A man had a little daughter—an only and much-loved child. He lived for her—she was his life.

一个男人有一个可爱的女儿，那是他唯一的孩子，他深深地爱着她，女儿就是他的全部。

So when she became ill, he became like a man possessed¹, moving heaven and earth to bring about her restoration to health.

因此，当女儿生病时，他像疯了一般竭尽全力想让她恢复健康。

His best efforts, however, proved unavailing and the child died.

然而，他所有的努力都无济于事，女儿还是死了。

The father became a bitter recluse², shutting himself away from his many friends and refusing every activity that might restore his poise³ and bring him back to his normal self. But one night he had a dream.

这位父亲从此变得痛苦遁世，避开很多朋友，拒绝参加一切能使他恢复平静、回到自我的活动。但在一天夜里，他做了一个梦。

He was in heaven, witnessing a grand pageant⁴ of all the little child angels. They were marching in a line passing by the Great White Throne.

梦里他到了天堂，目睹了小天使们的盛会。小天使们排成一队经过一个白色的大宝座。所有的小天使都身穿白色天使衣，手里拿着一支蜡烛。

Every white-robed angelic child carried a candle. He noticed that one child's candle was not lighted. Then he saw that the child with the dark candle was his own little girl.

他注意到有一个小天使的蜡烛没有点亮。随后，他认出那个拿着没有点亮的蜡烛的小天使竟然是自己的女儿。

Rushing to her, he seized her in his arms, caressed⁵ her tenderly, and then asked,“How is it, darling, that your candle alone is unlighted？”“Daddy, they often relight it, but your tears always put it out.”

他狂奔过去，一把将女儿抱在怀里，亲切地爱抚着她，然后问道：“宝贝儿，为什么只有你的蜡烛没有点亮呢？”“爸爸，他们经常重新帮我点亮蜡烛，可总是让你的眼泪给熄灭。”

Just then he awoke from his dream. The lesson was crystal clear, and its effects were immediate⁶.

就在这时，他猛地惊醒了过来。这个梦给他上了一课，这一课像水晶般透明，而且有立竿见影的效果。

From that hour on he was not a recluse, but mingled⁷ freely and cheerfully with his former friends and associates. No longer would his darling's candle be extinguished by his useless tears.

从那时起，他不再消极遁世，而是自由自在、兴高采烈地回到以前的朋友和同事中间。而宝贝女儿的蜡烛再也没有被他那无用的眼泪熄灭过。