Leif had signed up for the silent weekend because his friends said he talked too much. "Try being quiet for two days," one of them had told him. He had laughed, but the idea stayed in his head. So he booked a room at a retreat house in the hills.
莱夫报名参加这个静默周末，是因为朋友们说他话太多了。“试试安静两天吧，”其中一个朋友对他说。他当时笑了，可这个念头一直留在脑子里。于是他在山里的一座静修所订了一间房。
On Friday evening, a woman called Anja explained the rules. Nobody could speak after the first meeting until Sunday at noon. Phones were not allowed, and notes were not allowed either. "Use your face and your hands," she said, and then she smiled and said nothing more.
周五傍晚，一位名叫安雅的女士讲解了规则。第一次集合之后，直到周日中午，任何人都不能说话。不许带手机，也不许写字条。“用你的脸和你的手，”她说完微微一笑，就再没说别的了。
On Saturday morning, a man in the hallway pointed at Leif. He made a walking motion with two fingers and rubbed his hands together. Then he pointed at the kitchen door. Leif understood at once. Rubbing hands meant cold weather, so they were going for a hike.
周六早上，走廊里有个男人指着莱夫。他用两根手指做出走路的动作，又搓了搓双手。然后他指向厨房的门。莱夫立刻就明白了。搓手表示天气冷，所以大家是要去远足。
He was delighted. He put on his boots, his warm jacket and his hat, and he waited by the front door. Everyone else walked past him towards the kitchen. Nobody seemed to be in a hurry, which Leif thought was very peaceful of them.
他高兴极了。他穿上靴子、暖和的外套，戴上帽子，在前门边等着。其他人都从他身边走过，朝厨房走去。似乎谁都不着急，莱夫觉得他们这份从容真是平和。
At last a woman took his arm and led him to the kitchen. A pile of dirty plates stood next to the sink, tall enough to fall over. Leif decided that the hike must start after breakfast, so he took an apron and helped.
最后，一位女士挽住他的胳膊，把他带进了厨房。水槽旁边堆着一大摞脏盘子，高得快要倒下来。莱夫断定远足一定是早饭后才出发，于是系上围裙，帮起忙来。
He washed for an hour, still wearing his boots. Then he washed for another hour. Whenever he pointed at the window and walked his fingers, the others nodded and passed him another pot.
他洗了一个小时，脚上还穿着靴子。然后又洗了一个小时。每次他指着窗外、用手指做出走路的样子，别人都点点头，再递给他一口锅。
By lunch, his hat was soaking wet, and he began to wonder whether the hike had been cancelled. He did not dare to ask. On a silent weekend, it is surprisingly hard to complain about the weather.
到了午饭时间，他的帽子已经湿透了，他开始怀疑远足是不是取消了。他不敢问。在静默周末里，想抱怨一下天气，竟然难得出奇。
On Sunday at noon, Anja rang a small bell. "You may speak now," she said.
周日中午，安雅摇响了一个小铃铛。“现在可以说话了，”她说。
"At last!" Leif said, much too loudly. "So when are we going hiking?"
“终于！”莱夫说，声音大得过分，“那我们什么时候去远足？”
The room was quiet for a second. Then the man from the hallway began to laugh so hard that he had to hold the table. "Hiking?" he said. "I asked if you would wash the dishes!"
房间里安静了一秒钟。接着，走廊里的那个男人笑得不得不扶住桌子。“远足？”他说，“我是在问你愿不愿意洗碗！”
Leif looked down at his boots, his hat and his wrinkled fingers, and he laughed louder than anyone. "Well," he said, "I talk too much, but I'm a very good dishwasher."
莱夫低头看了看自己的靴子、帽子和泡皱了的手指，笑得比谁都大声。“好吧，”他说，“我是话太多，但我可是个特别棒的洗碗工。”
