"Can I see my baby?" the happy new mother asked.“我可以看看我的宝宝吗？”初为人母的她开心地问道。When the bundle was nestled in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped. The doctor turn quickly and looked out the tall hospital window. The baby had been born without ears.当裹着的婴儿放到她臂弯里，她掀开裹着婴儿的布来看看他的小脸时，她不禁倒吸了一口气。医生快速地转过身，透过医院的高层窗户向外看去。婴儿生下来就没有耳朵。Time proved that the baby's hearing was perfect. It was only his appearance that was marred, When he rushed home from school one day and flung himselfinto his mother's arms, she sighed, knowing that his life was to be a succession of heart breaks.时间证明婴儿的听力毫无问题，只是有损他的相貌。一天，当他匆匆从学校跑回家，扑向母亲的怀抱时，她叹了口气，意识到他的生活注定会受到一连串的打击。He blurted out the u'agedy: "A boy, a big boy...called me a freak."他脱口说出了自己所遭受到的不幸：“一个男孩，一个大个子男孩……他喊我怪胎。”He grew up, handsome for his misfortune, A favorite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that. He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music."But you might mingle with other young people," his mother reproved him, but felt a kindness in her heart. The boy's father had a session with the family physician...”Could nothing be done?"他长大了，虽然不幸但还是长得挺帅。他颇受同学的欢迎，要不是有缺陷，他很可能当上了班长。他对文学和音乐很有天赋和潜质。“但你可能会和其他年轻人一样，”母亲责备地说，但从心底里觉得很欣慰。男孩的父亲与家庭医生商量……“难道真无法补救吗？”"I believe I could graft on a pair of outer ears, if they could be procured," the doctor decided. Whereupon the search began for a person who would make such a sacrifice for a young man. Two years went by.One day, his father said to the son, "You're going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But it's a secret."“我认为可以移植一双外耳，如果能够找到的话。医生作了决定，于是他们开始寻求一个愿意为这个年轻人作出牺牲的人。两年过去了。一天，父亲对儿子说，“孩子，你要住院了，我和你妈找到愿意为你捐献耳朵的人了，但要求保密。”The operation was a brilliant success, and a new person emerged. His talents blossomed into genius, and school and college became a series of triumphs. Later he married and entered the diplomatic service.
One day, he asked his father, "Who gave me the ears? Who gave me so much? I could never do enough for him or her." "I do not believe you could," said the father, "but the agreement was that you are not to know...not yet." The years kept their profound secret, but the day did come. One of the darkest days that ever pass though a son. He stood with his father over his mother's casket. Slowly, tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish brown hair to reveal the mother had no outer ears！"
