One day, at the conclusion of the lesson, he made a sign to the teacher that he should come near to his little window, and he announced to him that he was to leave Turin on the following day, to go and expiate his crime in the prison at Venice; and as he bade him farewell, he begged in a humble and much moved voice, that he might be allowed to touch the master's hand. The master offered him his hand, and he kissed it; then he said:--
有一天，功课完了以后，那囚犯向先生招手，请先生走近窗口去，说明天就要离开丘林的监狱，被解到威尼斯的监狱里去了。他向先生告别，用深情的亲切的语声，请先生把手让他握一握。先生伸过手去，他就吻着，说了一声
"Thanks! thanks!" and disappeared. The master drew back his hand; it was bathed with tears. After that he did not see the man again.
“谢谢”，先生缩回手时，据说手上沾着眼泪哩。先生以后就不再看见他了。
Six years passed. "I was thinking of anything except that unfortunate man," said the teacher, "when, the other morning, I saw a stranger come to the house, a man with a large black beard already sprinkled with gray, and badly dressed, who said to me: 'Are you the teacher So-and-So, sir?' 'Who are you?' I asked him. 'I am prisoner No.78,' he replied; 'you taught me to read and write six years ago; if you recollect, you gave me your hand at the last lesson; I have now expiated my crime, and I have come hither--to beg you to do me the favor to accept a memento of me, a poor little thing which I made in prison. Will you accept it in memory of me, Signor Master?'"
先生说了又继续着这样说：“过了六年，我差不多把这不幸的人忘怀了。不料前日，突然来了个不相识的人，黑须，花白头发，粗布衣装，见了我问：‘你是某先生吗？’‘你是哪位？’我问。‘我是七十八号的囚犯。六年前蒙先生教我读法写法。先生想必还记得：在最后授课的那天，先生曾将手递给我。我已满了刑期了，今天来拜望，想送一纪念品给先生，请把这收下，当做我的纪念！先生！’”
"I stood there speechless. He thought that I did not wish to take it, and he looked at me as much as to say, 'So six years of suffering are not sufficient to cleanse my hands!' but with so poignant an expression of pain did he gaze at me, that I instantly extended my hand and took the little object. This is it."
“我无言地站着。他以为我不愿受他的赠品，注视着我的眼色，好像在说：‘六年的苦刑，还不足以拭净手上的不洁吗？’他眼色中充满了苦痛，我就伸过手去，接受他的赠品，就是这个。”
We looked attentively at the inkstand: it seemed to have been carved with the point of a nail, and with, great patience; on its top was carved a pen lying across a copy-book, and around it was written: "To my teacher. A memento of No.78. Six years!" And below, in small letters, "Study and hope."
我们仔细看那墨水瓶，好像是用钉子凿刻的，真不知要费去多少工夫哩！盖上雕刻着钢笔搁在笔记簿上的花样。周围刻着“七十八号敬呈先生，当做六年间的纪念”几个字。下面又用小字刻着“努力与希望”。
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