LESSON 30

COURAGE AND COWARDICE

勇敢与懦弱

1．Robert and Henry were going home from school, when, on turning a corner, Robert cried out, "A fight! let us go and see!"

2．"No," said Henry; "let us go quietly home and not meddle with this quarrel. We have nothing to do with it, and may get into mischief."

3．"You are a coward, and afraid to go," said Robert, and off he ran. Henry went straight home, and in the afternoon went to school, as usual.

4．But Robert had told all the boys that Henry was a coward, and they laughed at him a great deal.

5．Henry had learned, however, that true courage is shown most in bearing reproach when not deserved, and that he ought to be afraid of nothing but doing wrong.

6．A few days after, Robert was bathing with some schoolmates, and got out of his depth. He struggled, and screamed for help, but all in vain.

7．The boys who had called Henry a coward, got out of the water as fast as they could, but they did not even try to help him.

8．Robert was fast sinking, when Henry threw off his clothes, and sprang into the water. He reached Robert just as he was sinking the last time.

9．By great effort, and with much danger to himself, he brought Robert to the shore, and thus saved his life.

10．Robert and his schoolmates were ashamed at having called Henry a coward. They owned that he had more courage than any of them.

11．Never be afraid to do good, but always fear to do evil.

【中文阅读】

1．罗伯特和亨利走在放学回家的路上，就在路口拐弯处，罗伯特大声喊道：“有人在打架！我们去看看吧！”

2．亨利说：“不去，我们还是老老实实地回家，不要被这类吵架事件牵扯。我们不但帮不上什么忙，或许还会更加添乱。”

3．“你是个胆小鬼，不敢去是吧，”罗伯特说完，自己一个人跑开了。亨利径自回家，下午还是照常去学校上课。

4．但是，罗伯特却告诉其他小孩子——亨利是个胆小鬼，他们都在嘲笑他。

5．不过，亨利了解真正的勇敢是在忍受本不应得的耻辱时表现出来的，而且他并没有做坏事，理应无畏无惧。

6．几天后，罗伯特正和同学们在一个水池中洗澡，不自觉地浸入到深水区。他挣扎着，大声地求救，但是一切都徒劳。

7．那些叫亨利胆小鬼的孩子们都尽快地跑了出来，甚至没有一个人想到去帮助他。

8．罗伯特正在迅速下沉，此时，亨利脱下衣服，跳入水中。就在罗伯特将要沉下去的一刹那，亨利抓住了他。

9．经过努力，亨利不顾个人安危地将罗伯特拉至岸边，就这样拯救了他的生命。

10．罗伯特和同学们都对自己称呼亨利是个胆小鬼而感到很羞愧。他们承认亨利比任何一个男孩子都勇敢。

11．永远不要惧怕做好事，但总要当心别做恶事。