The Ferryman Who Never Asked Questions
在两个村子之间有一条河，河上没有桥。
At two (M) village between have one (M) river, river on not have bridge.
Between two villages there was a river, and on it no bridge.
从一边到另一边，得坐一条小船。
From one side to other one side, must sit one (M) small boat.
To cross from one side to the other, you had to take a small boat.
船主是一位老人，姓周。
Boat-owner is one (M) old-person, surname Zhou.
The boatman was an old man, family name Zhou.
周老每天早上推船下水，一直摇桨到天黑。
Zhou old every day morning push boat down-water, continuously rock oar until sky black.
Every morning Zhou pushed his boat into the water, and he rowed until nightfall.
他从来不说话。
He from-not speak word.
He never spoke.
村里人小时候问过他为什么不说话，他只是笑一下，继续划桨。
Village inside person small-time ask (EXP) him why not speak word, he only is smile one bit, continue paddle oar.
When they were children, villagers had asked him why he didn't speak; he only smiled and went on rowing.
时间长了，大家也就不问了。
Time long (PERF), everyone also then not ask (PERF).
After a long time no one asked anymore.
可是奇怪的是，坐他船的人，常常自己说起话来。
But strange (POSS) is, sit his boat (POSS) person, often self speak-up word come.
But strangely, the people in his boat often began to speak on their own.
船很小，只能坐一两个人。
Boat very small, only able sit one two (M) person.
The boat was small, with room for only one or two.
船里的安静太重，人就想用话把它打开。
Boat inside (POSS) quiet too heavy, person then want use word (DISP) it open.
The silence in the boat was so heavy that people wanted to push it open with words.
那一年的夏天特别热。
That one year (POSS) summer especially hot.
That summer was especially hot.
第一位让人记得的客人，是一个二十多岁的女孩，叫春雪。
First (M) let person remember (POSS) guest, is one (M) twenty more year (POSS) girl, called Chun Xue.
The first passenger anyone remembered was a girl in her twenties named Chun Xue.
她拿着一个小包，眼睛是红的。
She hold (CONT) one (M) small bag, eye is red (POSS).
She carried a small bag, and her eyes were red.
她坐到船上，周老开始划。
She sit-to boat on, Zhou old begin paddle.
She sat down in the boat, and Zhou began to row.
船到河中央，她突然说：“我没有告诉别人。”
Boat reach river center, she suddenly say: "I not have tell other-person."
When the boat reached the middle of the river, she suddenly said, “I haven't told anyone.”
“我今天早上离开他了。我没有写信。”
"I today morning leave him (PERF). I not have write letter."
“I left him this morning. I didn't leave a note.”
“他不是坏人。他只是不爱我。我也不爱他。”
"He not is bad person. He only is not love me. I also not love him."
“He isn't a bad man. He just doesn't love me. And I don't love him.”
周老没有抬头，没有点头，没有说话。他继续划。
Zhou old not have raise head, not have nod head, not have speak word. He continue paddle.
Zhou did not look up, nor nod, nor speak. He kept rowing.
船到对岸，春雪擦了擦眼睛，把船钱放在船板上。
Boat reach opposite shore, Chun Xue wipe (PERF) wipe eye, (DISP) boat money put at boat board on.
When the boat reached the other shore, Chun Xue wiped her eyes and set the fare on the wooden plank.
她下船的时候，回头看了周老一眼。
She down-boat (POSS) time, return head look (PERF) Zhou old one eye.
As she stepped off, she glanced back at him once.
周老对她点了点头。
Zhou old to her nod (PERF) nod head.
Zhou nodded once.
她走得比上船的时候直一些。
She walk (DEG) than on-boat (POSS) time straight some.
She walked off a little straighter than she had walked on.
几天以后，一个中年男人坐上船。
Several day after, one (M) middle-year male-person sit-up boat.
A few days later, a middle-aged man got into the boat.
他穿着不便宜的衣服，可是衣服已经皱了。
He wear (CONT) not cheap (POSS) clothing, but clothing already wrinkled (PERF).
He was dressed in clothes that weren't cheap, but they were already creased.
他看着河水，看了很久，开口说：“我做的生意失败了。”
He look (CONT) river water, look (PERF) very long, open-mouth say: "I do (POSS) business fail (PERF)."
He stared at the water for a long time, then said, “My business has failed.”
“我跟太太说要去出差。其实我在回家。”
"I with wife say want go out-business. Actually I at return home."
“I told my wife I was going on a business trip. I'm actually coming home.”
“我不知道怎么告诉她。她相信我十几年。”
"I not know how tell her. She trust me ten several year."
“I don't know how to tell her. She's trusted me for over a decade.”
周老的桨稳稳地动。河水很平。
Zhou old (POSS) oar steady-steady (ADV) move. River water very flat.
Zhou's oar moved steadily. The river was smooth.
男人最后说：“我以为我会哭。可是说出来反而轻一些。”
Male-person last say: "I think I will cry. But say-out instead light some."
At last the man said, “I thought I would cry. But saying it out loud feels lighter.”
他下船的时候，把船钱多放了一点。
He down-boat (POSS) time, (DISP) boat money more put (PERF) one bit.
When he stepped off, he left a little extra fare.
周老没有数。他把钱放进口袋。
Zhou old not have count. He (DISP) money put-enter pocket.
Zhou didn't count it. He put the money in his pocket.
六月最热的那几天，一位母亲把一个九岁的男孩送上船。
June most hot (POSS) those several day, one (M) mother (DISP) one (M) nine year (POSS) boy send-up boat.
On the hottest days of June, a mother put a nine-year-old boy onto the boat.
她说：“去找你舅舅。听话。”
She say: "Go find your mother's-brother. Obey word."
She said, “Go to your uncle's. Behave.”
母亲走了。男孩坐在船里，肩膀小小的，手抓着包。
Mother go (PERF). Boy sit at boat inside, shoulder small small (POSS), hand grab (CONT) bag.
His mother turned and left. The boy sat in the boat, his shoulders very small, his hands clutching his bag.
船走到河中央的时候，男孩才小声说：“爸爸死了。”
Boat go-to river center (POSS) time, boy then small-voice say: "Papa die (PERF)."
When the boat reached the middle of the river, the boy whispered, “My dad is dead.”
“妈妈不要我。她说她要一个人过一段时间。”
"Mama not want me. She say she want alone person pass one section time."
“Mom doesn't want me. She says she needs some time alone.”
周老的眼睛轻轻闭了一下，又睁开了。
Zhou old (POSS) eye lightly close (PERF) one bit, again open-open (PERF).
Zhou's eyes closed for a moment and opened again.
他从船尾的一个袋子里拿出一个梨，给了男孩。
He from boat-tail (POSS) one (M) bag inside take-out one (M) pear, give (PERF) boy.
From a bag at the stern he took out a pear and handed it to the boy.
男孩看着梨，看了一会儿，慢慢地咬了一口。
Boy look (CONT) pear, look (PERF) one moment, slowly (ADV) bite (PERF) one mouth.
The boy looked at the pear for a while, then slowly took a bite.
他没有再说话。可是他的手已经不紧了。
He not have again speak word. But his (POSS) hand already not tight (PERF).
He didn't say anything more. But his hand was no longer clenched.
下船的时候，男孩对周老说：“谢谢您的梨。”
Down-boat (POSS) time, boy to Zhou old say: "Thank you (POSS) pear."
As he stepped off, the boy said, “Thank you for the pear.”
周老把帽子轻轻摘下来，又戴回去。
Zhou old (DISP) hat lightly take-off, again wear-back.
Zhou took his hat off briefly, then put it back on.
那个夏天还有别的客人。
That (M) summer still have other (POSS) guest.
There were other passengers that summer.
一个老人对船里的空气说他后悔的事。
One (M) old-person to boat inside (POSS) air say he regret (POSS) matter.
An old man spoke his regrets to the air of the boat.
一对年轻夫妻吵了一半就忘了为什么吵，剩下的路他们安静地看河。
One pair young husband-wife argue (PERF) one half then forget (PERF) why argue, remaining (POSS) road they quietly (ADV) watch river.
A young couple argued halfway across and forgot what they were arguing about, watching the river in silence the rest of the way.
一个生病的女人对周老说她最怕的不是死，是没有人会记得她。
One (M) sick (POSS) woman to Zhou old say she most fear (POSS) not is die, is not have person will remember her.
A sick woman told Zhou her greatest fear was not death, but being forgotten.
周老都听着。他从来没有重复过任何一句话。
Zhou old all listen (CONT). He from-not have repeat (EXP) any one sentence word.
Zhou listened to all of it. He never repeated a single word.
村里有人怀疑他是聋的。
Village inside have person suspect he is deaf (POSS).
Some villagers suspected he was deaf.
可是孩子们知道他不是。他听见他们叫他，他会把船划过来。
But child (PL) know he not is. He hear them call him, he will (DISP) boat paddle-come.
But the children knew otherwise. When they called him, he came.
夏天快结束的一个傍晚，最后一位客人下了船。
Summer fast end (POSS) one (M) dusk, last one (M) guest down (PERF) boat.
On an evening at the end of summer, the last passenger stepped off the boat.
天慢慢黑下来。河水变成了深蓝色。
Sky slowly black-down come. River water change-become (PERF) deep blue color.
The sky slowly grew dark. The water turned a deep blue.
周老没有马上把船拉上岸。
Zhou old not have at-once (DISP) boat pull up shore.
Zhou did not pull the boat up the bank right away.
他把船划到河中央，停下，让船在那里静静地坐着。
He (DISP) boat paddle-to river center, stop, let boat at there quietly (ADV) sit (CONT).
He rowed to the middle of the river and stopped, letting the boat sit there quietly.
他抬起头，看着远处的山。
He raise-up head, look (CONT) far place (POSS) mountain.
He raised his head and looked at the distant mountains.
然后，他低声说了一句话。
Then, he low voice say (PERF) one sentence word.
Then, in a low voice, he said one sentence.
话太轻了，风把它带走了，连河也没听清楚。
Word too light (PERF), wind (DISP) it bring-away (PERF), even river also not hear clear.
The words were so soft the wind took them, and even the river did not quite catch them.
可是说完以后，他自己点了点头。
But say-finish after, he self nod (PERF) nod head.
But when he had said it, he nodded once to himself.
他拿起桨，把船划向岸。
He take-up oar, (DISP) boat paddle-toward shore.
He picked up the oar and rowed the boat toward the shore.
第二天早上，他又准时把船推下水。
Second day morning, he again on-time (DISP) boat push down-water.
The next morning, he again pushed the boat into the water on time.
新的客人坐上来。河水还是慢慢地流。
New (POSS) guest sit-up come. River water still is slowly (ADV) flow.
A new passenger climbed aboard. The river kept flowing slowly.
周老一句话也没说。他只是继续划。
Zhou old one sentence word also not say. He only is continue paddle.
Zhou said nothing. He simply kept rowing.