现代大学英语精读4Unit2SpringSowing原文.docx
《现代大学英语精读4Unit2SpringSowing原文.docx》由会员分享,可在线阅读,更多相关《现代大学英语精读4Unit2SpringSowing原文.docx(7页珍藏版)》请在冰豆网上搜索。
![现代大学英语精读4Unit2SpringSowing原文.docx](https://file1.bdocx.com/fileroot1/2023-4/28/1938f80b-32c3-4e5c-a951-b69ab27248b4/1938f80b-32c3-4e5c-a951-b69ab27248b41.gif)
现代大学英语精读4Unit2SpringSowing原文
现代大学英语精读4Unit2SpringSowing原文
SpringSowing
ItwasstilldarkwhenMartinDelaneyandhiswifeMarygotup.Martinstoodinhisshirtbythewindow,rubbinghiseyesandyawning,whileMaryrakedoutthelivecoalsthathadlainhiddenintheashesonthehearthallnight.Outside,cockswerecrowingandawhitestreakwasrisingformtheground,asitwere,andbeginningtoscatterthedarkness.ItwasaFebruarymorning,dry,coldandstarry.
Thecouplesatdowntotheirbreakfastoftea,breadandbutter,insilence.Theyhadonlybeenmarriedthepreviousautumnanditwashatefulleavingawarmbedatsuchandearlyhour.Martin,withhisbrownhairandeyes,hisfreckledfaceandhislittlefairmoustache,lookedtooyoungtobemarried,andhiswifelookedhardlymorethanagirl,red-cheekedandblue-eyed,herblackhairpiledattherearofherheadwithalargecombgleaminginthemiddleofthepile,Spanishfashion.Theywerebothdressedinroughhomespuns,andbothworetheloosewhiteshirtthatInverarapeasantsuseforworkinthefields.
Theyateinsilence,sleepyandyetonfirewithexcitement,foritwasthefirstdayoftheirfirstspringsowingasmanandwife.Andeachfelttheglamourofthatdayonwhichtheyweretoopenuptheearthtogetherandplantseedsinit.Butsomehowtheimminenceofaneventthathadbeenlongexpectedloved,fearedandpreparedformadethemdejected.Mary,withhershrewdwoman'smind,thoughtofasmanythingsasthereareinlifeasawomanwouldinthefirstjoyandanxietyofhermating.ButMartin'smindwasfixedononethought.Wouldhebeabletoprovehimselfamanworthyofbeingtheheadofafamilybydonghisspringsowingwell?
Inthebarnafterbreakfast,whentheyweregettingthepotatoseedsandthelineformeasuringthegroundandthespade,Martinfelloverabasketinthehalf-darknessofthebarn,hesworeandsaidthatamanwouldbebetteroffdeadthan..Butbeforehecouldfinishwhateverhewasgoingtosay,Maryhadherarmsaroundhiswaistandherfacetohis."Martin,"shesaid,"letusnotbeginthisdaycrosswithoneanother."Andtherewasatremorinhervoice.Andsomehow,astheyembraced,alltheirirritationandsleepinessleftthem.AndtheystoodthereembracinguntilatlastMartinpushedherfromhimwithpretendedroughnessandsaid:
"Come,come,girl,itwillbesunsetbeforewebeginatthisrate."
Still,astheywalkedsilentlyintheirrawhideshoesthroughthelittlehamlet,therewasnotasoulabout.Lightswereglimmeringinthewindowsofafewcabins.Theskyhadabiggreycrackinitintheeast,asifitweregoingtoburstinordertogivebirthtothesun.Birdsweresingingsomewhereatadistance.MartinandMaryrestedtheirbasketsofseedsonafenceoutsidethevillageandMartinwhisperedtoMaryproudly:
"Wearefirst,Mary."Andtheybothlookedbackatthelittleclusterofcabinsthatwasthecentreoftheirworld,withthrobbinghearts.Forthejoyofspringhadnowtakencompleteholdofthem.
Theyreachedthelittlefieldwheretheyweretosow.Itwasalittletriangularpatchofgroundunderanivy-coveredlimestonehill.Thelittlefieldhadbeenmanuredwithseaweedsomeweeksbefore,andtheweedshadrottedandwhitenedonthegrass.Andtherewasabigredheapoffreshseaweedlyinginacornerbythefencetobespreadundertheseedsastheywerelaid.Martin,inspiteofthecold,threwoffeverythingabovehiswaistexcepthisstripedwoolenshirt.Thenhespatonhishands,seizedhisspadeandcried:
"Nowyouaregoingtoseewhatkindofamanyouhave,Mary."
"There,now,"saidMary,tyingalittleshawlcloserunderherchin.
"Aren'tweboastfulthisearlyhourofthemorning
MaybeI'llwaittillsunsettoseewhatkindofamanIhavegot."
Theworkbegan.Martinmeasuredthegroundbythesouthernfenceforthefirstridge,astripofgroundfourfeetwide,andheplacedthelinealongtheedgeandpeggeditateachend.Thenhespreadfreshseaweedoverthestrip.Maryfilledherapronwithseedsandbegantolaytheminrows.Whenshewasalittledistancedowntheridge,Martinadvancedwithhisspadetothehead,eagertocommence.
"NowinthenameofGod,"hecried,spittingonhispalms,"letusraisethefirstsod!
"
"Oh,Martin,waittillI'mwithyou!
"criedMary,droppingherseedsontheridgeandrunninguptohim.Herfingersoutsideherwoolenmittenswerenumbwiththecold,andshecouldn'twipetheminherapron.Hercheeksseemedtobeonfire.SheputanarmroundMartin'swaistandstoodlookingatthegreensodhisspadewasgoingtocut,withtheexcitementofalittlechild.
"NowforGod'ssake,girl,keepback!
"saidMartingruffly."Supposeanybodysawuslikethisinthefieldofourspringsowing,whatwouldtheytakeusforbutapairofuseless,soft,empty-headedpeoplethatwouldbesuretodieofhunger
Huh!
"Hespokeveryrapidly,andhiseyeswerefixedonthegroundbeforehm.Hiseyeshadawild,eagerlightinthemasifsomeprimevalimpulsewereburningwithinhisbrainanddrivingouteveryotherdesirebutthatofassertinghismanhoodandofsubjugatingtheearth.
"Oh,whatdowecarewhoislooking"
saidMary;butshedrewbackatthesametimeandgazeddistantlyattheground.ThenMartincutthesod,andpressingthespadedeepintotheearthwithhisfoot,heturnedupthefirstsodwithacrunchingsoundasthegrassrootsweredraggedoutoftheearth.Marysighedandwalkedbackhurriedlytoherseedswithfurrowedbrows.Shepickedupherseedsandbegantospreadthemrapidlytodriveoutthesuddenterrorthathadseizedheratthatmomentwhenshesawthefierce,hardlookinherhusband'seyesthatwereunconsciousofherpresence.Shebecamesuddenlyafraidofthatpitiless,cruelearth,thepeasant'sslavemasterthatwouldkeepherchainedtohardworkandpovertyallherlifeuntilshewouldsinkagainintoitsbosom.Hershort-livedlovewasgone.Henceforthshewasonlyherhusband'shelpertotilltheearth.AndMartin,absolutelywithoutthought,workedfuriously,coveringtheridgewithblockearth,hissharpspadegleamingwhiteashewhirleditsidewaystobeatthesods.
Then,asthesunrose,thelittlevalleybeneaththeivy-coveredhillsbecamedottedwithwhiteshirts,andeverywheremenworkedmadly,withoutspeaking,andwomenspreadseeds.Therewasnoheatinthelightofthesun,andtherewasasharpnessinthestillthinairthatmadethemenjumpontheirspadehaltsferociouslyandbeatthesodsasiftheywerelivingenemies.Birdshoppedsilentlybeforethespades,withtheirheadscockedsideways,watchingforworms.Madebravebyhunger,theyoftendashedunderthespadestosecuretheirfood.
Then,whenthesunreachedacertainpoint,allthewomenwentbacktothevillagetogetdinnerfortheirmen,andthemenworkedonwithoutstopping.Thenthewomenreturned,almostrunning,eachcarryingatincanwithaflanneltiedarounditandalittlebundletiedwithawhitecloth,MartinthrewdownhisspadewhenMaryarrivedbackinthefield.Smilingatoneanothertheysatunderthehillfortheirmeal.Itwasthesameastheirbreakfast,teaandbreadandbutter.
"Ah,"saidMartin,whenhehadtakenalongdraughtofteaformhismug,"isthereanythinginthisworldasfineaseatingdinneroutintheopenlikethisafterdoingagoodmorning'swork
There,Ihavedonetworidgesandahalf.That'smorethananymaninthevillagecoulddo.Ha!
"Andhelookedathiswifeproudly.
"Yes,isn'titlovely,"saidMary,lookingatthebackridgeswistfully.Shewasjustmunchingherbreadandbutter.Thehurriedtriptothevillageandthetroubleofgettingtheteareadyhadrobbedherofherappetite.Shehadtokeepblowingattheturffirewiththerimofherskirt,andthesmokenearlyblindedher.Butnow,sittingonthatgrassyknoll,withthevalleyallroundglisteningwithfreshseaweedandalightsmokerisingfromthefreshlyturnedearth,astrangejoysweptoverher.Itoverpoweredthatotherfellingofdreadthathadbeenwithherduringthemorning.
Martinateheartily,revelinginhisgreatthirstandhisgreathunger,witheveryporeofhisbodyopentothepureair.Andhelookedaroundathisneighbors'fieldsboastfully,comparingthemwithhisown.Thenhelookedathiswife'slittleroundblackheadandfeltveryproudofhavingherashisown.Heleanedbackonhiselbowandtookherhandinhis.Shylyandinsilence,notknowingwhattosayandashamedoftheirgentlefeelings,theyfinishedeatingandstillsathandinhandlookingawayintothedistance.Everywherethesowerswererestingonlittleknolls,men,womenandchildrensittinginsilence.Andthegreatcalmofnatureinspringfilledtheatmospherearoundthem.Everythingseemedtositstillandwaituntilmiddayhadpassed.Onlythegleamingsunchasedwestwardsatamightypace,inandoutthroughwhiteclouds.
Theninadistantfieldanoldmangotup,tookhisspadeandbegantocleantheearthfromitwithapieceofstone.Theraspingnoisecarriedalongwayinthesilence.Thatwasthesignalforageneralrisingallalongthelittlevalley.Youngmenstretchedthemselvesandyawned.Theywalkedslowlybacktotheirridges.
Martin'sbackandhiswristsweregettingsore,andMaryfeltthatifshestoopedagainoverherseedsherneckwouldbreak,butneithersaidanythingandsoontheyhadforgottentheirtirednessinthemechanicalmovementoftheirbodies.Thestrongsmelloftheupturnedearthactedlikeadrugontheirnerves.
Intheafternoon,whenthesunwasstrongest,theoldmenofthevillagecameouttolookattheirpeoplesowing.Martin'sgrandfather,almostbentdoubleoverhisthickstickstoppedintheland