23. Louis Braille Made It possible for the Blind to Read and Write
23. 路易斯·布萊葉使盲人讀寫成為可能
Louis Braille (1809-1852), a French blind teacher, studied different ways of making dots and dashes on paper At last he reached a system in which he used six holes in different positions. Within this space he cOllld make sixty three different combinations. Each combination stands for a letter or a short word. Soon Louis wrote a book using the Braille system.
路易斯·布萊葉, (1809——1852),是一位法國盲文老師,研究了各種將圓點和符號寫到紙上的方法。最后,他發(fā)明了一個系統(tǒng),這個系統(tǒng)使用的方法是將六個洞擺放在不同的位直。根據(jù)這種組合方式,他能夠組合出 63種不同的組合。每種組合代表一種字母或者一個簡短的單詞。很快路易斯使用布菜葉系統(tǒng)寫了一本書。
At first people did not believe that the system of Louis Braille was possible or practical. One day a girl who had been blind since she was born played the piano beautifully at a concert. Everybody was pleased. Then the girl got up and said that the people should thank Louis Braille, who had made it possible for her to learn music and to play the plano.
一開始人們不相信路易斯·布菜葉的系統(tǒng)有可能實現(xiàn)或者有什么實際用處。有一天,一個生來就是盲人的女孩在一場音樂會中彈奏了一支很優(yōu)美的曲子。每個人都很愉悅。隨后,這個女孩站了起來,對人們說大家應(yīng)該感謝路易斯·布萊葉,因為是他使這個女孩學習音樂并且彈奏鋼琴成為了可能。
Some of Louis' friends went to his home to see him. He was sick in bed. They told him what had happened Louis began to cry. He said, "This is the third time in my life that I have cried. First, when I became blind. Second, when I heard 'night writing', and now because I know that my life has not been a failure."
路易斯的一些朋友去他家里探望他。當時,他正臥病在床。他們告訴他發(fā)生了什么事情。Louis開始哭泣起來,他說:“這是我人生中第三次哭泣。第一次是當我眼瞎的時候;第二次,是在我聽說了‘夜書’時;現(xiàn)在這一次我終于知道我的人生不是一個失敗。”
A few days later Louis died. He was only 43 years old.
幾天后,路易斯去世了,當時他只有43歲。