第17部分(第3/7頁)

to　study　for　an　important　exam　so　that　I　might　go　to　university　someday。　He　frowned　because　in　a　remote　area　where　we　were；　even　a　bicycle　was　unheard　of。　I　tried　to　explain　university　to　him　with　the　help　of　pictures　that　looked　like　a　university　campus。　At　that　time；　Sarawak　did　not　have　a　university　and　the　nearest　one　was　across　the　South　China　Sea；　in　Peninsular　Malaysia。

He　was　surprised；　“But；　sir；　you　are　a　teacher。　Why　study？”

So　we　sat　down　and　I　told　him　all　about　this　thing　called　Education　and　gave　him　a　pep　talk　about　his　chances　of　being　someone　great　in　the　future。　He　took　one　of　my　books，the　thickest　one，in　his　hands　and　upon　opening　it　exclaimed；　“Now；　the　words　are　so　tiny　and　there　are　millions　of　them。　How　can　you　possibly　finish　reading　it？”

生活的啟示（2）

I　explained　to　him　the　importance　of　learning　to　read　well　and　to　make　the　best　out　of　the　lessons　that　he　was　learning　at　school；　and　that　teachers　like　me；　were　specially　sent　to　teach　special　children　like　him　so　that　someday　they　could　read　great　books　like　the　one　he　was　holding。　He　left　my　room。

When　the　other　pupils　learned　that　Sanggat　always　volunteered　to　sweep　my　room；　they　wanted　to　do　the　same　and　soon　it　became　an　almost　daily　ritual　which　ended　up　with　my　buying　more　brooms　to　maximize　participation。　And　Sanggat　would　never　fail　to　show　them　my　books；　each　time　adding　a　little　mentary　of　his　own　about　them　in　the　Iban　language。

I　did　not　realize　the　im