《剪下一方暖和--喻道小故事》

被拍賣的女孩 A Girl to Be Sold

The story is told from ancient Rome of a young girl who was placed on the public auction block. She was to be sold to the highest bidder. The girl was forced to turn around, front and back, that the audience might see and make an estimate. The bids came in rapid succession, for she was young and strong. Finally one man outbid all the others; he bought the girl. He immediately put down the money and took possession of his property. Then he turned to the slave girl and said, “You are free. I have bought you free. You may go your way.”

She looked at him with her eyes wide open, with fear and apprehension. She did not understand, “Free,” he said. “You may go; you are free. I have given you your freedom.” The sincerity of his tone and the love in his eyes told her it was true. She fell at his feet, and, seized by gratitude, said, “Please, I don’t want to be free. I want to serve you. Let me serve you not as a slave but as a friend.”

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字彙
auction block拍賣台。
bidder出價人，投標人，競買人。
succession連續，接連。
outbid出高於…的價錢。
apprehension不安。


故事是從古羅馬傳下來的，說一個年輕女孩被人放在公開的拍賣台上。出價最高的人就可以把她買走。女孩被迫前前後後轉身，使圍觀的人可以看清楚而出個價錢。因為女孩又年輕又強壯，喊價一個接一個持續而快速。最後，出價最高的人買了女孩。他馬上付了錢取得了他的所有。然後轉向女奴隸說，「妳自由了，我買了妳使妳自由了，妳可以走了。」

女孩張大眼睛看著他，充滿懼怕和不安。她不明白怎麼回事，但他說「自由了，妳可以走了，妳自由了，我把妳的自由給妳了。」他聲調的真誠，眼中的愛，讓女孩知道這是真的。她在他腳前仆倒，充滿感激地說，「求求你，我不要自由，我想服事你。讓我不以奴僕而以朋友的身份來服事你吧。」

思考與應用

1. 那女孩剛剛離開了一個主人，為什麼會願意投身到另一個主人手下？

2. 我有主人嗎？或者我以為自己是自由之身？

about 【剪下一方暖和】專欄譯者：顧美芬