The Golden Chain
金項鍊
It was Christmas 1961. I was teaching in a small town in Ohio where my twenty-seven third-graders eagerly anticipated（盼望） the great day of gift-giving.
那是1961年的聖誕節。我在俄亥俄州的一個小鎮上教小學三年級。班上27個孩子都在熱切盼望着這個互贈禮物的大日子到來。
Each day the children made some new wonder — strings（珠串） of popcorn, hand-made decorations, and German bells made from wallpaper samples（樣品）, which we hung from the ceiling.
每天孩子們都做些新玩意——爆米花串成的細繩、手工做的裝飾品和牆紙樣品做的德國式風鈴，我們把這些風鈴掛在天花板上。
Through it all she stayed indifferent（不關心的）, watching from afar（在遠處）, seemingly miles away. I wondered what would happen to this quiet child, once so happy, now so suddenly unsociable.
在這整個過程中，有一個女孩無動於衷，遠遠地看着，彷彿隔着幾英里遠。我想知道這個安靜的孩子發生了什麼事，她曾經那麼快樂，現在突然變得不合羣了。
I hoped the festivities would light her up. But nothing did.
我希望慶祝活動能使她振作起來。但是沒有用。
The day of gift-giving finally came. We oohed and aahed（讚美聲） over our handiwork as the presents were exchanged. Through it all, she sat quietly watching.
贈送禮物的日子終於到來了。交換禮物時，我們嘖嘖稱讚我們親手做的禮物。整個過程中，她都靜靜地坐在那裏看着。
I had made a special package for her, red and green with white lace. I wanted very much to see her smile. She opened it so slowly and carefully. I waited but she turned away.
我爲她做了一個特別的包裹，紅綠相間，鑲着白色花邊。我非常想看到她的微笑。她打開它，又慢又小心。我等着，但她轉過身去了。
After school, the children left in little groups, but she hesitated, watching them go out of the door.
放學後，孩子們三五成羣地離開了，但她踟躇着，看着他們走出門外離開。
I sat down to catch my breath, hardly know what was happening when she came to me reaching out her hands, holding a small white box, unwrapped and slightly soiled, as though it had been held many times by unwashed, childish hands.
我坐下來稍稍喘了口氣，還不知道發生了什麼事。這時她向我走來，伸出手來，手裏拿着一個白色的盒子。盒子沒有包裝，有點髒，好像是被孩子沒洗過的手拿過很多次的。
"For me?" I asked with a weak smile. She didn't say a word, but nodded her head. I took the box and carefully opened it. There inside, lay a golden chain.
“給我的?” 我微微一笑，問道。她不說話，只是點了點頭。我拿起盒子，小心地打開它。裏面有一條金金項鍊。
In a flash I knew — she had made it for her mother, a mother she would never see again, a mother who would never hold her or brush her hair or share a funny story, a mother who would never again hear her childish joys or sorrows, a mother who had died in a car accident just three weeks before.
在一瞬間我明白了這是她原本爲她媽媽做的禮物，可她永遠再也見不到媽媽了，一個再也不會抱着她、給她梳頭、給她講有趣故事的媽媽，一個永遠不會再次聽到她幼稚的快樂或悲傷事情的媽媽，一個三週前因車禍逝世的媽媽。
I held out the chain. She took it in both her hands, reached forward, and put it on the back of my neck. She stepped back then as if to see that all was well.
我拿出金項鍊。她用雙手接過它，向前探了探，把它戴在我的脖子上。她向後退了幾步，好像要看看是否一切都好。
I looked down at the golden chain, then back at the giver, "Maria, it is so beautiful. She would have loved it."
我低頭看着金色的項鍊，然後看着她說：“瑪麗亞，這項鍊真漂亮。她一定會喜歡的。”
Neither of us could stop the tears. She threw herself into my arms and we were in tears together.
我們已無法抑制住淚水。她撲進我的懷裏，我們一起哭了起來。
And for that moment I became her mother, for she had given me the greatest gift of all: herself.
在那一刻，我成了她的媽媽，而她送給了我一份最珍貴的禮物：她自己。