阅览室里得到的教训(A Lesson Learned in the Reading-room)

there are not enough seats in the reading-room in our school. just because of this, i had a very special experience that i shall never forget.

one day, i was annoyed ① by the hot weather. after drinking a bottle of water, i ran fast towards the reading-room.when i pushed the door open, i saw what i expected. there was no empty seat. i looked very carefully at every corner, hoping to find one, but it seemed hopeless. suddenly i caught sight of an empty seat with a book on it. i knew it must have been “occupied②”by someone, but i was eager to sit down to have a rest after running. so i put the book on the other side of the table, and sat down.

about 10 minutes later, i heard a very low voice behind me. “excuse me, sister. i'm afraid that this seat is mine.”“what? it's yours? how can you say that?” the little girl seemed a little nervous. “i remember i put my book on this desk before lunch,”she said. “please don't draw a conclusion so quickly before you have enough evidence ③! ”i said in a loud voice. it made nearly everyone in the room turn their heads towards me. i felt a little embarrassed.just then, a student next to me said,“to tell the truth, this seat is really the little girl's. i think you should give it to her.” my face turned red at once. i can't describe how i felt at that moment, and i don't remember how i went out of the room with my books before so many eyes.

this happened 4 years ago. since then i have often asked myself if i have done anything without considering other people's rights.