美文賞析:妻子的陶瓷天鵝

My wife, Loretta, who had terminal pancreatic cancer, received a package containing a beautiful white ceramic swan.
我的妻子洛蕾塔得了晚期胰腺癌。她收到了一個包裹裏面裝着一隻陶瓷天鵝。

It had cost $100, and our bills were multiplying rapidly.
它價值100美元，而當時我們（用於醫療等方面的花銷）已經如流水。

“How could you do this?” I burst out.
“你怎麼可以這樣？”我咆哮道。

“I ordered it a long time ago. I really wanted it,” she replied tearfully.
“我很早以前就定了，而且我真的很想要，”妻子淚流滿面的說道。

“It’s all right,” I said, ashamed.
“好吧。”我說着感到內疚。

“I love you, Bill, and I don’t want to die,” she said.
“比爾，我愛你，而且我也不想死。”妻子又這樣說道。

“I love you too,” I said.
“我也愛你。”我回答道。

The darkness of my scolding turned into a bright moment of mutual love.
於是，本來是我無情的責罵，就這樣演變成了一段充滿愛的片刻。

Twenty-five years later, the swan remains. That moment is etched upon my heart.
25年了，這隻陶瓷天鵝依舊還在，它似乎提醒着我，而那段與妻子的對話已經被深深地刻在心裏。