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'Floy,' he said one day, 'where's India, where that boy's friends live?'
“弗洛伊，”有一天他说道，“那个男孩的亲友们所住的印度在什么地方？”
'Oh, it's a long, long distance off,' said Florence, raising her eyes from her work.
“啊，离开这里很远很远，”弗洛伦斯从针线活中抬起眼睛，说道。
'Weeks off?' asked Paul.
“要走好几个星期吗？”保罗问道。
'Yes dear. Many weeks' journey, night and day.'
“是的，亲爱的。日夜赶路，也需要好多个星期的路程。”
'If you were in India, Floy,' said Paul, after being silent for a minute, 'I should - what is it that Mama did? I forget.'
“如果你在印度的话，弗洛伊，”保罗沉默了一分钟之后，说道，“那么我就会——妈妈是怎么的？我记不得了。”
'Loved me!' answered Florence.
“爱我！”弗洛伦斯回答道。
'No, no. Don't I love you now, Floy? What is it? - Died. in you were in India, I should die, Floy.'
“不，不。我现在不是爱你吗，弗洛伊？那叫什么来着？——死去。如果你在印度的话，那么我就会死去，弗洛伊。”
She hurriedly put her work aside, and laid her head down on his pillow, caressing him. And so would she, she said, if he were there. He would be better soon.
她急忙把活计抛开，把头伏在他的枕头上，爱抚着他。她说，如果他在那里，那么她也会死去的，又说他很快就会好起来的。
'Oh! I am a great deal better now!' he answered. 'I don't mean that. I mean that I should die of being so sorry and so lonely, Floy!'
“啊，我现在好多啦！”他回答道。“我不是那个意思。我的意思是说，我会因为十分悲伤十分孤独而死去的，弗洛伊！”
Another time, in the same place, he fell asleep, and slept quietly for a long time. Awaking suddenly, he listened, started up, and sat listening.
还有一次，在同一个地方，他睡着了，安安静静地睡了好久。突然间他醒来了；他听着，惊跳起来，然后坐下来听着。
Florence asked him what he thought he heard. 'I want to know what it says,' he answered, looking steadily in her face. 'The sea' Floy, what is it that it keeps on saying?'She told him that it was only the noise of the rolling waves.
“我想要了解它 说什么，”他凝视着她的脸。“这海，弗洛伊，它一直在说着一些什么话？”她告诉他，那只是滚滚流动的海浪的喧声。
'Yes, yes,' he said. 'But I know that they are always saying something. Always the same thing. What place is over there?' He rose up, looking eagerly at the horizon.
“是的，是的，”他说道。“但是我知道它们老是在说着什么事情。老是同一个事情。那一边是什么地方？”
She told him that there was another country opposite, but he said he didn't mean that: he meant further away - farther away!
他站起来，热切地望着地平线。她告诉他，那对面是另一个国家；但是他说他不是那个意思，他是说在远远的那一边，远远的那一边！
Very often afterwards, in the midst of their talk, he would break off, to try to understand what it was that the waves were always saying; and would rise up in his couch to look towards that invisible region, far away.
从此以后，他时常在谈话的中途，突然停止，设法了解这些海浪老是在说些什么话，而且会在他的车子中站起来，眺望着那遥远的望不见的地方。 | 
