英语故事Madam Rides the Bus.docx

英语故事Madam Rides the Bus.docx

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英语故事MadamRidestheBus

英语故事

MadamRidestheBus

　　TherewasagirlnamedValliammaiwhowascalledValliforshort.Shewaseightyearsoldandverycuriousaboutthings.Herfavouritepastimewasstandinginthefrontdoorwayofherhouse，，watchingwhatwashappeninginthestreetoutside.Therewerenoplaymatesofherownageonherstreet，andthiswasaboutallshehadtodo.

　　ButforValli，standingatthefrontdoorwaseverybitasenjoyableasanyoftheelaborategamesotherchildrenplay.Watchingthestreetgavehermanynew，unusualexperiences.Onceaforeignsoldierwentpast，andshewatchedhimashecamenearherhouse.Whatfairskinhehad！

Suchniceclotheshewore！

Womensmiledashepassedthemandtriedtocatchhisglance.Butsomechildren，andevenafewgrown-ups，werescaredbythesightofthesoldierandhidinsidetheirhouses.NotValli.Sheclickedherheels，salutedsmartly，andsaid：

“Salaam.”

　　Thesoldierstoppedandsmiledather.“Andagoodmorningtoyou，”hesaid，andthenhewentonhisway.

　　Valli’sjoyknewnobounds.Sheyelled，andshedanced，boastingtoeverybodythatthefair-skinnedsoldierhadactuallyspokentoher.

　　“Verybravesheis，thisone，”saidtheneighbors.Herimportanceamongthepeopleonherstreetincreasedconsiderably.

　　Now，itistruethatordinarilytherewasn’tmuchtrafficbyherhouse，butthisisnowaymeantthateventsdidn’thappenintheneighborhood.Nowandthen，forexample，shecouldseeaneighborcomingorgoingonsomeerrandorother.Occasionallyabullockcartwouldpassby，itswheelscreakingandgroaningforwantofoil，andthebellstiedaroundtheanimals’necksmadeagentletinklingsound.Sometimesadogwoulddartacrossthestreet，pretendingtobeverybusy；suddenlyitwouldslowdown，sniffaround，andlifealegtowetsomewaysideplant，andthengorushingbackdownthestreetasthoughithadforgottensomethingsomewhereandwantedtofetchit.Andthen，ofcourse，therewerethebeggars，andthestreetvendors...Oh，therewascertainlynolackofentertainmentforValliasshestoodwatchingfromherdoorstepalldaylong.

　　Themostfascinatingthingofallwasthebusthattraveledbetweenhervillageandthenearesttown.Itpassedthroughherstreeteachhour，oncegoingtothetownandoncecomingback.Thesightofthebus，filledeachtimewithanewsetofpassengers，wasasourceofunendingjoyforValli.

　　Dayafterdayshewatchedthebus，andgraduallyatinywishcreptintoherheadandgrewthere：

shewantedtorideonthatbus，evenjustonce.Thiswishbecamestrongerandstronger，untilwasanoverwhelmingdesire.Valliwouldstarewistfullyatthepeoplewhogotonoroffthebuswhenitstoppedatthestreetcorner.Theirfaceswouldkindleinherlongings，dreamsandhopes.Ifoneofherfriendshappenedtoridethebusandtriedtodescribethesightsofthetowntoher，Valliwouldbetoojealoustolistenandwouldshout，inEnglish：

“Proud！

Proud！

”Neithershenorherfriendsreallyunderstoodthemeaningoftheword，buttheyuseditoftenasaslangexpressionofdisapproval.

　　OvermanydaysandmonthsVallilistenedcarefullytoconversationsbetweenherneighborsandpeoplewhoregularlyusedthebus，andshealsoaskedafewdiscreetquestionshereandthere.Thiswayshepickedupvarioussmalldetailsaboutthebusjourney.Thetownwassixmilesfromhervillage.Thefarewasthirtypaiseoneway-“whichisalmostnothingatall，”sheheardonewell-dressedmansay，buttoValli，whoscarcelysawthatmuchmoneyfromonemonthtothenext，itseemedafortune.Thetriptothetowntookforty-fiveminutes.Onreachingtown，ifshestayedinherseatandpaidanotherthirtypaise，shecouldreturnhomeonthesamebus.Thismeantthatshecouldtaketheoneo’clockafternoonbus，reachthetownatoneforty-five，andbebackhomebyabouttwoforty-five....

　　Onandonwenthrthoughtsasshecalculatedandrecalculated，plannedandreplanned...

　　Well，onefinespringdaytheafternoonbuswasjustonthepointofleavingthevillageandturningintothemainhighwaywhenasmallvoicewasheardshouting：

“Stopthebus！

Stopthebus！

”Andatinyhandwasraisedcommandingly.

　　Thebusslowlydowntoacrawl，andtheconductor，stickinghisheadoutthedoor，said：

“Hurrythen！

Tellwhoeveritistocomequickly.”

　　“It’sme，”shoutedValli.“I’mtheonewhohastogeton.”

　　Bynowthebushadcometoastop，andtheconductorsaid：

“Oh，really！

Youdon’tsayso！

”

　　“Yes，Isimplyhavetogototown，”saidValli，stillstandingoutsidethebus，“andhere’smymoney.”Sheshowedhimsomecoins.

　　“Okay，okay，butfirstyoumustgetonthebus，”saidtheconductor，andhestretchedoutahandtohelpherup.

　　“Nevermind，”shesaid，“Icangetonbymyself.Youdon’thavetohelpme.”

　　Theconductorwasajollysort，fondofjoking.“Oh，pleasedon’tbeangrywithme，myfinemadam，”hesaid.“Here，haveaseatrightupthereinfront.Everybodymoveasideplease-makewayformadam.”

　　Itwastheslacktimeofday，andtherewereonlysixorsevenpassengersonthebus.TheywerealllookingatValliandlaughingwiththeconductor.Valliwasovercomewithshyness.Avoidingeveryone’seyes，shewalkedquicklytoanemptyseatandsatdown.

　　“Maywestartnow，madam？

”theconductorasked，smiling.Thenheblewhiswhistletwice，andthebusmovedforwardwitharoar.

　　Itwasanewbus，it’soutsidepaintedagleamingwhitewithsomegreenstripesalongthesides.Inside，theoverheadbarsshonelikesilver.DirectlyinfrontofValli，abovethewindshield，therewasabeautifulclock.Theseatsweresoftandluxurious.

　　Vallidevouredeverythingwithhereyes.Butwhenshestartedtolookoutside，shefoundherviewcutoffbyacanvasblindthatcoveredthelowerpartofherwindow.Soshestoodupontheseatandpeeredovertheblind.

　　Thebuswasnowgoingthebankofcanal.Theroadwasverynarrow.Ononesidetherewasthecanaland，beyondit，palmtrees.Grassland，distantmountains，andtheblue，bluesky.Ontheothersidewasadeepditchandthenacresandacresofgreenfields-green，green，green，asfarastheeyecouldsee.

　　Oh，itwasallsowonderful！

　　Suddenlyshewasstartledbyavoice.“Listen，child，”saidthevoice，“youshouldn’tstandlikethat.Sitdown.”

　　Sittingdown，shelookedtoseewhohadspoken.Itwasanelderlymanwhohadhonestlybeenconcernedforher，butshewasannoyedbyhisattention.

　　“There’snobodyherewho’sachild，”shesaidhaughtily.“I’vepaidmythirtypaiselikeeveryoneelse.”

　　Theconductorchimedin.“Oh，sir，butthisisverygrown-upmadam.Doyouthinkameregirlcouldpayherownfareandtraveltothecityallalone？

”

　　Vallishotanangryglanceattheconductorandsaid：

“Iamnotamadam.Pleaserememberthat.Andyou’venotyetgivenmemyticket.”

　　“I’llremember，”theconductorsaid，mimickinghertone.Everyonelaughed，andgraduallyVallitoojoinedinthelaughter.

　　Theconductorpunchedaticketandhandedittoher.“Justsitbackandmakeyourselfcomfortable.Whyshouldyoustandwhenyou’vepaidforaseat？

”

　　“BecauseIwantto，”sheanswered，standingupagain.

　　“Butifyoustandontheseat，youmayfallandhurtyourselfwhenthebusmakesasharpturnonhitsabump.That’swhywewantyoutositdown，child.”

　　“I’mnotachild，Itellyou，”shesaid，irritably.“I’meightyearsold.”

　　“Ofcourse.Howstupidofme！

Eightyears-my！

”

　　Thebusstopped，somenewpassengersgoton，andtheconductorgotbusyforatime.Afraidoflosingherseat，Vallifinallysatdown.

　　Anelderlywomancameandsatbesideher.“Areyouallalone，dear？

”sheaskedValliasthebusstartedagain.

　　Vallifoundthewomanabsolutelyrepulsive-suchbigholesshehadinherearlobes，andsuchuglyearringsinthem！

Andshecouldsmellthebetelnutthewomanwaschewingandseethebeteljuicethatwasthreateningtospilloverherlipsatanymoment.Ugh！

-Whocouldbesociablewithsuchaperson？

　　“Yes，I’mtravelingalone，”sheansweredcurtly.“AndI’vegotatickettoo.”

　　“Yes，she’sonherwaytotown，”saidtheconductor.“Withathirty-paiseticket.”

　　“Oh，whydon’tyoumindyourownbusiness，”saidValli.Butshelaughedallthesame，andtheconductorlaughedtoo.

　　Buttheoldwomanwentonwithherdrivel.“Itisproperforsuchayoungpersontotravelalone？

Doyouknowexactlywhereyou’regoingintown？

What’sthestreet？

What’sthehousenumber？

”

　　“Youneedn’tbotheraboutme.Icantakecareofmyself，”Vallisaid，turningherfacetowardthewindowandstaringout.

　　Herfirstjourney-whatcareful，painstaking，elaborateplansshehadhadtomakeforit！

Shehadthriftilysavedwhateverstraycoinscameherway，resistingeverytemptationtobuypeppermints，toys，balloons，andthelike，andfinallyshehadsavedatotalofsixtypaise.Howdifficultithadbeen，particularlythatdayatthevillagefair，butshehadresolutelystifledastrongdesiretoridethemerry-go-round，eventhoughshehadthemoney.

　　Aftershehadenoughmoneysaved，hernextproblemwashowtoslipoutofthehousewithouthermother’sknowledge.Butshemanagedthiswithouttoomuchdifficulty.Everydayafterlunchhermotherwouldnapfromaboutonetofourorso.Vallialwaysusedthesehoursforher“excursions”asshestoodlookingfromthedoorwayofherhouseorsometimesevenventuredoutintothevillage；today，thesesamehourscouldbeusedforherfirstexcursionoutsidethevillage.

　　Thebusrolledon，nowcuttingacrossabarelandscape，nowrushingthroughatinyhamletorpastanoddwaysideshop.Sometimesthebusseemedonthepointofgobblingupanothervehiclethatwascomingtowardthemorapedestriancr