LESSON 58

A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING

物归原处

Mary: I wish you would lend me your thimble, Sarah. I can never find my own.

Sarah: Why is it, Mary, you can never find it?

Mary: How can I tell? But if you will not lend me yours, I can borrow one elsewhere.

Sarah: I am willing to lend mine to you, Mary. But I would very much like to know why you come to me to borrow so often.

Mary: Because you never lose any of your things, and always know where to find them.

Sarah: And why do I always know where to find my things?

Mary: I do not know why, I am sure. If I did know, I might sometimes find my own.

Sarah: I will tell you the secret. I have a place for everything, and I put everything in its place when I have done using it.

Mary: O Sarah! who wants to run and put away a thing as soon as she has used it, as if her life depended upon it?

Sarah: Our life does not depend upon it, but our comfort does, surely. How much more time will it take to put a thing in its place, than to hunt for it or to borrow whenever you want to use it?

Mary: Well, Sarah, I will never borrow of you again, you may depend upon it.

Sarah: You are not offended with me, I hope.

Mary: No, but I am ashamed. Before night, I will have a place for everything, and then I will keep everything in its place. You have taught me a lesson that I shall remember.

【中文阅读】

玛丽：萨拉，我希望你能把你的顶针借给我。我找不到自己的了。

萨拉：为什么呀，玛丽，你找不到了？

玛丽：我哪知道为什么。不过如果你不愿意把你的借给我，我可以去别的地方借。

萨拉：我愿意把我的借给你，玛丽。但我很想知道你为什么经常找我借东西。

玛丽：因为你从没有弄丢过你的东西，总是知道在哪能找到它们。

萨拉：为什么我总知道在哪能找到我的东西呢？

玛丽：我也不知道为什么，我敢肯定。如果我知道，我可能就常会找到自己的东西了。

萨拉：让我来告诉你这个秘密吧。我有固定的地方放东西，当我用完后，我会把所有东西放回原来的地方。

玛丽：噢，萨拉！谁会坚持在用完一件东西之后尽快收拾好，仿佛生活取决于它似的？

萨拉：我们的生活不取决于它，但我们的舒适感显然取决于它。我们把东西放回原处所花的时间，比我们想用东西时去找或借的时间多多少？

玛丽：好吧，萨拉，我以后不会再向你借东西了，你的舒适感取决于它。

萨拉：我希望你没跟我生气。

玛丽：没有，但我觉得惭愧。晚上之前，我会把一切东西收拾好，并且会把所有东西放回原处。你给我上了一堂应当牢记的课。