灌木丛中的王子英文短篇小说文档格式.docx

灌木丛中的王子英文短篇小说文档格式.docx

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　　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