他母亲的伙伴

《他母亲的伙伴》《他母亲的伙伴（His Mother's Mate）》，澳洲作家亨利·劳森（Henry Lawson）作品，全文不到300字，是一部微型小说。

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【英文原文】

The haggard woman sat on a step under the electric light, by the entrance of the theatre. She had a child on one arm, two more beside her, a pile of papers on her knee, and a cigar box, full of matches, bootlaces and bone studs, on the pavement by her foot.

A gentleman stepped out of the “marble bar” opposite, stood for a moment on the kerb, glanced at his watch and then across at the theatre. He crossed over, and put his hand in his pocket as he reached the pavement.

“Paper, sir?” cried the newsboy. “Here, Y’are, mister---News, Star.”

But “mister” had noticed the woman and walked towards her.

“Paper, sir! Star!” cried the boy, dodging in front; then with a quick glance from “mister’s” face to the newswoman.

“It’s all right, mister! It’s all the same---she’s my mother… Thanks.”

【中文译文】

电灯光下，剧院门口的台阶上坐着一位面容憔悴的妇女。她手里抱着一个孩子，身旁站着两个，膝盖上放着一叠报纸。紧挨着脚边的一个雪茄烟盒搁在人行道上，里面装满了火柴、靴带和骨领扣。

一位绅士从对面的“大理石酒吧间”走了出来，他在人行道上站立片刻，看了看表，又看着对面的剧院。他穿过大街，走近人行道时，双手插入口袋。

一名卖报纸的小男孩向这名游客推销他的报纸，“卖报，卖报，先生”，“有《新闻》，还有《星》。”

但游客已经打算跟那名妇女买报纸，并朝她走去。

小孩机伶的告诉他说：“没关系，先生！都一样的——她是我的母亲……谢谢！”