For a year.Marty and Edward worked and played and laughed. but never loved. Once, Marta had kissed Edward on the check before retiring to her room. He only smiled awkwardly. From then on. she seemed content with their exhilaratintr’hikes in the mountains and lung talks on the porch after suppers.

一年之中，马尔塔和爱德华一起工作、玩乐、欢笑，但是却根本没有相爱有一天，马尔塔回屋休息前轻吻了爱德华的面颊，他只能尴尬地笑笑。从那以后，似乎振奋人心的山中远足和晚餐后门廊边的长谈，就使她满足了。

One spring afternoon, torrential rains washed down the hillside, eroding¹ the entrance to their mine. Furiously, Edward riled sand bags and stacked them in the water's path. Soaked and exhausted², his frantic³ ettorts seemed futile⁴ .Suddenly there was Marta at his side holding the next burlap bag open. Edward shoveled⁵ sand inside, then with the strength of any man, Marta hurled⁶ it onto the pile and opened another bag. For hours they worked. knee-deep in mud. until the rains diminished.

一个春大的下午，暴雨冲塌丁山圾，冲蚀了他们矿井的人口。爱德华不由分说填起沙袋，把它们堆积起来试图堵住水流尽管全身湿透、筋疲力尽他的拼命努力似乎不见成效突然，马尔塔出现在他身旁，撑开下一个麻袋的口。爱德华挖起沙子往里填，然后，马尔塔使出男人般的力气把它扔向那沙袋堆，随即撑开另一个口袋，他们在及膝的泥浆里干了几个小时，直到雨过大晴。

Hand in hand,they walked back to the cabin.Over warm soup Edward sighted,"I never could have saved the mine without you.thank you,Marta."

他俩手拉着手走向小木屋喝着热汤，爱德华叹道:“没有你，我绝不可能保住矿井谢谢你，马尔塔."

"You are welcome,"she answered with her usual smile,then went quietly to her room.

“不客气，”她带着惯常的笑容答道，然后默默回到她的房间。

A few days later,a telegraph came announcing the arrival of the Henderson and Wellman families next week.As much as he tired to stifle⁷ it,the thought of seeing Ingrid again started Edward's heart beating in the familiar way.

数天后，有一封电报来了，告诉他们亨德森和韦尔曼两家人将在下周抵达尽管竭力克制，再见英格里德的念头还是使爱德华的心又像从前那样坪然跳动起来。

Together, he and Mama went to the train station. They watched as their families exited the train at the far end of the platform. When Ingrid appeared, Mama turned to Edward:‘go to her”she said.

他和马尔塔一起去了火车站他们看着自己的家人在月台顶头的另一端走下火年为英格里德出现时，马尔塔扭头对爱德华说“去找她吧!"

Astonished, Edward stammered’What do you mean?"

爱德华大吃一惊，结结巴巴地说:“你这是什么意思"

"Edward,I have always known I was not the Henderaon girl you intended to send for. I had watched you flirt⁸ with Ingrid at the church picnics,"she nodded towards her sister descending⁹ the train steps."I know it is she,not me,you desire for your wife."

“爱德华，我早就知道，我不是你想要接到这儿来的那个亨德森姑娘找看到过你和英格里德在教会野餐时说笑谈情”她向正走下火车台阶的妹妹点头打招呼“我知道，你想要娶的是她，不是我。”

"But...

“但是……”

Marta placed her fingers over his lips. "Shhh," she hushed him. "I do love you, Edward. I always have. And because of that, all I really want is your happiness, go to her."

马尔塔伸出手指压在他的嘴唇上。“嘘……，”她止住了他。“我爱你，爱德华，一直都爱。正因为如此，你的幸福才是我所真正想要的。去找她吧!”

He took her hand from his face and held it. As she gazed up at him, he saw for the first time how very beautiful she was. He recalled their walks in the meadows, their quiet evenings before the fire, the working beside him with the sandbags. It was then he realized what he had known for months.

她把他的手从脸上拿开，紧紧握住。当她抬起眼凝视他时，他第一次发现她是如此美丽。于是他回忆起他们草地上散步，火炉旁安静的夜晚，她拿着沙袋与她并肩奋战的情景。那时他才意识到数月以来他心中早已明了的事实。

"No, Marta. It was you I want." Sweeping¹⁰ her into his arms, he kissed her with all the love bursting inside him. Their families gathered around them chorusing, we are here for the wedding

“不，马尔塔，我要的是你。”他一把将她搂人怀里，带着满腔的爱意轻吻着她。他们的家人聚集在他们周围，异口同声地欢呼道:“我们正是来参加你们的婚礼的!”