现代大学英语精读4Unit2SpringSowing原文Word格式.docx
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smind,thoughtofasmanythingsasthereareinlifeasawomanwouldinthefirstjoyandanxietyofhermating.ButMartin'
smindwasfixedononethought.Wouldhebeabletoprovehimselfamanworthyofbeingtheheadofafamilybydonghisspringsowingwell?
Inthebarnafterbreakfast,whentheyweregettingthepotatoseedsandthelineformeasuringthegroundandthespade,Martinfelloverabasketinthehalf-darknessofthebarn,hesworeandsaidthatamanwouldbebetteroffdeadthan..Butbeforehecouldfinishwhateverhewasgoingtosay,Maryhadherarmsaroundhiswaistandherfacetohis."
Martin,"
shesaid,"
letusnotbeginthisdaycrosswithoneanother."
Andtherewasatremorinhervoice.Andsomehow,astheyembraced,alltheirirritationandsleepinessleftthem.AndtheystoodthereembracinguntilatlastMartinpushedherfromhimwithpretendedroughnessandsaid:
"
Come,come,girl,itwillbesunsetbeforewebeginatthisrate."
Still,astheywalkedsilentlyintheirrawhideshoesthroughthelittlehamlet,therewasnotasoulabout.Lightswereglimmeringinthewindowsofafewcabins.Theskyhadabiggreycrackinitintheeast,asifitweregoingtoburstinordertogivebirthtothesun.Birdsweresingingsomewhereatadistance.MartinandMaryrestedtheirbasketsofseedsonafenceoutsidethevillageandMartinwhisperedtoMaryproudly:
Wearefirst,Mary."
Andtheybothlookedbackatthelittleclusterofcabinsthatwasthecentreoftheirworld,withthrobbinghearts.Forthejoyofspringhadnowtakencompleteholdofthem.
Theyreachedthelittlefieldwheretheyweretosow.Itwasalittletriangularpatchofgroundunderanivy-coveredlimestonehill.Thelittlefieldhadbeenmanuredwithseaweedsomeweeksbefore,andtheweedshadrottedandwhitenedonthegrass.Andtherewasabigredheapoffreshseaweedlyinginacornerbythefencetobespreadundertheseedsastheywerelaid.Martin,inspiteofthecold,threwoffeverythingabovehiswaistexcepthisstripedwoolenshirt.Thenhespatonhishands,seizedhisspadeandcried:
Nowyouaregoingtoseewhatkindofamanyouhave,Mary."
"
There,now,"
saidMary,tyingalittleshawlcloserunderherchin.
Aren'
tweboastfulthisearlyhourofthemorning
MaybeI'
llwaittillsunsettoseewhatkindofamanIhavegot."
Theworkbegan.Martinmeasuredthegroundbythesouthernfenceforthefirstridge,astripofgroundfourfeetwide,andheplacedthelinealongtheedgeandpeggeditateachend.Thenhespreadfreshseaweedoverthestrip.Maryfilledherapronwithseedsandbegantolaytheminrows.Whenshewasalittledistancedowntheridge,Martinadvancedwithhisspadetothehead,eagertocommence.
NowinthenameofGod,"
hecried,spittingonhispalms,"
letusraisethefirstsod!
Oh,Martin,waittillI'
mwithyou!
criedMary,droppingherseedsontheridgeandrunninguptohim.Herfingersoutsideherwoolenmittenswerenumbwiththecold,andshecouldn'
twipetheminherapron.Hercheeksseemedtobeonfire.SheputanarmroundMartin'
swaistandstoodlookingatthegreensodhisspadewasgoingtocut,withtheexcitementofalittlechild.
NowforGod'
ssake,girl,keepback!
saidMartingruffly."
Supposeanybodysawuslikethisinthefieldofourspringsowing,whatwouldtheytakeusforbutapairofuseless,soft,empty-headedpeoplethatwouldbesuretodieofhunger
Huh!
Hespokeveryrapidly,andhiseyeswerefixedonthegroundbeforehm.Hiseyeshadawild,eagerlightinthemasifsomeprimevalimpulsewereburningwithinhisbrainanddrivingouteveryotherdesirebutthatofassertinghismanhoodandofsubjugatingtheearth.
Oh,whatdowecarewhoislooking"
saidMary;
butshedrewbackatthesametimeandgazeddistantlyattheground.ThenMartincutthesod,andpressingthespadedeepintotheearthwithhisfoot,heturnedupthefirstsodwithacrunchingsoundasthegrassrootsweredraggedoutoftheearth.Marysighedandwalkedbackhurriedlytoherseedswithfurrowedbrows.Shepickedupherseedsandbegantospreadthemrapidlytodriveoutthesuddenterrorthathadseizedheratthatmomentwhenshesawthefierce,hardlookinherhusband'
seyesthatwereunconsciousofherpresence.Shebecamesuddenlyafraidofthatpitiless,cruelearth,thepeasant'
sslavemasterthatwouldkeepherchainedtohardworkandpovertyallherlifeuntilshewouldsinkagainintoitsbosom.Hershort-livedlovewasgone.Henceforthshewasonlyherhusband'
shelpertotilltheearth.AndMartin,absolutelywithoutthought,workedfuriously,coveringtheridgewithblockearth,hissharpspadegleamingwhiteashewhirleditsidewaystobeatthesods.
Then,asthesunrose,thelittlevalleybeneaththeivy-coveredhillsbecamedottedwithwhiteshirts,andeverywheremenworkedmadly,withoutspeaking,andwomenspreadseeds.Therewasnoheatinthelightofthesun,andtherewasasharpnessinthestillthinairthatmadethemenjumpontheirspadehaltsferociouslyandbeatthesodsasiftheywerelivingenemies.Birdshoppedsilentlybeforethespades,withtheirheadscockedsideways,watchingforworms.Madebravebyhunger,theyoftendashedunderthespadestosecuretheirfood.
Then,whenthesunreachedacertainpoint,allthewomenwentbacktothevillagetogetdinnerfortheirmen,andthemenworkedonwithoutstopping.Thenthewomenreturned,almostrunning,eachcarryingatincanwithaflanneltiedarounditandalittlebundletiedwithawhitecloth,MartinthrewdownhisspadewhenMaryarrivedbackinthefield.Smilingatoneanothertheysatunderthehillfortheirmeal.Itwasthesameastheirbreakfast,teaandbreadandbutter.
Ah,"
saidMartin,whenhehadtakenalongdraughtofteaformhismug,"
isthereanythinginthisworldasfineaseatingdinneroutintheopenlikethisafterdoingagoodmorning'
swork
There,Ihavedonetworidgesandahalf.That'
smorethananymaninthevillagecoulddo.Ha!
Andhelookedathiswifeproudly.
Yes,isn'
titlovely,"
saidMary,lookingatthebackridgeswistfully.Shewasjustmunchingherbreadandbutter.Thehurriedtriptothevillageandthetroubleofgettingtheteareadyhadrobbedherofherappetite.Shehadtokeepblowingattheturffirewiththerimofherskirt,andthesmokenearlyblindedher.Butnow,sittingonthatgrassyknoll,withthevalleyallroundglisteningwithfreshseaweedandalightsmokerisingfromthefreshlyturnedearth,astrangejoysweptoverher.Itoverpoweredthatotherfellingofdreadthathadbeenwithherduringthemorning.
Martinateheartily,revelinginhisgreatthirstandhisgreathunger,witheveryporeofhisbodyopentothepureair.Andhelookedaroundathisneighbors'
fieldsboastfully,comparingthemwithhisown.Thenhelookedathiswife'
slittleroundblackheadandfeltveryproudofhavingherashisown.Heleanedbackonhiselbowandtookherhandinhis.Shylyandinsilence,notknowingwhattosayandashamedoftheirgentlefeelings,theyfinishedeatingandstillsathandinhandlookingawayintothedistance.Everywherethesowerswererestingonlittleknolls,men,womenandchildrensittinginsilence.Andthegreatcalmofnatureinspringfilledtheatmospherearoundthem.Everythingseemedtositstillandwaituntilmiddayhadpassed.Onlythegleamingsunchasedwestwardsatamightypace,inandoutthroughwhiteclouds.
Theninadistantfieldanoldmangotup,tookhisspadeandbegantocleantheearthfromitwithapieceofstone.Theraspingnoisecarriedalongwayinthesilence.Thatwasthesignalforageneralrisingallalongthelittlevalley.Youngmenstretchedthemselvesandyawned.Theywalkedslowlybacktotheirridges.
Martin'
sbackandhiswristsweregettingsore,andMaryfeltthatifshestoopedagainoverherseedsherneckwouldbreak,butneithersaidanythingandsoontheyhadforgottentheirtirednessinthemechanicalmovementoftheirbodies.Thestrongsmelloftheupturnedearthactedlikeadrugontheirnerves.
Intheafternoon,whenthesunwasstrongest,theoldmenofthevillagecameouttolookattheirpeoplesowing.Martin'
sgrandfather,almostbentdoubleoverhisthickstickstoppedintheland