How can I ever forget the beautiful campus in Africa?
The grounds were covered with dark green grass through which stretched a straight white stone path. On both sides of the path were planted what I believed to be poinsettias. Now the flowers were surrounded by pinkish leaves instead of bright red ones as they should have been. Trimmed with light green edges, the leaves looked delicate and charming. Along the long path I often took a stroll which world take me to a wide terrace, where I could watch the enchanting glow of sunset, and occasionally catch the sight of a train puffing and hooting on its way southward. On my way back I would pass by the laboratory and library building whose large French windows had soft curtains let fall to the floor. Just outside the windows kapod flowers glowed red in full bloom. A short way off stood the dining hall, where I found a tree bearing snow-white blossoms so graceful and soft to the touch. Viewed together from the distance, they were as beautiful as a bridal veil. Later I learned that it was a tree called datura which I had so often read about in books.
In the centre of the campus was a newly-built fan-shaped fountain. A number of Chinese taihu rocks were arranged in it with a touch of artistry. And there was a story behind it.
In the courtyard of the hose where Chinese teachers were living, there was also a similar but much smaller fountain looking like potted landscape. It was built by the Chinese teachers who had come earlier in their spare time. They had graced it with water plants and goldfish. Perhaps out of a yearning for their homeland, they had even engraved on a taihu rock four Chinese characters:“Er Quan Ying Yue”meaning“two springs reflecting the moonlight.”These characters were painted red and written in an ancient calligraphic style. The homesick Chinese teachers seemed to feel that at the sight of these characters, they could by a flight of the imagination bring to their presence a native moon smilingly beaming over West Lake.
One day the president of the college came to visit the Chinese teachers. Delighted by the beauty of their fountain he asked them to design another one for the college. Thus in the centre of the campus, in a field of green grass and colorful flowers appeared a new Chinese fountain spurting out water drops glistening in the sunlight.
学校
我怎能忘记那美丽的校园呢?
那儿处处是碧绿的芳草,绿草中铺着洁白的、笔直的石路。路两旁种的那些树分明是一品红,然而原该为大红色的排列为环状的叶,却变为柔媚的粉红,还有着淡绿色的边儿。我常在这条长长的石径上散步。走着走着,来到一座宽阔的台子上,站在这里可以看到迷人的晚霞与夕阳,偶然也能看到冒着浓烟呜呜南去的列车。转身往回走,不远便会来到实验和图书馆。这儿宽大的落地窗软帘垂地,窗外的木棉树上开着耀眼的红花。再往前走便是餐厅了,那儿有一株美丽的树,开着雪一样白的花儿。那花儿开得轻柔而又婀娜,一朵朵地连成一片,从远处看去,美得像新嫁娘雪白的头妙。后来我才知道这就是我在书上读到那么多次的曼陀罗。
学校的中心地带是个扇形的喷水泉,中间很艺术地摆着些中国式的太湖石。这是新建的。
在我们中国教师住的院子里,有一个跟这模式一样的喷水泉,不过比这要小得多,像个盆景似的,那是早来这儿的老师利用业余时间建的。他们在池中放了些水草和金鱼,可能是为了抒发对祖国的怀念之情吧,还在太湖石上用秀丽的隶书字体刻了“二泉映月”四个红字,似乎这么一来,西湖便在他们的怀抱之中了,故乡的月便也在向着这些游子微笑了。
一天,学校的校长来到中国教师的住所。他对这个喷水池赞不绝口,定要中国教师为学校也设计一个跟这一样的喷水池,建在校园的中央。于是在校园里,在绿茸茸的芳草和艳丽的花朵之间又加上了一个中国色彩的喷水池,在阳光的辉照下,喷射着亮晶晶的水珠儿。