诉了她,她露出既吃惊又亲切的神色。‘请不要到老远的中国去!'我恳求说。
“‘Viola,' she answered, ‘I can't give up China. I'm going where my heart calls me, with the man I love. But I'll think of you often, and I'll send you a postcard.'
“‘维奥拉,'她回答说,‘我不能改变去中国的主意。我要到我心灵呼唤我的地方去,跟我所爱的人一起去。可我会经常想你的,我会寄一张明信片给你。'