东西倒不占分量，可是用途却很蹊跷。
They were not heavy in weight, yet I was curious about their use.
从费城出发前，我们就通了电话。
At Philadelphia, shortly before starting out for my friend's place, I called him up.
一下车。
So when I got off the train at the destination, I found him already waiting for me at the station.
他已经在站上等了。
It was about half a century since we last met, and we were now both in our declining years.
掐指一算，分手快有半个世纪了，现在都已是风烛残年。
After hugging each other, he asked me eagerly, "Have you brought them with you?" I immediately fished out the date stones from my handbag.
拥抱之后，他就殷切地问我："带来了吗？"我赶快从手提包里掏出那几颗枣核。
He fondled them in his palm as if they were something more valuable than pearls or agates.
他托在掌心，像比珍珠玛瑙还贵重。
Obviously he was just as childlike as before.
他当年那股调皮劲显然还没改。
When I asked about the use of the date stones, he put them into his pocket and replied by way of fooling me deliberately, "You'll understand soon." It was really a beautiful mountain city.
我问起枣核的用途，他一面往衣兜里揣，一面故弄玄虚地说："等会儿你就明白啦。" 那真是做美丽的山城，汽车开去，一路坡上坡下满是一片嫣红。
As we drove on, and expanse of rich crimson up and down the slope came in to sight.
倘若在中国，这里一定会有枫城之称。
In China a place like this would have been described as a maple city.
过了几个山坳，他朝枫树丛中一座三层小楼指了指说："喏，到了。"汽车拐进草坪，离车库还有三四米，车库门就像认识主人似的自动掀启。
After passing through several cols, my friend said pointing to a three-storied house amidst the maple trees, "Here we are." The car turned into a lawn and when it was three or four meters away from the garage, its door automatically opened as if it recognized its own master.
朋友有点不好意思地解释说，买着做大房子时，孩子们还上着学，如今都成家立业了。
My friend looked somewhat ill at ease when you told me this: at the time when he bought this big house, his children had all been at school.
学生物化学的老伴儿在一家研究所里做营养试验。
Now they had their own homes and jobs.
她把我安顿在二楼临湖的一个房间后，就领我去探访他的后花园。
His wife, a biochemist, was a dietitian at a research institute.
地方不大，布置的却精致匀称。
After assigning me a room on the second floor facing the lake, he showed me around his back garden, which, though not too big, was exquisite and nicely arranged.
我们在靠篱笆的一张白色长凳上坐一下，他劈头就问我："觉不觉得这花园有点家乡味道？"经他指点，我留意到台阶两旁是他手栽的两株垂杨柳，草坪中央有个睡莲池。
The moment we sat down on a white bench close to a hedge, he asked me, "Don't you find something he was smacking of our native place in China?" Add this, I noticed a weeping willow, planted by himself, on either side of flight of steps as well as a water lily pond in the middle of the garden.
他感慨良深地对我说："栽垂柳的时候，我那个小子才五岁，如今在一条核潜艇上当总机械长了。
He said with deep feeling, "when I planted the willows, my son was only five.
姑娘在哈佛教书。
Now he serves as head of chef mechanics in a nuclear submarine.
家庭和事业都如意，各种新式设备也都有了。
My daughter teaches at Harvard university.
可是我心上总像是缺点什么，也许是没出息，怎么年纪越大，思乡越切。
I am happy with my family and my career.
我现在可充分体会出游子的心境了。
I own all modem household facilities I need.
我想厂甸，想福隆寺。
But I still feel something lacking.
这里一过圣诞，我就想旧历年。
Maybe I'm a bit too foolish.
近来，我老是想总布朗同院里那棵枣树。
How come the older I become, the more I think of my home line.