资源描述:
《boys_and_girls by Alice Munro》由会员上传分享,免费在线阅读,更多相关内容在学术论文-天天文库。
1、BoysandGirlsbyAliceMunroMyfatherwasafoxfarmer.Thatis,heraisedsilverfoxes,inpens;andinthefallandearlywinter,whentheirfurwasprime,hekilledthemandskinnedthemandsoldtheirpeltstotheHudson'sBayCompanyortheMontrealFurTraders.Thesecompaniessupplieduswithheroiccalenda
2、rstohang,oneoneachsideofthekitchendoor.Againstabackgroundofcoldblueskyandblackpineforestsandtreacherousnorthernrivers,plumedadventuresplantedtheflagsofEnglandandorofFrance;magnificentsavagesbenttheirbackstotheportage.ForseveralweeksbeforeChristmas,myfatherwor
3、kedaftersupperinthecellarofourhouse.Thecellarwaswhitewashed,andlitbyahundred-wattbulbovertheworktable.MybrotherLairdandIsatonthetopstepandwatched.Myfatherremovedthepeltinside-outfromthebodyofthefox,whichlookedsurprisinglysmall,mean,andrat-like,deprivedofitsar
4、rogantweightoffur.Thenaked,slipperybodieswerecollectedinasackandburiedinthedump.Onetimethehiredman,HenryBailey,hadtakenaswipeatmewiththissack,saying,"Christmaspresent!"Mymotherthoughtthatwasnotfunny.Infactshedislikedthewholepeltingoperation--thatwaswhatthekil
5、ling,skinning,andpreparationofthefurswascalled–andwisheditdidnothavetotakeplaceinthehouse.Therewasthesmell.Afterthepelthadbeenstretchedinside-outonalongboardmyfatherscrapedawaydelicately,removingthelittleclottedwebsofbloodvessels,thebubblesoffat;thesmellofblo
6、odandanimalfat,withthestrongprimitiveodourofthefoxitself,penetratedallpartsofthehouse.Ifounditreassuringlyseasonal,likethesmelloforangesandpineneedles.HenryBaileysufferedfrombronchialtroubles.Hewouldcoughandcoughuntilhisnarrowfaceturnedscarlet,andhislightblue
7、,derisiveeyesfilledupwithtears;thenhetookthelidoffthestove,and,standingwellback,shotoutagreatclotofphlegm–hss–straightintotheheartoftheflames.Weadmiredhisforthisperformanceandforhisabilitytomakehisstomachgrowlatwill,andforhislaughter,whichwasfullofhighwhistli
8、ngsandgurglingsandinvolvedthewholefaultymachineryofhischest.Itwassometimeshardtotellwhathewaslaughingat,andalwayspossiblethatitmightbeus.Afterwehadsenttobedwecouldstillsmellfoxandstillhea