LESSON 55 QUITE A MAN 第五十五课 真正的男人

"I think I shall¹ soon be quite a man," said² Tom to a girl whom³ he knew well, as she sat⁴ by the gate of her home. 我认为我很快就会成为一个男人，汤姆向坐在他家门口的女孩说道

"Well," said she,"some boys think they are men, but they act as boys for all that. 是的，小女孩回答，有的男孩子认为自己是男人，但是他们表现却像个男孩。

If you were a man, Tom, you would⁵ not throw plum⁶ stones at me. You would not tease⁷ my dog. 汤姆，如果你是男人，你就不会向我扔紫色的石块，不会嘲笑我得到小狗。

You would not put your foot out to make me fall down. You would not laugh when you see rude⁸ boys do things which you know are wrong." 你不会伸出你的脚让我摔倒。你不会嘲笑那些无理的男孩做着一些你知道错的事情。

"You may be a big boy, and you may be an old boy, but I shall not think you a man till you act as a man. 也许你是个大男生，也许你是个老男生但我绝不认为你是个男人，除非你表现的像个男人。

No true⁹ man would do a mean thing. A true man is brave¹⁰ and just. He will do what is right, and fear¹¹ not. Think of that, Tom." 真正的男人不会做吝啬的事情。真正的男人勇敢刚正。他会做对每一件事，不会畏惧。想想这些吧，汤姆。

"Yes," said Tom, "I will. What you say is quite true. 是的，汤姆回答道，我会的。你说的很对。

I must try to be a good boy, that I may grow up to be a good man." 我要让自己成为个好男孩，那样我才能长成好的男人。