作者: 张 前 选自>
译者: 爱尔兰UCD 赖小琪
从偏僻小山村来到城里读师范，我立时被花花绿绿的世界刺激得浑浑噩噩。
I came to the downtown city to study in a normal university from a small remote village. Soon after arrival, I was remarkably enchanted by the colorful life of this city.
4月临近，我从同学那里得知了“愚人节”这一节日——这是一个多么好玩的节日呀，可以尽情地愚弄人，又不必被人谴责。愚弄谁呢？同学大多已知道这个节日，想来想去，我心里有了主意。
At that time, April was approaching and I learnt from my classmates the April Fool’s Day, a wonderful day when we could fool others to our hearts’ content without being blamed. But it was hard to fool others because many of my classmates had known this festival. After second thought, I came up with my own idea.
4月1日星期六，按规定我们下午休息。午饭后，我到附近的电话亭给母亲打了个电话：“妈，今天我回家！”电话那端盼儿心切的母亲掩饰不住内心的激动，一迭声说：“好！好！……”放下电话，我笑得前仰后合，心中暗喜：母亲上当了，等我明天回家戳穿这个谎言，母亲一定会很开心。那时我才17岁，还不能懂得父母之爱的分量。
It was Saturday on April, 1st and we were supposed to enjoy a half-day vacation after lunch. After lunch, I made a call to my mum in the nearby telephone booth and told her I was going home soon. My mum could not help feeling considerably excited and said, “Ok! Good!” After hanging up the phone, I could not help laughing my ass off, thinking that my mother had been hooked up and that when I got back home tomorrow and broke the lie, she must be very happy. I was only 17 years old then and could barely interpret the power of love from my parents.
打电话的事，我很快就忘了。玩耍了一个下午，直到晚上熄灯睡觉。
I forgot my lie to my mum soon and went to bed at night after having a good time for the whole afternoon.
夜半，一阵急促的敲门声把我惊醒。打开寝室的门，借着楼道里暗暗的灯光，我不禁一惊，竟是父亲！从家到校足有40里路，还有10多里山路，黑灯瞎火的，他是怎样走来的？看到我，父亲惊魂未定的表情放松了许多。
In the midnight, a string of hasty knocks at my door woke me up. After opening the door, with the help of dim light in the corridor, I could see it was my father! There were about 40 miles from my home to school, among which more than 10 miles were mountainous road. I dare not imagine how he could make it here in such darkness. Seeing me safe and sound, my father’s panic face turned relived immediately.
“你妈不放心，让我出来迎你。你怎么没回去？”“我，我……”
“Your mother had been feeling terribly worried about you and asked me to pick you up. But why did you not go home?” “Er, I……” I felt speechless.
我想说今天是愚人节，却一个字也没说出来。看到我完好无损的样子，憨厚的父亲二话没说，转身就消失在茫茫夜色里。我看了看表，已是凌晨1点。
Actually I wanted to tell him that today was April Fool’s Day, but I could not say it out. Seeing me in good condition, my good-natured father went away in the darkness again without saying anything more. I looked at my watch and knew it was one o’clock a.m.
第二天，我早早回到家，父母都还没起床。餐桌上摆了满满一桌我爱吃的饭菜，看样子，那些饭菜一筷子都未动。我再也无法控制自己的感情，不禁泪流满面。
The next day, I went back home very early when my parents were still in bed. I saw the table was full of the dishes I liked that weren’t touched at all. I could no longer hold up my feelings and teared heavily.
10年了，那个愚人节的谎言我始终没有戳穿。我把它深深埋在心里，以便可以时时提醒自己：在这个世界上，并不是什么人都可以愚弄的！
Ten years have passed by and I still have not told them the lie I made on April Fool’s Day. Rather, I’ve buried it deep in my heart and remind myself oftentimes that in this world, not everyone can be fooled! |
