高中生经典英文小说阅读欣赏与写作系列 Odour of ChrysanthemumsWord文档格式.docx

高中生经典英文小说阅读欣赏与写作系列 Odour of ChrysanthemumsWord文档格式.docx

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Whereareyou?

Here!

repliedachild'

ssulkyvoicefromamongthebushes.Thewomanlookedpiercinglythroughthedusk.

Areyouatthatbrook?

sheaskedsternly.

Foranswerthechildshowedhimselfbeforetheraspberry-canesthatroselikewhips.Hewasasmall,sturdyboyoffive.Hestoodquitestill,defiantly.

Oh!

saidthemother,conciliated."

Ithoughtyouweredownatthatwetbrook--andyourememberwhatItoldyou--"

Theboydidnotmoveoranswer.

Come,comeonin,"

shesaidmoregently,"

it'

sgettingdark.There'

syourgrandfather'

senginecomingdowntheline!

Theladadvancedslowly,withresentful,taciturnmovement.Hewasdressedintrousersandwaistcoatofcloththatwastoothickandhardforthesizeofthegarments.Theywereevidentlycutdownfromaman'

sclothes.

Astheywentslowlytowardsthehousehetoreattheraggedwispsofchrysanthemumsanddroppedthepetalsinhandfulsalongthepath.

Don'

tdothat--itdoeslooknasty,"

saidhismother.Herefrained,andshe,suddenlypitiful,brokeoffatwigwiththreeorfourwanflowersandheldthemagainstherface.Whenmotherandsonreachedtheyardherhandhesitated,andinsteadoflayingthefloweraside,shepusheditinherapron-band.Themotherandsonstoodatthefootofthethreestepslookingacrossthebayoflinesatthepassinghomeoftheminers.Thetrundleofthesmalltrainwasimminent.Suddenlytheengineloomedpastthehouseandcametoastopoppositethegate.

Theengine-driver,ashortmanwithroundgreybeard,leanedoutofthecabhighabovethewoman.

Haveyougotacupoftea?

hesaidinacheery,heartyfashion.

Itwasherfather.Shewentin,sayingshewouldmash.Directly,shereturned.

Ididn'

tcometoseeyouonSunday,"

beganthelittlegrey-beardedman.

texpectyou,"

saidhisdaughter.

Theengine-driverwinced;

then,reassuminghischeery,airymanner,hesaid:

Oh,haveyouheardthen?

Well,andwhatdoyouthink--?

Ithinkitissoonenough,"

shereplied.

Atherbriefcensurethelittlemanmadeanimpatientgesture,andsaidcoaxingly,yetwithdangerouscoldness:

Well,what'

samantodo?

It'

snosortoflifeforamanofmyyears,tositatmyownhearthlikeastranger.AndifI'

mgoingtomarryagainitmayaswellbesoonaslate--whatdoesitmattertoanybody?

Thewomandidnotreply,butturnedandwentintothehouse.Themanintheengine-cabstoodassertive,tillshereturnedwithacupofteaandapieceofbreadandbutteronaplate.Shewentupthestepsandstoodnearthefootplateofthehissingengine.

Youneedn'

t'

a'

broughtmebreadan'

butter,"

saidherfather."

Butacupoftea"

--hesippedappreciatively--"

sverynice."

Hesippedforamomentortwo,then:

"

IhearasWalter'

sgotanotherbouton,"

hesaid.

Whenhasn'

the?

saidthewomanbitterly.

Iheeredtellofhiminthe'

LordNelson'

braggin'

ashewasgoingtospendthatb----aforehewent:

halfasovereignthatwas."

When?

askedthewoman.

A'

Sat'

daynight--Iknowthat'

strue."

Verylikely,"

shelaughedbitterly."

Hegivesmetwenty-threeshillings."

Aye,it'

sanicething,whenamancandonothingwithhismoneybutmakeabeastofhimself!

saidthegrey-whiskeredman.Thewomanturnedherheadaway.Herfatherswallowedthelastofhisteaandhandedherthecup.

Aye,"

hesighed,wipinghismouth."

It'

sasettler,itis--"

Heputhishandonthelever.Thelittleenginestrainedandgroaned,andthetrainrumbledtowardsthecrossing.Thewomanagainlookedacrossthemetals.Darknesswassettlingoverthespacesoftherailwayandtrucks:

theminers,ingreysombregroups,werestillpassinghome.Thewinding-enginepulsedhurriedly,withbriefpauses.ElizabethBateslookedatthedrearyflowofmen,thenshewentindoors.Herhusbanddidnotcome.

Thekitchenwassmallandfulloffirelight;

redcoalspiledglowingupthechimneymouth.Allthelifeoftheroomseemedinthewhite,warmhearthandthesteelfenderreflectingtheredfire.Theclothwaslaidfortea;

cupsglintedintheshadows.Attheback,wheretheloweststairsprotrudedintotheroom,theboysatstrugglingwithaknifeandapieceofwhitewood.Hewasalmosthiddenintheshadow.Itwashalf-pastfour.Theyhadbuttoawaitthefather'

scomingtobegintea.Asthemotherwatchedherson'

ssullenlittlestrugglewiththewood,shesawherselfinhissilenceandpertinacity;

shesawthefatherinherchild'

sindifferencetoallbuthimself.Sheseemedtobeoccupiedbyherhusband.Hehadprobablygonepasthishome,slunkpasthisowndoor,todrinkbeforehecamein,whilehisdinnerspoiledandwastedinwaiting.Sheglancedattheclock,thentookthepotatoestostrainthemintheyard.Thegardenandfieldsbeyondthebrookwereclosedinuncertaindarkness.Whensherosewiththesaucepan,leavingthedrainsteamingintothenightbehindher,shesawtheyellowlampswerelitalongthehighroadthatwentupthehillawaybeyondthespaceoftherailwaylinesandthefield.

Thenagainshewatchedthementroopinghome,fewernowandfewer.

Indoorsthefirewassinkingandtheroomwasdarkred.Thewomanputhersaucepanonthehob,andsetabatterpuddingnearthemouthoftheoven.Thenshestoodunmoving.Directly,gratefully,camequickyoungstepstothedoor.Someonehungonthelatchamoment,thenalittlegirlenteredandbeganpullingoffheroutdoorthings,draggingamassofcurls,justripeningfromgoldtobrown,overhereyeswithherhat.

Hermotherchidherforcominglatefromschool,andsaidshewouldhavetokeepherathomethedarkwinterdays.

Why,mother,it'

shardlyabitdarkyet.Thelamp'

snotlighted,andmyfather'

snothome."

No,heisn'

t.Butit'

saquartertofive!

Didyouseeanythingofhim?

Thechildbecameserious.Shelookedathermotherwithlarge,wistfulblueeyes.

No,mother,I'

veneverseenhim.Why?

Hashecomeupan'

gonepast,toOldBrinsley?

Hehasn'

t,mother,'

cosIneversawhim."

He'

dwatchthat,"

saidthemotherbitterly,"

he'

dtakecareasyoudidn'

tseehim.Butyoumaydependuponit,he'

sseatedinthe'

Princeo'

Wales'

.Hewouldn'

tbethislate."

Thegirllookedathermotherpiteously.

Let'

shaveourteas,mother,shouldwe?

saidshe.

ThemothercalledJohntotable.Sheopenedthedooroncemoreandlookedoutacrossthedarknessofthelines.Allwasdeserted:

shecouldnothearthewinding-engines.

Perhaps,"

shesaidtoherself,"

sstoppedtogetsomerippingdone."

Theysatdowntotea.John,attheendofthetablenearthedoor,wasalmostlostinthedarkness.Theirfaceswerehiddenfromeachother.Thegirlcrouchedagainstthefenderslowlymovingathickpieceofbreadbeforethefire.Thelad,hisfaceaduskymarkontheshadow,satwatchingherwhowastransfiguredintheredglow.

Idothinkit'

sbeautifultolookinthefire,"

saidthechild.

Doyou?

saidhermother."

Why?

ssored,andfulloflittlecaves--anditfeelssonice,andyoucanfairsmellit."

llwa