猎人的良心
THE HUNTER'S CONSCIENCE
猎人的良心
Doctor Huang Xiaoyuan of Hangzhou was a noted authority on skin diseases and infections of all sorts.
杭州的黄小元是一个有名的大夫,擅长治疗各种皮肤病。
One day he was sitting in his office when a man came in groaning. "What an ugly brute," the doctor couldn't help thinking, even though he knew that a doctor must do his best to help any person suffering, without regard to his looks.
一天,他正在他的诊所里坐着,走进来一个呻吟着的人。"真丑啊!"黄大夫忍不住想,虽然他知道大夫必须救助那些受苦的人,而不应该注意他们的外表。
The man took off his shirt and sat down so the doctor could see his back. On his back and shoulders, he had dozens of sores. The big ones were the size of a cup, and they were surrounded by lots of littler ones. The whole thing smelled dreadful.
那个男人脱了上衣,坐下来让大夫看他的背。在他的背和肩上,长了很多疮。大的有杯子那么大,周围还长着许多小疮。它们发出阵阵恶臭。
Doctor Huang was so surprised that he said "Your whole back is rotting away" before he could catch himself.
黄大夫吃了一惊,忍不住说:"你的整个背都要烂掉了。"
"What?" the patient said, turning around in the chair.
"什么?"病人转身问。
This is a rare disease called Birds Pay Homage to the King. It's incurable." Doctor Huang pushed his glasses up his nose. "What kind of business are you in? I think we'd better find this out first."
"这是一种很罕见的病,叫做百鸟朝凤,这是一种不治之症。"黄大夫扶了扶眼镜,"你是做什么生意的?我们最好先把这个弄清楚."
"You know those new weapons they call 'guns'? I have one, and I use it to shoot birds. I turn over their nests so they don't have anywhere to go, and then I shoot them when they're flying around. I've been in this line for oh, a dozen years now," the patient answered.
"你知道那些叫做'枪'的武器吗?我有一杆枪,经常用它打鸟。我把鸟儿的巢弄翻,这样它们就没处可去了。当它们到处乱飞的时候,我就把它们打下来。我做这一行已经,哦,好多年了。"病人回答。
"No wonder!" the doctor replied. "Think how many homes you have destroyed, and how many animals you have killed! You have brought this disease down upon yourself by breaking the laws of nature."
"怪不得!"大夫回答,"想想你破坏了多少家庭,杀了多少动物!你违背天理,才招来如此报应。"
The hunter looked worried. "Then what can I do?"
猎人很担心,"那我该怎么办呢?"
"If you're brave enough to admit that you shouldn't have killed all those helpless birds, and you promise that you will never kill anything again, we may have a chance. Otherwise……"
"如果你勇于承认自己杀了那么多无助的动物,还保证永远不再杀生,你还有机会。否则……"
The hunter thought carefully. He realized that he had been cruel to shoot defenseless birds. He threw his gun in the river and went into the fresh produce business.
猎人沉思了一会。他醒悟到自己杀了那么多无助的鸟儿,实在太残忍。于是他把自己的枪扔到河里去,改做新兴的制造行业了。
Within two weeks, his back was obviously better. He felt healthy, both physically and mentally. Before too much longer, he was well again.
两个星期内,他的背就明显好多了。他在身体和精神上都觉得舒畅。不久,他就全好了。
By facing the truth and listening to his conscience, this man saved himself from a terrible end.
这个人面对现实,听从自己的良心,从而避免了可怕的结局。