读点好英文:The Lonely Old Man 孤独的老人

The Lonely Old Man 孤独的老人

He was a little, wrinkIed, all-skin-and-bones old man and lived all alone. No one knew much about him.One day he got a bad cold and he called for a doctor.

While the doctor was examining the old man, he asked，“Haven't you a friend who could come in to look after you?”“No, I have no friends-never had any.”the old man replied.“What！You've lived in this village all your life and never had a friend！”“Well, I am not ashamed to say that I have passed sixty-four years but I never met anyone I could call a friend for long. If it isn't one thing wrong with them, it's another.”“Come, come！Our village headman, Mr.Li, will surely come to your aid if he knows you are sick.I am sure you too know him.”“Of course, I know him，”replied the old man，“but he is such a bore.To hear him talk, you'd imagine the world had nothing in it but his wheat field and how wonderful and healthy his pigs are.”

“Then what about Mr. Ma who lives down the road?”“A more selfish fellow I ever came across, though I admit he has got a head on him.He has traveled and read many books and he's mighty interesting to talk to.He used to come in here a lot at one time.But he would come only when he felt like doing so and he would stay away for long periods of time.I don't call that neighborly.”

The doctor laughed.“You can't bring up anything against Mr. Zhou?Everyone loves him.”“You're right，”agreed the old man.“Zhou would live on my doorstep if I let him.He's a bit of a wit and rattling good company, but his noisy tongue makes my poor head ache.”

“I'm afraid you see so much of your neighbor's failings that you're blind to their virtues. You're a hard nut to crack, old man！Anyway, please call me if you need me.As a doctor I will attend to you regardless whether you like me or not！”The doctor remarked as he took up his bag and hat to leave.The door banged and not a word of“thank you”was heard.

他是一个小老头，皮肤皱缩，瘦得皮包骨头，自己一个人住。大家对他都不太了解。有一天，他得了重感冒，请了一位医生过来。

医生在给老人检查时问：“没有朋友来照顾你吗？”“没有，我没有朋友——从来都没有。”老人回答。“什么！你在村子里住了一辈子，竟然连一个朋友也没有！”“活了64岁却没有遇到一个可以长久做朋友的人，我并不感到羞于启齿。他们不是这方面不好，就是那方面有问题。”“好啦，好啦！如果我们的村长李先生知道你病了，肯定会来帮你的。你肯定认识他吧。”“当然，我认识他。”老人回答，“但是，他这个人很无聊，听他说话，你会觉得世界上就只有他的麦田和他那壮实、健康的猪。”

“那么住在这条街上的马先生怎么样？”“我从没见过这么自私的家伙，尽管我承认他有点儿头脑。他去过很多地方，也读过很多书，和他聊天非常有趣。有一段时间，他常来我这里。但是，他只有在想来的时候才来，而且他会一连好长时间都不露面。我可不认为他这样做像个邻居的样子。”

医生笑了。“你总挑不出周先生的毛病吧？每个人都喜欢他。”“你说得对。”老人表示同意，“如果我愿意，周先生会与我住得很近。他很风趣，是个绝好的伴儿，但他说起话来吵得我头疼。”

“恐怕是你太看重邻居们的缺点而无视他们的优点了。老先生，您可真难伺候！不管怎样，需要的时候就叫我。作为一名医生，不管你喜不喜欢我，我都会照顾你的！”医生边说边拿起包和帽子离开了。门“砰”的一声被关上了，连一句“谢谢”都没有听到。