资源描述:
《A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner .pdf》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、ARoseforEmilybyWilliamFaulknerIWHENMissEmilyGriersondied,ourwholetownwenttoherfuneral:thementhroughasortofrespectfulaffectionforafallenmonument,thewomenmostlyoutofcuriositytoseetheinsideofherhouse,whichnoonesaveanoldman-servant--acombinedgardenerandcook--hadseeninatleasttenyears.I
2、twasabig,squarishframehousethathadoncebeenwhite,decoratedwithcupolasandspiresandscrolledbalconiesintheheavilylightsomestyleoftheseventies,setonwhathadoncebeenourmostselectstreet.Butgaragesandcottonginshadencroachedandobliteratedeventheaugustnamesofthatneighborhood;onlyMissEmily'sh
3、ousewasleft,liftingitsstubbornandcoquettishdecayabovethecottonwagonsandthegasolinepumps-aneyesoreamongeyesores.AndnowMissEmilyhadgonetojointherepresentativesofthoseaugustnameswheretheylayinthecedar-bemusedcemeteryamongtherankedandanonymousgravesofUnionandConfederatesoldierswhofell
4、atthebattleofJefferson.Alive,MissEmilyhadbeenatradition,aduty,andacare;asortofhereditaryobligationuponthetown,datingfromthatdayin1894whenColonelSartoris,themayor--hewhofatheredtheedictthatnoNegrowomanshouldappearonthestreetswithoutanapron-remittedhertaxes,thedispensationdatingfrom
5、thedeathofherfatheronintoperpetuity.NotthatMissEmilywouldhaveacceptedcharity.ColonelSartorisinventedaninvolvedtaletotheeffectthatMissEmily'sfatherhadloanedmoneytothetown,whichthetown,asamatterofbusiness,preferredthiswayofrepaying.OnlyamanofColonelSartoris'generationandthoughtcould
6、haveinventedit,andonlyawomancouldhavebelievedit.Whenthenextgeneration,withitsmoremodernideas,becamemayorsandaldermen,thisarrangementcreatedsomelittledissatisfaction.Onthefirstoftheyeartheymailedherataxnotice.Februarycame,andtherewasnoreply.Theywroteheraformalletter,askinghertocall
7、atthesheriff'sofficeatherconvenience.Aweeklaterthemayorwroteherhimself,offeringtocallortosendhiscarforher,andreceivedinreplyanoteonpaperofanarchaicshape,inathin,flowingcalligraphyinfadedink,totheeffectthatshenolongerwentoutatall.Thetaxnoticewasalsoenclosed,withoutcomment.Theycalle
8、daspecialmeetingoftheBoardofAlder