"Can I see my baby?"the happy new mother asked.When the bundle was nestled in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face,she gasped.The doctor turned quickly and looked out the tall hospital window.The baby had been born without ears.Time proved that the baby's hearing was perfect.It was only his appearance that was marred.

When he rushed home from school one day and flung himself into his mother's arms,she sighed,knowing that his life was to be a succession of heartbreak.

He blurted out,"A boy,a big boy...called me a freak."He grew up,handsome for his misfortune.A favorite with his classmates,he might have been class president,but for that.He developed a gift,a talent for literature and music."But you might mingle with other young people,"his mother reproved him,but felt a kindness in her heart.

The boy's father talked with the family physician.Could nothing be done?"I believe I could graft on a pair of outer ears,if we could get them,"the doctor decided.So the search began for a person who would make such a sacrifice for a young man.Two years went by.Then,"You are going to the hospital,son.Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need.But it's a secret,"said the father.

The operation was a brilliant success,and a new person appeared.His talents blossomed into genius,and school and college became a series of success.Later he married and entered the diplomatic service."But I must know!"He urged his father."Who gave so much for me?I could never do enough for him."

"I do not believe you could,"said the father,"but the agreement was that you are not to know...not yet."The years kept their secret,but the day did come...one of the darkest days that ever passed through a son.He stood with his father over his mother's casket.Slowly,tenderly,the father stretch forth a hand and raised the thick,reddish-brown hair to reveal the mother had no outer ears.

"Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut,"he whispered gently,"and nobody ever thought mother less beautiful,did they?"

外耳的秘密

“我能看看寶寶嗎？”一位滿心歡喜的新媽媽詢問，包裹被她環抱在雙臂里，她撥開折在一起的包布，抬眼瞧他那嬌小的臉龐，一下子屏住了呼吸。醫生迅速轉過頭，從醫院高大的窗戶外望出去。這個嬰兒生下來就沒有耳朵。后來證明嬰兒的聽力完好，僅僅是他的相貌受到了損傷。

一天，他從學校飛奔回家，一頭撲進母親的懷里。她嘆了口氣，明白他的一生會心碎不斷。

他脫口而出：“一個男孩，一個大男孩……叫我畸形。”他長大了，他因自己的不幸而慷慨無私。他受同學喜愛，要不是因為那個缺陷，他本可以成為班長。他顯示出了天賦，對文學和音樂的才能。“可你有可能和其他年輕人混在一起。”他母親責備他，但她是一片好心。

男孩的父親與家庭醫生商討。難道什么也做不了嗎？“我想我能移植上一對外耳，如果我們能得到的話。”醫生做出決定。于是他們開始搜尋一個能為一個年輕人做此捐獻的人。兩年過去了。“你要去醫院，兒子。媽媽和我已經找到為你捐獻耳朵的人了，但這個人是保密的。”父親說。

手術非常成功，一個嶄新的人出現了。他的才能脫穎而出，他在中學和大學不斷成功。后來他結婚了，進入外交部門工作。“但我必須知道！”他敦促父親，“誰為我付出這么多？我永遠都報答不了他。”

“我想你不能，”父親說，“但約定規定你不能知道……還不能。”歲月塵封了這個秘密，但這一天還是到來了……這是兒子經歷的最黑暗的那幾天中的一天。他和父親站在母親的棺槨旁，緩緩地，父親輕柔地伸出一只手，撩開赭紅色的濃密頭發，揭開母親早已沒有了外耳的秘密。

“媽媽說她很高興從沒剪掉過自己的頭發，”他柔聲低語道，“而且也沒有人認為媽媽不漂亮，是嗎？”