A Partnership Is Formed
建立合伙关系（三）
Our dreams were dashed. "You mean this is illegal?" asked Mike in a quivering voice.
我们的梦想破灭了！“你的意思是说这么做是违法的？”迈克用颤抖的声音问。
"Let them go," my dad's friend said. "They might be developing a natural talent."
My dad glared at him.
“别怪他们，”我爸爸的朋友说，“他们也许会成为天才呢。”
我爸爸瞪了他一眼。
"Yes, it is illegal," my dad said gently. "But you boys have shown great creativity and original thought. Keep going. I'm really proud of you!"
“对，这是违法的。”爸爸温和地说，“但是，孩子们，别灰心，我为你们刚才表现出来的巨大的创造性和独立思考精神而感到骄傲。”
Disappointed, Mike and I sat in silence for about twenty minutes before we began cleaning up our mess. The business was over on opening day. Sweeping the powder up, I looked at Mike and said, "I guess Jimmy and his friends are right. We are poor."
失望之中，迈克和我在沉默中坐了20分钟才开始收拾残局。
我们的生意在刚开始的第一天就结束了。把粉扫拢时，我望着迈克沮丧地说：“我想基米和他的朋友们是对的，我们只能当穷人了。”
My father was just leaving as I said that. "Boys," he said. "You're only poor if you give up. The most important thing is that you did something. Most people only talk and dream of getting rich. You've done something. I'm very proud of the two of you. I will say it again. Keep going. Don't quit."
爸爸正要离开时听到了这话，“孩子，”他转过身来说，“如果你们放弃了你们才真的只能当穷人了。一件事情的成败并不重要，重要的是你们曾经尝试过。要知道大多数人只是谈论和梦想发财，而你们已经付出了行动。我再说一遍，我为你们骄傲，孩子们，别灰心，别放弃。”
Mike and I stood there in silence. They were nice words, but we still did not know what to do.
迈克和我沉默地站在那儿，话挺对，但我们仍不知应该干些什么。
"So how come you're not rich, dad?" I asked.
“那你为什么不富有呢，爸爸？”我问。
"Because I chose to be a schoolteacher. Schoolteachers really don't think about being rich. We just like to teach. I wish I could help you, but I really don't know how to make money."
“因为我选择了当中学老师。中学老师要专心教书，不该去想怎么发财。我希望我能帮你们，但我真的不知道如何才能赚大钱。”
Mike and I turned and continued our clean up.
迈克和我又回去继续清理现场。
"I know," said my dad. "If you boys want to learn how to be rich, don't ask me. Talk to your dad, Mike."
爸接着说：“如果你们希望了解如何致富，不要问我，去和你爸谈谈，迈克。”
"My dad?" asked Mike with a scrunched up face.
“我爸？”迈克皱着眉头。
"Yeah, your dad," repeated my dad with a smile. "Your dad and I have the same banker, and he raves about your father. He's told me several times that your father is brilliant when it comes to making money."
“对，你爸爸。”爸爸微笑着说，“你爸爸和我都认识的一个银行经理，他对你爸爸非常崇拜。他有好几次对我提过说你爸爸在赚钱方面是个天才。”
"My dad?" Mike asked again in disbelief. "Then how come we don't have a nice car and a nice house like the rich kids at school?"
“我爸？”迈克难以置信地问，“那我家为什么没有好车和好房子，就像学校里的那些有钱的孩子一样呢？”