一个男孩的心愿 A Boy with a Mission（第1页）

一个男孩的心愿ABoywithaMission

因德拉·夏尔马IndraSharma

In1945，a12-year-oldboysawsomethinginashopwindowthatsethisheartrag。Buttheprice-fivedollars-wasfarbeyondReubenEarle’smeans。Fivedollarswouldbuyalmostaweek’sgroily。

Reuben’taskhisfatherforthemMarkEarlemadethroughfishingis，Newfoundland，ada。Reuben’smother，Dora，stretchedlikeelastictofeedaheirfive。

&heless，heopeheshop’sweathereddooraiandingproudandstraightinhisflour-sackshirtarousers，hetoldtheshopkeeperwhathewanted，adding，“ButIdohemhtnoleaseholditformeforsometime?”

“I’lltry，”theshopkeepersmiled。“Folksarouusuallyhavethatkiospendonthings。Itshouldkeepforawhile。”

&fullytouchedhisaothesunlightwiththebayripplinginafresheningwind。Thereoseinhislopingstride。Hewouldraisethefivedollarsandnottellanybody。

&hesoundfromasidestreet，Reubenhadanidea。

&owardsthesoundaastrusite。Peoplebuilttheirownhomesis，usingnailspurhessiansaaloetimesthesacksweredistheflurryofbuilding，andReubenknewhecouldsellthembacktothefactoryforfivetsapiece。Thatdayhefoundtwosackswhichhetooktwoodenfadsoldtothemaninchargeofpaails。

Theboy’shandtightlyclutchedthefive-tpiecesasherawokilometershome。

Nearhishousestoodtheahathousedthefamily’sgoatsands。Reubenfoundarustybaking-sodatinanddroppedhisside。Thenhetotheloftofthebarnaihapileofsweet-smellinghay。Itwasdiimewhehome。Hisfathersatatthebigkittable，wonafishi。Dorawasatthekitstove，readytoservediookhisplaceatthetable。

Helookedathismotherandsmiled。Sunlightfromthewindowgildedhershthblondehair。Slimaiful，shewasthee，thegluethatheldittogether。

Herchoreswerenever-ehesforherfamilyontheoldSireadlemaealsandbakiingandteablegarden，milkisandsgsoiledawashboard。Butshey。Herfamilyandtheirwell-beipriority。

Everydayafterdschool，Reubeowhehessiannailbags。Ohetwo-roomschoolmer，wasmhtedthanReuben。Nowhewouldhavemoretimeforhismission。

Allsummerloechoresathome-weedingahegarden，gwoodagwater-Reubeohissecrettask。

&oosoonthegardenwasharvested，thevegetablesdstored，andtheschoolreopeheleavesfellandthewindsblewdgustyfromthebay。Reubereets，diligentlyseargforhishessiantreasures。

Oftenhewascold，tiredandhungry，butthethoughtoftheobjetheshopwindowsustainedhim。Sometimeshismotherwouldask:“Reuben，ewerewaitingforyoutohavedinner。”

“Playing，Mum，Sorry。”

Dorawouldlookathisfadshakeherhead。Boys。

FinallyspringburstintreenandReuben’sspiritserupted。Thetimehade!Heranintothebarhehayloftaihesoutaot。

Theedagain。Hesmore。Couldtherebeanysacksleftaowofindfourahembeforethedayended。Reubenrandow。

TheshadtheningwhenReubehefactory。Thesackbuyerwasabouttolockup。“Mister!Pleasedo。”ThemanturnedandsawReuben，dirtyaaiomorrow，boy。”

&er。Ihavetosellthesaow-please。”ThemaremorinReuben’svoidcouldtellhewasclosetotears。

“Whydoyouhismoneysobadly?”

“It’sasecret。”

&ookthesacks，reatohispodputfourReuben’shand。Reubehankyouandranhome。

>hetin，heheadedfortheshop。

“Ihavethemoney!”hesolemnlytoldtheowner。

&tothewindowarievedReuben’streasure。

&hedustoffalyeditinbro>

TheheparReuben’shands。

Rae，Reubenburstthroughthefrontdoor。Hismotherwassgthekitstove。“Here，Mum!Here!”Reubenexclaimedasherantoherside。Heplacedasmallboxinherwhenedhand。

Sheucarefully，tosavethepaper。Ablue-velvetjeeared。Doraliftedthelid，tearsbeginningtoblurhervision。