永不休憩的工作者
A Non-stop Working Hand
佚名 / Anonymous
It was an early-winter morning. I was at the moment sitting calmly in the hall. Opposite me was a clock hanging high on the wall.
In tranquility it is easy to set one's mind working； it is also easy to catch light sounds hardly audible in usual times， among which is the ticking of the clock's second hand. It ticks away 60 times a minute to fulfill its duty— the only work it does， and persistently. It is kept busy all the time， and thus regarded as "a non-stop working hand".
Listening to the rhythmical tapping of the clock， I suddenly found out that the sound emitted by the second hand was not uniform either in volume or in strength.
A close observation revealed that it "went downhill" from 0 to 30 seconds and then "climbed upwards" from 31 to 60 seconds.
While it is descending it seemingly goes effortlessly. Benefited by gravitation it can walk down evenly step by step. When it comes to the point of 20 it gives the impression of acceleration， for this leg of journey seems the most facilitating. Actually of course the hand never accelerates as a result of descending.
"Climbing upwards" seems to entail efforts. It shows up the meaning of the phrase "aim high". When the hand goes from 31 to 60 seconds it is aiming high and its sound becomes weaker and weaker. It seems to tell us that it immerses itself in hard work reticently striving for the highest point. Don't you see the composure and steadiness of those heroic personalities that have put their shoulders to the wheel？
The clink of the second hand in descending suddenly begins to "weaken" when it starts to climb. Does it mean that Heaven， through the clock's ticking， gives us a hint of some hidden truth？
一个初冬的早晨，我静静地坐在客厅里。正对着我的墙壁上，高悬着一个时钟。