The Window
 
　　Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room’s only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. 

　　The men talked for hours on end. They spoke¹ of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military and a whole lot of things. Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. 

　　The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside. 

　　The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. 

　　As the man by the window described all this in exquisite² detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque³ scene. 

　　One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn’t hear the band — he could see it. In his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed⁴ it with descriptive words. 

　　Days and weeks passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away. 

　　As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. 

　　Slowly, painfully, he propped⁵ himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall. 

　　The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, “Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.” 

　　两个病重的男人住在同一间病房。其中一个每天下午能够在床上坐起来一个小时，以便排出肺部的流质食物。他的床靠着这间房子的惟一一扇窗户。另一个人则只能平躺在床上度日。 

　　他们能连续说上好几个小时的话。他们谈论各自的妻子和家人，他们的家，他们的工作，他们参军的经历，还有好多其他的事情。每天下午，靠着窗户的那个人能坐起来的时候，他总是向他的室友描绘他看到的窗外发生的所有事情。 睡在另一张床上的人开始盼望那些一小时的生活。每当那时，他的生活就会因窗外的一切活动和窗外的多姿多彩而感到开阔和愉快。
 
　　从窗口望去是一个公园，里面有一个可爱的池塘。鸭子和天鹅在水中嬉戏，孩子们则在划模型船，年轻的恋人手挽手在绚丽多彩的花丛中散步，远处是城市地平线上美丽的风景。 

　　靠窗的这个人用优美的语言详细描绘这些的时候，房子另一端的那个人就会闭上眼睛想象那些栩栩如生的情景。 

　　一个温和的下午，窗口的那个人描绘了经过此处的阅兵。尽管另一个人听不到乐队演奏，但他却能看到。当窗口那个人用生动的语言描绘的时候，他则用心在看。 

　　一天天过去了，一周周过去了。一天早晨，当值白班的护士为他们提来洗澡水，看到的却是窗口那个男人的尸体，他已经在睡梦中安然去世了。她很悲伤，便叫医院的值班人员把尸体抬走了。 

　　一到合适的时机，另一个人便问他能否搬到窗口那儿去。护士很乐意为他做了调换，在确信他觉得舒适后，就离开了。缓慢地，痛苦地，他用一个胳膊肘支撑着自己起来，想第一次亲眼看看外面的真实世界。他竭尽全力慢慢地朝床边的窗口望去，看到的却只是一面墙。 

　　这个人问护士是什么促使他过世的室友描绘出窗外那么丰富的世界的。护士回答说，那个人是个盲人，甚至连墙都看不见。她说：“也许他只是想鼓励你。”

上一篇：你知道母亲最需要什么吗 下一篇：优美散文欣赏：春