灌木丛中的王子英文短篇小说.docx
- 文档编号:6626073
- 上传时间:2023-01-08
- 格式:DOCX
- 页数:7
- 大小:22.36KB
灌木丛中的王子英文短篇小说.docx
《灌木丛中的王子英文短篇小说.docx》由会员分享,可在线阅读,更多相关《灌木丛中的王子英文短篇小说.docx(7页珍藏版)》请在冰豆网上搜索。
灌木丛中的王子英文短篇小说
灌木丛中的王子英文短篇小说
Nineoclockatlast,andthedrudgingtoilofthedaywasended.Lenaclimbedtoherroominthethirdhalf-storyoftheQuarrymensHotel.Sincedaylightshehadslaved,doingtheworkofafull-grownwoman,scrubbingthefloors,washingtheheavyironstoneplatesandcups,makingthebeds,andsupplyingtheinsatiatedemandsforwoodandwaterinthatturbulentanddepressinghostelry.
Thedinofthedaysquarryingwasover--theblastinganddrilling,thecreakingofthegreatcranes,theshoutsoftheforemen,thebackingandshiftingoftheflat-carshaulingtheheavyblocksoflimestone.Downinthehotelofficethreeorfourofthelabourersweregrowlingandswearingoverabelatedgameofcheckers.Heavyodoursofstewedmeat,hotgrease,andcheapcoffeehunglikeadepressingfogaboutthehouse.
Lenalitthestumpofacandleandsatlimplyuponherwoodenchair.Shewaselevenyearsold,thinandill-nourished.Herbackandlimbsweresoreandaching.Buttheacheinherheartmadethebiggesttrouble.Thelaststrawhadbeenaddedtotheburdenuponhersmallshoulders.TheyhadtakenawayGrimm.Alwaysatnight,howevertiredshemightbe,shehadturnedtoGrimmforcomfortandhope.EachtimehadGrimmwhisperedtoherthattheprinceorthefairywouldcomeanddeliverheroutofthewickedenchantment.EverynightshehadtakenfreshcourageandstrengthfromGrimm.
Towhatevertaleshereadshefoundananalogyinherowncondition.Thewoodcutterslostchild,theunhappygoosegirl,thepersecutedstepdaughter,thelittlemaidenimprisonedinthewitchshut--allthesewerebuttransparentdisguisesforLena,theoverworkedkitchenmaidintheQuarrymensHotel.Andalwayswhentheextremitywasdirestcamethegoodfairyorthegallantprincetotherescue.
So,hereintheogrescastle,enslavedbyawickedspell,LenahadleaneduponGrimmandwaited,longingforthepowersofgoodnesstoprevail.ButonthedaybeforeMrs.Maloneyhadfoundthebookinherroomandhadcarrieditaway,declaringsharplythatitwouldnotdoforservantstoreadatnight;theylostsleepanddidnotworkbrisklythenextday.Canoneonlyelevenyearsold,livingawayfromonesmamma,andneverhavinganytimetoplay,liveentirelydeprivedofGrimm?
Justtryitonceandyouwillseewhatadifficultthingitis.
LenashomewasinTexas,awayupamongthelittlemountainsonthePedernalesRiver,inalittletowncalledFredericksburg.TheyareallGermanpeoplewholiveinFredericksburg.Ofeveningstheysitatlittletablesalongthesidewalkanddrinkbeerandplaypinochleandscat.Theyareverythriftypeople.
ThriftiestamongthemwasPeterHildesmuller,Lenasfather.AndthatiswhyLenawassenttoworkinthehotelatthequarries,thirtymilesaway.Sheearnedthreedollarseveryweekthere,andPeteraddedherwagestohiswell-guardedstore.Peterhadanambitiontobecomeasrichashisneighbour,HugoHeffelbauer,whosmokedameerschaumpipethreefeetlongandhadwienerschnitzelandhassenpfefferfordinnereverydayintheweek.AndnowLenawasquiteoldenoughtoworkandassistintheaccumulationofriches.Butconjecture,ifyoucan,whatitmeanstobesentencedatelevenyearsofagefromahomeinthepleasantlittleRhinevillagetohardlabourintheogrescastle,whereyoumustflytoservetheogres,whiletheydevourcattleandsheep,growlingfiercelyastheystampwhitelimestonedustfromtheirgreatshoesforyoutosweepandscourwithyourweak,achingfingers.Andthen--tohaveGrimmtakenawayfromyou!
Lenaraisedthelidofanoldemptycasethathadoncecontainedcannedcornandgotoutasheetofpaperandapieceofpencil.Shewasgoingtowritealettertohermamma.TommyRyanwasgoingtopostitforheratBallingers.Tommywasseventeen,workedinthequarries,wenthometoBallingerseverynight,andwasnowwaitingintheshadowsunderLenaswindowforhertothrowtheletterouttohim.ThatwastheonlywayshecouldsendalettertoFredericksburg.Mrs.Maloneydidnotlikeforhertowriteletters.
Thestumpofthecandlewasburninglow,soLenahastilybitthewoodfromaroundtheleadofherpencilandbegan.Thisisthelettershewrote:
DearestMamma:
--Iwantsomuchtoseeyou.AndGretelandClausandHeinrichandlittleAdolf.Iamsotired.Iwanttoseeyou.To-dayIwasslappedbyMrs.Maloneyandhadnosupper.Icouldnotbringinenoughwood,formyhandhurt.Shetookmybookyesterday.ImeanGrimmsFairyTales,whichUncleLeogaveme.Itdidnothurtanyoneformetoreadthebook.ItrytoworkaswellasIcan,butthereissomuchtodo.Ireadonlyalittlebiteverynight.Dearmamma,IshalltellyouwhatIamgoingtodo.Unlessyousendformeto-morrowtobringmehomeIshallgotoadeepplaceIknowintheriveranddrown.Itiswickedtodrown,Isuppose,butIwantedtoseeyou,andthereisnooneelse.Iamverytired,andTommyiswaitingfortheletter.Youwillexcuseme,mamma,ifIdoit.
Yourrespectfulandlovingdaughter,
Lena.
Tommywasstillwaitingfaithfullywhentheletterwasconcluded,andwhenLenadroppeditoutshesawhimpickitupandstartupthesteephillside.Withoutundressingsheblewoutthecandleandcurledherselfuponthemattressonthefloor.
At10:
30oclockoldmanBallingercameoutofhishouseinhisstockingfeetandleanedoverthegate,smokinghispipe.Helookeddownthebigroad,whiteinthemoonshine,andrubbedoneanklewiththetoeofhisotherfoot.ItwastimefortheFredericksburgmailtocomepatteringuptheroad.
OldmanBallingerhadwaitedonlyafewminuteswhenheheardthelivelyhoofbeatsofFritzsteamoflittleblackmules,andverysoonafterwardhiscoveredspringwagonstoodinfrontofthegate.FritzsbigspectaclesflashedinthemoonlightandhistremendousvoiceshoutedagreetingtothepostmasterofBallingers.Themail-carrierjumpedoutandtookthebridlesfromthemules,forhealwaysfedthemoatsatBallingers.
WhilethemuleswereeatingfromtheirfeedbagsoldmanBallingerbroughtoutthemailsackandthrewitintothewagon.
FritzBergmannwasamanofthreesentiments--ortobemoreaccurate--four,thepairofmulesdeservingtobereckonedindividually.Thosemuleswerethechiefinterestandjoyofhisexistence.NextcametheEmperorofGermanyandLenaHildesmuller.
Tellme,saidFritz,whenhewasreadytostart,containsthesackalettertoFrauHildesmullerfromthelittleLenaatthequarries?
Onecameinthelastmailtosaythatsheisalittlesick,already.Hermammaisveryanxioustohearagain.
Yes,saidoldmanBallinger,tharsaletterforMrs.Helterskelter,orsomesichname.TommyRyanbrungitoverwhenhecome.Herlittlegalworkinoverthar,yousay?
Inthehotel,shoutedFritz,ashegatheredupthelines;elevenyearsoldandnotbiggerasafrankfurter.Theclose-fistofaPeterHildesmuller!
--somedayIshallwithabigclubpoundthatmansdummkopf--allinandoutthetown.PerhapsinthisletterLenawillsaythatsheisyetfeelingbetter.So,hermammawillbeglad.Aufwiedersehen,HerrBallinger--yourfeetswilltakecoldoutinthenightair.
Solong,Fritzy,saidoldmanBallinger.Yougotanicecoolnightforyourdrive.
Uptheroadwentthelittleblackmulesattheirsteadytrot,whileFritzthunderedatthemoccasionalwordsofendearmentandcheer.
Thesefanciesoccupiedthemindofthemail-carrieruntilhereachedthebigpostoakforest,eightmilesfromBallingers.HerehisruminationswerescatteredbythesuddenflashandreportofpistolsandawhoopingasiffromawholetribeofIndians.Abandofgallopingcentaursclosedinaroundthemailwagon.Oneofthemleanedoverthefrontwheel,coveredthedriverwithhisrevolver,andorderedhimtostop.OtherscaughtatthebridlesofDonderandBlitzen.
Donnerwetter!
shoutedFritz,withallhistremendousvoice--wassist?
Releaseyourhandsfromdosemules.VevasderUnitedStatesmail!
Hurryup,Dutch!
drawledamelancholyvoice.Dontyouknowwhenyoureinastick-up?
Reverseyourmulesandclimboutofthecart.
ItisduetothebreadthofHondoBillsdemeritandthelargenessofhisachievementstostatethattheholdingupoftheFredericksburgmailwasnotperpetratedbywayofanexploit.Asthelionwhileinthepursuitofpreycommensuratetohisprowessmightsetafrivolousfootuponacasualrabbitinhispath,soHondoBillandhisganghadswoopedsportivelyuponthepacifictransportofMeinherrFritz.
Therealworkoftheirsinisternightridewasover.Fritzandhismailbagandhismulescameasgentlerelaxation,gratefulafterthearduousdutiesoftheir
profession.Twentymilestothesoutheaststoodatrainwithakilledengine,hystericalpassengersandalootedexpressandmailcar.ThatrepresentedtheseriousoccupationofHondoBillandhisgang.Withafairlyrichprizeofcurrencyandsilvertherobbersweremakingawidedetourtothewestthroughthelesspopulouscountry,intendingtoseeksafetyinMexicobymeansofsomefordablespotontheRioGrande.Thebootyfromthetrainhadmeltedthedesperatebushrangerstojovialandhappyskylarkers.
Tremblingwithoutrageddignityandnolittlepersonalapprehension,Fritzclimbedouttotheroadafterreplacinghissuddenlyremovedspectacles.Thebandhaddismountedandweresinging,capering,andwhooping,thusexpressingtheirsatisfieddelightinthelifeofajollyoutlaw.RattlesnakeRogers,whostoodattheheadsofthemules,jerkedalittletoovigorouslyatthereinofthetender-mouthedDonder,whorearedandemittedaloud,protestingsnortofpain.InstantlyFritz,withascream
- 配套讲稿:
如PPT文件的首页显示word图标,表示该PPT已包含配套word讲稿。双击word图标可打开word文档。
- 特殊限制:
部分文档作品中含有的国旗、国徽等图片,仅作为作品整体效果示例展示,禁止商用。设计者仅对作品中独创性部分享有著作权。
- 关 键 词:
- 灌木丛 中的 王子 英文 短篇小说