最後一個騎馬者 the t rider (第1/5頁)
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佚名nonymous
ItwasabittercoldeveninginnorthernVirginiamanyyearsago。Theoldmansbeardwasglazedbywintersfrostwhilehewaitedforarideacrosstheriver。Thewaitseemedendless。Hisbodybecamenumbandstifffromthefrigidnorthwind。
Heheardthefaint，steadyrhythmofaroachinghoovesgalloingalongthefrozenath。Anxiously，hewatchedasseveralhorsemenroundedthebend。Heletthefirstoneassbywithoutanyefforttogethisattention，thenanotherassedby，andanother。Finally，thelastridernearedthesotwheretheoldmansatlikeasnowstatue。Asthisonedrewnear，theoldmancaughttheriderseyeandsaid，“Sir，wouldyoumindgivinganoldmanaridetotheotherside?Theredoesntaeartobeaassagewaybyfoot。”
Reininghishorse，theriderrelied，“Sure。Hoaboard。”Seeingtheoldmanwasunabletolifthishalf-frozenbodyfromtheground，thehorsemandismountedandheledtheoldmanontothehorse。Thehorsemantooktheoldmannotjustacrosstheriver，buttohisdestination，whichwasjustafewmilesaway。
Astheynearedthetinybutcozycottage，thehorsemanscuriositycausedhimtoinquire，“Sir，Inoticethatyouletseveralotherridersassbywithoutmakinganefforttosecurearide。ThenIcameuandyouimmediatelyaskedmeforaride。Iamcuriouswhy，onsuchabitternight，youwouldwaitandaskthelastrider。WhatifIhadrefusedandleftyouthere?”
Theoldmanloweredhimselfslowlydownfromthehorse，lookedtheriderstraightintheeyes，andrelied，“Ivebeenaroundthereforsometime。IreckonIknoweolerettygood。”Theold-timercontinued，“Ilookedintotheeyesoftheotherridersandimmediatelysawtherewasnoconcernformysituation。Itwouldhavebeenuselesseventoaskthemforaride。ButwhenIlookedintoyoureyes，kindnessandcomassionwereevident。Iknew，thenandthere，thatyourgentlesiritwouldwelcometheoortunitytogivemeassistanceinmytimeofneed。”
Thoseheart-warmingcommentstouchedthehorsemandeely。“Imsogratefulforwhatyouhavesaid，”hetoldtheoldman。“MayInevergettoobusyinmyownaffairsthatIfailtoresondtotheneedsofotherswithkindnessandcomassion。”
Withthat，ThomasJeffersonturnedhishorsearoundandmadehiswaybacktotheWhiteHouse。
多年前，在北弗吉尼亞的一個寒冷夜晚，一位老人正等着有人把他帶過河，他的鬍子已經被這冬日的嚴寒凍得像塊玻璃了。這種等待好像遙遙無期。他的身體在這寒冷的北風中被凍得麻木而僵硬。
