It was a bitter cold evening in northern Virginia many years ago. The old man’s beard was glazed¹ by winter’s frost while he waited for a ride across the river. The wait seemed endless. His body became numb² and stiff from the frigid³ north wind.

多年前，在北弗吉尼亚的一个寒冷夜晚，一位老人正等着有人把他带过河，他的胡子已经被这冬日的严寒冻得像块玻璃了。这种等待好像遥遥无期。他的身体在这寒冷的北风中被冻得麻木而僵硬。

He heard the faint, steady rhythm of approaching hooves galloping⁴ along the frozen path. Anxiously, he watched as several horsemen rounded the bend. He let the first one passed by without any effort to get his attention, then another passed by, and another. Finally, the last rider neared the spot where the old man sat like a snow statue. As this one draw near, the old man caught the rider’s eye and said, “sir, would you mind giving an old man a ride to the other side? There doesn’t appear to be a passage way by foot.”

他听到了一阵模糊而又持续的、有节奏的马蹄声正从上冻的小路上缓缓传来。他焦虑地注视着几个骑马者转过路弯。当他们一个一个过去时，老人没有做任何努力来引起他们的注意。最终，最后一个骑马者驶近，老人站在那里已经成了一个雪雕。当骑手慢慢接近时，老人看到了骑马人的眼神，他说：“先生，你能把我带过河吗?这里没有可以步行的路了。”

Reining⁵ his horse, the rider replied, “sure thing. Hop⁶ aboard.” Seeing the old man was unable to lift his half-frozen body from the ground, the horseman dismounted and helped the old man onto the horse. The horseman took the old man not just across the river, but to his destination, which was just a few miles away.

骑马人拉住缰绳，回答说：“可以，上来吧。”看到老人不能移动他冻僵的身体，骑马人下马帮老人骑上马。骑马者不但把老人带过了河，还把他送到了几英里以外的目的地。

As they neared the tiny but cozy cottage, the horseman’s curiosity caused him to inquire, “sir, I notice you let several other riders pass by without making an effort to secure a ride. Then I came up and you immediately asked me for a ride. I am curious why, on such a bitter night, you would wait and ask the last rider. What if I had refused and left you here?”

当他们接近了一个很小、但很舒适的村舍时，骑马者好奇地问老人：“先生，我注意到您让那几个骑马者过去了，却没有请他们带你过河。而我来到时，您立刻向我寻求帮助。我很好奇这是为什么，在这个寒冷的夜晚，您宁愿等待着去向最后一个寻求帮助。如果我拒绝了，把您留在那里，您怎么办?”

The old man lowered himself slowly down from the horse, looked the rider straight in the eyes, and replied, “I have been around these here parts for some time. I reckon I know people pretty good.” The old-timer continued, “I looked into the eyes of the other riders and immediately saw there was no concern for my situation. It would have been useless even to ask them for a ride. But when I looked into your eyes, that your gentle spirit would welcome the opportunity to give me assistance in my time of need.”

老人缓慢地下了马，目光直视着骑马人，回答道：“我徘徊在那里很久了。我看人是很准的。”老人又继续说道，“我望着他们的眼睛，立刻看出他们对我的处境没有丝毫关心。就算寻求他们的帮助，也只是徒劳。但望着你的眼睛，我看到了明显的善良和怜悯。当时我就知道，你仁慈的心灵会给予我所需要的帮助。”

Those heart-warming comments touched the horseman deeply. “I’m so grateful for what you have said, ” he told the old man. “May I never get too busy in my own affairs that I fail to respond to the needs of others with kindness and compassion⁷.”

这些感人肺腑的话深深触动了骑马人的心。“我很感谢您所说的话。”他告诉老人，“我绝不会再因为事务繁忙而放弃给别人提供善良和怜悯的帮助。”

With that, Thomas Jefferson turned his horse around and made his way back to the White House.

随即，托马斯·杰斐逊调转马头，奔向白宫。