Otto keeps the lock at Willow Bend. He opens the gates and turns the handles. He lets the boats go up and down. He loves his work. He does not love the megaphone.
奥托看守着柳湾的船闸。他打开闸门，转动摇柄，让船只上上下下。他热爱自己的工作，但不喜欢那个扩音喇叭。
The megaphone hangs on a hook by his door. It is old and white, with a long black handle. Otto uses it only when he must. Boats cannot hear him over the noise of the waterfall. So he lifts the megaphone and says three words. "Gate is open." Then he puts it back.
扩音喇叭挂在他门边的钩子上。它很旧，白色的，有一根长长的黑色把手。奥托只在不得不用的时候才用它。瀑布的轰鸣声盖过了他的声音，船上的人听不见。所以他举起喇叭，说三个字：“闸门开了。”然后把它挂回去。
Otto is a quiet man. He talks to ducks and to his own boots. He does not talk to people. When a boat comes, he nods. When a boat leaves, he waves. That is enough for him.
奥托是个安静的人。他对鸭子说话，对自己的靴子说话，就是不对人说话。船来了，他点点头；船走了，他挥挥手。这对他就足够了。
Every Saturday, one boat comes through the lock. It is long and narrow and painted plum purple. Its name is Pickle. A man named Gideon steers it.
每个星期六，都有一条船穿过这座船闸。它又长又窄，漆成李子紫色，名叫皮克尔号。一个叫吉迪恩的男人驾驶着它。
Gideon is the opposite of Otto. He talks to everyone. He talks to the ducks, too. He tells Otto about his week while the water rises. He tells him about his job, his sister and his bad knee.
吉迪恩和奥托正好相反。他跟每个人说话，连鸭子也不放过。水位上升的时候，他会给奥托讲他这一周的事。他讲他的工作，他的姐姐，还有他那条不好的膝盖。
Otto listens. He nods. Sometimes he says "Mm." Once he said "Ha." Gideon still talks about that day.
奥托听着，点点头。有时他说一声“嗯”。有一次他说了一声“哈”。吉迪恩至今还会提起那一天。
This Saturday, the lock is busy. Six boats wait in a line on the canal. Their owners stand on the decks and drink from big mugs. Pickle is the last in line.
这个星期六，船闸很忙。六条船在运河上排成一列等候。船主们站在甲板上，端着大杯子喝东西。皮克尔号排在最后。
Otto opens the first gate. The boats float in, one by one. The green boat comes first. Pickle comes last. Otto closes the gate behind them. He turns the handle at the other end. The water pours in with a rush. The boats begin to rise.
奥托打开第一道闸门。船一条接一条漂了进来。绿色的船最先，皮克尔号最后。奥托关上他们身后的闸门，转动另一头的摇柄。水哗地涌进来，船开始上升。
His hands know the work. His mind is on Pickle at the end of the line.
他的手熟悉这活儿。他的心思却在队尾的皮克尔号上。
Gideon waves at him from the back of the boat. Otto waves back. His chest feels tight. He turns away and looks at the water.
吉迪恩从船尾朝他挥手。奥托也挥了挥手。他的胸口发紧。他转过身，看着水面。
Gideon ties the rope to a post. The water keeps rising.
吉迪恩把缆绳系在一根柱子上。水还在上涨。
"Good morning, Otto," says Gideon.
“早上好，奥托。”吉迪恩说。
"Mm," says Otto.
“嗯。”奥托说。
"Lovely day for a lock," says Gideon. "I have a story. Do you want to hear it?"
“真是过船闸的好日子，”吉迪恩说，“我有个故事。你想听吗？”
Otto nods.
奥托点点头。
"I met a goose on the bridge," says Gideon. "It looked at me like a judge. I said sorry, and I went around."
“我在桥上遇到一只鹅，”吉迪恩说，“它看我的样子像个法官。我说了声对不起，就绕过去了。”
Otto smiles. He cannot help it. Gideon sees the smile and smiles back. For a moment, neither man says anything.
奥托笑了。他忍不住。吉迪恩看见了他的笑，也笑了。有一会儿，两个人谁也没有说话。
Then Gideon sighs. He looks up at the wall of the lock.
然后吉迪恩叹了口气。他抬头看着船闸的高墙。
"This is the last trip of the year," he says. "Pickle goes to the winter harbour on Monday. I will not come this way again until spring."
“这是今年的最后一趟了，”他说，“皮克尔号星期一要去冬季港口。到春天我才会再走这条路。”
Otto's hand stops on the handle.
奥托的手停在摇柄上。
"I want to ask you something," says Gideon. "May I?"
“我想问你一件事，”吉迪恩说，“可以吗？”
Otto nods again.
奥托又点点头。
"All year I make wishes in this lock," says Gideon. "They are small wishes. I wish for good water. I hope the goose is nice. This week I wish for one more thing."
“我一年到头都在这座船闸许愿，”吉迪恩说，“都是些小小的愿望。我希望水好，希望那只鹅很友善。这个星期，我还想许一个愿。”
"What is it?" says Otto. The words come out small, but they come out.
“是什么？”奥托说。话说得很小声，但说出来了。
"I want you to talk for one whole lock," says Gideon. "Not a nod. Not 'mm.' Real words. I only want to hear how your voice sounds."
“我想让你说完整整一次过闸的话，”吉迪恩说，“不是点头，不是‘嗯’。是真正的话。我只想听听你的声音是什么样。”
The water is nearly at the top now. The other boats wait. Somebody coughs.
水位几乎涨到顶了。其他的船在等着。有人咳嗽了一声。
Otto's mouth is dry. He opens it, and nothing comes out. He tries again. Still nothing.
奥托的嘴巴发干。他张开嘴，什么也没说出来。他再试一次，还是没有。
He wants to say so many things. He wants to say that he waits for the purple boat. He wants to say that winter is too quiet. He cannot find a single word that fits.
他有那么多话想说。他想说他一直在等那条紫色的船。他想说冬天太安静了。可他找不到一个合适的字。
Then he looks at the hook by the door.
然后他看向门边的那个钩子。
He walks to it. He takes down the megaphone. His hand shakes, but he holds on tight.
他走过去，取下扩音喇叭。他的手在发抖，但他握得紧紧的。
"What are you doing?" says Gideon.
“你要做什么？”吉迪恩说。
Otto does not answer. He steps onto the wall. He lifts the megaphone to his mouth. He closes his eyes.
奥托没有回答。他走上闸墙，把扩音喇叭举到嘴边，闭上了眼睛。
"Gideon," he says.
“吉迪恩。”他说。
The word booms over the canal. Ducks fly up from the plants. Five owners turn to look. Gideon's hand stops halfway to his hair.
这个名字在运河上空回荡。鸭子从水草中惊飞起来。五位船主转过头来看。吉迪恩伸向头发的手停在半空。
"I look for your boat every Saturday," says Otto. His voice is loud and steady. It is easier than he thought. "I count the days from Monday. I have a chair by the gate for you. I never use it."
“每个星期六，我都在找你的船，”奥托说。他的声音又响又稳，比他想象的容易多了。“我从星期一就开始数日子。我在闸门边为你放了一把椅子。我从来没坐过。”
A woman on the green boat puts down her mug. A man on the second boat takes off his hat.
绿色那条船上的一位女士放下了杯子。第二条船上的一位男士摘下了帽子。
"I do not talk because I am afraid," says Otto. "I think you will go away when I say something silly. But I want you to come in spring. I want you to come in winter, too."
“我不说话，是因为害怕，”奥托说，“我怕我一说傻话，你就会走。可我希望你春天来。我也希望你冬天来。”
He opens his eyes. The line of boats is silent. Even the water sounds quiet.
他睁开眼睛。船队一片寂静，连水声也变轻了。
Then the woman on the green boat starts to clap. The man with the hat shouts "Well said!" Someone blows a horn. A dog barks. The noise rolls along the canal, and Otto's ears fill with it.
然后绿色那条船上的女士开始鼓掌。戴帽子的男人大喊：“说得好！”有人吹响了喇叭，一条狗叫了起来。喧闹声沿着运河滚过去，奥托的耳朵里全是这声音。
Gideon stands very still on the deck of Pickle. His eyes are wet. He laughs, and then he stops, and then he laughs again.
吉迪恩一动不动地站在皮克尔号的甲板上。他的眼睛湿了。他笑了，然后停住，然后又笑了。
"I asked for one whole lock," he says. "I did not ask for the whole canal."
“我只要求说完一次过闸的话，”他说，“我可没要求说给整条运河听。”
"You said real words," says Otto. "I used the loudest ones I had."
“你说要真正的话，”奥托说，“我用了我最响的那些。”
Gideon climbs onto the wall. He walks up to Otto. He is still laughing. Up close, he smells of soap and engine oil.
吉迪恩爬上闸墙，走到奥托面前。他还在笑。靠近了才闻到，他身上有肥皂和机油的味道。
"May I sit on that chair by the gate?" he asks.
“我可以坐那把闸门边的椅子吗？”他问。
"It is yours," says Otto.
“它是你的。”奥托说。
They sit side by side in the sun. The water in the lock is still. The boats wait, and nobody minds. After a while, Gideon takes Otto's hand. Otto does not look away.
他们并肩坐在阳光里。船闸里的水静止不动。船只都在等着，没有人介意。过了一会儿，吉迪恩握住了奥托的手。奥托没有移开视线。
At last, a man on the third boat shouts.
终于，第三条船上的一个男人喊了起来。
"Who opens this gate?"
“谁来开这道闸门啊？”
Otto stands up. He lifts the megaphone one more time.
奥托站起身。他又一次举起扩音喇叭。
"Gate is open," he says to the whole canal. "Also, I am in love."
“闸门开了，”他对整条运河说，“还有，我恋爱了。”
"We heard!" shouts the whole line of boats at once.
“我们听到了！”整列船同时喊道。
"Next time," says Gideon, "just send me a letter."
“下次，”吉迪恩说，“写封信给我就行。”
Otto lifts the megaphone again. "Dear Gideon," he booms.
奥托再次举起扩音喇叭。“亲爱的吉迪恩，”他的声音轰然响起。
The whole canal laughs.
整条运河都笑了。
