我爱的人和爱我的人 不，我爱的人是你！

不，我爱的人是你！  

英格里德从火车上走下来，仍像以前一样秀发飘逸，笑靥如花。这时，玛塔转过身，看着爱德华，说：“去吧，爱德华。我知道你想娶的人是她，不是我。”直到此时，爱德华才第一次发现玛塔竟是如此的美丽！昔日他们在一起相处的情景此刻又一幕一幕地在他的眼前闪回：清晨的牧场里，他们并肩漫步；火红的篝火旁，他们促膝谈心；滂沱的大雨中，他们携手奋战……“不，玛塔。我爱的人是你。”说着，爱德华将她拥入怀中……
Edward Wellman bade good-bye to his family in the old country headed for a better life in America. Papa handed him the family’s savings hidden in a leather satchel. “Times are desperate here
” he said
hugging his son goodbye. “You are our hope.”
Edward boarded the Atlantic freighter offering free transport to young men willing to shovel coal in return for the month-long journey. If Edward struck gold in the Colorado Rockies
the rest of the family could eventually join him.
For months
Edward worked his claim tirelessly
and the small vein of gold provided a moderate but steady ine. Leaving Ingrid behind before he could officially court her had been his only regret in accepting this American adventure. He had secretly hoped to make Ingrid his wife. Finally
he wrote to Papa
asking him to help make this dream e true.
After nearly a year
a telegraph came with a plan to make his life plete. Mr. Henderson had agreed to send his daughter to Edward in America. Because she was a hardworking young woman with a good mind for business
she would work alongside Edward for a year to help the mining business grow. By then both families could afford to e to America for their wedding.
Edward’s heart soared with joy as he spent the next month trying to make the cabin into a home. At last
the day he had been waiting for his whole life arrived. With a bouquet of fresh-picked daisies in hand
he left for the train depot. Steam billowed and wheels screeched as the train crawled to a stop.
His heart beat with eager anticipation
then stopped with a sinking thud. Not Ingrid
but her older sister Marta
stepped down from the train.
Edward only stared － dumbfounded. Then with shaking hands he offered Marta the bouquet. “Wele
” he whispered
his eyes burning. A smile etched across her plain face.
“I was pleased when Papa said you sent for me
” Marta said
looking into his eyes briefly
before dropping her head again.
“I’ll get your bags
“Edward said with a fake smile. Together they headed for the buggy.
Mr. Henderson and Papa were right. Marta did have a great grasp of business. Within6 months
their assets doubled.
Her delicious meals and quiet smile graced the cabin with a wonderful woman’s touch. But the wrong woman
Edward mourned as he collapsed onto his cot each night. Why did they send Marta? Would he ever see Ingrid again? Was his lifelong dream to have her as his wife forsaken?
For a year
Marta and Edward worked and played and laughed
but never loved. Once
Marta had kissed Edward on the cheek before retiring to her room. He only smiled awkwardly. From then on
she seemed content with their exhilarating hikes in the mountains and long talks on the porch after suppers.
One spring afternoon
torrential rains washed down the hillside
eroding the entrance to their mine. Furiously
Edward filled sand bags and stacked them in the water's path. Suddenly there was Marta at his side holding the next burlap bag open. Edward shoveled sand inside
then with the strength of any man
Marta hurled it onto the pile and opened another bag… For hours they worked
knee-deep in mud
until the rains diminished.
Hand in hand
they walked back to the cabin. Over warm soup Edward sighed
“I never could have saved the mine without you. Thank you
Marta.”
“You’re wele
” she answered with her usual smile
then went quietly to her room. A few days later
a telegraph came announcing the arrival of the Henderson and Wellman families next week. As much as he tried to stifle it
the thought of seeing Ingrid again started Edward’s heart beating in the old familiar way.
Together
he and Marta went to the train station. They watched as their families exited the train at the far end of the platform. When Ingrid appeared
Marta turned to Edward. “Go to her
” she said.
Astonished
Edward stammered
“What do you mean?”
“Edward
I have always known I was not the Henderson girl you intended to send for. I had watched you flirt with Ingrid at the church picnics.I know it is she
not me
you desire for your wife.” “But ...”
Marta placed her fingers over his lips. “Shhh
” she hushed him. “I do love you
Edward. I always have. And because of that
all I really want is your happiness. Go to her.” As she gazed up at him
he saw for the first time how very beautiful she was. He recalled their walks in the meadows
their quiet evenings before the fire
her working beside him with the sandbags. It was then he realized what he had known for months. “No
Marta. It is you I want.” Sweeping her into his arms
he kissed her with all the love bursting inside him. Their families gathered around them chorusing
“We are here for the wedding!”