高中生经典英文小说阅读与欣赏系列 The Rocking Horse Winner.docx

高中生经典英文小说阅读与欣赏系列 The Rocking Horse Winner.docx

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高中生经典英文小说阅读与欣赏系列TheRockingHorseWinner

TheRockingHorseWinner

byD.H.Lawrence

Therewasawomanwhowasbeautiful,whostartedwithalltheadvantages,yetshehadnoluck.Shemarriedforlove,andtheloveturnedtodust.Shehadbonnychildren,yetshefelttheyhadbeenthrustuponher,andshecouldnotlovethem.Theylookedathercoldly,asiftheywerefindingfaultwithher.Andhurriedlyshefeltshemustcoverupsomefaultinherself.Yetwhatitwasthatshemustcoverupsheneverknew.Nevertheless,whenherchildrenwerepresent,shealwaysfeltthecentreofherheartgohard.Thistroubledher,andinhermannershewasallthemoregentleandanxiousforherchildren,asifshelovedthemverymuch.Onlysheherselfknewthatatthecentreofherheartwasahardlittleplacethatcouldnotfeellove,no,notforanybody.Everybodyelsesaidofher:

"Sheissuchagoodmother.Sheadoresherchildren."Onlysheherself,andherchildrenthemselves,knewitwasnotso.Theyreaditineachother'seyes.

Therewereaboyandtwolittlegirls.Theylivedinapleasanthouse,withagarden,andtheyhaddiscreetservants,andfeltthemselvessuperiortoanyoneintheneighbourhood.

Althoughtheylivedinstyle,theyfeltalwaysananxietyinthehouse.Therewasneverenoughmoney.Themotherhadasmallincome,andthefatherhadasmallincome,butnotnearlyenoughforthesocialpositionwhichtheyhadtokeepup.Thefatherwentintotowntosomeoffice.Butthoughhehadgoodprospects,theseprospectsnevermaterialised.Therewasalwaysthegrindingsenseoftheshortageofmoney,thoughthestylewasalwayskeptup.

Atlastthemothersaid:

"IwillseeifIcan'tmakesomething."Butshedidnotknowwheretobegin.Sherackedherbrains,andtriedthisthingandtheother,butcouldnotfindanythingsuccessful.Thefailuremadedeeplinescomeintoherface.Herchildrenweregrowingup,theywouldhavetogotoschool.Theremustbemoremoney,theremustbemoremoney.Thefather,whowasalwaysveryhandsomeandexpensiveinhistastes,seemedasifheneverwouldbeabletodoanythingworthdoing.Andthemother,whohadagreatbeliefinherself,didnotsucceedanybetter,andhertasteswerejustasexpensive.

Andsothehousecametobehauntedbytheunspokenphrase:

Theremustbemoremoney!

Theremustbemoremoney!

Thechildrencouldhearitallthetimethoughnobodysaiditaloud.TheyhearditatChristmas,whentheexpensiveandsplendidtoysfilledthenursery.Behindtheshiningmodernrocking-horse,behindthesmartdoll'shouse,avoicewouldstartwhispering:

"Theremustbemoremoney!

Theremustbemoremoney!

"Andthechildrenwouldstopplaying,tolistenforamoment.Theywouldlookintoeachother'seyes,toseeiftheyhadallheard.Andeachonesawintheeyesoftheothertwothattheytoohadheard."Theremustbemoremoney!

Theremustbemoremoney!

"

Itcamewhisperingfromthespringsofthestill-swayingrocking-horse,andeventhehorse,bendinghiswooden,champinghead,heardit.Thebigdoll,sittingsopinkandsmirkinginhernewpram,couldhearitquiteplainly,andseemedtobesmirkingallthemoreself-consciouslybecauseofit.Thefoolishpuppy,too,thattooktheplaceoftheteddy-bear,hewaslookingsoextraordinarilyfoolishfornootherreasonbutthatheheardthesecretwhisperalloverthehouse:

"Theremustbemoremoney!

"

Yetnobodyeversaiditaloud.Thewhisperwaseverywhere,andthereforenoonespokeit.Justasnooneeversays:

"Wearebreathing!

"inspiteofthefactthatbreathiscomingandgoingallthetime.

"Mother,"saidtheboyPauloneday,"whydon'twekeepacarofourown?

Whydowealwaysuseuncle's,orelseataxi?

"

"Becausewe'rethepoormembersofthefamily,"saidthemother.

"Butwhyarewe,mother?

"

"Well-Isuppose,"shesaidslowlyandbitterly,"it'sbecauseyourfatherhasnoluck."

Theboywassilentforsometime.

"Isluckmoney,mother?

"heasked,rathertimidly.

"No,Paul.Notquite.It'swhatcausesyoutohavemoney."

"Oh!

"saidPaulvaguely."IthoughtwhenUncleOscarsaidfilthylucker,itmeantmoney."

"Filthylucredoesmeanmoney,"saidthemother."Butit'slucre,notluck."

"Oh!

"saidtheboy."Thenwhatisluck,mother?

"

"It'swhatcausesyoutohavemoney.Ifyou'reluckyyouhavemoney.That'swhyit'sbettertobebornluckythanrich.Ifyou'rerich,youmayloseyourmoney.Butifyou'relucky,youwillalwaysgetmoremoney."

"Oh!

Willyou?

Andisfathernotlucky?

"

"Veryunlucky,Ishouldsay,"shesaidbitterly.

Theboywatchedherwithunsureeyes.

"Why?

"heasked.

"Idon'tknow.Nobodyeverknowswhyonepersonisluckyandanotherunlucky."

"Don'tthey?

Nobodyatall?

Doesnobodyknow?

"

"PerhapsGod.ButHenevertells."

"Heoughtto,then.Andare'ntyouluckyeither,mother?

"

"Ican'tbe,itImarriedanunluckyhusband."

"Butbyyourself,aren'tyou?

"

"IusedtothinkIwas,beforeImarried.NowIthinkIamveryunluckyindeed."

"Why?

"

"Well-nevermind!

PerhapsI'mnotreally,"shesaid.

Thechildlookedathertoseeifshemeantit.Buthesaw,bythelinesofhermouth,thatshewasonlytryingtohidesomethingfromhim.

"Well,anyhow,"hesaidstoutly,"I'maluckyperson."

"Why?

"saidhismother,withasuddenlaugh.

Hestaredather.Hedidn'tevenknowwhyhehadsaidit.

"Godtoldme,"heasserted,brazeningitout.

"IhopeHedid,dear!

",shesaid,againwithalaugh,butratherbitter.

"Hedid,mother!

"

"Excellent!

"saidthemother,usingoneofherhusband'sexclamations.

Theboysawshedidnotbelievehim;orrather,thatshepaidnoattentiontohisassertion.Thisangeredhimsomewhere,andmadehimwanttocompelherattention.

Hewentoffbyhimself,vaguely,inachildishway,seekingfortheclueto'luck'.Absorbed,takingnoheedofotherpeople,hewentaboutwithasortofstealth,seekinginwardlyforluck.Hewantedluck,hewantedit,hewantedit.Whenthetwogirlswereplayingdollsinthenursery,hewouldsitonhisbigrocking-horse,chargingmadlyintospace,withafrenzythatmadethelittlegirlspeerathimuneasily.Wildlythehorsecareered,thewavingdarkhairoftheboytossed,hiseyeshadastrangeglareinthem.Thelittlegirlsdarednotspeaktohim.

Whenhehadriddentotheendofhismadlittlejourney,heclimbeddownandstoodinfrontofhisrocking-horse,staringfixedlyintoitsloweredface.Itsredmouthwasslightlyopen,itsbigeyewaswideandglassy-bright.

"Now!

"hewouldsilentlycommandthesnortingsteed."Nowtakemetowherethereisluck!

Nowtakeme!

"

AndhewouldslashthehorseontheneckwiththelittlewhiphehadaskedUncleOscarfor.Heknewthehorsecouldtakehimtowheretherewasluck,ifonlyheforcedit.Sohewouldmountagainandstartonhisfuriousride,hopingatlasttogetthere.

"You'llbreakyourhorse,Paul!

"saidthenurse.

"He'salwaysridinglikethat!

Iwishhe'dleaveoff!

"saidhiseldersisterJoan.

Butheonlyglareddownontheminsilence.Nursegavehimup.Shecouldmakenothingofhim.Anyhow,hewasgrowingbeyondher.

OnedayhismotherandhisUncleOscarcameinwhenhewasononeofhisfuriousrides.Hedidnotspeaktothem.

"Hallo,youyoungjockey!

Ridingawinner?

"saidhisuncle.

"Aren'tyougrowingtoobigforarocking-horse?

You'renotaverylittleboyanylonger,youknow,"saidhismother.

ButPaulonlygaveablueglarefromhisbig,ratherclose-seteyes.Hewouldspeaktonobodywhenhewasinfulltilt.Hismotherwatchedhimwithananxiousexpressiononherface.

Atlasthesuddenlystoppedforcinghishorseintothemechanicalgallopandsliddown.

"Well,Igotthere!

"heannouncedfiercely,hisblueeyesstillflaring,andhissturdylonglegsstraddlingapart.

"Wheredidyougetto?

"askedhismother.

"WhereIwantedtogo,"heflaredbackather.

"That'sright,son!

"saidUncleOscar."Don'tyoustoptillyougetthere.What'sthehorse'sname?

"

"Hedoesn'thaveaname,"saidtheboy.

"Get'sonwithoutallright?

"askedtheuncle.

"Well,hehasdifferentnames.HewascalledSansovinolastweek."

"Sansovino,eh?

WontheAscot.Howdidyouknowthisname?

"

"Healwaystalksabouthorse-raceswithBassett,"saidJoan.

Theunclewasdelightedtofindthathissmallnephewwaspostedwithalltheracingnews.Bassett,theyounggardener,whohadbeenwoundedintheleftfootinthewarandhadgothispresentjobthroughOscarCresswell,whosebatmanhehadbeen,wasaperfectbladeofthe'turf'.Helivedintheracingevents,andthesmallboylivedwithhim.

OscarCresswellgotitallfromBassett.

"MasterPaulcomesandasksme,soIcan'tdomorethantellhim,sir,"saidBassett,hisfaceterriblyserious,asifhewerespeakingofreligiousmatters.

"Anddoesheeverputanythingonahorsehefancies?

"

"Well-Idon'twanttogivehimaway-he'sayoungsport,afinesport,sir.Wouldyoumindaskinghimhimself?

Hesortoftakesapleasureinit,andperhapshe'dfeelIwasgivinghimaway,sir,ifyoudon'tmind.

Bassettwasseriousasachurch.

Theunclewentbacktohisnephewandtookhimoffforarideinthecar.

"Say,Paul,oldman,doyoueverputanythingonahorse?

"theuncleasked.

Theboywatchedthehandsomemanclosely.

"Why,doyouthinkIoughtn'tto?

"heparried.

"Notabitofit!

IthoughtperhapsyoumightgivemeatipfortheLincoln."

Thecarspedonintothecountry,goingdowntoUncleOscar'splaceinHampshire.

"Honourbright?

"saidthenephew.

"Honourbright,son!

"saidtheuncle.

"Well,then,Daffodil."

"Daffodil!

Idoubtit,sonny.WhataboutMirza?

"

"Ionlyknowthewinner,"saidtheboy."That'sDaffodil."

"Daffodil,eh?