英语阅读英文原著buttered side down抹黄油的一面朝下.docx

英语阅读英文原著buttered side down抹黄油的一面朝下.docx

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英语阅读英文原著butteredsidedown抹黄油的一面朝下

BUTTEREDSIDEDOWN

EDNAFERBER

MARCH,1912FOREWORD

"Andso,"thestorywritersusedtosay,"theylivedhappilyeverafter."

Um-m-m--maybe.Aftertheglamourhadwornoff,andtheglassslipperswerewornout,didthePrinceneverfindCinderella'smannerredolentofthekitchenhearth;andwasitnevernecessarythatheremindhertobemorecarefulofherfinger-nailsandgrammar?

AfterPussinBootshadwonwealthandawifeforhisyoungmasterdidnotthatgentlemanoftenfumewithchagrinbecausetheneighbors,perhaps,refusedtocallontheladyoftheformerpoormiller'sson?

Itisagreatrisktotakewithone'sbook-children.Thesestoriesmakenosuchpromises.Theystopjustshortofthephraseoftheoldstorywriters,andendtruthfully,thus:

Andsotheylived.

E.F.

PART.I

THEFROGANDTHEPUDDLE

Anyonewhohaseverwrittenforthemagazines（nobodycoulddeviseamoresweepingopening;itincludestheicemanwhodoesahumorousarticleonthesubjectofhistroubles,andtheneglectedwifenextdoor,whojournalizes）knowsthatastorythesceneofwhichisnotNewYorkismerelyjunk.TakeFifthAvenueasaframework,paditouttofivethousandwords,andthereyouhavetheidealshortstory.

ConsequentlyIfeelacertaintimidityinconfessingthatIdonotknowFifthAvenuefromHesterStreetwhenIseeit,becauseI'veneverseenit.Ithasbeensaidthatfromthelattertotheformerisaten-yearjourney,fromwhichIhavegatheredthattheyliesomemilesapart.AsforForty-secondStreet,ofwhichmusicalcomedianscarol,Iknownotifitbeafashionableshoppingthoroughfareorafactorydistrict.

Aconfessionofthiskindisnotonlygoodforthesoul,butfortheeditor.Itsaveshimthetroubleofturningtopagetwo.

ThisisastoryofChicago,whichisafirstcousinofNewYork,althoughthetwoarenotonchummyterms.ItisastoryofthatpartofChicagowhichlieseastofDearbornAvenueandsouthofDivisionStreet,andwhichmaybecalledtheNottinghamcurtaindistrict.

IntheNottinghamcurtaindistricteveryfrontparlorwindowisembellishedwitha"RoomsWithorWithoutBoard"sign.Thecurtainsthemselveshavemellowedfromtheiroriginaldepartment-store-basement-whitetoarich,deeptoneofChicagosmoke,whichhasthenotoriousLondonvarietybeatenbyseveralshades.Blockafterblockthetwo-story-and-basementhousesstretch,allgrimyandgrittyandlookingsadlydownuponthefivesquarefeetofmangygrassformingthepitifulfrontyardofeach.Nowandthenthemonotonouslineoffrontstoopsisbrokenbyanoutjuttingbasementdelicatessenshop.Butnotoften.TheNottinghamcurtaindistrictdoesnotrunheavilytodelicacies.Itisstrongeroncreamedcabbageandbreadpudding.

UpinthethirdfloorbackatMis'Buck's（elegantrooms$2.50andupa

week.Gentspreferred）Gertiewasbrushingherhairforthenight.Onehundredstrokeswithabristlebrush.Anyonewhoreadsthebeautycolumninthenewspapersknowsthat.TherewassomethingheroicinthesightofGertiebrushingherhaironehundredstrokesbeforegoingtobedatnight.Onlyawomancouldunderstandherdoingit.

GertieclerkeddowntownonStateStreet,inagents'glovedepartment.Agents'glovedepartmentrequirescarefuldressingonthepartofitsclerks,andthemanager,inselectingthem,isparticularaboutchoosing"lookers,"withespecialattentiontofigure,hair,andfingernails.Gertiewasalooker.Providencehadtakencareofthat.ButyoucannotleaveyourhairandfingernailstoProvidence.Theydemandcoaxingwithabristlebrushandanorangewoodstick.

Nowclerking,asGertiewouldtellyou,isfierceonthefeet.Andwhenyourfeetaretiredyouaretiredallover.Gertie'sfeetweretiredeverynight.Abouteight-thirtyshelongedtopeeloffherclothes,droptheminaheaponthefloor,andtumble,unbrushed,unwashed,unmanicured,intobed.Sheneverdidit.

Thingshadbeenparticularlytryingto-night.Afterwashingoutthreehandkerchiefsandpastingthemwithpractisedhandoverthemirror,Gertiehadtakenoffhershoesanddiscoveredaholethesizeofasilverquarterintheheelofherleftstocking.Gertiehadacountry-bredhorrorofholeystockings.Shedarnedthehole,yawning,herachingfeetpressedagainstthesmooth,coollegoftheironbed.Thatdone,shehadhadthecolossalcouragetowashherface,slapcoldcreamonit,andpushbackthecuticlearoundhernails.

Seatedhuddledonthesideofherthinlittleironbed,Gertiewasbrushingherhairbravely,countingthestrokessomewhereinhersub-consciousmindandthinkingbusilyallthewhileofsomethingelse.Herbrushrose,fell,sweptdownward,rose,fell,rhythmically.

"Ninety-six,ninety-seven,ninety-eight,ninety--Oh,darnit!

What'stheuse!

"criedGertie,andhurledthebrushacrosstheroomwithacrack.

Shesatlookingafteritwithwide,staringeyesuntilthebrushblurredinwiththefadedredrosesonthecarpet.Whenshefounditdoingthatshegotup,waddedherhairviciouslyintoahardbuninthebackinsteadof

braidingitcarefullyasusual,crossedtheroom（itwasn'tmuchofatrip）,pickedupthebrush,andstoodlookingdownatit,herunderlipcaughtbetweenherteeth.Thatisthehumiliatingpartoflosingyourtemperandthrowingthings.Youhavetocomedowntopickingthemup,anyway.

Herlipstillheldprisoner,Gertietossedthebrushonthebureau,fastenedhernightgownatthethroatwithasafetypin,turnedoutthegasandcrawledintobed.

Perhapsthehardbunatthebackofherheadkeptherawake.Shelaytherewithhereyeswideopenandsleepless,staringintothedarkness.

AtmidnighttheKidNextDoorcameinwhistling,likeoneunusedtoboarding-houserules.Gertielikedhimforthat.AttheheadofthestairshestoppedwhistlingandcamesoftlyintohisownthirdfloorbackjustnexttoGertie's.Gertielikedhimforthat,too.

ThetworoomshadbeenoneinthefashionabledaysoftheNottinghamcurtaindistrict,longbeforetheadventofMis'Buck.Thatthriftylady,oncomingintopossession,hadcausedaflimsypartitiontoberunup,slicingtheroomintwainanddoublingitsrental.

LyingthereGertiecouldheartheKidNextDoormovingaboutgettingreadyforbedandhumming"EveryLittleMovementHasaMeaningofItsOwn"verylightly,underhisbreath.Hepolishedhisshoesbriskly,andGertiesmiledthereinthedarknessofherownroominsympathy.Poorkid,hehadhisbeautystruggles,too.

GertiehadneverseentheKidNextDoor,althoughhehadcomefourmonthsago.Butsheknewhewasn'tagrouch,becausehealternatelywhistledandsangoff-keytenorwhiledressinginthemorning.Shehadalsodiscoveredthathisbedmustrunalongthesamewallagainstwhichherbedwaspushed.Gertietoldherselfthattherewassomethingalmostimmodestaboutbeingabletohearhimbreathingasheslept.Hehadtumbledintobedwithalittlegruntofweariness.

Gertielaythereanotherhour,staringintothedarkness.Thenshebegantocrysoftly,lyingonherfacewithherheadbetweenherarms.Thecoldcreamandthesalttearsmingledandformedaslipperypaste.Gertieweptonbecauseshecouldn'thelpit.Thelongersheweptthemoredifficulthersobsbecame,untilfinallytheyborderedonthehysterical.

Theyfilledherlungsuntiltheyachedandreachedherthroatwithaforcethatjerkedherheadback.

"Rap-rap-rap!

"soundedsharplyfromtheheadofherbed.

Gertiestoppedsobbing,andherheartstopped,beating.Shelaytenseandstill,listening.Everyoneknowsthatspooksrapthreetimesattheheadofone'sbed.It'saregularhigh-signwiththem.

"Rap-rap-rap!

"

Gertie'sskinbecamegoose-flesh,andcoldwatereffectschasedupanddownherspine.

"What'syourtroubleinthere?

"demandedanunspookyvoicesonearthatGertiejumped."Sick?

"

ItwastheKidNextDoor.

"N-no,I'mnotsick,"falteredGertie,hermouthclosetothewall.Justthenabelatedsobthathadstoppedhalfwaywhentherapsbeganhustledontojoinitssisters.IttookGertiebysurprise,andbroughtpromptresponsefromtheothersideofthewall.

"I'llbetIscaredyougreen.Ididn'tmeanto,but,onthesquare,ifyou'refeelingsick,alittlenipofbrandywillsetyouup.Excusemymentioningit,girlie,butI'ddothesameformysister.Ihatelikesintohearawomansufferlikethat,and,anyway,Idon'tknowwhetheryou'refourteenorforty,soit'sperfectlyrespectable.I'llgetthebottleandleaveitoutsideyourdoor."

"Noyoudon't!

"answeredGertieinahollowvoice,prayingmeanwhilethatthewomanintheroombelowmightbesleeping."I'mnotsick,honestlyI'mnot.I'mjustasmuchobliged,andI'mdeadsorryIwokeyouupwithmyblubbering.Istartedoutwiththesoftpedalon,butthingsgotawayfromme.Canyouhearme?

"

"Likeaphonograph.Sureyoucouldn'tuseasipofbrandywhereit'ddothemostgood?

"

"Sure."

"Well,then,cutouttheweepsandgetyourbeautysleep,kid.Heain'tworthsobbingover,anyway,believeme."

"He!

"snortedGertieindignantly."You'recold.Thereneverwasanythinginpeg-topsthatcouldmakemecarryonliketheheroineofthe

Elsieseries."

"Lostyourjob?

""Nosuchluck."

"Well,then,whatinSamHillcouldmakeawoman"

"Lonesome!

"snappedGertie."Andthefloorwalkergotfreshto-day.AndIfoundtwograyhairsto-night.AndI'dgivemynextweek'spayenvelopetohearthedoubleclickthatourfrontgategivesbackhome."

"Backhome!

"echoedtheKidNextDoorinadangerouslyloudvoice."Say,Iwanttotalktoyou.Ifyou'llpromiseyouwon'tgetsoreandthinkI'mfresh,I'llaskyouafavor.Sliponakimonoandwe'llsneakdowntothefrontstoopandtalkitover.I'maswideawakeasachorus