“记住这个安息日，把它当作一个神圣的日子！”这是她的信条。可是对她说来，安息日却是一个为基督徒劳动的日子。她只能在心里把这个日子当做神圣的日子，不过她觉得这还不够。不过时刻和日子，在上帝的眼中看来，有什么了不起的差别呢？这个思想是在她的灵魂中产生。在这个基督徒的礼拜天，她也有她安静的祈祷的时刻。只要风琴声和圣诗班的歌声能飘到厨房污水沟的后边，那么这块地方也可以说是神圣和安静的地方了。于是她就开始读她族人的惟一的财产和宝物——《圣经·旧约全书》。她只能读这部书，因为她心中深深地记得她的父亲所说的话——父亲把她领回家的时候，曾对她和老师讲过：当她的母亲正在断气时，他以前答应过她，不让萨拉放弃祖先的信仰而成为一个基督教徒。对她说来，《圣经·新约全书》是一部禁书，并且也应该是一部禁书。但是她很熟悉这部书，因为它从童年时的记忆中射出光来。 One evening she was sitting in a corner of the diningroom，while her master read aloud. It was not the gospel he read，but an old storybook，therefore she might stay and listen to him. The story related that a HungarianHungarian adj.匈牙利的n.匈牙利人 knight，who had been taken prisoner by a Turkish pasha，was most cruelly treated by him. He caused him to be yoked with his oxen to the plough，and driven with blows from the whip till the blood flowed，and he almost sunk with exhaustion and pain. The faithful wife of the knight at home gave up all her jewels，mortgaged her castle and land，and his friends raised large sums to make up the ransom demanded for his release，which was most enormously high. It was collected at last，and the knight released from slavery and misery. Sick and exhausted，he reached home.
有一天晚上，她坐在起居室的一个角落中，听她的主人高声地读书。她听一听当然也没关系，因为这并不是《福音书》——不是的，他是在读一本旧的故事书。因此她可以旁听。书中描绘一个匈牙利的骑士，被一个土耳其的高级军官俘获了。这个军官把他同牛一起套在轭下犁田，而且用鞭子赶着他工作。他所忍受到的侮辱和痛苦是没法形容的。这位骑士的妻子把她所有的金银首饰都卖光了，把田产和堡寨也都典当出去，他的许多朋友也捐募了大批的金钱，因为那个军官所要求的赎金是出乎意外地高。不过这笔数目终于凑集齐了。他算是从羞辱和奴役中获得解放。他回到家来时已经是病得支持不了了。
Ere long came another summonssummons n.召唤，[律］传唤，召集，传票vt.传唤到法院，唤出，传到 to a struggle with the foesfoe n.反对者，敌人，危害物 of Christianity. The still living knight heard the sound，he could endure no more，he had neither peace nor rest. He caused himself to be lifted on his warhorse，the color came into his cheeks，and his strength returned to him again as he went forth to battle and to victory. The very same pasha who had yoked him to the ploughplough n.犁v.耕，犁，犁耕，费力穿过，艰苦前进，became his prisoner，and was dragged to a dungeondungeon n.地牢 in the castle. But an hour had scarcely passed，when the knight stood before the captive pasha，and inquired，“What do you suppose awaiteth thee？”
不过没有多久，另外一道命令又下来了，征集大家去跟基督教的敌人作战。病人一听到这道命令，就安静不下来，更无法休息。他让人把他扶到战马上。血集中到他的脸上来，他又觉得有气力了。他向胜利奔驰了过去。那位把他套在轭下，侮辱他，使他痛苦的将军，现在成了他的俘虏。他把俘虏带到他的堡寨里来，还不到一个钟头，那位骑士就出现了。他向这俘虏说道：“你想你能得到什么样待遇呢？”
“I know，” replied the pasha，“retribution.”
“我知道！”土耳其人说，“报复！”
“Yes，the retributionretribution n.报偿 of a Christian.” replied the knight. “The teaching of Christ，the Teacher，commands us to forgive our enemies，to love our neighbors，for God is love. Depart in peace： return to thy home. I give thee back to thy loved ones. But in future be mild and humanehumane adj.仁慈的 to all who are in trouble.”
“一点也不错，你会得到一个基督徒的报复！”骑士说，“基督的教义告诉我们宽恕我们的敌人，热爱我们的同胞。平安地回到你的家里，回到你的亲爱的人中去吧。上帝本身就是爱！不过请你将来对受难的人放温和一些，放仁慈一些吧！”
Then the prisoner burst into tears，and exclaimed，“Oh how could I imagine such mercy and forgiveness！ I expected pain and tormenttorment n.痛苦v.折磨。 It seemed to me so sure that I took poison，which I secretly carried about me，and in a few hours its effects will destroy me. I must die！ Nothing can save me！ But before I die，explain to me the teaching which is so full of love and mercy，so great and Godlike. Oh，that I may hear his teaching，and die a Christian！” And his prayer was granted.
这个俘虏忽然哭了起来：“这待遇我真想不到！我想我一定会受到酷刑和痛苦。所以我已经服了毒，过几个钟头毒性就要发作。我非死不可，一点儿办法也没有！不过在我死以前，请把这种充满了慈悲和热爱的教义讲给我听一次。它是这么伟大和神圣！让我怀着这个信仰死去吧！让我作为一个基督教徒死去吧！”他们满足了他的要求。
This was the legend which the master read out of the old storybook. Every one in the house who was present listened，and shared the pleasure，but Sarah，the Jewish girl，sitting so still in a corner，felt her heart burn with excitement. Great tears came into her shining dark eyes，and with the same gentle pietypiety n.虔诚，孝行 with which she had once listened to the gospel while sitting on the form at school，she felt its grandeurgrandeur n.庄严，伟大 now，and the tears rolled down her cheeks. Then the last words of her dying mother rose before her，“Let not my child become a Christian，” and with them sounded in her heart the words of the law，“Honor thy father and thy mother.”
刚才所读的是一个传说，一个故事。大家全听到了，也明白了。不过最受感动和得到印象最深的是坐在墙角里的那个女佣人——犹太女子萨拉。大颗大颗的泪珠在她乌黑的眼睛里发出亮光。她怀着孩子的心情坐在那里，亦如她从前坐在教室的凳子上一样。她感到了福音的伟大。眼泪滚到了她的脸上来。“不要让我的孩子成为一个基督教徒！”这是她的母亲在死去时说的最后的话。这句话像法律似的在她的心里和灵魂发出回音：“你必须尊重你的父母！”
