I rode towards the fire, turned a corner or two on the road, and came to a burning church. The steeple on the roof was on fire, but the wall was not damaged yet. My horse went to the front door of the church and walked down the aisle. I took the ring pouch from my pocket and put it on the altar, and then I stood there in the thick smoke and dazzling fire. The roof wood fell around me with flames. I was waiting for the groom in front of the altar. I think I should let myself die in the fire.
在这时一个人从门外冲了进来他衣胡乱穿在身手里拿着一夸脱装酒瓶剩瓶底一英寸在火中发金黄色泽他说你在这里干什么快去 我猜是尊心促我说己从这里路过进来看看能帮什么忙 哦快去他说 我他一起走了去我们决意要把教堂从火中救来尽管他已经喝醉了而我还些心神恍惚我们尽己能他酒瓶从附近小溪打水蹲在溪边等着水从细细瓶口咕嘟咕嘟灌满然后一起走回教堂每次将一夸脱水浇在火其说是想把火扑灭倒不说是了一旦人问起可说我们已经尽力了当黎来临那人我都是一脸碳黑地剩一大摊灰烬 哎就这样了除了合叶门把手都烧了个精光那人说 是啊我说 我们已经尽力而了 绝对是 谁也不能怪我们没尽到努力 对谁也不能我说 他把瓶中最后剩几滴水洒在灰堆旁被火烧焦草然后将瓶揣进外衣口袋沿着路走了我马返回查尔斯敦 一星期后我乘船去了英国接来一年中我没做什么事情是四处游荡参观老教堂欣赏古画回国后我发现你母亲已经结婚丈夫就是那天在门廊她呆在一起那个男人他是个法国葡萄酒中商德舒特业联她跟他到法国定居一扇门就这样闭了 I have always been interested in soul matters, so that I can get rid of my family business and become a priest. It is both disheartening and unpleasant, and I have never regretted this decision. One spring day 19 years later, I happened…