In April, the school garden was in trouble. The soil was dry. The bean plants were thin and pale. The class watered them every day. Nothing changed.
四月，学校的菜园遇到了麻烦。土很干，豆苗又细又苍白。同学们每天都浇水，可是什么也没有改变。
Uma looked after the beans on Tuesdays. She was twelve, and she was shy. In class, she never raised her hand. When the teacher asked her to read, her voice shook.
乌玛每周二照看豆子。她十二岁，很害羞。在课堂上，她从来不举手。老师叫她朗读时，她的声音会发抖。
One Tuesday after school, she went to the garden alone. The sun was low. The beans leaned to one side.
一个星期二放学后，她独自去了菜园。太阳已经低了，豆苗都歪向一边。
"I am sorry," she said to them. "I do not know how to help."
“对不起，”她对豆苗们说，“我不知道该怎么帮你们。”
She sat down on the grass. She had a book in her bag. It was a story about a fox and a boat. She took it out and began to read, very quietly. She read to the beans because nobody else was there.
她在草地上坐下来。书包里有一本书，是一个关于狐狸和小船的故事。她把书拿出来，开始轻轻地读。她读给豆苗听，因为这里没有别人。
At first, her voice was small. But the garden was calm. The beans did not laugh. Her voice grew stronger. She read the whole first chapter.
起初，她的声音很小。可是菜园里很安静，豆苗不会笑她。她的声音渐渐变得有力。她读完了整整第一章。
When she stood up, she felt a little better. She took her bag and went home.
站起来的时候，她觉得好了一点。她背起书包回家了。
The next Tuesday, she came back. The beans were taller. Not much, but she saw it. She looked at the one next to the fence. It was a full hand higher.
下一个星期二，她又来了。豆苗长高了，虽然不多，但她看出来了。她看了看靠着篱笆的那一株，它整整高出了一只手掌。
"That is strange," she said. She touched a leaf. It was green and soft.
“真奇怪，”她说。她摸了摸一片叶子，又绿又软。
Uma read to them again. This time, she read two chapters. Her voice moved up and down with the story. When the fox spoke, her voice went low and slow.
乌玛又给它们读书。这一次，她读了两章。她的声音随着故事起伏。狐狸说话的时候，她的声音又低又慢。
In May, the beans grew as tall as her knee. Small white flowers opened on every plant.
五月，豆苗长到了她的膝盖那么高。每一株都开出了小小的白花。
Bruno, a boy from her class, saw her one afternoon. He walked past the fence with a ball. He stopped.
一天下午，同班的男孩布鲁诺看见了她。他抱着球从篱笆旁走过，停了下来。
"Are you talking to the plants?" he asked.
“你在跟植物说话吗？”他问。
Uma jumped. Her face went hot. "No," she said. "I mean, yes. I read to them."
乌玛吓了一跳，脸一下子烧了起来。“不是，”她说，“我是说，是的。我在给它们读书。”
Bruno laughed, but not in a mean way. "That is silly," he said. "Plants do not hear."
布鲁诺笑了，但并没有恶意。“这太傻了，”他说，“植物听不见的。”
"These do," Uma said. She pointed. "Look."
“这些听得见，”乌玛说。她指了指，“你看。”
She opened the book. She read one line, loud and clear. Slowly, the beans leaned toward her like children. A small green leaf turned in her direction.
她翻开书，大声清楚地读了一句。慢慢地，豆苗像孩子一样朝她倾过来。一片小小的绿叶转向了她的方向。
Bruno's mouth opened. He dropped the ball. It rolled across the grass. Neither of them moved.
布鲁诺张大了嘴，球掉在了地上，在草地上滚远了。两个人谁也没有动。
"They like it," he said at last.
“它们喜欢，”他终于说。
"I think they like my voice," Uma said.
“我想它们喜欢我的声音，”乌玛说。
"You have a lot of listeners," Bruno said. He smiled. "You should read to the class too."
“你有好多听众呢，”布鲁诺说。他笑了。“你也应该给全班同学读一读。”
"I cannot," said Uma. "I am afraid."
“我不行，”乌玛说，“我害怕。”
"The beans are not afraid. You read to them every week."
“豆子可不怕。你每周都给它们读书。”
She thought about it. That night, she wrote a list of her reading days. She counted nine. Nine times she read without fear.
她想了想。那天晚上，她写下了自己读书的日子，数了数，一共九次。九次，她都没有害怕。
On Open Day, parents came to see the garden. The beans stood tall and full. Families took photos. The teacher asked if someone wanted to speak.
开放日那天，家长们来参观菜园。豆苗长得又高又饱满，一家家人都在拍照。老师问有没有人想讲几句话。
Nobody spoke. Then Uma lifted her hand.
没有人开口。然后，乌玛举起了手。
She stood in front of the beans with her book. She took a long breath and began to read. Her voice was clear. The crowd grew quiet. The beans turned slowly toward her, and everyone saw it.
她拿着书站在豆苗前，深深吸了一口气，开始朗读。她的声音很清楚。人群渐渐安静下来。豆苗慢慢转向她，所有人都看见了。
When she finished, Uma closed the book. Then she bowed to the plants.
读完后，乌玛合上书，然后向那些植物鞠了一躬。
