awhiteheron英文原版.docx

awhiteheron英文原版.docx

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awhiteheron英文原版

AWHITEHERON

SarahOrneJewett

I.

ThewoodswerealreadyfilledwithshadowsoneJuneevening,justbeforeeighto'clock,thoughabrightsunsetstillglimmeredfaintlyamongthetrunksofthetrees.Alittlegirlwasdrivinghomehercow,aplodding,dilatory,provokingcreatureinherbehavior,butavaluedcompanionforallthat.Theyweregoingawayfromwhateverlighttherewas,andstrikingdeepintothewoods,buttheirfeetwerefamiliarwiththepath,anditwasnomatterwhethertheireyescouldseeitornot.

Therewashardlyanightthesummerthroughwhentheoldcowcouldbefoundwaitingatthepasturebars;onthecontrary,itwashergreatestpleasuretohideherselfawayamongthehuckleberrybushes,andthoughsheworealoudbellshehadmadethediscoverythatifonestoodperfectlystillitwouldnotring.SoSylviahadtohuntforheruntilshefoundher,andcallCo'!

Co'!

withneveranansweringMoo,untilherchildishpatiencewasquitespent.Ifthecreaturehadnotgivengoodmilkandplentyofit,thecasewouldhaveseemedverydifferenttoherowners.Besides,Sylviahadallthetimetherewas,andverylittleusetomakeofit.Sometimesinpleasantweatheritwasaconsolationtolookuponthecow'spranksasanintelligentattempttoplayhideandseek,andasthechildhadnoplaymatesshelentherselftothisamusementwithagooddealofzest.Thoughthischasehadbeensolongthatthewaryanimalherselfhadgivenanunusualsignalofherwhereabouts,SylviahadonlylaughedwhenshecameuponMistressMoollyattheswamp-side,andurgedheraffectionatelyhomewardwithatwigofbirchleaves.Theoldcowwasnotinclinedtowanderfarther,sheeventurnedintherightdirectionforonceastheyleftthepasture,andsteppedalongtheroadatagoodpace.Shewasquitereadytobemilkednow,andseldomstoppedtobrowse.Sylviawonderedwhathergrandmotherwouldsaybecausetheyweresolate.Itwasagreatwhilesinceshehadlefthomeathalf-pastfiveo'clock,buteverybodyknewthedifficultyofmakingthiserrandashortone.Mrs.Tilleyhadchasedthehornédtormenttoomanysummereveningsherselftoblameanyoneelseforlingering,andwasonlythankfulasshewaitedthatshehadSylvia,nowadays,togivesuchvaluableassistance.ThegoodwomansuspectedthatSylvialoiteredoccasionallyonherownaccount;thereneverwassuchachildforstrayingaboutout-of-doorssincetheworldwasmade!

Everybodysaidthatitwasagoodchangeforalittlemaidwhohadtriedtogrowforeightyearsinacrowdedmanufacturingtown,but,asforSylviaherself,itseemedasifsheneverhadbeenaliveatallbeforeshecametoliveatthefarm.Shethoughtoftenwithwistfulcompassionofawretchedgeraniumthatbelongedtoatownneighbor.

"'Afraidoffolks,'"oldMrs.Tilleysaidtoherself,withasmile,aftershehadmadetheunlikelychoiceofSylviafromherdaughter'shousefulofchildren,andwasreturningtothefarm."'Afraidoffolks,'theysaid!

Iguessshewon'tbetroublednogreatwith'emuptotheoldplace!

"Whentheyreachedthedoorofthelonelyhouseandstoppedtounlockit,andthecatcametopurrloudly,andrubagainstthem,adesertedpussy,indeed,butfatwithyoungrobins,Sylviawhisperedthatthiswasabeautifulplacetolivein,andshenevershouldwishtogohome.

Thecompanionsfollowedtheshadywood-road,thecowtakingslowstepsandthechildveryfastones.Thecowstoppedlongatthebrooktodrink,asifthepasturewerenothalfaswamp,andSylviastoodstillandwaited,lettingherbarefeetcoolthemselvesintheshoalwater,whilethegreattwilightmothsstrucksoftlyagainsther.Shewadedonthroughthebrookasthecowmovedaway,andlistenedtothethrusheswithaheartthatbeatfastwithpleasure.Therewasastirringinthegreatboughsoverhead.Theywerefulloflittlebirdsandbeaststhatseemedtobewideawake,andgoingabouttheirworld,orelsesayinggood-nighttoeachotherinsleepytwitters.Sylviaherselffeltsleepyasshewalkedalong.However,itwasnotmuchfarthertothehouse,andtheairwassoftandsweet.Shewasnotofteninthewoodssolateasthis,anditmadeherfeelasifshewereapartofthegrayshadowsandthemovingleaves.Shewasjustthinkinghowlongitseemedsinceshefirstcametothefarmayearago,andwonderingifeverythingwentoninthenoisytownjustthesameaswhenshewasthere,thethoughtofthegreatred-facedboywhousedtochaseandfrightenhermadeherhurryalongthepathtoescapefromtheshadowofthetrees.

Suddenlythislittlewoods-girlishorror-strickentohearaclearwhistlenotveryfaraway.Notabird's-whistle,whichwouldhaveasortoffriendliness,butaboy'swhistle,determined,andsomewhataggressive.Sylvialeftthecowtowhateversadfatemightawaither,andsteppeddiscreetlyasideintothebushes,butshewasjusttoolate.Theenemyhaddiscoveredher,andcalledoutinaverycheerfulandpersuasivetone,"Halloa,littlegirl,howfarisittotheroad"andtremblingSylviaansweredalmostinaudibly,"Agoodways."

Shedidnotdaretolookboldlyatthetallyoungman,whocarriedagunoverhisshoulder,butshecameoutofherbushandagainfollowedthecow,whilehewalkedalongside.

"Ihavebeenhuntingforsomebirds,"thestrangersaidkindly,"andIhavelostmyway,andneedafriendverymuch.Don'tbeafraid,"headdedgallantly."Speakupandtellmewhatyournameis,andwhetheryouthinkIcanspendthenightatyourhouse,andgooutgunningearlyinthemorning."

Sylviawasmorealarmedthanbefore.WouldnothergrandmotherconsiderhermuchtoblameButwhocouldhaveforeseensuchanaccidentasthisItdidnotseemtobeherfault,andshehungherheadasifthestemofitwerebroken,butmanagedtoanswer"Sylvy,"withmucheffortwhenhercompanionagainaskedhername.

Mrs.Tilleywasstandinginthedoorwaywhenthetriocameintoview.Thecowgavealoudmoobywayofexplanation.

"Yes,you'dbetterspeakupforyourself,youoldtrial!

Where'dshetuckedherselfawaythistime,Sylvy"ButSylviakeptanawedsilence;sheknewbyinstinctthathergrandmotherdidnotcomprehendthegravityofthesituation.Shemustbemistakingthestrangerforoneofthefarmer-ladsoftheregion.

Theyoungmanstoodhisgunbesidethedoor,anddroppedalumpygame-bagbesideit;thenhebadeMrs.Tilleygood-evening,andrepeatedhiswayfarer'sstory,andaskedifhecouldhaveanight'slodging.

"Putmeanywhereyoulike,"hesaid."Imustbeoffearlyinthemorning,beforeday;butIamveryhungry,indeed.Youcangivemesomemilkatanyrate,that'splain."

"Dearsakes,yes,"respondedthehostess,whoselongslumberinghospitalityseemedtobeeasilyawakened."Youmightfarebetterifyouwentouttothemainroadamileorso,butyou'rewelcometowhatwe'vegot.I'llmilkrightoff,andyoumakeyourselfathome.Youcansleeponhusksorfeathers,"sheprofferedgraciously."Iraisedthemallmyself.There'sgoodpasturingforgeesejustbelowheretowardsthema'sh.Nowsteproundandsetaplateforthegentleman,Sylvy!

"AndSylviapromptlystepped.Shewasgladtohavesomethingtodo,andshewashungryherself.

ItwasasurprisetofindsocleanandcomfortablealittledwellinginthisNewEnglandwilderness.Theyoungmanhadknownthehorrorsofitsmostprimitivehousekeeping,andthedrearysqualorofthatlevelofsocietywhichdoesnotrebelatthecompanionshipofhens.Thiswasthebestthriftofanold-fashionedfarmstead,thoughonsuchasmallscalethatitseemedlikeahermitage.Helistenedeagerlytotheoldwoman'squainttalk,hewatchedSylvia'spalefaceandshininggrayeyeswithevergrowingenthusiasm,andinsistedthatthiswasthebestsupperhehadeatenforamonth,andafterwardthenew-madefriendssatdowninthedoor-waytogetherwhilethemooncameup.

Soonitwouldbeberry-time,andSylviawasagreathelpatpicking.Thecowwasagoodmilker,thoughaplaguythingtokeeptrackof,thehostessgossipedfrankly,addingpresentlythatshehadburiedfourchildren,soSylvia'smother,andason（whomightbedead）inCaliforniawereallthechildrenshehadleft."Dan,myboy,wasagreathandtogogunning,"sheexplainedsadly."Ineverwantedforpa'tridgesorgraysquer'lswhilehewastohome.He'sbeenagreatwand'rer,Iexpect,andhe'snohandtowriteletters.There,Idon'tblamehim,I'dha'seentheworldmyselfifithadbeensoIcould.

"Sylvytakesafterhim,"thegrandmothercontinuedaffectionately,afteraminute'spause."Thereain'tafooto'groundshedon'tknowherwayover,andthewildcreaturscountsheroneo'themselves.Squer'lsshe'lltametocomean'feedrightouto'herhands,andallsortso'birds.Lastwintershegotthejay-birdstobangeinghere,andIbelieveshe'd'a'scantedherselfofherownmealstohaveplentytothrowoutamongst'em,ifIhadn'tkep'watch.Anythingbutcrows,Itellher,I'mwillin'tohelpsupport--thoughDanhehadatamedoneo'themthatdidseemtohavereasonsameasfolks.Itwasroundhereagoodspellafterhewentaway.Danan'hisfathertheydidn'thitch,--butheneverhelduphisheadag'inafterDanhaddaredhiman'goneoff."

Theguestdidnotnoticethishintoffamilysorrowsinhiseagerinterestinsomethingelse.

"SoSylvyknowsallaboutbirds,doesshe"heexclaimed,ashelookedroundatthelittlegirlwhosat,verydemurebutincreasinglysleepy,inthemoonlight."Iammakingacollectionofbirdsmyself.IhavebeenatiteversinceIwasaboy."（Mrs.Tilleysmiled.）"TherearetwoorthreeveryrareonesIhavebeenhuntingforthesefiveyears.Imeantogetthemonmyowngroundif