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114.A Favor Owed
114.有恩未报
"Hold on, James! I'll get a stick! Just don't go under, okay?
"坚持住，詹姆斯！我去找根棍子来！别从下面走，好吗？
And if you do, hold your breath and I'll be right there!"
如果你从下面走，屏住呼吸，我马上过去！"
Terry ran as fast as he could. James had fallen in the ice and his life was now held in the balance.
特里拼命地跑开了。詹姆斯掉进了冰里，现在是生死末卜。
Terry found a stick, ran back and rescued James. Ten minutes later they were in the cabin warming up.
特里找到了一根棍子,跑回来把詹姆斯救了出来。十分钟后,他们在一间小木屋取起暖来。
"The city would have hit the roof if I had died!" James said. He held office as mayor.
"如果我死了，这座城市肯定会闹翻天！"詹姆斯说。他担任市长职务。
"Especially if Donovan was elected to replace me. Anyhow, I'm just glad to be alive." "Here, have some coffee!" Terry said.
"尤其是如果多诺万被选上来取代我。不管怎样，我很高兴我还活着。""来，喝点咖啡！"特里说。
"Ah…That hits the spot! You know, you saved my life today, Terry."
"啊……太好啦！你知道吗，你今天救了我的命，特里。"
"I hope you won't hold good opinion of me for what I did just now!" Terry joked.
"我希望你不会因为我刚才做了这么点小事就对我大加赞扬。"特里开玩笑道。
"No! I owe you. You're a good man and you should hold your head high.
"不！我应该感激你。你是个好人，你应该感到骄傲。
I tell you what. You can ask me to do anything for you. Whatever you ask, my promise will hold good!"
我跟你说，你可以让我为你做任何事。不管你让我做什么，我说过的话都管用！"
Terry thought for a moment while looking away and then said,
特里看着别处想了一会儿，然后说道：
"You should hold back from making that kind of promise, James.
"那种诺言你应该克制自己不要轻易许下，詹姆斯。
You don't know what I would ask for. I could ask you to hold a brief for your resignation, you know." James was silent.
你不知道我会跟你要什么。我也许会要你同意辞职。你知道吧。"詹姆斯沉默不语。
"Hmm. I guess I will hold off for a moment. You probably think I should resign for my family's sake.
"嗯……我想我要待会儿再说。你也许认为，看在我家庭的份上我应该辞职。
Well, right now the town is more important. They can wait a couple years." Now Terry was silent.
不过就目前来说，这座城市更重要。他们可以等一两年再说。"现在是特里不说话了。
"Well，anyway," James continued. "You won't be able to hold me down from praising you in public.
"无论如何,"詹姆斯继续说道，"你没办法制止我在公开场合表扬你。
Now I think I'll hit the sack. I'm exhausted."
现在我想我要睡觉了，我太累了。"
James never mentioned the promise again. He did think of Terry a year later, however, when his wife filed for divorce ...
詹姆斯再也没提许诺的事。不过一年后他倒真的想起了特里，这时他的妻子已经提出要跟他离婚……
