“I had just enough money to buy my ferry ticket back to New York. I felt as if I didnt want to live another day. I must have looked as I felt， for I saw him on the row of seats opposite me， looking at me as if he understood. He was nicelooking， but oh， above everything else， he looked kind. When one is tired or unhappy or hopeless， kindness counts more than anything else.
“我身边的钱只够买轮渡票回纽约。当时我觉得连一天都不想活了。我的心思一定流露在脸上，因为我看见他坐在对面的一排椅子上，老是瞅着我，仿佛了解我心思似的。他长得很漂亮，不过，最重要的是，他看上去很善良。当一个人感到厌倦。不幸、或绝望时，善良比什么都重要。
“When I got so miserable that I couldnt fight against it any longer， I got up and walked slowly out the rear door of the ferryboat cabin.No one was there， and I slipped quickly over the rail and dropped into the water. Oh， friend Hetty， it was cold， cold！
“我十分苦恼，再也抵挡不住，便站起来，慢慢走出轮渡船舱后门。周围一个人都没有，我很快地翻过栏杆，跳进水里。哦，赫蒂，我的朋友，水真冷，真冷啊！
“For just one moment I wished I was back in the old Vallambrosa， starving and hoping. And then I got numbnumb adj.麻木的v.失去知觉， and didnt care. And then I felt that somebody else was in the water close by me， holding me up.He had followed me， and jumped in to save me.
“有那么一瞬间，我希望自己仍旧在瓦蓝布罗沙老地方，宁肯饿着肚子，盼望着，接着，我浑身麻木，也顾不得那么多了。后来我觉得水里另外有个人挨着我，没让我沉下去。原来是他刚才跟着我，也跳进水里来救我。
“Somebody threw a thing like a big， white doughnut at us， and he made me put my arms through the hole. Then the ferryboat backed， and they pulled us on board. Oh， Hetty， I was so ashamed of my wickednesswickednessn.邪恶， 不道德 in trying to drown myself； and， besides， my hair had all tumbled down and was sopping wet， and I was such a sight.
“有人朝我们扔来一个白的、大的炸面饼圈似的东西，他让我把它套在腋窝下。轮渡打倒车回来，人们把我们拖上甲板。啊，赫蒂，我想跳水自杀实在是太可耻了；再说，我的头发全披了下来，湿漉漉的，真丢人。
“And then some men in blue clothes came around； and he gave them his card， and I heard him tell them he had seen me drop my purse on the edge of the boat outside the rail， and in leaning over to get it I had fallen overboard.
“几个穿蓝制服的人跑了来；他把他的名片递给他们，我听到他对他们说，他看见我的手提包掉在栏杆外面的边上，我躬身去拣，不小心落了水。
“And then I remembered having read in the papers that people who try to kill themselves are locked up in cells with people who try to kill other people， and I was afraid.
“这时，我想起报上说过，企图自杀的人要坐牢，同企图杀人的人关在一起，我害怕了。
“But some ladies on the boat took me downstairs to the furnaceroom and got me nearly dry and did up my hair. When the boat landed， he came and put me in a cab. He was all dripping himself， but laughed as if he thought it was all a joke. He begged me， but I wouldnt tell him my name nor where I lived， I was so ashamed.”
“轮渡上有几位太太带我到下面的锅炉房去，替我把衣服大致上烘干，帮我把头发梳好。船靠岸时，他又过来，替我雇了一辆马车。他自己浑身都湿透了，但他还哈哈大笑，仿佛觉得这件事挺逗趣的。他央求我把姓名和地址告诉他，可是我不干，我觉得太不好意思了。”
“You were a fool， child.” said Hetty， kindly. “Wait till I turn the light up a bit. I wish to Heaven we had an onion.”
“你真傻，孩子。”赫蒂和善地说。“等一等，让我先把火捻大。我求老天爷给我们弄个洋葱。”
“Then he raised his hat，” went on Cecilia， “and said： ‘Very well. But Ill find you， anyhow. Im going to claim my rights of salvagesalvagen.抢救财货， 获救的财货， 救难的奖金，海上救助， 抢救， 打捞vt.海上救助， 抢救， 打捞， 营救。’Then he gave money to the cabdriver and told him to take me where I wanted to go， and walked away. What is ‘salvage’， Hetty？”
“然后他掀了掀帽子，”塞西莉亚接着说，“他说：‘好吧。不管怎么样，我会找到你的。那时候我就会要求救难的权利。”他付了一些钱给马车夫，吩咐他送我到我要去的地方，自己就走了。赫蒂，‘救难’是什么意思？”
“The edge of a piece of goods that aint hemmed.” said the shopgirl.“You must have looked pretty well frazzledfrazzled adj.穿破了的， 疲惫的 out to the little hero boy.”
“那是衣料的不用包缝的织达。”女店员说。“在那个小英雄眼里，你够狼狈的。”
“Its been three days，” moaned the miniaturepainter， “and he hasnt found me yet.”
“已经过了三天，”袖珍画画家叹息说，他还没有找到我。
“Extend the time.” said Hetty. “This is a big town. Think of how many girls he might have to see soaked in water with their hair down before he would recognize you. The stews getting on fine—but oh， for an onion！ Id even use a piece of garlic if I had it.”
“宽限一点儿吧。”赫蒂说。“这个城市很大。你想想看，他也许要见过许多在水里浸过，头发落下来的姑娘，才能辨认是你呢。牛肉嫩得不错——可是，唉，有个洋葱该多好！假如我手头有蒜，我甚至愿意搁一瓣蒜在里面。”
The beef and potatoes bubbled merrily， exhaling a mouthwatering savor that yet lacked something， leaving a hunger on the palatepalate n.[解］上腭， 味觉， 趣味， a haunting， wistful desire for some lost and needful ingredientingredient n.成分， 因素。
牛肉和土豆滚得正欢，散发出一段令人垂涎的香味，可是其中还缺些什么，在口味上留下一种饥饿的感觉，和对某种应有而没有的配料的萦绕不去、耿耿于怀的欲望。
“I came near drowning in that awful river.” said Cecilia， shuddering.
“我几乎在那条可怕的河里淹死。”塞西莉亚打了个寒战说。
“It ought to have more water in it，” said Hetty； “the stew， I mean.Ill go get some at the sink.”
“水应当再多些，”赫蒂说；“我指的是炖牛肉。我去水槽那儿弄一点来。”
“It smells good.” said the artist.
“真香。”艺术家说。
“That nasty old North River？” objected Hetty. “It smells to me like soap factories and wet setterdogs—oh， you mean the stew. Well， I wish we had an onion for it. Did he look like he had money？”
“那条肮脏的老北江吗？”赫蒂反对说。“我闻起来觉得像是肥皂厂和湿毛猎狗的气味——哦，你指的是炖牛肉。唉，我真希望能加个洋葱。他看上去像是有钱人吗？”
“First， he looked kind.” said Cecilia. “Im sure he was rich； but that matters so little. When he drew out his billfolder to pay the cabman you couldnt help seeing hundreds and thousands of dollars in it. And I looked over the cab doors and saw him leave the ferry station in a motorcar； and the chauffeurchauffeur n.<法>司机 gave him his bearskin to put on， for he was sopping wet. And it was only three days ago.”
“他看上去首先是很善良。”塞西莉亚说。“我敢说他一定有钱；但那关系不大。他掏出皮夹付马车钱的时候，不由你不注意到里面有成千成万的钱。我上了马车后，看到他坐私家汽车离开轮渡码头司机把自己的熊皮大衣给他披上，因为他浑身湿透了。那只是三天以前的事。”
“What a fool！” said Hetty， shortly.
“真是傻瓜！”赫蒂简洁地说。
“Oh， the chauffeur wasnt wet.” breathed Cecilia. “And he drove the car away very nicely.”
“哦，司机身上不湿。”塞西莉亚轻声说。“他很利索地把车开走了。”
“I mean you.” said Hetty. “For not giving him your address.”
“我是说你，”赫蒂说，“说你不把地址告诉他。”
“I never give my address to chauffeurs.” said Cecilia， haughtily.
“我从来不把地址告诉司机的。”塞西莉亚高傲地说。
“I wish we had one.” said Hetty， disconsolately.
“但愿我们有一个就好啦。”赫蒂郁郁不乐地说。
“What for？”
“要来干吗？”
“For the stew， of course—oh， I mean an onion.”
“当然是肉——哦，我指的是要一个洋葱。”
Hetty took a pitcherpitchern.（带柄和倾口的）大水罐， （棒球）投手 and started to the sink at the end of the hall.