真正的男子氣概

“Fire！ Fire！” The cry crept out on the still night air， and the fire bells began to ring. Fred was wakened by the alarm and the red light streaming into his room. He dressed himself in a moment1， and tapped at the door of his mothers bedroom.

“It is Mr. Bartons house， mother. Do let me go.” He said in eager2， excited tones. Mrs. Liscom thought a moment. He was young， but she could trust him， and she knew how much his heart was in the request.

“Yes， you may go，” she answered， “but be careful， my boy. If you can help， do so， but do nothing rashly.” Fred promised to follow her advice， and hurried to the fire.

Mr. and Mrs. Barton were not at home. The house had been left in charge of3 the servants.The fire spread with fearful speed， for there was a high wind， and it was found impossible to save the house. The servants ran about， screaming and lamenting， but doing nothing to any purpose.

Fred found Tom outside， in safety. “Where is Katy？” he asked. Tom， trembling with terror， seemed to have had no thought but of his own escape. He said， “Katy is in the house！” “In what room？” asked Fred. “In that one，” pointing to a window in the upper story.

It was no time for words， but for instant， vigorous4 action. The staircase was already on fire； there was but one way to reach Katy， and that was full of danger. The second floor might fall at any moment， and Fred knew it. But he trusted in an arm stronger than his own， and silently sought help and guidance.

A ladder was quickly brought， and placed against the house. Fred mounted it， followed by the hired man， dashed in the sash of the window， and pushed his way into the room where the poor child lay nearly suffocated with smoke.

He roused her with some difficulty， carried her to the window， and placed her upon the sill. She was instantly grasped by strong arms， and carried down the ladder， Fred following as fast as possible. They had scarcely5 reached the ground before a crash of falling timbers told them that they had barely escaped with their lives.

Tom Barton never forgot the lesson of that night， and he came to believe， and to act upon the belief， in after years， that true manliness is in harmony with gentleness， kindness， and self-denial.

“著火了！著火了！”驚惶的聲音打破了夜的寂靜，火警警報響了起來。弗雷德被警報聲驚醒，紅色的警燈照進他的屋子。他迅速穿上衣服，輕輕地叩響母親的臥室門。

“是巴頓先生家的房子著火了，媽媽，我去看看。”他急切地說。里斯克姆夫人猶豫了一會兒，她想，弗雷德還太年輕，但是她相信他會照顧好自己，而且她知道他是多么迫切地想去幫助他們。

“好吧，你可以去，”母親回答說，“但是要當心，我的孩子，你可以盡力幫助他們，但不要莽撞。”弗雷德承諾會遵從母親的叮囑，然后急匆匆地趕往著火地點。

巴頓先生和太太都不在家，房子暫由仆人照管。火勢以可怕的速度蔓延，因為風非常大，挽救房子是不可能了。仆人們四散奔逃，卻沒有做任何有意義的事。

弗雷德看到湯姆，急忙問道：“凱特在哪兒？”湯姆被嚇得渾身發抖，他除了想逃跑，腦子里一片空白。“她還在房間里。”“哪個房間？”弗雷德問。“那個。”湯姆用手指向二樓的一個窗戶。

沒時間多想，現在需要趕快救人。樓梯已經著火，只有通過樓梯才能救凱特，但那太危險了。第二層的樓板隨時可能倒塌，可是弗雷德相信上帝一定會保佑他的。

人們很快架起一架梯子，弗雷德爬上去，一個消防員也跟上去，他猛撞窗戶上的窗格，擠進屋子。屋里可憐的孩子已經快被煙熏得窒息了。

弗雷德好不容易叫醒凱特，并將她架到窗口，放到窗臺上，她立刻被一雙強有力的手接住，送下了梯子。弗雷德也飛速跟下。他們剛剛到達地面就聽見一聲轟響，房屋倒塌了，他們差點被困在里面。

湯姆·巴頓永遠也忘不了那個晚上，他意識到真正的勇敢是和愛心與奉獻聯系在一起的。從那之后，他一直以此作為自己的行為準則。