I was eager to be in the fields again, to feel the furrowed rows of damp, soft earth beneath my feet; eager to walk barefooted through the cool forest, hug the trees, and sit under their protective shadow. But although every living thing knew it was spring, Miss Crocker and the other teachers evidently did not, for school lingered on indefinitely. In the last week of March when Papa and Mr. Morrison began to plow the east field, I volunteered to sacrifice school and help them. My offer was refused and I trudged wearily to school for another week.
我想到田里去，踩着犁过的田地，感受温热的泥土覆上我的双脚。我想到森林里去，光着双脚走着，拥抱一棵树，在树荫底下坐着。所有人，所有生物，都知道春天来了，可克洛克小姐和学校里的其他老师却无动于衷。三月最后一个星期，爸爸和莫里森先生已经开始犁东边的田了，我提出放弃这学期剩下的学业来帮他们，不过被拒绝了。我只好拖着沉重的步伐继续到学校去。
Spring. It seeped unseen into the waiting red earth in early March, softening the hard ground for the coming plow and awakening life that had lain gently sleeping through the cold winter.
三月伊始，春意在尚未解冻的红色泥土下骚动，呼唤着仍在沉睡的万物。
But by the end of March it was evident every- where: in the barn where three new calves bellowed and chicks the color of soft pale sunlight chirped; in the yard where the wisteria and English dogwood bushes readied themselves for their annual Easter bloom, and the fig tree budded producing the forerunners of juicy, brown fruit for which the boys and I would have to do battle with fig-loving Jack; and in the smell of the earth itself. Rain-drenched, fresh, vital, full of life, spring enveloped all of us.
到了三月底，处处是春的模样：谷仓里，三只小牛“哞哞”叫着，小鸡们也跟着“叽叽喳喳”；院子里，紫藤与山茱萸等待着开苞结果，而无花果树已经挂上了多汁美味的果实，我和男孩们还得跟喜爱无花果果实的杰克争抢。哦，还有泥土的气息。大雨过后，空气中清新自然的味道将我们环抱。
“I guess I won’t be seein’ much of y’all after next Friday,” said Jeremy one evening as we neared his forest trail.
“下个星期五过后，我想就不能经常见到你们了。”某天放学后，我们走到森林小径时，杰里米突然说。
“You crazy!” I cried, remembering that Jefferson Davis didn’t dismiss until mid-May.
“你疯啦！”我大叫着，杰斐逊大卫学校可是要到五月中旬才放假。
Jeremy stammered an apology. “I — I just meant we could still see each other.” He was silent a moment, then brightened. “Maybe I can come over to see y’all sometime.”
“我，我只是想说，这样我们还能继续见面。”他急忙道歉。沉默了好一阵子，他又高兴了起来：“或许我可以偶尔去看你们。”
“Well, I can understand that.” I said soberly.”I sure don’t like them.”
“我明白。”我说，“我也不喜欢他们。”
Stacey shook his head. “Don’t think Papa would like that.”
斯泰西摇摇头：“我想你爸爸是不会同意的。”
“What you saying!” asked Stacey. “You can’t not like your own sister and brothers.”
“你在说什么？”斯泰西问，“你不喜欢你的兄弟姐妹？”
“But they’re his kin. A fellow’s gotta like his own kin.”
“可他们不是你的家人吗？你怎么会不喜欢自己的家人呢？”
“Lonely!” I asked. “With all them brothers and sisters you got”
“寂寞？”我有些疑问，“你兄弟姐妹那么多。”
Jeremy frowned. “The little ones, they too young to play with, and the older ones… Lillian Jean and R. W. and Melvin, I guess I don’t like them very much.”
杰里米皱了皱眉头：“小的呢，玩不到一块儿…莉莲、马文和罗文，我…我想我并不喜欢他们。”
“Guess not,” said Stacey.
“或许吧。”斯泰西说。
“Be nice if our schools ended at the same time.”
“要是我们学校跟你们同时放假就好了。”
“Well… I just thought…” He shrugged. “It’ll sure be lonely without y’all.”
“嗯…我只想想…”他耸耸肩，“没有你们我会很寂寞。”
“Thought you didn’t like him no more.”
“你不是不喜欢提杰了嘛。”
Stacey stopped. “How they treat him!”
斯泰西停下脚步：“他们是怎么对他的？”
Jeremy thought about that. “Well, Lillian Jean’s all right, I guess. She ain’t so persnickety since Cassie stopped bein’ her friend.” He smiled a secret smile to himself. “But that R. W, and Melvin, they ain’t very nice. You oughta see how they treat T. J…” He halted, looked up embarrassed, and was quiet.
杰里米想了想，回答说：“莉莲还好，自从凯西不跟她做朋友了之后，她的坏脾气稍微改了些。但是罗文和马文就太糟糕了，你们都不知道他们是怎么对待提杰的…”他突然打住，没有再往下说。
“How?” asked Stacey.
斯泰西追问道：“怎么不好？”
Jeremy stopped too. “I don’t know,” he said as if he was sorry he had mentioned it. “They just don’t do him right.”
杰里米也停了下来。“我不知道。”他好像觉得自己不应该提起这件事，“他们对提杰不好。”
Jeremy looked up at the sun, squinted, then glanced up his forest trail a few feet ahead. “They brung T. J. by the house a couple of times when Pa wasn’t home. They treated him almost friendly like, but when he left they laughed and talked ’bout him — called him names.” He squinted again at the trail and said hurriedly, “I better go…, See y’all tomorrow.
杰里米抬头看了看太阳，“他们在爸爸不在的时候带提杰到家里几次，对他好像很友善。可当提杰离开的时候，他们就开始骂他、嘲笑他。”杰里米停了下来，急忙说，“我该走了…明天见！”
“Well… I don’t,” replied Stacey defensively. “But I heard he was running ’round with R. W. and Melvin. I wondered why. Them brothers of yours must be eighteen or nineteen.”
“嗯…或许吧。”斯泰西有些犹豫，“我听说他和罗文、马文他们混在一起，我真是不明白，你那两个哥哥该有十八九岁了吧？”
“But, Mama, we always use two.”
“可是，妈妈，我们平时都是用两大勺的。”
“Mama. how come you suppose R. W. and Melvin putting in time with T. J.!” I asked as I measured out two heaping tablespoons of flour for the cornbread.
“妈妈，你知道马文和罗文是怎么对待提杰的吗？”我舀起两大茶匙做玉米面包的面粉，问妈妈。
Mama frowned down into the flour barrel. “Only one tablespoon, Cassie, and not so heaping.”
妈妈皱了皱眉头，看着面粉桶：“凯西，两勺就够了，不要舀得这么满。”
As I returned one tablespoon of flour to the barrel. I again asked, “What you think, Mama! How come them Simmses running ’round with T. J.!”
我将一些面粉倒回桶里，接着问：“你怎么想，妈妈？罗文和马文他们怎么会跟提杰在一起？”
“I don’t really know, Cassie,” she said, turning to the stove to stir milk into the butter beans. “They may just want him around because it makes them feel good.”
“我不知道，凯西。”妈妈转向炉子，把牛奶拌进豆子里，“这样或许会让他们感觉很好吧。”
“That barrel will have to last us until Papa goes back to the railroad. Now put it back.”
“这一桶面粉要用到你爸爸去铺铁路之前，把它倒回去。”
Mama measured out the baking powder and gave it to me. It was a teaspoon less than we had been using, but I didn’t ask her about it. It was running low too.
妈妈量好发酵粉的量，递给我，比我们平常用的少了一茶匙，我没问为什么。我们的发酵粉也快没了。
“When T. J.’s around me, he don’t make me feel good.”
“跟提杰在一起，我才不会感觉不错呢。”
“Well, you told me Jeremy said they were laughing at T. J. behind his back. Some folks just like to keep other folks around to laugh at them… use them.”
“你说罗文和马文在背后嘲笑提杰，有些人就是喜欢有人可以任他们在背后嘲笑…甚至利用。”
“I wonder how come T. J. don’t know they laughing at him! You s’pose he’s that dumb!”
“提杰难道真的不知道他们在嘲笑他吗？你觉得他真的这么笨吗？”
I was going to ask what use T. J. could possibly be to anyone, but I was interrupted by Little Man running into the kitchen. “Mama!” he cried. “Mr. Jamison just drove up!” He had been in the barn cleaning the chicken coop with Christopher-John and stubby particles of straw still clung to his head. I grinned at his mussed appearance but didn’t have time to tease him before he was gone again.
我还想接着问下去，小家伙突然冲了进来，“妈！”他大叫着，“杰米森先生开车到我们家来了！”小家伙刚刚和克里斯托弗在谷仓清扫鸡笼，头上还粘着一撮鸡毛，我本想嘲笑他一下，结果他又急匆匆地跑出去了。
T. J.’s not “dumb,” Cassie. He just wants attention, but he’s going after it the wrong way.
“提杰不笨，凯西。他只希望引人注目，只不过走错了路。”
Mama looked at Big Ma, a question in her eyes, then followed Little Man outside. I decided that the cornbread could wait and dashed after them.
妈妈看了看奶奶，神色疑惑，然后跟着小家伙走了出去。我也打算跟过去看看。
“Yes’m,” I said. “I’ll be right back.” Before Big Ma could reach me, I was out the back door running across the yard to the drive.
“我马上就回来。”没等奶奶抓住我，我一溜烟儿跑过院子，到了杰米森先生停车的地方。
Mr. Jamison touched his hat as Mama approached. “How you doing, Miz Logan!” he asked.
杰米森先生看到妈妈走了过来，碰了碰帽子：“你好吗？洛根太太？”
“Girl, get back in here and finish mixin’ this cornbread!” ordered Big Ma.
“凯西，回去，把面粉和好。”奶奶命令我。
“Just fine, Mr. Jamison.” Mama answered. “And yourself!”
“还好，杰米森先生，你呢？”
“Fine. Fine,” he said absently. “Is David here?”
“还好，还好。”杰米森先生看起来心不在焉，“大卫在不在这儿？”
“He’s over in the east field.” Mama studied Mr. Jamison. “Anything wrong!”
“他在东边的田里。”妈妈仔细盯着杰米森先生，“怎么了？”
“Oh, no… no. Just wanted to speak to him.”
“嗯，没——没怎么，我只是想跟他说几句话。”
“Little Man,” Mama said, turning, “go get Papa.”
“小家伙，”妈妈转过身，“去把爸爸叫来。”
“Oh, no — don’t do that. I’ll just walk on over there if that’s all right. I need the exercise.”
“哦，不用了，我自己过去就行。”
Mr. Jamison did not stay long. A few minutes later he emerged from the held alone, got into his car, and left.
杰米森先生没有待很久。过了几分钟，他就走了回来，开着车离开了。
Mama nodded, and after he had spoken to me Mr. Jamison crossed the yard to the held, Little Man and I started to follow after him but Mama called us back and returned us to our jobs.
妈妈点了点头。杰米森先生往田里走去。我和小家伙本想跟过去，却被妈妈叫住了。
When supper was ready, I eagerly grabbed the iron bell before Christopher-John or Little Man could claim it, and ran onto the back, porch to summon Papa, Mr. Morrison, and Stacey from the fields. As the three of them washed up on the back porch, Mama went to the end of the porch where Papa stood alone. “What did Mr. Jamison want!” she asked, her voice barely audible.
晚饭一做好，我就抢在克里斯托弗和小家伙之前抓起了开饭的铃铛，跑去田里叫爸爸、莫里森先生和斯泰西吃饭。他们三个在后廊洗脸的时候，妈妈走到爸爸身边问：“杰米森先生说了什么？”
Papa took the towel Mama handed him, but did not reply immediately. I was just inside the kitchen dipping out the butter beans. I moved closer to the window so that I could hear his answer.
爸爸接过妈妈递过来的毛巾，没有立即回答。我正在厨房里舀豆子，悄悄往窗户靠了靠，想听清爸爸的回答。
“Don’t keep anything from me, David. If there’s trouble, I want to know.”
“大卫，别瞒着我。如果遇到什么麻烦的话，我应该知道。”
Mama sighed and stared out across the plowed field to the sloping pasture land. “I’m feeling scared, David,” she said.
妈妈叹了口气，凝视着犁过的田地：“大卫，我很害怕。”
Papa put down the towel. “Not yet, Mary. It’s not time to be scared yet. They’re just talking.”
爸爸放下毛巾：“玛丽，别担心，他们现在只是说说而已。”
Quickly I poured the rest of the butter beans into the bowl and hurried across the kitchen to the table. As Mama and Papa entered, I slid onto the bench beside Little Man and Christopher-John. Papa beamed down at the table. “Well, look-a-here!” he exclaimed. “Good ole butter beans and cornbread! You better come on. Mr. Morrison! You too, son!” he called. “These women folks done gone and fixed us a feast.”
我赶紧把剩下的豆子舀到碗里，穿过厨房，走到桌前。爸爸妈妈一进来，我就赶紧坐到小家伙和克里斯托弗的长板凳上，爸爸笑眯眯地看着餐桌。“哇，豆子和玉米面包，闻起来真香！莫里森先生，快过来，还有斯泰西，女士们为我们准备了丰盛的晚餐。”
Papa looked down at her, “Nothing to worry ’bout, honey… Just seems that Thurston Wallace been in town talking ’bout how he’s not gonna let a few smart colored folks ruin his business. Says he’s gonna put a stop to this shopping in Vicksburg. That’s all.”
爸爸低头看着她：“没什么，亲爱的…只是华莱士在城里到处说，不会让那几个黑人来搞砸他的生意，他想阻止我们到维京伯格买东西。”
“Then… then maybe it’ll be time. But right now, pretty lady,” he said, leading her by the hand toward the kitchen door, “right now I’ve got better things to think about.”
“那么…也许是时候了。“但是现在，漂亮的女士，”他牵着她的手走向厨房的门，“现在我有更好的事情要考虑。”
Mama turned and faced him. “And when they stop talking!”
妈妈转身面向爸爸：“他们什么时候才会消停呢？”
Papa put out his large hand and caressed my face. “Got to, Cassie girl,” he said softly. “Baby, there’s bills to pay and ain’t no money coming in. Your mama’s got no job come fall and there’s the mortgage and next year’s taxes to think of.”
爸爸伸手摸摸我的脸：“凯西宝贝，我不得不走。我们还有很多钱要缴，现在又没有了收入。你妈妈没了工作，可我们还是要缴贷款和明年的税啊。”
I released the firefly imprisoned in my hand and sat beside Papa and Stacey on the steps. “Papa, please,” I said, leaning against his leg, “don’t go this year.” Stacey looked out into the falling night, his face resigned, and said nothing.
我放开手中的萤火虫，坐到爸爸和斯泰西旁边。“爸爸，你别走。”我靠着他的腿，“今年就别走了。”斯泰西凝望着低垂的夜空，一言不发。
After school was out, spring drooped quickly toward summer: yet Papa had not left for the railroad. He seemed to be waiting for something, and I secretly hoped that whatever that something was, it would never come so that he would not leave. But one evening as he, Mama, Big Ma, Mr. Morrison, and Stacey sat on the front porch while Christopher-John, Little Man, and I dashed around the yard chasing fireflies, I overheard him say, “Sunday I’m gonna have to go. Don’t want to though. I got this gut feeling it ain’t over yet. It’s too easy.”
学期结束后，春天也即将过去了。爸爸并没有去铺铁路，他好像在等待着什么。我心里暗暗希望，无论他在等着什么，最好都不要来，这样他就不会离开了。但是有一天晚上，奶奶、莫里森先生、斯泰西坐在前廊，我、克里斯托弗和小家伙在追着萤火虫玩。无意间，我听到爸爸说：“星期天我得走了，虽然我也不想，事情还远没有结束。”
“But, Papa, we planted more cotton this year. Won’t that pay the taxes!”
“可是，爸爸，今年我们种了更多的棉花，还不够吗？”
Papa shook his head. “With Mr. Morrison here we was able to plant more, but that cotton is for living on; the rail-road money is for the taxes and the mortgage.”
爸爸摇摇头：“莫里森先生在这儿，我们能够种更多棉花，可是，棉花是用来维持生计的，而工作赚的钱是拿来缴税和还贷款的。”
I looked back at Mama wanting her to speak, to persuade him to stay, but when I saw her face I knew that she would not. She had known he would leave, just as we all had known.
我回头看着妈妈，希望她说些什么，能让爸爸留下。可我一看到她，我就知道没希望了。妈妈知道爸爸会离开，我们都知道。
“Papa, just another week or two, couldn’t you?”
“爸爸，再留一两个礼拜吧…”
“I can’t, baby. May have lost my job already.
“不行，宝贝，这样的话我就可能连工作都没有了。”
“Cassie, that’s enough now,” Mama said from the deepening shadows.
“凯西，够了。”妈妈制止了我。
From the edge of the lawn where Little Man and Christopher-John had ventured after lightning bugs, Little Man called, “Somebody’s coming!” A few minutes later Mr. Avery and Mr. Lanier emerged from the dusk and walked up the sloping lawn. Mama sent Stacey and me to get more chairs for the porch, then we settled back beside Papa still sitting on the steps, his back propped against a pillar facing the visitors.
在不远处小家伙和克里斯托弗捉萤火虫的地方，我听到小家伙的声音：“有人来了！”过了一会儿，艾弗里先生和拉尼尔先生出现在了暮色中，朝我们走来。妈妈让我和斯泰西去搬几张椅子来，爸爸靠着柱子，看着他们。
I grew quiet and Papa put his arms around Stacey and me, his hands falling casually over our shoulders.
我不再说话。爸爸把手搭在我和斯泰西的肩上。
“But Papa –“
“可是…”
Mr. Avery cleared his throat nervously. “It’s — it’s that list I come ’bout, David… I don’t want them things no more.”
艾弗里先生有些紧张，他清了清喉咙：“我，我正好要说这事…大卫，我们不需要那些东西了。”
Papa motioned to Mr. Morrison. “Mr. Morrison and me going the day after tomorrow. Your wife brought down that list of things you need yesterday.”
爸爸说：“我们明天去，你的太太昨天已经把购物单给我了。”
Mr. Avery’s coughing interrupted him and he waited patiently until the coughing had stopped before he went on. “I’m gonna be hard put to pay that debt in Vickrburg, David, but I’m gonna… I want you to know that.”
艾弗里先生咳了几声，等到咳嗽声停下来，拉尼尔先生接着说：“我也没有办法支付在维京伯格买东西欠下的债了，大卫…希望你能理解。”
The porch grew silent.
门廊一片寂静。
When no one said anything, Mr. Avery glanced at Mr. Lanier, and Mr. Lanier shook his head and continued. “Mr. Granger making it hard on us, David. Said we gonna have to give him sixty percent of the cotton, ‘stead of fifty… now that the cotton’s planted and it’s too late to plant more… Don’t s’pose though that it makes much difference. The way cotton sells these days, seems the more we plant, the less money we gets anyways –“
艾弗里先生瞥了一眼拉尼尔先生，拉尼尔先生接过话头：“格兰杰先生给我们施压了。他说我们得给他百分之六十的棉花，以前都是百分之五十…现在棉花已经种下了，来不及再多种一些了，不过即使可以多种也无济于事。按照棉花现在的价格，种得越多，赚得越少…”
“You goin’ up to the store tomorrow, David!” Mr. Avery asked after all the amenities had been said. Since the first hip in January, Mr. Morrison had made one other trip to Vicksburg, but Papa had not gone with him.
“明天你去商店吗，大卫？”艾弗里先生跟我们打完招呼后问。自从一月份去了一次维京伯格之后，莫里森先生还去了一次，那次爸爸并没有跟去。
“That does it,” Mama sighed wearily,
“的确如此。”妈妈轻叹了一声。
Mr. Avery shook his head. “Times too hard.”
艾弗里先生摇摇头：“但时间太紧迫了。”
“Montier did,” replied Mr. Avery, “but far as I know Mr. Harrison ain’t. He’s a decent man.”
“蒙泰尔提高了。”艾弗里先生说，“不过现在哈里森先生还没有，他是个正派人。”
Papa nodded, looking toward the road. “I suppose Montier and Harrison raised their percentages too,” he said.
爸爸点点头：“我想蒙泰尔和哈里森也提高了百分比吧？”
Papa kept looking out into the darkness. “Forty percent. I expect a man used to living on fifty could live on forty… if he wanted to hard enough.”
爸爸凝望着夜幕：“平时靠着百分之五十的收入过活的人，咬咬牙的话…应该是可以靠百分之四十的收入过下去的。”
“I wasn’t talking ’bout that,” said Papa flatly.
“别说这些。”爸爸语气平静。
Times are hard for everybody,” Papa said.
“时间对所有人来说都很紧迫。”
Mr. Avery cleared his throat. “I know. I — I feel real bad ’bout what T. J. done –“
艾弗里先生清了清嗓子：“我知道。我，我对提杰所做的事情真的感到抱歉…”
Mr. Avery nodded self-consciously, then leaned forward in his chair and looked out into the forest. “But — but that ain’t all Mr. Granger said. Said, too, we don’t give up this shoppin’ in Vicksburg, we can jus’ get off his land. Says he tired of us stirrin’ up trouble ‘gainst decent white folks. Then them Wallaces, they come by my place, Brother Lanier’s, and everybody’s on this thing that owes them money. Said we can’t pay our debts, they gonna have the sheriff out to get us… put us on the chain gang to work it off.”
艾弗里先生不好意思地点点头：“但，格兰杰先生还说了，如果我们不放弃到维京伯格买东西的话，就不能再租用他的土地了。他说，他不想忍受我们再给他们那些高贵的白人惹麻烦了。所以，华莱士为了讨回我们欠的钱，还到我、拉尼尔以及其他人的家里，他还说如果我们还不了钱的话，就要把我们抓起来…让我们当奴隶抵债。”
“Oh, good Lord!” exclaimed Big Ma.
“哦，我的天哪！”奶奶惊叹道。
Mr. Avery’s coughing started again and for a while there was only the coughing and the silence. But when the coughing ceased, Mr. Lanier said, “I pray to God there was a way we could stay in this thing, but we can’t go on no chain gang, David.”
艾弗里先生又开始咳嗽，很长一段时间里，除了咳嗽声，没有其他声音。他的咳嗽声停下后，拉尼尔先生接着说：“上帝啊，希望我们能想出好办法来，但我们仍无法逃脱该死的命运。”
Papa nodded. “Don’t expect you to, Silas.”
爸爸点了点头：“不只是你啊。”
Papa stood suddenly and grabbed Stacey upward. “You, boy, don’t you get so grown you go to talking ’bout more than you know. Them men, they doing what they’ve gotta do. You got any idea what a risk they took just to go shop ping in Vicksburg in the first place! They go on that chain gang and their families got nothing. They’ll get kicked off that plot of land they tend and there’ll be no place for them to go. You understand that!”
爸爸突然起身，抓住了斯泰西：“孩子，别以为自己已经长大了，就在那里乱猜测，他们都是不得已才这么做的。如果他们继续在维京伯格买东西的话，你知道他们要冒多大的风险吗？他们会再度成为奴隶，会失去一切。他们会被赶出这个地方，无处可去。你明白吗？”
Mr. Lanier nodded and added, “Gotta go up to that store by tomorrow to show good faith.”
拉尼尔先生点点头，接着说：“明天去华莱士商店买东西吧，以示诚意。”
Mr. Avery laughed softly, “We sure had’em goin’ for a time though, didn’t we!”
艾弗里先生淡淡地笑了笑：“但我们也曾经让他们难受了一阵啊。”
“Yes,” agreed Papa quietly, “we sure did.”
“是啊，的确如此。”爸爸回应道。
When the men had left, Stacey snapped, They got no right pulling out! Just ’cause them Wallaces threaten them one time they go jumping all over themselves to get out like a bunch of scared jackrabbits –
当他们离开后，斯泰西突然说：“他们不能就这样退缩！就因为华莱士威胁了他们一次，他们就吓得像兔子一样乱窜…”
Papa released him and stared moodily into the night. “You were born blessed, boy, with land of your own. If you hadn’t been, you’d cry out for it while you try to survive… like Mr. Lanier and Mr. Avery, Maybe even do what they doing now. It’s hard on a man to give up, but sometimes it seems there just ain’t nothing else he can do.”
爸爸放开他，忧愁地看着夜空：“你生来便很幸运，孩子。你生活在自己的土地上，没尝过拼命求生的滋味…要是你像拉尼尔先生和艾弗里先生那样，你或许就会做出像他们那样的选择。放弃很难，但有时他们不得不放弃他们想要得到的东西。”
“I…, I’m sorry, Papa,” Stacey muttered.
“我…我很抱歉，爸爸。”斯泰西轻声道。
“Y-yessir,” said Stacey.
“明白了…”斯泰西说。
After a moment, Papa reached out and draped his arm over Stacey’s shoulder.
爸爸将手搭在斯泰西的肩膀上。
Papa looked down at me and brought me closer, then waved his hand toward the drive. “You see that fig tree over yonder, Cassie! Them other trees all around…, that oak and walnut, they’re a lot bigger and they take up more room and give so much shade they almost overshadow that little ole fig. But that fig tree’s got roots that run deep, and it belongs in that yard as much as that oak and walnut. It keeps on blooming, bearing good fruit year after year, knowing all the time it’ll never get as big as them other trees. Just keeps on growing and doing what it gotta do. It don’t give up. It give up, it’ll die. There’s a lesson to be learned from that little tree, Cassie girl, ’cause we’re like it. We keep doing what we gotta, and we don’t give up. We can’t.”
爸爸低头看着我，将我拉近，然后指向马路：“你看到那边那棵无花果树了吗？它周围的那些树，橡树啊，胡桃木啊，占据了大部分的空间，它们投下的树荫几乎都遮蔽住了那棵小无花果树，然而它的根却一直往下扎。它和其他树一样，都属于这片土地，它知道自己无法长得像其他树那样高，却依然开花结果，年复一年。它不曾放弃，一旦放弃，便是死亡。凯西，我们也像它一样啊，别放弃我们坚持的事情，千万别放弃。”
“Papa,” I said, standing to join them, “we giving up too!”
我起身凑向他们：“爸爸，我们要放弃吗？”
After Mr. Morrison had retired to his own house and Big Ma, the boys, and I had gone to bed, Papa and Mama remained on the porch, talking in hushed whispers. It was comforting listening to them, Mama’s voice a warm, lilting murmur, Papa’s a quiet, easy-flowing hum. After a few minutes they left the porch and their voices grew faint. I climbed from the bed, careful not to awaken Big Ma, and went to the window. They were walking slowly across the moon-soaked grass, their arms around each other.
莫里森先生回去后，奶奶、男孩们和我也上床睡觉了，爸爸妈妈依然留在门廊，悄声说话。妈妈的声音轻柔温暖，爸爸的声音则平静低沉，听他们说话不由得让人心里舒畅。过了一会儿，他们离开门廊，声音渐渐变小了。我悄悄从床上爬起来，小心翼翼走向窗边，看到爸爸妈妈正手牵着手，慢慢走过月光照耀的草地。
Papa reached into the tree and broke off a twig. “We can’t just stop taking care of business ’cause of them Wallaces, Mary. You know that.”
爸爸折断了一根树枝：“我们不能因为华莱士就放弃了，玛丽，你知道的。”
“First thing tomorrow, I’m gonna go ’round and see how many folks are still in this thing,” Papa said, stopping under the oak.
“明天我就先去看看有多少人跟这件事有关。”爸爸在屋旁的橡树前停下，“我要在去维京伯格之前弄清楚。”near the house，“I wanna know before we make that trip to Vicksburg。
Mama was quiet a moment. “I don’t think you and Mr. Morrison should go to Vicksburg right now, David. Not with the Wallaces threatening people like they are. Wait awhile.”
妈妈沉默了一会儿：“我觉得你和莫里森先生还是不要现在去维京伯格。华莱士刚威胁过他们，还是过一阵子吧。”
Mama did not reply.
妈妈没有回答。
Papa leaned against the tree, “I think I’ll take Stacey with me.”
爸爸靠着树：“我想带斯泰西一起去。”
“Now, David, no –“
“大卫，不要。”
“Baby, a boy get as big as Stacey down here and he’s near a man. He’s gotta know a man’s things. He gotta know how to handle himself.”
“亲爱的，像斯泰西这么大的孩子，就是个小大人了。他应该知道大人的事情，知道自己应该怎么处理事情。”
“I know, but –“
“我知道，可是…”
“Mary, I want him strong… not a fool like T. J.”
“玛丽，我希望他坚强，不要像提杰那么傻…”
Papa allowed the silence to seep between them before he said, “It’s not like you, honey, to be bitter.”
爸爸沉默了一会儿，然后说：“亲爱的，你似乎带着恨意，这不像平常的你啊。”
“He’s got more brains and learning than that,” Mama snapped.
“他比提杰聪明多了。”
“He’ll be thirteen next month, honey, and he needs to be with me more. I can’t take him with me on the railroad, but I can take him with me where I go ’round here. And I want him to know business… how to take care of it, how to take care of things when I ain’t around.”
“他下个月就十三岁了，他需要多和我在一起。我不能带着他跟我一块儿去铺铁路，但是至少在这儿我还能带一带他。我想让他知道些生意事…知道我如果不在的话，他该怎么处理。”
“Seems to me it isn’t bothering Joe Avery much. He doesn’t seem to be doing anything about it.”
“艾弗里似乎并不那么在意，他好像对提杰做的那件事没什么反应。”
“David, he’s just a boy.”
“大卫，他还是个孩子。”
“I know.” Papa said quietly. “Still it worries me, seeing T. J· turning like he is.”
“我知道。”爸爸语气平静，“但我还是很担心，看到提杰把斯泰西玩得团团转。”
“I’m not bitter,” said Mama, folding her arms across her chest. “It’s just that the boy’s gotten out of hand, and doesn’t seem like anybody’s doing anything about it.”
“我才没有呢。”妈妈双手环抱着胸，“那孩子走了歪路，却没有人管管他。”
“He can still put a good strip of leather against his bottom, can’t he!” It was clear that Mama was unsympathetic to Mr. Avery’s problem.
“他可以用皮鞭揍提杰一顿啊。”妈妈还是不满艾弗里先生的处理方式。
“Well, sassy or not,” Mama grumbled, “they’d better figure out some way of getting that boy back on the right track because he’s headed for a whole lot of trouble.”
“不管怎样，他们也得想个办法让提杰回到正轨，否则后果会很严重的。”
“Said he tried. but his health’s so poor, he ended up with a bad coughing spell. Got so sick from it, he had to go to bed. Said after that Fannie tried to whip the boy, but T. J.’s stronger than her, and it didn’t do no good.” Papa paused, then added, “He’s gotten pretty sassy, too, I understand.”
“他说他试过了，但他自己身体太差，反而让自己咳个不停，得躺在床上休息。他还让芬妮打了提杰一顿，可也没有用，提杰力气比她大多了。”爸爸顿了顿，又补充道，“而且提杰也变得更加厚脸皮了。”
“I told you I was.”
“我已经说了，我会去。”
Papa sighed heavily and left the tree. “We’d better go in. I’ve gotta get an early start if I’m gonna get ’round to everybody.”
爸爸深深叹了口气：“我们还是赶紧回屋睡觉吧，如果明天要挨家挨户拜访，就要早起了。”
“You’re still set on going to Vicksburg!”
“你还是打算去维京伯格吗？”
“The other day Joe told me he couldn’t do nothing with T. J. anymore. That’s a hard thing for a man to admit.”
“前几天艾弗里跟我说，他已经拿提杰没办法了。”
Mama laughed lightly in exasperation. “Sometimes, David Logan, I wonder why I didn’t many sweet, quiet Ronald Carter or nice, mild Harold Davis.”
妈妈无奈地笑了笑：“大卫，我真不明白，我当初为什么没嫁给温柔的罗兰·卡特，或是善良的哈罗德·戴维斯。”
Then they both laughed, and together moved slowly to the side of the house.
爸爸妈妈不约而同地笑了出来，然后慢慢走回了屋里。
“Probably got held up someplace,” said Big Ma. “Could’ve stopped to get out of this storm.”
“可能是困在哪儿了吧。”奶奶说，“或许是停下来躲雨了。”
Seven families, including ours, still refused to shop at the Wallace store even with the threat of the chain gang. Mama said that the number was not significant enough to hurt the Wallaces, only enough to rile them, and she worried, afraid for Papa, Stacey, and Mr. Morrison to make the trip. But nothing she could say could change Papa’s mind and they left as planned on Wednesday morning long before dawn.
除了我们之外的七户人家，虽然受到了威胁，但还是拒绝到华莱士商店买东西。妈妈说这个数字并不足以打击到华莱士一家，只是会激怒他们。她担心爸爸、斯泰西和莫里森先生的维京伯格之旅很有可能会遭遇危险。但是无论妈妈怎样劝说，爸爸还是一根筋。爸爸按照原定计划，星期三天还没亮就走了。
“Because, woman,” Papa said, putting his arm around her, “you took one look at big, handsome me and no one else would do.”
“因为，你一看到英俊潇洒的我，眼里就没有别人了。”
On Thursday, when they were to return, it began to rain, a hard, swelling summer rain which brought a premature green darkness to the land and forced us to leave our hoeing of the cotton field and return to the house. As the thunder rumbled overhead, Mama peered out the window at the dark road. “Wonder what’s keeping them,” she said, more to herself than anyone else.
星期四，他们还没回来，雨下了起来。这场夏天的雷阵雨，来势汹汹，让我们不得不放弃棉花田的工作回到家里。雷声“轰隆隆”地在屋顶响着，妈妈看着窗外黑漆漆的道路十分担心：“不知道他们怎么耽搁了。”
As the evening fell into total darkness, we grew silent, the boys and I saying very little, Mama and Big Ma concentrating on their sewing, their brews furrowed. My throat grew tight, and without knowing why I was afraid, I was. “Mama,” I said, “they all right, ain’t they!”
天色全暗下来时，大家变得很安静。男孩们和我也没怎么说话，妈妈和奶奶专心缝补着衣服，两人紧锁着眉头。我的喉咙像是被什么东西卡着一样，不知道为何变得无比害怕：“妈妈，他们不会出什么事情了吧？”
Mama stared down at me. “Course they’re all right. They’re just late, that’s all.”
妈妈瞪了我一眼：“当然不会，他们只是晚了一点而已。”
“But, Mama, you s’pose maybe somebody done –“
“可是，妈妈…”
Mama turned from the window. “You’re most likely right,” she agreed, picking up a pair of Christopher-John’s pants to mend.
妈妈转过身：“或许吧。”她拿起克里斯托弗的裤子缝补了起来。
“I think you children better go on to bed.” Mama said sharply without letting me finish.
“快上床睡觉！”妈妈命令道。
“But I wanna wait up for Papa.” objected Little Man.
“可我想等爸爸回来。”小家伙不依不饶。
“Me, too,” said sleepy Christopher-John.
“我也是。”虽然克里斯托弗很困倦，但他依然坚持着。
Since there was nothing we could do but obey, we went to bed. But I could not sleep. A cold fear crept up my body, churning my stomach and tightening its grip on my throat. Finally, when I felt that I was going to be sick from it, I rose and padded silently into Mama and Papa’s room.
我们除了服从之外，别无选择。可是我却辗转反侧，难以入睡。一阵寒意侵袭着我，我的胃翻腾不已，喉咙发紧。最后，我实在是受不了了，于是爬下床，慢慢走到妈妈的房间里。
“You’ll see him in the morning. Now get to bed!”
“你们明天一早就能看到爸爸了，现在，去睡觉！”
“But something’s happened to them! I can feel it.”
“可是，我能感觉得到，他们出事了！”
Mama was standing with her back to me, her arms folded, and Big Ma was still patching. Neither one of them heard the door swing open. I started to speak, but Mama was talking and I decided not to interrupt her. “… I’ve got a good mind to saddle Lady and go looking for them.” she said.
妈妈背对着我站着，双手环抱着胸，奶奶还在缝补着衣服，她们都没听到我开门的声音。妈妈说着话：“我想骑着‘小姐’去找他们…”
“No… no,” said Mama shaking her head. The Wallaces aren’t just in my mind, they –” She stopped suddenly and stood very still.
妈妈摇摇头：“不，我没有瞎想，华莱士他们…”她停下来，呆呆地站着。
“It’s just in yo’ mind, child,” Big Ma scoffed unconvincingly. “Them men folks all right.”
“别瞎想，孩子，他们会没事的。”
“Mary –“
“玛丽…”
“Now, Mary, what good would that do!” Big Ma questioned. “You runnin’ ’round out there on that mare by yo’self in this darkness and rain!”
“玛丽，这样做又有什么用呢？”奶奶说，“你一个人骑着一匹母马，冒着大雨，在黑漆漆的夜里找来找去，有什么用呢？”
Unable to stay put, I dashed across the room. “Cassie, what you doin’ up, girl!” asked Big Ma, swatting me as I passed her. But Mama, staring into the wet night, said nothing when I reached her side.
我没法站着不动，也跑出了房间：“凯西，你起来做什么？”在我经过奶奶身边时，她用力打了我一下。我跑到妈妈身边，妈妈一言不发，静静地望着潮湿的雨夜。
“Thought I heard something.” The dogs started barking and she turned, half running, across the room. Pushing up the lock in a mad haste, she swung the door open and cried into the storm, “David! David!”
“我好像听到了什么声音。”狗叫了起来，妈妈猛然转身，急忙打开锁，拉开门，在暴风雨中大喊，“大卫！大卫！”
“Is it them!” I asked.
“是他们吗？”我问。
Out of the darkness a round light appeared, moving slowly across the drive, and Mr. Morrison’s voice drifted softly to us. “Go on, Stacey,” he said, “I got him.” Then Stacey, a flashlight in his hand, came into sight, followed by Mr. Morrison carrying Papa.
黑暗中出现了一丝光亮，缓缓地移向车道。然后我听到了莫里森先生轻柔的声音：“往前走，斯泰西，我扶住了。”然后我看到斯泰西拿着手电筒，后面跟着莫里森先生，他正搀扶着爸爸。
Big Ma standing behind me stepped back, pulling me with her. She stripped the bed to its sheets and ordered, “Put him right here, Mr. Morrison.”
身后的奶奶突然拉着我后退，她拉开床罩：“莫里森先生，把他放在这里吧。”
“Hey, baby…” Papa said faintly, “I’m… all right. Just got my leg broke, that’s all…”
“哦，亲爱的…”爸爸虚弱地说，“我…很好…只是腿断了而已…”
“Wagon rolled over it.” said Mr. Morrison, avoiding Mama’s eyes. “We better get that leg set. Didn’t have time on the road.”
“被马车碾的。”莫里森先生回避着妈妈的目光，“我们最好把他的腿重新固定一下，在路上没有多少时间好好处理。”
“David!” Mama gasped, her voice a frightened whisper.
“大卫！”妈妈喘着气，声音中带着恐惧。
As Mr. Morrison climbed the stairs, we could see that Papa’s left leg stuck straight out, immobilized by his shot- gun strapped to it with a rope. His head was wrapped in a rag through which the dark redness of his blood had seeped. Mr. Morrison eased Papa through the doorway, careful not to hit the strapped leg, and laid him gently on the bed. Mama went immediately to the bed and took Papa’s hand.
莫里森先生爬上阶梯，我看到爸爸的左腿直直地僵着，上面用绳子绑着他的枪用来固定。爸爸的头上包着一块布，渗出了深红色的血。莫里森先生小心翼翼地扶着爸爸，将他安置在床上。妈妈立刻冲到床边，拉起爸爸的手。
“But his head –” Mama said, her eyes questioning Mr. Morrison. But Mr. Morrison said nothing further and Mama turned to Stacey. “You all right, son?”
“可是他的头…”妈妈的眼神依然充满疑问，但莫里森先生没有回答。妈妈转向了斯泰西：“你还好吧，孩子？”
“Yes’m,” Stacey said, his face strangely ashen, his eyes on Papa.
“还好。”斯泰西看着爸爸，脸色苍白。
But Stacey and I remained rooted, watching Papa, and did not move until Christopher-John and Little Man made a sleepy entrance.
我和斯泰西一动不动地站在那儿，静静地看着爸爸，直到小家伙和克里斯托弗揉着惺忪的睡眼出现。
“Wh-what’s the matter!” asked Christopher-John. wide awake now. “Papa, what’s the matter! How come you got that thing on your head!”
“发生什么了？”克里斯托弗现在完全清醒了，“爸爸，你怎么了？你头上的伤是怎么回事？”
“Go back to bed, children,” Mama said, rushing to keep them from coming farther into the room, but before she could reach them Christopher-John spied Papa on the bed and shot past her. “Papa, you got back!”
“快去睡觉，孩子们。”妈妈冲了过来，不想让他们走到房间里。但克里斯托弗一眼就看到了爸爸，他冲了进来：“爸爸，你回来啦！”
“I’ll get a fire started,” said Big Ma disappearing into the kitchen as Mama turned to the closet to find sheets for making a cast.
“我去生火。”奶奶走进厨房，妈妈在衣橱里找床单做纱布。
Mr. Morrison swung him upward before he could jar the bed.
他还没碰到床沿，莫里森先生就拦住了他。
Then get out of those wet things. Don’t want you catching pneumonia. Cassie, you go to bed.”
“快把湿衣服换掉，可不要得肺炎了。凯西，快上床睡觉！”
“What’s going on!” asked Little Man, frowning into the light.
“出什么事了？”小家伙皱着眉头看着灯光。
Stacey shook his head. “I dunno. His leg’s busted up by the wagon… and he’s shot.”
斯泰西摇摇头：“我不太清楚。爸爸的腿被马车碾了，头还被枪射伤了。”
Stacey herded us into the boys’ room.
斯泰西把我们赶到了他们的房间。
“Shot!” Christopher-John and Little Man exclaimed fear- fully, but I was silent, too afraid now to speak, to think.
“枪！”小家伙和克里斯托弗都惊呼起来，而我吓得说不出一句话，脑子里一片空白。
As soon as the door closed behind us, I asked, “Stacey, how bad Papa hurt!” Stacey felt around for the lamp, lit it, then plopped wearily on the side of the bed. We huddled around him. “Well!”
门一关上，我就问他：“斯泰西，爸爸伤得有多重？”斯泰西点燃灯，虚弱地靠在那里，我们围着他，“到底怎么了？”
“Your Papa’s asleep,” said Mama as Mr. Morrison set Christopher-John back down. “Stacey, take them back to bed… and get out of those clothes.” None of us stirred. “Move when I tell you!” Mama hissed impatiently, her face more worried than angry.
“你爸爸睡着了。”莫里森先生轻轻推开了克里斯托弗，妈妈走了过来，“斯泰西，带他们去睡觉。还有，把你身上的湿衣服换下来。”我们一动不动。“快去，听到没有？”妈妈有些不耐烦了，但看起来担心甚过生气。
“Mr. Morrison says he don’t think the bullet hurt him much. Says he thinks it just hit his skin… here.” Stacey ran his forefinger along his right temple. “And didn’t sink in nowhere.”
“莫里森先生觉得子弹并没有打中要害，只是伤到皮肤而已。”斯泰西用食指指了指太阳穴，“子弹没有到里面去。”
“But who’d shoot Papa!” asked Little Man, greatly agitated. “Can’t nobody just shoot Papa!”
“谁开的枪？”小家伙焦急地问，“没人敢射爸爸的呀！”
Stacey stood then and motioned Christopher-John and Little Man under the covers. “I’ve said too much already. Cassie, go on to bed.”
斯泰西站起来，示意小家伙和克里斯托弗钻到被窝里：“我已经说了很多了，凯西，回去睡觉吧。”
“Well. what happened out there?” I repeated.
“告诉我，到底发生了什么？”我再一次问道。
“Cassie… you go on to bed!”
“凯西…回去睡觉！”
“How the wagon roll over him! How he get shot!” I blurted out angrily, already plotting revenge against whoever had dared hurt my father.
“马车是怎么碾过爸爸的？爸爸是怎么被枪射中的？”我无比愤怒，心里已经决定要向那个伤害爸爸的人复仇。
Stacey sighed despairingly and sat down. “We was coming back from Vicksburg when the back wheels come off,” he said, his voice a hollow whisper. “It was already dark and it was raining too, and Papa and Mr. Morrison, they thought somebody done messed with them wheels for both of them to come off at the same time like they did. Then when I told them I’d seen two boys near the wagon when we was in Vicksburg, Papa said we didn’t have time to unhitch and unload the wagon like we should to put them wheels back on. He thought somebody was coming after us.”
斯泰西叹了口气，“我们从维京伯格回来时，车子的后轮掉了。”他的声音听起来很是虚弱，“那时天已经黑了，而且还下着雨，爸爸和莫里森先生认为是有人在轮子上动了手脚，因为两个轮子不可能同时掉下来。我跟他们说，在维京伯格时，我看到两个男孩靠近马车。爸爸说我们没有时间解开马车，卸下货物，再装上轮子，他觉得有人在跟踪我们。”
“I’ll call Mama,” he threatened.
“我叫妈妈过来了！”他威胁我。
“Cassie, go on now like Mama said.”
“妈妈也说了，回去睡觉。”
He went to the door and opened it. Christopher-John, Little Man, and I watched him eagerly, But he soon closed the door and came back to the bed.
斯泰西走到门边，打开了门。但我们都急切地看着他，他立刻关上门，回到床边。
“What was they doing!” asked Little Man.
“他们在做什么？”小家伙问。
“She too busy,” I said, folding my arms and feeling confident that he would tell the story.
“妈妈太忙了。”我双手叉胸，觉得他一定会说出实情。
“Big Ma’s tending Papa’s head.”
“奶奶在治疗爸爸的头。”
“Ain’t moving till you tell me!”
“你不说，我就不走！”
I continued to sit, my mind unable to move.
我坐着一动不动。
“But who –” I started.
“到底是谁？”我叫了起来。
“A truck come up the road and stopped behind us while we was trying to get that wheel on, but didn’t none of us hear it coming ’cause of the rain and the thunder and all, and they didn’t put their lights on till the truck stopped. Anyways, there was three men in that truck and soon as Papa seen ’em, he reached for his shotgun. That’s when they shot him and he fell back with his left leg under the wagon. Then… then Jack reared up, scared by the shot, and I — I couldn’t hold him… and… and the wagon rolled over Papa’s leg.” His voice cracked sharply, and he exploded guiltily, “It’s m-my fault his leg’s busted!”
“在我们装轮子的时候，一辆卡车开了过来，停在我们后面，但是雨声和雷声实在太大了，我们根本就没有发现。他们一直到停下车，才打开车灯。车上有三个人，爸爸刚发现他们，他们就掏出枪射中了爸爸。爸爸倒在地上，左腿正好在马车下，杰克被枪声吓到了，我…我拉不住它，所以马车就碾过了爸爸的腿。”斯泰西一脸自责，“都是我的错！”
I thought on what he had said and, laying my hand on his shoulder, I said, “Naw, it ain’t. It’s them men’s.”
我把头靠在他的肩膀上：“不是你的错，是那帮坏人。”
“So after we found the wheels and the bolts, Papa told me to hold the reins real tight on Jack to keep him still… Jack, he was real skittish ’cause of the storm. Then Mr. Morrison went and lifted that wagon ail by himself. And it was heavy too, but Mr. Morrison lifted it like it wasn’t nothing. Then Papa slipped the first wheel on… That’s when he got shot –“
“所以，找到了轮子上松开的螺丝钉以后，爸爸叫我抓好系着杰克的缰绳，别让它乱动…但因为暴风雨，杰克看起来异常焦躁。然后，莫里森先生到车后把车抬了起来。车很重，可莫里森先生还是把它抬了起来。这时候，爸爸把第一个轮子装上…就被枪射中了…”
Stacey did not speak for a while and I did not prod him to go on. Finally, he cleared his throat and continued huskily. “Soon’s I could, I… I tied Jack to a tree and run back to Papa, but Papa told me not to move him and to get down in the gully. After them men shot Papa, they come down trying to get Mr. Morrison, but he was too fast and strong for ’em. I couldn’t see everything that happened ’cause they didn’t always stay in front of them headlights, but I did see Mr. Morrison pick up one of them like he wasn’t nothing but a sack of chicken feathers and ding him down on the ground so hard it must’ve broke his back. Ain’t never seen nothin’ like it before in my whole life. Then one of them other two that had a gun shot at Mr. Morrison, but he didn’t hit him. Mr. Morrison, he ducked away from the headlights into the darkness and they went after him.”
斯泰西没说话，我也没有催促他讲下去。过了一会儿，他清清喉咙，用沙哑的声音说：“我…我把杰克绑在树上，然后跑到爸爸那儿，但爸爸叫我不要移动他，让我先躲到壕沟里。那些人开枪射中爸爸后，还想抓住莫里森先生。但莫里森先生很强壮，他们根本抓不住他。因为实在是太黑了，我也没法看清所有发生的事情。我只看到莫里森先生把其中一个人像提一袋鸡毛一样拎了起来，然后重重地摔在地上。剩下的两个人开始开枪，不过都没有射中。莫里森先生飞快地躲进暗处，那两个人追了过去。”
“Couldn’t see nothin’ then,” he said, glancing toward the door where Papa lay. “Heard bones cracking. Heard somebody cursing and crying. Then I couldn’t hear nothin’ but the rain, and I was real scared. ‘Fraid they’d killed Mr. Morrison.”
“然后我就看不到他们了。”斯泰西望着爸爸躺着的地方，“我只听到了骨头断裂的声音，接着是咒骂声和叫喊声，然后除了雨声，就什么也听不到了。我害怕极了，担心他们会杀了莫里森先生。”
“I don’t want Papa to die!” wailed Little Man.
“我不要爸爸死！”小家伙叫了起来。
There was a fearful moment’s silence, then Christopher- John, tears in his dark eyes, asked, “Stacey, is… is Papa gonna die!”
气氛紧张得瘆人，克里斯托弗眼眶里盈满泪水：“斯泰西，爸爸…爸爸他不会死吧？”
Stacey looked at me and said flatly, “The Wallaces, I think.”
斯泰西看着我：“我猜是华莱士他们吧。”
“He was just sleeping — like Mama said. That’s all.”
“他只是睡着了，像妈妈说的那样。”
“Who was it!” I rasped, holding my breath.
“那些人到底是谁？”我焦急地问。
Stacey nodded. “Next thing I seen was a man coming real slow-like into the headlights and pick up the man lying in the middle of the road — the one Mr. Morrison thrown down. He got him into the truck, then come back and helped the other one. That one looked like he had a broke arm. It was hanging all crazy-like at his side. Then they turned the truck around and drove away.
斯泰西点点头：“我看到有一个人踉踉跄跄地走到车前，扶起倒在马路中间的同伴——就是被莫里森先生摔在地上的那家伙，把他拉到了卡车上，接着又回来帮另一个人。那个人好像手臂断了，手摇摇晃晃地垂着，然后他们把车掉了头，走了。”
“But he was so still –“
“但爸爸看起来…”
“Well, when he gonna wake up!” cried Christopher-John. the tears escaping down his plump cheeks.
“那他什么时候会醒过来？”克里斯托弗的眼泪都流到鼓鼓的腮帮子那儿了。
“No! Course not i” denied Stacey too quickly.
“不！怎么会！”
Stacey shrugged. “Nothin’. We put on the other wheel and come on home.”
“没什么，我们装上了轮子，就回来了。”
“Then what!” Little Man inquired.
“然后呢？”小家伙问。
“But they didn’t,” reminded Little Man, his eyes bright with excitement.
“但他们没有。”小家伙眼里闪着光亮。
“In — in the morning.” said Stacey, putting a comforting arm around both Christopher-John and Little Man.”Jus’ you wait and see. He’ll be jus’ fine come morning.”
“明天早上。”斯泰西轻轻拍了拍克里斯托弗和小家伙，“等着吧，明天早上爸爸就会好起来的。”
Stacey, still in his wet, muddy clothes, said nothing else, and neither did the rest of us. All the questions had been answered, yet we feared, and we sat silently listening to the rain, soft now upon the roof, and watching the door behind which Papa lay, and wished for morning.
斯泰西还穿着那身湿漉漉的衣服，没有再说什么。我们沉默着，知道了所有问题的答案。我们心里充满担忧，只能静静地坐着，听着滴答的雨声打在屋顶上，看着爸爸躺着的地方，祈求着明天的到来。
0 条评论