现代大学英语精读4Unit2SpringSowing原文Word格式文档下载.docx

现代大学英语精读4Unit2SpringSowing原文Word格式文档下载.docx

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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,almostbentdoubleoverhisthickstickstoppedinthelandoutsidethefieldandgroaningloudly,