正文
One stormy night many years ago, an elderly man and his wife entered the lobby（大厅） of a small hotel in Philadelphia（费城）. Trying to get out of the rain, they came to the front desk hoping to get some shelter for the night.
很多年前，一个风雨交加的夜晚，一位老先生和他的妻子走进了费城一家小旅馆的大厅。为了避雨，夫妻俩来到了前台，希望住宿一晚。
“Could you possibly give us a room here?” The husband asked. The clerk, a friendly man with a winning smile, looked at the couple and explained that there were three conventions in town. “All of our rooms are taken,” the clerk said.
“您能为我们在这里安排一间客房吗？”丈夫问。 服务生是个友善的人。他面带笑容，看着夫妻俩，解释说：“由于镇上有三场会议，所以我们所有的客房都满员了。
“But I can’t send a nice couple like you out into the rain at one o’clock in the morning. Would you perhaps be willing to sleep in my room. It’s not exactly a suite, but it will be good enough to make you folks comfortable for the night.”
不过，我不可能在凌晨一点钟把你们这样好的一对夫妇打发出去。也许你们愿意在我的房间将就一晚。虽然不是什么套房，但也能供你们二位舒舒服服地度过这个夜晚。”
When the couple declined, the young man pressed on. “Don’t worry about me, I'll make out just fine.” The clerk told them. So the couple agreed. As he paid his bill the next morning, the elderly man said to the clerk: “You are the kind of manager who should be the boss of the best hotel in the United States. Maybe someday I’ll build one for you.”
当夫妇俩婉言谢绝时，那名年轻人却十分坚持。 “别担心我，我自有安排。”服务生告诉他们。 于是，夫妇俩就答应了。 第二天早上，结账时，老先生对那名服务员说：“你应该是掌管全美最好酒店的经理人才。或许有朝一日我会为你建一家这样的酒店。”
The clerk looked at them and smiled. As they drove away, the elderly couple agreed that the helpful clerk was indeed exceptional , as finding people who are both friendly and helpful isn’t easy.
服务生看着他们，笑了。 夫妇俩驱车离开了旅馆，他们都认为那个乐于助人的服务生的确出类拔萃，因为要找到既外表友善又乐于助人的人并不是一件容易的事情。
Two years passed. The clerk had almost forgotten the incident when he received a letter from the old man. It recalled that stormy night and enclosed （附上）a round-trip ticket to New York, asking the young man to pay them a visit.
两年过去了。当服务生快把这件事情彻底忘记的时候，他收到了那位老人的一封来信。信中回忆了那个风雨交加的夜晚，还附了一张去纽约的往返机票，邀请他去看望他们。
The old man met him in New York, and led him to the corner of Fifth Avenue and 34th street. He then pointed to a great new building there, a pale reddish stone, with turrets（塔楼） and watchtowers thrusting up to the sky.
在纽约，老人与他见面了，并带他到第五大道和三十四街的拐角处。然后，他指向一栋宏伟的新建筑，上面镶着一颗淡红色的宝石，其塔楼和瞭望塔直插苍穹。
“That,” said the older man, “is the hotel I have just built for you to manage.” “You must be joking.” The young man said. “I can assure you I am not.” Said the older man, a sly（诡秘的）smile playing around his mouth.
“那，”老人说，“就是我刚建成的让你经营的酒店。” “您肯定是在开玩笑。”年轻人说。 “我向你保证，不是开玩笑。”老人说道，嘴角露出诡秘的笑容。
The older man’s name was William Waldorf Astor, and that magnificent structure was the original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. The young clerk who became its first manager was George C. Boldt.
这位老人的名字叫威廉·沃尔多夫·阿斯特，那栋雄伟的建筑就是最初的沃尔多夫·阿斯托里亚酒店。这家酒店的第一任经理就是那名年轻服务生，他叫乔治·波特。
This young clerk never foresaw the turn of events that would lead him to become the manager of one of the world’s most glamorous hotels.
这位年轻的服务生做梦也没想到，那次事件竟使他成了一家世界顶级酒店的经理。
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