two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. one man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. his bed was next to the room‘s only window. the other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. the men talked for hours on end.

　　两个病得很严重的男人，住进了同一个病房。其中一个每天下午要在床上坐一个小时，这样对于排出他肺部的水有帮助。他的床紧挨着这个病房唯一 的一扇窗户。另一个病人要整天躺在床上。他们能连续谈上几个小时。

　　they spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. and every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. the man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.the window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color of the rainbow. grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. as the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.one warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. although the other man couldn‘t hear the band - he could see it in his mind‘s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.