高级英语Lesson12TheLoons课文内容.docx
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高级英语Lesson12TheLoons课文内容.docx
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高级英语Lesson12TheLoons课文内容
TheLoons
MargarelLaurence
JustbelowManawaka,wheretheWachakwaRiverranbrownandnoisyoverthepebbles,thescruboakandgrey-greenwillowandchokecherrybushesgrewinadensethicket.InaclearingatthecentreofthethicketstoodtheTonnerrefamily'sshack.Thebasisatthisdwellingwasasmallsquarecabinmadeofpoplarpolesandchinkedwithmud,whichhadbeenbuiltbyJulesTonnerresomefiftyyearsbefore,whenhecamebackfromBatochewithabulletinhisthigh,theyearthatRielwashungandthevoicesoftheMetisenteredtheirlongsilence.JuleshadonlyintendedtostaythewinterintheWachakwaValley,butthefamilywasstillthereinthethirties,whenIwasachild.AstheTonnerreshadincreased,theirsettlementhadbeenaddedto,untiltheclearingatthefootofthetownhillwasachaosoflean-tos,woodenpackingcases,warpedlumber,discardedcartypes,ramshacklechickencoops,tangledstrandsofbarbedwireandrustytincans.
TheTonnerreswereFrenchhalfbreeds,andamongthemselvestheyspokeapatoisthatwasneitherCreenorFrench.TheirEnglishwasbrokenandfullofobscenities.TheydidnotbelongamongtheCreeoftheGallopingMountainreservation,furthernorth,andtheydidnotbelongamongtheScots-IrishandUkrainiansofManawaka,either.Theywere,asmyGrandmotherMacLeodwouldhaveputit,neitherflesh,fowl,norgoodsaltherring.Whentheirmenwerenotworkingatoddjobsorassectionhandsonthe.R.theylivedonrelief.Inthesummers,oneoftheTonnerreyoungsters,withafacethatseemedtotallyunfamiliarwithlaughter,wouldknockatthedoorsofthetown'sbrickhousesandofferforsalealard-pailfullofbruisedwildstrawberries,andifhegotasmuchasaquarterhewouldgrabthecoinandrunbeforethecustomerhadtimetochangehermind.SometimesoldJules,orhissonLazarus,wouldgetmixedupinaSaturday-nightbrawl,andwouldhitoutatwhoeverwasnearestorhowldrunkenlyamongtheoffendedshoppersonMainStreet,andthentheMountiewouldputthemforthenightinthebarredcellunderneaththeCourtHouse,andthenextmorningtheywouldbequietagain.
PiquetteTonnerre,thedaughterofLazarus,wasinmyclassatschool.ShewasolderthanI,butshehadfailedseveralgrades,perhapsbecauseherattendancehadalwaysbeensporadicandherinterestinschoolworknegligible.Partofthereasonshehadmissedalotofschoolwasthatshehadhadtuberculosisofthebone,andhadoncespentmanymonthsinhospital.Iknewthisbecausemyfatherwasthedoctorwhohadlookedafterher.HersicknesswasalmosttheonlythingIknewabouther,however.Otherwise,sheexistedformeonlyasavaguelyembarrassingpresence,withherhoarsevoiceandherclumsylimpingwalkandhergrimycottondressesthatwerealwaysmilestoolong.Iwasneitherfriendlynorunfriendlytowardsher.Shedweltandmovedsomewherewithinmyscopeofvision,butIdidnotactuallynoticeherverymuchuntilthatpeculiarsummerwhenIwaseleven.
"Idon'tknowwhattodoaboutthatkid."myfathersaidatdinneroneevening."PiquetteTonnerre,Imean.Thedamnbone'sflaredupagain.I'vehadherinhospitalforquiteawhilenow,andit'sundercontrolallright,butIhatelikethedickenstosendherhomeagain."
"Couldn'tyouexplaintohermotherthatshehastorestalot"mymothersaid.
"Themother'snotthere"myfatherreplied."Shetookoffafewyearsback.Can'tsayIblameher.Piquettecooksforthem,andshesaysLazaruswouldneverdoanythingforhimselfaslongasshe'sthere.Anyway,Idon'tthinkshe'dtakemuchcareofherself,onceshegotback.She'sonlythirteen,afterall.Beth,Iwasthinking—WhatabouttakingheruptoDiamondLakewithusthissummerAcoupleofmonthsrestwouldgivethatboneamuchbetterchance."
Mymotherlookedstunned.
"ButEwen--whataboutRoddieandVanessa"
"She'snotcontagious,"myfathersaid."AnditwouldbecompanyforVanessa."
"Ohdear,"mymothersaidindistress,"I'llbetanythingshehasnitsinherhair."
"ForPete'ssake,"myfathersaidcrossly,"doyouthinkMatronwouldletherstayinthehospitalforallthistimelikethatDon'tbesilly,Beth."
GrandmotherMacLeod,herdelicatelyfeaturedfaceasrigidasacameo,nowbroughthermauve-veinedhandstogetherasthoughshewereabouttobeginprayer.
"Ewen,ifthathalfbreedyoungstercomesalongtoDiamondLake,I'mnotgoing,"sheannounced."I'llgotoMorag'sforthesummer."
Ihadtroubleinstiflingmyurgetolaugh,formymotherbrightenedvisiblyandquicklytriedtohideit.IfitcametoachoicebetweenGrandmotherMacLeodandPiquette,Piquettewouldwinhandsdown,nitsornot.
"Itmightbequiteniceforyou,atthat,"shemused."Youhaven'tseenMoragforoverayear,andyoumightenjoybeinginthecityforawhile.Well,Ewendear,youdowhatyouthinkbest.IfyouthinkitwoulddoPiquettesomegood,thenwe'IIbegladtohaveher,aslongasshebehavesherself."
Soithappenedthatseveralweekslater,whenweallpiledintomyfather'soldNash,surroundedbysuitcasesandboxesofprovisionsandtoysformyten-month-oldbrother,PiquettewaswithusandGrandmotherMacLeod,miraculously,wasnot.Myfatherwouldonlybestayingatthecottageforacoupleofweeks,forhehadtogetbacktohispractice,buttherestofuswouldstayatDiamondLakeuntiltheendofAugust.
Ourcottagewasnotnamed,asmanywere,"DewDropInn"or"Bide-a-Wee,"or"BonnieDoon”.Thesignontheroadwayboreinausterelettersonlyourname,MacLeod.Itwasnotalargecottage,butitwasonthelakefront.Youcouldlookoutthewindowsandsee,throughthefiligreeofthesprucetrees,thewaterglisteninggreenlyasthesuncaughtit.Allaroundthecottagewereferns,andsharp-branchedraspberrybushes,andmossthathadgrownoverfallentreetrunks,Ifyoulookedcarefullyamongtheweedsandgrass,youcouldfindwildstrawberryplantswhichwereinwhiteflowernowandinanothermonthwouldbearfruit,thefragrantglobeshanginglikeminiaturescarletlanternsonthethinhairystems.Thetwogreysquirrelswerestillthere,gossipingatusfromthetallsprucebesidethecottage,andbytheendofthesummertheywouldagainbetameenoughtotakepiecesofcrustfrommyhands.Thebroadmooseantlersthathungabovethebackdoorwerealittlemorebleachedandfissuredafterthewinter,butotherwiseeverythingwasthesame.Iracedjoyfullyaroundmykingdom,greetingalltheplacesIhadnotseenforayear.Mybrother,Roderick,whohadnotbeenbornwhenwewereherelastsummer,satonthecarruginthesunshineandexaminedabrownsprucecone,meticulouslyturningitroundandroundinhissmallandcurioushands.Mymotherandfathertotedtheluggagefromcartocottage,exclaimingoverhowwelltheplacehadwintered,nobrokenwindows,thankgoodness,noapparentdamagefromstormfelledbranchesorsnow.
OnlyafterIhadfinishedlookingarounddidInoticePiquette.Shewassittingontheswingherlamelegheldstifflyout,andherotherfootscuffingthegroundassheswungslowlybackandforth.Herlonghairhungblackandstraightaroundhershoulders,andherbroadcoarse-featuredfaceborenoexpression--itwasblank,asthoughshenolongerdweltwithinherownskull,asthoughshehadgoneelsewhere.
Iapproachedherveryhesitantly.
"Wanttocomeandplay"
Piquettelookedatmewithasuddenflashofscorn.
"Iain'takid,"shesaid.
Wounded,Istampedangrilyaway,swearingIwouldnotspeaktoherfortherestofthesummer.Inthedaysthatfollowed,however,Piquettebegantointerestme,andlbegantowanttointeresther.Myreasonsdidnotappearbizarretome.Unlikelyasitmayseem,IhadonlyjustrealisedthattheTonnerrefamily,whomIhadalwaysheardCalledhalfbreeds,wereactuallyIndians,orasnearasmadenodifference.MyacquaintancewithIndianswasnotexpensive.IdidnotremembereverhavingseenarealIndian,andmynewawarenessthatPiquettesprangfromthepeopleofBigBearandPoundmaker,ofTecumseh,oftheIroquoiswhohadeatenFatherBrébeuf'sheart--allthisgaveheraninstantattractioninmyeyes.IwasdevotedreaderofPaulineJohnsonatthisage,andsometimeswouldoratealoudandinanexaltedvoice,WestWind,blowfromyourprairienest,Blowfromthemountains,blowfromthewest--andsoon.ItseemedtomethatPiquettemustbeinsomewayadaughteroftheforest,akindofjuniorprophetessofthewilds,whomightimparttome,ifItooktherightapproach,someofthesecretswhichsheundoubtedlyknew--wherethewhippoorwillmadehernest,howthecoyoterearedheryoung,orwhateveritwasthatitsaidinHiawatha.
IsetaboutgainingPiquette'strust.Shewasnotallowedtogoswimming,withherbadleg,butImanagedtolureherdowntothebeach--orrather,shecamebecausetherewasnothingelsetodo.Thewaterwasalwaysicy,forthelakewasfedbysprings,butIswamlikeadog,thrashingmyarmsandlegsaroundatsuchspeedandwithsuchanoutputofenergythatInevergrewcold.Finally,whenIhadenough,IcameoutandsatbesidePiquetteonthesand.Whenshesawmeapproaching,herhandssquashedflatthesandcastleshehadbeenbuilding,andshelookedatmesullenly,withoutspeaking.
"Doyoulikethisplace"Iasked,afterawhile,intendingtoleadonfromthereintothequestionofforestlore.
Piquetteshrugged."It'sokay.Goodasanywhere."
"Iloveit,"1said."Wecomehereeverysummer."
"Sowhat"Hervoicewasdistant,andIglancedatheruncertainly,wonderingwhatIcouldhavesaidwrong.
"Doyouwanttocomefora
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