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1779年，康德想去一座小镇拜访威廉先生。于是，他给威廉写了一封信，说他会在3月5日上午点前到达那里。威廉回信表示热烈欢迎。 3月4日，他就赶到了小镇。为了在约定时间到达，他第二天一早就租了一辆马车赶往威廉先生家。威廉先生住在距离小镇10英里的农场上。小镇和农场被一条河隔断，所以康德需要过桥。但当马车来到河边时，车夫停下来，对康德说：“先生，对不起，我们现在过不了河。桥坏了，再向前走会非常危险。” 于是，康德从马车上跳下来，发现桥的确从中间断开了。康德看看手表，已经10点多了。他焦急地说：“附近没有别的桥了吗？” 车夫说：“有，先生。河岸上游有一座桥，离这里大约有一段距离。” 康德说：“如果我们从那座桥上过去，以平常的速度需要多久到达农场？”车夫回答：“最快10分钟。” 康德想了一会儿，然后跑到附近的一个旧茅屋，对主人说：“先生，请问你愿意将这个茅屋卖给我吗？” 农夫对他的话非常吃惊：“先生，我的房子又破又旧。你买它干什么？” 康德说：“别管我干什么。请告诉我你愿不愿卖给我。” 农夫说：“当然愿意，100马克就够了。” 康德立刻付了农夫100马克。他对农夫说：“如果你能从房子上拆些木头，20分钟内修好这座桥，我就把房子还给你。” 农夫大为惊讶，但他还是拆下了一些木头，及时修好了那座桥。 最后，马车平安过桥，10点50分康德出现在了威廉先生的门前。威廉看到康德，走上前拥抱他，笑着说道：“我亲爱的朋友，你还是那么准时。” 康德和老朋友在农场度过了一段快乐时光，但从未提及为了准确到达而经历的事情，后来，威廉从农夫那里得知了所有的一切。他专门给康德写了一封信：“我亲爱的朋友，朋友间的约会不必这么费心，即使晚点儿也情有可原。” 康德在回信中说：“无论是对陌生人还是对老朋友，守时都是对别人最大的尊重。” Kant’s Virtue In 1779，Kant wanted to go to a small town to visit Mr. William, so he wrote him a letter saying that he would arrive there before 11 a.m. on March 5th. William wrote back expressing his warm welcome. He hastened to the town on March 4th. In order to arrive at the appointed time, he rented a carriage hurrying to Mr. William’s house early the next morning. Mr. William lived on a farm ten miles away from the small town. The town and the farm were separated by a river, so Kant needed to go across the bridge. But when the carriage came to the river, the wheeler stopped and said to Kant, ‘‘Sorry, sir, we couldn’t cross the river now. The bridge was broken. It would be very dangerous to go any further.” Thereupon，Kant jumped off the carriage, and found the bridge indeed broke in the middle. Kant looked at his watch. It was over 10 o'clock already. He asked vexedly, “Aren’t there any other bridges nearby?” The wheeler said, Yes，sir. There s a bridge in the upstream of the river, about six miles from here.” Kant said, “If we go across that bridge, how much will it take to arrive at the farm at a usual speed?” “Forty minutes soonest,” the wheeler answered. Kant thought for a while, and then ran to a closs-by old cottage and said to the owner, “Excuse me，sir, would you like to sell this cottage to me?” The farmer was surprised at his words, “Sir, my cottage was shabby and old. What will you buy it for?” Kant said, “Don’t mind what I will do. Just tell me whether you would like to sell it.” The farmer said, “Of course. 100 D-marks will be enough.” Kant paid the farmer 100 D-marks right away. He said to the farmer, “If you can detach* some woods from the cottage and get the bridge repaired in twenty minutes, I will give the cottage back to you.” The farmer was astonished, but he still dismantled some wood and put the bridge right in time. Finally, the carriage crossed the bridge in safety. At 10:50，Kant appeared in front of Mr. William’s door. William saw Kant, stepped forward, gave him a hug and said with a smile, “My dear friend, you are still so punctual.” Kant had a happy time on the farm with his old friend but never mentioned the process of his arrival on time. Later William knew everything from the farmer. He specially wrote a letter to Kant, “My dear friend, it’s unnecessary to be so elaborate for a date between friends. It’s also excusable even if you arrived a bit late, Kant answered in a letter, “Whether to strangers or old friends, punctuality is the utmost respect to others.” |
