By the end of October the rain had come, falling heavily upon the six-inch layer of dust which had had its own way for more than two months. At first the rain had merely splotched the dust, which seemed to be rejoicing in its own resiliency and laughing at the heavy drops thudding against it: but eventually the dust was forced to surrender to the mastery of the rain and it churned into a fine red mud that oozed between our toes and slopped against our ankles as we marched miserably to and from school.
10月末，雨季开始了。豆大的雨点砸落在积了两个多月的厚厚的尘土上。刚开始，雨点还挺小的，地上的尘土轻轻地跃起，仿佛在笑这雨还无法撼动它。后来，雨越下越大，把灰尘都搅拌在了一起，和成了红色的泥浆。每次上学放学，讨人厌的泥浆都会渗到我们的脚趾，沾在我们的脚踝上。
To shield us from the rain, Mama issued us dried calf- skins which we flung over our heads and shoulders like stiff cloaks.
遇到这种下雨天，妈妈就会拿晒干的小牛皮给我们当雨衣。我们把它披在头上和肩上，像是一件硬邦邦的斗篷。
We were not very fond of the skins, for once they were wet they emitted a musty odor which seeped into our clothing and clung to our skins. We preferred to do with- out them; unfortunately, Mama cared very little about what we preferred.
我们很不喜欢牛皮，因为它一沾到水，就会散发出很难闻的味道，而且还会搞得衣服和皮肤也是这种味道。穿着它，我们还不如淋雨呢。不过妈妈并不在意我们怎么想。
Since we usually left for school after Mama, we solved this problem by dutifully cloaking ourselves with the skins before leaving home. As soon as we were beyond Big Ma’s eagle eyes, we threw off the cloaks and depended upon the overhanging limbs of the forest trees to keep us dry. Once at school, we donned the cloaks again and marched into our respective classrooms properly attired.
妈妈比我们早去学校，这使得我们想到一个绝好的办法来对付这件事情。从家里出发时，我们披上雨衣，一旦远离了奶奶的视线，我们就脱下雨衣到树底下避雨。快走到学校时，我们又披上雨衣，等到衣服差不多干了再走进教室。
If we had been faced only with the prospect of the rain soaking through our clothing each morning and evening, we could have more easily endured the journey between home and school. But as it was, we also had to worry about the Jefferson Davis school bus zooming frolic behind and splashing us with the murky waters of the road. Knowing that the bus driver liked to entertain his passengers by sending us slipping along the road to the almost inaccessible forest banks washed to a smooth baldness by the constant rains, we continuously looked over our shoulders when we were between the two crossroads so that we could reach the bank before the bus was upon us. But sometimes the rain pounded so heavily that it was all we could do to stay upright, and we did not look back as often nor listen as carefully as we should; we consequently found ourselves comical objects to cruel eyes that gave no thought to our misery.
如果只是淋雨的话，我们并不觉得有多么苦。不幸的是，我们还得提防杰斐逊大卫学校的校车，以防它从后头开过来溅我们一身泥。校车司机似乎很热衷于取悦他的乘客们。晴天时，我们还可以爬上土坡躲一躲；遇上下雨天，我们就爬不上土坡了。每当我们走到两个岔路口之间时，都会不停地往回看，赶在校车开过来前躲到土坡上。有时雨实在太大了，我们必须挺直身子往前走，没法时常回头看，雨声也会盖住校车的声音，结果我们又成了被捉弄的对象。
No one was more angered by this humiliation than Little Man. Although he had asked Mama after the first day of school why Jefferson Davis had two buses and Great Faith had none, he had never been totally satisfied by her answer. She had explained to him, as she had explained to Christopher-John the year before and to me two years before that, that the county did not provide buses for its black students. In fact, she said, the county provided very little and much of the money which supported the black schools came from the black churches. Great Faith Church just could not afford a bus, so therefore we had to walk.
没有人比小家伙更愤愤不平了。虽然在开学第一天小家伙就问妈妈为什么杰斐逊大卫学校有两辆校车，而大信仰中小学却一辆校车也没有，但妈妈的回答并没有让他满意。两年前，我和克里斯托弗也有这样的疑问。妈妈解释说，县里并不为黑人学生提供校车，而且，政府拨给黑人学校的补助也很少，大部分的资助来自黑人教堂，所以我们学校就没有校车，我们只能每天走路上学。
This information cut deeply into Little Man’s brain, and each day when he found his clean clothes splashed red by the school bus, he became more and more embittered until finally one day he stomped angrily into the kitchen and exploded. “They done it again, Big Ma! Just look at my clothes!”
这些话深深地印在小家伙的脑海里。每次他被经过的校车弄得一身狼狈时，他的愤怒便加深一层。有一天，他终于忍无可忍，一放学就冲进厨房大喊：“奶奶！他们又这样！看，我的衣服又脏了！”
“But, Big Ma, it ain’t fair!” wailed Little Man. “It just ain’t fair.”
“奶奶，奶奶，这不公平啊！”小家伙哀号起来，“不公平！”
Stacey and Christopher-John left to change into their work clothes, but Little Man sat on the side bench looking totally dejected as he gazed at his pale-blue pants crusted with mud from the knees down. Although each night Big Ma prepared a pot of hot soapy water for him to wash out his clothing, each day he arrived home looking as if his pants had not been washed in more than a month.
斯泰西和克里斯托弗回房间换工作服了，而小家伙依然坐在那儿，盯着他牛仔裤上的红泥巴印。虽然每天晚上奶奶都会帮他把裤子洗得很干净，但第二天放学回来，那条裤子又像一个月没洗似的。
Big Ma was not one for coddling any of us, but now she turned from the stove and, wiping her hands on her long white apron, sat down on the bench and put her arm around Little Man. “Now, look here, baby, it ain’t the end of the world. Lord. child. don’t you know one day the sun’ll shine again and you won’t get muddy no more!”
奶奶并不偏袒我们任何一个孩子。但看到小家伙那么伤心，她转过身，用围裙擦了擦手，坐在小家伙身旁：“小家伙，想开点吧，又不是世界末日。总有放晴的那天，那时，你就不会被泥巴弄脏了。”
Big Ma clucked her tongue as she surveyed us. “Well, go on and get out of ’em, honey, and wash ’em out. All of y’all, get out of them clothes and dry yo’selves.” she said, turning back to the huge iron-bellied stove to stir her stew.
奶奶咂了咂嘴：“哎，小宝贝，别理会他们，快去洗洗吧。还有你们，快把湿衣服脱掉，弄干自己。”说完，她又转身去炖汤了。
“But. Big Ma.” Little Man protested. “if that ole bus driver would slow down, I wouldn’t get muddy!” Then he frowned deeply and added, “Or ifn we had a bus like theirs.”
“不，奶奶，如果校车司机不减速的话，我还是会被弄脏的！”他紧紧皱着眉，“要是我们也有一辆校车就好了。”
“Well. he don’t and you don’t,” Big Ma said, getting up. “So ain’t no use frettin’ ’bout it. One day you’ll have a plenty of clothes and maybe even a car of yo’ own to ride ’round in, so don’t you pay no mind to them ignorant white folks. You jus’ keep on studyin’ and get yo’self a good education and you’ll be all right. Now. go on and wash out yo’ clothes and hang ’em by the fire so’s I can iron ’em ‘fore I go to bed.”
“可是，司机不会减速，你也不会有校车坐。”奶奶站了起来，“所以不要再烦恼啦。说不定有一天，你会有很多很多衣服，甚至是有一辆车。别去理会那些白人，你只要好好学习，将来就会过上好日子。你先去把衣服洗了，挂在火炉旁，晚上睡觉前我帮你熨好。”
That night when I was snug in the deep feathery bed beside Big Ma, the tat-tat of the rain against the tin roof changed to a deafening roar that sounded as if thousands of giant rocks were being hurled against the earth. By morning the heavy rain had become a drizzle, but the earth was badly sodden from the night’s downpour. High rivers of muddy water flowed in the deep gullies, and wide lakes shimmered on the roads.
那天晚上，我躺在柔软的羽毛床褥上，和奶奶睡在一起。雨点滴滴答答敲打着铁皮屋顶，后来雨越下越大，像是无数块大石头砸落在地上一样，声音有些吓人。第二天早上，大雨变成了毛毛细雨，不过昨晚的倾盆大雨已经将外面变成了一片汪洋。河水夹杂着泥沙淌入水沟，池塘水也漫到了路上。
Turning. she spied me. “Cassie, what you want, girl! Go change into yo’ pants and hurry on back here so’s you can help me get this supper on the table time yo’ mama get home.”
奶奶转过头看着我：“凯西，你愣在那干吗？快去把衣服换了，赶快回来帮我准备晚饭，我们要在你妈妈回来前做好饭菜。”
“Ah, shoot! I sure am gettin’ tired of this mess,” complained T. J.
“该死！我真是受够了这种坏天气！”提杰抱怨道。
We plodded along feeling the cold mud against our feet, walking faster and faster to reach the crossroads. Then Christopher-John stopped. “Hey, y’all, I think I hear it,” he warned.
我们踩着湿冷的泥巴，深一脚浅一脚，拼命地加快步伐，想快点赶到岔路口。克里斯托弗突然停了下来：“我好像听到它来了。”
As we set out for school the whiteness of the sun at- tempted to penetrate the storm clouds, but by the time we had turned north toward the second crossing it had given up, slinking meekly behind the blackening clouds. Soon the thunder rolled across the sky, and the rain fell like hail upon our bent heads.
当我们离开家时，太阳从乌云后露出了脸。不过当我们快走到第二个岔路口的时候，太阳又躲起来了。很快，一声雷鸣，大雨倾盆而至。
We looked around, but saw nothing.
我们回头张望，并没有看到什么。
But no one else said a word. We were listening for the bus. Although we had left home earlier than usual to cover the northern road before the bus came, we were not overly confident that we would miss it, for we had tried this strategy before. Sometimes it worked; most times it didn’t, It was as if the bus were a living thing, plaguing and defeating us at every turn. We could not outwit it.
不过我们并没有回应他，因为我们都在留神校车是不是快来了。虽然我们今天出发得比平时早，不过我们也不确定这次会不会遇上校车。以前我们也试过这招，有时候运气还不错，不过大多数时候行不通。那校车仿佛是个活着的怪物似的，我们走到哪它就能跟到哪。
“Ain’t nothin’ yet,” I said.
“还没来吧。”我说。
We walked on.
我们继续往前赶路。
“Wait a minute,” said Christopher-John, stopping a second time. “There it is again.”
“等一下，”克里斯托弗停住脚步，说，“我又听到了。”
“Wait,” said Stacey, “I think I hear it too.”
“等等，”斯泰西说，“我好像也听到了。”
We turned but still there was nothing.
我们再次回头张望，还是什么也没看到。
We hastened up the road to where the gully was narrower and we could easily swing up the bank into the forest.
我们赶紧跑到水沟比较窄的地方好爬上土坡，躲进树林里。
“Ah, man, that bus ain’t comin’ for a while yet,” said T. J. “We left early this mornin’, remember!”
“嘿，兄弟，校车才不会来那么快呢！忘了吗？我们今天可是一大早就出来了。”提杰说。
“Why don’t you clean out your ears!” T. J. exclaimed.
“嘿，你怎么不把你耳朵掏干净？”提杰说。
Stacey looked to the south, thinking. Little Man, Christopher-John and I waited for his decision.
斯泰西望向南边，思忖着。小家伙、克里斯托弗和我等待着他的决定。
Soon the purr of a motor came closer and Mr. Granger’s sleek silver Packard eased into view. It was a grand car with chrome shining even in the rain, and the only one like it in the county, so it was said. We groaned. “Jus’ ole Harlan,” said T, J. flippantly as the expensive car rounded a curve and disappeared, then he and Claude started down the bank.
马达声渐渐逼近，格兰杰先生的银色汽车出现在我们的视野。即使在雨中，那辆车依然闪亮耀眼，我们县里只有格兰杰先生才有这样的车。我们都松了一口气，那辆豪车拐了个弯，消失在我们的视野中。提杰轻浮地说了一句：“这老家伙！”然后准备和克劳德一块儿走下土坡。
Stacey stopped them. “Long as we’re already up here, why don’t we wait awhile.” he suggested. “The bus oughta be here soon and it’ll be harder to get up on the bank further down the road.”
斯泰西阻止了他们：“都上来了，为什么不多等一会儿呢？再等一会儿吧，校车可能就来了。不然我们下去的话，后面的土坡更难爬。”
Finally, when the bus was less than fifty feet behind us, it veered dangerously close to the right edge of the road where we were running, forcing us to attempt the jump to the bank; but all of us fell short and landed in the slime of the gully.
当校车离我们不到五十英尺时，它突然转向，驶向了道路右边，想逼我们跳上土坡。可水沟实在太宽了，我们全都掉了下去。
“Come on, man.” T. J. persuaded. “Why stay up here waitin’ for that devilish bus when we could be at school outa this mess!”
“走吧。”提杰劝道，“我们明明可以赶在校车前到达学校的，为什么要待在这里等那该死的校车！”
T. J. and Claude jumped from the bank. Then Stacey, frowning as if he were doing this against his better judgment, jumped down too. Little Man, Christopher-John, and I followed,
提杰和克劳德跳下了土坡。斯泰西皱了皱眉，最终也还是跳了下去。小家伙、克里斯托弗和我也跟了下去。
Five minutes later we were skidding like frightened puppies toward the bank again as the bus accelerated and barreled down the narrow rain-soaked road; but there was no place to which we could run. for Stacey had been right. Here the gullies were too wide, filled almost to overflowing, and there were no briars or bushes by which we could swing up onto the bank.
五分钟后，校车出现了，而且还加速向我们驶来。我们就像惊慌失措的小狗一般，跑向土坡——却发现已经无处可逃了。斯泰西说得没错，这里的水沟太宽了，而且水满得行将溢出，也没有一根树枝能让我们拽着爬上土坡。
Little Man, chest-deep in water, scooped up a handful of mud and in an uncontrollable rage scrambled up to the road and ran after the retreating bus. As moronic rolls of laughter and cries of “Nigger! Nigger! Mud eater!” wafted from the open windows, Little Man threw his mudball, missing the wheels by several feet. Then, totally dismayed by what had happened. he buried his face in his hands and cried.
小家伙站在及胸的水里，抓起一把泥巴，愤愤不平地爬到路边，追赶着那辆可恨的校车。校车敞开的窗户里传来阵阵尖笑与大叫：“黑鬼，黑鬼，吃泥巴！”小家伙朝校车扔出那团泥巴，但是没砸中。小家伙无助地捂着脸，痛哭起来。
Christopher-John and I looked at each other. We had never seen Stacey look like this. and neither had T. J.
克里斯托弗和我对视了一眼，我们从来没见过斯泰西这么愤怒，也从来没见过提杰这么害怕过。
T. J. climbed from the gully grinning at Little Man, but Stacey, his face burning red beneath his dark skin, glared so fiercely at T. J. that he fell back. “Just one word outa you, T. J.,” he said tightly. “Just one word.”
提杰从水沟里爬出来，冲着小家伙大笑。而斯泰西，涨红着脸，狠狠地瞪着提杰：“你要是敢跟谁透露今天这事半个字，有你好看的。”提杰吓得退了几步。
Then, shrugging, we hurried after him,
我们耸了耸肩，搁下疑虑，继续赶路了。
“Hey, man, I ain’t said nothin’! I’m jus’ as burnt as you are.”
“嘿，我不会说半个字的！我和你们一样生气好吗！”
Again, Christopher-John and I looked questioningly at each other, wondering how Stacey could make such a rash promise.
我和克里斯托弗再次对视了一眼，心存疑惑，斯泰西怎么会做出这么鲁莽的承诺呢？
When Jeremy Simms spied us from his high perch on the forest path, he ran hastily down and joined us.
杰里米站在树林小径较高的地方，他一看到我们，就跑了过来。
“Hey,” he said, his face lighting into a friendly grin, But no one spoke to him.
“嘿！”他咧着嘴冲我们笑，但没有人回应他。
Stacey glowered at T. J. a moment longer, then walked swiftly to Little Man and put his long arm around his shoulders, saying softly, “Come on, Man. It ain’t gonna happen no more, least not for a long while. I promise you that.”
斯泰西瞪了提杰好一会儿，然后走向了小家伙，揽着他，柔声说：“没事，小男子汉，这事情不会再发生了，至少在很长一段时间内，我向你保证。”
The smile faded and, noticing our mud-covered clothing, he asked, “Hey, St-Stacey, wh-what happened!”
那笑容渐渐沉了下去，当他看到我们满是泥巴的衣服，有些惊讶：“斯泰西，这，这是发生了什么？”
“How!” asked Little Man, eager for revenge.
“怎么做？”小家伙迫不及待地想报仇。
Stacey turned, stared into his blue eyes and said coldly, “Why don’t you leave us alone! How come you-always hanging round us anyway!”
斯泰西转身，望向他蓝色的眼睛，语气冰冷：“你为什么不自己走？为什么老在我们身边瞎转悠？”
“Why!” we asked.
“为什么？”我们问道。
Jeremy grew even more pale. “C-cause I just likes y’all,” he stammered. Then he whispered. “W-was it the bus again!”
杰里米脸色变得刷白，结结巴巴地说：“因为，因为，我喜欢你们啊。”接着他轻声问了句：“是校车干的吗？”
No one answered him and he said no more. When we reached the crossroads, he looked hopefully at us as if we might relent and say good-bye. But we did not relent and as I glanced back at him standing alone in the middle of the crossing, he looked as if the world itself was slung around his neck. It was only then that I realized that Jeremy never rode the bus, no matter how bad the weather.
没有人回答，他也不再多问。走到岔路口时，他满怀期待地看着我们，希望我们回心转意，跟他说声“再见”。但我们并没有这么做。我回过头，看到他站在岔路口中央，低垂着头，仿佛整个世界都压在了他的脖子上一样。我突然意识到，杰里米从来没有坐过校车，即使是这样糟糕的天气，他也是走到学校的。
As we crossed the school lawn, Stacey beckoned Christopher-John. Little Man, and me aside. “Look,” he whispered, “meet me at the tool shed right at noon.”
当我们穿过学校草坪时，斯泰西示意我、克里斯托弗和小家伙聚到一旁，悄声对我们说：“今天十二点，在工具室见。”
“Don’t have time to explain now. Just meet me. And be on time. It’s gonna take us all lunch hour.”
“现在没时间解释。中午十二点，准时过来见我。不要吃午饭了。”
He eyed us conspiratorially. “I’ll show y’all how we’re gonna stop that bus from splashing us.”
斯泰西眼里闪烁着阴谋的光芒：“我会告诉你们如何让校车不再溅我们一身泥巴的办法。”
“You can miss lunch for one day,” said Stacey, moving away. But Christopher-john looked sourly after him as if he greatly questioned the wisdom of a plan so drastic that it could exclude lunch.
“一天不吃午饭没什么。”斯泰西说完就往前走，克里斯托弗跟在他后头，有些不高兴，好像是在想这计划得有多厉害才能让他牺牲掉一顿午饭。
“Y-you mean we ain’t gonna eat no lunch!” Christopher- John cried in dismay.
“你是说我们不吃午饭啦？”克里斯托弗有些惊愕。
Stacey shook his head. “T. J.’s my best friend. but he’s got no stomach for this kinda thing. He talks too much, and we couldn’t include Claude without T. J”
斯泰西摇了摇头：“提杰是我最好的朋友，但他是个大嘴巴，藏不住事，他不能去，我们也不会找克劳德。”
“You gonna tell T. J. and Claude!” I asked.
“你打算告诉提杰和克劳德吗？”我问道。
“Good,” said Little Man.
“嗯，好的。”小家伙说。
At noon, we met as planned and ducked into the unlocked tool shed where all the church and school garden tools were kept.
到了中午，我们如约到了工具室，里面放着学校和教堂所有的工具。
Stacey studied the tools available while the rest of us watched. Then, grabbing the only shovels, he handed one to me, holding on to the other himself, and directed Little Man and Christopher-John to each take two buckets.
我们在一旁看着斯泰西挑选着能用的工具。他抓起仅有的两把铁铲，将其中一把递给我，另一把拿在自己手里，然后让小家伙和克里斯托弗各拿两个水桶。
Stealthily emerging from the tool shed into the drizzle, we eased along the forest edge behind the class buildings to avoid being seen. Once on the road, Stacey began to run. “Come on. hurry,” he ordered. “We ain’t got much time.”
我们偷偷溜出工具室，走进了蒙蒙细雨中。为了避免被人发现，我们从教室后头的树林拐到马路上。一走到马路，斯泰西就跑了起来，“快，跟上！”他命令道，“我们没多少时间了。”
“Where we going!” asked Christopher-John, still not quite adjusted to the prospect of missing lunch.
“我们要去哪？”克里斯托弗问，他似乎还没适应没吃午饭的状况。
“Up to where that bus forced us off the road. Be careful now,” he said to Christopher-John, already puffing to keep up.
“去早上校车把我们挤到水沟的地方，大家小心点。”他对克里斯托弗说，已经喘着气来跟上了。
When we reached the place where we had fallen into the gully, Stacey halted. “All right,” he said, “start digging.” Without another word, he put his bare foot upon the top edge of the shovel and sank it deep into the soft road. “Come on, come on,” he ordered, glancing up at Christopher- John, Little Man and me, who were wondering whether he had finally gone mad.
当我们到了今天我们落水的地方时，斯泰西停了下来。“好，”他说，“现在开始挖吧。”他把铲子插在地上，二话不说挖了起来。看到我、克里斯托弗和小家伙一动不动地站在那儿，他大喊道：“快点！别愣在那儿了！”
“Cassie, you start digging over there on that side of the road right across from me. That’s right, don’t get to near the edge. It’s gotta look like it’s been washed out. Christopher-John, you and Little Man start scooping out mud from the middle of the road. Quick now,” he said, still digging as we began to carry out his commands. “We only got ’bout thirty minutes so’s we can get back to school on time.”
“凯西，你在路的另一边挖！对，就是那儿，别太靠边，要看起来像是被雨水冲刷出来的坑一样。克里斯托弗，你和小家伙在路中间用水桶把我们挖出来的泥巴舀掉。快！”他一边命令我们，一边奋力地挖，“我们只有三十分钟的时间，这样才能及时赶回学校。”
We asked no more questions. While Stacey and I shoveled ragged holes almost a yard wide and a foot deep toward each other, dumping the excess mud into the water-filled gullies, Little Man and Christopher-John scooped bucketfuls of the red earth from the road’s center. And for once in his life, Little Man was happily oblivious to the mud spattering upon him.
我们不再发问，我和斯泰西各挖了两个一码宽、一尺深的坑，小家伙和克里斯托弗把道路中间的泥巴舀出来倒入水沟。小家伙平生第一次因为泥巴溅到自己身上而感到开心。
Now understanding Stacey’s plan. we worked wordlessly until the water lay at the same level as the road. Then Stacey waded into the gully water and pulled himself up onto the forest bank. Finding three rocks, he stacked them to identify the spot. “It might look different this after-noon.” he explained, jumping down again.
我终于明白斯泰西的计划了。我们默默地将大坑填满，直到和地面上的水一样平。然后，斯泰西涉水而过，爬到土坡上的树林里，拿了三块石头做标记，以便确认陷阱的位置。他从土坡上跳下来，解释道：“到下午，这里的路面可能会有改变，不做记号就找不到了。”
When Stacey’s and my holes merged into one big hole with Little Man’s and Christopher-John’s. Stacey and I threw down our shovels and grabbed the extra buckets. Then the four of us ran back and forth to the gullies, hastily filling the buckets with the murky water and dumping it into the hole,
等到我和斯泰西挖的坑连在一起变成一个大坑后，我俩丢下铲子，和小家伙以及克里斯托弗一块儿把从水沟里舀起的浑浊的水，倒进挖好的坑里。
Christopher-John looked up at the sky. “looks like it’s gonna rain real hard some more.”
克里斯托弗抬头望着天空：“看来，下午又是一场大雨了。”
“Let’s hope so,” said Stacey. “The more rain, the better. That’ll make it seem more likely that the road could’ve been washed away like that. It’ll also keep cars and wagons away.” He looked around, surveying the road. “And let’s hope don’t nothin’ come along ‘fore that bus. Let’s go.”
“希望如此吧。”斯泰西说道，“希望雨越下越大，这样的话，我们挖的坑就看起来像是被雨水冲刷出来的。而且，雨下得大的话，其他的车也不会经过这里。”他又环顾了一下路面，“希望校车到达之前，其他的车不会经过这里。好啦，我们走吧。”
Quickly we gathered our buckets and shovels and hurried back to school. After returning the tools to the tool shed, we stopped at the well to wash the mud from our arms and feet, then rushed into our classes, hoping that the mud caked on our clothes would go unnoticed. As I slipped into my seat Miss Crocker looked at me oddly and shook her head. but when she did the same thing as Mary Lou and Alma sat down, I decided that my mud was no more noticeable than anyone else’s.
我们用最快的速度跑回学校，把铲子和水桶放到工具室，然后到水池旁把自己手脚上的泥巴清洗掉。回到教室的时候，我担心着身上的泥巴印记会不会太明显。坐回座位后，克洛克小姐用异样的眼神看着我，还摇了摇头，我的心一下子提到了嗓子眼。幸好她也对玛丽洛和艾尔玛投了同样的目光，我才舒了口气。
“Holy smokes! What happened!” I exclaimed.
“天哪，怎么回事！”我不禁叫了出来。
“You think we’ll get there in time to see, Stacey!” I asked. “We should. They stay in school fifteen minutes longer than we do and it always takes them a few minutes to load up.”
“斯泰西，你说我们来得及赶到那里吗？”我问道。“应该可以。我们比他们早放学十五分钟，而且校车要等到所有学生上车才能开。”
When we reached the crossing, we glanced toward Jefferson Davis. The buses were there but the students had not been dismissed. We hastened on.
当我们走到岔路口的时候，还特地望了一眼杰斐逊大卫学校。校车停在那儿，不过学生还没有下课。我们加快脚步往前走。
Soon after I had settled down to the boredom of Miss Crocker, the rain began to pound down again, hammering with great intensity upon the tin roof. After school it was still raining as the boys and I, avoiding T. J. and Claude, rushed along the slippery road recklessly bypassing more cautious students.
我刚适应了克洛克小姐的眼神，雨又开始下起来，“砰砰砰——”仿佛在捶打着屋顶。放学后，雨仍在下着，我们避开了提杰和克劳德，不顾其他同学奇怪的目光，一路飞奔。
Expecting to see the yard-wide ditch we had dug at noon, we were not prepared for the twelve-foot lake which glimmered up at us.
我们满心期望着看到中午挖的大坑，却不料在我们眼前的是一片汪洋。
“Hey, Stacey.” I said, “won’t that big a puddle make that ole driver cautious!”
“斯泰西，你说，这么大一个水坑会不会引起司机怀疑？”我问道。
“The rain,” said Stacey. “Quick, up on the bank.” Eagerly, we settled onto the muddy forest floor and waited.
“雨太大了。”斯泰西说，“快，我们先上土坡。”我们躲进树林里，等待着。
Stacey frowned, then said uncertainly, “I don’t know. Hope not. There’s big puddles down the road that ain’t deep. just water heavy.”
斯泰西皱了皱眉头，也不是很确定：“我也不知道。但愿不会吧，其他路面也有大水坑，只不过没有这么深罢了。”
Stacey thought a moment, but decided against it. “Naw. It’s better none of us be on the road when it happens. It might give ’em ideas.”
斯泰西思忖了会儿，没有同意我的建议：“校车掉进坑里时，我们最好都不要出现在路上。不然很容易会被怀疑是我们做的。”
“Stacey, what if they find out we done it!” asked Christopher-John nervously.
“万一他们查出来是我们做的，那怎么办？”克里斯托弗有些紧张。
“Or maybe me,” Little Man volunteered, ready to do anything for his revenge.
“我也加入。”小家伙自告奋勇，一心想着好好报仇。
“If I was to be walking out there when the bus comes, that ole bus driver would be sure to speed up so’s he could splash me,” I suggested.
我建议道：“要不一会儿校车来了，我就故意走在路上，这样校车就会因为想捉弄我而加速。”
We flattened ourselves completely and peered through the low bushes,
我们赶紧趴下，透过灌木丛的缝隙往外瞧。
“Hey, I think it’s coming,” whispered Little Man.
“嘿，校车快来了。”小家伙轻声说。
“Don’t worry, they won’t,” assured Stacey.
“不会的，他们发现不了的。”斯泰西向他保证。
The bus rattled up the road, though not as quickly as we had hoped. It rolled cautiously through a wide puddle some twenty feet ahead; then, seeming to grow bolder as it approached our man-made lake, it speeded up, spraying the water in high sheets of backward waterfalls into the forest. We could hear the students squealing with delight. But instead of the graceful glide through the puddle that its occupants were expecting, the bus emitted a tremendous crack and careened drunkenly into our trap. For a moment it swayed and we held our breath, afraid that it would topple over. Then it sputtered a last murmuring protest and died, its left front wheel in our ditch, its right wheel in the gully, like a lopsided billy goat on its knees.
校车“咯吱咯吱”地开了过来，并没有我们想象中的那么快。在到达我们的陷阱之前，它还避开了一个大水坑。接下来的路面状况还不错，所以校车加了速，溅起了瀑布一般的水花，喷到了树林里头。我们听到学生们在车里兴奋地大叫。但是，没过一会儿，校车就掉进了我们挖的大坑里。司机加足马力，想让车子从水坑里挣扎出来，却不料车子在水坑里摇摇晃晃，就是出不来。我们屏住呼吸，担心它会翻车。不过，校车发出了几声怒吼后便熄火了。它的左前轮陷进了坑里，右轮陷进了水沟里，像一只斜跪在地上的山羊。
We covered our mouths and shook with silent laughter.
成功啦！我们用手捂着嘴，不敢笑出声。
“How bad is it, Mr. Grimes?” a large, freckle-faced boy asked, pushing up one of the cracked windows and sticking out his head. “Can we push it out and fix it!”
一个满脸雀斑的男孩推开窗，探出头来，问道：“格兰姆斯先生，情况有多糟？我们能把它推出水坑然后去修理吗？”
As the dismayed driver opened the rear emergency exit, the rain poured down upon him in sharp-needled darts. He stood in the doorway looking down with disbelief at his sunken charge; then, holding on to the bus, he poked one foot into the water until it was on solid ground before gingerly stepping down. He looked under the bus. He looked at the steaming hood. He looked at the water. Then he scratched his head and cursed.
司机打开后面的安全门探出头来。豆大的雨点砸落在他身上，他站在那儿，一脸绝望地看着陷在水坑里动弹不得的校车。他扶着车门，伸出一只脚到水里，确定踩到地面才走下了车。他看了一眼车底部，看了看冒气的车盖，又看了看路上的水坑，抓着头破口大骂。
“Push it out! Fix it!” the bus driver echoed angrily. “I got me a broken axle here an’ a water-logged engine no doubt and no tellin’ what-all else and you talkin’ ’bout fixin’ it! Y’all come on, get outa there! Y’all gonna have to walk home.”
“推出水坑？修理？”司机狂躁地大声嚷嚷，“车轴坏了！引擎进水了！你还在这里跟我说什么修理！你们给我下车，走路回家！”
The bus driver stared at her in total disbelief. “Girl, all y’all gonna be walkin” for at least two weeks by the time we get this thing hauled outa here and up to Strawberry to get fixed. Now y’all get on home.” He kicked a back tire, and added, “And get y’all’s daddies to come on up here and give me a hand with this thing.”
司机白了那女孩一眼：“你们这两个星期就别想着坐校车来学校了。我得把这车弄出来，然后送到斯特罗贝里去修，现在你们给我回家。”他踢了一脚后轮胎，补充道，“回去叫你们的爸爸过来，帮忙把这辆车拖出来。”
“Mister Grimes,” a girl ventured, stepping hesitantly from the rear of the bus, “you gonna be able to pick us up in the mornin’!”
“格兰姆斯先生，”一个女孩走下车，小心翼翼地问道，“你明天还来接我们上学吗？”
The students turned dismally from the bus. They didn’t know how wide the hole actually was. Some of them took a wild guess and tried to jump it; but most of them miscalculated and fell in, to our everlasting delight. Others attempted to hop over the gullies to the forest to bypass the hole; however, we knew from much experience that they would not make it.
学生们个个沮丧地下了车，他们不知道这水坑有多宽，有的估摸着宽度想试着跳过去，不过他们都估错了，结果掉进了水里，我们倒是乐见如此；有的想绕过水沟，从树林里走，不过根据我们的经验，他们一定办不到。
By the time most of the students managed to get to the other side of the ditch, their clothes were dripping with the weight of the muddy water. No longer laughing, they moved spiritlessly toward their homes while a disgruntled Mr. Grimes leaned moodily against the raised rear end of the bus.
等到那些学生都绕到水坑的另一边时，他们的衣服早已被泥水弄得湿透了。他们垂头丧气地走回家，像斗败的落汤鸡似的。司机倚靠在车后门上，心思沉重。
Oh, how sweet was well-maneuvered revenge! With that thought in mind, we quietly eased away and picked our way through the dense forest toward home.
哈哈，复仇的感觉可真痛快！我们悄悄从树林里抄小路回到了家。
At supper Mama told Big Ma of the Jefferson Davis bus being stuck in the ditch. “It’s funny, you know, such a wide ditch in one day. I didn’t even notice the beginning of it this morning — did you, children!”
晚饭时，妈妈跟奶奶说起了杰斐逊大卫学校的校车陷在水坑里的事情：“真是奇怪，一天之内就出现了那么一个大水坑，早上的时候我还没发现呢，孩子们，你们注意到了吗？”
“No’m.” we chorused.
“没有。”我们齐声回答。
“Well, I am.” Mama said defiantly, smiling smugly to her- self and looking very much like a young girl. “I really am.”
“我就是这么想的，妈妈。”妈妈笑得像个年轻而不谙世事的小姑娘，“我说真的。”
The boys and I looked at each other. We hadn’t thought about that.
男孩们和我面面相觑，是啊，我们怎么没想到这一点？
“Mary!” Big Ma exclaimed.
“玛丽，说什么呢！”奶奶呵斥道。
Mama smiled. “You know I’m glad no one was hurt — could’ve been too with such a deep ditch — but I’m also rather glad it happened.”
妈妈微笑着说：“真开心你们没受伤，这么大一个水坑，是很容易出现事故的。不过，我也很开心看到事故发生了。”
“No, ma’am,” said Mama. “I heard Mr. Granger telling Ted Grimes — the bus driver — that they won’t be able to get it out until the rain stops and it dries up a bit. It’s just too muddy now.
“恐怕还不行吧。”妈妈说，“我听格兰杰先生对司机说，要等到雨停了，地面干一点时再拖，现在地面太泥泞了。”
“We jumped onto the bank when we thought the bus would be coming,” said Stacey truthfully.
“我们估摸着校车要来了，就爬上了土坡。”斯泰西回答道。
“You didn’t fall in, did you!”
“你们没有摔倒吧？”
“Somebody decided to put a board across the washout.”
“有人在水坑上铺了木板。”
We put our hands to our mouths to hide happy grins. I even made a secret wish that it would rain until Christmas.
我们捂着嘴，掩饰自己开怀的神情。真希望这场雨一直持续到圣诞节。
“How’d you get across, Mama!” Stacey asked.
“妈妈，那你是怎么过去的？”斯泰西问道。
“Well, good for you,” approved Mama. “If that bus hadn’t been there when I came along, I’d probably have fallen in myself.
“嗯，做得好。”妈妈说，“要不是校车提前经过那里，我走过那里时就会摔倒了。”
“They gonna haul that bus outa there tonight!” Big Ma inquired.
“今晚他们会把校车拖走吗？”奶奶问。
It occurred to us that Mama might be preparing to whip us and we shot each other warning glances. But even that thought couldn’t dampen our laughter, now uncontrollable, welling up from the pits of our stomachs and forcing streams of laughter tears down our faces. Stacey, holding his sides, turned to the wall in an attempt to bring himself under control. Little Man put his head under the table. But Christopher-John and I just doubled up and fell upon the floor.
听到这话，我们知道妈妈真的要打人了，于是互相使了个警告的眼色。不过即使这样，我们还是无法抑制住想笑的冲动。现在我们变得控制不住自己了，笑得肚子快爆炸了，笑到眼泪都流出来了。斯泰西捂着肚子，转向墙壁，想要控制住自己。小家伙干脆把头埋到了书桌下面。而我和克里斯托弗笑弯了腰，倒在了地板上。
Then all of us began to laugh and were deliciously happy.
然后我们大家笑成了一团，开心得不得了。
Big Ma began to grin. “You know somethin’? I am too.”
奶奶也开始偷笑：“你知道吗？我也是这么想的。”
Later that evening the boys and I sat at the study table in Mama and Papa’s room attempting to concentrate on our lessons; but none of us could succeed for more than a few minutes without letting out a triumphant giggle. More than once Mama scolded us, telling us to get down to business. Each time she did, we set our fates into looks: of great seriousness, resolved that we would be adult about the matter and not gloat in our hour of victory. Yet just one glance at each other and we were lost, slumping on the table in helpless, contagious laughter.
到了晚上，我们坐在书桌前，装作在专心致志地学习。不过每隔几分钟，我们就会忍不住“咯咯”地笑出声来。妈妈不止一次地呵斥我们，让我们专心学习。不过每次这样，我们都会故意摆出一副严肃脸，实际上我们根本无法抑制住内心的成就感。只要彼此对视一眼，我们就会笑得趴在桌上，直不起腰来。
“All right,” Mama said finally, “I don’t know what’s going on here, but I suppose I’d better do something about it or you’ll never get any work done.”
“好吧，”妈妈最终说道，“我不知道你们到底着了什么魔，不过你们要是做不完作业的话，我可要打你们了。”
I peeped around Big Ma’s long skirts and saw Mama guiding Stacey to her own desk. Then back she went for Little Man and, picking him up bodily, set him in the chair beside her rocker. Christopher-John she left alone at the study table. Then she gathered all our study materials and brought them to us along with a look that said she would tolerate no more of this foolishness.
我透过奶奶的长裙边，偷看妈妈怎样处置其他人。妈妈让斯泰西坐在她的桌子上，然后把小家伙抓到摇椅旁边坐下，只留下克里斯托弗坐在原来的位置上。然后她把我们的作业一一放到我们面前，用眼神警告我们，再这样的话，她可不会放过我们了。
Mama took my arm and pulled me up. “Over here, Cassie,” she said, directing me to a chair next to the fireplace and behind Big Ma, who was ironing our clothes for the next day.
妈妈抓着我的胳膊，把我拉起来。她指着火炉旁边的椅子说：“凯西，你去坐那里。”奶奶正坐在火炉旁熨我们明天要穿的衣服。
With Big Ma before me, I could see nothing else and I grew serious enough to complete my arithmetic assignment. When that was finished, I lingered before opening my reader, watching Big Ma as she hung up my ironed dress, then placed her heavy iron on a small pile of embers burning in a corner of the fireplace and picked up a second iron already warming there. She tested the iron with a tap of her finger and put it back again.
由于被奶奶挡住了视线，我什么也看不到，只能集中精力写我的算术作业。做完之后，我没有马上开始温习功课，而是看着奶奶把熨好的衣服挂起来，然后把熨斗放在火炉上加热，再拿起另一个放在火炉上的熨斗，用手指试了试温度，又把它放了回去。
While Big Ma waited for the iron to get hot. I could see Mama bending over outspread newspapers scraping the dried mud off the old field shoes of Papa’s which she wore daily, stuffed with wads of newspaper, over her own shoes to protect them from the mud and rain. Little Man beside her was deep into his first-grade reader, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Ever since Mama had brought the reader home with the offensive inside cover no longer visible, Little Man had accepted the book as a necessary tool for passing the first grade. But he took no pride in it. Looking up. he noticed that Big Ma was now preparing to iron his clothes, and he smiled happily, Then his eyes met mine and silent laughter creased his face. I muffled a giggle and Mama looked up.
在奶奶等待着熨斗变烫的过程里，我看到妈妈把爸爸平时穿的旧鞋放在摊开的报纸上，清理掉上面风干后的泥巴，然后把另一张报纸盖在自己的鞋子上，以免被泥巴和雨水弄脏。小家伙坐在她旁边，皱着眉头看着他的一年级课本。自从妈妈把他课本上让人觉得受到侮辱的那页用白纸粘起来之后，他就把它当作一本正常的书来看了，不过他也没觉得拥有这本书是多自豪的事情。他抬头看到奶奶正在准备熨他明天要穿的衣服，愉悦地笑了。他的视线与我相遇，脸上又浮现出会心的微笑。我又忍不住“扑哧”一笑，妈妈抬起了头。
“Cassie, you start up again and I’m sending you to the kitchen to study.” she warned.
“凯西，你再这样的话，我就把你拉到厨房里学习。”妈妈警告我。
Rising quickly, Mama went to the door and called, “Who is it!”
妈妈很快起身走到门口，问道：“谁呀？”
“Yes’m,” I said, settling back in my chair and beginning to read. I certainly did not want to go to the kitchen. Now that the fire no longer burned in the stove, it was cold in there.
“知道了，妈妈。”我坐回到椅子上，翻开课本看书。我可不想到厨房里学习，那里的火炉都熄火了，冷得不得了。
“It’s me, ma’am,” came a man’s gravelly voice. “Joe Avery.”
“是我，夫人。”门外是粗哑的男子声音，“我是艾弗里。”
Mama opened the door and Mr. Avery stepped dripping into the room.
妈妈开了门，浑身湿漉漉的艾弗里先生进来了。
The room grew quiet again, except for the earthy humming of Big Ma’s rich alto voice, the crackle of the hickory fire, and the patter of rain on the roof. Engrossed in a mystery, I was startled when the comfortable sounds were shattered by three rapid knocks on the side door.
房间里又安静下来了。只听见奶奶轻声哼唱的声音、胡桃木燃烧的声响和雨点落在屋顶上的滴答声。正当我们沉浸在这愉悦的氛围中，突然响起了三声敲门声，我被吓了一跳。
“Why, Brother Avery.” Mama said. “what are you doing out on a night like this? Come on in. Take off your coat and sit by the fire. Stacey, get Mr. Avery a chair.
“是你啊，艾弗里兄弟。”妈妈说，“这么晚了，你有什么事吗？快进来，把湿衣服脱掉，到火炉边取取暖。斯泰西，快给艾弗里先生拿张椅子过来。”
“No’m,” said Mr. Avery, looking rather nervously over his shoulder into the night. “I ain’t got but a minute.” He stepped far enough into the room so that he could close the door, then nodded to the rest of us. “Evenin’, Miz Caroline, how you t’night!”
“不用了，夫人，我马上就走。”艾弗里先生看起来很紧张，他进入房间，关上了门，向我们点了点头，“您好，卡罗琳夫人，晚上过得好吗？”
Mama, her face pale and frightened, glanced back at Big Ma; Big Ma held her iron in midair.
妈妈的脸一下子变得刷白，她恐慌地看向奶奶。奶奶举着熨斗，呆立在那儿。
Mama stiffened. “David. You heard something about David!”
妈妈一愣：“大卫？你是不是听到了关于大卫的事情？”
“Oh, no’m,” replied Mr. Avery hastily. “Ain’t heard nothin ’bout yo’ husband, ma’am.”
“啊，不是，不是。”艾弗里先生赶忙否认，“夫人，我没有听到任何关于你丈夫的事。”
“Hush.” Mama said sternly. “I said it was time to go to bed. Now go!”
“快。”妈妈语气强硬，“我说你们该睡觉了，现在！”
Mama regarded him quizzically.
妈妈很是纳闷地看着艾弗里先生。
“Oh, I’ll do, I reckon,” said Big Ma, still ironing. “How’s Miz Fannie!”
“哦，我很好。”奶奶还是继续熨衣服，“你的太太芬妮呢？”
“It’s…, it’s them again. They’s ridin’ t’night.”
“是…他们。他们今晚又出来找麻烦了。”
“Uh… children,” Mama said,”I think it’s your bedtime.”
“嗯…孩子们，我想你们该睡觉了。”妈妈说。
“She’s fine,” he said without dwelling on his wife.”Miz Logan… uh, I come to tell you somethin’… somethin’ important — Mr. Morrison here!”
“她很好。”他简单地回答后，对着妈妈说，“洛根夫人…呃，我是来告诉你一件事的…一件很重要的事…莫里森先生在吗？”
“But, Mama –” we chorused in protest, wanting to stay and hear who was riding.
“哦，不，妈妈——”我们集体抗议道，想知道到底发生了什么事情。
Groaning loudly enough to voice our displeasure, but not loudly enough to arouse Mama’s anger, we stacked our books upon the study table and started toward the boys room.
我们大声发着牢骚，来表达内心的不满，不过我们还是很有节制，没有惹怒妈妈。我们把课本放到书桌上，然后走向男孩们的房间。
“Cassie, I said go to bed. That’s not your room.”
“凯西，我说让你们去睡觉，回你的房间去。”
“But, Mama, it’s cold in there,” I pouted. Usually, we were allowed to build small fires in the other rooms an hour before bedtime to warm them up.
“可是，妈妈，我的房间实在太冷了。”我噘着嘴。通常我们都是在睡觉前一个小时在房间里生火，今天却没有。
“Close that door, Cassie!”
“凯西，把门关上！”
The door creaked open and I darted in. The room was bathed in darkness.
门开了一条缝，我钻了进去，房间里一片漆黑。
I went back and got the kerosene lamp, then entered my bedroom, leaving the door slightly ajar.
我走到桌前，拿上煤油灯，走回房间，故意把门留了一条缝。
The rain softened upon the roof and we could hear Mama asking, “But why? Why are they riding! What’s happened?”
雨滴轻轻地落在屋顶上，我们清楚地听到妈妈的声音：“为什么？他们为什么又出来捣乱？到底是发生了什么？”
“Shhhhh!” came the answer.
“嘘！”回答道。
“What they say!” I asked.
“他们说了什么？”我问道。
“You’ll be warm once you’re under the covers. Stacey, take the flashlight with you and light the lantern in your room. Cassie, take the lamp from the desk with you.”
“盖好被子，你会变暖和的。斯泰西，拿上手电筒，把你房间里的煤气灯点燃。凯西，把你桌子上的灯拿走。”
Immediately, the door was closed.
我只好把门关上。
“I don’t rightly know,” said Mr. Avery.”But y’all knows how they is. Anytime they thinks we steppin’ outa our place, they feels like they gotta stop us. You know what some of’em done to the Berrys.’ He paused, then went on bitterly, “It don’t take but a little of nothin’ to set them devilish night men off.”
“我也不是很清楚。”艾弗里先生回答道，“不过你们也知道，他们是怎样的人。每次他们认为我们出界了，就想来阻止我们。你也知道他们对贝瑞兄弟做了什么吧？”他顿了顿，语气沉痛，“我也不知道有什么办法来赶走这些凶狠的白人。”
I put the lamp on the dresser, then silently slid the latch off the outside door and slipped onto the wet front porch. I crossed to the boys’ room. Tapping lightly, I whispered, “Hey, let me in.”
我把灯放在梳妆柜上，然后松开外面的门闩，悄悄溜到湿漉漉的前廊，走到男孩们的房间。我轻轻敲了下门，低声说：“嘿，快让我进去。”
I crept to the door leading into Mama’s room and huddled beside the boys.
我挤到通往妈妈房间的门边，和男孩们一块儿偷听。
“But somethin’ musta happened,” Big Ma said,”How you know ’bout it!”
“不过肯定是发生了什么。”奶奶说，“你知道些什么吗？”
“Couldn’t be?” cried Christopher-John in a panic. “Whaddaya mean it couldn’t be!”
“可能不会？”克里斯托弗痛苦地叫了出来，“什么叫可能不会？”
“What!” squeaked Christopher-John.
“那怎么办！”克里斯托弗尖叫道。
“All’s I can tell ya, Miz Caroline, is what Fannie heard when she was leavin’ the Grangers’ this evenin’. She’d just finished cleanin’ up the supper dishes when Mr. Granger come home with Mr. Grimes — ya know, that white school’s bus driver — and two other mens…”
“卡罗琳夫人，我能告诉你的，都是芬妮告诉我的。今天晚上，她洗完碗筷，准备从格兰杰家离开时，遇到了回家的格兰杰先生和格兰姆斯，就是那个校车司机，还有其他两个男的…”
“Stacey, somebody musta seen and told on us,” I persisted.
“斯泰西，一定是有人看见了，然后告发了我们。”我坚持道。
“No…” Stacey replied unconvincingly. “It couldn’t be.”
“不…”斯泰西语气也不是很确定，“可能不会的。”
I grabbed Stacey’s arm. “Stacey, they’re coming after us!”
我抓住斯泰西的胳膊：“斯泰西，他们来找我们了！”
“Hush,” Stacey said harshly. “And Cassie, let go. That hurts.”
“小点声！”斯泰西训斥道，“凯西，快放开我，你把我抓痛了。”
A clap of deafening thunder drowned Mr. Avery’s words, then the rain quickened and the conversation was lost.
一阵雷声响起，淹没了艾弗里先生的话。雨越下越大，我们也听不到大人们说的话了。
“Stacey,” said Little Man excitedly, “whaddaya think they gonna do to us! Burn us up?”
“斯泰西，”小家伙也情绪激动，“他们会对我们做什么？烧了我们吗？”
“Nothin’!” Stacey exclaimed, standing up suddenly. “Now why don’t y’all go to bed like y’all s’pose to!”
“不，不会的！”斯泰西突然站起来，呵斥道，“你们为什么不上床睡觉呢？”
We were stunned by his attitude. He sounded like Mama and I told him so.
我们被他的态度惊呆了。他听起来像妈妈，我告诉过他。
“Not me!” denied Christopher-John. “All I wanted to do was eat my lunch!”
“不，我才不呢。”克里斯托弗反对道，“我只想吃午饭！”
He collapsed in silence by the door, breathing hard, and although I could not see him, I knew that his face was drawn and that his eyes had taken on a haggard look. I touched his arm lightly. “Ain’t no call to go blaming yourself,” I said. “We all done it.”
斯泰西一言不发，瘫在门边，急促地呼吸着。虽然在黑暗中看不清楚，但是我知道，他的脸色一定很苍白，眼神很憔悴。我轻轻碰了碰他的胳膊：“不要怪自己了，我们也参与了这件事情啊。”
“Shhhhh,” hissed Little Man.”I can hear ’em again.”
“嘘嘘嘘，别吵。”小家伙轻声说，“我又听到他们说话了。”
“But we all wanted to do it,” I comforted.
我安慰道：“那也是我们乐意的。”
“I’d better go tell Mr. Morrison,” Mr. Avery was saying. “He out back!”
“我得把这事告诉莫里森先生，他回来了吗？”艾弗里先生在说话。
“Nothin’ now, Cassie. Them men probably won’t even come near here.”
“什么也不要做。那些白人说不定离我们还很远。”
“No! We can’t ever tell nobody!” declared Stacey adamantly. “Now go on, hurry!”
“不！我们不能告诉任何人这件事。”斯泰西很坚定地说，“现在赶紧去睡觉，快！”
“But I got us into it,” he said listlessly.
“但是我拉你们下水的。”斯泰西有气无力。
Footsteps neared the door. I dashed onto the porch and hastened back to my own room, where I jumped under the bedcovers with my clothes still on. Shivering, I pulled the heavy patchwork quilts up to my chin.
脚步声渐近。我奔向前廊，溜回房间，连衣服也没换就钻到被窝里。不知道是冷的还是吓的，我浑身发抖，只好把厚厚的棉被一直拉到了自己的下巴。
“Cassie, get back to your room quick,” Stacey whispered. They’ll probably come check on us now.
“凯西，快回你的房间里去。”斯泰西对我耳语，“他们可能要来搜查我们了。”
“But what’ll we do!”
“那我们怎么办？”
“Ya really believe that!” asked Christopher-John hopefully.
“哦，希望如此吧。”克里斯托弗满怀期望。
We could hear the side door open and we scrambled up.
我们听到侧门开了，赶紧爬了起来。
“I’ll tell him,” said Mama.
“我告诉他吧。”妈妈说。
“But shouldn’t we tell Mama?” I asked.
“我们是不是应该把这件事告诉妈妈？”我问。
“Mama!”
“妈妈？”
“If I need you, I’ll call you. I promise.”
“如果我要你帮忙，我会叫你的，我保证。”
“But Papa told me to help you!”
“可是爸爸说要我帮你们忙的！”
I opened my eyes. Now what the devil was she looking for down there! While she was searching, I heard Mama approaching and I closed my eyes again.
我睁开眼睛，很好奇她在床底下找什么。奶奶在找东西时，妈妈的脚步声近了，我赶紧闭上眼睛。
“Help with what!”
“帮什么忙？”
“With… with whatever’s the matter.”
“嗯…什么都行。”
“Stacey, what’re you doing up?”
“斯泰西，你在干什么？”
“Let me help.”
“我想帮忙。”
“And you do, more than you know. But right now you could help me most by going back to bed. It’s a school day tomorrow, remember?”
“你已经帮了很多忙了。你现在能帮的最大的忙，就是上床睡觉。明天你还要上学，不是吗？”
A few moments later Big Ma came in, leaving the door to Mama’s room open. Knowing that she would be suspicious of such an early surrender to sleep, I sighed softly and, making sleepy little sounds, turned onto my stomach, careful not to expose my shirt sleeves. Obviously satisfied by my performance, Big Ma tucked the covers more closely around me and smoothed my hair gently. Then she stooped and started fishing for something under our bed.
几分钟后，奶奶进来了，她把正对着妈妈房间的门打开。我知道她可能在怀疑我怎么这么早睡，我故意发出轻轻的鼾声，还翻了个身，小心翼翼地不让衬衫袖子露在棉被外。奶奶似乎很满意，她掖了掖我的棉被，轻轻抚摸了一下我的头发。然后她弯下腰，开始在床底下找东西。
“But, Mama –“
“可是，妈妈——”
Mama was silent a moment, then said softly, “Thank you, Stacey, but Big Ma and I can handle it.”
妈妈沉默了一会儿，温柔地说：“斯泰西，谢谢你，不过我和奶奶会把事情处理好的。”
For long minutes I waited, wide awake, wondering what my next move should be. Finally deciding that I should again consult with the boys, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, but immediately had to swing them back again as Big Ma re-entered the room. She passed the bed and pulled a straight-backed chair up to the window. Parting the curtains so that the blackness of the night mixed with the blackness of the room, she sat down without a sound.
很长一段时间，我睁着眼，不知所措。最后我还是决定去找男孩们商量这件事情。我刚伸出脚准备下床时，奶奶突然回来了，我赶紧把脚缩回被窝里。奶奶走到床边，搬了张靠背椅在窗前坐下。她拉开窗帘，屋外的黑暗与屋里的黑暗融在一起。奶奶就那样静静地坐在那儿。
I heard Stacey walk slowly away, then Mama whispering in the doorway, “Cassie asleep!”
我听到斯泰西慢慢走开，妈妈悄声对奶奶说：“凯西睡了？”
“Yeah, honey,” Big Ma said. “Go on and sit back down. I’ll be out in a minute.”
“是的。”奶奶说，“你先回房间吧，我等会儿去找你。”
Then Big Ma stood up and turned down the wick of the kerosene lamp. As she left the room, my eyes popped open again and I saw her outlined in the doorway, a rifle in her hands. Then she closed the door and I was left to the darkness.
奶奶站了起来，熄灭煤油灯，然后离开了我的房间。我偷偷睁开眼睛，看到她手里拿了一把来复枪。她关上门，房间陷入了黑暗。
I heard the door to the boys’ room open and close and I knew that Mama had gone in. I waited for the sound of the door opening again, but it did not come. Soon the chill of the cotton sheets beneath me began to fade and as Big Ma’s presence lulled me into a security I did not really feel, I fell asleep.
接着，我听到男孩们的房间门开了又关，开了又关，妈妈一定是到他们房间里去了。我等待着门再次被打开，却一直没有听到。被窝渐渐变暖，再加上奶奶的陪伴，我渐渐进入了梦乡。
Laughing silently at myself, I hurried onto the porch. “Stacey,” I whispered. “Christopher-John?” There was a sudden movement near the end of the porch and I headed to- ward it, feeling along the wall of the house. “Little Man! Hey, y’all, stop fooling ’round and answer me.”
暗笑自己胆小，我跑到了前廊。“斯泰西？”我轻声喊，“克里斯托弗吗？”前廊尽头突然有个黑影在晃动，我扶着墙壁向前走去，“小家伙吗？别吓唬我啦，快点出来。”
Outside, an owl hooted into the night, quiet now except for the drip-drap of water falling from the roof. I stood transfixed by the chair, afraid to move.
屋外，只有猫头鹰的叫声和滴滴答答的雨声。我站在椅子旁，害怕得一动也不敢动。
I crept precariously near the edge of the high porch, my eyes attempting to penetrate the blackness of the night. From below, a scratchy bristlyness sprang upon me, and I lost my balance and tumbled with a thud into the muddy flower bed. I lay paralyzed with fear. Then a long wet tongue licked my face.
我弓着腰沿着边缘走着，集中精力在黑暗中寻找着。突然传来了抓挠的声响，有个身影猛地朝我扑了过来，我一下子失去平衡，整个人摔倒在花圃里，动弹不得。然后我感到有什么长长的东西在舔我的脸。
When I awoke, it was still nightly dark. “Big Ma!” I called. “Big Ma, you there!” But there was no reply from the chair by the window. Thinking that Big Ma had fallen asleep, I climbed from the bed and felt my way to her chair. She wasn’t there.
当我醒来时，屋里依然是一片漆黑。“奶奶？”我呼唤着，“奶奶，你在吗？”但窗边并没有传来回答。奶奶是睡着了吧？我摸黑走到窗户边，发现奶奶不在那里。
Then I heard a noise on the porch. I could not control my trembling. Again the noise, this time close to the door, and it occurred to me that it was probably the boys coming to confer with me. No doubt Mama had left them alone too.
接着我听到前廊传来了声响，我又忍不住吓得发抖。声音再次响起，而且更靠近门边。或许是男孩们过来要和我商量事情吧。毫无疑问，妈妈已经离开他们的房间了。
Our hound dog whined his reply.
我们家的狗热切地回应着我。
“Jason? Jason, that you!”
“杰森？杰森是你吗？”
I hugged him, then instantly let him go. “Was that you all the time! Look what you gone and done,” I fussed, thinking of the mess I was in with mud all over me.
我抱着它，又很快放开它：“刚刚是不是你干的好事，把我吓成这样？我现在浑身都是泥巴！”
Jason whined again and I got up. I started to climb back up onto the porch but froze as a caravan of headlights appeared suddenly in the east, coming fast along the rain-soaked road like cat eyes in the night. Jason whined loudly, growing skittish as the lights approached, and when they slowed and braked before the house he slunk beneath the porch. I wanted to follow, but I couldn’t. My legs would not move.
杰森又叫了几声。我站起来，准备爬回前廊时，看到眼前的景象，一下子僵住了。一列开着灯的车队，正朝着我们家的方向驶来，一路颠簸的车灯就像黑夜中闪烁的猫眼。杰森看到这些车，一阵狂吠。可是当车子减速在我家门前停下来时，它却吓得躲了回去。我也想跟杰森一样躲起来，可我的脚已经僵住了，动弹不得。
I stopped breathing.
我大气也不敢出。
The driver of the next car got out, waiting. The first man stopped and stared at the house for several long moments as if uncertain whether it was the correct destination. Then he shook his head, and without a word returned to his car. With a wave of his hand he sent the other driver back in- side, and in less than a minute the lead car had backed into the road, its headlights facing the other cars. Each of the cars used the driveway to turn around, then the caravan sped away as swiftly as it had come, its seven pairs of rear lights glowing like distant red embers until they were swallowed from view by the Granger forest.
第二辆车的人也下来了。不过他站在原地。第一个下车的人，在房子前看了好一会儿，似乎不确定这是不是他们要找的地方。接着，他摇了摇头，一言不发地走回他的车子。他挥挥手示意另一个人也上车。没过多久，那七辆车都离开了，消失在夜幕中。
The lead car swung into the muddy driveway and a shadowy figure outlined by the headlights of the car behind him stepped out. The man walked slowly up the drive.
有个人从最前面那辆车上下来了，他慢慢地走到通往屋子的车道上。
Jason began barking now that the danger had passed, but he did not come out. As I reached for the porch to steady myself, there was a sense of quiet movement in the dark- ness. The moon slid from its dark covers, cloaking the earth in a shadowy white light, and I could see Mr. Morrison clearly, moving silently, like a jungle cat, from the side of the house to the road, a shotgun in his hand. Feeling sick, I crawled onto the porch and crept trembling toward the door.
车队离开后，杰森又开始狂吠，不过它依然躲在后头没出来。周围一片黑暗，异常宁静。月光透过乌云发出白色的光芒，洒落在黝黑的大地上。我清楚地看见莫里森先生，像只树林里的猫，悄无声息地出现在房子旁边，然后走向马路，手里还握着一把短枪。我心生恐惧，赶紧爬了回去，颤抖着走回门边。
Once inside the house, I leaned against the latch while waves of sick terror swept over me. Realizing that I must get into bed before Mama or Big Ma came from the other room. I pulled off my muddy clothes, turning them inside out to wipe the mud from my body, and put on my night clothes. Then I climbed into the softness of the bed. I lay very still for a while, not allowing myself to think. But soon, against my will, the vision of ghostly headlights soaked into my mind and an uncontrollable trembling racked my body. And it remained until the dawn, when I fell into a restless sleep.
回到屋里，我靠在门上，大口地喘着气，以平息心头的恐惧。我突然意识到，要在被妈妈和奶奶发现前赶紧回到床上，可我身上现在满是泥巴。我脱下衣服，把里面翻到外面，把身上的泥巴擦掉。然后我爬上床，静静地躺着，努力不让自己回想刚才见到的场景。可我无法控制自己，那恐怖的车灯一直浮现在脑海里。我浑身发着抖，一直等到天亮才迷迷糊糊地睡着了。
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