A Remarkable Speech
一次傑出的演講
For weeks the troop had been busy preparing for its Parents' Night program. Everything was in order. The walls were filled with displays, the scouts with enthusiasm and the tables with good things to eat.
這個童子軍中隊已為籌備“父母之夜”晚會忙碌了好幾個星期。一切都井井有條。牆上貼滿了展覽作品，童子軍隊員們熱情洋溢，餐桌上擺滿了好吃的食物。
Now it was time for Jimmie Davis to give his oration . This was the moment he had looked forward to for many weeks. As he arose, he caught a glimpse of his mother's beaming face and his father's stolid , assured countenance . He started with a great burst of enthusiasm. He waxed more eloquent, conscious that his listeners were paying a high tribute to him by their careful attention.
現在到了吉米·戴維斯發表演講的時候了。這是他幾個星期以來一直在期待的時刻。他站起來的時候，瞥見他母親那神采奕奕的臉龐和父親那不動聲色卻充滿自信的面孔。他以極大的熱情開始演講。意識到聽眾們聽得全神貫注，表現出了對他的高度讚許，他講得越來越生動感人。
Then something happened. The world seemed to swim before him. He slowed down—faltered—stopped. His face flushed, his hands sought each other frantically and in desperation he looked helplessly toward his scoutmaster.
然後發生了一些事情。世界似乎在他面前晃動起來。他慢了下 來，變得結結巴巴，最後停下了。他的臉憋得通紅，雙手使勁地擰絞著，在絕望中，他無助地朝童子軍隊長看去。
Having heard that boyish masterpiece rehearsed again and again, the boy's leader supplied the missing words and Jimmie went on. But somehow it was different now. The masterpiece had been spoiled.
由於在排練時反覆聽到這篇有點兒孩子氣但很棒的演講，童子軍隊長為他接上了忘掉的詞，吉米繼續演講。但是，不知為什麼，演講現在變得有些不同。精彩的演講已經被搞得一塌糊塗。
Jimmie paused again—and the scoutmaster prompted him again. For the remaining two minutes, the oration seemed more the scoutmaster's than the boy's.
吉米又停頓下來了——那個童子軍隊長又一次提示他。在餘下的兩分鐘裡，好像是童子軍隊長在演講而不是吉米。
But Jimmie finished it. In the heart of Jimmie, who sat down knowing that he had failed, there was a heavy load. Chagrin was plainly written on the face of his mother and a twitch of the father's face indicated a pained consciousness of shame.
但吉米完成了演講。吉米坐了下來，他心裡知道自己講砸了，心情十分沉重。懊惱清楚地寫在吉米母親的臉上，父親臉上的一個抽搐則表明了他內心羞愧的痛苦感受。
The audience applauded in a perfunctory way, sorry for and pitying the boy who they thought had failed.
聽眾們對這個他們認為已經失敗了的男孩感到遺憾又同情，敷衍地鼓了鼓掌。
But the scoutmaster was on his feet. His eyes twinkled. All listened tensely , for he did not talk loudly.
但那個童子軍隊長站了起來。他的雙眼閃閃發亮。所有人都凝神靜聽，因為他說話的聲音並不大。
I am more happy than any of you can possibly understand because of what has just happened. You have seen a boy make a glorious victory out of what might have been a miserable failure. Jimmie had his chance to quit. To have quit would have been easy. But to finish the job, even in the face of 200 people required the highest kind of bravery and courage I know. You may someday hear a better oratorical effect, but I am confident that you will never see a finer demonstration of the spirit of our troop than Jimmie has just given you—to play the game even under difficulties!
“對於剛才所發生的一切，我比你們任何一位所能理解的還要高興。因為你們剛才看到了一個化慘敗為偉大勝利的男孩。吉米有機會放棄演講。放棄很容易。但我知道，要完成演講，而且是面對兩百位觀眾完成演講，需要最大的勇氣和膽識。也許有一天，你們可能會聽到一次效果更好的演講，但是我相信，你們將永遠也看不到一個比吉米剛才所表現出來的、體現了我們童子軍精神——即使遇到困難也決不退縮的精神——的更好典範。”
The people thundered their applause now. Jimmie's mother sat straight and proud. The old look of assurance was back on the face of the boy's father. The entire group was enthusiastic again and Jimmie felt himself, with a lump in his throat , say something to the friend beside him that sounded like, "Gee , if I can be that kind of scoutmaster someday."
這時，雷鳴般的掌聲響起。吉米的母親驕傲地坐得筆直。吉米父親的臉上又恢復了原先的那種自信。整個團隊的熱情重新高漲，吉米找到了存在感。吉米哽咽著對坐在旁邊的一位朋友說道：“啊，如果有一天，我也能成為像咱們童子軍隊長那樣的人，該多好啊。”
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