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Half a Day-- Naguib Mahfous (埃及作家)
I walked alongside my father, clutching his right hand. All my clothes were new: the black shoes, the green school uniform, and the red cap. They did not make me happy, however, as this was the day I was to be thrown into school for the first time.
My mother stood at the window watching our progress, and I turned towards her from time to time, hoping she would help. We walked along a street lined with gardens, and fields planted with crops: pears, and date palms.
"Why school ?" I asked my father. "What have I done ?"
"I'm not punishing you, " he said, laughing. "School's not a punishment. It's a place that makes useful men out of boys. Don' t you want to be useful like your brothers?"
走在父亲身边，紧紧攀着他的右手。身上的衣裳全是崭新的：黑色的小皮鞋，绿色的校服，还有红色的帽子。这一切丝毫不能使我开心起来，因为，这是我被扔进学校的第 一天。
妈妈站在窗边看着我们步步前行，我一次又一次转过身来期盼着妈妈的帮助。
“为什么要这样？”我问我的父亲。“我做错了什么吗？”
“我不是惩罚你。”他笑着说“去上学校并不是惩罚。这是一个能把你从男孩变成有用之人的地方，你不想变得象你的兄长一样，做个真正的男人吗？”
I was not convinced. I did not believe there was really any good to be had in tearing me away from my home and throwing me into the huge, high-walled building.
When we arrived at the gate we could see the courtyard, vast and full of boys and girls. "Go in by yourself, " said my father, "and join them. Put a smile on your face and be a good example to others. "
I hesitated and clung to his hand, but he gently pushed me from him. "Be a man, " he said. "Today you truly begin life. You will find me waiting for you when it's time to leave. "
I took a few steps. Then the faces of the boys and girls came into view. I did not know a single one of them, and none of them knew me. I felt I was a stranger who had lost his way. But then some boys began to glance at me in curiosity, and one of them came over and asked, "Who brought you?"
"My father, " I whispered.
"My father's dead, " he said simply.
我没有被说动。我可不相信把我从家中牵走然后扔进高墙深院的建筑有什么好的。
当我们到达学校的大门，我看见了大操场，那儿满是男孩和女孩。“自己走进去。”父亲告诉我“融入他们之中，面带微笑面对一切，这也是给他们作个榜样。”
我犹豫着不愿松开父亲的手，但他轻轻的推开我的小手。“象个男人一样”他说“今天你的人生真正开始了。你离开时我会在这儿等你。
我走了几步，到处都是男孩女孩的陌生面孔，我一个也不认识……他们中也没人认识我……我感到自己就象迷路的旅行者。接着一些孩子开始好奇的打量我，
其中一个走上前来问：“谁带你来的？”
“我爸爸”我回答道。
“我的爸爸死了”他平淡地说。
