English Original
I had just moved to San Antonio, Texas, and started working as a tour bus driver. My route covered the city's historic sites, ending at the Alamo.
One cool February evening, near closing time, I was driving back from the San Fernando Catholic Church. My bus was empty. I spotted a young man in an old buckskin jacket and a worn-out hat. Thinking he might be a historical re-enactor, I stopped and offered him a ride. He silently boarded and sat behind me.
"Where are you heading?" I asked.
He looked up through the rearview mirror and replied, "I must get to the fort and report to Colonel Travis that the Mexicans are here!"
Amused, I said, "I'm guessing you mean the Alamo?" He wasn't smiling. I drove on.
Throughout the ride, I watched him in the mirror. He stared in amazement at the towering skyscrapers and modern buildings.
"I remember when this town was nothing more than a little trading village," he finally said.
"Yeah, I've heard it used to be a small pueblo," I replied.
"It was," he nodded.
"So, what's your name?" I asked.
"Daniel Cloud. Yours?"
"David Zime," I answered as we turned the corner and the Alamo came into view.
I pulled over and opened the door. Cloud approached me.
"Thanks for the ride," he said, extending his hand. His palm was freezing cold, as if he'd just stepped out of a freezer.
"Not a problem, Mr. Cloud. Don't worry about the fee; it's on the house." He nodded in gratitude and stepped out.
Only then did I notice he was soaked to the bone, though it hadn't rained in over a month. Puzzled, I closed the door. I glanced ahead for other passengers, then looked back—Cloud was gone! He had vanished instantly. I shrugged and drove off for the day.
A few days later, while reading a book about the Battle of the Alamo, I made a shocking discovery. Listed among the 183 defenders was the name Daniel Cloud. He was only 19 when he was killed. The book noted he was the one who first spotted the Mexican army in February 1836, from his post atop the San Fernando Church—exactly where I had picked him up.
Since then, whenever I pass the San Fernando Church on my way to the Alamo, I look for Cloud, hoping someday to give him that ride again.
中文翻译
我刚搬到德克萨斯州的圣安东尼奥，找到一份观光巴士司机的工作。我的路线涵盖城市的历史遗迹，终点是阿拉莫。
二月一个凉爽的傍晚，临近下班时间，我正从圣费尔南多天主教堂空车返回。我看到一个年轻人，身穿旧鹿皮夹克，头戴破帽子。我以为他是历史重演演员，便停车问他是否需要搭车。他默默上车，坐在我后面。
“你要去哪里？”我问。
他通过后视镜看着我说：“我必须赶到堡垒，向特拉维斯上校报告墨西哥人来了！”
我觉得有趣，便说：“我猜你是要去阿拉莫吧？”他脸上没有笑容。我继续开车。
一路上，我从镜子里观察他。他惊愕地凝视着沿途高耸的摩天大楼和现代建筑。
“我记得这个镇子以前不过是个小贸易村落，”他终于开口说道。
“是啊，我听说这里以前是个小村庄，”我回答。
“是的，”他点点头。
“你叫什么名字？”我问。
“丹尼尔·克劳德。你呢？”
“大卫·吉梅，”我回答时，车子转过街角，阿拉莫映入眼帘。
我靠边停车，打开门。克劳德走到我面前。
“谢谢你的便车，”他说着伸出手。他的手掌冰冷刺骨，仿佛刚从冰柜里出来。
“不客气，克劳德先生。车费不用付，我请客。”他感激地点点头，下了车。
直到这时，我才发现他浑身湿透，但当地已经一个多月没下雨了。我感到困惑，关上了门。我向前看了一眼寻找其他乘客，再回头时——克劳德不见了！他瞬间就消失了。我耸耸肩，结束了一天的工作。
几天后，我在阅读一本关于阿拉莫战役的书时，有了一个惊人的发现。在183名守卫者的名单中，竟然有丹尼尔·克劳德的名字。他牺牲时年仅19岁。书中记载，正是他于1836年2月，在圣费尔南多教堂顶上执勤时，最先发现了墨西哥军队——那正是我载他上车的地方。
从那以后，每当我前往阿拉莫路过圣费尔南多教堂时，我都会寻找克劳德，希望有一天能再次载他一程。