现代大学英语精读4Unit2SpringSowing原文.docx
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现代大学英语精读4Unit2SpringSowing原文.docx
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现代大学英语精读4Unit2SpringSowing原文
现代大学英语精读4-Unit2-Spring-Sowing原文
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patchofgroundunderanivy-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,heleanedoverthefence.
“Godblessthework,"hecalledwheezily.
"Andyou,grandfather,"repliedthecoupletogether,buttheydidnotstopworking.
'Ha!
"mutteredtheoldmantohimself."Hesowswellandthatwomanisgoodtoo.Theyarebeginningwell."
ItwasfiftyyearssincehehadbegunwithhisMary,fullofhopeandpride,andthe
mercilesssoilhadhuggedthemtoitsbosomeversince,eachspringwithoutrest.Today,theoldman,withhishugerednoseandthespottedhandkerchieftiedaroundhisskullunderhisblacksoftfelthat,watchedhisgrandsonworkandgavehimadvice.
"Don'tcutyoursodssolong,"hewouldwheeze,"youareputtingtoomuchsoilonyour
ridge."
''Ahwoman!
Don'tplantaseedsoneartheedge.Thestalkwillcomeoutsideways."
Andtheypaidnoheedtohim.
"Ah,"grumbledtheoldman,"inmyyoungdays,whenmenworkedfrommorningtillnightwithouttastingfood,betterworkwasdone.Butofcourseitcan'tbeexpectedtobethesamenow.Thebreedisgettingweaker.Soitis."
Thenhebegantocoughinhischestandhobbledawaytoanotherfieldwherehisson
Michaelwasworking.
BysundownMartinhadfiveridgesfinished.Hethrewdownhisspadeandstretchedhimself.Allhisbonesachedandhewantedtoliedownandrest."It'stimetobegoinghome,Mary,"hesaid.
Marystraightenedherself,butshewastootiredtoreply.ShelookedatMartinwearilyanditseemedtoherthatitwasagreatmanyyearssincetheyhadsetoutthatmorning.Thenshethoughtofthejourneyhomeandthetroubleoffeedingthepigs,puttingthefowlsintotheircoopsandgettingthesupperready,andamomentaryflashofrebellionagainsttheslaveryofbeingapeasant'swifecrossedhermind.Itpassedinamoment.Martinwassaying,ashedressedhimself:
"Ha!
Ithasbeenagoodday'swork.Fiveridgesdone,andeachoneofthemasstraightasasteelrod.ByGodMary,it'snoboastingtosaythatyoumightwellbeproudofbeingthewifeofMartinDelaney.Andthat'snotsayingthewholeofit,mygirl.YoudidyoursharebetterthananywomaninInveraracoulddoitthisblessedday."
Theystoodforafewmomentsinsilence,lookingattheworktheyhaddone.AllherdissatisfactionandwearinessvanishedformMary'smindwiththedeliciousfeelingofcomfortthatovercameherathavingdonethisworkwithherhusband.Theyhaddoneittogether.Theyhadplantedseedsintheearth.Thenextdayandthenextandalltheirlives,whenspringcametheywouldhavetobendtheirbacksanddoituntiltheirhandsandbonesgottwistedwithrheumatism.Butnightwouldalwaysbringsleepandforgetfulness.
Astheywalkedhomeslowly,Martinwalkedinfrontwithanotherpeasanttalkingaboutthesowing,andMarywalkedbehind,withhereyesontheground,thinking.Cowswerelowingatadistance.
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