"我同情他们"

字幕原文

A poor man was moving his family out West, 一个穷汉正带着全家搬去西部，

with everything they owned loaded onto a single wagon, 全部家当都塞在一辆大车上，

pulled by a single horse. 全靠一匹马拉着。

Halfway across an old bridge, the rotten boards gave way, 走到一座老桥中间时，腐烂的桥板断了，

and the horse plunged into the river and drowned. 马摔进河里淹死了。

His wife and six children were saved, just barely. 他的妻子和六个孩子死里逃生，勉强捡回了命。

But now they were stranded among strangers, with no money, 可如今他们身无分文，困在人生地不熟的地方，

no horse, and no way to go on or turn back. 没了马，往前走不了，往回退也不成。

A crowd soon gathered, and everyone felt sorry for them. 很快围过来一群人，大家都挺同情他们的。

Some said it was a terrible shame. 有人说这事真是太惨了。

A few muttered that he should have known better than to trust that bridge. 也有几个人小声嘀咕，说他本不该冒险走那座破桥。

But nearly all of them agreed: 不过大家几乎都认同一点：

they really did pity the poor man. 他们确实非常可怜这个穷汉。

Then a rough-looking farmer pushed his way to the front. 这时，一个模样粗犷的农夫挤到了前面。

"Well," he said, “行了，”他说，

"you all seem to pity this family a great deal. “我看大伙儿都挺同情这一家子的。

I'd just like to ask each of you: how much?" 那我倒想挨个问问大伙儿：你们同情多少？”

He held up a ten-dollar bill. 他举起了一张十美元的钞票。

"There. “喏，

That's how much I pity them." 我就同情他们这么多。”

The crowd went quiet. 人群顿时安静了下来。

Then, one by one, hands went into pockets. 接着，一只只手陆陆续续伸进了口袋。

Within an hour, there was enough for a new horse. 不到一个小时，买新马的钱就凑齐了。

Feeling sorry for someone costs nothing at all. 同情一个人，根本不用花一分钱。

The real question is what that feeling is actually worth. 真正的问题在于，这份同情到底值多少。