不死的故事 - 古德明

不死的故事 - 古德明

WomenfollowingtheBritisharmyfacedmanydangersintheNapoleonicWars.Oneeveningthe66thRegimentwasadvancingtowardstheriverAdourwhenacannonshotflattenedasoldier'swife,leavingherapparentlydead.SurgeonHenry,hurryingtowardsthevictim,foundtohissurprisethatshewasonlyshockedandbruised.Whenhehadassuredherthatshewasnotinjuredandwouldlive,shewassodelightedshedecidedtorewardhim,pullingoutfromoneofhervoluminouspocketsachicken,andhalfayardofblackpuddingfromtheother.Thesurgeontoldherthatpaymentwasnotnecessary-thestoryitselfwasrewardenough.

拿破崙戰爭期間,英國的隨軍婦女面臨不少危險。一天晚上,第六十六兵團正向埃杜爾河進發,一枚砲彈飛來,把一個士兵的妻子擊倒地上,顯然死了。軍醫亨利連忙上前察看,不禁愕然。原來那個女人只是受了震驚,有些皮肉之傷。他叫那女人放心,說她沒有受創,性命無虞;那女人非常開心,要給他報酬,從一個巨大口袋裏掏出一隻雞,又從另外一個巨大口袋裏掏出半碼長黑香腸。亨利告訴她說,物質報酬是不必要的:她的故事本身就是個很好的報酬。
【附注】Enough(足夠)和名詞連用,多置於名詞之前,但偶然也會置於名詞之後,例如:Idon'thaveenoughmoney/moneyenoughtobuythehouse(我的錢不夠買那棟房子)。Foolenough、manenough更是成語,例如:Hewasfool/manenoughtoadmitit(他承認了,真是儍瓜/大丈夫)。