讲了一位年近八旬的洗衣老妇认真负责的故事。她消瘦而佝偻，多年如一日认真地为我家洗衣服，活干得很漂亮，但从不多收钱，每次来取了衣服，过段时间洗好后就亲自送上门来了。最后一次，她取了衣服，很久没有消息，而我们也不知道她的住址，有两个多月后，羼弱有病的老妇人带着衣物来了，更加消瘦、佝偻，连说话都不清楚了，她仍认真履行自己的职责。 　　附原文及翻译： 　　TheWashWoman 　　IsaacBashevisSinger 　　Shewasasmallwomam,oldandwrinkled.Whenshestartedwashingforus,shewasalreadypastseventy.Alltheoldwomeminourstreethadbentbacksandleanedonstickswhentheywalked.Butthiswashwoman,smallandthinasshewas,possessedastrengththatcamefromgenerationsofpeasantforebears.Motherwouldcountouttoherabundleoflaundrythathadaccumulatedoverseveralweeks.Shewouldthenliftthebundle,putitonhernarrowshoulders,andcarryitonthelongwayhome. 　　Shewouldbringthelaundrybackabouttwoweeksorlate.Mymotherhadneverbeensopleasedwithanywashwoman.Yetshechargednomorethantheothers.Shewasarealfind.Motheralwayshadhermoneyready,becauseitwastoofarfortheoldwomantocomeasecondtime. 　　Laundryingwasnoteasyinthosedays.Theoldwomanhadnorunningwaterwhereshelivedbuthadtobringinthewaterfromapump.Andthedrying!Itcouldnotbedoneoutsidebecausethieveswouldstealthelaundry.Soithadtobecarrieduptotheatticandhungonclotheslines.OnlyGodknowswhattheoldwomanhadtoendureeachtimeshedidthewash! 　　Shecouldhavebeggedatthechurchdoororenteredahomeforthepennilessandaged.Buttherewasinheracertainprideandloveoflabourwithwhichmanymembersofthelabourforcehavebeenblessed.Theoldwomandidnotwanttobecomeaburden,andsosheboreherburden. 　　Onedaythewashwoman,nownearlyeightyyearsold,cametoourhouse.Agooddealoflaundryhadaccumulatedduringthepastweeks.Mothergaveherapotofteatowarmherself,aswellassomebread.Theoldwomansatonakitchenchairtremblingandshaking,andwarmedherhandsagainsttheteapot.Herfingernailswerestrangelywhite.Thesehandsspokeofthestubbornnessofmankind,ofthewilltoworknotonlyasone’sstrengthpermitsbutbeyondthelimitsofone’spower.Itwassadtowatchtheoldwomanstaggeroutwiththebigbundleanddisappear. 　　Usuallytheoldwomanbroughtbackthewashaftertwoor,atthemost,threeweeks.Butthreeweekspast,thenfourandfive,Andnothingwasheardoftheoldwoman. 　　Forustheoldwoman’sabsenceacatastrophe.Weneededthelaundry.Wedidnotevenknowthewoman’saddress.Itseemedcertainthatshehadcollapsed,died.Motherdeclaredthatshehadhadapremonitionthatwewouldneverseeourthingsagain.Wemourned,bothforthelaundryandfortheoldwomanwhohadgrownclosetousthroughtheyearsshehadservedussofaithfully. 　　Morethantwomonthspassed.Oneevening,whilemotherwassittingnearthelampmendingashirt,thedooropenedandasmallpuffofsteam,followedbyahugebuddle,entered.Underthebuddletotteredtheoldwoman,herfaceaswhiteasalinensheet.Motherutteredahalf-chokedcry,asthoughacorpsehadenteredtheroom.Irantowardtheoldwomanandhelpedherunloadherbuddle.Shewaseventhinnernow,morebent.Shecouldnotutteraclearword,butmumbledsomethingwithhersunkenmouthandpalelips. 　　Aftertheoldwomanhadrecoveredsomewhat,shetoldusthatshehadbeenill.,veryill.ButGodhadnotyetwantedtotakethispoorsoultoHimself.Shebegantofeelbetter,shebecamewell,andassoonasshewasabletostandonherfeetoncemore,sh

　　苍天。领了工钱之后，她走了。临走时还答应几个星期后再来取一包新的要洗的衣服。 　　然而她再也没有回来。上次送回来的那包衣服，是她在这个世界上所做的最后一次努力。她为一种坚强的意志所驱使：要把物品还给物主，要完成自己所承担的那份责任。