LESSON 50

THE ALARM CLOCK

闹　钟

1．A lady, who found it not easy to wake in the morning as early as she wished, bought an alarm^〔1〕 clock. These clocks are so made as to strike with a loud whirring^〔2〕 noise at any hour the owner pleases to set them.

2．The lady placed her clock at the head of the bed, and at the right time she found herself roused^〔3〕 by the long, rattling^〔4〕 sound.

3．She arose at once, and felt better all day for her early rising. This lasted for some weeks. The alarm clock faithfully^〔5〕 did its duty^〔6〕, and was plainly heard so long as it was obeyed.

4．But, after a time, the lady grew tired of early rising. When she was waked by the noise, she merely^〔7〕 turned over in bed, and slept again.

5．In a few days, the clock ceased to rouse her from her sleep. It spoke just as loudly as ever; but she did not hear it, because she had been in the habit of not obeying it.

6．Finding that she might as well be without it, she resolved that when she heard the sound she would jump up.

7．Just so it is with conscience^〔8〕. If we will obey its voice, even in the most trifling^〔9〕 things, we can always hear it, clear and strong.

8．But if we allow^〔10〕 ourselves to do what we have some fears may not be quite right, we shall grow more and more sleepy, until the voice of conscience has no longer power to wake us.

【中文阅读】

1．有一位女士，发现不容易像自己希望的那样在清晨早点醒来，于是她买了一个闹钟。闹钟被制造出来，就是为了在主人设定的任何时间发出响亮的声音。

2．女士把闹钟放在床头，到了设定的准确时间，她发现自己被一阵很长的咔嗒声吵醒了。

3．她马上起床，一整天都因为早起而感觉更好。这样的情况持续了几个星期。闹钟忠诚地尽职尽责，而且只要主人服从闹钟的指令，就能按时听到它的声音。

4．然而，过了一段时间以后，这位女士厌倦了早起。被闹钟声吵醒之后，她只是在床上翻一个身，然后继续睡觉。

5．几天以后，闹钟不再能使她从睡梦中醒来。闹钟声还是一如既往地响亮，但她听而不见，因为她已经习惯了不再听从闹钟的指令。

6．意识到她这样还不如没有闹钟，女士下定决心，一听到闹钟的声音，就跳起来。

7．良心也是一样。如果我们愿意听从它的声音，即使是关于最细微的事情，我们也总是能听到，清晰而强劲。

8．然而，要是我们任由自己去做我们担心不是很正确的一些事情，我们就会变得越来越困，直到良心的声音不再有力量把我们唤醒。

注释

〔1〕Alarm, a sudden sound calculated to awaken persons from sleep.

〔2〕Whirring, buzzing.

〔3〕Roused, waked.

〔4〕Rattling, giving quick, sharp noises in rapid succession.

〔5〕Faithfully, in an exact and proper manner.

〔6〕Duty, the right conduct or action.

〔7〕Merely, simply.

〔8〕Conscience, that within us which tells what is right and what is wrong, reason.

〔9〕Trifling, of little importance or value.

〔10〕Allow, permit, suffer.