英语阅读英文原著buttered side down抹黄油的一面朝下.docx
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英语阅读英文原著buttered side down抹黄油的一面朝下.docx
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英语阅读英文原著butteredsidedown抹黄油的一面朝下
BUTTEREDSIDEDOWN
EDNAFERBER
MARCH,1912FOREWORD
"Andso,"thestorywritersusedtosay,"theylivedhappilyeverafter."
Um-m-m--maybe.Aftertheglamourhadwornoff,andtheglassslipperswerewornout,didthePrinceneverfindCinderella'smannerredolentofthekitchenhearth;andwasitnevernecessarythatheremindhertobemorecarefulofherfinger-nailsandgrammar?
AfterPussinBootshadwonwealthandawifeforhisyoungmasterdidnotthatgentlemanoftenfumewithchagrinbecausetheneighbors,perhaps,refusedtocallontheladyoftheformerpoormiller'sson?
Itisagreatrisktotakewithone'sbook-children.Thesestoriesmakenosuchpromises.Theystopjustshortofthephraseoftheoldstorywriters,andendtruthfully,thus:
Andsotheylived.
E.F.
PART.I
THEFROGANDTHEPUDDLE
Anyonewhohaseverwrittenforthemagazines(nobodycoulddeviseamoresweepingopening;itincludestheicemanwhodoesahumorousarticleonthesubjectofhistroubles,andtheneglectedwifenextdoor,whojournalizes)knowsthatastorythesceneofwhichisnotNewYorkismerelyjunk.TakeFifthAvenueasaframework,paditouttofivethousandwords,andthereyouhavetheidealshortstory.
ConsequentlyIfeelacertaintimidityinconfessingthatIdonotknowFifthAvenuefromHesterStreetwhenIseeit,becauseI'veneverseenit.Ithasbeensaidthatfromthelattertotheformerisaten-yearjourney,fromwhichIhavegatheredthattheyliesomemilesapart.AsforForty-secondStreet,ofwhichmusicalcomedianscarol,Iknownotifitbeafashionableshoppingthoroughfareorafactorydistrict.
Aconfessionofthiskindisnotonlygoodforthesoul,butfortheeditor.Itsaveshimthetroubleofturningtopagetwo.
ThisisastoryofChicago,whichisafirstcousinofNewYork,althoughthetwoarenotonchummyterms.ItisastoryofthatpartofChicagowhichlieseastofDearbornAvenueandsouthofDivisionStreet,andwhichmaybecalledtheNottinghamcurtaindistrict.
IntheNottinghamcurtaindistricteveryfrontparlorwindowisembellishedwitha"RoomsWithorWithoutBoard"sign.Thecurtainsthemselveshavemellowedfromtheiroriginaldepartment-store-basement-whitetoarich,deeptoneofChicagosmoke,whichhasthenotoriousLondonvarietybeatenbyseveralshades.Blockafterblockthetwo-story-and-basementhousesstretch,allgrimyandgrittyandlookingsadlydownuponthefivesquarefeetofmangygrassformingthepitifulfrontyardofeach.Nowandthenthemonotonouslineoffrontstoopsisbrokenbyanoutjuttingbasementdelicatessenshop.Butnotoften.TheNottinghamcurtaindistrictdoesnotrunheavilytodelicacies.Itisstrongeroncreamedcabbageandbreadpudding.
UpinthethirdfloorbackatMis'Buck's(elegantrooms$2.50andupa
week.Gentspreferred)Gertiewasbrushingherhairforthenight.Onehundredstrokeswithabristlebrush.Anyonewhoreadsthebeautycolumninthenewspapersknowsthat.TherewassomethingheroicinthesightofGertiebrushingherhaironehundredstrokesbeforegoingtobedatnight.Onlyawomancouldunderstandherdoingit.
GertieclerkeddowntownonStateStreet,inagents'glovedepartment.Agents'glovedepartmentrequirescarefuldressingonthepartofitsclerks,andthemanager,inselectingthem,isparticularaboutchoosing"lookers,"withespecialattentiontofigure,hair,andfingernails.Gertiewasalooker.Providencehadtakencareofthat.ButyoucannotleaveyourhairandfingernailstoProvidence.Theydemandcoaxingwithabristlebrushandanorangewoodstick.
Nowclerking,asGertiewouldtellyou,isfierceonthefeet.Andwhenyourfeetaretiredyouaretiredallover.Gertie'sfeetweretiredeverynight.Abouteight-thirtyshelongedtopeeloffherclothes,droptheminaheaponthefloor,andtumble,unbrushed,unwashed,unmanicured,intobed.Sheneverdidit.
Thingshadbeenparticularlytryingto-night.Afterwashingoutthreehandkerchiefsandpastingthemwithpractisedhandoverthemirror,Gertiehadtakenoffhershoesanddiscoveredaholethesizeofasilverquarterintheheelofherleftstocking.Gertiehadacountry-bredhorrorofholeystockings.Shedarnedthehole,yawning,herachingfeetpressedagainstthesmooth,coollegoftheironbed.Thatdone,shehadhadthecolossalcouragetowashherface,slapcoldcreamonit,andpushbackthecuticlearoundhernails.
Seatedhuddledonthesideofherthinlittleironbed,Gertiewasbrushingherhairbravely,countingthestrokessomewhereinhersub-consciousmindandthinkingbusilyallthewhileofsomethingelse.Herbrushrose,fell,sweptdownward,rose,fell,rhythmically.
"Ninety-six,ninety-seven,ninety-eight,ninety--Oh,darnit!
What'stheuse!
"criedGertie,andhurledthebrushacrosstheroomwithacrack.
Shesatlookingafteritwithwide,staringeyesuntilthebrushblurredinwiththefadedredrosesonthecarpet.Whenshefounditdoingthatshegotup,waddedherhairviciouslyintoahardbuninthebackinsteadof
braidingitcarefullyasusual,crossedtheroom(itwasn'tmuchofatrip),pickedupthebrush,andstoodlookingdownatit,herunderlipcaughtbetweenherteeth.Thatisthehumiliatingpartoflosingyourtemperandthrowingthings.Youhavetocomedowntopickingthemup,anyway.
Herlipstillheldprisoner,Gertietossedthebrushonthebureau,fastenedhernightgownatthethroatwithasafetypin,turnedoutthegasandcrawledintobed.
Perhapsthehardbunatthebackofherheadkeptherawake.Shelaytherewithhereyeswideopenandsleepless,staringintothedarkness.
AtmidnighttheKidNextDoorcameinwhistling,likeoneunusedtoboarding-houserules.Gertielikedhimforthat.AttheheadofthestairshestoppedwhistlingandcamesoftlyintohisownthirdfloorbackjustnexttoGertie's.Gertielikedhimforthat,too.
ThetworoomshadbeenoneinthefashionabledaysoftheNottinghamcurtaindistrict,longbeforetheadventofMis'Buck.Thatthriftylady,oncomingintopossession,hadcausedaflimsypartitiontoberunup,slicingtheroomintwainanddoublingitsrental.
LyingthereGertiecouldheartheKidNextDoormovingaboutgettingreadyforbedandhumming"EveryLittleMovementHasaMeaningofItsOwn"verylightly,underhisbreath.Hepolishedhisshoesbriskly,andGertiesmiledthereinthedarknessofherownroominsympathy.Poorkid,hehadhisbeautystruggles,too.
GertiehadneverseentheKidNextDoor,althoughhehadcomefourmonthsago.Butsheknewhewasn'tagrouch,becausehealternatelywhistledandsangoff-keytenorwhiledressinginthemorning.Shehadalsodiscoveredthathisbedmustrunalongthesamewallagainstwhichherbedwaspushed.Gertietoldherselfthattherewassomethingalmostimmodestaboutbeingabletohearhimbreathingasheslept.Hehadtumbledintobedwithalittlegruntofweariness.
Gertielaythereanotherhour,staringintothedarkness.Thenshebegantocrysoftly,lyingonherfacewithherheadbetweenherarms.Thecoldcreamandthesalttearsmingledandformedaslipperypaste.Gertieweptonbecauseshecouldn'thelpit.Thelongersheweptthemoredifficulthersobsbecame,untilfinallytheyborderedonthehysterical.
Theyfilledherlungsuntiltheyachedandreachedherthroatwithaforcethatjerkedherheadback.
"Rap-rap-rap!
"soundedsharplyfromtheheadofherbed.
Gertiestoppedsobbing,andherheartstopped,beating.Shelaytenseandstill,listening.Everyoneknowsthatspooksrapthreetimesattheheadofone'sbed.It'saregularhigh-signwiththem.
"Rap-rap-rap!
"
Gertie'sskinbecamegoose-flesh,andcoldwatereffectschasedupanddownherspine.
"What'syourtroubleinthere?
"demandedanunspookyvoicesonearthatGertiejumped."Sick?
"
ItwastheKidNextDoor.
"N-no,I'mnotsick,"falteredGertie,hermouthclosetothewall.Justthenabelatedsobthathadstoppedhalfwaywhentherapsbeganhustledontojoinitssisters.IttookGertiebysurprise,andbroughtpromptresponsefromtheothersideofthewall.
"I'llbetIscaredyougreen.Ididn'tmeanto,but,onthesquare,ifyou'refeelingsick,alittlenipofbrandywillsetyouup.Excusemymentioningit,girlie,butI'ddothesameformysister.Ihatelikesintohearawomansufferlikethat,and,anyway,Idon'tknowwhetheryou'refourteenorforty,soit'sperfectlyrespectable.I'llgetthebottleandleaveitoutsideyourdoor."
"Noyoudon't!
"answeredGertieinahollowvoice,prayingmeanwhilethatthewomanintheroombelowmightbesleeping."I'mnotsick,honestlyI'mnot.I'mjustasmuchobliged,andI'mdeadsorryIwokeyouupwithmyblubbering.Istartedoutwiththesoftpedalon,butthingsgotawayfromme.Canyouhearme?
"
"Likeaphonograph.Sureyoucouldn'tuseasipofbrandywhereit'ddothemostgood?
"
"Sure."
"Well,then,cutouttheweepsandgetyourbeautysleep,kid.Heain'tworthsobbingover,anyway,believeme."
"He!
"snortedGertieindignantly."You'recold.Thereneverwasanythinginpeg-topsthatcouldmakemecarryonliketheheroineofthe
Elsieseries."
"Lostyourjob?
""Nosuchluck."
"Well,then,whatinSamHillcouldmakeawoman"
"Lonesome!
"snappedGertie."Andthefloorwalkergotfreshto-day.AndIfoundtwograyhairsto-night.AndI'dgivemynextweek'spayenvelopetohearthedoubleclickthatourfrontgategivesbackhome."
"Backhome!
"echoedtheKidNextDoorinadangerouslyloudvoice."Say,Iwanttotalktoyou.Ifyou'llpromiseyouwon'tgetsoreandthinkI'mfresh,I'llaskyouafavor.Sliponakimonoandwe'llsneakdowntothefrontstoopandtalkitover.I'maswideawakeasachorus
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