第3章 在微尘与浮梁之上 (3)

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哨　子

The Whistle

本杰明？富兰克林 / Benjamin Franklin

I received my dear friend’s 2 letters， one for Wednesday and one for Saturday. This is again Wednesday. I do not deserve one for today， because I have not answered the former. But， indolent as I am， and averse to writing， the fear of having no more of your pleasing epistles， if I do not contribute to the correspondence， obliges me to take up my pen； and as Mr. B. has kindly sent me word that he sets out tomorrow to see you， instead of spending this Wednesday evening， as I have done its namesakes， in your delightful company， I sit down to spend it in thinking of you， in writing to you， and in reading over and over again your letters.

I am charmed with your description of Paradise， and with your plan of living there； and I approve much of your conclusion， that， in the meantime， we should draw all the good we can from this world. In my opinion we might all draw more good from it than we do， and suffer less evil， if we would take care not to give too much for whistles. For to me it seems that most of the unhappy people we meet with become so by neglect of that caution.

You ask what I mean？ You love stories， and will excuse my telling one of myself.

When I was a child of 7 years old， my friends， on a holiday， filled my pocket with coppers. I went directly to a shop where they sold toys for children； and being charmed with the sound of a whistle， that I met by the way in the hands of another boy， I voluntarily offered and gave all my money for one. I then came home， and went whistling all over the house， much pleased with my whistle， but disturbing all the family. My brothers， and sisters， and cousins， understanding the bargain I had made， told me I had given four times as much for it as it was worth； put me in mind what good things I might have bought with the rest of the money； and laughed at me so much for my folly， that I cried with vexation； and the reflections gave me more chagrin than the whistle gave me pleasure.

This， however， was afterwards of use to me， the impression continuing on my mind； so that often， when I was tempted to buy some unnecessary things， I said to myself， “Don’t give too much for the whistle.”And I saved my money.

As I grew up， came into the world， and observed the actions of men， I thought I met with many， very many， who gave too much for the whistle.

When I saw one too ambitious of court favor， sacrificing his tine in attendance on levees， his repose， his liberty， his virtue， and perhaps his friends， to attain it， I have said to myself， this man gives too much for his whistle.

When I saw another fond of popularity， constantly employing himself in political bustles， neglecting his own affairs， and ruining them by that neglect， he pays， indeed， said I， too much for his whistle.

If I knew a miser， who gave up every kind of comfortable living， all the pleasure of doing good to others， all the esteem of his fellow-citizens， and the joys of benevolent friendship， for the sake of accumulating wealth， poor man， said I， you pay too much for your whistle.

When I met with a man of pleasure， sacrificing every laudable improvement of the mind， or of his fortune， to mere corporeal sensations， and ruining his health in their pursuit， mistaken man， said I， you are providing pain for yourself， instead of pleasure； you give too much for your whistle.

If I see one fond of appearance， or fine clothes， fine houses， fine furniture， fine equipages， all above his fortune， for which he contracts debts， and ends his career in a prison， Alas！ say I， he has paid dear， very dear， for his whistle.

When I see a beautiful sweet-tempered girl married to an ill-natured brute of a husband， what a pity， say I， that she should pay so much for a whistle！

In short， I conceive that great part of the miseries of mankind are brought upon them by the false estimates they have made of the value of things， and by their giving too much for their whistles.

Adieu， my dear friend， and believe me ever yours very sincerely and with unalterable affection.

我亲爱的朋友，我已经收到你的两封来信，周三、周六各一封。时光飞逝，一眨眼，又到了周三。我今天不再祈求收到你的来信，因为以前的信，我还没来得及回复。我承认自己懒惰，又不爱写信，可是如果不回信的话，我又怕自己再也收不到你那令人开心的来信。想到这里，我便不得不拿起笔来了。B先生好心地告诉我，他想明日去你的家中拜访，而不是在今天晚上。坐在桌前心里想着与你快乐的接触，我整个晚上都在想念你，给你写回信，并反复阅读你的来信。

我着迷于你对天堂的描述，羡慕你去那里生活的计划，并认可你的大部分观点，在这样的基础上，我们一定要最大限度地从这个世界中吸取所有的善。在我看来，如果我们注意不在哨子上付出太大的代价，我们很有可能从这个世界吸取更多的善，遭受更少的恶。因为对我来说，我们所见过的闷闷不乐的人中，大部分是由于对这一警示不予理睬而酿成了大祸。

你或许会问，我说的是什么意思？你喜欢听故事，那么请允许我讲一个发生在我身上的故事。

故事发生在我7岁那年。因为是假日，我的口袋被几位朋友塞满了铜币。我赶忙直奔一家儿童玩具店。在去往商店的路上，我看到一个小男孩手中有只哨子。他吹出的哨音婉转动听，我情不自禁地着迷了。于是，我掏出所有的钱换了他那只哨子。然后，回到家后，我便吹着哨子四处游荡。我对自己的哨子爱不释手，而全家人却因为哨声苦不堪言。我的哥哥、姐姐、堂兄、堂姐、表兄、表姐得知了我买哨子的价钱后，告诉我，我买这只哨子多花了3倍的价钱，还告诉我用那些剩下的钱可以买到哪些好东西，并肆意嘲笑我的愚蠢。我懊恼地哭了起来。这件事带给我的苦恼，远多于哨子带给我的快乐。

不过，这件事一直留在我的记忆中，给我日后的人生带来了很多益处。从那以后，每当我想去买一些不必要的东西时，就对自己说，不要为哨子支付太多金钱，于是我便能省下钱。

长大后，步入社会，遇到了很多人，观察人们的行为，最后我发现，他们都为自己的哨子付出了过高的代价。

当我看见一个过分热衷于趋炎附势，为寻求会见掌权之人，而不惜牺牲自己的睡眠、自由、德行甚至朋友的人时，我便对自己说，这个人为了他的哨子付出了昂贵的代价。

当我看见另一个人醉心于名望，一次又一次投身于政界的纷扰之中，忽视了自己的分内之事，最后因这种忽视而毁了自己的人生时，我说，他确实为哨子付出了昂贵的代价。

当我得知一个守财奴，为了积累财富，宁愿放弃舒适的生活、行善的乐趣、同胞的尊重和友爱带来的欢愉时，我会说，可怜的人啊，为了哨子，你付出了昂贵的代价。

当我遇到一个沉湎于享乐，为了追求肉体上的享受，牺牲一切精神或物质上值得称道的改进，甚至不惜毁掉自己健康的人时，我说，误入歧途的人啊，你是有福不享，自讨苦吃，为了哨子，你付出了昂贵的代价。

当我看到一个人追求外在，或沉迷于精致的服装、豪华的住宅、富丽的家具、漂亮的马车，入不敷出、债台高筑，最后被投进监狱时，我说，天哪！为了哨子，他付出了如此昂贵的代价。

当我看到一个美丽动人、性情温顺的女孩，嫁给一个粗野、残忍的丈夫时，我说，真是可惜，为了哨子，她付出了昂贵的代价。