I am going to pretend that all life is just a game which I must play as skillfully and fairly as I can.
我要把生活视为一场竞赛,尽我所能,娴熟而公平地投入这场游戏。
Such a lot of troubles! I didn't hear the rising bell this morning, then I broke my shoestring while I was hurrying to dress and dropped my collar button down my neck. I was late for breakfast and also for first-hour recitation. I forgot to take any blotting paper and my fountain pen leaked. In trigonometry the Professor and I had a disagreement touching a little matter of logarithms. On looking it up, I find that she was right. We had mutton stew and pie-plant for lunch--hate 'em both; they taste like the asylum. The post brought me nothing but bills (though I must say that I never do get anything else; my family are not the kind that write).
倒霉的事接二连三地来临!今天早晨,我没听见起床闹铃,匆忙穿衣服时,又拉断了鞋带,还把领口的扣子拉掉在脖子里。早饭吃迟了,第一节诵读课也迟到了,钢笔漏水又没带吸墨纸。上三角函数课时,我和教授为了一个对数的小问题起了争执。查书以后,我发觉还是她才是对的。中午吃焖羊肉和红西芹,都是我不爱吃的,像极了孤儿院的伙食。邮差什么也没送来,只有账单(不过说真的,除了账单,我也没收到过其他的东西,我的家人从来就不写信)。
Did you ever hear of such a discouraging series of events? It isn't the big troubles in life that require character. Anybody can rise to a crisis and face a crushing tragedy with courage, but to meet the petty hazards of the day with a laugh--I really think that requires SPIRIT.
您听说过这么一大串令人丧气的事吗?生活中,并不只是在大难临头时才要表现出英雄本色。人要能勇于抗拒危险,面对重大的冲击,还要对日常的恼人事物一笑置之,我想这真的需要一点勇气才行。
It's the kind of character that I am going to develop. I am going to pretend that all life is just a game which I must play as skillfully and fairly as I can. If I lose, I am going to shrug my shoulders and laugh--also if I win.
今后,我要培养这种精神。我要把生活视为一场竞赛,尽我所能,娴熟而公平地投入这场游戏。赢也好,输也好,我都会耸耸肩,一笑置之。
Anyway, I am going to be a sport. You will never hear me complain again, Daddy dear.
不管怎样,我要豁达地面对一切,亲爱的长腿叔叔,您再不会听到我发出任何怨言了。