The chess club meets in the park every Thursday. It is a small group. Six tables stand under a big oak tree. Old men bring tea. Children bring snacks.
国际象棋俱乐部每个星期四都在公园里聚会。人不多。六张桌子摆在一棵大橡树下。老先生们带来茶，孩子们带来零食。
The old men like to watch the two players. They say Vesna and Umar are slow but kind. Vesna brings a small cake each week. Umar brings hot tea for both of them.
老先生们喜欢看那两位棋手。他们说维斯娜和乌马尔下得慢，但是人很好。维斯娜每周带一块小蛋糕，乌马尔给两个人都带来热茶。
Vesna always sits at the table near the water. Umar always sits across from her. They sit together every week. They have a funny record. All fourteen games end in a draw.
维斯娜总是坐在靠近水边的那张桌子。乌马尔总是坐在她对面。他们每周都坐在一起。他们有一个有趣的纪录：十四盘棋，全部是和棋。
"Fourteen draws," says an old man at the next table. "That is a record for our club."
“十四次和棋，”邻桌的一位老先生说，“这是我们俱乐部的纪录。”
Vesna smiles. "I never lose," she says.
维斯娜笑了。“我从不输，”她说。
"And I never win," says Umar. "But I never lose too."
“我从不赢，”乌马尔说，“不过我也从不输。”
Today, the sky is blue. The leaves are yellow and red. Vesna moves her white pawn. Umar moves his black one. They play fast at first. Then they slow down. The old men stop talking. The children come close.
今天，天空湛蓝，树叶有黄有红。维斯娜走了一步白兵，乌马尔走了一步黑兵。一开始他们下得很快，后来慢了下来。老先生们不说话了，孩子们也凑了过来。
Soon only a few pieces stay on the board. Vesna has a king and a rook. Umar has a king and a rook too. Vesna thinks for a long time. She sees a way to win. It is a good plan. But it takes five moves.
很快，棋盘上只剩下几颗棋子。维斯娜有一个王和一个车，乌马尔也有一个王和一个车。维斯娜想了很久。她看到了一条赢棋的路，是个好办法，但是需要五步。
She looks at Umar. He looks at the board. His tea is cold. He taps his finger on the table. He does not look worried. He looks happy.
她看着乌马尔。他在看棋盘。他的茶已经凉了。他用手指轻轻敲着桌子。他看起来一点也不担心，反而很开心。
Vesna stops. She thinks, "If I win, the game ends. Then he goes home. I go home. We wait a week."
维斯娜停住了。她心想：“如果我赢了，这盘棋就结束了。然后他回家，我也回家。我们要等一个星期。”
She puts her rook back on the same square.
她把车放回了原来的格子。
Umar looks up. "Why did you do that?" he asks. "You had a better move."
乌马尔抬起头。“你为什么这么走？”他问，“你本来有更好的一步。”
"I did not see it," says Vesna.
“我没看到，”维斯娜说。
"You saw it," he says. "I know your face when you see a good move."
“你看到了，”他说，“你看到好棋时的表情，我认得。”
She says nothing. Her cheeks are warm.
她没有说话。她的脸颊发烫。
Umar looks at the board again. Slowly, he says, "I also have a good move. It wins in three steps. I saw it ten minutes ago."
乌马尔又看了看棋盘。他慢慢地说：“我也有一步好棋。三步就能赢。我十分钟前就看到了。”
Vesna opens her mouth. "Ten minutes? Then why…"
维斯娜张开嘴。“十分钟前？那你为什么……”
"I did not want the game to end," says Umar.
“我不想让这盘棋结束，”乌马尔说。
For a moment, the park is very quiet. One of the old men coughs. A child laughs. Then Vesna starts to laugh too. Umar joins her.
公园里安静了一会儿。一位老先生咳嗽了一声，一个孩子笑了起来。然后维斯娜也笑了起来，乌马尔也跟着笑。
"Fourteen draws," she says. "And we both play them on purpose."
“十四次和棋，”她说，“而且我们俩都是故意的。”
"I think yes," says Umar.
“我想是的，”乌马尔说。
They shake hands over the board. The old men clap. "A draw again!" one of them shouts. "Another record!"
他们隔着棋盘握了握手。老先生们鼓起掌来。“又是和棋！”其中一位喊道，“又是一个纪录！”
Vesna puts the white king on its side. Umar puts the black king next to it. The two kings lie together on the board. Both of them look at the kings and smile.
维斯娜把白王放倒在棋盘上。乌马尔把黑王放在它旁边。两个王并排躺在棋盘上。两个人看着它们，微笑起来。
Then Umar clears his throat. "Would you like to have dinner next week?" he asks. "A real dinner, I mean. With a table and a candle."
然后乌马尔清了清嗓子。“下周你愿意一起吃晚饭吗？”他问，“我是说，真正的晚饭，有桌子，有蜡烛。”
"After the game?" says Vesna.
“下完棋以后吗？”维斯娜说。
"Instead of the game," says Umar. "Or after. You choose."
“不下棋，”乌马尔说，“或者下完以后也行。你来选。”
Vesna looks at the chess board. Then she looks at him.
维斯娜看了看棋盘，又看了看他。
"After," she says. "I always want one more game. And next Thursday, I play black."
“下完以后，”她说，“我总是想再下一盘。下个星期四，我执黑。”
