springsowing.docx
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- 上传时间:2023-07-25
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springsowing.docx
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springsowing
SpringSowing
ItwasstilldarkwhenMartinDelaneyandhiswifeMarygotup.Martinstoodinhisshirtbythewindow,rubbinghiseyesandyawning,whileMaryrakedoutthelivecoalsthathadlainhiddenintheashesonthehearthallnight.Outside,cockswerecrowingandawhitestreakwasrisingformtheground,asitwere,andbeginningtoscatterthedarkness.ItwasaFebruarymorning,dry,coldandstarry.
Thecouplesatdowntotheirbreakfastoftea.breadandbutter,insilence.Theyhadonlybeenmarriedthepreviousautumnanditwashatefulleavingawarmbedatsuchandearlyhour.Martin,withhisbrownhairandeyes,hisfreckledfaceandhislittlefairmoustache,ookedtooyoungtobemarried,andhsiwifelookedhardlymorethanagirl,red-cheekedandblue-eyed,herblackhairpiledattherearofherheadwithalargecombgleaminginthemiddleofthepile,Spanishfashion.Theywerebothdressedinroughhomespuns,andbothworetheloosewhiteshirtthatInveraraspeasantsuseforworkinthefields.
Theateinsilence,sleepyandyetonfirewithexcitement,foritwasthefirstdayoftheirfirstspringsowingasmanandwife.Andeachfelttheglamourofthatdayonwhichtheyweretoopenuptheearthtogetherandplantseedsinit.Butsomehowtheimminenceofaneventthathadbeenlongexpectedloved,fearedandpreparedformadethemdejected.Mary,withhershrewdwoman'smind,thoughtofasmanythingsasthereareinlifeasawomanwouldinthefirstjoyandanxietyofhermating.ButMartin'smindwasfixedononethought.Wouldhebeabletoprovehimselfamanworthyofbeingtheheadofafamilybydonghisspringsowingwell?
Inthebarnafterbreakfast,whentheyweregettingthepotatoseedsandthelineoformeasuringthetroundandthespade,Martinfelloverabasketinthehalf-darknessofthebarn,hesworeandsaidthatamanwouldbebetteroffdeadthan..Butbeforehecouldfinishwhateverhewasgongtosay,Maryhadherarmsaroundhiswaistandherfacetohis."Martin,"shesaid,"letusnotbeginthisdaycrosswithoneanother."Andtherewasatremorinhervoice.Andsomehow,astheyembraced,alltheirirritationandsleepinessleftthem.AndtheystoodthereembracinguntilatlastMartinpushedherfromhimwithpretendedroughnessandsaid:
"Come,come,girl,itwilbesunsetbeforewebeginatthisrate."
Still,astheywalkedsilentlyintheirrawhideshoesthroughthelittlehamlet,therewasnotasoulabout.Lightswereglimmeringinthewindowsofafewcabins.Theskyhadabiggreycrackinitintheeast,asifitweregoingtoburstinordertogivebirthtothesun.Birdesweresingingsomewhereatadistance.MartinandMaryproudly:
"Wearefirst,Mary."Andtheybothlookedbackatthelittleclusterofcabinsthatwasthecentreoftheirworld,withthrobbinghearts.Forthejyofspinghadnowtakencompleteholdofthem.
Theyreachedthelittlefieldwheretheyweretosow.Itwasalittletriangularpatchofgroundunderanivy-coveredlimestonehill.thelittlefieldhadbeenmanuredwithseaweedsomeweeksbefore,andtheweedshadrottedandwhitenedonthegrass.Andtherewasabigredheapofgreshseaweedlyinginacornerbythefencetobespreadundertheseedsastheywerelaid.Martin,inspiteofthecold,threwoffeverythingabovehiswaistexcepthisstripedwoollenshirt.Thenhespatonhishands,seizedhisspadeandcried:
"Nowyouaregoingtoseewhatkindofamanyouhave,Mary."
"There,now,"saidMary,ryingalittleshawlclserunderherchin.
"Aren'tweboastfulthisearlyhourofthemorningMaybeI'llwaittillsunsettoseewhatkindofamanIhavegot."
Theworkbegan.Martinmeasuredthegroundbythesouthernfenceforthefirstridge,astripofgroundfourfeetwide,andheplacedthelinealongtheedgeandpeggeditateachend.Thenhespreadfreshseaweedoverthestrip.Maryfilledherapronwithseedsandbegantolaytheminrows.Whenshewasalittledistancedowntheridge,Martinadvancedwithhisspadetothehead,eagertocommence.
"NowinthenameofGod,"hecried,spittingonhispalms,"letusraisethefirstsod!
"
"Oh,Martin,waittillI'mwithyou!
"criedMary,droppingherseedsontheridgeandrunninguptohim.Herfingersoutsideherwoollenmittenswerenumbwiththecold,andshecouldn'twipetheminherapron.Hercheeksseemedtobeonfire.SheputanarmroundMartin'swaistandstoodlookingatthegreensodhisspadewasgoingtocut,withtheexcitementofalittlechild.
"NowforGod'ssake,girl,keepback!
"saidMartingruffly."Supposeanybodysawuslikethisinthefieldofourspringsowing,whatwouldtheytakeusforbutapairofuseless,soft,empty-headedpeoplethatwouldbesuretodieofhunger.Huh!
"Hespokeveryrapidely,andhiseyeswerefixedonthegroundbeforehm.Hiseyeshadawild,eagerlightinthemasifsomeprimevalimpulsewereburningwithinhisbrainanddrivingouteveryotherdesirebutthatofassertinghismanhoodandofsubjugatingtheearth.
"Oh,whatdowecarewhoislooking"saidMary;butshedrewbackatthesametimeandgazeddistantlyattheground.ThenMartincutthesod,andpressingthespadedeepintotheearthwithhisfoot,heturnedupthefirstsodwithacrunchingsoundasthegrasrootsweredraggedoutoftheearth.Marysighedandwalkedbackhurriedlytoherseedswithfurrowedbrows.Shepickedupherseedsandbegantospreadthemrapidlytodriveoutthesuddenterrorthathadseizedheratthatmomentwhtenshesawthefierce,hardlookinherhusband'seyesthatwereunconsciousofherpresence.Shebecamesuddenlyafraidofthatpitiless,cruelearth,thepeasant'sslavemaster,thatwouldkeepherchainedtohardworkandpovertyallherlifeuntilshewouldsinkagainintoitsbosom.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.Thenthewomentrturned,almostrunning,eachcarryingatincanwithaflanneltiedarounditadnalittlebundletiedwithawhitecloth,MartinthrewdownhisspadewhenMaryarrivedbackinthefield.Smilingatoneanothertheysatunderthehillfortheirmeal.Itwasthesameastheirbreakfast,teaandbreadandbutter.
"Ah,"saidMartin,whenhehadtakenalongdraughtofteaformhismug,"isthereanythinginthisworldasfineaseatingdinneroutintheopenlikethisafterdoingagoodmorning'sworkTher,Ihavedonetworidgesandahalf.That'smorethananymaninthevillagecoulddo.Ha!
"Andhelookedathiswifeproudly.
"Yes,isn'titlovely,"saidMary,lookingatthebackridgeswistfully.Shewasjustmunchingherbreadandbutter.Thehurriedtriptothevillageandthetroubleofgettingtheteareadyhadrobbedherofherappetite.shehadtokeepblowingattheturffirewiththerimofherskirt,andthesmokenearlyblindedher.Butnow,sittingonthatgrassyknoll,withthevalleyallroundglisteningwithfreshseaweedandalightsmokerisingfromthefreshlytrunedearth,astrangejoysweptoverher.Itoverpoweredthatoftherfellingofdreadthathadbeenwithherduringthemorning.
Martinateheartily,revellinginhisgreatthirstandhisgreathunger,witheveryporeofhisbodyopentothepureair.Andhelookedaroundathisneighbours'fieldsboastfully,comparingthemwithhisown.Thenhelookedathiswife'slittleroundblackheadandfeltveryproudofhavingherashisown.Heleanedbackonhiselbowandtookherhandinhis.Shylyandinsilence,notknowingwhattosayandashamedoftheirgentlefeelings,theyfinishedeatingandstillsathandinhandlookingawayintothedistance.Everywherethesowerswererestingonlittleknolls,men,womenandchildrensittinginsilence.andthegreatcalmofnatureinspringfilledtheatmospherearoundthem.Everyingseemedtositstillandwaituntilmiddayhadpassed.Onlythegleamingsunchasedwestwardsatamightypace,inandoutthroughwhiteclouds.
Theninadistantfieldanoldmangotup,tookhisspadeandbegantocleantheearthfromitwithapieceofstone.Theraspingnoisecarriedalongwayinthesilence.Thatwasthesignalforageneralrisingallalongthelittlevalley.Youngmenstretchedthemselvesandyawned.Theywalkedslowlybacktotheirridges.
Martin'sbackandhiswristsweregettingsore,andMaryfeltthatifshestoopedagainoverherseedsherneckwouldbreak,butneithersaidanythingandsoontheyhadforgottentheirtirednessinthemechanicalmovementoftheirbodes.Thestrongsmelloftheupturnedearthactedlikeadrugontheirnerves.
bysundownMartinhadfiveridgesfinished.Hethrewdownhisspadeandstretchedhimself.Allhisbonesachedandhewantedtoliedownandrest."It'stimetobegonghome,Mary,"hesaid.
Marystraightenedherself,butshewastootiredtoreply.shelookedatMartinwearilyanditseemedtoherthatitwasagreatmanyyearssincetheyhadsetoutt
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