It was a bitter cold evening in northern Virginia many years ago. The old man's beard was glazed1 by winter's frost2 while he waited for a ride across the river. The wait seemed endless. His body became numb and stiff3 from the frigid4 north wind. He heard the faint, steady rhythm of approaching hooves5 racing along the frozen path.
Anxiously, he watched as several horsemen rounded the bend6. He let the first one pass by without an effort to get his attention. Then another passed by, and then another. Finally, the last rider neared the spot where the old man sat like a snow statue7. As this one drew near, the old man caught the rider's eye and said, “Sir, would you mind giving an old man a ride to the other side? There doesn't appear to be a passageway8 by foot.”
Reining9 his horse, the rider replied, “Sure thing. Hop10 aboard.” Seeing the old man was unable to lift his half-frozen body from the ground, the horseman dismounted11 and helped the old man onto the horse. The horseman took the old man not just across the river, but to his destination12, which was just a few miles away.
As they neared the tiny13 but cozy14 cottage, the horseman's curiosity caused him to inquire, “Sir, I notice that you let several other riders pass by without making an effort to secure15 a ride. Then I came up and you immediately asked me for a ride. I'm curious why, on such a bitter winter night, you would wait and ask the last rider. What if I had refused and left you there?”
The old man lowered himself slowly down from the horse, looked the rider straight in the eyes, and replied, “I've been around here for some time. I reckon16 I know people pretty good.” The old-timer17 continued, “I looked into the eyes of the other riders and immediately saw there was no concern for my situation. It would have been useless to have asked them for a ride. But when I looked into your eyes, kindness and compassion were evident. I knew, then and there18, that your gentle spirit would welcome the opportunity to give me assistance in my time of need.”
Those heartwarming comments touched the horseman who told the old man. “May I never get too busy in my own affairs that I fail to respond to the needs of others with kindness and compassion.”
With that, Thomas Jefferson, the President of the United States, turned his horse around and made his way back to the White House.
这是许多年前弗吉尼亚北部一个严寒的傍晚。一位老人胡子上结满了冬天里的冰碴。此时此刻，他正等待着有人能用马载他过河。等待显得无休无止，在凛冽的北风中，他全身冻得麻木僵硬。 这时，他隐约听到马蹄沿着冰冻的路面奔驰而来，节奏平稳，声音由远而近。
老人焦急地看到几个骑手拐过那道弯走近了。第一个骑手过去了，老人没做任何努力去引起他的注意。接着第二个、然后第三个骑手过去了。终于，最后一个骑手走近了，老人像座雪雕一样一动不动坐在那里。骑手走近时，老人看了看骑手的眼睛说：“先生，您介意用你的马带一个老人过河吗？去对岸好像无路可走。”
骑手勒住缰绳回答说：“当然不介意，上马来吧。”看到老人冻得半僵的身体直不起来，骑手跳下来帮助老人跨上马。骑手不仅带着老人过了河，还把他送到了相距几英里远的目的地。
当他们走近一间很小却很舒适的木屋时，好奇心促使骑手问道：“先生，我注意到您让别的骑手走过去了，但没有作任何努力抓住机会请他们带您一程。后来我走近时，您马上请我帮忙捎你过河，我觉得很奇怪。在这样冷的冬夜里，您情愿一直等下去请最后一个骑手帮忙。要是我也拒绝了，撇下您不管怎么办？”
老人慢慢地从马上下来，盯着骑手的眼睛回答说，“我在这里已经有些日子了，我猜我看人是很准的。”老人继续说，“我看了看其他骑手的眼睛，马上就知道了他们并不关心我的处境，即使请他们帮忙也没有用。但是从你的眼里，我一眼就看到了友善和同情。我马上知道了你为人和蔼，喜欢帮助那些需要帮助的人。”
一席暖人的话语感动了骑手，他说：“但愿我永远不要只顾埋头自己的事情而忽视别人的需要，忽略用友善和同情去帮助别人。”
说完，托马斯·杰弗逊——当年的美国总统，掉转马头向白宫归去。
1． glaze [gleiz] v． 使表面光滑
2． frost n． 霜
3． stiff [stif] adj． 僵硬的
4． frigid adj． 寒冷的
5． hoof n． 蹄
6． bend [bend] n． 拐弯
7． statue n． 雕像
8． passageway n． 过道；小路
9． rein [rein] v． 勒住缰绳
10． hop v． 单脚跳
11． dismount v． （使）下马
12． destination n． 目的地
13． tiny adj． 小的
14． cozy adj． 舒适的
15． secure v． 保护，获得
16． reckon v． 猜想，估计
17． old－timer n． 老前辈；老人
18． then and there 当时；当场