2012诺贝尔文学获得者 诺贝尔文学经典:《宠儿》第11章Part 1

诺贝尔文学经典:《宠儿》第11章Part 1  

"Think about it
" he said. And suddenly it was a solution: a way to hold on to her
document hismanhood and break out of the girl's spell — all in one. He put the tips of Sethe's fingers on hischeek. Laughing
she pulled them away lest somebody passing the alley see them misbehaving inpublic
in daylight
in the wind.
Still
he'd gotten a little more time
bought it
in fact
and hoped the price wouldn't wreck him. Likepaying for an afternoon in the coin of life to e.
They left off playing
let go hands and hunched forward as they left the alley and entered the street. The wind was quieter there but the dried-out cold it left behind kept pedestrians fast-moving
stiffinside their coats. No men leaned against door frames or storefront windows. The wheels ofwagons delivering feed or wood screeched as though they hurt. Hitched horses in front of thesaloons shivered and closed their eyes. Four women
walking o abreast
approached
their shoesloud on the wooden walkway. Paul D touched Sethe's elbow to guide her as they stepped from theslats to the dirt to let the women pass.
Half an hour later
when they reached the city's edge
Sethe and Paul D resumed catching andsnatching each other's fingers
stealing quick pats on the behind. Joyfully embarrassed to be thatgrownup and that young at the same time.
Resolve
he thought. That was all it took
and no motherless gal was going to break it up. No lazy
stray pup of a woman could turn him around
make him doubt himself
wonder
plead or inced of it
that he could do it
he threw his arm around Sethe's shoulders and squeezed. Shelet her head touch his chest
and since the moment was valuable to both of them
they stopped andstood that way — not breathing
not even caring if a passerby passed them by. The winter light was low. Sethe closed her eyes. Paul D looked at the black trees lining the roadside
theirdefending arms raised against attack. Softly
suddenly
it began to snow
like a present e downfrom the sky. Sethe opened her eyes to it and said
"Mercy." And it seemed to Paul D that it was —a little mercy — something given to them on purpose to mark what they were feeling so theywould remember it later on when they needed to.
Down came the dry flakes
fat enough and heavy enough to crash like nickels on stone. It alwayssurprised him
how quiet it was. Not like rain
but like a secret.