英语故事Cats Ear文档格式.docx
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Aye,hereitwasquite,buthehadtokeepaneyeonSysert.Sohewentovertolivethere.Madeithismainworks.Hesentmoreguardstowatchthefolkshere,andgaveallhismenstrictorders:
“Seenostrangerscome,andkeepthefolksonatightrein.”
Now,whatstrangerswouldtherebewhenourvillagewasoutofthewaylikethat?
TherewasaroadtoSysert,ofcourse,buttheysayitwasarealbadoneinthosedays.Throughthebogsitwent,andforverstafterverstitwasjustalogtrack.OnlytheMaster’sservantsandtheguardsuseditthen.Andtheyweremostlyonhorseback,soitmatteredlittleiftheroadwasabadone.TheMasterhimselfcameonlywhenhecoulduserunnersinsteadofwheels.
Assoonastherewasasledgetrackhe’dbehere,makingupfortimelostinthesummer.Andhe’dawayofturningupunexpected.He’dleaveintheevening,say,andnextdayatdinner-timehe’dbebackagain.Hopedhe’dcatchsomeone.Soinwinter-timeallknewtheMastercouldbehereanyminute.Butwhenitmeantcomingonwheels,there’dneverbesightorsoundofhim.Rattlingandbumpingoverlogsdidn’tsuithim,andhe’dnolikingforhorseback.Hewasgettingoninyears,theysay.Howcouldhesitahorse?
Sotillwintercameroundagain,folkshaditabiteasier.Becausenomatterhowthebailiffdrovethem,theMasterwouldfindsomethingwrongassoonashecame.
ButonedaytheMastersuddenlyturnedupintheautumn,whentheroadwasatitsworst.Hedidn’tgototheworksorthemineashiswaywas,buttothebailiff.Andhehadalltheofficialsandclerkscalledandtheprieststoo.Theyweretheretillevening.OnthemorrowtheMasterwenttoSevernaya,andthenthesamedaytothetown.Rushingaboutinallthedirtandmud.Andhe’dgotanextralotofguardswithhim,too.Folksstartedasking:
“What’shappened?
Howcanwegettoknow?
”
Thatwouldbeeasyenoughnowadays-walkorrideintoSysert.Butthentheywereserfs.Amanhadtofindsomeexcuse,aye,andthentheywouldn’talwayslethimgo.Andyoucouldn’tslipoffinsecret,either,becausefolkswerewatched,heldinatightgrip.Butallthesame,therewasoneladsaidhe’dtryit.
“Saturdayevening,whenwecomeupfromthemine,I’llgetoffquicktoSysert,andSundayeveningI’llbeback.I’vegotfriendsthere.I’llsoonfindoutwhatit’salabout.”
Offhewent,buthedidn’tcomebackatall.Afterabittheytoldthebailiffhewasn’tthere,butthebailiffdidn’tseemtocare,hedidn’tevenhaveasearchmade.Thenfolksgotburningeagertoknowwhatitallmeant.Twomorewentoff,andtheydidn’tcomebackeither.
Therewerenewwaysinthevillage,too-theguardsstartedgoingroundthehousesthreetimesaday,countingthementoseetheywereallathome.Ifamanwantedtogototheforestforwoodortocuthay,hehadtoaskleave.Theyweren’tallowedoutofthevillage,exceptinparties,andaguardwentwiththem.
“I’mlettingnonegoalone,”saidthebailiff.“There’sthreerunoffalready.”
Thewivesandchildrenweren’tallowedintotheforesteither.Thebailiffsetawatchonalltheroads.Andhe’dfoundmenthatwereclose-tongued,youcouldn’tgetawordoutofthem.Well,itwasclearasdaylightsomethingwasgoingonSysertway,andsomethingthathadtheMaster’soverseersonthejump.Folkswhisperedattheironworksandinthemine.
“We’vegottofindoutsomehow.”
Thenamaidspokeup,oneofthemthatworkedinthemine.
“Letmetry.Theydon’tcountthewomenwhentheymaketheirrounds.Andtheydon’tcometousatall,theyknowI’mallalonewithGranny,andnomenfolks.Mebbeit’sthesameinSysert.It’llbeeasierformetogettoknow.”
Shewasaclever,fearlessmaid.Well,amininglass,withaheadonher.Butallthesameittookthemenaback.
“Buthow’llyougofortyverststhroughthewoodsallalone,Dunyakha,yefledgling?
It’sautumn,thewolvesareout.Therewon’tbeevenbonesleftofye.”
“I’llgetoffonSunday,”shesaid.“Thewolveswon’tventureoutontheroadinthedaytime.AndI’lltakeanaxe,tobesure.”
“D’yeknowanyoneinSysert?
”theyasked.
“Aren’ttherewomenenoughthere?
”shesaid.“I’lllearnitallfromthem.”
Someofthemendoubted.
“Whatdowomenknow?
“Alltheirmenknow,andsometimesmore.”
Themenarguedthiswayandthat,thentheysaid:
“It’strue,DunyakhaFledgling,it’seasierforyoutogetaway,butstillitwouldbeshamefultoletamaidgoonsuchajourneyalone.Thewolves’lleatye.”
Justthenayoungfellowcameup.Heheardwhatthetalkwasabout,andhesaid:
“I’llgowithher.”
Dunyakhawentred,butshedidn’tsayhimnay.
“It’udbepleasanter,twoofus,that’sright,butwhatiftheycatchyeinSysert?
“Theywon’t,”hesaid.
SoDunyakhasetoffwiththatyoungfellow.Theydidn’tleavebytheroad,ofcourse,theyslippedawaybehindthehouses,andthenkeptonthroughthewoods,sotheycouldn’tbeseenfromtheroad.They’dnotroubletilltheycametoKossoiBrod,andtheretheysawthreemenonthebridge.Guardingit.TheChusovayawasn’tfrozenyet,butitwastoocoldtoswimithigherorlower.
Dunyakhalookedatitallfromthewoods,andthenshesaid:
“Matyukha,lad,seemslikeyewon’tbeabletogowithmeafterall.Ye’llonlybringmisfortuneonyourselffornogood,andspoilitformetoo.Bettergetbackquickbeforetheymissye,andI’llseewhatwoman’switscando.”
Matyukhatriedtotalkheroutofit,ofcourse,butshewouldn’tgiveway.Theyarguedabit,andthentheysettledthathe’dkeepwatchfromthewoods.Ifshewasn’tstoppedonthebridge,thenhe’dgohome,butifshehadanytrouble,he’dcomeoutandfightthemoffher.ThenDunyakhacreptupcloser,hidtheaxewell,andsuddenlydashedoutofthewoods.Ranstraighttothemencryingandscreaming:
“Help!
Help!
Awolf!
Oh,awolf!
Themensawamaidallfrightened,andtheyjustlaughed,oneevenputoutafoottotripher,butDunyakhahadquickeyes,sheflewpaststillscreaming:
“Oh-awolf!
Themenshoutedafterher:
“Look,it’sgotyebytheskirt!
It’sgotyourskirt!
Runquick!
Matyukhagothomebeforethewatchmadetheirrounds.Theyhadn’tmissedhim.Thenextdayhetoldtheminersaboutit.Sonowtheyknewwhathadhappenedtothefirstones,they’dbeencaughtatKossoiBrod.
“They’relockedupsomewhere,andinchainstoo,verylike.That’swhythebailiffdidn’tseekthem-heknowswellenoughwheretheyare.IfonlyourFledglingdoesn’tgetcaughtcomingback.”
Theytalkedabitmoreandthentheywenthome.AndDunyakha?
ShewentquietlythroughthewoodstillshegottogottoSysert.OnceshesawsomeofthePolevayaguardsridinghome.Shehidherselftillthey’dgone,andthenwenton.Shegottired,ofcourse,buttoslippastwasaseasyaseatingpie.Sheturnedintothewoodsandwentthroughthevegetablepatches,andthereshesawawellquitenear,withwomenroundaboutit.Dunyakhaslippedinamongthem.
“Whosemaidareyou?
”askedoneoldwoman.“Idon’tmindseeingyeaboutherebefore.”
Dunyakhafeltshecouldtrusttheoldwoman.
“I’mfromPolevaya,’shesaid,andthewomanstared,amazed.
“Howdidyecome?
There’sguardseverywhere.Ourmencan’tgetthroughtoyou.Allthattriednevercameback.”
Dunyakhatoldherallaboutit.Thentheoldwomansaid:
“Cometomyhut,youngmaid.Ilivealone.Theynevercomesearching.Andiftheydocome,I’lltellthemyou’remygranddaughterfromovertheriver.She’sabitlikeyoutolookat.Onlyyou’reabitbroader.Whatdotheycallye?
“Dunyakha.”
“Thereyeare.Mymaid’scalledDunyatoo.”
FromthatoldwomanDunyakhalearneditall.TheMaster,itseemed,hadrunawaysomewherefaroff,andeveryweekmessengerscamefromhimandrodebackagain.TheMasterwouldsendorders,andthebailiffVankaShvarevreadthemouttoallthefolks.Theironworkswereshutup,andallthemenhadbeensentoutontheShchelkunskoyeroadtodigdeeptrenchesandpileupbarriers.Somethingwascomingfromthatway.FolkshadbeentoldtheBashkirshadrisen,butitwasn’tthatatall.Allthepeoplehadrisen-thefar-awayironworkersandthevillagersandtheCossackstoo,andtheBashkirshadrisenwiththem.They’dgotthemastersandgentrybythethroat,andthepeople’sleaderwasOmelyanIvanych.“Somesayhe’stherealTsar,otherssayhe’sacommonman,buthoweverthatmaybe,it’sfreedomforthepeopleanddeathtothegentrywithhim.That’swhythatfoxofoursslunkoffasfarashecouldget!
Scared!
DunyakhalearnedtheguardsmadetheroundsinSysertthreetimesadayandcountedallthemen,justlikeinPolevaya.ButinSysertitwasevenstricter.Ifamancouldn’tbefound,hiswifeandchildren,hiswholefamily,weretakenandpushedintoprison.He’dcomerunningup:
“I’mhere,I’mabitlate,that’sall.”Bu