读故事

　　Once there was a Catholic Cardinal who only ever wanted to be a garden caretaker who could carve out beauty from the wilderness. He had never wanted to be a celebrity or caretaker of people, but when he was placed in charge of the city's most elegant cathedral he knew he would have to cater to the demands of the Pope. His reluctance to serve people changed with the arrival of a casualty of war.

　　When the cavalry first marched in from the battlefield, the Cardinal knew they would be looking for blessings for the carved up carcasses of slain soldiers, cardboard cartons of cartridges to restock their weapons, and carbohydrates and cauliflower to strengthen their hungry bodies worn weary by the catastrophe of war. The Cardinal also knew he would oblige.

　　It was when he helped a severely wounded soldier who had been almost carved in half by an enemy bayonet into one of the recessed cavities of the cathedral, however, that he was able to put a face to the pain of battle. Laying him down on the cedar altar,the Cardinal could not resist caressing the sweaty brow of this dying man. When the man tried to speak, the Cardinal cautioned him to save his energy. And,as the cardinal performed the ceremony of last rites, the man died.

　　Stepping alone out of the dim lighting of the cavern, the Cardinal was overwhelmed with a feeling of responsibility and meaning. The man had died in his arms,but he had led him to heaven with his last breath. Such was his duty,but such was his privilege as well.

　　记单词

　　carbohydrate n.1.碳水化合物，糖类2.[常pl.]含碳水化合物的食物

　　carcass n.1.(鸟、兽的)尸体，(屠宰后除去内脏和头的)畜体2.(人的)身躯，躯壳

　　cardboard n.硬纸板，卡纸板

　　a.不真实的

　　cardinal n.1.红衣主教2.基数词a.最重要的，基本的

　　caress vt./n.爱抚，抚摸

　　caretaker n.看门人，看管人

　　a.临时代理的

　　carton n.纸板箱，纸板盒

　　cartridge n.1.弹壳，弹药筒

　　2.(装录音带、胶卷等的)盒子

　　carve vt.1.切，把…切碎(或切成片)2.雕刻，刻

　　carve out创(业)，发(财)

　　carve up分割，瓜分

　　casualty n.1.伤亡人员，死伤者2.受害人，损失的东西

　　catastrophe n.大灾难，灾祸，悲惨的结局

　　cater vi.1.(for,to)满足需要(或欲望)，迎合2.(for)提供饮食及服务，承办酒席

　　cathedral n.大教堂

　　Catholic a.1.天主教的2.普遍的，广泛的n.天主教徒

　　cauliflower n.花椰菜，菜花

　　caution n.1.小心，谨慎2.注意(事项)，警告vt.警告，劝…小心

　　cavalry n.骑兵，装甲兵

　　cavern n.洞穴，大山洞

　　cavity n.1.洞，穴，凹处2.龋洞

　　cedar n.雪松，雪松木

　　celebrity n.1.名人，名流2.，名声，名望

　　从前有一个天主教红衣主教，他只想成为一个照看花园的人，在杂草丛生的地方创造美丽。他从没想过要成为名人或者做照看人的工作，但是当他被指派负责城里最典雅的大教堂时，他知道他必须满足主教的要求。随着一名战争伤员的到来，他不情愿服务于人的想法发生了变化。

　　当骑兵们从战场首先来到教堂时，红衣主教知道他们将寻求对阵亡士兵支离破碎的尸体的祝福、寻找硬纸板箱装弹药再补给他们武器、寻找碳水化合物和花椰菜增强他们因战争灾难而疲惫不堪同时还很饥饿的身体。红衣主教还知道他将伸出援助之手。

　　但是，他真正能够面对战争所带来的痛苦是在他帮助一名受重伤的士兵的时候。这名士兵几乎被敌人的刺刀劈成了两半。红衣主教把他拖进了教堂里的一个凹洞里，然后把他放在雪松木圣坛上，禁不住抚摸着这名垂死的士兵被汗水浸湿的额头。士兵想说话，红衣主教劝他不要说以节省气力。当红衣主教为他做完的祷告时，士兵死了。

　　从洞穴暗淡的光线中走出来，红衣主教感到浑身充满了责任感和生活的意义。士兵死在了他的怀里，但他在士兵还有一口气时带他进了天堂。这是他的职责，同样也是他的荣幸。