Every morning, Daria and Walt do the same things. They do them in the same order. They do them for fifty years.
每天早上，达莉亚和沃尔特都做同样的事，按同样的顺序，已经做了五十年。
At six, Walt gets up first. He puts on his blue robe. He goes to the kitchen and fills the kettle.
六点，沃尔特先起床。他穿上蓝色的睡袍，走进厨房，把水壶灌满水。
At six fifteen, Daria comes in. Her hair is white and soft. She sits at the table by the window.
六点十五分，达莉亚走进来。她的头发雪白而柔软。她坐在窗边的桌子旁。
At six thirty, Walt brings two cups of tea. The tea in the green cup is hers. The tea in the brown cup is his. He puts a spoon of honey in hers. He never forgets.
六点半，沃尔特端来两杯茶。绿杯子里的茶是她的，棕杯子里的茶是他的。他在她的杯子里放一勺蜂蜜，从来没有忘过。
At six forty, the newspaper comes. Walt brings it in. He takes out the page with the crossword. He puts it between them on the table.
六点四十分，报纸送到了。沃尔特把它拿进来，抽出有填字游戏的那一页，放在两人中间的桌上。
Daria holds the pen. Walt holds the glasses. This is the rule. She writes, and he reads the clues.
达莉亚拿着笔，沃尔特拿着眼镜。这是他们的规矩：她写，他念提示。
"Seven letters," Walt says. "A small gray bird."
“两个字。”沃尔特说，“一种灰色的小鸟。”
"Sparrow," says Daria. She writes it fast.
“麻雀。”达莉亚说，很快就写上了。
"Four letters. A cold white drink."
“两个字。一种冷的白色饮料。”
"Milk."
“牛奶。”
"Five letters. Not early."
“一个字。不早。”
"Late," Daria says. She smiles. "That is you at night."
“晚。”达莉亚笑着说，“说的就是你，到了晚上。”
"That is not true," says Walt. "I sleep at ten."
“才不是呢。”沃尔特说，“我十点就睡了。”
"You sleep at eight in the chair," she says. "I cover you with a blanket."
“你八点就在椅子上睡着了。”她说，“是我给你盖的毯子。”
He pretends to be angry. He looks over his glasses. She pats his hand.
他假装生气，从眼镜上方瞪着她。她拍了拍他的手。
Walt makes toast. He cuts it in four pieces, the way she likes. Daria eats one piece and gives him one. The other two sit on the plate for later.
沃尔特做了吐司。他把它切成四块，是她喜欢的样子。达莉亚吃一块，给他一块，另外两块留在盘子里，等会儿再吃。
"The weather is cold today," Walt reads. "It rains after lunch."
“今天天气冷。”沃尔特念道，“午饭后有雨。”
"My knees know," says Daria. "They hurt a lot."
“我的膝盖早就知道了。”达莉亚说，“疼得厉害。”
"Then we stay home," he says. "We read, and we sleep."
“那我们就待在家里。”他说，“看看书，睡一觉。”
"You sleep," she says. "I read."
“是你睡觉。”她说，“我看书。”
They finish most of the page. Then they get stuck on the last clue.
他们填完了大半页，然后在最后一个提示上卡住了。
Walt reads it slowly. "Seven letters," he says. "Walt, to Daria, for fifty years."
沃尔特慢慢地念：“两个字。五十年来，沃尔特对达莉亚来说是什么人。”
Daria stops. She looks at the paper. The clue is not printed. Someone writes it by hand. It is in blue pen, over the old clue.
达莉亚停住了。她看着报纸。这个提示不是印出来的，是有人手写的，用蓝色的笔，写在原来的提示上面。
"Who writes this?" she asks.
“这是谁写的？”她问。
"I do not know," says Walt. He looks at the ceiling. "Maybe a clever mouse."
“我不知道。”沃尔特望着天花板，“也许是一只聪明的老鼠。”
"A mouse with your terrible letters," Daria says. "They look like spiders."
“一只有你那种烂字的老鼠。”达莉亚说，“像蜘蛛一样。”
"The mouse is not good at writing," Walt says.
“那只老鼠不太会写字。”沃尔特说。
She puts a finger on the boxes. There are seven. Four of the letters are there from other words. The first letter is H. The fourth is B.
她用手指按在格子上。一共两格，其中第二格里已经有一个字，是别的词留下来的，那是“夫”。
Daria thinks. Outside, a neighbor opens a window. A dog barks twice. The kettle ticks as it cools.
达莉亚想了想。窗外，邻居打开了一扇窗，一条狗叫了两声。水壶冷下来，发出轻轻的滴答声。
"Husband," she says.
“丈夫。”她说。
"Count the boxes," says Walt.
“数数格子。”沃尔特说。
She counts. There are seven. She writes the letters one by one. Each one fits.
她数了数，是两格。她一个字一个字地写下去，每一个都对得上。
"It is correct," she says softly.
“对了。”她轻轻地说。
"I think so too," says Walt.
“我也觉得对。”沃尔特说。
Daria puts the pen down. She does not say anything for a moment. The sun reaches the table. The tea in both cups is still warm.
达莉亚放下笔，沉默了一会儿。阳光照到了桌子上。两只杯子里的茶还是温的。
"You are a very bad mouse," she says.
“你真是一只很糟糕的老鼠。”她说。
"I know," says Walt. "Pass me the honey. I want two spoons today."
“我知道。”沃尔特说，“把蜂蜜递给我，今天我要两勺。”
