高级英语Lesson12TheLoons课文内容.docx

高级英语Lesson12TheLoons课文内容.docx

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高级英语高级英语Lesson12TheLoons课文内容课文内容高级英语Lesson-12-The-Loons-课文内容（总10页）TheLoonsMargarelLaurenceJustbelowManawaka,wheretheWachakwaRiverranbrownandnoisyoverthepebbles,thescruboakandgrey-greenwillowandchokecherrybushesgrewinadensethicket.InaclearingatthecentreofthethicketstoodtheTonnerrefamilysshack.Thebasisatthisdwellingwasasmallsquarecabinmadeofpoplarpolesandchinkedwithmud,whichhadbeenbuiltbyJulesTonnerresomefiftyyearsbefore,whenhecamebackfromBatochewithabulletinhisthigh,theyearthatRielwashungandthevoicesoftheMetisenteredtheirlongsilence.JuleshadonlyintendedtostaythewinterintheWachakwaValley,butthefamilywasstillthereinthethirties,whenIwasachild.AstheTonnerreshadincreased,theirsettlementhadbeenaddedto,untiltheclearingatthefootofthetownhillwasachaosoflean-tos,woodenpackingcases,warpedlumber,discardedcartypes,ramshacklechickencoops,tangledstrandsofbarbedwireandrustytincans.TheTonnerreswereFrenchhalfbreeds,andamongthemselvestheyspokeapatoisthatwasneitherCreenorFrench.TheirEnglishwasbrokenandfullofobscenities.TheydidnotbelongamongtheCreeoftheGallopingMountainreservation,furthernorth,andtheydidnotbelongamongtheScots-IrishandUkrainiansofManawaka,either.Theywere,asmyGrandmotherMacLeodwouldhaveputit,neitherflesh,fowl,norgoodsaltherring.Whentheirmenwerenotworkingatoddjobsorassectionhandsonthe.R.theylivedonrelief.Inthesummers,oneoftheTonnerreyoungsters,withafacethatseemedtotallyunfamiliarwithlaughter,wouldknockatthedoorsofthetownsbrickhousesandofferforsalealard-pailfullofbruisedwildstrawberries,andifhegotasmuchasaquarterhewouldgrabthecoinandrunbeforethecustomerhadtimetochangehermind.SometimesoldJules,orhissonLazarus,wouldgetmixedupinaSaturday-nightbrawl,andwouldhitoutatwhoeverwasnearestorhowldrunkenlyamongtheoffendedshoppersonMainStreet,andthentheMountiewouldputthemforthenightinthebarredcellunderneaththeCourtHouse,andthenextmorningtheywouldbequietagain.PiquetteTonnerre,thedaughterofLazarus,wasinmyclassatschool.ShewasolderthanI,butshehadfailedseveralgrades,perhapsbecauseherattendancehadalwaysbeensporadicandherinterestinschoolworknegligible.Partofthereasonshehadmissedalotofschoolwasthatshehadhadtuberculosisofthebone,andhadoncespentmanymonthsinhospital.Iknewthisbecausemyfatherwasthedoctorwhohadlookedafterher.HersicknesswasalmosttheonlythingIknewabouther,however.Otherwise,sheexistedformeonlyasavaguelyembarrassingpresence,withherhoarsevoiceandherclumsylimpingwalkandhergrimycottondressesthatwerealwaysmilestoolong.Iwasneitherfriendlynorunfriendlytowardsher.Shedweltandmovedsomewherewithinmyscopeofvision,butIdidnotactuallynoticeherverymuchuntilthatpeculiarsummerwhenIwaseleven.Idontknowwhattodoaboutthatkid.myfathersaidatdinneroneevening.PiquetteTonnerre,Imean.Thedamnbonesflaredupagain.Ivehadherinhospitalforquiteawhilenow,anditsundercontrolallright,butIhatelikethedickenstosendherhomeagain.Couldntyouexplaintohermotherthatshehastorestalotmymothersaid.Themothersnottheremyfatherreplied.Shetookoffafewyearsback.CantsayIblameher.Piquettecooksforthem,andshesaysLazaruswouldneverdoanythingforhimselfaslongasshesthere.Anyway,Idontthinkshedtakemuchcareofherself,onceshegotback.Shesonlythirteen,afterall.Beth,IwasthinkingWhatabouttakingheruptoDiamondLakewithusthissummerAcoupleofmonthsrestwouldgivethatboneamuchbetterchance.Mymotherlookedstunned.ButEwen-whataboutRoddieandVanessaShesnotcontagious,myfathersaid.AnditwouldbecompanyforVanessa.Ohdear,mymothersaidindistress,Illbetanythingshehasnitsinherhair.ForPetessake,myfathersaidcrossly,doyouthinkMatronwouldletherstayinthehospitalforallthistimelikethatDontbesilly,Beth.GrandmotherMacLeod,herdelicatelyfeaturedfaceasrigidasacameo,nowbroughthermauve-veinedhandstogetherasthoughshewereabouttobeginprayer.Ewen,ifthathalfbreedyoungstercomesalongtoDiamondLake,Imnotgoing,sheannounced.IllgotoMoragsforthesummer.Ihadtroubleinstiflingmyurgetolaugh,formymotherbrightenedvisiblyandquicklytriedtohideit.IfitcametoachoicebetweenGrandmotherMacLeodandPiquette,Piquettewouldwinhandsdown,nitsornot.Itmightbequiteniceforyou,atthat,shemused.YouhaventseenMoragforoverayear,andyoumightenjoybeinginthecityforawhile.Well,Ewendear,youdowhatyouthinkbest.IfyouthinkitwoulddoPiquettesomegood,thenweIIbegladtohaveher,aslongasshebehavesherself.Soithappenedthatseveralweekslater,whenweallpiledintomyfathersoldNash,surroundedbysuitcasesandboxesofprovisionsandtoysformyten-month-oldbrother,PiquettewaswithusandGrandmotherMacLeod,miraculously,wasnot.Myfatherwouldonlybestayingatthecottageforacoupleofweeks,forhehadtogetbacktohispractice,buttherestofuswouldstayatDiamondLakeuntiltheendofAugust.Ourcottagewasnotnamed,asmanywere,DewDropInnorBide-a-Wee,orBonnieDoon”.Thesignontheroadwayboreinausterelettersonlyourname,MacLeod.Itwasnotalargecottage,butitwasonthelakefront.Youcouldlookoutthewindowsandsee,throughthefiligreeofthesprucetrees,thewaterglisteninggreenlyasthesuncaughtit.Allaroundthecottagewereferns,andsharp-branchedraspberrybushes,andmossthathadgrownoverfallentreetrunks,Ifyoulookedcarefullyamongtheweedsandgrass,youcouldfindwildstrawberryplantswhichwereinwhiteflowernowandinanothermonthwouldbearfruit,thefragrantglobeshanginglikeminiaturescarletlanternsonthethinhairystems.Thetwogreysquirrelswerestillthere,gossipingatusfromthetallsprucebesidethecottage,andbytheendofthesummertheywouldagainbetameenoughtotakepiecesofcrustfrommyhands.Thebroadmooseantlersthathungabovethebackdoorwerealittlemorebleachedandfissuredafterthewinter,butotherwiseeverythingwasthesame.Iracedjoyfullyaroundmykingdom,greetingalltheplacesIhadnotseenforayear.Mybrother,Roderick,whohadnotbeenbornwhenwewereherelastsummer,satonthecarruginthesunshineandexaminedabrownsprucecone,meticulouslyturningitroundandroundinhissmallandcurioushands.Mymotherandfathertotedtheluggagefromcartocottage,exclaimingoverhowwelltheplacehadwintered,nobrokenwindows,thankgoodness,noapparentdamagefromstormfelledbranchesorsnow.OnlyafterIhadfinishedlookingarounddidInoticePiquette.Shewassittingontheswingherlamelegheldstifflyout,andherotherfootscuffingthegroundassheswungslowlybackandforth.Herlonghairhungblackandstraightaroundhershoulders,andherbroadcoarse-featuredfaceborenoexpression-itwasblank,asthoughshenolongerdweltwithinherownskull,asthoughshehadgoneelsewhere.Iapproachedherveryhesitantly.WanttocomeandplayPiquettelookedatmewithasuddenflashofscorn.Iaintakid,shesaid.Wounded,Istampedangrilyaway,swearingIwouldnotspeaktoherfortherestofthesummer.Inthedaysthatfollowed,however,Piquettebegantointerestme,andlbegantowanttointeresther.Myreasonsdidnotappearbizarretome.Unlikelyasitmayseem,IhadonlyjustrealisedthattheTonnerrefamily,whomIhadalwaysheardCalledhalfbreeds,wereactuallyIndians,orasnearasmadenodifference.MyacquaintancewithIndianswasnotexpensive.IdidnotremembereverhavingseenarealIndian,andmynewawarenessthatPiquettesprangfromthepeopleofBigBearandPoundmaker,ofTecumseh,oftheIroquoiswhohadeatenFatherBrbeufsheart-allthisgaveheraninstantattractioninmyeyes.IwasdevotedreaderofPaulineJohnsonatthisage,andsometimeswouldoratealoudandinanexaltedvoice,WestWind,blowfromyourprairienest,Blowfromthemountains,blowfromthewest-andsoon.ItseemedtomethatPiquettemustbeinsomewayadaughteroftheforest,akindofjuniorprophetessofthewilds,whomightimparttome,ifItooktherightapproach,someofthesecretswhichsheundoubtedlyknew-wherethewhippoorwillmadehernest,howthecoyoterearedheryoung,orwhateveritwasthatitsaidinHiawatha.IsetaboutgainingPiquettestrust.Shewasnotallowedtogoswimming,withherbadleg,butImanagedtolureherdowntothebeach-orrather,shecamebecausetherewasnothingelsetodo.Thewaterwasalwaysicy,forthelakewasfedbysprings,butIswamlikeadog,thrashingmyarmsandlegsaroundatsuchspeedandwithsuchanoutputofenergythatInevergrewcold.Finally,whenIhadenough,IcameoutandsatbesidePiquetteonthesand.Whenshesawmeapproaching,herhandssquashedflatthesandcastleshehadbeenbuilding,andshelookedatmesullenly,withoutspeaking.DoyoulikethisplaceIasked,afterawhile,intendingtoleadonfromthereintothequestionofforestlore.Piquetteshrugged.Itsokay.Goodasanywhere.Iloveit,1said.Wecomehereeverysummer.SowhatHervoicewasdistant,andIglancedatheruncertainly,wonderingwhatIcouldhavesaidwrong.DoyouwanttocomeforawalkIaskedher.Wewouldntneedtogofar.Ifyouwalkjustaroundthepointthere,youcometoabaywheregreatbigreedsgrowinthewater,andallkindsoffishhangaroundthere.WanttoComeon.Sheshookherhead.YourdadsaidIaintsupposedtodonomorewalkingthanIgotto.Itriedanotherline.Ibetyouknowalotaboutthewoodsandallthat,ehIbeganrespectfully.Piquettelookedatmefromher