guò qù de“ dì yù jiē” bèi“ hé chuān qū” qǔ 'ér dài zhī， dì yù jiē yuán shì qīng shān xiàng bàng nà tiáo xī biān de yī piàn qiáng miàn tū 'āo bù píng de máo cǎo wū， nà lǐ zhù de shì zài liǎng gè qū yǐ wài xiǎo kuàng jǐng lǐ gōng zuò de kuàng gōng men。 xiǎo xī cóng chì yáng shù xià liú guò， hái méi yòu shòu dào zhè xiē xiǎo kuàng jǐng de wū rǎn。 kuàng jǐng de méi shì shǐ yòng máo lǘ chī lì dì lā zhe diào chē lā shàng dì miàn de。 xiāng cūn lǐ dào chù dōushì zhè zhǒng kuàng jǐng， yòu xiē kuàng jǐng zài chá lǐ 'èr shì shí qī jiù kāi shǐ cǎi jué liǎo。 wéi shù bù duō de jǐ gè kuàng gōng hé máo lǘ xiàng mǎ yǐ shìde zài dì xià dǎ dòng， zài xiǎo mài dì hé cǎo dì shàng nòng chū qí xíng guài zhuàng de tǔ duī， dì miàn shàng tú chéng yī kuài kuài de hēi sè。 kuàng gōng men de máo wū chéng piàn chéngháng dào chù dōushì， zài jiā shàng fēn bù zài jiào qū lǐ de líng xīng de zhuāng yuán hé zhì wà gōng rén de zhù fáng， zhè jiù xíng chéng liǎo bèi sī wǔ dé cūn。
dà yuē liù shí nián qián， zhè lǐ tū rán fā shēng liǎo biàn huà。 xiǎo kuàng jǐng bèi jīn róng jiā de dà méi kuàng suǒ pái jǐ。 hòu lái， zài nuò dīng hàn jùn hé dé bèi jùn dū fā xiàn liǎo méi kuàng hé tiě kuàng， biàn chū xiàn liǎo kǎ sī tè héng héng wèi tè gōng sī。 pà 'ěr mò sī xūn jué zài yī piàn huān hū zhōng， zhèng shì wéi běn gōng sī zuò luò zài shēn wù sēn lín gōng yuán bàng biān de dì yī jiā méi kuàng de kāi zhāng jiǎn liǎo cǎi。
dà gài jiù zài zhè gè shí hòu， chòu míng zhāo zhù de dì yù jiē bèi shāo liǎo gè jīng guāng， lián dà duī de lā jī yě huà wéi huī jìn。
kǎ sī tè héng héng wèi tè gōng sī jí xīng gāo zhào， cóng sài 'ěr bèi dào nà tǎ 'ěr hé gǔ kāi cǎi chū yī gè yòu yī gè de xīn kuàng， bù jiǔ zhè lǐ jiù yòu liù gè xīn kuàng。 yī tiáo tiě lù cóng nà tǎ 'ěr kāi shǐ， chuān yuè sēn lín zhōng gāo gāo de shā yán， jīng guò pò luò liǎo de kǎ 'ěr tè huì xiū dào yuàn、 luó bīn hàn quán hé sī bīn ní gōng yuán， dào dá mǐ 'ēn dùn kuàng， yī gè zuò luò zài xiǎo mài tián lǐ de dà kuàng。 tiě lù cóng mǐ 'ēn dùn chuān guò gǔ dì dào dá běn kè 'ěr méi shān， rán hòu xiàng běi tōng wǎng kě yǐ fǔ kàn kè ruì sī hé dé bèi jùn qún shān de bèi jiā lì hé sài 'ěr bèi。 zhè liù gè kuàng jiù rú liù méi hēi sè de dīng zǐ xiāng qiàn zài tián yě shàng， yóu yī tiáo wān wān qū qū de xì liàn zǐ bān de tiě lù chuàn chéng yī chuàn。
wèile 'ān zhì dà pī kuàng gōng， kǎ sī tè héng héng wèi tè gōng sī gài qǐ liǎo jū mín qū， yī gè gè dà dà de sì hé yuàn zài bèi sī wǔ dé shān jiǎo xià chū xiàn。 hòu lái， yòu zài hé chuān de dì yù jiē shàng， jiàn qǐ liǎo hé chuān qū。
hé chuān qū bāo kuò liù chuáng kuàng qū zhù zhái， fēn chéng liǎng pái， jiù xiàng liù diǎn gǔ pái shìde， měi chuáng yòu shí 'èr jiān fáng zǐ。 zhè liǎng pái zhù zhái zuò luò zài bèi sī wǔ dé nà dǒu qiào de shān pō jiǎo xià， cóng gé lóu chuāng kǒu wàng qù， zhèng duì zhe tōng wǎng sài bèi 'ěr de nà zuò píng huǎn de shān pō。
zhè xiē fáng zǐ gòu zào jiān gù、 xiāng dāng dà fāng。 kào jìn gǔ dǐ de yī pái fáng zǐ de bèi miàn zhǒng zhe yīng cǎo hé hǔ 'ěr cǎo， shàng miàn yī pái fáng zǐ de yáng miàn zhǒng zhe měi zhōu shí zhú， chuāng qián de xiǎo mén tīng、 gé lóu shàng de tiān chuāng shōu shí dé gān gān jìng jìng， xiǎo shuǐ là lí bā xiū jiǎn dé zhěng zhěng qí qí。 dàn shì， zhè zhǐ shì wài biǎo， shì kuàng gōng de jiā juàn men shōu shí gān jìng bù zhù rén de kè tīng de jǐng xiàng， wò shì hé chú fáng dōuzài fáng wū de hòu miàn， duì zhe lìng yī pái fáng zǐ de bèi miàn néng kàn dào de zhǐ shì yī piàn zá luàn de hòu yuàn hé lā jī duī。 zài liǎng pái fáng wū zhōng jiān， zài liǎng xíng lā jī duī zhōng jiān， yòu yī tiáo xiǎo xiàng shì hái zǐ men wán shuǎ， nǚ rén men liáo tiān， nán rén men chōu yān de chǎng suǒ。 yīn cǐ， zài hé chuān qū， jìn guǎn nà fáng zǐ gài dé bù cuò， kàn qǐ lái yě hěn piào liàng， kě shí jì shēng huó tiáo jiàn què fēi cháng 'è liè， yīn wéi rén men shēng huó bù néng méi yòu chú fáng， dàn chú fáng miàn duì de què shì sài mǎn lā jī de xiǎo xiàng。
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài bìng bù jí zhe yào bān dào hé chuān qū， tā cóng bèi sī wǔ dé bān dào shān xià zhè jiān fáng zǐ shí， zhè jiān fáng yǐ jīng gài liǎo shí 'èr nián liǎo， ér qiě kāi shǐ zhú jiàn bài luò。 rán 'ér tā bù dé bù bān xià lái。 tā zhù zài shàng miàn yī pái fáng zǐ de zuì hòu yī jiān， yīn cǐ zhǐ yòu yī jiā lín jū， wū zǐ de yī biān bǐ lín jū duō liǎo yī gè cháng tiáo xíng huā yuán。 zhù zài zhè tóu shàng de yī jiān， tā fǎng fó bǐ nà xiē zhù zài“ zhōng jiān” fáng zǐ lǐ de nǚ rén duō liǎo yī zhǒng guì zú qì pài， yīn wéi tā měi xīng qī dé fù wǔ xiān lìng liù biàn shì fáng zū， ér qí tā què fù wǔ xiān lìng。 bù guò， zhè zhǒng chāo rén yī děng de yōu yuè gǎn duì mò ruì 'ěr tài tài lái shuō， ān wèi bù dà。
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài sān shí yī suì， jié hūn yǐ jīng bā nián liǎo。 tā shēn tǐ líng lóng qì zhì róu ruò， dàn jǔ zhǐ guǒ duàn。 rán 'ér tā hé hé chuān qū de nǚ rén men dì yī cì jiē chù shí， bù yóu dé yòu yī diǎn dǎn qiè。 tā qī yuè cóng shān shàng bān xià lái， dà yuē jiǔ yuè jiù huái liǎo dì sān gè hái zǐ。
tā de zhàng fū shì gè kuàng gōng。 tā men bān dào xīn wū cái sān gè xīng qī jiù féng zhe měi nián yī dù de jiàrì。 tā zhī dào， mò ruì 'ěr kěn dìng huì jìn qíng huān dù zhè gè jiàrì de。 jí shì kāi shǐ nà tiān shì gè xīng qī yī， tā yī dà zǎo jiù chū liǎo mén。 liǎng gè hái zǐ， wēi lián， zhè gè qī suì de nán hái， chī wán zǎo fàn jiù lì jí liù chū jiā guàng jí shì qù liǎo， piē xià zhǐ yòu wǔ suì de 'ān nī kū nào liǎo yī zǎo chén， tā yě xiǎng gēn zhe qù。 mò ruì 'ěr tài tài zài gànhuó， tā hái hé lín jū bù tài shú， bù zhī dào yīnggāi bǎ xiǎo gū niàn tuō fù gěi shuí， yīn cǐ， zhǐ hǎo dāyìng 'ān nī chī liǎo wǔ fàn dài tā qù jí shì。
wēi lián shí 'èr diǎn bàn cái huí jiā， tā shì gè fēi cháng hàodòng de nán hái， jīn sè de tóu fā， mǎn liǎn qiāobān， dài jǐ fēn dān mài rén huò nuó wēi rén de qì zhì。
“ mā mā， wǒ kě yǐ chī fàn liǎo má？” tā dài zhe mào zǐ chōng jìn wū， hǎn dào：“ bié rén shuō， yī diǎn bàn jí shì jiù kāi shǐ liǎo。”
“ fàn yī zuò hǎo nǐ jiù kě yǐ chī liǎo。” mā mā xiào zhe huí dá。
“ fàn hái méi hǎo má？” tā rǎng dào， yī shuāng lán yǎn jīng qì chōng chōng dì dèng zhe tā，“ wǒ jiù yào cuò guò shí jiān liǎo。”
“ wù bù liǎo。 wǔ fēn zhōng jiù hǎo， xiàn zài cái shí 'èr diǎn bàn。”
“ tā men jiù yào kāi shǐ liǎo。” zhè gè hái zǐ bàn kū bàn jiào zhe。
“ tā men kāi chǎng jiù yào nǐ de mìng lā，” mǔ qīn shuō，“ zài shuō， xiàn zài cái shí 'èr diǎn bàn， nǐ hái yòu zhěng zhěng yī gè xiǎo shí。”
xiǎo nán hái jí jí máng máng bǎi hǎo zhuō zǐ， sān gè rén lì jí zuò xià。 tā men zhèng chī zhe guǒ jiàng bù liǎo， tū rán zhè hái zǐ tiào xià yǐ zǐ， lèng lèng dì zhàn zài nà 'ér， yuǎn chù chuán lái liǎo xuánzhuàn mù mǎ kāi dòng shēng hé lá bà shēng， tā héng méi lěng yǎn dì dèng zhe mǔ qīn。
“ wǒ zǎo jiù gào sù nǐ liǎo。” shuō zhe tā bēn xiàng wǎn guì， yī bǎ zhuā qǐ mào zǐ。
“ ná zhe nǐ de bù dīng héng héng xiàn zài cái yī diǎn guò wǔ fēn， nǐ nòng cuò liǎo héng héng nǐ hái méi ná nǐ de liǎng biàn shì qián ní。” mǔ qīn lián shēng hǎn zhe。
nán hái jí wéi shī wàng dì zhuǎn guò shēn lái， ná liǎo liǎng biàn shì qián yī shēng bù kēng dì zǒu liǎo。
“ wǒ yào qù， wǒ yào qù。” ān nī biān shuō biān kū liǎo qǐ lái。
“ hǎo， nǐ qù， nǐ zhè gè kū gè bù tíng de xiǎo shǎ guā！” mǔ qīn shuō。 xià wǔ， mò ruì 'ěr tài tài dài zhe nǚ 'ér， yán zhe gāo gāo de shù lí pí juàn dì pá shàng shān pō。 tián lǐ de gān cǎo dū duī liǎo qǐ lái， mài chá tián lǐ mù fàng zhe niú qún， chù chù shì wēn nuǎn píng jìng de qì fēn。
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài bù xǐ huān gǎn jí shì。 nà lǐ yòu liǎng tào mù mǎ： yī tào kào zhēng qì fā dòng， yī tào yóu xiǎo mǎ lā zhe zhuǎn。 sān jià shǒu fēng qín zài yǎn zòu， jiā zá zhe qiāng dàn líng xīng de shè jī shēng， mài yē zǐ de xiǎo fàn cì 'ěr dì jiān jiào shēng， tóu zhì mù rén yóu xì de tān zhù de gāo shēng yāo hē， yǐ jí bǎi xī yáng jìng xiǎo tān de nǚ rén de zhāo hū shēng。 mò ruì 'ěr tài tài kàn dào zì jǐ de 'ér zǐ zhàn zài xī yáng jìng tān wài miàn chū shén dì kàn zhe， nà xī yáng jìng lǐ zhèng yǎn zhe yòu míng de huá lāi shì shī zǐ de huà miàn， zhè zhǐ shī zǐ céng jīng yǎo sǐ yī gè hēi rén hé liǎng gè bái rén。 tā méi guǎn tā， zì jǐ qù gěi 'ān nī mǎi liǎo yī xiē nǎi yóu táng。 méi duō jiǔ， xiǎo nán hái yì cháng xīng fèn dì lái dào mā mā gēn qián。
“ nǐ cóng méi shuō guò nǐ yào lái héng héng zhè 'ér shì bù shì yòu hěn duō hǎo dōng xī？ héng héng nà zhǐ shī zǐ yǎo sǐ liǎo sān gè rén héng héng wǒ yǐ jīng huā guāng liǎo wǒ de liǎng biàn shì héng héng kàn！”
tā cóng kǒu dài lǐ tāo chū liǎng zhǐ dàn xíng bēi zǐ， shàng miàn yòu fěn hóng sè qiáng bì tú 'àn。
“ wǒ shì cóng nà gè tān zǐ shàng yíng lái de， tā men zài nà 'ér dǎ dàn zǐ yóu xì。 wǒ dǎ liǎo liǎng huí jiù dé dào liǎo zhè liǎng gè bēi zǐ héng héng bàn biàn shì wán yī huí。 kàn， bēi zǐ shàng yòu qiáng bì huā， wǒ de zhè zhǒng。”
tā zhī dào tā shì wéi tā xuǎn de。
“ hēi！” tā gāo xīng dì shuō，“ zhēn piào liàng。”
mǔ qīn lái guàng jí shì， wēi lián xǐ chū wàng wài， tā lǐng zhe tā sì chù yóu dàng， dōng qiáo xī chǒu。 zài kàn xī yáng jǐng shí， tā bǎ tú piàn de nèi róng xiàng jiǎng gù shì yī yàng jiǎng gěi tā tīng， tā tīng dé dū rù liǎo mí， chán zhe tā bù kěn lí qù。 tā mǎn huái zhe yī gè xiǎo nán hái duì mǔ qīn de zì háo， yī zhí yì qì 'áng yáng dì gēn zài tā shēn biān。 tā dài zhe xiǎo hēi mào， pī zhe dǒu péng， xiàng tā suǒ rèn shí de fù nǚ wēi xiào shì yì， méi yòu rén bǐ tā gèng xiàng yī wèi guì fù rén liǎo。 tā zhōng yú lěi liǎo， duì 'ér zǐ shuō：
“ hǎo liǎo， nǐ shì xiàn zài jiù huí qù ní， hái shì zài dāi huì 'ér？”
“ nǐ zhè jiù yào zǒu 'ā？” tā mǎn liǎn bù gāo xīng dì shuō dào。
“ zhè jiù zǒu， xiàn zài dū sì diǎn liǎo。”
“ nǐ huí qù yào gān má yā？” tā bào yuàn dào。
“ rú guǒ nǐ bù xiǎng huí qù， kě yǐ liú xià。” tā shuō。
tā dài zhe tā de xiǎo nǚ 'ér màn màn dì zǒu liǎo， ér zǐ zhàn zài nà lǐ qiáo shǒu kàn zhe tā， jì shěbùdé fàng mǔ qīn huí qù， yòu bù yuàn lí kāi jí shì。 dāng tā chuān guò xīng yuè jiǔ guǎn mén qián de kōng dì shí tīng dào nán rén men de jiào hǎn shēng， wén dào pí jiǔ wèi 'ér， xīn xiǎng tā zhàng fū kě néng zài jiǔ guǎn lǐ， yú shì jiā kuài jiǎo bù zǒu liǎo。
liù diǎn bàn， wēi lián huí lái liǎo， pí bèi bù kān， liǎn sè cāng bái， duō shǎo hái yòu jǐ fēn jù sàng qíng xù。 tā xīn lǐ gǎn dào yī sī mò míng qí miào de tòng kǔ， yīn wéi tā méi péi mǔ qīn yī qǐ huí jiā， tā zǒu liǎo yǐ hòu， tā zài jí shì shàng zài méi kāi xīn dì wán guò。
“ wǒ bà bà huí jiā liǎo má？” tā wèn。
“ méi yòu。” mǔ qīn huí dá。
“ tā zài xīng yuè jiǔ guǎn bāng máng ní， wǒ cóng chuāng zǐ shàng nà gè hēi tiě pí dòng lǐ kàn dào de， chí de xiù zǐ juàn dé gāo gāo de。”
“ ǹg，” mǔ qīn jiǎn dān de yìng liǎo shēng，“ tā méi qián， bié rén huò duō huò shǎo gěi tā xiē qián， tā jiù mǎn zú liǎo。”
tiān kāi shǐ 'àn xià lái， mò ruì 'ěr tài tài méi fǎ zuò zhēn xiàn huó liǎo， tā zhàn qǐ shēn zǒu dào mén kǒu， dào chù mí màn zhe huān kuài de jié rì qì fēn， zhè zhǒng qì fēn zuì zhōng hái shì gǎn rǎn liǎo tā， tā qíng bù zì jìn dì zǒu dào bàng biān de huā yuán lǐ。 nǚ rén men cóng jí shì shàng huí lái liǎo， hái zǐ men yòu de bào zhe yī zhǐ lǜ tuǐ de bái yáng gāo， yòu de bào zhe yī zhǐ mù mǎ。 ǒu 'ěr， yě yòu nán rén zǒu guò， shǒu lǐ ná mǎn liǎo dōng xī。 yòu shí， yě yòu hǎo zhàng fū hé quán jiā rén yī qǐ yōu xián dì zǒu guò， dàn tōng cháng shì nǚ rén hé hái zǐ men zǒu zài yī qǐ。 mù sè gèng nóng liǎo， nà xiē zài jiā wéi zhe bái wéi qún de zhù fù men， duān zhe gēbo， zhàn zài xiǎo xiàng jìn tóu liáo tiān。
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài xíng dān yǐng zhǐ， dàn tā duì cǐ yǐ jīng xí guàn liǎo。 tā de 'ér zǐ nǚ 'ér dōuyǐ zài lóu shàng shuì liǎo。 biǎo miàn kàn lái tā de jiā wěn gù kě kào， kě shì， yī xiǎng dào jiāng yào chū shì de hái zǐ， tā biàn shēn gǎn bù kuài。 zhè gè shì jiè sì hū shì yī gè kū zào de dì fāng， zhì shǎo zài wēi lián zhǎngdà yǐ qián， tā bù huì yòu bié de qī wàng。 dàn shì， duì tā zì jǐ lái shuō， zhǐ néng kū zào de rěn nài xià qù héng héng yī zhí rěn dào hái zǐ men zhǎngdà。 kě shì zhè me duō de hái zǐ！ tā yǎng bù qǐ dì sān gè hái zǐ。 tā bù xiǎng yào zhè gè hái zǐ。 dāng fù qīn de zài jiǔ guǎn lǐ yǎn wù， zì jǐ zuì xūn xūn de， tā kàn bù qǐ tā， kě yòu gēn tā lián xì zài yī qǐ。 tā jiē shòu bù liǎo zhè gè jí jiāng lái lín de hái zǐ， yào bù shì wèile wēi lián hé 'ān nī， tā zǎo jiù yàn juàn liǎo zhè zhǒng pín qióng、 chǒu 'è de yōng sú de shēng huó。
tā zǒu dào zhái qián de huā yuán lǐ， jué dé shēn zǐ chén zhòng dé mài bù kāi bù， kě zài wū lǐ yòu méi fǎ dāi xià qù。 tiān qì mèn dé ràng rén chuǎn bù guò qì lái。 xiǎng xiǎng wèi lái， zhǎn wàng qián chéng， tā jué dé zì jǐ xiàng shì gěi rén huó mái liǎo。
zhái qián de huā yuán shì yóu shuǐ là shù wéi qǐ lái de xiǎo kuài fāng dì。 tā zhàn zài nà 'ér， jìn lì xiǎng bǎ zì jǐ róng rù huā xiāng hé jí jiāng shì qù de měi lì de mù sè zhōng。 zài yuán mén duì miàn， gāo gāo de shù lí xià miàn， shì shàng shān de tái jiē。 liǎng bàng shì gē guò cǎo de cǎo pō chén jìn zài xiá guāng zhōng。 tiān sè biàn huà xùn sù， xiá guāng zhuǎn yǎn jiù zài tián yě shàng xiāo shī， dà dì hé shù lí dū chén jìn zài mù 'ǎi lǐ。 yè mù jiàng lín liǎo， shān dǐng liàng qǐ liǎo yī cù dēng guāng， dēng guāng chù chuán lái sàn jí de xuān rǎng shēng。
shù lí xià nà tiáo hēi 'àn de xiǎo lù shàng， nán rén men diē diē zhuàng zhuàng dì wǎng jiā zǒu。 yòu yī gè xiǎo huǒ zǐ cóng shān tóu dǒu pō shàng chōng xià lái，“ pēng” diē dǎo zài shí jiē shàng， mò ruì 'ěr dà dà dǎ liǎo gè hán jìn。 xiǎo huǒ zǐ mà mà lie lie dì pá qǐ lái， yàng zǐ kě lián xī xī de， hǎo xiàng shí jiē shì gù yì shāng hài tā。
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài zhé shēn huí wū， xīn lǐ bù zhī dào zhè yàng de shēng huó néng fǒu yòu biàn huà。 dàn tā xiàn zài yǐ jīng rèn shí dào zhè shì bù huì gǎi biàn de， tā jué dé tā sì hū lí tā de shàonǚ shí dài yǐ jīng hěn yuǎn hěn yuǎn liǎo， tā jiǎn zhí bù gǎn xiāng xìn rú jīn zhè gè mài zhe chén zhòng de bù fá zài hé chuān qū hòu yuán de nǚ rén， jiù shì shí nián qián zài xī 'ěr ní sī dà dī shàng jiǎo bù qīng kuài de nà wèi shàonǚ。
“ zhè 'ér hé wǒ yòu shénme guān xì ní？” tā zì yán zì yǔ“ zhè 'ér de yī qiēdōu hé wǒ yòu hé xiāng gān ní？ shèn zhì zhè gè jí jiāng lái shì de hái zǐ hé wǒ yòu yòu hé guā gé ní？ fǎn zhèng， méi rén lái tǐ tiē wǒ。”
yòu shí， shēng huó zhī pèi yī gè rén， zhī pèi yī gè rén de shēn qū， wán chéng yī gè rén de lì chéng， rán 'ér zhè bù shì zhēn zhèng de shēng huó， shēng huó shì rénrén zì shēng zì miè。
“ wǒ děng dài” mò ruì 'ěr tài tài nán nán zì yǔ héng héng“ wǒ děng 'ā děng， kě wǒ děng dài de dōng xī yǒng yuǎn bù huì lái。”
tā shōu shí wán qù liǎo chú fáng， diǎn zhe liǎo dēng， tiān shàng huǒ， zhǎo chū dì 'èr tiān yào xǐ de yī fú xiān pào shàng， rán hòu， tā zuò xià lái zuò zhēn xiàn huó 'ér， yī bǔ jiù shì hǎo jǐ gè xiǎo shí， tā de zhēn zài bù liào shàng yòu guī lǜ dì shǎn zhe yín guāng。 ǒu 'ěr， tā tàn kǒu qì fàng sōng yī xià zì jǐ， xīn lǐ yī zhí pán suàn zhe， rú héwèi hái zǐ men jié yī suō shí。
zhàng fū huí lái shí， yǐ jīng shí yī diǎn bàn liǎo。 tā nà luò sāi hú zǐ shàng bù hóng guāng mǎn miàn， xiàng tā qīng qīng dì diǎn liǎo diǎn tóu， yī fù zhì dé yì mǎn de shén qì。
“ ( ǒu qiàn )， ( ǒu qiàn )， zài děng wǒ， bǎo bèi？ wǒ qù bāng 'ān dōng ní gànhuó liǎo， nǐ zhī dào tā gěi liǎo wǒ duō shǎo？ yī diǎn yě bù duō， zhǐ yòu bàn kè lǎng qián ……”
“ tā rèn wéi qí yú dedōu suàn zuò nǐ de pí jiǔ qián lā。” tā jiǎn duǎn dì dá dào。
“ wǒ méi yòu héng héng wǒ méi yòu， nǐ xiāng xìn wǒ bā， jīn tiān wǒ zhǐ hē liǎo yī diǎn diǎn， jiù yī diǎn 'ér。” tā de shēng yīn wēn hé qǐ lái“ kàn， wǒ gěi nǐ dài liǎo yī diǎn bái lán dì jiāng bǐng， hái gěi hái zǐ men dài liǎo yī gè yē zǐ。” tā bǎ jiāng bǐng hé yī gè máo róng róng de yē zǐ fàng zài zhuō zǐ shàng，“ hēi， zhè bèi zǐ nǐ hái cóng lái méi yòu shuō guò yī shēng ‘ xiè xiè ’ ní， shì me？”
fǎng fó wèile biǎo shì qiàn yì de huí bào， tā ná qǐ yē zǐ yáo liǎo yáo， kàn kàn tā shì fǒu yòu yē zǐ zhī。
“ shì hǎo de， nǐ fàng xīn hǎo liǎo， wǒ shì cóng bǐ 'ěr · huò jīn sēn nà lǐ yào lái de。 wǒ shuō‘ bǐ 'ěr， nǐ chī bù liǎo sān gè yē zǐ bā？ kě yǐ sòng yī gè gěi wǒ de hái zǐ chī？’‘ xíng， wò 'ěr tè，’ tā shuō：‘ nǐ yào nǎ gè jiù ná nǎ gè bā。’ wǒ jiù ná liǎo yī gè， hái shuō liǎo shēng xiè xiè。 wǒ bù xiǎng zài tā miàn qián yáo yáo yē zǐ kàn hǎo bù hǎo， bù guò tā shuō，‘ wò 'ěr tè， nǐ zuì hǎo kàn kàn zhè yī gè shì bù shì hǎo de。’ suǒ yǐ， nǐ kàn， wǒ zhī dào zhè shì yī gè hǎo de。 tā shì yī gè hǎo rén， bǐ 'ěr · huò jīn sēn zhēn shì yī gè hǎo rén。”
“ yī gè rén hē zuì shí， tā shénme dū shè dé gěi， nǐ men liǎ dū hē zuì liǎo。” mò ruì 'ěr tài tài shuō。
“ hēi， nǐ zhè gè tǎo yàn de chòu pó niàn， wǒ dǎo yào wèn wèn shuí hē zuì liǎo？” mò ruì 'ěr shuō， tā yáng yáng dé yì， yīn wéi zài xīng yuè jiǔ guǎn bāng liǎo yī tiān máng， jiù bù tíng dì suo dāo zhe。
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài lěi jí liǎo， yě tīng fán liǎo tā de fèi huà， chèn tā fēng lú de shí hòu， liù shàng chuáng shuì jué qù liǎo。
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài chū shēn yú yī gè gǔ lǎo 'ér tǐ miàn de shì mín jiā tíng， zǔ shàng céng yǔ hā qīn sēn shàng xiào gòng tóng zuò zhàn， shì shì dài dài yī zhí shì gōng lǐ huì qián chéng de jiào tú。 yòu yī nián， nuò dīng hàn hěn duō huā biān shāng pò chǎn de shí hòu， tā de zuò huā biān shēng yì de zǔ fù yě pò chǎn liǎo。 tā de fù qīn， qiáo zhì · kē pò dé shì gè gōng chéng shī héng héng yī gè gāo dà、 yīng jùn、 ào màn de rén， tā bù dàn wéi zì jǐ de bái pí fū、 lán yǎn jīng zì háo， gèng yǐ tā de zhèng zhí wéi róng。 gé tè lǔ dé shēn cái xiàng mǔ qīn yī yàng xiǎo， dàn tā de gāo 'ào、 juéjiàng de xìng gé què lái zì kē pò dé jiā zú。
qiáo zhì · kē pò dé wéi zì jǐ de pín qióng 'ér fā chóu。 tā hòu lái zài xī 'ěr ní sī xiū chuán chǎng dāng gōng chéng shī tóu lǐng。 mò ruì 'ěr tài tài héng héng gé tè lǔ dé héng héng shì tā de 'èr nǚ 'ér。 tā xiàng mǔ qīn， yě zuì 'ài mǔ qīn， dàn tā jì chéng liǎo kē pò dé jiā zú de lán yǎn jīng kuān 'é tóu。 tā de yǎn jīng míng liàng yòu shén。 tā jì dé xiǎo shí hòu tā hèn fù qīn duì wēn róu、 yōu mò、 shàn liáng de mǔ qīn de nà zhǒng shèng qì líng rén de tài dù； tā jì dé zì jǐ páo biàn xī 'ěr ní sī dà dī qù zhǎo chuán、 tā jì dé zì jǐ qù xiū chuán chǎng shí， nán rén mendōu qīn rè dì pāi zhe tā kuā jiǎng tā， yīn wéi tā suī shì yī wèi jiāo nèn de nǚ hái， dàn tā gè xìng xiān míng； tā hái jì dé nà gè sī lì xué xiào de yī wèi nián mài nǚ jiào shī， hòu lái hái gěi tā dāng zhù shǒu。 tā xiàn zài hái bǎo liú zhe yuē hàn · fèi 'ěr dé sòng gěi tā de《 shèng jīng》。 shí jiǔ suì shí， tā cháng hé yuē hàn · fèi 'ěr dé yī kuài 'ér cóng jiào táng huí jiā。 tā shì yī gè fù yòu shāng rén de 'ér zǐ， zài lún dūn shàng guò dà xué， dāng shí zhèng zhǔn bèi tóu shēn yú shāng yè。
tā shèn zhì néng huí yì qǐ nà nián jiǔ yuè yī gè xīng qī tiān xià wǔ tā liǎ zuò zài tā fù qīn zhù suǒ hòu yuàn de pú táo téng xià de měi yī gè xì jié， yáng guāng cóng pú táo yè de fèngxì zhōng shè xià lái， zài tā liǎ shēn shàng tóu xià měi lì de tú 'àn， yòu rú yī tiáo pī jiān。 yòu xiē yè zǐ wán quán huáng liǎo， jiù xiàng yī duǒ duǒ píng zhǎn de jīn huā。
“ zuò zhe bié dòng，” tā hǎn dào，“ kàn nǐ de tóu fā， wǒ bù zhī dào rú hé xíng róng， tā xiàng huáng jīn hé zǐ gāng yī yàng shǎn shǎn fā guāng， xiàng shāo róng de tóng yī yàng hóng， tài yáng yī zhào yòu rú yī gēn gēn jīn sī， tā men jìng rán shuō nǐ de tóu fā shì hè sè de， nǐ mǔ qīn hái shuō shì huī sè de ní。”
tā kàn zhe tā shǎn guāng de yǎn jīng， dàn tā nà píng jìng de biǎo qíng què méi yòu liú lù chū nèi xīn de jī dòng。
“ kě shì nǐ shuō nǐ bù xǐ huān zuò shēng yì。” tā chán zhe tā wèn。
“ wǒ bù xǐ huān， wǒ hèn zuò shēng yì！” tā jī dòng dì hǎn dào。“ nǐ kě néng yuàn yì zuò yī gè mù shī bā。” tā bàn kěn qiú dì shuō。
“ dāng rán， wǒ xǐ huān zuò yī gè mù shī， wǒ rèn wéi zì jǐ néng zuò yī gè dì yī liú de chuán jiào shì。”
“ nà nǐ wèishénme bù ní héng héng wèishénme bù zuò mù shī ní？” tā de shēng yīn chōng mǎn fèn kǎi，“ wǒ yào shì yī gè nán zǐ hàn， méi yòu shénme kě yǐ zǔ zhǐ wǒ。” tā bǎ tóu tái dé hěn gāo， tā zài tā miàn qián zǒng shì yòu xiē dǎn qiè。
“ dàn shì wǒ fù qīn fēi cháng gù zhí， tā jué dìng ràng wǒ qù zuò shēng yì， yào zhī dào tā shì shuō dào zuò dào de。”
“ kě shì， nǐ shì yī gè nán zǐ hàn má？” tā jiào liǎo qǐ lái。
“ shì gè nán zǐ hàn suàn shénme。” shuō wán hòu， tā wú kě nài hé dì zhòu zhe méi。
rú jīn tā zài hé chuān qū cāo chí jiā wù， duō shǎo néng tǐ liàng yī diǎn nán zǐ hàn shì zěn me huí shì， míng bái fán shì bù kě néng yàng yàng shùn xīn。
èr shí suì de shí hòu， tā shēn tǐ bù jiā， biàn lí kāi liǎo xī 'ěr ní sī。 fù qīn yǐ jīng tuì xiū huí dào liǎo nuò dīng hàn。 yuē hàn · fèi 'ěr dé yīn wéi fù qīn yǐ jīng pò chǎn， zhǐ dé qù nuò wǔ dé dāng liǎo lǎo shī。 yī qù liǎng nián， tà wú yīn xùn。
tā biàn xià jué xīn qù dǎ tīng yī xià， cái zhī dào tā hé fáng dōng tài tài， yī gè sì shí duō suì fù yòu de guǎ fù jié liǎo hūn。
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài hái bǎo cún zhe yuē hàn · fèi 'ěr dé de nà běn《 shèng jīng》。 tā xiàn zài yǐ jīng bù xiāng xìn tā huì héng héng 'āi， tā xiāng dāng míng bái tā huì shì shénme yàng de。 tā wèile zì jǐ cái bǎo cún zhe tā de《 shèng jīng》。 bǎ duì tā de xiǎng niàn cáng zài xīn lǐ， sān shí wǔ nián liǎo， zhí dào tā lí shì de nà tiān， tā yě méi tí qǐ guò tā。
èr shí sān suì shí， tā zài yī cì shèng dàn wǎn huì shàng yù jiàn liǎo yī gè lái zì 'āi wò sī hé gǔ de xiǎo huǒ zǐ。 mò ruì 'ěr dāng shí 'èr shí qī suì， tǐ gé qiáng zhuàng， shēn cái tǐng bá， yí biǎo táng táng， tóu fā zì rán juǎnqū， wū hēi fā liàng， hú xū nóng mì mào shèng 'ér qiě bù jiā xiū shì， mǎn miàn hóng guāng， zuǐ chún hóng rùn， yòu xiào kǒu cháng kāi， suǒ yǐ fēi cháng yǐn rén zhù mù， tā de xiào shēng hún hòu 'ér xiǎng liàng， yǔ zhòng bù tóng。 gé tè lǔ dé · kē pò dé dīng zhe tā， bù zhī bù jué rù liǎo mí。 tā shēng qì bó bó， yōu mò huī xié， hé shénme réndōu néng yú kuài xiāng chù。 tā de fù qīn yě jí fù yōu mò gǎn， dàn shì yòu diǎn lěng cháo rè fěng。 zhè gè rén bù tóng： wēn hé、 bù yǎo wén jiáo zì、 rè xīn， jìn sì xī xì。
tā běn rén gāng hǎo xiāng fǎn。 tā shēng xìng hàoqí， jiē shòu néng lì qiáng， ài tīng bié rén shuō huà， ér qiě shàn yú yǐn dǎo bié rén tán huà。 tā xǐ huān sī suǒ， cōng míng yíng wù， yóu qí xǐ huān hé yī xiē shòu guò jiào yù de rén tǎo lùn yòu guān zōng jiào、 zhé xué、 fāng miàn de wèn tí。 yí hàn de shì zhè yàng de jī huì bìng bù duō， yīn cǐ tā zǒng shì ràng rén men tán tā men zì jǐ de shì， tā yě zì dé qí lè。
tā běn rén xiāng dāng jiāo xiǎo、 róu ruò， dàn tiān tíng bǎo mǎn， hè sè de juǎnfà pī jiān， lán sè de yǎn jīng tǎn shuài、 zhēn chéng， xiàng zài tàn suǒ shénme。 tā yòu shuāng kē pò dé jiā rén tè yòu de měi lì de shǒu， tā de yī fú zǒng shì hěn dàn yǎ， zàngqīng sè de chóu yī， pèi shàng yī tiáo qí tè de shàn bèi xíng yín liàn， zài bié shàng yī méi luó xuán zhuàng de xiōng zhēn， zài jiǎn jié bù guò。 tā wán měi wú xiá， xīn dì tǎn bái， bù fá chì zǐ zhī xīn。
wò 'ěr tè · mò ruì 'ěr zài tā miàn qián fǎng fó gǔ tóu dū sū liǎo。 zài zhè gè kuàng gōng yǎn lǐ， tā shì shén mì de huà shēn， shì qí miào de zǔ hé， shì yī gè dì dào de shū nǚ。 tā gēn tā shuō huà shí， tā nà chún zhèng de nán fāng kǒu yīn de yīng yǔ shǐ tā tīng zhe gǎn dào hěn cì jī。 tā kàn zhe tā nà yōu měi de wǔ zī， hǎo xiàng shì tiān shēng de wǔ xīng， tā tiào qǐ lái lè cǐ bù pí， tā de zǔ fù shì gè fǎ guó nànmín， qǔ liǎo yī gè yīng guó jiǔ bā nǚ láng héng héng rú guǒ zhè yě suàn shì hūn yīn de huà。 gé tè lǔ dé · kē pò dé kàn zhe zhè gè nián qīng rén tiào wǔ， tā de dòng zuò yòu diǎn xuàn yào de gǎn jué， hěn yòu mèi lì。 tā nà hóng guāng mǎn miàn、 hēi fā jì sàn de tóu， fǎng fó shì chā zài shēn shàng de yī duǒ huā， ér qiě duì měi yī wèi wǔ bàn dū yī yàng de xī xiào yán yán。 tā jué dé tā tài bàng liǎo， tā hái cóng lái méi yòu pèng dào shuí néng bǐ dé shàng tā。 duì tā lái shuō， fù qīn jiù shì suǒ yòu nán rén de diǎn fàn， rán 'ér， qiáo zhì · kē pò dé， ài dú shén xué， zhǐ hé shèng bǎo luó yòu gòng tóng sī xiǎng， tā yīng jùn 'ér gāo 'ào， duì rén lěng cháo rè fěng， rè qíng， dàn hǎo zhī pèi tā rén， tā mò shì suǒ yòu de gǎn guān xiǎng shòu héng héng tā hé nà xiē kuàng gōng dà xiāng jìng tíng。 gé tè lǔ dé běn rén hěn miè shì tiào wǔ， tā duì zhè zhǒng yú lè méi yòu yī diǎn xīng qù， shèn zhì cóng méi xué guò xiāng cūn wǔ dǎo。 tā shì yī gè qīng jiào tú， hé tā de fù qīn yī yàng， sī xiǎng qīng gāo 'ér gǔ bǎn。 yīn cǐ， kuàng gōng shēng mìng de qíng yù zhī huǒ bù duàn yì chū wēn róu de qíng gǎn， jiù xiàng là zhú de huǒ yàn shìde cóng tā tǐ nèi gǔ gǔ liú chū， bù xiàng tā de nà gǔ huǒ shòu tā de sī xiǎng hé jīng shén de jìn tóng， pēn fā bù chū lái。 suǒ yǐ tā duì tā yòu zhǒng xīn qí de gǎn jué。
tā zǒu guò lái duì tā jū liǎo gōng， yī gǔ nuǎn liú yǒng rù tā de shēn tǐ， fǎng fó hē liǎo xiān jiǔ。
“ yī dìng yào hé wǒ tiào yī qū。” tā qīn rè dì shuō。 tā gào sù guò tā， zì jǐ bù huì tiào wǔ。“ bù hěn róng yì， wǒ hěn xiǎng kàn nǐ tiào wǔ。” tā kàn zhe tā gōng jìng de yàng zǐ xiào liǎo。 tā xiàode hěn měi， zhè shǐ tā bù jìn xīn jīng yáo yè。
“ bù xíng， wǒ bù huì tiào wǔ。” tā qīng róu dì shuō。 tā de shēng yīn qīng cuì dé xiàng líng chēng yī yàng xiǎng liàng。
tā xià yì shí dì zuò dào liǎo tā de shēn bàng， gōng jìng dì qiàn zhe shēn zǐ， tā cháng píng zhí jué xíng shì。
“ dàn shì nǐ bù yīnggāi fàng qì zhè zhīqǔ zǐ。” tā zé guài zhe shuō。
“ bù， wǒ bù xiǎng tiào nà zhī héng héng nà bù shì wǒ xiǎng tiào de。”
“ kě gāng cái nǐ hái qǐng wǒ tiào ní。”
tā tīng liǎo dà xiào qǐ lái。
“ wǒ cóng méi xiǎng dào nǐ hái yòu zhè yī shǒu， nǐ yī xià jiù bǎ wǒ rào de juàn zǐ lā zhí liǎo。”
zhè zì shì tā qīng kuài dì xiào liǎo。
“ nǐ kàn qǐ lái bù xiàng lā zhí de yàng zǐ。” tā shuō。
“ wǒ xiàng tiáo zhū wěi bā， bù yóu zì zhù dì quán suō qǐ lái。” tā shuǎng lǎng dì xiào zhe。
“ nǐ shì yī gè kuàng gōng！” tā jīng 'ě dì hǎn dào。
“ duì， wǒ shí suì jiù kāi shǐ xià jǐng liǎo。”
tā yòu jīng 'ě dì kàn zhe tā。
“ shí suì shí！ nà yī dìng hěn xīn kǔ bā？” tā wèn dào。
“ hěn kuài jiù xí guàn liǎo： rén xiàng hào zǐ yī yàng shēng huó zhe， zhí dào wǎn shàng cái liù chū lái kàn kàn dòng jìng。”
“ nà yǎn jīng yě xiā liǎo。” tā zhòu liǎo zhòu méi。
“ xiàng yī zhǐ dì lǎo shǔ！” tā xiào dào：“ ǹg， yòu xiē jiā huǒ díquè xiàng dì lǎo shǔ yī yàng dào chù zhuǎn。” tā bì shàng yǎn jīng tóu wǎng qián shēn， mó fǎng lǎo shǔ qiáo qǐ bí zǐ dào chù wén， xiàng zài dǎ tàn fāng xiàng。“ tā men díquè zhè me zuò。” tā tiān zhēn dì jiān chí shuō。“ nǐ cóng lái méi jiàn guò tā men xià jǐng shí de yàng zǐ？ bù guò， shénme shí hòu wǒ dài nǐ xià qù yī tàng， ràng nǐ qīn yǎn kàn kàn。”
tā kàn zhe tā， fēi cháng chī jīng。 yī zhǒng quán xīn de shēng huó zhǎn xiàn zài tā miàn qián。 tā liǎo jiě dào liǎo kuàng gōng de shēng huó， chéng qiān chéng bǎi de kuàng gōng zài dì xià xīn qín dì gànhuó， zhí dào wǎn shàng cái chū lái。 zài tā yǎn lǐ tā sì hū gāo shàng qǐ lái， tā měi tiān de shēng huó dōuzài mào xiǎn， tā què yǐ rán huān tiān xǐ dì。 tā dài zhe gǎn dòng hé zūn jìng de shén qíng kàn zhe tā。
“ nǐ bù xǐ huān má？” tā wēn róu dì wèn，“ shì de， nà huì nòng zàng nǐ de。”
tā cóng lái méi yǔ fāng yīn hěn zhòng de rén tán guò huà。
lái nián de shèng dàn jié tā men jié hūn liǎo， qián sān gè yuè tā xìng fú jí liǎo， tā yī zhí chén jìn zài zhè zhǒng xìng fú zhōng yòu bàn nián shí guāng。
Then, some sixty years ago, a sudden change took place. The gin-pits were elbowed aside by the large mines of the financiers. The coal and iron field of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire was discovered. Carston, Waite and Co. appeared. Amid tremendous excitement, Lord Palmerston formally opened the company's first mine at Spinney Park, on the edge of Sherwood Forest.
About this time the notorious Hell Row, which through growing old had acquired an evil reputation, was burned down, and much dirt was cleansed away.
Carston, Waite & Co. found they had struck on a good thing, so, down the valleys of the brooks from Selby and Nuttall, new mines were sunk, until soon there were six pits working. From Nuttall, high up on the sandstone among the woods, the railway ran, past the ruined priory of the Carthusians and past Robin Hood's Well, down to Spinney Park, then on to Minton, a large mine among corn-fields; from Minton across the farmlands of the valleyside to Bunker's Hill, branching off there, and running north to Beggarlee and Selby, that looks over at Crich and the hills of Derbyshire: six mines like black studs on the countryside, linked by a loop of fine chain, the railway.
To accommodate the regiments of miners, Carston, Waite and Co. built the Squares, great quadrangles of dwellings on the hillside of Bestwood, and then, in the brook valley, on the site of Hell Row, they erected the Bottoms.
The Bottoms consisted of six blocks of miners' dwellings, two rows of three, like the dots on a blank-six domino, and twelve houses in a block. This double row of dwellings sat at the foot of the rather sharp slope from Bestwood, and looked out, from the attic windows at least, on the slow climb of the valley towards Selby.
The houses themselves were substantial and very decent. One could walk all round, seeing little front gardens with auriculas and saxifrage in the shadow of the bottom block, sweet-williams and pinks in the sunny top block; seeing neat front windows, little porches, little privet hedges, and dormer windows for the attics. But that was outside; that was the view on to the uninhabited parlours of all the colliers' wives. The dwelling-room, the kitchen, was at the back of the house, facing inward between the blocks, looking at a scrubby back garden, and then at the ash-pits. And between the rows, between the long lines of ash-pits, went the alley, where the children played and the women gossiped and the men smoked. So, the actual conditions of living in the Bottoms, that was so well built and that looked so nice, were quite unsavoury because people must live in the kitchen, and the kitchens opened on to that nasty alley of ash-pits.
Mrs. Morel was not anxious to move into the Bottoms, which was already twelve years old and on the downward path, when she descended to it from Bestwood. But it was the best she could do. Moreover, she had an end house in one of the top blocks, and thus had only one neighbour; on the other side an extra strip of garden. And, having an end house, she enjoyed a kind of aristocracy among the other women of the "between" houses, because her rent was five shillings and sixpence instead of five shillings a week. But this superiority in station was not much consolation to Mrs. Morel.
She was thirty-one years old, and had been married eight years. A rather small woman, of delicate mould but resolute bearing, she shrank a little from the first contact with the Bottoms women. She came down in the July, and in the September expected her third baby.
Her husband was a miner. They had only been in their new home three weeks when the wakes, or fair, began. Morel, she knew, was sure to make a holiday of it. He went off early on the Monday morning, the day of the fair. The two children were highly excited. William, a boy of seven, fled off immediately after breakfast, to prowl round the wakes ground, leaving Annie, who was only five, to whine all morning to go also. Mrs. Morel did her work. She scarcely knew her neighbours yet, and knew no one with whom to trust the little girl. So she promised to take her to the wakes after dinner.
William appeared at half-past twelve. He was a very active lad, fair-haired, freckled, with a touch of the Dane or Norwegian about him.
"Can I have my dinner, mother?" he cried, rushing in with his cap on. "'Cause it begins at half-past one, the man says so."
"You can have your dinner as soon as it's done," replied the mother.
"Isn't it done?" he cried, his blue eyes staring at her in indignation. "Then I'm goin' be-out it."
"You'll do nothing of the sort. It will be done in five minutes. It is only half-past twelve."
"They'll be beginnin'," the boy half cried, half shouted.
"You won't die if they do," said the mother. "Besides, it's only half-past twelve, so you've a full hour."
The lad began hastily to lay the table, and directly the three sat down. They were eating batter-pudding and jam, when the boy jumped off his chair and stood perfectly stiff. Some distance away could be heard the first small braying of a merry-go-round, and the tooting of a horn. His face quivered as he looked at his mother.
"I told you!" he said, running to the dresser for his cap.
"Take your pudding in your hand--and it's only five past one, so you were wrong--you haven't got your twopence," cried the mother in a breath.
The boy came back, bitterly disappointed, for his twopence, then went off without a word.
"I want to go, I want to go," said Annie, beginning to cry.
"Well, and you shall go, whining, wizzening little stick!" said the mother. And later in the afternoon she trudged up the hill under the tall hedge with her child. The hay was gathered from the fields, and cattle were turned on to the eddish. It was warm, peaceful.
Mrs. Morel did not like the wakes. There were two sets of horses, one going by steam, one pulled round by a pony; three organs were grinding, and there came odd cracks of pistol-shots, fearful screeching of the cocoanut man's rattle, shouts of the Aunt Sally man, screeches from the peep-show lady. The mother perceived her son gazing enraptured outside the Lion Wallace booth, at the pictures of this famous lion that had killed a negro and maimed for life two white men. She left him alone, and went to get Annie a spin of toffee. Presently the lad stood in front of her, wildly excited.
"You never said you was coming--isn't the' a lot of things?- that lion's killed three men-l've spent my tuppence-an' look here."
He pulled from his pocket two egg-cups, with pink moss-roses on them.
"I got these from that stall where y'ave ter get them marbles in them holes. An' I got these two in two goes-'aepenny a go-they've got moss-roses on, look here. I wanted these."
She knew he wanted them for her.
"H'm!" she said, pleased. "They ARE pretty!"
"Shall you carry 'em, 'cause I'm frightened o' breakin' 'em?"
He was tipful of excitement now she had come, led her about the ground, showed her everything. Then, at the peep-show, she explained the pictures, in a sort of story, to which he listened as if spellbound. He would not leave her. All the time he stuck close to her, bristling with a small boy's pride of her. For no other woman looked such a lady as she did, in her little black bonnet and her cloak. She smiled when she saw women she knew. When she was tired she said to her son:
"Well, are you coming now, or later?"
"Are you goin' a'ready?" he cried, his face full of reproach.
"Already? It is past four, I know."
"What are you goin' a'ready for?" he lamented.
"You needn't come if you don't want," she said.
And she went slowly away with her little girl, whilst her son stood watching her, cut to the heart to let her go, and yet unable to leave the wakes. As she crossed the open ground in front of the Moon and Stars she heard men shouting, and smelled the beer, and hurried a little, thinking her husband was probably in the bar.
At about half-past six her son came home, tired now, rather pale, and somewhat wretched. He was miserable, though he did not know it, because he had let her go alone. Since she had gone, he had not enjoyed his wakes.
"Has my dad been?" he asked.
"No," said the mother.
"He's helping to wait at the Moon and Stars. I seed him through that black tin stuff wi' holes in, on the window, wi' his sleeves rolled up."
"Ha!" exclaimed the mother shortly. "He's got no money. An' he'll be satisfied if he gets his 'lowance, whether they give him more or not."
When the light was fading, and Mrs. Morel could see no more to sew, she rose and went to the door. Everywhere was the sound of excitement, the restlessness of the holiday, that at last infected her. She went out into the side garden. Women were coming home from the wakes, the children hugging a white lamb with green legs, or a wooden horse. Occasionally a man lurched past, almost as full as he could carry. Sometimes a good husband came along with his family, peacefully. But usually the women and children were alone. The stay-at-home mothers stood gossiping at the corners of the alley, as the twilight sank, folding their arms under their white aprons.
Mrs. Morel was alone, but she was used to it. Her son and her little girl slept upstairs; so, it seemed, her home was there behind her, fixed and stable. But she felt wretched with the coming child. The world seemed a dreary place, where nothing else would happen for her--at least until William grew up. But for herself, nothing but this dreary endurance--till the children grew up. And the children! She could not afford to have this third. She did not want it. The father was serving beer in a public house, swilling himself drunk. She despised him, and was tied to him. This coming child was too much for her. If it were not for William and Annie, she was sick of it, the struggle with poverty and ugliness and meanness.
She went into the front garden, feeling too heavy to take herself out, yet unable to stay indoors. The heat suffocated her. And looking ahead, the prospect of her life made her feel as if she were buried alive.
The front garden was a small square with a privet hedge. There she stood, trying to soothe herself with the scent of flowers and the fading, beautiful evening. Opposite her small gate was the stile that led uphill, under the tall hedge between the burning glow of the cut pastures. The sky overhead throbbed and pulsed with light. The glow sank quickly off the field; the earth and the hedges smoked dusk. As it grew dark, a ruddy glare came out on the hilltop, and out of the glare the diminished commotion of the fair.
Sometimes, down the trough of darkness formed by the path under the hedges, men came lurching home. One young man lapsed into a run down the steep bit that ended the hill, and went with a crash into the stile. Mrs. Morel shuddered. He picked himself up, swearing viciously, rather pathetically, as if he thought the stile had wanted to hurt him.
She went indoors, wondering if things were never going to alter. She was beginning by now to realise that they would not. She seemed so far away from her girlhood, she wondered if it were the same person walking heavily up the back garden at the Bottoms as had run so lightly up the breakwater at Sheerness ten years before.
"What have I to do with it?" she said to herself. "What have I to do with all this? Even the child I am going to have! It doesn't seem as if I were taken into account."
Sometimes life takes hold of one, carries the body along, accomplishes one's history, and yet is not real, but leaves oneself as it were slurred over.
"I wait," Mrs. Morel said to herself--"I wait, and what I wait for can never come."
Then she straightened the kitchen, lit the lamp, mended the fire, looked out the washing for the next day, and put it to soak. After which she sat down to her sewing. Through the long hours her needle flashed regularly through the stuff. Occasionally she sighed, moving to relieve herself. And all the time she was thinking how to make the most of what she had, for the children's sakes.
At half-past eleven her husband came. His cheeks were very red and very shiny above his black moustache. His head nodded slightly. He was pleased with himself.
"Oh! Oh! waitin' for me, lass? I've bin 'elpin' Anthony, an' what's think he's gen me? Nowt b'r a lousy hae'f-crown, an' that's ivry penny---"
"He thinks you've made the rest up in beer," she said shortly.
"An' I 'aven't--that I 'aven't. You b'lieve me, I've 'ad very little this day, I have an' all." His voice went tender. "Here, an' I browt thee a bit o' brandysnap, an' a cocoanut for th' children." He laid the gingerbread and the cocoanut, a hairy object, on the table. "Nay, tha niver said thankyer for nowt i' thy life, did ter?"
As a compromise, she picked up the cocoanut and shook it, to see if it had any milk.
"It's a good 'un, you may back yer life o' that. I got it fra' Bill Hodgkisson. 'Bill,' I says, 'tha non wants them three nuts, does ter? Arena ter for gi'ein' me one for my bit of a lad an' wench?' 'I ham, Walter, my lad,' 'e says; 'ta'e which on 'em ter's a mind.' An' so I took one, an' thanked 'im. I didn't like ter shake it afore 'is eyes, but 'e says, 'Tha'd better ma'e sure it's a good un, Walt.' An' so, yer see, I knowed it was. He's a nice chap, is Bill Hodgkisson, e's a nice chap!"
"A man will part with anything so long as he's drunk, and you're drunk along with him," said Mrs. Morel.
"Eh, tha mucky little 'ussy, who's drunk, I sh'd like ter know?" said Morel. He was extraordinarily pleased with himself, because of his day's helping to wait in the Moon and Stars. He chattered on.
Mrs. Morel, very tired, and sick of his babble, went to bed as quickly as possible, while he raked the fire.
Mrs. Morel came of a good old burgher family, famous independents who had fought with Colonel Hutchinson, and who remained stout Congregationalists. Her grandfather had gone bankrupt in the lace-market at a time when so many lace-manufacturers were ruined in Nottingham. Her father, George Coppard, was an engineer--a large, handsome, haughty man, proud of his fair skin and blue eyes, but more proud still of his integrity. Gertrude resembled her mother in her small build. But her temper, proud and unyielding, she had from the Coppards.
George Coppard was bitterly galled by his own poverty. He became foreman of the engineers in the dockyard at Sheerness. Mrs. Morel--Gertrude--was the second daughter. She favoured her mother, loved her mother best of all; but she had the Coppards' clear, defiant blue eyes and their broad brow. She remembered to have hated her father's overbearing manner towards her gentle, humorous, kindly-souled mother. She remembered running over the breakwater at Sheerness and finding the boat. She remembered to have been petted and flattered by all the men when she had gone to the dockyard, for she was a delicate, rather proud child. She remembered the funny old mistress, whose assistant she had become, whom she had loved to help in the private school. And she still had the Bible that John Field had given her. She used to walk home from chapel with John Field when she was nineteen. He was the son of a well-to-do tradesman, had been to college in London, and was to devote himself to business.
She could always recall in detail a September Sunday afternoon, when they had sat under the vine at the back of her father's house. The sun came through the chinks of the vine-leaves and made beautiful patterns, like a lace scarf, falling on her and on him. Some of the leaves were clean yellow, like yellow flat flowers.
"Now sit still," he had cried. "Now your hair, I don't know what it IS like! It's as bright as copper and gold, as red as burnt copper, and it has gold threads where the sun shines on it. Fancy their saying it's brown. Your mother calls it mouse-colour."
She had met his brilliant eyes, but her clear face scarcely showed the elation which rose within her.
"But you say you don't like business," she pursued.
"I don't. I hate it!" he cried hotly.
"And you would like to go into the ministry," she half implored.
"I should. I should love it, if I thought I could make a first-rate preacher."
"Then why don't you--why DON'T you?" Her voice rang with defiance. "If I were a man, nothing would stop me."
She held her head erect. He was rather timid before her.
"But my father's so stiff-necked. He means to put me into the business, and I know he'll do it."
"But if you're a MAN?" she had cried.
"Being a man isn't everything," he replied, frowning with puzzled helplessness.
Now, as she moved about her work at the Bottoms, with some experience of what being a man meant, she knew that it was NOT everything.
At twenty, owing to her health, she had left Sheerness. Her father had retired home to Nottingham. John Field's father had been ruined; the son had gone as a teacher in Norwood. She did not hear of him until, two years later, she made determined inquiry. He had married his landlady, a woman of forty, a widow with property.
And still Mrs. Morel preserved John Field's Bible. She did not now believe him to be--- Well, she understood pretty well what he might or might not have been. So she preserved his Bible, and kept his memory intact in her heart, for her own sake. To her dying day, for thirty-five years, she did not speak of him.
When she was twenty-three years old, she met, at a Christmas party, a young man from the Erewash Valley. Morel was then twenty-seven years old. He was well set-up, erect, and very smart. He had wavy black hair that shone again, and a vigorous black beard that had never been shaved. His cheeks were ruddy, and his red, moist mouth was noticeable because he laughed so often and so heartily. He had that rare thing, a rich, ringing laugh. Gertrude Coppard had watched him, fascinated. He was so full of colour and animation, his voice ran so easily into comic grotesque, he was so ready and so pleasant with everybody. Her own father had a rich fund of humour, but it was satiric. This man's was different: soft, non-intellectual, warm, a kind of gambolling.
She herself was opposite. She had a curious, receptive mind which found much pleasure and amusement in listening to other folk. She was clever in leading folk to talk. She loved ideas, and was considered very intellectual. What she liked most of all was an argument on religion or philosophy or politics with some educated man. This she did not often enjoy. So she always had people tell her about themselves, finding her pleasure so.
dà yuē liù shí nián qián， zhè lǐ tū rán fā shēng liǎo biàn huà。 xiǎo kuàng jǐng bèi jīn róng jiā de dà méi kuàng suǒ pái jǐ。 hòu lái， zài nuò dīng hàn jùn hé dé bèi jùn dū fā xiàn liǎo méi kuàng hé tiě kuàng， biàn chū xiàn liǎo kǎ sī tè héng héng wèi tè gōng sī。 pà 'ěr mò sī xūn jué zài yī piàn huān hū zhōng， zhèng shì wéi běn gōng sī zuò luò zài shēn wù sēn lín gōng yuán bàng biān de dì yī jiā méi kuàng de kāi zhāng jiǎn liǎo cǎi。
dà gài jiù zài zhè gè shí hòu， chòu míng zhāo zhù de dì yù jiē bèi shāo liǎo gè jīng guāng， lián dà duī de lā jī yě huà wéi huī jìn。
kǎ sī tè héng héng wèi tè gōng sī jí xīng gāo zhào， cóng sài 'ěr bèi dào nà tǎ 'ěr hé gǔ kāi cǎi chū yī gè yòu yī gè de xīn kuàng， bù jiǔ zhè lǐ jiù yòu liù gè xīn kuàng。 yī tiáo tiě lù cóng nà tǎ 'ěr kāi shǐ， chuān yuè sēn lín zhōng gāo gāo de shā yán， jīng guò pò luò liǎo de kǎ 'ěr tè huì xiū dào yuàn、 luó bīn hàn quán hé sī bīn ní gōng yuán， dào dá mǐ 'ēn dùn kuàng， yī gè zuò luò zài xiǎo mài tián lǐ de dà kuàng。 tiě lù cóng mǐ 'ēn dùn chuān guò gǔ dì dào dá běn kè 'ěr méi shān， rán hòu xiàng běi tōng wǎng kě yǐ fǔ kàn kè ruì sī hé dé bèi jùn qún shān de bèi jiā lì hé sài 'ěr bèi。 zhè liù gè kuàng jiù rú liù méi hēi sè de dīng zǐ xiāng qiàn zài tián yě shàng， yóu yī tiáo wān wān qū qū de xì liàn zǐ bān de tiě lù chuàn chéng yī chuàn。
wèile 'ān zhì dà pī kuàng gōng， kǎ sī tè héng héng wèi tè gōng sī gài qǐ liǎo jū mín qū， yī gè gè dà dà de sì hé yuàn zài bèi sī wǔ dé shān jiǎo xià chū xiàn。 hòu lái， yòu zài hé chuān de dì yù jiē shàng， jiàn qǐ liǎo hé chuān qū。
hé chuān qū bāo kuò liù chuáng kuàng qū zhù zhái， fēn chéng liǎng pái， jiù xiàng liù diǎn gǔ pái shìde， měi chuáng yòu shí 'èr jiān fáng zǐ。 zhè liǎng pái zhù zhái zuò luò zài bèi sī wǔ dé nà dǒu qiào de shān pō jiǎo xià， cóng gé lóu chuāng kǒu wàng qù， zhèng duì zhe tōng wǎng sài bèi 'ěr de nà zuò píng huǎn de shān pō。
zhè xiē fáng zǐ gòu zào jiān gù、 xiāng dāng dà fāng。 kào jìn gǔ dǐ de yī pái fáng zǐ de bèi miàn zhǒng zhe yīng cǎo hé hǔ 'ěr cǎo， shàng miàn yī pái fáng zǐ de yáng miàn zhǒng zhe měi zhōu shí zhú， chuāng qián de xiǎo mén tīng、 gé lóu shàng de tiān chuāng shōu shí dé gān gān jìng jìng， xiǎo shuǐ là lí bā xiū jiǎn dé zhěng zhěng qí qí。 dàn shì， zhè zhǐ shì wài biǎo， shì kuàng gōng de jiā juàn men shōu shí gān jìng bù zhù rén de kè tīng de jǐng xiàng， wò shì hé chú fáng dōuzài fáng wū de hòu miàn， duì zhe lìng yī pái fáng zǐ de bèi miàn néng kàn dào de zhǐ shì yī piàn zá luàn de hòu yuàn hé lā jī duī。 zài liǎng pái fáng wū zhōng jiān， zài liǎng xíng lā jī duī zhōng jiān， yòu yī tiáo xiǎo xiàng shì hái zǐ men wán shuǎ， nǚ rén men liáo tiān， nán rén men chōu yān de chǎng suǒ。 yīn cǐ， zài hé chuān qū， jìn guǎn nà fáng zǐ gài dé bù cuò， kàn qǐ lái yě hěn piào liàng， kě shí jì shēng huó tiáo jiàn què fēi cháng 'è liè， yīn wéi rén men shēng huó bù néng méi yòu chú fáng， dàn chú fáng miàn duì de què shì sài mǎn lā jī de xiǎo xiàng。
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài bìng bù jí zhe yào bān dào hé chuān qū， tā cóng bèi sī wǔ dé bān dào shān xià zhè jiān fáng zǐ shí， zhè jiān fáng yǐ jīng gài liǎo shí 'èr nián liǎo， ér qiě kāi shǐ zhú jiàn bài luò。 rán 'ér tā bù dé bù bān xià lái。 tā zhù zài shàng miàn yī pái fáng zǐ de zuì hòu yī jiān， yīn cǐ zhǐ yòu yī jiā lín jū， wū zǐ de yī biān bǐ lín jū duō liǎo yī gè cháng tiáo xíng huā yuán。 zhù zài zhè tóu shàng de yī jiān， tā fǎng fó bǐ nà xiē zhù zài“ zhōng jiān” fáng zǐ lǐ de nǚ rén duō liǎo yī zhǒng guì zú qì pài， yīn wéi tā měi xīng qī dé fù wǔ xiān lìng liù biàn shì fáng zū， ér qí tā què fù wǔ xiān lìng。 bù guò， zhè zhǒng chāo rén yī děng de yōu yuè gǎn duì mò ruì 'ěr tài tài lái shuō， ān wèi bù dà。
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài sān shí yī suì， jié hūn yǐ jīng bā nián liǎo。 tā shēn tǐ líng lóng qì zhì róu ruò， dàn jǔ zhǐ guǒ duàn。 rán 'ér tā hé hé chuān qū de nǚ rén men dì yī cì jiē chù shí， bù yóu dé yòu yī diǎn dǎn qiè。 tā qī yuè cóng shān shàng bān xià lái， dà yuē jiǔ yuè jiù huái liǎo dì sān gè hái zǐ。
tā de zhàng fū shì gè kuàng gōng。 tā men bān dào xīn wū cái sān gè xīng qī jiù féng zhe měi nián yī dù de jiàrì。 tā zhī dào， mò ruì 'ěr kěn dìng huì jìn qíng huān dù zhè gè jiàrì de。 jí shì kāi shǐ nà tiān shì gè xīng qī yī， tā yī dà zǎo jiù chū liǎo mén。 liǎng gè hái zǐ， wēi lián， zhè gè qī suì de nán hái， chī wán zǎo fàn jiù lì jí liù chū jiā guàng jí shì qù liǎo， piē xià zhǐ yòu wǔ suì de 'ān nī kū nào liǎo yī zǎo chén， tā yě xiǎng gēn zhe qù。 mò ruì 'ěr tài tài zài gànhuó， tā hái hé lín jū bù tài shú， bù zhī dào yīnggāi bǎ xiǎo gū niàn tuō fù gěi shuí， yīn cǐ， zhǐ hǎo dāyìng 'ān nī chī liǎo wǔ fàn dài tā qù jí shì。
wēi lián shí 'èr diǎn bàn cái huí jiā， tā shì gè fēi cháng hàodòng de nán hái， jīn sè de tóu fā， mǎn liǎn qiāobān， dài jǐ fēn dān mài rén huò nuó wēi rén de qì zhì。
“ mā mā， wǒ kě yǐ chī fàn liǎo má？” tā dài zhe mào zǐ chōng jìn wū， hǎn dào：“ bié rén shuō， yī diǎn bàn jí shì jiù kāi shǐ liǎo。”
“ fàn yī zuò hǎo nǐ jiù kě yǐ chī liǎo。” mā mā xiào zhe huí dá。
“ fàn hái méi hǎo má？” tā rǎng dào， yī shuāng lán yǎn jīng qì chōng chōng dì dèng zhe tā，“ wǒ jiù yào cuò guò shí jiān liǎo。”
“ wù bù liǎo。 wǔ fēn zhōng jiù hǎo， xiàn zài cái shí 'èr diǎn bàn。”
“ tā men jiù yào kāi shǐ liǎo。” zhè gè hái zǐ bàn kū bàn jiào zhe。
“ tā men kāi chǎng jiù yào nǐ de mìng lā，” mǔ qīn shuō，“ zài shuō， xiàn zài cái shí 'èr diǎn bàn， nǐ hái yòu zhěng zhěng yī gè xiǎo shí。”
xiǎo nán hái jí jí máng máng bǎi hǎo zhuō zǐ， sān gè rén lì jí zuò xià。 tā men zhèng chī zhe guǒ jiàng bù liǎo， tū rán zhè hái zǐ tiào xià yǐ zǐ， lèng lèng dì zhàn zài nà 'ér， yuǎn chù chuán lái liǎo xuánzhuàn mù mǎ kāi dòng shēng hé lá bà shēng， tā héng méi lěng yǎn dì dèng zhe mǔ qīn。
“ wǒ zǎo jiù gào sù nǐ liǎo。” shuō zhe tā bēn xiàng wǎn guì， yī bǎ zhuā qǐ mào zǐ。
“ ná zhe nǐ de bù dīng héng héng xiàn zài cái yī diǎn guò wǔ fēn， nǐ nòng cuò liǎo héng héng nǐ hái méi ná nǐ de liǎng biàn shì qián ní。” mǔ qīn lián shēng hǎn zhe。
nán hái jí wéi shī wàng dì zhuǎn guò shēn lái， ná liǎo liǎng biàn shì qián yī shēng bù kēng dì zǒu liǎo。
“ wǒ yào qù， wǒ yào qù。” ān nī biān shuō biān kū liǎo qǐ lái。
“ hǎo， nǐ qù， nǐ zhè gè kū gè bù tíng de xiǎo shǎ guā！” mǔ qīn shuō。 xià wǔ， mò ruì 'ěr tài tài dài zhe nǚ 'ér， yán zhe gāo gāo de shù lí pí juàn dì pá shàng shān pō。 tián lǐ de gān cǎo dū duī liǎo qǐ lái， mài chá tián lǐ mù fàng zhe niú qún， chù chù shì wēn nuǎn píng jìng de qì fēn。
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài bù xǐ huān gǎn jí shì。 nà lǐ yòu liǎng tào mù mǎ： yī tào kào zhēng qì fā dòng， yī tào yóu xiǎo mǎ lā zhe zhuǎn。 sān jià shǒu fēng qín zài yǎn zòu， jiā zá zhe qiāng dàn líng xīng de shè jī shēng， mài yē zǐ de xiǎo fàn cì 'ěr dì jiān jiào shēng， tóu zhì mù rén yóu xì de tān zhù de gāo shēng yāo hē， yǐ jí bǎi xī yáng jìng xiǎo tān de nǚ rén de zhāo hū shēng。 mò ruì 'ěr tài tài kàn dào zì jǐ de 'ér zǐ zhàn zài xī yáng jìng tān wài miàn chū shén dì kàn zhe， nà xī yáng jìng lǐ zhèng yǎn zhe yòu míng de huá lāi shì shī zǐ de huà miàn， zhè zhǐ shī zǐ céng jīng yǎo sǐ yī gè hēi rén hé liǎng gè bái rén。 tā méi guǎn tā， zì jǐ qù gěi 'ān nī mǎi liǎo yī xiē nǎi yóu táng。 méi duō jiǔ， xiǎo nán hái yì cháng xīng fèn dì lái dào mā mā gēn qián。
“ nǐ cóng méi shuō guò nǐ yào lái héng héng zhè 'ér shì bù shì yòu hěn duō hǎo dōng xī？ héng héng nà zhǐ shī zǐ yǎo sǐ liǎo sān gè rén héng héng wǒ yǐ jīng huā guāng liǎo wǒ de liǎng biàn shì héng héng kàn！”
tā cóng kǒu dài lǐ tāo chū liǎng zhǐ dàn xíng bēi zǐ， shàng miàn yòu fěn hóng sè qiáng bì tú 'àn。
“ wǒ shì cóng nà gè tān zǐ shàng yíng lái de， tā men zài nà 'ér dǎ dàn zǐ yóu xì。 wǒ dǎ liǎo liǎng huí jiù dé dào liǎo zhè liǎng gè bēi zǐ héng héng bàn biàn shì wán yī huí。 kàn， bēi zǐ shàng yòu qiáng bì huā， wǒ de zhè zhǒng。”
tā zhī dào tā shì wéi tā xuǎn de。
“ hēi！” tā gāo xīng dì shuō，“ zhēn piào liàng。”
mǔ qīn lái guàng jí shì， wēi lián xǐ chū wàng wài， tā lǐng zhe tā sì chù yóu dàng， dōng qiáo xī chǒu。 zài kàn xī yáng jǐng shí， tā bǎ tú piàn de nèi róng xiàng jiǎng gù shì yī yàng jiǎng gěi tā tīng， tā tīng dé dū rù liǎo mí， chán zhe tā bù kěn lí qù。 tā mǎn huái zhe yī gè xiǎo nán hái duì mǔ qīn de zì háo， yī zhí yì qì 'áng yáng dì gēn zài tā shēn biān。 tā dài zhe xiǎo hēi mào， pī zhe dǒu péng， xiàng tā suǒ rèn shí de fù nǚ wēi xiào shì yì， méi yòu rén bǐ tā gèng xiàng yī wèi guì fù rén liǎo。 tā zhōng yú lěi liǎo， duì 'ér zǐ shuō：
“ hǎo liǎo， nǐ shì xiàn zài jiù huí qù ní， hái shì zài dāi huì 'ér？”
“ nǐ zhè jiù yào zǒu 'ā？” tā mǎn liǎn bù gāo xīng dì shuō dào。
“ zhè jiù zǒu， xiàn zài dū sì diǎn liǎo。”
“ nǐ huí qù yào gān má yā？” tā bào yuàn dào。
“ rú guǒ nǐ bù xiǎng huí qù， kě yǐ liú xià。” tā shuō。
tā dài zhe tā de xiǎo nǚ 'ér màn màn dì zǒu liǎo， ér zǐ zhàn zài nà lǐ qiáo shǒu kàn zhe tā， jì shěbùdé fàng mǔ qīn huí qù， yòu bù yuàn lí kāi jí shì。 dāng tā chuān guò xīng yuè jiǔ guǎn mén qián de kōng dì shí tīng dào nán rén men de jiào hǎn shēng， wén dào pí jiǔ wèi 'ér， xīn xiǎng tā zhàng fū kě néng zài jiǔ guǎn lǐ， yú shì jiā kuài jiǎo bù zǒu liǎo。
liù diǎn bàn， wēi lián huí lái liǎo， pí bèi bù kān， liǎn sè cāng bái， duō shǎo hái yòu jǐ fēn jù sàng qíng xù。 tā xīn lǐ gǎn dào yī sī mò míng qí miào de tòng kǔ， yīn wéi tā méi péi mǔ qīn yī qǐ huí jiā， tā zǒu liǎo yǐ hòu， tā zài jí shì shàng zài méi kāi xīn dì wán guò。
“ wǒ bà bà huí jiā liǎo má？” tā wèn。
“ méi yòu。” mǔ qīn huí dá。
“ tā zài xīng yuè jiǔ guǎn bāng máng ní， wǒ cóng chuāng zǐ shàng nà gè hēi tiě pí dòng lǐ kàn dào de， chí de xiù zǐ juàn dé gāo gāo de。”
“ ǹg，” mǔ qīn jiǎn dān de yìng liǎo shēng，“ tā méi qián， bié rén huò duō huò shǎo gěi tā xiē qián， tā jiù mǎn zú liǎo。”
tiān kāi shǐ 'àn xià lái， mò ruì 'ěr tài tài méi fǎ zuò zhēn xiàn huó liǎo， tā zhàn qǐ shēn zǒu dào mén kǒu， dào chù mí màn zhe huān kuài de jié rì qì fēn， zhè zhǒng qì fēn zuì zhōng hái shì gǎn rǎn liǎo tā， tā qíng bù zì jìn dì zǒu dào bàng biān de huā yuán lǐ。 nǚ rén men cóng jí shì shàng huí lái liǎo， hái zǐ men yòu de bào zhe yī zhǐ lǜ tuǐ de bái yáng gāo， yòu de bào zhe yī zhǐ mù mǎ。 ǒu 'ěr， yě yòu nán rén zǒu guò， shǒu lǐ ná mǎn liǎo dōng xī。 yòu shí， yě yòu hǎo zhàng fū hé quán jiā rén yī qǐ yōu xián dì zǒu guò， dàn tōng cháng shì nǚ rén hé hái zǐ men zǒu zài yī qǐ。 mù sè gèng nóng liǎo， nà xiē zài jiā wéi zhe bái wéi qún de zhù fù men， duān zhe gēbo， zhàn zài xiǎo xiàng jìn tóu liáo tiān。
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài xíng dān yǐng zhǐ， dàn tā duì cǐ yǐ jīng xí guàn liǎo。 tā de 'ér zǐ nǚ 'ér dōuyǐ zài lóu shàng shuì liǎo。 biǎo miàn kàn lái tā de jiā wěn gù kě kào， kě shì， yī xiǎng dào jiāng yào chū shì de hái zǐ， tā biàn shēn gǎn bù kuài。 zhè gè shì jiè sì hū shì yī gè kū zào de dì fāng， zhì shǎo zài wēi lián zhǎngdà yǐ qián， tā bù huì yòu bié de qī wàng。 dàn shì， duì tā zì jǐ lái shuō， zhǐ néng kū zào de rěn nài xià qù héng héng yī zhí rěn dào hái zǐ men zhǎngdà。 kě shì zhè me duō de hái zǐ！ tā yǎng bù qǐ dì sān gè hái zǐ。 tā bù xiǎng yào zhè gè hái zǐ。 dāng fù qīn de zài jiǔ guǎn lǐ yǎn wù， zì jǐ zuì xūn xūn de， tā kàn bù qǐ tā， kě yòu gēn tā lián xì zài yī qǐ。 tā jiē shòu bù liǎo zhè gè jí jiāng lái lín de hái zǐ， yào bù shì wèile wēi lián hé 'ān nī， tā zǎo jiù yàn juàn liǎo zhè zhǒng pín qióng、 chǒu 'è de yōng sú de shēng huó。
tā zǒu dào zhái qián de huā yuán lǐ， jué dé shēn zǐ chén zhòng dé mài bù kāi bù， kě zài wū lǐ yòu méi fǎ dāi xià qù。 tiān qì mèn dé ràng rén chuǎn bù guò qì lái。 xiǎng xiǎng wèi lái， zhǎn wàng qián chéng， tā jué dé zì jǐ xiàng shì gěi rén huó mái liǎo。
zhái qián de huā yuán shì yóu shuǐ là shù wéi qǐ lái de xiǎo kuài fāng dì。 tā zhàn zài nà 'ér， jìn lì xiǎng bǎ zì jǐ róng rù huā xiāng hé jí jiāng shì qù de měi lì de mù sè zhōng。 zài yuán mén duì miàn， gāo gāo de shù lí xià miàn， shì shàng shān de tái jiē。 liǎng bàng shì gē guò cǎo de cǎo pō chén jìn zài xiá guāng zhōng。 tiān sè biàn huà xùn sù， xiá guāng zhuǎn yǎn jiù zài tián yě shàng xiāo shī， dà dì hé shù lí dū chén jìn zài mù 'ǎi lǐ。 yè mù jiàng lín liǎo， shān dǐng liàng qǐ liǎo yī cù dēng guāng， dēng guāng chù chuán lái sàn jí de xuān rǎng shēng。
shù lí xià nà tiáo hēi 'àn de xiǎo lù shàng， nán rén men diē diē zhuàng zhuàng dì wǎng jiā zǒu。 yòu yī gè xiǎo huǒ zǐ cóng shān tóu dǒu pō shàng chōng xià lái，“ pēng” diē dǎo zài shí jiē shàng， mò ruì 'ěr dà dà dǎ liǎo gè hán jìn。 xiǎo huǒ zǐ mà mà lie lie dì pá qǐ lái， yàng zǐ kě lián xī xī de， hǎo xiàng shí jiē shì gù yì shāng hài tā。
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài zhé shēn huí wū， xīn lǐ bù zhī dào zhè yàng de shēng huó néng fǒu yòu biàn huà。 dàn tā xiàn zài yǐ jīng rèn shí dào zhè shì bù huì gǎi biàn de， tā jué dé tā sì hū lí tā de shàonǚ shí dài yǐ jīng hěn yuǎn hěn yuǎn liǎo， tā jiǎn zhí bù gǎn xiāng xìn rú jīn zhè gè mài zhe chén zhòng de bù fá zài hé chuān qū hòu yuán de nǚ rén， jiù shì shí nián qián zài xī 'ěr ní sī dà dī shàng jiǎo bù qīng kuài de nà wèi shàonǚ。
“ zhè 'ér hé wǒ yòu shénme guān xì ní？” tā zì yán zì yǔ“ zhè 'ér de yī qiēdōu hé wǒ yòu hé xiāng gān ní？ shèn zhì zhè gè jí jiāng lái shì de hái zǐ hé wǒ yòu yòu hé guā gé ní？ fǎn zhèng， méi rén lái tǐ tiē wǒ。”
yòu shí， shēng huó zhī pèi yī gè rén， zhī pèi yī gè rén de shēn qū， wán chéng yī gè rén de lì chéng， rán 'ér zhè bù shì zhēn zhèng de shēng huó， shēng huó shì rénrén zì shēng zì miè。
“ wǒ děng dài” mò ruì 'ěr tài tài nán nán zì yǔ héng héng“ wǒ děng 'ā děng， kě wǒ děng dài de dōng xī yǒng yuǎn bù huì lái。”
tā shōu shí wán qù liǎo chú fáng， diǎn zhe liǎo dēng， tiān shàng huǒ， zhǎo chū dì 'èr tiān yào xǐ de yī fú xiān pào shàng， rán hòu， tā zuò xià lái zuò zhēn xiàn huó 'ér， yī bǔ jiù shì hǎo jǐ gè xiǎo shí， tā de zhēn zài bù liào shàng yòu guī lǜ dì shǎn zhe yín guāng。 ǒu 'ěr， tā tàn kǒu qì fàng sōng yī xià zì jǐ， xīn lǐ yī zhí pán suàn zhe， rú héwèi hái zǐ men jié yī suō shí。
zhàng fū huí lái shí， yǐ jīng shí yī diǎn bàn liǎo。 tā nà luò sāi hú zǐ shàng bù hóng guāng mǎn miàn， xiàng tā qīng qīng dì diǎn liǎo diǎn tóu， yī fù zhì dé yì mǎn de shén qì。
“ ( ǒu qiàn )， ( ǒu qiàn )， zài děng wǒ， bǎo bèi？ wǒ qù bāng 'ān dōng ní gànhuó liǎo， nǐ zhī dào tā gěi liǎo wǒ duō shǎo？ yī diǎn yě bù duō， zhǐ yòu bàn kè lǎng qián ……”
“ tā rèn wéi qí yú dedōu suàn zuò nǐ de pí jiǔ qián lā。” tā jiǎn duǎn dì dá dào。
“ wǒ méi yòu héng héng wǒ méi yòu， nǐ xiāng xìn wǒ bā， jīn tiān wǒ zhǐ hē liǎo yī diǎn diǎn， jiù yī diǎn 'ér。” tā de shēng yīn wēn hé qǐ lái“ kàn， wǒ gěi nǐ dài liǎo yī diǎn bái lán dì jiāng bǐng， hái gěi hái zǐ men dài liǎo yī gè yē zǐ。” tā bǎ jiāng bǐng hé yī gè máo róng róng de yē zǐ fàng zài zhuō zǐ shàng，“ hēi， zhè bèi zǐ nǐ hái cóng lái méi yòu shuō guò yī shēng ‘ xiè xiè ’ ní， shì me？”
fǎng fó wèile biǎo shì qiàn yì de huí bào， tā ná qǐ yē zǐ yáo liǎo yáo， kàn kàn tā shì fǒu yòu yē zǐ zhī。
“ shì hǎo de， nǐ fàng xīn hǎo liǎo， wǒ shì cóng bǐ 'ěr · huò jīn sēn nà lǐ yào lái de。 wǒ shuō‘ bǐ 'ěr， nǐ chī bù liǎo sān gè yē zǐ bā？ kě yǐ sòng yī gè gěi wǒ de hái zǐ chī？’‘ xíng， wò 'ěr tè，’ tā shuō：‘ nǐ yào nǎ gè jiù ná nǎ gè bā。’ wǒ jiù ná liǎo yī gè， hái shuō liǎo shēng xiè xiè。 wǒ bù xiǎng zài tā miàn qián yáo yáo yē zǐ kàn hǎo bù hǎo， bù guò tā shuō，‘ wò 'ěr tè， nǐ zuì hǎo kàn kàn zhè yī gè shì bù shì hǎo de。’ suǒ yǐ， nǐ kàn， wǒ zhī dào zhè shì yī gè hǎo de。 tā shì yī gè hǎo rén， bǐ 'ěr · huò jīn sēn zhēn shì yī gè hǎo rén。”
“ yī gè rén hē zuì shí， tā shénme dū shè dé gěi， nǐ men liǎ dū hē zuì liǎo。” mò ruì 'ěr tài tài shuō。
“ hēi， nǐ zhè gè tǎo yàn de chòu pó niàn， wǒ dǎo yào wèn wèn shuí hē zuì liǎo？” mò ruì 'ěr shuō， tā yáng yáng dé yì， yīn wéi zài xīng yuè jiǔ guǎn bāng liǎo yī tiān máng， jiù bù tíng dì suo dāo zhe。
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài lěi jí liǎo， yě tīng fán liǎo tā de fèi huà， chèn tā fēng lú de shí hòu， liù shàng chuáng shuì jué qù liǎo。
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài chū shēn yú yī gè gǔ lǎo 'ér tǐ miàn de shì mín jiā tíng， zǔ shàng céng yǔ hā qīn sēn shàng xiào gòng tóng zuò zhàn， shì shì dài dài yī zhí shì gōng lǐ huì qián chéng de jiào tú。 yòu yī nián， nuò dīng hàn hěn duō huā biān shāng pò chǎn de shí hòu， tā de zuò huā biān shēng yì de zǔ fù yě pò chǎn liǎo。 tā de fù qīn， qiáo zhì · kē pò dé shì gè gōng chéng shī héng héng yī gè gāo dà、 yīng jùn、 ào màn de rén， tā bù dàn wéi zì jǐ de bái pí fū、 lán yǎn jīng zì háo， gèng yǐ tā de zhèng zhí wéi róng。 gé tè lǔ dé shēn cái xiàng mǔ qīn yī yàng xiǎo， dàn tā de gāo 'ào、 juéjiàng de xìng gé què lái zì kē pò dé jiā zú。
qiáo zhì · kē pò dé wéi zì jǐ de pín qióng 'ér fā chóu。 tā hòu lái zài xī 'ěr ní sī xiū chuán chǎng dāng gōng chéng shī tóu lǐng。 mò ruì 'ěr tài tài héng héng gé tè lǔ dé héng héng shì tā de 'èr nǚ 'ér。 tā xiàng mǔ qīn， yě zuì 'ài mǔ qīn， dàn tā jì chéng liǎo kē pò dé jiā zú de lán yǎn jīng kuān 'é tóu。 tā de yǎn jīng míng liàng yòu shén。 tā jì dé xiǎo shí hòu tā hèn fù qīn duì wēn róu、 yōu mò、 shàn liáng de mǔ qīn de nà zhǒng shèng qì líng rén de tài dù； tā jì dé zì jǐ páo biàn xī 'ěr ní sī dà dī qù zhǎo chuán、 tā jì dé zì jǐ qù xiū chuán chǎng shí， nán rén mendōu qīn rè dì pāi zhe tā kuā jiǎng tā， yīn wéi tā suī shì yī wèi jiāo nèn de nǚ hái， dàn tā gè xìng xiān míng； tā hái jì dé nà gè sī lì xué xiào de yī wèi nián mài nǚ jiào shī， hòu lái hái gěi tā dāng zhù shǒu。 tā xiàn zài hái bǎo liú zhe yuē hàn · fèi 'ěr dé sòng gěi tā de《 shèng jīng》。 shí jiǔ suì shí， tā cháng hé yuē hàn · fèi 'ěr dé yī kuài 'ér cóng jiào táng huí jiā。 tā shì yī gè fù yòu shāng rén de 'ér zǐ， zài lún dūn shàng guò dà xué， dāng shí zhèng zhǔn bèi tóu shēn yú shāng yè。
tā shèn zhì néng huí yì qǐ nà nián jiǔ yuè yī gè xīng qī tiān xià wǔ tā liǎ zuò zài tā fù qīn zhù suǒ hòu yuàn de pú táo téng xià de měi yī gè xì jié， yáng guāng cóng pú táo yè de fèngxì zhōng shè xià lái， zài tā liǎ shēn shàng tóu xià měi lì de tú 'àn， yòu rú yī tiáo pī jiān。 yòu xiē yè zǐ wán quán huáng liǎo， jiù xiàng yī duǒ duǒ píng zhǎn de jīn huā。
“ zuò zhe bié dòng，” tā hǎn dào，“ kàn nǐ de tóu fā， wǒ bù zhī dào rú hé xíng róng， tā xiàng huáng jīn hé zǐ gāng yī yàng shǎn shǎn fā guāng， xiàng shāo róng de tóng yī yàng hóng， tài yáng yī zhào yòu rú yī gēn gēn jīn sī， tā men jìng rán shuō nǐ de tóu fā shì hè sè de， nǐ mǔ qīn hái shuō shì huī sè de ní。”
tā kàn zhe tā shǎn guāng de yǎn jīng， dàn tā nà píng jìng de biǎo qíng què méi yòu liú lù chū nèi xīn de jī dòng。
“ kě shì nǐ shuō nǐ bù xǐ huān zuò shēng yì。” tā chán zhe tā wèn。
“ wǒ bù xǐ huān， wǒ hèn zuò shēng yì！” tā jī dòng dì hǎn dào。“ nǐ kě néng yuàn yì zuò yī gè mù shī bā。” tā bàn kěn qiú dì shuō。
“ dāng rán， wǒ xǐ huān zuò yī gè mù shī， wǒ rèn wéi zì jǐ néng zuò yī gè dì yī liú de chuán jiào shì。”
“ nà nǐ wèishénme bù ní héng héng wèishénme bù zuò mù shī ní？” tā de shēng yīn chōng mǎn fèn kǎi，“ wǒ yào shì yī gè nán zǐ hàn， méi yòu shénme kě yǐ zǔ zhǐ wǒ。” tā bǎ tóu tái dé hěn gāo， tā zài tā miàn qián zǒng shì yòu xiē dǎn qiè。
“ dàn shì wǒ fù qīn fēi cháng gù zhí， tā jué dìng ràng wǒ qù zuò shēng yì， yào zhī dào tā shì shuō dào zuò dào de。”
“ kě shì， nǐ shì yī gè nán zǐ hàn má？” tā jiào liǎo qǐ lái。
“ shì gè nán zǐ hàn suàn shénme。” shuō wán hòu， tā wú kě nài hé dì zhòu zhe méi。
rú jīn tā zài hé chuān qū cāo chí jiā wù， duō shǎo néng tǐ liàng yī diǎn nán zǐ hàn shì zěn me huí shì， míng bái fán shì bù kě néng yàng yàng shùn xīn。
èr shí suì de shí hòu， tā shēn tǐ bù jiā， biàn lí kāi liǎo xī 'ěr ní sī。 fù qīn yǐ jīng tuì xiū huí dào liǎo nuò dīng hàn。 yuē hàn · fèi 'ěr dé yīn wéi fù qīn yǐ jīng pò chǎn， zhǐ dé qù nuò wǔ dé dāng liǎo lǎo shī。 yī qù liǎng nián， tà wú yīn xùn。
tā biàn xià jué xīn qù dǎ tīng yī xià， cái zhī dào tā hé fáng dōng tài tài， yī gè sì shí duō suì fù yòu de guǎ fù jié liǎo hūn。
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài hái bǎo cún zhe yuē hàn · fèi 'ěr dé de nà běn《 shèng jīng》。 tā xiàn zài yǐ jīng bù xiāng xìn tā huì héng héng 'āi， tā xiāng dāng míng bái tā huì shì shénme yàng de。 tā wèile zì jǐ cái bǎo cún zhe tā de《 shèng jīng》。 bǎ duì tā de xiǎng niàn cáng zài xīn lǐ， sān shí wǔ nián liǎo， zhí dào tā lí shì de nà tiān， tā yě méi tí qǐ guò tā。
èr shí sān suì shí， tā zài yī cì shèng dàn wǎn huì shàng yù jiàn liǎo yī gè lái zì 'āi wò sī hé gǔ de xiǎo huǒ zǐ。 mò ruì 'ěr dāng shí 'èr shí qī suì， tǐ gé qiáng zhuàng， shēn cái tǐng bá， yí biǎo táng táng， tóu fā zì rán juǎnqū， wū hēi fā liàng， hú xū nóng mì mào shèng 'ér qiě bù jiā xiū shì， mǎn miàn hóng guāng， zuǐ chún hóng rùn， yòu xiào kǒu cháng kāi， suǒ yǐ fēi cháng yǐn rén zhù mù， tā de xiào shēng hún hòu 'ér xiǎng liàng， yǔ zhòng bù tóng。 gé tè lǔ dé · kē pò dé dīng zhe tā， bù zhī bù jué rù liǎo mí。 tā shēng qì bó bó， yōu mò huī xié， hé shénme réndōu néng yú kuài xiāng chù。 tā de fù qīn yě jí fù yōu mò gǎn， dàn shì yòu diǎn lěng cháo rè fěng。 zhè gè rén bù tóng： wēn hé、 bù yǎo wén jiáo zì、 rè xīn， jìn sì xī xì。
tā běn rén gāng hǎo xiāng fǎn。 tā shēng xìng hàoqí， jiē shòu néng lì qiáng， ài tīng bié rén shuō huà， ér qiě shàn yú yǐn dǎo bié rén tán huà。 tā xǐ huān sī suǒ， cōng míng yíng wù， yóu qí xǐ huān hé yī xiē shòu guò jiào yù de rén tǎo lùn yòu guān zōng jiào、 zhé xué、 fāng miàn de wèn tí。 yí hàn de shì zhè yàng de jī huì bìng bù duō， yīn cǐ tā zǒng shì ràng rén men tán tā men zì jǐ de shì， tā yě zì dé qí lè。
tā běn rén xiāng dāng jiāo xiǎo、 róu ruò， dàn tiān tíng bǎo mǎn， hè sè de juǎnfà pī jiān， lán sè de yǎn jīng tǎn shuài、 zhēn chéng， xiàng zài tàn suǒ shénme。 tā yòu shuāng kē pò dé jiā rén tè yòu de měi lì de shǒu， tā de yī fú zǒng shì hěn dàn yǎ， zàngqīng sè de chóu yī， pèi shàng yī tiáo qí tè de shàn bèi xíng yín liàn， zài bié shàng yī méi luó xuán zhuàng de xiōng zhēn， zài jiǎn jié bù guò。 tā wán měi wú xiá， xīn dì tǎn bái， bù fá chì zǐ zhī xīn。
wò 'ěr tè · mò ruì 'ěr zài tā miàn qián fǎng fó gǔ tóu dū sū liǎo。 zài zhè gè kuàng gōng yǎn lǐ， tā shì shén mì de huà shēn， shì qí miào de zǔ hé， shì yī gè dì dào de shū nǚ。 tā gēn tā shuō huà shí， tā nà chún zhèng de nán fāng kǒu yīn de yīng yǔ shǐ tā tīng zhe gǎn dào hěn cì jī。 tā kàn zhe tā nà yōu měi de wǔ zī， hǎo xiàng shì tiān shēng de wǔ xīng， tā tiào qǐ lái lè cǐ bù pí， tā de zǔ fù shì gè fǎ guó nànmín， qǔ liǎo yī gè yīng guó jiǔ bā nǚ láng héng héng rú guǒ zhè yě suàn shì hūn yīn de huà。 gé tè lǔ dé · kē pò dé kàn zhe zhè gè nián qīng rén tiào wǔ， tā de dòng zuò yòu diǎn xuàn yào de gǎn jué， hěn yòu mèi lì。 tā nà hóng guāng mǎn miàn、 hēi fā jì sàn de tóu， fǎng fó shì chā zài shēn shàng de yī duǒ huā， ér qiě duì měi yī wèi wǔ bàn dū yī yàng de xī xiào yán yán。 tā jué dé tā tài bàng liǎo， tā hái cóng lái méi yòu pèng dào shuí néng bǐ dé shàng tā。 duì tā lái shuō， fù qīn jiù shì suǒ yòu nán rén de diǎn fàn， rán 'ér， qiáo zhì · kē pò dé， ài dú shén xué， zhǐ hé shèng bǎo luó yòu gòng tóng sī xiǎng， tā yīng jùn 'ér gāo 'ào， duì rén lěng cháo rè fěng， rè qíng， dàn hǎo zhī pèi tā rén， tā mò shì suǒ yòu de gǎn guān xiǎng shòu héng héng tā hé nà xiē kuàng gōng dà xiāng jìng tíng。 gé tè lǔ dé běn rén hěn miè shì tiào wǔ， tā duì zhè zhǒng yú lè méi yòu yī diǎn xīng qù， shèn zhì cóng méi xué guò xiāng cūn wǔ dǎo。 tā shì yī gè qīng jiào tú， hé tā de fù qīn yī yàng， sī xiǎng qīng gāo 'ér gǔ bǎn。 yīn cǐ， kuàng gōng shēng mìng de qíng yù zhī huǒ bù duàn yì chū wēn róu de qíng gǎn， jiù xiàng là zhú de huǒ yàn shìde cóng tā tǐ nèi gǔ gǔ liú chū， bù xiàng tā de nà gǔ huǒ shòu tā de sī xiǎng hé jīng shén de jìn tóng， pēn fā bù chū lái。 suǒ yǐ tā duì tā yòu zhǒng xīn qí de gǎn jué。
tā zǒu guò lái duì tā jū liǎo gōng， yī gǔ nuǎn liú yǒng rù tā de shēn tǐ， fǎng fó hē liǎo xiān jiǔ。
“ yī dìng yào hé wǒ tiào yī qū。” tā qīn rè dì shuō。 tā gào sù guò tā， zì jǐ bù huì tiào wǔ。“ bù hěn róng yì， wǒ hěn xiǎng kàn nǐ tiào wǔ。” tā kàn zhe tā gōng jìng de yàng zǐ xiào liǎo。 tā xiàode hěn měi， zhè shǐ tā bù jìn xīn jīng yáo yè。
“ bù xíng， wǒ bù huì tiào wǔ。” tā qīng róu dì shuō。 tā de shēng yīn qīng cuì dé xiàng líng chēng yī yàng xiǎng liàng。
tā xià yì shí dì zuò dào liǎo tā de shēn bàng， gōng jìng dì qiàn zhe shēn zǐ， tā cháng píng zhí jué xíng shì。
“ dàn shì nǐ bù yīnggāi fàng qì zhè zhīqǔ zǐ。” tā zé guài zhe shuō。
“ bù， wǒ bù xiǎng tiào nà zhī héng héng nà bù shì wǒ xiǎng tiào de。”
“ kě gāng cái nǐ hái qǐng wǒ tiào ní。”
tā tīng liǎo dà xiào qǐ lái。
“ wǒ cóng méi xiǎng dào nǐ hái yòu zhè yī shǒu， nǐ yī xià jiù bǎ wǒ rào de juàn zǐ lā zhí liǎo。”
zhè zì shì tā qīng kuài dì xiào liǎo。
“ nǐ kàn qǐ lái bù xiàng lā zhí de yàng zǐ。” tā shuō。
“ wǒ xiàng tiáo zhū wěi bā， bù yóu zì zhù dì quán suō qǐ lái。” tā shuǎng lǎng dì xiào zhe。
“ nǐ shì yī gè kuàng gōng！” tā jīng 'ě dì hǎn dào。
“ duì， wǒ shí suì jiù kāi shǐ xià jǐng liǎo。”
tā yòu jīng 'ě dì kàn zhe tā。
“ shí suì shí！ nà yī dìng hěn xīn kǔ bā？” tā wèn dào。
“ hěn kuài jiù xí guàn liǎo： rén xiàng hào zǐ yī yàng shēng huó zhe， zhí dào wǎn shàng cái liù chū lái kàn kàn dòng jìng。”
“ nà yǎn jīng yě xiā liǎo。” tā zhòu liǎo zhòu méi。
“ xiàng yī zhǐ dì lǎo shǔ！” tā xiào dào：“ ǹg， yòu xiē jiā huǒ díquè xiàng dì lǎo shǔ yī yàng dào chù zhuǎn。” tā bì shàng yǎn jīng tóu wǎng qián shēn， mó fǎng lǎo shǔ qiáo qǐ bí zǐ dào chù wén， xiàng zài dǎ tàn fāng xiàng。“ tā men díquè zhè me zuò。” tā tiān zhēn dì jiān chí shuō。“ nǐ cóng lái méi jiàn guò tā men xià jǐng shí de yàng zǐ？ bù guò， shénme shí hòu wǒ dài nǐ xià qù yī tàng， ràng nǐ qīn yǎn kàn kàn。”
tā kàn zhe tā， fēi cháng chī jīng。 yī zhǒng quán xīn de shēng huó zhǎn xiàn zài tā miàn qián。 tā liǎo jiě dào liǎo kuàng gōng de shēng huó， chéng qiān chéng bǎi de kuàng gōng zài dì xià xīn qín dì gànhuó， zhí dào wǎn shàng cái chū lái。 zài tā yǎn lǐ tā sì hū gāo shàng qǐ lái， tā měi tiān de shēng huó dōuzài mào xiǎn， tā què yǐ rán huān tiān xǐ dì。 tā dài zhe gǎn dòng hé zūn jìng de shén qíng kàn zhe tā。
“ nǐ bù xǐ huān má？” tā wēn róu dì wèn，“ shì de， nà huì nòng zàng nǐ de。”
tā cóng lái méi yǔ fāng yīn hěn zhòng de rén tán guò huà。
lái nián de shèng dàn jié tā men jié hūn liǎo， qián sān gè yuè tā xìng fú jí liǎo， tā yī zhí chén jìn zài zhè zhǒng xìng fú zhōng yòu bàn nián shí guāng。
Then, some sixty years ago, a sudden change took place. The gin-pits were elbowed aside by the large mines of the financiers. The coal and iron field of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire was discovered. Carston, Waite and Co. appeared. Amid tremendous excitement, Lord Palmerston formally opened the company's first mine at Spinney Park, on the edge of Sherwood Forest.
About this time the notorious Hell Row, which through growing old had acquired an evil reputation, was burned down, and much dirt was cleansed away.
Carston, Waite & Co. found they had struck on a good thing, so, down the valleys of the brooks from Selby and Nuttall, new mines were sunk, until soon there were six pits working. From Nuttall, high up on the sandstone among the woods, the railway ran, past the ruined priory of the Carthusians and past Robin Hood's Well, down to Spinney Park, then on to Minton, a large mine among corn-fields; from Minton across the farmlands of the valleyside to Bunker's Hill, branching off there, and running north to Beggarlee and Selby, that looks over at Crich and the hills of Derbyshire: six mines like black studs on the countryside, linked by a loop of fine chain, the railway.
To accommodate the regiments of miners, Carston, Waite and Co. built the Squares, great quadrangles of dwellings on the hillside of Bestwood, and then, in the brook valley, on the site of Hell Row, they erected the Bottoms.
The Bottoms consisted of six blocks of miners' dwellings, two rows of three, like the dots on a blank-six domino, and twelve houses in a block. This double row of dwellings sat at the foot of the rather sharp slope from Bestwood, and looked out, from the attic windows at least, on the slow climb of the valley towards Selby.
The houses themselves were substantial and very decent. One could walk all round, seeing little front gardens with auriculas and saxifrage in the shadow of the bottom block, sweet-williams and pinks in the sunny top block; seeing neat front windows, little porches, little privet hedges, and dormer windows for the attics. But that was outside; that was the view on to the uninhabited parlours of all the colliers' wives. The dwelling-room, the kitchen, was at the back of the house, facing inward between the blocks, looking at a scrubby back garden, and then at the ash-pits. And between the rows, between the long lines of ash-pits, went the alley, where the children played and the women gossiped and the men smoked. So, the actual conditions of living in the Bottoms, that was so well built and that looked so nice, were quite unsavoury because people must live in the kitchen, and the kitchens opened on to that nasty alley of ash-pits.
Mrs. Morel was not anxious to move into the Bottoms, which was already twelve years old and on the downward path, when she descended to it from Bestwood. But it was the best she could do. Moreover, she had an end house in one of the top blocks, and thus had only one neighbour; on the other side an extra strip of garden. And, having an end house, she enjoyed a kind of aristocracy among the other women of the "between" houses, because her rent was five shillings and sixpence instead of five shillings a week. But this superiority in station was not much consolation to Mrs. Morel.
She was thirty-one years old, and had been married eight years. A rather small woman, of delicate mould but resolute bearing, she shrank a little from the first contact with the Bottoms women. She came down in the July, and in the September expected her third baby.
Her husband was a miner. They had only been in their new home three weeks when the wakes, or fair, began. Morel, she knew, was sure to make a holiday of it. He went off early on the Monday morning, the day of the fair. The two children were highly excited. William, a boy of seven, fled off immediately after breakfast, to prowl round the wakes ground, leaving Annie, who was only five, to whine all morning to go also. Mrs. Morel did her work. She scarcely knew her neighbours yet, and knew no one with whom to trust the little girl. So she promised to take her to the wakes after dinner.
William appeared at half-past twelve. He was a very active lad, fair-haired, freckled, with a touch of the Dane or Norwegian about him.
"Can I have my dinner, mother?" he cried, rushing in with his cap on. "'Cause it begins at half-past one, the man says so."
"You can have your dinner as soon as it's done," replied the mother.
"Isn't it done?" he cried, his blue eyes staring at her in indignation. "Then I'm goin' be-out it."
"You'll do nothing of the sort. It will be done in five minutes. It is only half-past twelve."
"They'll be beginnin'," the boy half cried, half shouted.
"You won't die if they do," said the mother. "Besides, it's only half-past twelve, so you've a full hour."
The lad began hastily to lay the table, and directly the three sat down. They were eating batter-pudding and jam, when the boy jumped off his chair and stood perfectly stiff. Some distance away could be heard the first small braying of a merry-go-round, and the tooting of a horn. His face quivered as he looked at his mother.
"I told you!" he said, running to the dresser for his cap.
"Take your pudding in your hand--and it's only five past one, so you were wrong--you haven't got your twopence," cried the mother in a breath.
The boy came back, bitterly disappointed, for his twopence, then went off without a word.
"I want to go, I want to go," said Annie, beginning to cry.
"Well, and you shall go, whining, wizzening little stick!" said the mother. And later in the afternoon she trudged up the hill under the tall hedge with her child. The hay was gathered from the fields, and cattle were turned on to the eddish. It was warm, peaceful.
Mrs. Morel did not like the wakes. There were two sets of horses, one going by steam, one pulled round by a pony; three organs were grinding, and there came odd cracks of pistol-shots, fearful screeching of the cocoanut man's rattle, shouts of the Aunt Sally man, screeches from the peep-show lady. The mother perceived her son gazing enraptured outside the Lion Wallace booth, at the pictures of this famous lion that had killed a negro and maimed for life two white men. She left him alone, and went to get Annie a spin of toffee. Presently the lad stood in front of her, wildly excited.
"You never said you was coming--isn't the' a lot of things?- that lion's killed three men-l've spent my tuppence-an' look here."
He pulled from his pocket two egg-cups, with pink moss-roses on them.
"I got these from that stall where y'ave ter get them marbles in them holes. An' I got these two in two goes-'aepenny a go-they've got moss-roses on, look here. I wanted these."
She knew he wanted them for her.
"H'm!" she said, pleased. "They ARE pretty!"
"Shall you carry 'em, 'cause I'm frightened o' breakin' 'em?"
He was tipful of excitement now she had come, led her about the ground, showed her everything. Then, at the peep-show, she explained the pictures, in a sort of story, to which he listened as if spellbound. He would not leave her. All the time he stuck close to her, bristling with a small boy's pride of her. For no other woman looked such a lady as she did, in her little black bonnet and her cloak. She smiled when she saw women she knew. When she was tired she said to her son:
"Well, are you coming now, or later?"
"Are you goin' a'ready?" he cried, his face full of reproach.
"Already? It is past four, I know."
"What are you goin' a'ready for?" he lamented.
"You needn't come if you don't want," she said.
And she went slowly away with her little girl, whilst her son stood watching her, cut to the heart to let her go, and yet unable to leave the wakes. As she crossed the open ground in front of the Moon and Stars she heard men shouting, and smelled the beer, and hurried a little, thinking her husband was probably in the bar.
At about half-past six her son came home, tired now, rather pale, and somewhat wretched. He was miserable, though he did not know it, because he had let her go alone. Since she had gone, he had not enjoyed his wakes.
"Has my dad been?" he asked.
"No," said the mother.
"He's helping to wait at the Moon and Stars. I seed him through that black tin stuff wi' holes in, on the window, wi' his sleeves rolled up."
"Ha!" exclaimed the mother shortly. "He's got no money. An' he'll be satisfied if he gets his 'lowance, whether they give him more or not."
When the light was fading, and Mrs. Morel could see no more to sew, she rose and went to the door. Everywhere was the sound of excitement, the restlessness of the holiday, that at last infected her. She went out into the side garden. Women were coming home from the wakes, the children hugging a white lamb with green legs, or a wooden horse. Occasionally a man lurched past, almost as full as he could carry. Sometimes a good husband came along with his family, peacefully. But usually the women and children were alone. The stay-at-home mothers stood gossiping at the corners of the alley, as the twilight sank, folding their arms under their white aprons.
Mrs. Morel was alone, but she was used to it. Her son and her little girl slept upstairs; so, it seemed, her home was there behind her, fixed and stable. But she felt wretched with the coming child. The world seemed a dreary place, where nothing else would happen for her--at least until William grew up. But for herself, nothing but this dreary endurance--till the children grew up. And the children! She could not afford to have this third. She did not want it. The father was serving beer in a public house, swilling himself drunk. She despised him, and was tied to him. This coming child was too much for her. If it were not for William and Annie, she was sick of it, the struggle with poverty and ugliness and meanness.
She went into the front garden, feeling too heavy to take herself out, yet unable to stay indoors. The heat suffocated her. And looking ahead, the prospect of her life made her feel as if she were buried alive.
The front garden was a small square with a privet hedge. There she stood, trying to soothe herself with the scent of flowers and the fading, beautiful evening. Opposite her small gate was the stile that led uphill, under the tall hedge between the burning glow of the cut pastures. The sky overhead throbbed and pulsed with light. The glow sank quickly off the field; the earth and the hedges smoked dusk. As it grew dark, a ruddy glare came out on the hilltop, and out of the glare the diminished commotion of the fair.
Sometimes, down the trough of darkness formed by the path under the hedges, men came lurching home. One young man lapsed into a run down the steep bit that ended the hill, and went with a crash into the stile. Mrs. Morel shuddered. He picked himself up, swearing viciously, rather pathetically, as if he thought the stile had wanted to hurt him.
She went indoors, wondering if things were never going to alter. She was beginning by now to realise that they would not. She seemed so far away from her girlhood, she wondered if it were the same person walking heavily up the back garden at the Bottoms as had run so lightly up the breakwater at Sheerness ten years before.
"What have I to do with it?" she said to herself. "What have I to do with all this? Even the child I am going to have! It doesn't seem as if I were taken into account."
Sometimes life takes hold of one, carries the body along, accomplishes one's history, and yet is not real, but leaves oneself as it were slurred over.
"I wait," Mrs. Morel said to herself--"I wait, and what I wait for can never come."
Then she straightened the kitchen, lit the lamp, mended the fire, looked out the washing for the next day, and put it to soak. After which she sat down to her sewing. Through the long hours her needle flashed regularly through the stuff. Occasionally she sighed, moving to relieve herself. And all the time she was thinking how to make the most of what she had, for the children's sakes.
At half-past eleven her husband came. His cheeks were very red and very shiny above his black moustache. His head nodded slightly. He was pleased with himself.
"Oh! Oh! waitin' for me, lass? I've bin 'elpin' Anthony, an' what's think he's gen me? Nowt b'r a lousy hae'f-crown, an' that's ivry penny---"
"He thinks you've made the rest up in beer," she said shortly.
"An' I 'aven't--that I 'aven't. You b'lieve me, I've 'ad very little this day, I have an' all." His voice went tender. "Here, an' I browt thee a bit o' brandysnap, an' a cocoanut for th' children." He laid the gingerbread and the cocoanut, a hairy object, on the table. "Nay, tha niver said thankyer for nowt i' thy life, did ter?"
As a compromise, she picked up the cocoanut and shook it, to see if it had any milk.
"It's a good 'un, you may back yer life o' that. I got it fra' Bill Hodgkisson. 'Bill,' I says, 'tha non wants them three nuts, does ter? Arena ter for gi'ein' me one for my bit of a lad an' wench?' 'I ham, Walter, my lad,' 'e says; 'ta'e which on 'em ter's a mind.' An' so I took one, an' thanked 'im. I didn't like ter shake it afore 'is eyes, but 'e says, 'Tha'd better ma'e sure it's a good un, Walt.' An' so, yer see, I knowed it was. He's a nice chap, is Bill Hodgkisson, e's a nice chap!"
"A man will part with anything so long as he's drunk, and you're drunk along with him," said Mrs. Morel.
"Eh, tha mucky little 'ussy, who's drunk, I sh'd like ter know?" said Morel. He was extraordinarily pleased with himself, because of his day's helping to wait in the Moon and Stars. He chattered on.
Mrs. Morel, very tired, and sick of his babble, went to bed as quickly as possible, while he raked the fire.
Mrs. Morel came of a good old burgher family, famous independents who had fought with Colonel Hutchinson, and who remained stout Congregationalists. Her grandfather had gone bankrupt in the lace-market at a time when so many lace-manufacturers were ruined in Nottingham. Her father, George Coppard, was an engineer--a large, handsome, haughty man, proud of his fair skin and blue eyes, but more proud still of his integrity. Gertrude resembled her mother in her small build. But her temper, proud and unyielding, she had from the Coppards.
George Coppard was bitterly galled by his own poverty. He became foreman of the engineers in the dockyard at Sheerness. Mrs. Morel--Gertrude--was the second daughter. She favoured her mother, loved her mother best of all; but she had the Coppards' clear, defiant blue eyes and their broad brow. She remembered to have hated her father's overbearing manner towards her gentle, humorous, kindly-souled mother. She remembered running over the breakwater at Sheerness and finding the boat. She remembered to have been petted and flattered by all the men when she had gone to the dockyard, for she was a delicate, rather proud child. She remembered the funny old mistress, whose assistant she had become, whom she had loved to help in the private school. And she still had the Bible that John Field had given her. She used to walk home from chapel with John Field when she was nineteen. He was the son of a well-to-do tradesman, had been to college in London, and was to devote himself to business.
She could always recall in detail a September Sunday afternoon, when they had sat under the vine at the back of her father's house. The sun came through the chinks of the vine-leaves and made beautiful patterns, like a lace scarf, falling on her and on him. Some of the leaves were clean yellow, like yellow flat flowers.
"Now sit still," he had cried. "Now your hair, I don't know what it IS like! It's as bright as copper and gold, as red as burnt copper, and it has gold threads where the sun shines on it. Fancy their saying it's brown. Your mother calls it mouse-colour."
She had met his brilliant eyes, but her clear face scarcely showed the elation which rose within her.
"But you say you don't like business," she pursued.
"I don't. I hate it!" he cried hotly.
"And you would like to go into the ministry," she half implored.
"I should. I should love it, if I thought I could make a first-rate preacher."
"Then why don't you--why DON'T you?" Her voice rang with defiance. "If I were a man, nothing would stop me."
She held her head erect. He was rather timid before her.
"But my father's so stiff-necked. He means to put me into the business, and I know he'll do it."
"But if you're a MAN?" she had cried.
"Being a man isn't everything," he replied, frowning with puzzled helplessness.
Now, as she moved about her work at the Bottoms, with some experience of what being a man meant, she knew that it was NOT everything.
At twenty, owing to her health, she had left Sheerness. Her father had retired home to Nottingham. John Field's father had been ruined; the son had gone as a teacher in Norwood. She did not hear of him until, two years later, she made determined inquiry. He had married his landlady, a woman of forty, a widow with property.
And still Mrs. Morel preserved John Field's Bible. She did not now believe him to be--- Well, she understood pretty well what he might or might not have been. So she preserved his Bible, and kept his memory intact in her heart, for her own sake. To her dying day, for thirty-five years, she did not speak of him.
When she was twenty-three years old, she met, at a Christmas party, a young man from the Erewash Valley. Morel was then twenty-seven years old. He was well set-up, erect, and very smart. He had wavy black hair that shone again, and a vigorous black beard that had never been shaved. His cheeks were ruddy, and his red, moist mouth was noticeable because he laughed so often and so heartily. He had that rare thing, a rich, ringing laugh. Gertrude Coppard had watched him, fascinated. He was so full of colour and animation, his voice ran so easily into comic grotesque, he was so ready and so pleasant with everybody. Her own father had a rich fund of humour, but it was satiric. This man's was different: soft, non-intellectual, warm, a kind of gambolling.
She herself was opposite. She had a curious, receptive mind which found much pleasure and amusement in listening to other folk. She was clever in leading folk to talk. She loved ideas, and was considered very intellectual. What she liked most of all was an argument on religion or philosophy or politics with some educated man. This she did not often enjoy. So she always had people tell her about themselves, finding her pleasure so.
tā qiān yuē bǎo zhèng yǒng bù zhān jiǔ， bìng dài shàng jìn jiǔ huì de lán duàn dài zhāo yáo guò shì。 tā yuán yǐ wéi tā liǎ zhù de shì tā zì jǐ de fáng zǐ。 fáng zǐ suī xiǎo， dàn bǐ jiào fāng biàn， fáng lǐ de chén shè shí huì nài yòng yòu měi guān dà fāng， zhè yǔ tā tà shí de xìng gé xiāng tóu。 tā yǔ zhōu wéi de nǚ rén men bù dà lái wǎng， yīn cǐ， mò ruì 'ěr de mǔ qīn hé jiě mèi men cháng qǔ xiào tā de xiǎo jiě pài tóu。 dàn shì， tā zhǐ yào hé zhàng fū zài yī qǐ， shénme yě jiù bù zài hū liǎo。
yòu shí hòu， tā yàn juàn liǎo qīng qīng wǒ wǒ de mì yǔ， nǔ lì cháng shì zhe gēn tā zhèng 'ér bā jīng dì liáo liáo， dāng rán tā zhǐ shì zài yòng xīn de tīng zhe， què tīng bù dǒng。 zhè shǐ tā nà xiǎng bǐ cǐ jiā shēn lǐ jiě de xī wàng pò miè liǎo， tā yòu diǎn hài pà。 yòu shí hòu， tā yī dào wǎn shàng jiù zuò lì bù 'ān， tā míng bái， duì tā lái shuō shǒu zhe tā bù shì tā shēng huó de quán bù， suǒ xìng bìng tòng kuài kuài dì ràng tā qù gān xiē líng huó。
tā cōng míng shǒu qiǎo， shàn cháng xiū xiū bǔ bǔ。 yīn cǐ， tā jiù shuō：
“ wǒ zhēn xǐ huān nǐ mǔ qīn de nà gè huǒ bō zǐ héng héng xiǎo qiǎo hǎo shǐ。”
“ zhēn de má？ bǎo bèi？ ǹg， nà shì wǒ zuò de， wǒ kě yǐ zài zuò yī gè。”
“ shénme！ wā， nà shì gāng de。”
“ gāng de yòu zěn me liǎo， wǒ yī dìng huì zuò yī bǎ， jí shǐ bù wán quán yī yàng， yě chàbù lí 'ér de。”
tā bù zài hū luàn qī bā zāo， dīng dīng guāng guāng， yīn wéi tā zhèng máng dé bù yì lè hū。
dàn dào hūn hòu dì qī gè yuè de yī tiān， tā zài shuà sǎo tā de nà jiàn lǐ fú shí， fā jué tā xiōng qián de kǒu dài lǐ yòu jǐ zhāng zhǐ。 chū yú yī zhǒng hàoqí xīn， tā ná chū liǎo nà jǐ zhāng zhǐ。 tā hěn shǎo chuān zhè jiàn jié hūn shí chuān de lǐ fú， suǒ yǐ， yǐ qián bìng wèi zhù yì zhè xiē zhǐ piàn， yuán lái shì fáng zǐ jiā jù de zhàng dān， zhì jīn shàng wèi fù qīng。
“ kàn，” zài tā chī wán wǎn fàn， xǐ wán zǎo zhī hòu， tā cái shuō：“ wǒ zài nǐ de hūn lǐ fú lǐ fā xiàn liǎo zhè xiē zhàng dān， nǐ hái méi yòu hái qīng má？”
“ méi yòu， wǒ hái méi lái dé jí ní。”
“ dàn shì， nǐ gào sù wǒ suǒ yòu de zhàng dōuyǐ fù qīng。 nà wǒ zuì hǎo xīng qī liù qù nuò dīng hàn bǎ zhàng fù qīng liǎo。 wǒ bù xiǎng zuò zài bié rén de yǐ shàng、 bié rén de zhuō zǐ bàng chī fàn。”
tā méi yòu kēng qì。
“ nǐ néng bǎ nǐ de cún zhé gěi wǒ má？”
“ kě yǐ， dǐng shénme yòng ní！”
“ wǒ jué dé……” tā yù shuō yòu zhǐ。 tā céng jīng gěi tā shuō guò， tā hái yòu yī bǐ cún kuǎn。 kě shì， xiàn zài tā yì shí dào zài wèn yě méi yòng。 yú shì， tā zhǐ hǎo yòu bēi liáng yòu fèn nù dì dāi dāi dì zuò zài nà lǐ。
dì 'èr tiān， tā qù jiàn tā men de mǔ qīn。
“ nǐ gěi wò 'ěr tè mǎi guò jiā jù má？” tā wèn dào。
“ shì 'ā， wǒ mǎi guò。” lǎo tài tài lěng dàn dì huí dá。
“ tā gěi nǐ duō shǎo qián qù mǎi jiā jù？”
lǎo tài tài bèi 'ér xí fù de wèn huà jī nù liǎo。
“ jì rán zhè me guān xīn， wǒ jiù gào sù nǐ， bā shí bàng！” tā huí dá dào。
“ bā shí bàng！ kě shì hái yòu sì shí 'èr yīng bàng hái méi yòu fù ní！”
“ zhè bù shì wǒ de wèn tí。”
“ kě shì， qián dào nǎ 'ér qù liǎo？”
“ wǒ xiǎng nǐ huì zhǎo dào suǒ yòu de zhàng dān de。 nǐ yī kàn jiù zhī dào liǎo héng héng tā chú liǎo qiàn wǒ shí bàng wài， hái yòu wǒ zhè 'ér bàn hūn lǐ huā qù de liù bàng。”
“ liù bàng！” gé tè lǔ dé · mò ruì 'ěr chóngfù liǎo yī jù tā jué dé zhè huà tài wú chǐ， tā fù qīn wéi tā bàn hūn lǐ huā diào liǎo yī dà bǐ qián， rán 'ér， wò 'ěr tè fù qīn hái ràng 'ér zǐ fù liù bàng de jiǔ xí qián。
“ tā mǎi fáng zǐ huā liǎo duō shǎo qián？” tā wèn dào。
“ tā de fáng zǐ héng héng nǎ 'ér de fáng zǐ？”
gé tè lǔ dé · mò ruì 'ěr de zuǐ chún dū fā bái liǎo。 tā céng gào sù tā， tā zhù de fáng zǐ hé bàng biān de nà jiān fáng zǐ， dōushì tā zì jǐ de。
“ wǒ yǐ wéi wǒ men zhù de fáng zǐ héng héng” tā yù yán yòu zhǐ。
“ nà shì wǒ de fáng zǐ， nà liǎng jiān，” pó pó shuō：“ shōu fèi bìng bù gāo， wǒ zhǐ xū yào néng gòu dǐ yā lì xī jiù xíng liǎo。”
gé tè lǔ dé liǎn sè cāng bái， yī yán bù fā dì zuò zài nà 'ér， shén qíng jiǎn zhí gēn tā fù qīn yī mó yī yàng。
“ nà me shuō， wǒ men yīnggāi gěi nǐ fù fáng zū。” tā lěng lěng dì shuō。
“ wò 'ěr tè shì zài gěi wǒ fù fáng zū。” pó pó huí dá。
“ duō shǎo zū jīn？” gé tè lǔ dé wèn。
“ měi zhōu liù xiān lìng。” pó pó huí dá。
kě fáng zǐ bù zhí zhè gè jià qián。 gé tè lǔ dé 'áng qǐ tóu， zhí zhí dì chǒu zhe tā。
“ nǐ hěn xìng yùn，” lǎo tài tài fěng cì dì shuō：“ huā qián yòng fèi dū yóu zhàng fū cāo xīn， zì jǐ zhǐ dà shǒu dà jiǎo dì yòng。”
xiǎo xí fù bǎo chí chén mò。
tā duì zhàng fū méi shuō shénme， dàn tā duì tā de tài dù biàn liǎo， tā nà gāo 'ào、 zhèng zhí de xīn líng， biàn dé lěng rú hán bīng， yìng sì pán shí。
zhuǎn yǎn dào liǎo shí yuè， tā yī xīn xiǎng zhe shèng dàn jié。 liǎng nián qián de shèng dàn jié， tā yù jiàn liǎo tā， qù nián shèng dàn jié， tā jià gěi liǎo tā， jīn nián shèng dàn jié tā jiāng gěi tā shēng hái zǐ。
“ nǐ bù qù tiào wǔ má， tài tài？” tā gé bì de yī gè lín jū wèn tā。 shí yuè lǐ， zài bèi sī wǔ dé“ zhuān wǎ jiǔ diàn” lǐ dà jiā yì lùn fēn fēn， shuō yào jǔ bàn yī gè wǔ dǎo bān。
“ bù， wǒ cóng lái méi yòu xiǎng tiào wǔ de yù wàng。” mò ruì 'ěr tài tài huí dá。
“ zhēn guài！ nǐ jià gěi nǐ zhàng fū kě zhēn yòu yì sī。 nǐ zhī dào tā shì yī gè fēi cháng yòu míng de wǔ gùn。”
“ wǒ kě bù zhī dào tā zhè me yòu míng。” mò ruì 'ěr tài tài xiào zhe huí dá。
“ hē， tā cái yòu míng ní！ ( ǒu qiàn )， tā zhù chí kuàng gōng jù lè bù de tiào wǔ bān dōuyòu wǔ nián duō liǎo。”
“ shì me？”“ shì de。” lìng yī míng fù nǚ yě dài zhe miè shì de shén qíng shuō，“ nà 'ér měi xīng qī 'èr、 sì、 liù dū jǐ mǎn liǎo rén， jù shuō hái yòu chǒu tài bǎi chū de shì。”
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài duì zhè lèi shì qíng yòu qì yòu hèn， nǚ rén men qīng qīng zhā zhā dì shāng hài tā， yīn wéi tā bù yuàn rù xiāng suí sú。 qí shí tā bìng bù xiǎng zhè yàng， tiān xìng shǐ rán。
tā kāi shǐ hěn wǎn cái huí jiā。
“ tā men xiàn zài xià bān hěn wǎn má？” tā wèn xǐ yī nǚ gōng。
“ bù bǐ wǎng cháng wǎn。 tā men zài 'ài lún jiǔ diàn hē jiǔ liáo tiān， jiù zhè me huí shì！ wǎn fàn dōuliáng liǎo héng héng tā men huó gāi！”
“ dàn shì mò ruì 'ěr xiān shēng yǐ jīng jiè jiǔ liǎo。”
zhè wèi nǚ gōng fàng xià yī fú， kàn kàn mò ruì 'ěr tài tài， rán hòu yī yán bù fā dì jì xù de huó。
gé tè lǔ dé · mò ruì 'ěr shēng 'ér zǐ shí bìng dé hěn lì hài， mò ruì 'ěr duì tā tǐ tiē rù wēi。 bù guò tā hái shì jué dé yuǎn lí niàn jiā， bèi gǎn gū dú。 xiàn zài， jí shǐ hé tā zài yī qǐ yǐ rán jì mò， shèn zhì， tā de chū xiàn zhǐ néng ràng tā gèng jì mò。
ér zǐ gāng chū shēng shí yòu xiǎo yòu ruò， dàn cháng dé hěn kuài。 tā shì gè piào liàng de hái zǐ， jīn huáng sè de juǎnfà， yī shuāng shēn lán qiǎn huī xiāngjiàn de yǎn jīng， mǔ qīn shēn 'ài zhe tā。 zài tā huàn xiǎng pò miè， shāng xīn yù jué， duì shēng huó de xìn niàn kāi shǐ dòng yáo， líng hún jì mò 'ér gū dú shí， tā lái dào shì shàng。 suǒ yǐ， tā duì 'ér zǐ qīng zhù liǎo suǒ yòu de rè qíng， lián zuò fù qīn dedōu dù jí liǎo。
mò ruì 'ěr fū rén zhōng yú kàn bù qǐ tā de zhàng fū liǎo。 tā de xīn cóng fù qīn shēn shàng zhuǎn dào 'ér zǐ shēn shàng。 tā kāi shǐ hū shì tā， xiǎo jiā tíng de xīn qí gǎn yě zǎo yǐ xiāo shī。 tā shāng xīn dì 'àn zì shǔluò zhe zhàng fū， tā méi yòu yì lì， quē fá héng xīn， fán shì zhǐ qiú yī shí tòng kuài， jīn yù qí wài， bài xù qí zhōng。
yīcháng kě pà、 cán rěn， nǐ sǐ wǒ huó de dǒu zhēng kāi shǐ zài fū qī zhī jiān zhǎn kāi。 tā nǔ lì pò shǐ tā míng bái zì jǐ de zé rèn， lǚ xíng zì jǐ de yì wù。 jìn guǎn tā gēn tā tiān xìng shū yì， tā zhǐ zhù zhòng chún gǎn guān shàng de xiǎng shòu， tā què yìng yào tā jiǎng dào dé， xìn zōng jiào。 tā nǔ lì ràng tā miàn duì xiàn shí， tā shòu bù liǎo héng héng zhè jiǎn zhí ràng tā fā fēng。
hái zǐ hái hěn xiǎo de shí hòu， fù qīn de pí qì jiù biàn dé jí zào yì nù， lìng rén nán yǐ xìn lài。 hái zǐ shāo wēi yòu yī diǎn chǎo nào shēng， tā jiù mánhèng dì xià hǔ tā， zài gǎn nào， nà shuāng kuàng gōng de quán tóu jiù cháo hái zǐ shēn shàng dǎ qù。 rán hòu， mò ruì 'ěr tài tài jiù yī lián jǐ tiān shēng zhàng fū de qì。 tā ní， jiù chū qù hē jiǔ。 tā duì tā gān xiē shénme mò bù guān xīn， zhǐ shì， děng tā huí jiā shí， jiù fěng cì xī luò tā。
tā men zhī jiān gǎn qíng de shū yuǎn， shǐ tā yòu yì wú yì dì cū lǔ dì mào fàn tā， ér yǐ qián tā què bù shì zhè yàng。
wēi lián gāng yī suì shí， jiù hěn piào liàng， zuò mǔ qīn de wèicǐ 'ér zì háo。 tā nà shí shēng huó kùn nán， tā de jiě mèi men bāo liǎo hái zǐ de yī fú。 ér zǐ mǎn tóu juǎnfà， shēn zhe bái yī， tóu dài bái mào， mào zǐ shàng hái shì yòu yī gēn tuó niǎo yǔ máo。 mǔ qīn mǎn xīn huān xǐ。 yī gè xīng qī tiān de zǎo chén， mò ruì 'ěr tài tài tǎng zài chuáng shàng tīng jiàn fù zǐ liǎ zài lóu xià xián liáo。 bù yī huì， tā shuì zhe liǎo。 dāng tā xià lóu shí， lú huǒ wàng shèng， wū lǐ hěn rè， zǎo cān luàn qī bā zāo dì bǎi zhe， mò ruì 'ěr zuò zài kào bì lú de fú shǒu yǐ shàng， yòu diǎn qiè nuò， jiā zài tā liǎng tuǐ zhōng jiān de hái zǐ héng héng tóu fā lǐ dé xiàng gāng jiǎn liǎo máo de yáng yī yàng nán kàn héng héng zhèng mò míng qí miào dì kàn zhe tā。 lú biān dì tǎn shàng pū zhe yī zhāng bào zhǐ， shàng miàn duī zhe yī duī yuè yá xíng de juǎnfà， hóng hóng de huǒ guāng yī zhào， xiàng jīn zhǎn cǎo de huā bàn yī yàng。
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài yī dòng bù dòng dì zhàn zhe， zhè nǎ 'ér xiàng tā de zhǎngzǐ。 tā liǎn sè cāng bái， huà yě shuō bù chū lái。
“ tì dé zěn yàng？” mò ruì 'ěr gān gà dì xiào zhe。
tā jǔ qǐ jǐn wò de shuāng quán， zǒu shàng qián lái， mò ruì 'ěr wǎng hòu tuì liǎo tuì。
“ wǒ xiǎng shā liǎo nǐ！” tā gāo jǔ shuāng quán hǎn zhe， qì dé shuō bù chū huà lái。
“ nǐ bù xiǎng bǎ tā dǎ bàn chéng nǚ hái zǐ bā！” mò ruì 'ěr dī zhe tóu， táo bì tā de yǎn shén， dǎn qiè dì shuō， liǎn shàng nǔ lì jǐ chū de yī sī xiào yì xiāo shī liǎo。
mǔ qīn dī tóu kàn zhe 'ér zǐ nà cháng duǎn bù qí de tū tóu， shēn chū shǒu téng 'ài dì fǔ mō zhe tā。
“ ( ǒu qiàn )， wǒ de hái zǐ！” tā chàn shēng shuō， zuǐ chún fā dǒu liǎn sè biàn liǎo， tā yī bǎ bào zhù hái zǐ， bǎ liǎn mái zài hái zǐ de jiān shàng tòng kǔ dì kū liǎo。 tā shì gè bù qīng yì diào lèi de nǚ rén， kū duì tā de shāng hài bù yà yú duì nán rén de shāng hài。 tā sī liè fèi fǔ bān dì kū qì zhe。 mò ruì 'ěr shuāng zhǒu zhī zài xī gài shàng zuò zhe， jǐn wò shuāng shǒu， zhǐ guān jié dū fā bái liǎo。 tā dāi dāi dì dīng zhe huǒ， hǎo xiàng bèi rén dǎ liǎo yī bàng， lián hū xī dōubù gǎn hū xī。
yī huì 'ér， tā kū wán liǎo， hōng zhù hái zǐ， shōu shí liǎo fàn zhuō， tā méi guǎn nà zhāng sǎ mǎn juàn fā de、 tān zài lú biān dì tǎn shàng de bào zhǐ。 zuì hòu， tā de zhàng fū bǎ bào zhǐ shōu shí qǐ lái， fàng zài lú zǐ hòu miàn。 tā bì zhe zuǐ mò mò dì de huó。 mò ruì 'ěr fú fú tiē tiē， zhěng tiān chuí tóu sàng qì， bù sī chá fàn。 tā duì tā shuō huà róng kè qì qì， cóng bù tí tā gān de nà jiàn shì， dàn tā jué dé tā liǎ de gǎn qíng chè dǐ pò liè liǎo。
guò hòu， tā jué dé dāng shí tā tài shǎ liǎo， hái zǐ de tóu fā chí zǎo dū dé jiǎn。 zuì hòu， tā jìng rán duì zhàng fū shuō tā jiǎn tóu fā jiù xiàng lǐfà shī shìde。 bù guò tā míng bái， mò ruì 'ěr yě qīng chǔ zhè jiàn shì zài tā líng hún shēn chù chǎn shēng de zhòng dà yǐng xiǎng， tā yī shēng dōubù huì wàng jì nà gè chǎng miàn， zhè shì ràng tā gǎn dào zuì tòng kǔ de yī jiàn shì。
nán rén de zhè gè lǔ mǎng xíng wéi hǎo xiàng yīgǎn máo yī yàng cì pò liǎo tā duì mò ruì 'ěr de 'ài xīn。 yǐ qián， tā kǔ kǔ dì gēn tā zhēng chǎo， wèitā de lí xīn lí dé 'ér fán nǎo。 xiàn zài tā bù zài wèitā de 'ài fán nǎo liǎo， tā duì tā lái shuō shì gè jú wài rén， zhè yàng fǎn 'ér shǐ tā róng yì rěn shòu yī xiē。
rán 'ér， tā réng rán gēn tā bù xiè dì zhēng zhí zhe。 tā jì chéng liǎo shì shì dài dài qīng jiào tú de gāo shàng hé dào dé gǎn。 zhè yǐ jīng chéng wéi yī zhǒng zōng jiào běn néng。 tā yīn wéi 'ài tā， huò zhě shuō 'ài guò tā， zài hé tā xiāng chù shí tā jīhū chéng liǎo yī gè kuáng rè de xìn tú。 rú guǒ tā yòu guò shī。 tā jiù zhé mó tā； rú guǒ tā hē zuì liǎo huò shuō liǎo huǎng， tā jiù háo bù kè qì dì mà tā shì lǎn hàn， mà tā shì 'è gùn。
yí hàn de shì， tā hé tā shuǐ huǒ bù róng。 tā duì tā suǒ zuò de yī qiēdōu bù néng mǎn yì， tā rèn wéi tā yīnggāi zuò de gèng duō gèng hǎo。 tā jié lì yào tā chéng wéi yī gè gāo shàng de rén， zhè gè yào qiú chāo yuè tā suǒ néng jí de shuǐ píng， yīn cǐ， fǎn 'ér huǐ liǎo tā， yě shāng hài liǎo zì jǐ。 dàn tā méi yòu fàng qì zì jǐ de jià zhí biāo zhǔn， hái zǐ jìng 'ài tā。
tā hē jiǔ suī rán hěn xiōng， dàn bǐ bù shàng qí tā kuàng gōng lì hài， ér qiě zǒng shì hē pí jiǔ。 jìn guǎn duì jiàn kāng yòu yī dìng de yǐng xiǎng， dàn méi yòu duō dà de shāng hài。 zhōu mò shì tā jǔ bēi chàng yǐn de shí hòu。 měi féng xīng qī wǔ、 xīng qī liù、 xīng qī tiān wǎn shàng， tādōu zài kuàng gōng jiǔ guǎn zuò dào guān mén。 xīng qī yī hé xīng qī 'èr tā bù dé bù zài 10 diǎn zuǒ yòu jí bù qíng yuàn dì lí kāi jiǔ guǎn。 xīng qī sān、 xīng qī sì wǎn shàng， tā dāi zài jiā lǐ， huò zhǐ chū qù yī gè xiǎo shí。 shí jì shàng， tā cóng lái méi yòu yīn wéi hē jiǔ 'ér wù liǎo gōng zuò。
jìn guǎn tā gōng zuò tà shí， dàn tā de gōng zī què bù zēng fǎn jiàng。 yīn wéi tā duō zuǐ duō shé， ài shuō xián huà， mù wú shàng jí， mán mà kuàng jǐng gōng tóu。 tā zài pà mǎ sī dùn jiǔ huì shàng shuō：“ gōng tóu jīn tiān zǎo chén xià dào wǒ men kēng dào lǐ lái liǎo， tā shuō：‘ nǐ zhī dào， wò 'ěr tè， zhè bù xíng， zhè xiē zhī zhù shì zěn me huí shì？’‘ zhè yàng jué bù xíng，’ tā shuō，‘ zǒng yòu yī tiān huì mào dǐng de。’ wǒ shuō：‘ nà nǐ zuì hǎo zhàn zài tǔ duī shàng， yòng nǐ de nǎo dài bǎ tā dǐng qǐ lái bā。’ tā qì fēng liǎo， bù tíng dì mà rén， bié de réndōu dà xiào qǐ lái。” mò ruì 'ěr hěn shàn yú mó fǎng， tā nǔ lì yòng biāo biāo zhǔn zhǔn de yīng yǔ mó fǎng gōng tóu de duǎn cù cì 'ěr de shēng yīn。
“ wǒ bù néng róng rěn zhè xiē de， wò 'ěr tè。 wǒ liǎ shuí gèng zài xíng？” wǒ shuō：“ wǒ cóng wèi fā xiàn nǐ dǒng dé hěn duō， ài fú dé， hái bù rú hōng zhe nǐ shàng chuáng ní！”
mò ruì 'ěr kǒu ruò xuán hé dì shuō zhe， jiǔ yǒu men xīng gāo cǎi liè。 bù guò tā de huà yě shì zhēn shí， zhè gè kuàng jǐng gōng tóu shì yī wèi méi shòu guò jiào yù de rén， céng shì hé mò ruì 'ěr yī lèi de rén， yīn cǐ， jìn guǎn liǎng gè rén sù bù xiānghè， dàn huò duō huò shǎo néng róng rěn yī xiē。 bù guò， ài fú dé · chá 'ěr sī wò sī duì mò ruì 'ěr zài jiǔ diàn zhōng cháo xiào zì jǐ， yī zhí gěng gěng yú huái。 yīn cǐ， jìn guǎn mò ruì 'ěr shì yī gè hěn néng chī kǔ de kuàng gōng， tā jié hūn nà shí， yī xīng qī hái néng zhèng 5 yīng bàng， kě xiàn zài tā bèi fēn pài dào gèng zá gèng pín de kuàng jǐng lǐ， nà lǐ méi céng hěnbáo， ér qiě nán cǎi， suǒ yǐ wú fǎ zuàn qián。
ér qiě， xià tiān， kuàng jǐng shēng yì chǔyú tán jì。 nán rén men cháng cháng zài 10 diǎn、 11 diǎn、 12 diǎn jiù pái zhe duì huí jiā liǎo， zhè shí tài yáng hái zhèng gāo ní， méi yòu kōng kǎ chē tíng zài kuàng jǐng kǒu děng zhe zhuāng méi。 shān pō shàng de fù nǚ men zài lí bā bàng yī biān pāi dǎzháo dì tǎn yī biān cháo zhè 'ér zhāng wàng， shù zhe huǒ chē tóu tuō jìn shān gǔ de chē pí yòu duō shǎo。 hái zǐ men， fàng xué huí jiā wǎng xià wàng jiàn méi tián shàng diào chē lún zǐ tíng zhe， jiù shuō：
“ mǐn dùn guān mén liǎo， wǒ bà bà huí jiā liǎo。”
sì hū yòu yī zhǒng yīn yǐng lǒngzhào zhe fù nǚ、 xiǎo hái hé nán rén， yīn wéi zhè gè xīng qī mò yòu quē qián huā liǎo。
mò ruì 'ěr běn yìng gāi měi xīng qī gěi tā de qī zǐ 30 xiān lìng， lái zhī fù gè zhǒng dōng xī héng héng fáng zū、 shí wù、 yī fú、 jù lè bù huì fèi、 bǎo xiǎn fèi、 yī liáo fèi děng děng， ǒu 'ěr， rú guǒ tā bǐ jiào kuān yù， tā jiù gěi tā 35 xiān lìng。 dàn shì， zhè zhǒng qíng xíng yuǎn bù jí tā gěi tā 25 xiān lìng de cì shù duō。 dōng tiān， zài méi duō de kuàng jǐng lǐ， tā měi xīng qī jiù néng zhèng 50 huò 55 xiān lìng。 zhè shí tā jiù gāo xīng jí liǎo， xīng qī wǔ、 liù hé xīng qī tiān， tā huì xiàng guì zú yī yàng dà dà fāng fāng dì huā diào yī gè jīn bàng zuǒ yòu。 jìn guǎn zhè yàng， tā hěn shǎo duō gěi hái zǐ men fēn yī gè biàn shì huò gěi tā men mǎi yī bàng píng guǒ， qián dū yòng lái hē jiǔ liǎo。 zài méi kuàng pí ruǎn de shí hòu， shēng huó jiān nán， dàn tā dǎo bù huì jīng cháng dì hē zuì， yīn cǐ mò ruì 'ěr tài tài cháng shuō：
“ wǒ shuō bù zhǔn wǒ shì bù shì nìngyuàn qián shǎo diǎn， tā shāo wēi kuān yù yī diǎn， jiù méi yòu yī kè de 'ān níng liǎo。”
rú guǒ tā zhèng liǎo 40 xiān lìng， jiù huì liú 10 xiān lìng， zhèng 35 jiù liú 5， zhèng 32 jiù liú 4， zhèng 28 jiù liú 3， zhèng 24 jiù liú 2， zhèng 20 xiān lìng jiù liú 1 xiān lìng 6 biàn shì， zhèng 18 xiān lìng jiù liú 1 xiān lìng， zhèng 16 jiù liú 6 biàn shì。 tā cóng lái méi cún guò 1 biàn shì， yě bù gěi qī zǐ cún qián de jī huì， xiāng fǎn， tā 'ǒu 'ěr hái tì tā hái zhàng， bù shì jiǔ zhàng， yīn wéi nà zhǒng zhàng cóng bù ràng nǚ rén hái， ér shì nà xiē mǎi liǎo yī zhǐ jīn sī què huò yī gēn qí tè de shǒu zhàng 'ér qiàn de zhàng。
jié rì qī jiān， mò ruì 'ěr rù bù fū chū， mò ruì 'ěr tài tài yīn wéi yào zuò yuè zǐ， jìn liàng dì shěng qián。 tā yī xiǎng dào tā zài wài miàn xún huān zuò lè， huī huò wú dù， ér tā què dāi zài jiā lǐ fā chóu， biàn bèi jué qī liáng。 jié rì yòu liǎng tiān。 xīng qī 'èr zǎo chén mò ruì 'ěr qǐ dé hěn zǎo， tā xīng zhì hěn gāo。 liù diǎn yǐ qián， tā jiù tīng dào tā chuī zhe shào xià lóu qù liǎo。 tā chuī dé fēi cháng liú chàng， huó pō 'ér dòng tīng。 tā chuī de jīhū dōushì shèng qū。 tā céng shì chàng shī bān yī yuán， sǎng yīn chún zhèng， hái zài sà sī wēi dà jiào táng dú chàng guò。 tā zǎo chén de kǒu shào shēng jiù xiǎn shì chū tā de gōng fū。
qī zǐ tǎng zài chuáng shàng， tīng zhe tā zài huā yuán lǐ dīng dāng dīng dāng， kǒu shào shēng bàn suí tā jù jù chuí chuí shēng。 zài qíng lǎng de zǎo chén， hái zǐ men hái zài mèng xiāng， tīng tā nà nán zǐ hàn de kuài lè shēng， tā duǒ zài chuáng shàng， tǐ yàn dào yī zhǒng wēn nuǎn、 ān níng de gǎn jué。
jiǔ diǎn zhōng， hái zǐ men guāng tuǐ chì jiǎo dì zuò zài shā fā shàng wán， mǔ qīn zài chú fáng lǐ xǐ xǐ shuàn shuàn。 tā ná zhe gōng jù zǒu jìn lái， xiù zǐ juàn dé gāo gāo de， bèi xīn wǎng shàng fān zhe。 tā réng rán shì yī gè yīng jùn de nán rén， hēi sè bō làng shì juǎnfà， hēi hēi de dà hú zǐ。 tā de liǎn yě xǔ tài hóng liǎo， zhè shǐ tā kàn shàng qù yòu diǎn bào zào。 dàn shì cǐ kè tā xīng zhì bó bó， tā jìng zhí zǒu dào qī zǐ xǐ shuàn de shuǐ cáo biān。
“ ā， nǐ zài zhè 'ér！” tā xīng gāo cǎi liè dì shuō，“ zǒu kāi， ràng wǒ xǐ zǎo。”
“ nǐ yīnggāi děng wǒ xǐ wán。” qī zǐ shuō。
“ ( ǒu qiàn )， yào wǒ děng？ rú guǒ wǒ bù ní？”
zhè zhǒng yōu mò de kǒnghè dòu lè liǎo mò ruì 'ěr tài tài。
“ nà nǐ jiù qù xǐ zǎo pén lǐ xǐ bā。”
“ hā， xíng， nǐ zhè gè fán rén de jiā huǒ。”
rán hòu， tā zhàn zài nà lǐ kàn liǎo tā yī zhèn zǐ cái zǒu kāi。
tā yòng xīn shōu shí yī xià， hái shì yīng jùn xiāo sǎ de nán zǐ。 tōng cháng tā xǐ huān zài bó zǐ shàng wéi yī kuài wéi jīn chū qù， kě shì xiàn zài， tā dé hǎohǎo xǐ yī xià。 tā huá huá lā lā dì xǐ liǎn， xǐng bí zǐ， yòu huǒ jí huǒ liáo dì qù chú fáng zhào zhào jìng zǐ。 jìng zǐ tài dī， tā wān xià yāo， zǎi xì dì fēn tā nà yòu hēi yòu shī de tóu fā， zhè qíng jǐng jī nù liǎo mò ruì 'ěr tài tài。 tā shēn chuān fān lǐng chèn shān， dǎ shàng hēi lǐng jié， wài miàn tào shàng tā de yàn wěi lǐ fú， kàn qǐ lái fēng dù xiāo sǎ， ér qiě tā nà 'ài xiǎn shì zì jǐ yīng jùn xiāo sǎ de běn néng yǎn shì liǎo tā yī zhe de hán chěn。
jiǔ diǎn bàn shí， jié lǐ · pà dí lái jiào tā de tóng bàn。 jié lǐ shì mò ruì 'ěr de zhī xīn péng yǒu， dàn mò ruì 'ěr tài tài bù xǐ huān tā。 tā yòu shòu yòu gāo， yī zhāng hú lí bān jiān zhà de liǎn， yī shuāng fǎng fó méi cháng yǎn jié máo de yǎn jīng。 tā zǒu qǐ lù lái 'áng shǒu tǐng xiōng， hěn yòu qì bó， hǎo xiàng nǎo dài 'ān zài yī gēn mù tóu bān jiāng yìng de tánhuáng shàng。 tā yě tǐng dà fāng de， tā sì hū hěn xǐ huān mò ruì 'ěr， bìng qiě huò duō huò shǎo dì yòu diǎn zhào gù tā。
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài hèn tā。 tā rèn shí tā nà gè sǐ yú fèi bìng de qī zǐ， zài tā lí kāi rén shì shí yě duì tā de zhàng fū hèn tòu liǎo。 tā yī jìn wū zǐ jiù qì dé tā tù xuè， jié lǐ duì zhè xiē sì hū dū mò bù guān xīn。 rú jīn， 15 suì de dà nǚ 'ér zhào liào zhe zhè gè pín qióng de jiā， zhào kàn zhe liǎng gè dì mèi。
“ yī gè lìn sè、 méi xīn gān de jiā huǒ！” mò ruì 'ěr tài tài shuō tā。
“ wǒ yī bèi zǐ dōuméi fā xiàn jié lǐ xiǎo qì，” mò ruì 'ěr fǎn bó，“ jù wǒ suǒ zhī， nǐ zài nǎ 'ér dū zhǎo bù dào yī gè bǐ tā gèng dà fāng de rén liǎo。”
“ duì nǐ dà fāng，” mò ruì 'ěr tài tài huí dá，“ kě tā duì tā nà jǐ gè kě lián de hái zǐ， jiù shǒu zuàn dé jǐn jǐn de。”
“ kě lián de hái zǐ！ wǒ bù zhī dào， tā men zěn me kě lián lā？”
dàn shì， mò ruì 'ěr tài tài yī tí dào jié lǐ jiù bù néng píng jìng。
bèi yì lùn de zhè gè rén， hū rán bǎ tā de xì bó zǐ cóng xǐ dí jiān chuāng lián wài shēn jìn lái， kàn liǎo kàn mò ruì 'ěr tài tài。
“ zǎo shàng hǎo， tài tài。 xiān shēng zài jiā má？”
“ ǹg héng héng zài jiā。”
jié lǐ jìng zì zǒu jìn lái， zhàn zài chú fáng mén kǒu。 méi yòu rén ràng tā zuò， zhǐ hǎo zhàn zài nà lǐ， biǎo xiàn chū yī fù nán zǐ hàn dà zhàng fū tè yòu de lěng jìng。
“ tiān sè bù cuò。” tā duì mò ruì 'ěr tài tài shuō。
“ ǹg。”
“ zǎo chén wài miàn zhēn hǎo， sàn sàn bù。”
“ nǐ men yào qù sàn bù má？” tā wèn。
“ duì， wǒ men dǎ suàn sàn bù qù nuò dīng hàn。” tā huí dá dào。
“ ǹg，”
liǎng gè nán zǐ hù xiāng zhāo hū zhe， dōuhěn gāo xīng。 jié lǐ shì yáng yáng zì dé， mò ruì 'ěr què hěn yī fù zì wǒ yì zhì de shén qíng， hài pà zài qī zǐ miàn qián xiǎn shì chū xǐ qì yáng yáng de yàng zǐ。 dàn shì， tā jīng shén dǒu sǒu xùn sù dì xì zhe xuē zǐ。 tā men jiāng bù xíng shí lǐ lù， chuān guò tián yě qù nuò dīng hàn。 tā men cóng hé chuān qū pá shàng shān pō， xīng qù 'àng rán dì zài cháo yáng xià qián jìn。 zài xīng yuè jiǔ guǎn tā men gān liǎo dì yī bēi jiǔ， rán hòu yòu dào“ lǎo dì diǎn” jiǔ guǎn。 jiē zhe tā men zhǔn bèi dī jiǔ bù zhān bù xíng wǔ lǐ dào bù 'ěr wéi 'ěr， zài měi měi hē shàng yī pǐn tuō。 dàn shì， zài tú jīng tián yě xiū xī shí， yù dào jǐ gè shài gān cǎo de rén， dài zhe mǎn mǎn yī jiā lún jiǔ。 yú shì， děng tā men kàn dào bù 'ěr wéi 'ěr chéng shí， mò ruì 'ěr yǐ jīng kě dé hūn hūn yù shuì liǎo。 chéng shì chū xiàn zài tā men yǎn qián， zhèng wǔ de yáng guāng xià， méng méng lóng lóng fǎng fó lǒngzhào liǎo céng yān wù。 zài tā wǎng nán fāng de shān jǐ shàng， dào chù shì fáng wū de jiān dǐng hé de gōng chǎng hé lín lì de yān cōng。 zài zuì hòu yī piàn tián dì lǐ， mò ruì 'ěr tǎng dǎo zài yī kē zōng shù xià， dǎzháo hū lū shuì liǎo yī gè duō xiǎo shí。 dāng tā pá qǐ lái zhǔn bèi jì xù gǎn lù shí， gǎn jué dào tóu nǎo hūn hūn chén chén de。
tā men liǎng gè hé jié lǐ de jiě jiě zài cǎo chǎng fàn diàn yòng guò cān hòu， qù liǎo“ pèng chí bō 'ěr” jiǔ guǎn， nà lǐ rè nào fēi fán， rén men zhèng zài wán“ fēi gē” yóu xì， tā men yě gēn zhe wán。 mò ruì 'ěr rèn wéi pái yòu gǔ xié qì， chēng tā shì“ è mó zhào piàn”， yīn cǐ tā cóng bù wán pái。 bù guò， tā kě shì wán jiǔ zhù xì hé duō mǐ nuò gǔ pái de hǎo shǒu。 tā jiē shòu liǎo yī gè cóng niǔ wò kè lái rén dǔ jiǔ zhù xì de tiǎo zhàn； suǒ yòu zài zhè gè cháng fāng xíng jiǔ guǎn lǐ de rén quán xià liǎo zhù， fēn chéng liǎo liǎng fāng。 mò ruì 'ěr tuō qù shàng yī， jié lǐ shǒu lǐ ná zhe zhuāng qián de mào zǐ。 qí tā réndōu zài zhuō zǐ bàng guān kàn， yòu xiē shǒu lǐ ná zhe jiǔ bēi zhàn zhe。 mò ruì 'ěr xiǎo xīn dì mō liǎo yī xià tā de dà mù qiú， rán hòu zhì liǎo chū lái。 jiǔ gēn zhù zǐ dǎo liǎo， tā yíng dào bàn kè lǎng， yòu yòu qián fù zhài liǎo。
dào liǎo wǎn shàng 7 diǎn， zhè liǎng rén cái xīn mǎn yì zú dì tà shàng liǎo qī diǎn bàn huí jiā de huǒ chē。
xià wǔ， hé chuān jiē zhēn shì nán yǐ rěn shòu。 měi gè réndōu dāi zài jiā mén wài。 nǚ rén men bù dài tóu jīn， xì zhe wéi qún， sān liǎng chéng qún dì zài liǎng pái fáng zǐ zhōng jiān de xiǎo jìng shàng liáo tiān。 nán rén men dūn zài dì shàng tán lùn zhe， zhǔn bèi xiū xī yī huì zài hē。 zhè dì fāng kōng qì wū zhuó， shí wū dǐng bèi shài dé fā guāng。
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài lǐng zhe xiǎo nǚ 'ér lái dào lí jiā bù guò 'èr bǎi yīng chǐ de cǎo dì shàng。 zǒu jìn xiǎo xī biān， xī shuǐ zài shí tóu hé pò guàn shàng fēi liú 'ér guò。 mǔ qīn hé hái zǐ xié kào zài gǔ lǎo de yáng qiáo de lán gān shàng tiào wàng zhe。 mò ruì 'ěr tài tài kàn jiàn， zài cǎo dì de lìng yī biān de yī gè xiǎo kēng lǐ， jǐ gè méi chuān yī fú de nán hái zǐ zài xī shuǐ biān bēn páo。 tā zhī dào wēi lián yě zài zhè lǐ， tā dān xīn wēi lián huì diào jìn shuǐ lǐ yān sǐ。 ān nī zài gāo gāo de jiù cūn lí xià wán shuǎ， jiǎn zhe tā chēng zhī wéi pú táo gān de qiāng guǒ zǐ。 zhè gè hái zǐ gèng xū yào zhù yì， ér qiě cāng yíng zài wēng wēng jiào zhe xì nòng rén。
7 diǎn zhōng tā 'ān dùn hái zǐ men dào chuáng shàng shuì jué， rán hòu， tā gān liǎo yī huì huó 'ér。
wò 'ěr tè · mò ruì 'ěr hé jié lǐ dào dá bèi sī wǔ dé， tā men dùn jué rú shì zhòng fù bān de qīng sōng， bù yòng zài zuò huǒ chē liǎo， tòng tòng kuài kuài dì jié shù zhè yú kuài de yī tiān。 tā men dài zhe kǎi xuán zhě de dé yì tà jìn liǎo nà 'ěr xùn jiǔ guǎn。
dì 'èr tiān shì gōng zuò rì， xiǎng dào zhè gè， nán rén men biàn jué dé sǎo xīng。 ér qiě， tā men dà duō yǐ jīng huā guāng liǎo qián， yòu de rén yǐ jīng mèn mèn bù lè dì wǎng jiā zǒu， zhǔn bèi wéi míng tiān 'ér shuì jué。 mò ruì 'ěr tài tài dāi zài wū zǐ lǐ， tīng zhe tā men yù mèn de gē shēng。 jiǔ diǎn guò qù liǎo， 10 diǎn liǎo， nà“ yī duì” réng méi yòu huí lái。 bù zhī zài nǎ yī jiā mén kǒu， yī gè nán rén tuō cháng diào zǐ dà shēng chàng dào：“ yǐn dǎo wǒ men， rén cí de guāng huī。” měi cì tīng dào zhè xiē zuì guǐ men luàn qī bā zāo dì chàng zàn měi shī， tā zǒng jué dé xiàng shòu liǎo wǔ rǔ。
“ hǎo xiàng‘ gài nà wéi wú’ zhī lèi de xiǎoqǔ hái bù guò yǐn。” tā shuō dào。
chú fáng lǐ mǎn shì 'áo xiāng cǎo hé shé má zǐ de xiāng wèi， lú zǐ tiě jià shàng zhī zhe yī gè hēi sè dà tānɡ guō。 mò ruì 'ěr tài tài ná lái yī gè dà shā guō， wǎng lǐ dǎo liǎo diǎn bái táng， rán hòu yòng jìn quán shēn de lì qì duān qǐ guō， bǎ tānɡ dǎo jìn qù。
zhèng zài zhè shí， mò ruì 'ěr jìn lái liǎo。 tā zài nà 'ěr xùn jiǔ diàn lǐ dǎo shì hěn kuài huó， kě zài huí lái de lù shàng jiù biàn dé fán zào qǐ lái。 tā tóu hūn nǎo rè dì zài tián yě shuì liǎo yī jué， xǐng lái jiù jué dé fán zào bù 'ān， hún shēn téng tòng， tā hái méi yòu wán quán huī fù guò lái。 zài zǒu jìn jiā mén shí， tā xīn lǐ hěn yòu diǎn nèi jiù。 tā méi yòu yì shí dào zì jǐ zài shēng qì， dàn dāng tā shì tú dǎ kāi huā yuán mén què méi dǎ kāi shí， tā jiù tī tī chuài chuài dì bǎ mén shuān dū tī duàn liǎo。 jìn wū de shí hòu zhèng hǎo mò ruì 'ěr tài tài dǎo dà tānɡ guō lǐ de xiāng cǎo zhī。 tā yáo yáo huàng huàng dì pèng dào zhuō zǐ shàng， nà gǔn kāi de tānɡ yáo huàng liǎo qǐ lái， mò ruì 'ěr tài tài xià liǎo yī tiào。
“ lǎo tiān！” tā hǎn dào：“ hē dé zuì xūn xūn dì huí lái liǎo！”
Walter Morel seemed melted away before her. She was to the miner that thing of mystery and fascination, a lady. When she spoke to him, it was with a southern pronunciation and a purity of English which thrilled him to hear. She watched him. He danced well, as if it were natural and joyous in him to dance. His grandfather was a French refugee who had married an English barmaid--if it had been a marriage. Gertrude Coppard watched the young miner as he danced, a certain subtle exultation like glamour in his movement, and his face the flower of his body, ruddy, with tumbled black hair, and laughing alike whatever partner he bowed above. She thought him rather wonderful, never having met anyone like him. Her father was to her the type of all men. And George Coppard, proud in his bearing, handsome, and rather bitter; who preferred theology in reading, and who drew near in sympathy only to one man, the Apostle Paul; who was harsh in government, and in familiarity ironic; who ignored all sensuous pleasure:--he was very different from the miner. Gertrude herself was rather contemptuous of dancing; she had not the slightest inclination towards that accomplishment, and had never learned even a Roger de Coverley. She was puritan, like her father, high-minded, and really stern. Therefore the dusky, golden softness of this man's sensuous flame of life, that flowed off his flesh like the flame from a candle, not baffled and gripped into incandescence by thought and spirit as her life was, seemed to her something wonderful, beyond her.
He came and bowed above her. A warmth radiated through her as if she had drunk wine.
"Now do come and have this one wi' me," he said caressively. "It's easy, you know. I'm pining to see you dance."
She had told him before she could not dance. She glanced at his humility and smiled. Her smile was very beautiful. It moved the man so that he forgot everything.
"No, I won't dance," she said softly. Her words came clean and ringing.
Not knowing what he was doing--he often did the right thing by instinct--he sat beside her, inclining reverentially.
"But you mustn't miss your dance," she reproved.
"Nay, I don't want to dance that--it's not one as I care about."
"Yet you invited me to it."
He laughed very heartily at this.
"I never thought o' that. Tha'rt not long in taking the curl out of me."
It was her turn to laugh quickly.
"You don't look as if you'd come much uncurled," she said.
"I'm like a pig's tail, I curl because I canna help it," he laughed, rather boisterously.
"And you are a miner!" she exclaimed in surprise.
"Yes. I went down when I was ten."
She looked at him in wondering dismay.
"When you were ten! And wasn't it very hard?" she asked.
"You soon get used to it. You live like th' mice, an' you pop out at night to see what's going on."
"It makes me feel blind," she frowned.
"Like a moudiwarp!" he laughed. "Yi, an' there's some chaps as does go round like moudiwarps." He thrust his face forward in the blind, snout-like way of a mole, seeming to sniff and peer for direction. "They dun though!" he protested naively. "Tha niver seed such a way they get in. But tha mun let me ta'e thee down some time, an' tha can see for thysen."
She looked at him, startled. This was a new tract of life suddenly opened before her. She realised the life of the miners, hundreds of them toiling below earth and coming up at evening. He seemed to her noble. He risked his life daily, and with gaiety. She looked at him, with a touch of appeal in her pure humility.
"Shouldn't ter like it?" he asked tenderly. "'Appen not, it 'ud dirty thee."
She had never been "thee'd" and "thou'd" before.
The next Christmas they were married, and for three months she was perfectly happy: for six months she was very happy.
He had signed the pledge, and wore the blue ribbon of a tee-totaller: he was nothing if not showy. They lived, she thought, in his own house. It was small, but convenient enough, and quite nicely furnished, with solid, worthy stuff that suited her honest soul. The women, her neighbours, were rather foreign to her, and Morel's mother and sisters were apt to sneer at her ladylike ways. But she could perfectly well live by herself, so long as she had her husband close.
Sometimes, when she herself wearied of love-talk, she tried to open her heart seriously to him. She saw him listen deferentially, but without understanding. This killed her efforts at a finer intimacy, and she had flashes of fear. Sometimes he was restless of an evening: it was not enough for him just to be near her, she realised. She was glad when he set himself to little jobs.
He was a remarkably handy man--could make or mend anything. So she would say:
"I do like that coal-rake of your mother's--it is small and natty."
"Does ter, my wench? Well, I made that, so I can make thee one! "
"What! why, it's a steel one!"
"An' what if it is! Tha s'lt ha'e one very similar, if not exactly same."
She did not mind the mess, nor the hammering and noise. He was busy and happy.
But in the seventh month, when she was brushing his Sunday coat, she felt papers in the breast pocket, and, seized with a sudden curiosity, took them out to read. He very rarely wore the frock-coat he was married in: and it had not occurred to her before to feel curious concerning the papers. They were the bills of the household furniture, still unpaid.
"Look here," she said at night, after he was washed and had had his dinner. "I found these in the pocket of your wedding-coat. Haven't you settled the bills yet?"
"No. I haven't had a chance."
"But you told me all was paid. I had better go into Nottingham on Saturday and settle them. I don't like sitting on another man's chairs and eating from an unpaid table."
He did not answer.
"I can have your bank-book, can't I?"
"Tha can ha'e it, for what good it'll be to thee."
"I thought---" she began. He had told her he had a good bit of money left over. But she realised it was no use asking questions. She sat rigid with bitterness and indignation.
The next day she went down to see his mother.
"Didn't you buy the furniture for Walter?" she asked.
"Yes, I did," tartly retorted the elder woman.
"And how much did he give you to pay for it?"
The elder woman was stung with fine indignation.
"Eighty pound, if you're so keen on knowin'," she replied.
"Eighty pounds! But there are forty-two pounds still owing!"
"I can't help that."
"But where has it all gone?"
"You'll find all the papers, I think, if you look--beside ten pound as he owed me, an' six pound as the wedding cost down here."
"Six pounds!" echoed Gertrude Morel. It seemed to her monstrous that, after her own father had paid so heavily for her wedding, six pounds more should have been squandered in eating and drinking at Walter's parents' house, at his expense.
"And how much has he sunk in his houses?" she asked.
"His houses--which houses?"
Gertrude Morel went white to the lips. He had told her the house he lived in, and the next one, was his own.
"I thought the house we live in---" she began.
"They're my houses, those two," said the mother-in-law. "And not clear either. It's as much as I can do to keep the mortgage interest paid."
Gertrude sat white and silent. She was her father now.
"Then we ought to be paying you rent," she said coldly.
"Walter is paying me rent," replied the mother.
"And what rent?" asked Gertrude.
"Six and six a week," retorted the mother.
It was more than the house was worth. Gertrude held her head erect, looked straight before her.
"It is lucky to be you," said the elder woman, bitingly, "to have a husband as takes all the worry of the money, and leaves you a free hand."
The young wife was silent.
She said very little to her husband, but her manner had changed towards him. Something in her proud, honourable soul had crystallised out hard as rock.
When October came in, she thought only of Christmas. Two years ago, at Christmas, she had met him. Last Christmas she had married him. This Christmas she would bear him a child.
"You don't dance yourself, do you, missis?" asked her nearest neighbour, in October, when there was great talk of opening a dancing-class over the Brick and Tile Inn at Bestwood.
"No--I never had the least inclination to," Mrs. Morel replied.
"Fancy! An' how funny as you should ha' married your Mester. You know he's quite a famous one for dancing."
"I didn't know he was famous," laughed Mrs. Morel.
"Yea, he is though! Why, he ran that dancing-class in the Miners' Arms club-room for over five year."
"Did he?"
"Yes, he did." The other woman was defiant. "An' it was thronged every Tuesday, and Thursday, an' Sat'day--an' there WAS carryin's-on, accordin' to all accounts."
This kind of thing was gall and bitterness to Mrs. Morel, and she had a fair share of it. The women did not spare her, at first; for she was superior, though she could not help it.
He began to be rather late in coming home.
"They're working very late now, aren't they?" she said to her washer-woman.
"No later than they allers do, I don't think. But they stop to have their pint at Ellen's, an' they get talkin', an' there you are! Dinner stone cold--an' it serves 'em right."
"But Mr. Morel does not take any drink."
The woman dropped the clothes, looked at Mrs. Morel, then went on with her work, saying nothing.
Gertrude Morel was very ill when the boy was born. Morel was good to her, as good as gold. But she felt very lonely, miles away from her own people. She felt lonely with him now, and his presence only made it more intense.
The boy was small and frail at first, but he came on quickly. He was a beautiful child, with dark gold ringlets, and dark-blue eyes which changed gradually to a clear grey. His mother loved him passionately. He came just when her own bitterness of disillusion was hardest to bear; when her faith in life was shaken, and her soul felt dreary and lonely. She made much of the child, and the father was jealous.
At last Mrs. Morel despised her husband. She turned to the child; she turned from the father. He had begun to neglect her; the novelty of his own home was gone. He had no grit, she said bitterly to herself. What he felt just at the minute, that was all to him. He could not abide by anything. There was nothing at the back of all his show.
There began a battle between the husband and wife--a fearful, bloody battle that ended only with the death of one. She fought to make him undertake his own responsibilities, to make him fulfill his obligations. But he was too different from her. His nature was purely sensuous, and she strove to make him moral, religious. She tried to force him to face things. He could not endure it--it drove him out of his mind.
While the baby was still tiny, the father's temper had become so irritable that it was not to be trusted. The child had only to give a little trouble when the man began to bully. A little more, and the hard hands of the collier hit the baby. Then Mrs. Morel loathed her husband, loathed him for days; and he went out and drank; and she cared very little what he did. Only, on his return, she scathed him with her satire.
The estrangement between them caused him, knowingly or unknowingly, grossly to offend her where he would not have done.
William was only one year old, and his mother was proud of him, he was so pretty. She was not well off now, but her sisters kept the boy in clothes. Then, with his little white hat curled with an ostrich feather, and his white coat, he was a joy to her, the twining wisps of hair clustering round his head. Mrs. Morel lay listening, one Sunday morning, to the chatter of the father and child downstairs. Then she dozed off. When she came downstairs, a great fire glowed in the grate, the room was hot, the breakfast was roughly laid, and seated in his armchair, against the chimney-piece, sat Morel, rather timid; and standing between his legs, the child--cropped like a sheep, with such an odd round poll--looking wondering at her; and on a newspaper spread out upon the hearthrug, a myriad of crescent-shaped curls, like the petals of a marigold scattered in the reddening firelight.
Mrs. Morel stood still. It was her first baby. She went very white, and was unable to speak.
"What dost think o' 'im?" Morel laughed uneasily.
She gripped her two fists, lifted them, and came forward. Morel shrank back.
"I could kill you, I could!" she said. She choked with rage, her two fists uplifted.
"Yer non want ter make a wench on 'im," Morel said, in a frightened tone, bending his head to shield his eyes from hers. His attempt at laughter had vanished.
The mother looked down at the jagged, close-clipped head of her child. She put her hands on his hair, and stroked and fondled his head.
"Oh--my boy!" she faltered. Her lip trembled, her face broke, and, snatching up the child, she buried her face in his shoulder and cried painfully. She was one of those women who cannot cry; whom it hurts as it hurts a man. It was like ripping something out of her, her sobbing.
Morel sat with his elbows on his knees, his hands gripped together till the knuckles were white. He gazed in the fire, feeling almost stunned, as if he could not breathe.
Presently she came to an end, soothed the child and cleared away the breakfast-table. She left the newspaper, littered with curls, spread upon the hearthrug. At last her husband gathered it up and put it at the back of the fire. She went about her work with closed mouth and very quiet. Morel was subdued. He crept about wretchedly, and his meals were a misery that day. She spoke to him civilly, and never alluded to what he had done. But he felt something final had happened.
Afterwards she said she had been silly, that the boy's hair would have had to be cut, sooner or later. In the end, she even brought herself to say to her husband it was just as well he had played barber when he did. But she knew, and Morel knew, that that act had caused something momentous to take place in her soul. She remembered the scene all her life, as one in which she had suffered the most intensely.
This act of masculine clumsiness was the spear through the side of her love for Morel. Before, while she had striven against him bitterly, she had fretted after him, as if he had gone astray from her. Now she ceased to fret for his love: he was an outsider to her. This made life much more bearable.
Nevertheless, she still continued to strive with him. She still had her high moral sense, inherited from generations of Puritans. It was now a religious instinct, and she was almost a fanatic with him, because she loved him, or had loved him. If he sinned, she tortured him. If he drank, and lied, was often a poltroon, sometimes a knave, she wielded the lash unmercifully.
The pity was, she was too much his opposite. She could not be content with the little he might be; she would have him the much that he ought to be. So, in seeking to make him nobler than he could be, she destroyed him. She injured and hurt and scarred herself, but she lost none of her worth. She also had the children.
He drank rather heavily, though not more than many miners, and always beer, so that whilst his health was affected, it was never injured. The week-end was his chief carouse. He sat in the Miners' Arms until turning-out time every Friday, every Saturday, and every Sunday evening. On Monday and Tuesday he had to get up and reluctantly leave towards ten o'clock. Sometimes he stayed at home on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, or was only out for an hour. He practically never had to miss work owing to his drinking.
But although he was very steady at work, his wages fell off. He was blab-mouthed, a tongue-wagger. Authority was hateful to him, therefore he could only abuse the pit-managers. He would say, in the Palmerston:
"Th' gaffer come down to our stall this morning, an' 'e says, 'You know, Walter, this 'ere'll not do. What about these props?' An' I says to him, 'Why, what art talkin' about? What d'st mean about th' props?' 'It'll never do, this 'ere,' 'e says. 'You'll be havin' th' roof in, one o' these days.' An' I says, 'Tha'd better stan' on a bit o' clunch, then, an' hold it up wi' thy 'ead.' So 'e wor that mad, 'e cossed an' 'e swore, an' t'other chaps they did laugh." Morel was a good mimic. He imitated the manager's fat, squeaky voice, with its attempt at good English.
"'I shan't have it, Walter. Who knows more about it, me or you?' So I says, 'I've niver fun out how much tha' knows, Alfred. It'll 'appen carry thee ter bed an' back."'
So Morel would go on to the amusement of his boon companions. And some of this would be true. The pit-manager was not an educated man. He had been a boy along with Morel, so that, while the two disliked each other, they more or less took each other for granted. But Alfred Charlesworth did not forgive the butty these public-house sayings. Consequently, although Morel was a good miner, sometimes earning as much as five pounds a week when he married, he came gradually to have worse and worse stalls, where the coal was thin, and hard to get, and unprofitable.
Also, in summer, the pits are slack. Often, on bright sunny mornings, the men are seen trooping home again at ten, eleven, or twelve o'clock. No empty trucks stand at the pit-mouth. The women on the hillside look across as they shake the hearthrug against the fence, and count the wagons the engine is taking along the line up the valley. And the children, as they come from school at dinner-time, looking down the fields and seeing the wheels on the headstocks standing, say:
"Minton's knocked off. My dad'll be at home."
And there is a sort of shadow over all, women and children and men, because money will be short at the end of the week.
Morel was supposed to give his wife thirty shillings a week, to provide everything--rent, food, clothes, clubs, insurance, doctors. Occasionally, if he were flush, he gave her thirty-five. But these occasions by no means balanced those when he gave her twenty-five. In winter, with a decent stall, the miner might earn fifty or fifty-five shillings a week. Then he was happy. On Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday, he spent royally, getting rid of his sovereign or thereabouts. And out of so much, he scarcely spared the children an extra penny or bought them a pound of apples. It all went in drink. In the bad times, matters were more worrying, but he was not so often drunk, so that Mrs. Morel used to say:
"I'm not sure I wouldn't rather be short, for when he's flush, there isn't a minute of peace."
yòu shí hòu， tā yàn juàn liǎo qīng qīng wǒ wǒ de mì yǔ， nǔ lì cháng shì zhe gēn tā zhèng 'ér bā jīng dì liáo liáo， dāng rán tā zhǐ shì zài yòng xīn de tīng zhe， què tīng bù dǒng。 zhè shǐ tā nà xiǎng bǐ cǐ jiā shēn lǐ jiě de xī wàng pò miè liǎo， tā yòu diǎn hài pà。 yòu shí hòu， tā yī dào wǎn shàng jiù zuò lì bù 'ān， tā míng bái， duì tā lái shuō shǒu zhe tā bù shì tā shēng huó de quán bù， suǒ xìng bìng tòng kuài kuài dì ràng tā qù gān xiē líng huó。
tā cōng míng shǒu qiǎo， shàn cháng xiū xiū bǔ bǔ。 yīn cǐ， tā jiù shuō：
“ wǒ zhēn xǐ huān nǐ mǔ qīn de nà gè huǒ bō zǐ héng héng xiǎo qiǎo hǎo shǐ。”
“ zhēn de má？ bǎo bèi？ ǹg， nà shì wǒ zuò de， wǒ kě yǐ zài zuò yī gè。”
“ shénme！ wā， nà shì gāng de。”
“ gāng de yòu zěn me liǎo， wǒ yī dìng huì zuò yī bǎ， jí shǐ bù wán quán yī yàng， yě chàbù lí 'ér de。”
tā bù zài hū luàn qī bā zāo， dīng dīng guāng guāng， yīn wéi tā zhèng máng dé bù yì lè hū。
dàn dào hūn hòu dì qī gè yuè de yī tiān， tā zài shuà sǎo tā de nà jiàn lǐ fú shí， fā jué tā xiōng qián de kǒu dài lǐ yòu jǐ zhāng zhǐ。 chū yú yī zhǒng hàoqí xīn， tā ná chū liǎo nà jǐ zhāng zhǐ。 tā hěn shǎo chuān zhè jiàn jié hūn shí chuān de lǐ fú， suǒ yǐ， yǐ qián bìng wèi zhù yì zhè xiē zhǐ piàn， yuán lái shì fáng zǐ jiā jù de zhàng dān， zhì jīn shàng wèi fù qīng。
“ kàn，” zài tā chī wán wǎn fàn， xǐ wán zǎo zhī hòu， tā cái shuō：“ wǒ zài nǐ de hūn lǐ fú lǐ fā xiàn liǎo zhè xiē zhàng dān， nǐ hái méi yòu hái qīng má？”
“ méi yòu， wǒ hái méi lái dé jí ní。”
“ dàn shì， nǐ gào sù wǒ suǒ yòu de zhàng dōuyǐ fù qīng。 nà wǒ zuì hǎo xīng qī liù qù nuò dīng hàn bǎ zhàng fù qīng liǎo。 wǒ bù xiǎng zuò zài bié rén de yǐ shàng、 bié rén de zhuō zǐ bàng chī fàn。”
tā méi yòu kēng qì。
“ nǐ néng bǎ nǐ de cún zhé gěi wǒ má？”
“ kě yǐ， dǐng shénme yòng ní！”
“ wǒ jué dé……” tā yù shuō yòu zhǐ。 tā céng jīng gěi tā shuō guò， tā hái yòu yī bǐ cún kuǎn。 kě shì， xiàn zài tā yì shí dào zài wèn yě méi yòng。 yú shì， tā zhǐ hǎo yòu bēi liáng yòu fèn nù dì dāi dāi dì zuò zài nà lǐ。
dì 'èr tiān， tā qù jiàn tā men de mǔ qīn。
“ nǐ gěi wò 'ěr tè mǎi guò jiā jù má？” tā wèn dào。
“ shì 'ā， wǒ mǎi guò。” lǎo tài tài lěng dàn dì huí dá。
“ tā gěi nǐ duō shǎo qián qù mǎi jiā jù？”
lǎo tài tài bèi 'ér xí fù de wèn huà jī nù liǎo。
“ jì rán zhè me guān xīn， wǒ jiù gào sù nǐ， bā shí bàng！” tā huí dá dào。
“ bā shí bàng！ kě shì hái yòu sì shí 'èr yīng bàng hái méi yòu fù ní！”
“ zhè bù shì wǒ de wèn tí。”
“ kě shì， qián dào nǎ 'ér qù liǎo？”
“ wǒ xiǎng nǐ huì zhǎo dào suǒ yòu de zhàng dān de。 nǐ yī kàn jiù zhī dào liǎo héng héng tā chú liǎo qiàn wǒ shí bàng wài， hái yòu wǒ zhè 'ér bàn hūn lǐ huā qù de liù bàng。”
“ liù bàng！” gé tè lǔ dé · mò ruì 'ěr chóngfù liǎo yī jù tā jué dé zhè huà tài wú chǐ， tā fù qīn wéi tā bàn hūn lǐ huā diào liǎo yī dà bǐ qián， rán 'ér， wò 'ěr tè fù qīn hái ràng 'ér zǐ fù liù bàng de jiǔ xí qián。
“ tā mǎi fáng zǐ huā liǎo duō shǎo qián？” tā wèn dào。
“ tā de fáng zǐ héng héng nǎ 'ér de fáng zǐ？”
gé tè lǔ dé · mò ruì 'ěr de zuǐ chún dū fā bái liǎo。 tā céng gào sù tā， tā zhù de fáng zǐ hé bàng biān de nà jiān fáng zǐ， dōushì tā zì jǐ de。
“ wǒ yǐ wéi wǒ men zhù de fáng zǐ héng héng” tā yù yán yòu zhǐ。
“ nà shì wǒ de fáng zǐ， nà liǎng jiān，” pó pó shuō：“ shōu fèi bìng bù gāo， wǒ zhǐ xū yào néng gòu dǐ yā lì xī jiù xíng liǎo。”
gé tè lǔ dé liǎn sè cāng bái， yī yán bù fā dì zuò zài nà 'ér， shén qíng jiǎn zhí gēn tā fù qīn yī mó yī yàng。
“ nà me shuō， wǒ men yīnggāi gěi nǐ fù fáng zū。” tā lěng lěng dì shuō。
“ wò 'ěr tè shì zài gěi wǒ fù fáng zū。” pó pó huí dá。
“ duō shǎo zū jīn？” gé tè lǔ dé wèn。
“ měi zhōu liù xiān lìng。” pó pó huí dá。
kě fáng zǐ bù zhí zhè gè jià qián。 gé tè lǔ dé 'áng qǐ tóu， zhí zhí dì chǒu zhe tā。
“ nǐ hěn xìng yùn，” lǎo tài tài fěng cì dì shuō：“ huā qián yòng fèi dū yóu zhàng fū cāo xīn， zì jǐ zhǐ dà shǒu dà jiǎo dì yòng。”
xiǎo xí fù bǎo chí chén mò。
tā duì zhàng fū méi shuō shénme， dàn tā duì tā de tài dù biàn liǎo， tā nà gāo 'ào、 zhèng zhí de xīn líng， biàn dé lěng rú hán bīng， yìng sì pán shí。
zhuǎn yǎn dào liǎo shí yuè， tā yī xīn xiǎng zhe shèng dàn jié。 liǎng nián qián de shèng dàn jié， tā yù jiàn liǎo tā， qù nián shèng dàn jié， tā jià gěi liǎo tā， jīn nián shèng dàn jié tā jiāng gěi tā shēng hái zǐ。
“ nǐ bù qù tiào wǔ má， tài tài？” tā gé bì de yī gè lín jū wèn tā。 shí yuè lǐ， zài bèi sī wǔ dé“ zhuān wǎ jiǔ diàn” lǐ dà jiā yì lùn fēn fēn， shuō yào jǔ bàn yī gè wǔ dǎo bān。
“ bù， wǒ cóng lái méi yòu xiǎng tiào wǔ de yù wàng。” mò ruì 'ěr tài tài huí dá。
“ zhēn guài！ nǐ jià gěi nǐ zhàng fū kě zhēn yòu yì sī。 nǐ zhī dào tā shì yī gè fēi cháng yòu míng de wǔ gùn。”
“ wǒ kě bù zhī dào tā zhè me yòu míng。” mò ruì 'ěr tài tài xiào zhe huí dá。
“ hē， tā cái yòu míng ní！ ( ǒu qiàn )， tā zhù chí kuàng gōng jù lè bù de tiào wǔ bān dōuyòu wǔ nián duō liǎo。”
“ shì me？”“ shì de。” lìng yī míng fù nǚ yě dài zhe miè shì de shén qíng shuō，“ nà 'ér měi xīng qī 'èr、 sì、 liù dū jǐ mǎn liǎo rén， jù shuō hái yòu chǒu tài bǎi chū de shì。”
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài duì zhè lèi shì qíng yòu qì yòu hèn， nǚ rén men qīng qīng zhā zhā dì shāng hài tā， yīn wéi tā bù yuàn rù xiāng suí sú。 qí shí tā bìng bù xiǎng zhè yàng， tiān xìng shǐ rán。
tā kāi shǐ hěn wǎn cái huí jiā。
“ tā men xiàn zài xià bān hěn wǎn má？” tā wèn xǐ yī nǚ gōng。
“ bù bǐ wǎng cháng wǎn。 tā men zài 'ài lún jiǔ diàn hē jiǔ liáo tiān， jiù zhè me huí shì！ wǎn fàn dōuliáng liǎo héng héng tā men huó gāi！”
“ dàn shì mò ruì 'ěr xiān shēng yǐ jīng jiè jiǔ liǎo。”
zhè wèi nǚ gōng fàng xià yī fú， kàn kàn mò ruì 'ěr tài tài， rán hòu yī yán bù fā dì jì xù de huó。
gé tè lǔ dé · mò ruì 'ěr shēng 'ér zǐ shí bìng dé hěn lì hài， mò ruì 'ěr duì tā tǐ tiē rù wēi。 bù guò tā hái shì jué dé yuǎn lí niàn jiā， bèi gǎn gū dú。 xiàn zài， jí shǐ hé tā zài yī qǐ yǐ rán jì mò， shèn zhì， tā de chū xiàn zhǐ néng ràng tā gèng jì mò。
ér zǐ gāng chū shēng shí yòu xiǎo yòu ruò， dàn cháng dé hěn kuài。 tā shì gè piào liàng de hái zǐ， jīn huáng sè de juǎnfà， yī shuāng shēn lán qiǎn huī xiāngjiàn de yǎn jīng， mǔ qīn shēn 'ài zhe tā。 zài tā huàn xiǎng pò miè， shāng xīn yù jué， duì shēng huó de xìn niàn kāi shǐ dòng yáo， líng hún jì mò 'ér gū dú shí， tā lái dào shì shàng。 suǒ yǐ， tā duì 'ér zǐ qīng zhù liǎo suǒ yòu de rè qíng， lián zuò fù qīn dedōu dù jí liǎo。
mò ruì 'ěr fū rén zhōng yú kàn bù qǐ tā de zhàng fū liǎo。 tā de xīn cóng fù qīn shēn shàng zhuǎn dào 'ér zǐ shēn shàng。 tā kāi shǐ hū shì tā， xiǎo jiā tíng de xīn qí gǎn yě zǎo yǐ xiāo shī。 tā shāng xīn dì 'àn zì shǔluò zhe zhàng fū， tā méi yòu yì lì， quē fá héng xīn， fán shì zhǐ qiú yī shí tòng kuài， jīn yù qí wài， bài xù qí zhōng。
yīcháng kě pà、 cán rěn， nǐ sǐ wǒ huó de dǒu zhēng kāi shǐ zài fū qī zhī jiān zhǎn kāi。 tā nǔ lì pò shǐ tā míng bái zì jǐ de zé rèn， lǚ xíng zì jǐ de yì wù。 jìn guǎn tā gēn tā tiān xìng shū yì， tā zhǐ zhù zhòng chún gǎn guān shàng de xiǎng shòu， tā què yìng yào tā jiǎng dào dé， xìn zōng jiào。 tā nǔ lì ràng tā miàn duì xiàn shí， tā shòu bù liǎo héng héng zhè jiǎn zhí ràng tā fā fēng。
hái zǐ hái hěn xiǎo de shí hòu， fù qīn de pí qì jiù biàn dé jí zào yì nù， lìng rén nán yǐ xìn lài。 hái zǐ shāo wēi yòu yī diǎn chǎo nào shēng， tā jiù mánhèng dì xià hǔ tā， zài gǎn nào， nà shuāng kuàng gōng de quán tóu jiù cháo hái zǐ shēn shàng dǎ qù。 rán hòu， mò ruì 'ěr tài tài jiù yī lián jǐ tiān shēng zhàng fū de qì。 tā ní， jiù chū qù hē jiǔ。 tā duì tā gān xiē shénme mò bù guān xīn， zhǐ shì， děng tā huí jiā shí， jiù fěng cì xī luò tā。
tā men zhī jiān gǎn qíng de shū yuǎn， shǐ tā yòu yì wú yì dì cū lǔ dì mào fàn tā， ér yǐ qián tā què bù shì zhè yàng。
wēi lián gāng yī suì shí， jiù hěn piào liàng， zuò mǔ qīn de wèicǐ 'ér zì háo。 tā nà shí shēng huó kùn nán， tā de jiě mèi men bāo liǎo hái zǐ de yī fú。 ér zǐ mǎn tóu juǎnfà， shēn zhe bái yī， tóu dài bái mào， mào zǐ shàng hái shì yòu yī gēn tuó niǎo yǔ máo。 mǔ qīn mǎn xīn huān xǐ。 yī gè xīng qī tiān de zǎo chén， mò ruì 'ěr tài tài tǎng zài chuáng shàng tīng jiàn fù zǐ liǎ zài lóu xià xián liáo。 bù yī huì， tā shuì zhe liǎo。 dāng tā xià lóu shí， lú huǒ wàng shèng， wū lǐ hěn rè， zǎo cān luàn qī bā zāo dì bǎi zhe， mò ruì 'ěr zuò zài kào bì lú de fú shǒu yǐ shàng， yòu diǎn qiè nuò， jiā zài tā liǎng tuǐ zhōng jiān de hái zǐ héng héng tóu fā lǐ dé xiàng gāng jiǎn liǎo máo de yáng yī yàng nán kàn héng héng zhèng mò míng qí miào dì kàn zhe tā。 lú biān dì tǎn shàng pū zhe yī zhāng bào zhǐ， shàng miàn duī zhe yī duī yuè yá xíng de juǎnfà， hóng hóng de huǒ guāng yī zhào， xiàng jīn zhǎn cǎo de huā bàn yī yàng。
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài yī dòng bù dòng dì zhàn zhe， zhè nǎ 'ér xiàng tā de zhǎngzǐ。 tā liǎn sè cāng bái， huà yě shuō bù chū lái。
“ tì dé zěn yàng？” mò ruì 'ěr gān gà dì xiào zhe。
tā jǔ qǐ jǐn wò de shuāng quán， zǒu shàng qián lái， mò ruì 'ěr wǎng hòu tuì liǎo tuì。
“ wǒ xiǎng shā liǎo nǐ！” tā gāo jǔ shuāng quán hǎn zhe， qì dé shuō bù chū huà lái。
“ nǐ bù xiǎng bǎ tā dǎ bàn chéng nǚ hái zǐ bā！” mò ruì 'ěr dī zhe tóu， táo bì tā de yǎn shén， dǎn qiè dì shuō， liǎn shàng nǔ lì jǐ chū de yī sī xiào yì xiāo shī liǎo。
mǔ qīn dī tóu kàn zhe 'ér zǐ nà cháng duǎn bù qí de tū tóu， shēn chū shǒu téng 'ài dì fǔ mō zhe tā。
“ ( ǒu qiàn )， wǒ de hái zǐ！” tā chàn shēng shuō， zuǐ chún fā dǒu liǎn sè biàn liǎo， tā yī bǎ bào zhù hái zǐ， bǎ liǎn mái zài hái zǐ de jiān shàng tòng kǔ dì kū liǎo。 tā shì gè bù qīng yì diào lèi de nǚ rén， kū duì tā de shāng hài bù yà yú duì nán rén de shāng hài。 tā sī liè fèi fǔ bān dì kū qì zhe。 mò ruì 'ěr shuāng zhǒu zhī zài xī gài shàng zuò zhe， jǐn wò shuāng shǒu， zhǐ guān jié dū fā bái liǎo。 tā dāi dāi dì dīng zhe huǒ， hǎo xiàng bèi rén dǎ liǎo yī bàng， lián hū xī dōubù gǎn hū xī。
yī huì 'ér， tā kū wán liǎo， hōng zhù hái zǐ， shōu shí liǎo fàn zhuō， tā méi guǎn nà zhāng sǎ mǎn juàn fā de、 tān zài lú biān dì tǎn shàng de bào zhǐ。 zuì hòu， tā de zhàng fū bǎ bào zhǐ shōu shí qǐ lái， fàng zài lú zǐ hòu miàn。 tā bì zhe zuǐ mò mò dì de huó。 mò ruì 'ěr fú fú tiē tiē， zhěng tiān chuí tóu sàng qì， bù sī chá fàn。 tā duì tā shuō huà róng kè qì qì， cóng bù tí tā gān de nà jiàn shì， dàn tā jué dé tā liǎ de gǎn qíng chè dǐ pò liè liǎo。
guò hòu， tā jué dé dāng shí tā tài shǎ liǎo， hái zǐ de tóu fā chí zǎo dū dé jiǎn。 zuì hòu， tā jìng rán duì zhàng fū shuō tā jiǎn tóu fā jiù xiàng lǐfà shī shìde。 bù guò tā míng bái， mò ruì 'ěr yě qīng chǔ zhè jiàn shì zài tā líng hún shēn chù chǎn shēng de zhòng dà yǐng xiǎng， tā yī shēng dōubù huì wàng jì nà gè chǎng miàn， zhè shì ràng tā gǎn dào zuì tòng kǔ de yī jiàn shì。
nán rén de zhè gè lǔ mǎng xíng wéi hǎo xiàng yīgǎn máo yī yàng cì pò liǎo tā duì mò ruì 'ěr de 'ài xīn。 yǐ qián， tā kǔ kǔ dì gēn tā zhēng chǎo， wèitā de lí xīn lí dé 'ér fán nǎo。 xiàn zài tā bù zài wèitā de 'ài fán nǎo liǎo， tā duì tā lái shuō shì gè jú wài rén， zhè yàng fǎn 'ér shǐ tā róng yì rěn shòu yī xiē。
rán 'ér， tā réng rán gēn tā bù xiè dì zhēng zhí zhe。 tā jì chéng liǎo shì shì dài dài qīng jiào tú de gāo shàng hé dào dé gǎn。 zhè yǐ jīng chéng wéi yī zhǒng zōng jiào běn néng。 tā yīn wéi 'ài tā， huò zhě shuō 'ài guò tā， zài hé tā xiāng chù shí tā jīhū chéng liǎo yī gè kuáng rè de xìn tú。 rú guǒ tā yòu guò shī。 tā jiù zhé mó tā； rú guǒ tā hē zuì liǎo huò shuō liǎo huǎng， tā jiù háo bù kè qì dì mà tā shì lǎn hàn， mà tā shì 'è gùn。
yí hàn de shì， tā hé tā shuǐ huǒ bù róng。 tā duì tā suǒ zuò de yī qiēdōu bù néng mǎn yì， tā rèn wéi tā yīnggāi zuò de gèng duō gèng hǎo。 tā jié lì yào tā chéng wéi yī gè gāo shàng de rén， zhè gè yào qiú chāo yuè tā suǒ néng jí de shuǐ píng， yīn cǐ， fǎn 'ér huǐ liǎo tā， yě shāng hài liǎo zì jǐ。 dàn tā méi yòu fàng qì zì jǐ de jià zhí biāo zhǔn， hái zǐ jìng 'ài tā。
tā hē jiǔ suī rán hěn xiōng， dàn bǐ bù shàng qí tā kuàng gōng lì hài， ér qiě zǒng shì hē pí jiǔ。 jìn guǎn duì jiàn kāng yòu yī dìng de yǐng xiǎng， dàn méi yòu duō dà de shāng hài。 zhōu mò shì tā jǔ bēi chàng yǐn de shí hòu。 měi féng xīng qī wǔ、 xīng qī liù、 xīng qī tiān wǎn shàng， tādōu zài kuàng gōng jiǔ guǎn zuò dào guān mén。 xīng qī yī hé xīng qī 'èr tā bù dé bù zài 10 diǎn zuǒ yòu jí bù qíng yuàn dì lí kāi jiǔ guǎn。 xīng qī sān、 xīng qī sì wǎn shàng， tā dāi zài jiā lǐ， huò zhǐ chū qù yī gè xiǎo shí。 shí jì shàng， tā cóng lái méi yòu yīn wéi hē jiǔ 'ér wù liǎo gōng zuò。
jìn guǎn tā gōng zuò tà shí， dàn tā de gōng zī què bù zēng fǎn jiàng。 yīn wéi tā duō zuǐ duō shé， ài shuō xián huà， mù wú shàng jí， mán mà kuàng jǐng gōng tóu。 tā zài pà mǎ sī dùn jiǔ huì shàng shuō：“ gōng tóu jīn tiān zǎo chén xià dào wǒ men kēng dào lǐ lái liǎo， tā shuō：‘ nǐ zhī dào， wò 'ěr tè， zhè bù xíng， zhè xiē zhī zhù shì zěn me huí shì？’‘ zhè yàng jué bù xíng，’ tā shuō，‘ zǒng yòu yī tiān huì mào dǐng de。’ wǒ shuō：‘ nà nǐ zuì hǎo zhàn zài tǔ duī shàng， yòng nǐ de nǎo dài bǎ tā dǐng qǐ lái bā。’ tā qì fēng liǎo， bù tíng dì mà rén， bié de réndōu dà xiào qǐ lái。” mò ruì 'ěr hěn shàn yú mó fǎng， tā nǔ lì yòng biāo biāo zhǔn zhǔn de yīng yǔ mó fǎng gōng tóu de duǎn cù cì 'ěr de shēng yīn。
“ wǒ bù néng róng rěn zhè xiē de， wò 'ěr tè。 wǒ liǎ shuí gèng zài xíng？” wǒ shuō：“ wǒ cóng wèi fā xiàn nǐ dǒng dé hěn duō， ài fú dé， hái bù rú hōng zhe nǐ shàng chuáng ní！”
mò ruì 'ěr kǒu ruò xuán hé dì shuō zhe， jiǔ yǒu men xīng gāo cǎi liè。 bù guò tā de huà yě shì zhēn shí， zhè gè kuàng jǐng gōng tóu shì yī wèi méi shòu guò jiào yù de rén， céng shì hé mò ruì 'ěr yī lèi de rén， yīn cǐ， jìn guǎn liǎng gè rén sù bù xiānghè， dàn huò duō huò shǎo néng róng rěn yī xiē。 bù guò， ài fú dé · chá 'ěr sī wò sī duì mò ruì 'ěr zài jiǔ diàn zhōng cháo xiào zì jǐ， yī zhí gěng gěng yú huái。 yīn cǐ， jìn guǎn mò ruì 'ěr shì yī gè hěn néng chī kǔ de kuàng gōng， tā jié hūn nà shí， yī xīng qī hái néng zhèng 5 yīng bàng， kě xiàn zài tā bèi fēn pài dào gèng zá gèng pín de kuàng jǐng lǐ， nà lǐ méi céng hěnbáo， ér qiě nán cǎi， suǒ yǐ wú fǎ zuàn qián。
ér qiě， xià tiān， kuàng jǐng shēng yì chǔyú tán jì。 nán rén men cháng cháng zài 10 diǎn、 11 diǎn、 12 diǎn jiù pái zhe duì huí jiā liǎo， zhè shí tài yáng hái zhèng gāo ní， méi yòu kōng kǎ chē tíng zài kuàng jǐng kǒu děng zhe zhuāng méi。 shān pō shàng de fù nǚ men zài lí bā bàng yī biān pāi dǎzháo dì tǎn yī biān cháo zhè 'ér zhāng wàng， shù zhe huǒ chē tóu tuō jìn shān gǔ de chē pí yòu duō shǎo。 hái zǐ men， fàng xué huí jiā wǎng xià wàng jiàn méi tián shàng diào chē lún zǐ tíng zhe， jiù shuō：
“ mǐn dùn guān mén liǎo， wǒ bà bà huí jiā liǎo。”
sì hū yòu yī zhǒng yīn yǐng lǒngzhào zhe fù nǚ、 xiǎo hái hé nán rén， yīn wéi zhè gè xīng qī mò yòu quē qián huā liǎo。
mò ruì 'ěr běn yìng gāi měi xīng qī gěi tā de qī zǐ 30 xiān lìng， lái zhī fù gè zhǒng dōng xī héng héng fáng zū、 shí wù、 yī fú、 jù lè bù huì fèi、 bǎo xiǎn fèi、 yī liáo fèi děng děng， ǒu 'ěr， rú guǒ tā bǐ jiào kuān yù， tā jiù gěi tā 35 xiān lìng。 dàn shì， zhè zhǒng qíng xíng yuǎn bù jí tā gěi tā 25 xiān lìng de cì shù duō。 dōng tiān， zài méi duō de kuàng jǐng lǐ， tā měi xīng qī jiù néng zhèng 50 huò 55 xiān lìng。 zhè shí tā jiù gāo xīng jí liǎo， xīng qī wǔ、 liù hé xīng qī tiān， tā huì xiàng guì zú yī yàng dà dà fāng fāng dì huā diào yī gè jīn bàng zuǒ yòu。 jìn guǎn zhè yàng， tā hěn shǎo duō gěi hái zǐ men fēn yī gè biàn shì huò gěi tā men mǎi yī bàng píng guǒ， qián dū yòng lái hē jiǔ liǎo。 zài méi kuàng pí ruǎn de shí hòu， shēng huó jiān nán， dàn tā dǎo bù huì jīng cháng dì hē zuì， yīn cǐ mò ruì 'ěr tài tài cháng shuō：
“ wǒ shuō bù zhǔn wǒ shì bù shì nìngyuàn qián shǎo diǎn， tā shāo wēi kuān yù yī diǎn， jiù méi yòu yī kè de 'ān níng liǎo。”
rú guǒ tā zhèng liǎo 40 xiān lìng， jiù huì liú 10 xiān lìng， zhèng 35 jiù liú 5， zhèng 32 jiù liú 4， zhèng 28 jiù liú 3， zhèng 24 jiù liú 2， zhèng 20 xiān lìng jiù liú 1 xiān lìng 6 biàn shì， zhèng 18 xiān lìng jiù liú 1 xiān lìng， zhèng 16 jiù liú 6 biàn shì。 tā cóng lái méi cún guò 1 biàn shì， yě bù gěi qī zǐ cún qián de jī huì， xiāng fǎn， tā 'ǒu 'ěr hái tì tā hái zhàng， bù shì jiǔ zhàng， yīn wéi nà zhǒng zhàng cóng bù ràng nǚ rén hái， ér shì nà xiē mǎi liǎo yī zhǐ jīn sī què huò yī gēn qí tè de shǒu zhàng 'ér qiàn de zhàng。
jié rì qī jiān， mò ruì 'ěr rù bù fū chū， mò ruì 'ěr tài tài yīn wéi yào zuò yuè zǐ， jìn liàng dì shěng qián。 tā yī xiǎng dào tā zài wài miàn xún huān zuò lè， huī huò wú dù， ér tā què dāi zài jiā lǐ fā chóu， biàn bèi jué qī liáng。 jié rì yòu liǎng tiān。 xīng qī 'èr zǎo chén mò ruì 'ěr qǐ dé hěn zǎo， tā xīng zhì hěn gāo。 liù diǎn yǐ qián， tā jiù tīng dào tā chuī zhe shào xià lóu qù liǎo。 tā chuī dé fēi cháng liú chàng， huó pō 'ér dòng tīng。 tā chuī de jīhū dōushì shèng qū。 tā céng shì chàng shī bān yī yuán， sǎng yīn chún zhèng， hái zài sà sī wēi dà jiào táng dú chàng guò。 tā zǎo chén de kǒu shào shēng jiù xiǎn shì chū tā de gōng fū。
qī zǐ tǎng zài chuáng shàng， tīng zhe tā zài huā yuán lǐ dīng dāng dīng dāng， kǒu shào shēng bàn suí tā jù jù chuí chuí shēng。 zài qíng lǎng de zǎo chén， hái zǐ men hái zài mèng xiāng， tīng tā nà nán zǐ hàn de kuài lè shēng， tā duǒ zài chuáng shàng， tǐ yàn dào yī zhǒng wēn nuǎn、 ān níng de gǎn jué。
jiǔ diǎn zhōng， hái zǐ men guāng tuǐ chì jiǎo dì zuò zài shā fā shàng wán， mǔ qīn zài chú fáng lǐ xǐ xǐ shuàn shuàn。 tā ná zhe gōng jù zǒu jìn lái， xiù zǐ juàn dé gāo gāo de， bèi xīn wǎng shàng fān zhe。 tā réng rán shì yī gè yīng jùn de nán rén， hēi sè bō làng shì juǎnfà， hēi hēi de dà hú zǐ。 tā de liǎn yě xǔ tài hóng liǎo， zhè shǐ tā kàn shàng qù yòu diǎn bào zào。 dàn shì cǐ kè tā xīng zhì bó bó， tā jìng zhí zǒu dào qī zǐ xǐ shuàn de shuǐ cáo biān。
“ ā， nǐ zài zhè 'ér！” tā xīng gāo cǎi liè dì shuō，“ zǒu kāi， ràng wǒ xǐ zǎo。”
“ nǐ yīnggāi děng wǒ xǐ wán。” qī zǐ shuō。
“ ( ǒu qiàn )， yào wǒ děng？ rú guǒ wǒ bù ní？”
zhè zhǒng yōu mò de kǒnghè dòu lè liǎo mò ruì 'ěr tài tài。
“ nà nǐ jiù qù xǐ zǎo pén lǐ xǐ bā。”
“ hā， xíng， nǐ zhè gè fán rén de jiā huǒ。”
rán hòu， tā zhàn zài nà lǐ kàn liǎo tā yī zhèn zǐ cái zǒu kāi。
tā yòng xīn shōu shí yī xià， hái shì yīng jùn xiāo sǎ de nán zǐ。 tōng cháng tā xǐ huān zài bó zǐ shàng wéi yī kuài wéi jīn chū qù， kě shì xiàn zài， tā dé hǎohǎo xǐ yī xià。 tā huá huá lā lā dì xǐ liǎn， xǐng bí zǐ， yòu huǒ jí huǒ liáo dì qù chú fáng zhào zhào jìng zǐ。 jìng zǐ tài dī， tā wān xià yāo， zǎi xì dì fēn tā nà yòu hēi yòu shī de tóu fā， zhè qíng jǐng jī nù liǎo mò ruì 'ěr tài tài。 tā shēn chuān fān lǐng chèn shān， dǎ shàng hēi lǐng jié， wài miàn tào shàng tā de yàn wěi lǐ fú， kàn qǐ lái fēng dù xiāo sǎ， ér qiě tā nà 'ài xiǎn shì zì jǐ yīng jùn xiāo sǎ de běn néng yǎn shì liǎo tā yī zhe de hán chěn。
jiǔ diǎn bàn shí， jié lǐ · pà dí lái jiào tā de tóng bàn。 jié lǐ shì mò ruì 'ěr de zhī xīn péng yǒu， dàn mò ruì 'ěr tài tài bù xǐ huān tā。 tā yòu shòu yòu gāo， yī zhāng hú lí bān jiān zhà de liǎn， yī shuāng fǎng fó méi cháng yǎn jié máo de yǎn jīng。 tā zǒu qǐ lù lái 'áng shǒu tǐng xiōng， hěn yòu qì bó， hǎo xiàng nǎo dài 'ān zài yī gēn mù tóu bān jiāng yìng de tánhuáng shàng。 tā yě tǐng dà fāng de， tā sì hū hěn xǐ huān mò ruì 'ěr， bìng qiě huò duō huò shǎo dì yòu diǎn zhào gù tā。
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài hèn tā。 tā rèn shí tā nà gè sǐ yú fèi bìng de qī zǐ， zài tā lí kāi rén shì shí yě duì tā de zhàng fū hèn tòu liǎo。 tā yī jìn wū zǐ jiù qì dé tā tù xuè， jié lǐ duì zhè xiē sì hū dū mò bù guān xīn。 rú jīn， 15 suì de dà nǚ 'ér zhào liào zhe zhè gè pín qióng de jiā， zhào kàn zhe liǎng gè dì mèi。
“ yī gè lìn sè、 méi xīn gān de jiā huǒ！” mò ruì 'ěr tài tài shuō tā。
“ wǒ yī bèi zǐ dōuméi fā xiàn jié lǐ xiǎo qì，” mò ruì 'ěr fǎn bó，“ jù wǒ suǒ zhī， nǐ zài nǎ 'ér dū zhǎo bù dào yī gè bǐ tā gèng dà fāng de rén liǎo。”
“ duì nǐ dà fāng，” mò ruì 'ěr tài tài huí dá，“ kě tā duì tā nà jǐ gè kě lián de hái zǐ， jiù shǒu zuàn dé jǐn jǐn de。”
“ kě lián de hái zǐ！ wǒ bù zhī dào， tā men zěn me kě lián lā？”
dàn shì， mò ruì 'ěr tài tài yī tí dào jié lǐ jiù bù néng píng jìng。
bèi yì lùn de zhè gè rén， hū rán bǎ tā de xì bó zǐ cóng xǐ dí jiān chuāng lián wài shēn jìn lái， kàn liǎo kàn mò ruì 'ěr tài tài。
“ zǎo shàng hǎo， tài tài。 xiān shēng zài jiā má？”
“ ǹg héng héng zài jiā。”
jié lǐ jìng zì zǒu jìn lái， zhàn zài chú fáng mén kǒu。 méi yòu rén ràng tā zuò， zhǐ hǎo zhàn zài nà lǐ， biǎo xiàn chū yī fù nán zǐ hàn dà zhàng fū tè yòu de lěng jìng。
“ tiān sè bù cuò。” tā duì mò ruì 'ěr tài tài shuō。
“ ǹg。”
“ zǎo chén wài miàn zhēn hǎo， sàn sàn bù。”
“ nǐ men yào qù sàn bù má？” tā wèn。
“ duì， wǒ men dǎ suàn sàn bù qù nuò dīng hàn。” tā huí dá dào。
“ ǹg，”
liǎng gè nán zǐ hù xiāng zhāo hū zhe， dōuhěn gāo xīng。 jié lǐ shì yáng yáng zì dé， mò ruì 'ěr què hěn yī fù zì wǒ yì zhì de shén qíng， hài pà zài qī zǐ miàn qián xiǎn shì chū xǐ qì yáng yáng de yàng zǐ。 dàn shì， tā jīng shén dǒu sǒu xùn sù dì xì zhe xuē zǐ。 tā men jiāng bù xíng shí lǐ lù， chuān guò tián yě qù nuò dīng hàn。 tā men cóng hé chuān qū pá shàng shān pō， xīng qù 'àng rán dì zài cháo yáng xià qián jìn。 zài xīng yuè jiǔ guǎn tā men gān liǎo dì yī bēi jiǔ， rán hòu yòu dào“ lǎo dì diǎn” jiǔ guǎn。 jiē zhe tā men zhǔn bèi dī jiǔ bù zhān bù xíng wǔ lǐ dào bù 'ěr wéi 'ěr， zài měi měi hē shàng yī pǐn tuō。 dàn shì， zài tú jīng tián yě xiū xī shí， yù dào jǐ gè shài gān cǎo de rén， dài zhe mǎn mǎn yī jiā lún jiǔ。 yú shì， děng tā men kàn dào bù 'ěr wéi 'ěr chéng shí， mò ruì 'ěr yǐ jīng kě dé hūn hūn yù shuì liǎo。 chéng shì chū xiàn zài tā men yǎn qián， zhèng wǔ de yáng guāng xià， méng méng lóng lóng fǎng fó lǒngzhào liǎo céng yān wù。 zài tā wǎng nán fāng de shān jǐ shàng， dào chù shì fáng wū de jiān dǐng hé de gōng chǎng hé lín lì de yān cōng。 zài zuì hòu yī piàn tián dì lǐ， mò ruì 'ěr tǎng dǎo zài yī kē zōng shù xià， dǎzháo hū lū shuì liǎo yī gè duō xiǎo shí。 dāng tā pá qǐ lái zhǔn bèi jì xù gǎn lù shí， gǎn jué dào tóu nǎo hūn hūn chén chén de。
tā men liǎng gè hé jié lǐ de jiě jiě zài cǎo chǎng fàn diàn yòng guò cān hòu， qù liǎo“ pèng chí bō 'ěr” jiǔ guǎn， nà lǐ rè nào fēi fán， rén men zhèng zài wán“ fēi gē” yóu xì， tā men yě gēn zhe wán。 mò ruì 'ěr rèn wéi pái yòu gǔ xié qì， chēng tā shì“ è mó zhào piàn”， yīn cǐ tā cóng bù wán pái。 bù guò， tā kě shì wán jiǔ zhù xì hé duō mǐ nuò gǔ pái de hǎo shǒu。 tā jiē shòu liǎo yī gè cóng niǔ wò kè lái rén dǔ jiǔ zhù xì de tiǎo zhàn； suǒ yòu zài zhè gè cháng fāng xíng jiǔ guǎn lǐ de rén quán xià liǎo zhù， fēn chéng liǎo liǎng fāng。 mò ruì 'ěr tuō qù shàng yī， jié lǐ shǒu lǐ ná zhe zhuāng qián de mào zǐ。 qí tā réndōu zài zhuō zǐ bàng guān kàn， yòu xiē shǒu lǐ ná zhe jiǔ bēi zhàn zhe。 mò ruì 'ěr xiǎo xīn dì mō liǎo yī xià tā de dà mù qiú， rán hòu zhì liǎo chū lái。 jiǔ gēn zhù zǐ dǎo liǎo， tā yíng dào bàn kè lǎng， yòu yòu qián fù zhài liǎo。
dào liǎo wǎn shàng 7 diǎn， zhè liǎng rén cái xīn mǎn yì zú dì tà shàng liǎo qī diǎn bàn huí jiā de huǒ chē。
xià wǔ， hé chuān jiē zhēn shì nán yǐ rěn shòu。 měi gè réndōu dāi zài jiā mén wài。 nǚ rén men bù dài tóu jīn， xì zhe wéi qún， sān liǎng chéng qún dì zài liǎng pái fáng zǐ zhōng jiān de xiǎo jìng shàng liáo tiān。 nán rén men dūn zài dì shàng tán lùn zhe， zhǔn bèi xiū xī yī huì zài hē。 zhè dì fāng kōng qì wū zhuó， shí wū dǐng bèi shài dé fā guāng。
mò ruì 'ěr tài tài lǐng zhe xiǎo nǚ 'ér lái dào lí jiā bù guò 'èr bǎi yīng chǐ de cǎo dì shàng。 zǒu jìn xiǎo xī biān， xī shuǐ zài shí tóu hé pò guàn shàng fēi liú 'ér guò。 mǔ qīn hé hái zǐ xié kào zài gǔ lǎo de yáng qiáo de lán gān shàng tiào wàng zhe。 mò ruì 'ěr tài tài kàn jiàn， zài cǎo dì de lìng yī biān de yī gè xiǎo kēng lǐ， jǐ gè méi chuān yī fú de nán hái zǐ zài xī shuǐ biān bēn páo。 tā zhī dào wēi lián yě zài zhè lǐ， tā dān xīn wēi lián huì diào jìn shuǐ lǐ yān sǐ。 ān nī zài gāo gāo de jiù cūn lí xià wán shuǎ， jiǎn zhe tā chēng zhī wéi pú táo gān de qiāng guǒ zǐ。 zhè gè hái zǐ gèng xū yào zhù yì， ér qiě cāng yíng zài wēng wēng jiào zhe xì nòng rén。
7 diǎn zhōng tā 'ān dùn hái zǐ men dào chuáng shàng shuì jué， rán hòu， tā gān liǎo yī huì huó 'ér。
wò 'ěr tè · mò ruì 'ěr hé jié lǐ dào dá bèi sī wǔ dé， tā men dùn jué rú shì zhòng fù bān de qīng sōng， bù yòng zài zuò huǒ chē liǎo， tòng tòng kuài kuài dì jié shù zhè yú kuài de yī tiān。 tā men dài zhe kǎi xuán zhě de dé yì tà jìn liǎo nà 'ěr xùn jiǔ guǎn。
dì 'èr tiān shì gōng zuò rì， xiǎng dào zhè gè， nán rén men biàn jué dé sǎo xīng。 ér qiě， tā men dà duō yǐ jīng huā guāng liǎo qián， yòu de rén yǐ jīng mèn mèn bù lè dì wǎng jiā zǒu， zhǔn bèi wéi míng tiān 'ér shuì jué。 mò ruì 'ěr tài tài dāi zài wū zǐ lǐ， tīng zhe tā men yù mèn de gē shēng。 jiǔ diǎn guò qù liǎo， 10 diǎn liǎo， nà“ yī duì” réng méi yòu huí lái。 bù zhī zài nǎ yī jiā mén kǒu， yī gè nán rén tuō cháng diào zǐ dà shēng chàng dào：“ yǐn dǎo wǒ men， rén cí de guāng huī。” měi cì tīng dào zhè xiē zuì guǐ men luàn qī bā zāo dì chàng zàn měi shī， tā zǒng jué dé xiàng shòu liǎo wǔ rǔ。
“ hǎo xiàng‘ gài nà wéi wú’ zhī lèi de xiǎoqǔ hái bù guò yǐn。” tā shuō dào。
chú fáng lǐ mǎn shì 'áo xiāng cǎo hé shé má zǐ de xiāng wèi， lú zǐ tiě jià shàng zhī zhe yī gè hēi sè dà tānɡ guō。 mò ruì 'ěr tài tài ná lái yī gè dà shā guō， wǎng lǐ dǎo liǎo diǎn bái táng， rán hòu yòng jìn quán shēn de lì qì duān qǐ guō， bǎ tānɡ dǎo jìn qù。
zhèng zài zhè shí， mò ruì 'ěr jìn lái liǎo。 tā zài nà 'ěr xùn jiǔ diàn lǐ dǎo shì hěn kuài huó， kě zài huí lái de lù shàng jiù biàn dé fán zào qǐ lái。 tā tóu hūn nǎo rè dì zài tián yě shuì liǎo yī jué， xǐng lái jiù jué dé fán zào bù 'ān， hún shēn téng tòng， tā hái méi yòu wán quán huī fù guò lái。 zài zǒu jìn jiā mén shí， tā xīn lǐ hěn yòu diǎn nèi jiù。 tā méi yòu yì shí dào zì jǐ zài shēng qì， dàn dāng tā shì tú dǎ kāi huā yuán mén què méi dǎ kāi shí， tā jiù tī tī chuài chuài dì bǎ mén shuān dū tī duàn liǎo。 jìn wū de shí hòu zhèng hǎo mò ruì 'ěr tài tài dǎo dà tānɡ guō lǐ de xiāng cǎo zhī。 tā yáo yáo huàng huàng dì pèng dào zhuō zǐ shàng， nà gǔn kāi de tānɡ yáo huàng liǎo qǐ lái， mò ruì 'ěr tài tài xià liǎo yī tiào。
“ lǎo tiān！” tā hǎn dào：“ hē dé zuì xūn xūn dì huí lái liǎo！”
Walter Morel seemed melted away before her. She was to the miner that thing of mystery and fascination, a lady. When she spoke to him, it was with a southern pronunciation and a purity of English which thrilled him to hear. She watched him. He danced well, as if it were natural and joyous in him to dance. His grandfather was a French refugee who had married an English barmaid--if it had been a marriage. Gertrude Coppard watched the young miner as he danced, a certain subtle exultation like glamour in his movement, and his face the flower of his body, ruddy, with tumbled black hair, and laughing alike whatever partner he bowed above. She thought him rather wonderful, never having met anyone like him. Her father was to her the type of all men. And George Coppard, proud in his bearing, handsome, and rather bitter; who preferred theology in reading, and who drew near in sympathy only to one man, the Apostle Paul; who was harsh in government, and in familiarity ironic; who ignored all sensuous pleasure:--he was very different from the miner. Gertrude herself was rather contemptuous of dancing; she had not the slightest inclination towards that accomplishment, and had never learned even a Roger de Coverley. She was puritan, like her father, high-minded, and really stern. Therefore the dusky, golden softness of this man's sensuous flame of life, that flowed off his flesh like the flame from a candle, not baffled and gripped into incandescence by thought and spirit as her life was, seemed to her something wonderful, beyond her.
He came and bowed above her. A warmth radiated through her as if she had drunk wine.
"Now do come and have this one wi' me," he said caressively. "It's easy, you know. I'm pining to see you dance."
She had told him before she could not dance. She glanced at his humility and smiled. Her smile was very beautiful. It moved the man so that he forgot everything.
"No, I won't dance," she said softly. Her words came clean and ringing.
Not knowing what he was doing--he often did the right thing by instinct--he sat beside her, inclining reverentially.
"But you mustn't miss your dance," she reproved.
"Nay, I don't want to dance that--it's not one as I care about."
"Yet you invited me to it."
He laughed very heartily at this.
"I never thought o' that. Tha'rt not long in taking the curl out of me."
It was her turn to laugh quickly.
"You don't look as if you'd come much uncurled," she said.
"I'm like a pig's tail, I curl because I canna help it," he laughed, rather boisterously.
"And you are a miner!" she exclaimed in surprise.
"Yes. I went down when I was ten."
She looked at him in wondering dismay.
"When you were ten! And wasn't it very hard?" she asked.
"You soon get used to it. You live like th' mice, an' you pop out at night to see what's going on."
"It makes me feel blind," she frowned.
"Like a moudiwarp!" he laughed. "Yi, an' there's some chaps as does go round like moudiwarps." He thrust his face forward in the blind, snout-like way of a mole, seeming to sniff and peer for direction. "They dun though!" he protested naively. "Tha niver seed such a way they get in. But tha mun let me ta'e thee down some time, an' tha can see for thysen."
She looked at him, startled. This was a new tract of life suddenly opened before her. She realised the life of the miners, hundreds of them toiling below earth and coming up at evening. He seemed to her noble. He risked his life daily, and with gaiety. She looked at him, with a touch of appeal in her pure humility.
"Shouldn't ter like it?" he asked tenderly. "'Appen not, it 'ud dirty thee."
She had never been "thee'd" and "thou'd" before.
The next Christmas they were married, and for three months she was perfectly happy: for six months she was very happy.
He had signed the pledge, and wore the blue ribbon of a tee-totaller: he was nothing if not showy. They lived, she thought, in his own house. It was small, but convenient enough, and quite nicely furnished, with solid, worthy stuff that suited her honest soul. The women, her neighbours, were rather foreign to her, and Morel's mother and sisters were apt to sneer at her ladylike ways. But she could perfectly well live by herself, so long as she had her husband close.
Sometimes, when she herself wearied of love-talk, she tried to open her heart seriously to him. She saw him listen deferentially, but without understanding. This killed her efforts at a finer intimacy, and she had flashes of fear. Sometimes he was restless of an evening: it was not enough for him just to be near her, she realised. She was glad when he set himself to little jobs.
He was a remarkably handy man--could make or mend anything. So she would say:
"I do like that coal-rake of your mother's--it is small and natty."
"Does ter, my wench? Well, I made that, so I can make thee one! "
"What! why, it's a steel one!"
"An' what if it is! Tha s'lt ha'e one very similar, if not exactly same."
She did not mind the mess, nor the hammering and noise. He was busy and happy.
But in the seventh month, when she was brushing his Sunday coat, she felt papers in the breast pocket, and, seized with a sudden curiosity, took them out to read. He very rarely wore the frock-coat he was married in: and it had not occurred to her before to feel curious concerning the papers. They were the bills of the household furniture, still unpaid.
"Look here," she said at night, after he was washed and had had his dinner. "I found these in the pocket of your wedding-coat. Haven't you settled the bills yet?"
"No. I haven't had a chance."
"But you told me all was paid. I had better go into Nottingham on Saturday and settle them. I don't like sitting on another man's chairs and eating from an unpaid table."
He did not answer.
"I can have your bank-book, can't I?"
"Tha can ha'e it, for what good it'll be to thee."
"I thought---" she began. He had told her he had a good bit of money left over. But she realised it was no use asking questions. She sat rigid with bitterness and indignation.
The next day she went down to see his mother.
"Didn't you buy the furniture for Walter?" she asked.
"Yes, I did," tartly retorted the elder woman.
"And how much did he give you to pay for it?"
The elder woman was stung with fine indignation.
"Eighty pound, if you're so keen on knowin'," she replied.
"Eighty pounds! But there are forty-two pounds still owing!"
"I can't help that."
"But where has it all gone?"
"You'll find all the papers, I think, if you look--beside ten pound as he owed me, an' six pound as the wedding cost down here."
"Six pounds!" echoed Gertrude Morel. It seemed to her monstrous that, after her own father had paid so heavily for her wedding, six pounds more should have been squandered in eating and drinking at Walter's parents' house, at his expense.
"And how much has he sunk in his houses?" she asked.
"His houses--which houses?"
Gertrude Morel went white to the lips. He had told her the house he lived in, and the next one, was his own.
"I thought the house we live in---" she began.
"They're my houses, those two," said the mother-in-law. "And not clear either. It's as much as I can do to keep the mortgage interest paid."
Gertrude sat white and silent. She was her father now.
"Then we ought to be paying you rent," she said coldly.
"Walter is paying me rent," replied the mother.
"And what rent?" asked Gertrude.
"Six and six a week," retorted the mother.
It was more than the house was worth. Gertrude held her head erect, looked straight before her.
"It is lucky to be you," said the elder woman, bitingly, "to have a husband as takes all the worry of the money, and leaves you a free hand."
The young wife was silent.
She said very little to her husband, but her manner had changed towards him. Something in her proud, honourable soul had crystallised out hard as rock.
When October came in, she thought only of Christmas. Two years ago, at Christmas, she had met him. Last Christmas she had married him. This Christmas she would bear him a child.
"You don't dance yourself, do you, missis?" asked her nearest neighbour, in October, when there was great talk of opening a dancing-class over the Brick and Tile Inn at Bestwood.
"No--I never had the least inclination to," Mrs. Morel replied.
"Fancy! An' how funny as you should ha' married your Mester. You know he's quite a famous one for dancing."
"I didn't know he was famous," laughed Mrs. Morel.
"Yea, he is though! Why, he ran that dancing-class in the Miners' Arms club-room for over five year."
"Did he?"
"Yes, he did." The other woman was defiant. "An' it was thronged every Tuesday, and Thursday, an' Sat'day--an' there WAS carryin's-on, accordin' to all accounts."
This kind of thing was gall and bitterness to Mrs. Morel, and she had a fair share of it. The women did not spare her, at first; for she was superior, though she could not help it.
He began to be rather late in coming home.
"They're working very late now, aren't they?" she said to her washer-woman.
"No later than they allers do, I don't think. But they stop to have their pint at Ellen's, an' they get talkin', an' there you are! Dinner stone cold--an' it serves 'em right."
"But Mr. Morel does not take any drink."
The woman dropped the clothes, looked at Mrs. Morel, then went on with her work, saying nothing.
Gertrude Morel was very ill when the boy was born. Morel was good to her, as good as gold. But she felt very lonely, miles away from her own people. She felt lonely with him now, and his presence only made it more intense.
The boy was small and frail at first, but he came on quickly. He was a beautiful child, with dark gold ringlets, and dark-blue eyes which changed gradually to a clear grey. His mother loved him passionately. He came just when her own bitterness of disillusion was hardest to bear; when her faith in life was shaken, and her soul felt dreary and lonely. She made much of the child, and the father was jealous.
At last Mrs. Morel despised her husband. She turned to the child; she turned from the father. He had begun to neglect her; the novelty of his own home was gone. He had no grit, she said bitterly to herself. What he felt just at the minute, that was all to him. He could not abide by anything. There was nothing at the back of all his show.
There began a battle between the husband and wife--a fearful, bloody battle that ended only with the death of one. She fought to make him undertake his own responsibilities, to make him fulfill his obligations. But he was too different from her. His nature was purely sensuous, and she strove to make him moral, religious. She tried to force him to face things. He could not endure it--it drove him out of his mind.
While the baby was still tiny, the father's temper had become so irritable that it was not to be trusted. The child had only to give a little trouble when the man began to bully. A little more, and the hard hands of the collier hit the baby. Then Mrs. Morel loathed her husband, loathed him for days; and he went out and drank; and she cared very little what he did. Only, on his return, she scathed him with her satire.
The estrangement between them caused him, knowingly or unknowingly, grossly to offend her where he would not have done.
William was only one year old, and his mother was proud of him, he was so pretty. She was not well off now, but her sisters kept the boy in clothes. Then, with his little white hat curled with an ostrich feather, and his white coat, he was a joy to her, the twining wisps of hair clustering round his head. Mrs. Morel lay listening, one Sunday morning, to the chatter of the father and child downstairs. Then she dozed off. When she came downstairs, a great fire glowed in the grate, the room was hot, the breakfast was roughly laid, and seated in his armchair, against the chimney-piece, sat Morel, rather timid; and standing between his legs, the child--cropped like a sheep, with such an odd round poll--looking wondering at her; and on a newspaper spread out upon the hearthrug, a myriad of crescent-shaped curls, like the petals of a marigold scattered in the reddening firelight.
Mrs. Morel stood still. It was her first baby. She went very white, and was unable to speak.
"What dost think o' 'im?" Morel laughed uneasily.
She gripped her two fists, lifted them, and came forward. Morel shrank back.
"I could kill you, I could!" she said. She choked with rage, her two fists uplifted.
"Yer non want ter make a wench on 'im," Morel said, in a frightened tone, bending his head to shield his eyes from hers. His attempt at laughter had vanished.
The mother looked down at the jagged, close-clipped head of her child. She put her hands on his hair, and stroked and fondled his head.
"Oh--my boy!" she faltered. Her lip trembled, her face broke, and, snatching up the child, she buried her face in his shoulder and cried painfully. She was one of those women who cannot cry; whom it hurts as it hurts a man. It was like ripping something out of her, her sobbing.
Morel sat with his elbows on his knees, his hands gripped together till the knuckles were white. He gazed in the fire, feeling almost stunned, as if he could not breathe.
Presently she came to an end, soothed the child and cleared away the breakfast-table. She left the newspaper, littered with curls, spread upon the hearthrug. At last her husband gathered it up and put it at the back of the fire. She went about her work with closed mouth and very quiet. Morel was subdued. He crept about wretchedly, and his meals were a misery that day. She spoke to him civilly, and never alluded to what he had done. But he felt something final had happened.
Afterwards she said she had been silly, that the boy's hair would have had to be cut, sooner or later. In the end, she even brought herself to say to her husband it was just as well he had played barber when he did. But she knew, and Morel knew, that that act had caused something momentous to take place in her soul. She remembered the scene all her life, as one in which she had suffered the most intensely.
This act of masculine clumsiness was the spear through the side of her love for Morel. Before, while she had striven against him bitterly, she had fretted after him, as if he had gone astray from her. Now she ceased to fret for his love: he was an outsider to her. This made life much more bearable.
Nevertheless, she still continued to strive with him. She still had her high moral sense, inherited from generations of Puritans. It was now a religious instinct, and she was almost a fanatic with him, because she loved him, or had loved him. If he sinned, she tortured him. If he drank, and lied, was often a poltroon, sometimes a knave, she wielded the lash unmercifully.
The pity was, she was too much his opposite. She could not be content with the little he might be; she would have him the much that he ought to be. So, in seeking to make him nobler than he could be, she destroyed him. She injured and hurt and scarred herself, but she lost none of her worth. She also had the children.
He drank rather heavily, though not more than many miners, and always beer, so that whilst his health was affected, it was never injured. The week-end was his chief carouse. He sat in the Miners' Arms until turning-out time every Friday, every Saturday, and every Sunday evening. On Monday and Tuesday he had to get up and reluctantly leave towards ten o'clock. Sometimes he stayed at home on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, or was only out for an hour. He practically never had to miss work owing to his drinking.
But although he was very steady at work, his wages fell off. He was blab-mouthed, a tongue-wagger. Authority was hateful to him, therefore he could only abuse the pit-managers. He would say, in the Palmerston:
"Th' gaffer come down to our stall this morning, an' 'e says, 'You know, Walter, this 'ere'll not do. What about these props?' An' I says to him, 'Why, what art talkin' about? What d'st mean about th' props?' 'It'll never do, this 'ere,' 'e says. 'You'll be havin' th' roof in, one o' these days.' An' I says, 'Tha'd better stan' on a bit o' clunch, then, an' hold it up wi' thy 'ead.' So 'e wor that mad, 'e cossed an' 'e swore, an' t'other chaps they did laugh." Morel was a good mimic. He imitated the manager's fat, squeaky voice, with its attempt at good English.
"'I shan't have it, Walter. Who knows more about it, me or you?' So I says, 'I've niver fun out how much tha' knows, Alfred. It'll 'appen carry thee ter bed an' back."'
So Morel would go on to the amusement of his boon companions. And some of this would be true. The pit-manager was not an educated man. He had been a boy along with Morel, so that, while the two disliked each other, they more or less took each other for granted. But Alfred Charlesworth did not forgive the butty these public-house sayings. Consequently, although Morel was a good miner, sometimes earning as much as five pounds a week when he married, he came gradually to have worse and worse stalls, where the coal was thin, and hard to get, and unprofitable.
Also, in summer, the pits are slack. Often, on bright sunny mornings, the men are seen trooping home again at ten, eleven, or twelve o'clock. No empty trucks stand at the pit-mouth. The women on the hillside look across as they shake the hearthrug against the fence, and count the wagons the engine is taking along the line up the valley. And the children, as they come from school at dinner-time, looking down the fields and seeing the wheels on the headstocks standing, say:
"Minton's knocked off. My dad'll be at home."
And there is a sort of shadow over all, women and children and men, because money will be short at the end of the week.
Morel was supposed to give his wife thirty shillings a week, to provide everything--rent, food, clothes, clubs, insurance, doctors. Occasionally, if he were flush, he gave her thirty-five. But these occasions by no means balanced those when he gave her twenty-five. In winter, with a decent stall, the miner might earn fifty or fifty-five shillings a week. Then he was happy. On Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday, he spent royally, getting rid of his sovereign or thereabouts. And out of so much, he scarcely spared the children an extra penny or bought them a pound of apples. It all went in drink. In the bad times, matters were more worrying, but he was not so often drunk, so that Mrs. Morel used to say:
"I'm not sure I wouldn't rather be short, for when he's flush, there isn't a minute of peace."