我们的牧师总是在为这样那样的事业募捐，但他从来没能筹到足够的钱把教堂的钟修好。
Our vicar is always raising money for one cause or another, but he has never managed to get enough money to have the church clock repaired.
那座白天黑夜都会报时的大钟多年前受损，从那以后一直沉寂着。
The big clock which used to strike the hours day and night was damaged many years ago and has been silent ever since.
然而有一天夜里，我们的牧师猛然惊醒——时钟在报时！
One night, however, our vicar woke up with a start: the clock was striking the hours!
他看了看表，发现此时是凌晨一点，但钟声响了十三下才停。
Looking at his watch, he saw that it was one o'clock, but the bell struck thirteen times before it stopped.
牧师带着手电筒，爬上钟楼查看发生了什么事。
Armed with a torch, the vicar went up into the clock tower to see what was going on.
借着手电筒的光，他看见了一个人影，并立即认出那是他们当地的杂货店主比尔·威尔金斯。
In the torchlight, he caught sight of a figure whom he immediately recognized as Bill Wilkins, our local grocer.
"比尔，你究竟在这上面干什么？"牧师惊讶地问道。
'Whatever are you doing up here Bill?' asked the vicar in surprise.
"我正在想办法修那口钟，"比尔回答道。
'I'm trying to repair the bell,' answered Bill.
"我已经一连好几个星期，每天晚上都爬上来了。
'I've been coming up here night after night for weeks now.
你知道，我本来是想给你一个惊喜的。"
You see, I was hoping to give you a surprise.'
"你确实给了我一个惊喜！"牧师说道。
'You certainly did give me a surprise!' said the vicar.
"你可能也把村子里所有人都吵醒了。
'You've probably woken up everyone in the village as well.
不过，我很高兴那口钟又重新运转了。"
Still, I'm glad the bell is working again.'
"问题就在这里，牧师，"比尔回答说，"它确实在运转，但恐怕每到一点钟它就会敲十三下，我对此无能为力。"
'That's the trouble, vicar,' answered Bill. 'It's working all right, but I'm afraid that at one o'clock it will strike thirteen times and there's nothing I can do about it.'
"我们会习惯的，比尔，"牧师说道。
'We'll get used to that, Bill,' said the vicar.
"十三不如一，但总比没有好。
'Thirteen is not as good as one, but it's better than nothing.
"现在我们下楼去喝杯茶吧。"
Now let's go downstairs and have a cup of tea.'