Early Autumn
by Lanstom Hughes
When Bill was very young，they had been in love.Many nights they had spent walking，talkingtogether.Then something not very important had come between them，and they didn’t speak.Impulsively，she had married a man she thought she loved.Bill went away，bitter about women.
Yesterday，walking across Washington Square，she saw him for the first time in years.
“Bill Walker，”she said.
He stopped.At first he did not recognize her，to him she looked so old.
“Mary Where did you come from ”
Unconsciously，she lifted her face as though wanting a kiss，but he held out his hand.She took it.
“I live in New York now，”she said.
“Oh.”Smiling politely，then a little frown came quickly between his eyes.
“Always wondered what happened to you，Bill.”
“I’m a lawyer.Nice firm，way downtown.”
“Married yet ”
“Sure.Two kids.”
“Oh，”she said.
A great many people went past them through the park.People they didn’t know.It was late afternoon.Nearly sunset.Cold.
“And your husband ”he asked her.
“We have three children.I work in the bursar’s office at Columbia.”
“You are looking very
（he wanted to say old）well，”he said.
She understood.Under the trees in Washington Square，she found herself desperately reaching back into the past.She had been older than he then in Ohio.Now she was not young at all.Bill was still young.
“We live on Central Park West，”she said.“Come and see us sometime.”
“Sure，”he replied.“You and your husband must have dinner with my family some night.Any night.Lucille and I’d love to have you.”
The leaves fell slowly from the tree in the Square.Fell without wind.Autumn dusk.She felt a little sick.
“We’d love it，”she answered.
“You ought to see my kids.”He grinned.
Suddenly the lights came on up the whole length of Fifth Avenue，chains of misty brilliance in the blue air.
“There’s my bus，”she said.
He held out his hand.“Goodbye.”
“When
”，she wanted to say，but the bus was ready to pull off.The lights on the avenue blurred，twinkled，blurred.And she was afraid to open her mouth as she entered the bus.Afraid it would be impossible to utter a word.
Suddenly she shrieked very loudly，“Good⁃bye ”.But the bus door had closed.
The bus started.People came between them outside，people crossing the street，people theydidn’tknow.Spaceandpeople.ShelostsightofBill.Thensherememberedshehadforgotten to give him her address—or to ask him for his—or tell him that her youngest boy was named Bill，too.
初秋
【美】兰斯顿·休斯
当比尔年轻的时候，他们曾相爱，许多夜晚都在同行和共话中度过。接着，他们之间发生了一件鸡毛蒜皮的小事，于是他们不再说话。冲动之下，她嫁给一个她以为她爱的男人。比尔离开了，心中怀着对女人的怨恨。
昨日，在穿过华盛顿广场的时候，她遇见了他，这是阔别多年以后的第一次。
“比尔·沃克。”她叫他。
他驻足，开始没有认出她来，她看起来显得那么老。
“玛丽！你从哪里来？”
她下意识地扬起脸，好像在等待一吻，而他却伸出了手，她握了。
“我现在住在纽约。”她说。
“哦，”他礼貌地微笑着，眉毛迅速地蹙了蹙。
“一直想着你怎样啦，比尔。”
“我现在是律师，公司不错，在市中心。”
“结婚了吗？”
“那是，两个孩子。”
“哦。”她说。
不少人穿过公园经过他俩身旁。都是陌生人。下午将尽。金乌欲坠。冷。
“你丈夫好吗？”他问。
“我们有三个孩子。我在哥伦比亚特区一家会计室工作。”
“你看起来很……（他想说老）好。”他说。
她明白了。站在华盛顿广场的树荫下面，她发现自己在拼命地回想过去。当年在俄亥俄州的时候她就比他要大。现在，她毕竟已经不再年轻，而比尔却不见老。
“我们住在中央公园西大道，”她说，“有空过来我们家坐坐。”
“好的，”他回答，“你和你丈夫改天也一定要过来跟我的家人共进晚餐，哪天晚上都行，我和露西尔都欢迎你们来做客。”
广场树上的叶子慢慢地飘落下来，无风自落。秋日黄昏。她感觉得有些不舒服。
“我们很乐意去。”她回答。
“你一定要看看我的孩子。”他咧开嘴笑了。
突然，灯火通明，照亮了整个第五大道，蓝色的空中一串模糊的光。
“我等的公交车来了。”她说。
他伸出了手：“再见。”
“什么时候……”她想把话说完，但车就要开了。街道上灯光朦朦胧胧，闪闪烁烁。她上车的时候没敢开口，害怕一个字也说不出来。
突然，她大声尖叫道：“再见！”可车门已经关了。
车开了。车外边，穿街而过的人在他俩之间走过，都是他们不认识的陌生人。人与空间。她看不见比尔了。接着，她想起来，她忘了给比尔地址——忘了要他的地址——也忘了告诉他自己最小的儿子也叫比尔。