An unexpected rain fell on April Fool's Day.
愚人節(jié)那天，居然下雨了。
It was our last year in the university.Everybody seemed so upset with the prospect of leaving that we were no longer interested in playing tricks. But I unexpectedly received a delicate love letter and, what's more, it was from a boy I had once teased.Actually, I don't feel bad about that boy. We chatted happily when we met; we exchanged books twice; and I was once his partner at the dancing ball—but that was all. He wasn't a talkative guy, just shy and amiable. He was like a brother to me. His letter was so serious. It showed no sign of kidding. I had to concede that I was touched, though not convinced—because it was April Fool's Day, when no one is serious.
今年是我們?cè)诖髮W(xué)的最后一年，大家似乎都被即將離別的傷感籠罩了，失去了搞惡作劇的興致。但是，我卻出乎意料地接到一封精致的情書。落款人居然是我捉弄過的一個(gè)男生。其實(shí)我對(duì)這個(gè)男孩的感覺還好。相遇時(shí)我們會(huì)很高興地閑聊幾句，換看過兩次書，我還在舞會(huì)上當(dāng)過他的舞伴，但僅此而已。他似乎不大愛說話，很靦腆、也很親切，像個(gè)兄長(zhǎng)。他的信寫得很認(rèn)真，一點(diǎn)兒也沒有調(diào)侃的意思。我得承認(rèn)我很動(dòng)心，但我卻不敢相信，因?yàn)橛奕斯?jié)是一個(gè)不較真的節(jié)日。
We went out on a date that night.The rain fell rhythmically. I suddenly became hesitant. “What if he doesn't mean to deceive me? What if this is true? What if he doesn't know today is April Fool's Day? What if ... But what if this is a trick? Then, I would be the real fool.”The time of the date arrived. My roommates stood up and saw me off solemnly, as if I were heading for the battlefield. The “battlefield” was a cold drink store near the university. He was sitting at a table by the wall, waiting for me. Dressed in a white shirt and red sweater, he looked fairly strong and handsome. I dared not look at him, so I lowered my head.He ordered two glasses of juice. We sat in silence for a long while.
約會(huì)就在今晚。雨很有節(jié)奏地落著。我忽然有些猶疑。“萬(wàn)一他不是騙我呢？萬(wàn)一這是真的呢？萬(wàn)一他不知道今天是愚人節(jié)呢？萬(wàn)一……可要真是一個(gè)騙局呢？那我不是蠢死啦。“約會(huì)時(shí)間到了。室友們?nèi)w起立，莊重地送我，像赴戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)。“戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)”是學(xué)校附近的一個(gè)冷飲店。他坐在一張靠墻的桌邊等我。白襯衣、紅毛衣，很強(qiáng)壯很俊朗的樣子。我低著頭，不敢多看。他叫了兩杯果汁。我們好久都沒講話。
“No class tonight?” He stammered.
“No.” Everybody knew that we never had class in the evening.
“Did you...read the letter?”
“Hmm....”
“What's your opinion?” I made no response.
“...since a long time ago. I am serious.” He murmured. “I am afraid I won't have any chance after graduation....”I remained silent.
“Perhaps you didn't know too much about me. Yet we still have time. You can....”
“I can't.” I finally spoke.
“Why?”
“Because today is April Fool's Day.”
He was stunned: “I didn't know...I didn't...in fact I wanted to....”
“Sorry.” I stood up. I didn't have enough courage to accept this.
“今晚沒課？”他很口拙地問。
“沒有。”鬼都知道，我們晚上從來就沒有課。
“那封信，你看了？”
“嗯。”
“你怎么想？”我沒有回答。
“……好久了。我是真心的……”他低聲地說，“怕畢業(yè)了就沒有機(jī)會(huì)了……”我依舊沉默著。
“也許你對(duì)我還不是很了解。不過，我們還有時(shí)間，你可以……”
“不必了，”我終于說。
“為什么？”
“因?yàn)榻裉焓怯奕斯?jié)。”
他怔在那里：“我沒有想到……我不是……其實(shí)我是……”
“對(duì)不起。”我站起身來。我沒有勇氣去接受這個(gè)事實(shí)。
Picking up my umbrella, I walked out. He followed, holding up his umbrella, but forgetting to open it. The rain was falling on him. Then he stopped in front of me and stared at me. However, I kept looking at the floor, noticing that his pants were stained with mud.What a big joke, I thought. All of a sudden, I just wanted to cry.
“What the hell are you doing?” I yelled at him, though I didn't really want to. He looked at me with surprise, his face covered with raindrops—or perhaps tears.
“Sorry,” he whispered. “Maybe I was too amorous.”I burst into tears. How could I hurt him like this?
我拿起傘，走出門。他舉著傘跟出來，卻忘記把傘打開。雨水打在他身上。他在我前面停下，望著我。而我卻始終盯著地面，看見他的褲管上沾滿泥濘。開的玩笑太大了，我想，我忽然很想哭。
“你干什么？”我朝他喊，雖然我根本不想那樣。他怔怔地望著我，滿面雨水——或是淚水。
“對(duì)不起，”他低聲說，“或許是我自作多情。”我淚如雨落。我怎么可以這樣傷害他呢？
I didn't notice how long I stood there. When I raised my head, he was gone. Maybe he really loved me. He was not wrong, but he chose April Fool's Day—a wrong day, and me—the wrong person. We were both losers.During our graduation ceremony, he came to me with a glass of wine. We clinked9 our glasses for cheers. Then he left without a word.
不知站了多久，抬起頭，他已離去。也許他是真心愛我的。他沒有什么錯(cuò)，錯(cuò)的是他選擇了愚人節(jié)，錯(cuò)的是他選擇了我。我們都失敗了。畢業(yè)酒會(huì)上，他捧著酒杯來到我的身邊。我們碰了碰杯，他無言離去。
What black humor that April Fool's Day held for me. The coming of every spring reminds me of that rainy day.
愚人節(jié)的黑色幽默一直縈繞著我。每年暮春，我都還會(huì)想起愚人節(jié)的那場(chǎng)雨。
