从最简单事物里汲取快乐_小升初阅读

从最简单事物里汲取快乐

I remember some ten years ago when he was made a Kings Counsel, Amos and I, seeing him get off the London train, went to congratulate him. We grinned with pleasure; he merely looked as miserable as though hed received a penal sentence. It was the same when he was knighted; he never smiled a bit, he didnt even bother to celebrate with a round of drinks at the Blue Fox. He took his success as a child does his medicine. And not one of his achievements brought even a ghost of a smile to his tired eyes.

I asked him one day, soon after hed retired to potter about his garden, what it was like to achieve all ones ambitions. He looked down at his roses and went on watering them. Then he said, The only value in achieving ones ambition is that you then realize that they are not worth achieving. Quickly he moved the conversation on to a more practical level, and within a moment we were back to a safe discussion on the weather. That was two years ago.

I recall this incident, for yesterday, I was passing his house, and had drawn up my cart just outside his garden wall. I had pulled in from the road for no other reason than to let a bus pass me. As I set there filling my pipe, I suddenly heard a shout of sheer joy come from the other side of the wall.

I peered over. There stood Sir Henry doing nothing less than a tribal war dance of sheer unashamed ecstasy. Even when he observed my bewildered face staring over the wall he did not seem put out or embarrassed, but shouted for me to climb over.