不久，每个周日早上，我都带着近乎宗教般的虔诚做着相同的事。她从没有错过与我的相聚——相同的地点，相同的日子，分毫不差的时间，七点整。我们依旧没有说过一句话。我太害羞了，而她或许是希望一切止步于此吧——一种美丽而缥缈的关系——这种爱如此微妙，以至一个错误的举动就可能毁掉一切。同时，我逐渐喜欢上了炸鲳鱼——鉴于我之前从不吃鱼，这确实让我很吃惊。
As the years went by, I left Visakhapatnam and travelled around the world, met many beautiful girls at the various exotic places I visited. But I never forgot her! A man’s first love would always have an enduring place in his heart.
时间一年一年地流逝，我离开了维萨卡帕特南市，周游世界。在异国他乡，我遇见过很多漂亮的女孩，但我从没忘记她！初恋在男人的心里总占据着一个恒久的位置。
And now, I was back in Visakhapatnam, almost ten years later. As I walked down the slope towards the beach, in my mind’s eyes I could still vividly envision the playfully 18)sublime look on her face—her gentle smile and communicative eyes—even if ten years had passed. I could not contain the mounting excitement and anticipation in me; I was desperately yearning to see her again. It was a 19)forlorn hope but I felt flushed with optimism.Reaching the beach, I noticed that the sun was well clear of the horizon. I glanced at my watch—almost seven o’clock. I hastened my step, almost breaking in to a run, and reached the fish market where I stood at the exact same spot, where we used to have our rendezvous at sunrise.
现在，近十年以后，我又回到了维萨卡帕特南市。当我沿着斜坡下山走向海滩，在我的脑海里，我依旧能生动地回想起她脸上那顽皮而矜持的神情——她那温柔的微笑和会说话的眼睛——尽管十年已经过去了。我无法再控制这不断堆积的兴奋和我心中的期望。我非常渴望能再见到她。尽管这个希望很渺茫，但我心中还是充满了期待。到达海滩后，我注意到太阳已经完全跃出海平面了。我瞥了一眼手表——快七点了。我加快脚步，几乎跑了起来，来到当年的鲜鱼市场，站在当年的位置上，那儿是我们过去常常在日出之时相聚的地方。
Trembling with anticipation 20)verging on anxiety, I looked around with searching eyes. Nothing had changed. The scene was exactly the same as I had left it ten years ago. There was only one thing missing—she wasn’t there! I had 21)drawn out the short straw! I felt 22)crestfallen. My mind went blank and I stood motionless, overcome with gloom, when suddenly, I felt that familiar electrifying touch, the same shiver and the familiar thrill. It jolted me back to reality, as quick as lighting. As she softly put two promfret fish in my hands, I was feeling in the 23)seventh Heaven.
带着近乎焦虑的期待，我不住地颤抖，用双眼四处搜寻着。一切都没变。这个场景还和我十年前离开时一模一样。只有一样东西不见了——她不在那里！倒霉透了！我感到很沮丧，大脑一片空白。我一动不动地站在那里，满怀忧郁。忽然，我感觉到那熟悉的触电似的触碰。同样的颤抖，熟悉的战栗。它闪电般把我飞快地拽回到现实。当她把两条鲳鱼轻轻放到我手里时，我感觉自己如同飘上了七重天。
Looking at her, I was not disappointed. Her beauty had enhanced with age. Yet, something had changed, indeed. Yes! It was her eyes. Her large brown eyes did not dance so teasingly anymore. There was a trace of sadness, a sense of tender 24)poignancy in her liquid brown eyes, as she bid me her unspoken “good-bye”. Dumbstruck by the abruptness of the event and the enormity of the moment, I stood frozen like a statue, unable to react or say anything. It was only when she was leaving that I noticed that there was no mangalsutra around her slender neck anymore.
看着她，我并不失望。随着年龄的增长，她愈发美丽了。然而有什么东西的确已经改变了——是的！就是她的眼睛。她那大大的褐色双眼不再顾盼生姿，饱含揶揄了。她的眼里有一丝悲苦。当她向我无声地示意“再见”时，她那水汪汪的褐色眼睛里流露出一种温柔的酸楚。我被这突如其来的一切震呆了，这一瞬间是如此长久，我像泥塑木雕一般站在那里，不能回应，说不出一句话来。只有当她离开时我才注意到，她那细细的脖子上不再戴着那串用来护佑婚姻的幸运项链了。
