One afternoon； Merope’s father went out into the fields with Sisyphus； to explain to him where he wanted the fence placed。 A short time later； a soaked Sisyphus carried the unconscious； equally drenched man into the kitchen and laid him on the table。 He barked orders to Merope； telling her to find clean towels and fetch some brandy。
梅罗普的奖励（3）
The story was told in gasps； between sips of the strong liquor。 Her father had been backing up； holding a sextant4 to his eye； and had fallen into the deep； swift river that ran along the edge of their property。 Sisyphus had immediately plunged in after him； and had pulled him from the cold water。
After he recovered； the grateful man offered Sisyphus any one of his daughters for his wife。 The daughters were summoned to his study； six of them crying and protesting that Sisyphus was unworthy。 Merope took her customary place in the corner； smiling serenely 5and saying nothing。
Their father became angry and told the girls sharply that they were being ungrateful and that Sisyphus had proven himself worthy without a doubt by saving his life。 At his admonition； their cries became sniffles6； and they sat quietly； swollen…eyed and sullen。
Sisyphus surveyed his choices and smiled when his eyes landed upon Merope。 “I would have Merope； sir。 Merope will be my wife。” Her sisters’ heads snapped up； and where there had been dread a moment before； there was now jubilation7 and chagrin in quick succession。
“You would prefer Merope over us？” the eldest asked incredulously。 “Have you no eyes to see？”
Their father spoke harshly again； and all the sisters but Merope left the room。 “Sisyphus； I am happy to give you Merope’s hand in marriage； but I must know why you chose her but not one of my other daughters。”
“Sir；” the mason explained； “your daughters are brilliant beauties； that no one can deny。 But their beauty will fade and their brilliance will bee brittle and bitter when they realize they are no longer desirable。 But Merope’s beauty is of the spirit； and that will not fade。 Her brilliance is of the mind； and that will not fade。 I think I made the wisest choice from among all of your daughters； sir。”
So Merope and Sisyphus were married； and over time； his prophecy came to pass。 Merope’s sisters lost their beauty and ceased to be the quarry of young men’s quest for love。 They became bitter and morose； locked in their father’s house with no more gentleman callers to pass the hours with them。
Merope glowed in the light of Sisyphus’s love for her； and her brilliant stories entertained them both—her with the writing of them and him with the reading of them—as they grew old together。
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信守诺言（1）
埃德？库克
5岁的时候，我吃到了生平第一块巧克力。它那甜美的味道、丝滑的感觉是我永远也不能忘记的。第二次世界大战期间，当俄军横扫西部向纳粹德国进军时，我们全家当时住在立陶宛的陶拉盖镇。镇上的很多村民都慌忙逃命去了。
混乱中，我与12岁的姐姐伊丽特和3岁的弟弟约瑟夫一起在火车站附近站着，那里有一趟开往德国的列车正准备出站。
那趟火车只允许携家带口的人上车。就在火车要出站的时候，一个单身的女人朝我们走来。“我会照看他的。”她对伊丽特说。在火车离开前她把我拉到了车上。整个旅途中，我都在哭喊着要妈妈。
最后，我们抵达汉堡。遭到轰炸的街道上尸体遍布。现在，那个女人已经逃离了陶拉盖，我便再也没有利用价值了。就像那个饱经战乱的城市中成千上万的其他孩子一样，我在街上过起了流浪的生活，靠偷东西来维持生存。我骨瘦如柴，快要饿死了。
后来，美军占领了汉堡。美国士兵看上去是那样高大、健康。从他们眼皮底下偷东西吃是很容易的事。我溜进脏乱的食堂，藏在一张桌子底下，然后带着新鲜的长条面包离开。
一天下午，为了寻找食物，我潜藏在一个肮脏的帐篷附近，这时有一只大手抓住我的衣领把我拎了起来。原来是一个美国士兵。“抓到你了！”他喊道。
我害怕极了，可以看出我的恐惧也令他局促不安。他说：“不要紧，孩子。”他把手伸到破旧的上衣口袋，递给我一块巧克力：“给你，尝一点儿吧。”我剥开巧克力，咬了一小口，那感觉就像进入了天堂。
这个士兵把我和其他一些无家可归的孩子送到孤儿院，是由红十字会组织成立的。4年后，我被转移到美国的一家孤儿院。随后，又被一家居于宾夕法尼亚州姓唐纳森的家庭领养。和第一次吃巧克力时的感觉一样，我仿佛进入了天堂。后来，我参了军，根据《美国退伍军人法案》上了大学，最后拿到了医院社会工作专业的硕士学位。我祈祷说，上帝啊，我要报答所有帮助过我的人。
于是，1983年，我到退伍军人事务处做了一名医务顾问，专门治疗那些患上战后紧张综合征的退伍军人。
患病的士兵们坐在我的办公室里，怀疑我怎么会理解他们，怎么能帮助他们减轻痛苦。“你知道生活在恐惧中的感觉吗？”一位海军士兵问我。在一场战役中，他们整整一个排的战士都死了，当时悲惨的场面至今还折磨着他。
每当这个时候，我都会告诉他们我的故事，讲述那位上帝派来营救我的美国士兵。
我说：“我从来都不知道他的名字。但我记住了他的大恩大德。”然后，我会打开办公桌上一个装满美味巧克力的抽屉，拿出巧克力来请他们品尝。
■ 心灵小语
一个人的一生不会是一帆风顺的，必定会有一些曲曲折折、沟沟坎坎。不管你经历了惊涛骇浪，还是小小的考验，只要活下来就是幸运的，离幸福也只有一步之遥。带着一颗感恩的心，去生活、去与人交往，坚持自己心中的梦想与承诺，就定能为他人带去一点快乐、给自己心灵一丝安慰、体现自身的一种独特价值。
A Promise Kept
Ed Cook
I had my first chocolate bar at five years old。 I’ll never forget the delicious； forting taste。 But the circumstances were anything but sweet。 It was World War Ⅱ。 I lived with my family in the Lithuanian town of Taurage when the Russian army swept west toward Nazi Germany。 Many people in our village fled in panic1。
In the confusion； I stood with my twelve…year…old sister Elyte； and my three…year…old brother Joseph； near the railroad station； where a train bound for Germany waited。 。。
信守诺言（2）
Only families were allowed to board the train。 Just before departure； a woman traveling alone approached us。 “I’ll take care of him；” she told Elyte； and pulled me onto the train as it left the station。 The entire trip I cried for my Motina； my mother。
We arrived in Hamburg。 Corpses littered the bombed…out streets。 Now that the woman had escaped Taurage she had no more use for me。 I lived on the streets； like thousands of other children in that war…torn city。 I survived by stealing food。 Still； there was never enough。 I was skin and bones； close to starving。
Then the American occupation troops arrived。 They looked so big and healthy。 Filching food from them was a cinch2。 I’d slip into the mess hall； hide under a table and make off with loaves of fresh bread。
One afternoon as I lurked around a mess tent in search of food； a huge hand lifted me up by the collar。 An American soldier。 “Got ya！” He shouted。
I was scared； and I could see it upset him。 “It’s okay； kid；” he said。 He reached into his fatigue jacket and handed me a chocolate bar。 “Here； have some of this。” I unwrapped it and took a small bite。 I thought I’d gone to heaven。
The soldier took me and some other homeless children to an orphanage3 run by the Red Cross。 Four years later I was transferred to an orphanage in America。 Soon after； a family who lived in Donaldson； Pennsylvania； adopted me。 Again； as with that first taste of chocolate； it was as if I’d gone to heaven。 Later； I joined the Army； then attended college under the GI Bill。 Eventually I earned a master’s degree in clinical social work。 God； I want to pay back all the people who were so good to me； I prayed。
So in 1983 I went to work for the Department of Veteran Affairs as a clinical counselor； treating veterans who suffer from post…traumatic4 stress syndrome5。
The troubled soldiers sit in my office and wonder how I can possibly understand them or help ease their pain。 “What do you know about living with terror？” Asked one Marine； who still was tormented by the image of a platoon member being killed in a battle。
That is when I tell them my story； and about the GI god sent to save my life。
“I never did learn his name； but I remember his kindness；” I say。 And then I open a drawer in my desk that is always full and offer them some chocolate。
我爱您，妈妈（1）
詹尼弗？克拉克
“我爱您，妈妈。明天见。”每天在跟妈妈吻别的时候，我都会说这些话。我认识的大多数女孩在跟妈妈说再见的时候，都不会告诉妈妈自己爱她。可是，我不像她们。
还是个婴儿的时候，我就被一对有爱心的人收养了，他们愿意把我带到他们的家里。他们不仅成为了我的父母，也成为了我最好的朋友。当我渐渐长大，我知道了我的生母怀我的时候还很年轻，没有能力抚养我。我能理解这些，并且对这一切充满了感激。毕竟，我最终遇上了一对互敬互爱的人，而且他们爱我。3年后，这对夫妇又收养了另外一个孩子——洛里。
直到9岁，我才知道为什么我的父母没要一个他们自己的孩子。那时，爸爸解释说他们尝试过很多次，但是都没有成功。妈妈患有糖尿病是其中的一部分原因。那时我还很年轻，不能真正理解那意味着什么。我渐渐长大，看到妈妈为自己打针，我不明白为什么只有她一个人这样做。每天我看到的都是一个坚强、美丽、健康，一生都在帮助别人的女人。
我13岁的时候，一切都改变了。
首先是从妈妈脚趾上的一个小水疱开始的。或许，这看上去没什么大不了的，但是最终的结果却是妈妈失去了一个脚趾。不久之后，妈妈又得了中风，而就在她中风刚好时，她又不得不接受一条腿被切除的手术。
这一切仅仅在3年之内全部发生了。我们家为此付出的代价简直难以置信。妈妈在5家医院进进出出，每家医院都竭尽全力帮助她恢复健康。有时妈妈会在家里住上几个月，但是这期间总会有一些不妙的事情发生。假日里，爸爸、妹妹和我就在医院的病房里陪她。有一年的感恩节，我们还在医院里一起吃火鸡；还有一年的圣诞节，我们把所有的礼物都带到医院，让她看着我们把礼物打开。
我绞尽脑汁想要使她感觉舒服一点，但是一切努力都是徒劳。在家里，照看小妹妹成了我的工作，同时我还要打扫房间、洗衣服、做饭。我觉得这对我不公平，便迁怒于爸爸。我所有的朋友都能在周五晚上出去玩，而我却不得不待在家里，充当“妈妈”的角色，我讨厌这个事实。
妈妈躺在医院的病床上，我还要去上学，这对我来说就更困难了。我现在才只有16岁。幸运的是，妈妈出席了我的生日聚会，而且我永远也不会忘记，当我拥抱她的时候，我们母女泪流满面的情景。我至今都对与妈妈在一起的那一刻充满着感激，因为那是4年来，我所见到的妈妈最开心的时刻。
但是快乐的日子再一次变成了悲伤。6月15日，我没去上学，而是留在家里照顾她。她再一次住进了医院。刚一开始，没有人能想到她出现了什么问题。妈妈在重症特护病房里一连待了一星期。后来她开始好起来，但是7月10日，她的病情又变得很严重，到11日时，她已徘徊在生死线上。
病情越来越难处理。每一次当她濒临死亡时，她都能起死回生，甚至显得更好些。
当医