River of Names by Dorothy Allison .pdf

《River of Names by Dorothy Allison .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、RiverofNamesbyDorothyAllisonAtapicnicatmyaunt’sfarm,theonlytimethewholefamilyevergathered,mysisterBillieandIchasedchickensintothebarn.Billeranrightthroughtheopendoorsandoutagain,butIstopped,caughtbyashadowmovingoverme.Mycousin,Tommy,eightyearsoldasIwas,s

2、wunginthesunlightwithhisfaceasblackashisshoes—theropearoundhisneckpulledupintothesunlitheightsofthebarn,fascinating,horrible.Wasn’therunningaheadofus?Someonecameupbehindme.Someonebegantoscream.Mymamatookmyheadinherhandsandturnedmyeyesaway.JesseandIhavebe

3、enloversforayearnow.Shetellsstoriesaboutherchildhood,aboutherfathergoingoffeachdaytotheuniversity,hermotherwhomadeallherdresses,hergrandmotherwhoalwayssmelledofdillbreadandvanilla.Ilistenwithmymouthopen,notbelievingbutwanting,achingforthefairytaleshethin

4、ksiseveryone’slife.“Whatdidyourgrandmothersmelllike?”IlietoherthewayIalwaysdo,aliestolenfromabook.“Likelavender,”stomachchurningoverthememoryofsoursweetandsnuff.IrealizeIdonotreallyknowwhatlavendersmellslike,andIamforamomentafraidshewillasksomethingelse,

5、somequestionthatwillbetrayme.ButJesseslidesovertohugme,topressherfaceagainstmyear,towhisper,“Howwonderfultobepartofsuchalargefamily.”Ihugherbackandclosemyeyes.Icannotsayaword.Iwasbornbetweentheoldercousinsandtheyounger,borninapauseofbabiesandthereforeout

6、side,alwayswatching.Once,waybeforeTommydied,IwaspushedoutonthestepswhileeveryonestoodlisteningtomyCousinBarbara.Herscreamswentupanddowninthebackofthehouse.CousinCorabroughtbucketsofbloodyragsouttobeburned.Theothercousinsallranofftocatchthesparksorpokethe

7、firewithdogwoodsticks.Iwaitedontheporchmakingupwordstotheshoutsaroundme.Ididnotunderstandwhatwashappening.Someoftheoldercousinsobviouslydid,theirstrangeexpressionsbrokenbystrangerlaughs.Ihadseenthemhelpingherupthestairswhilethethickbloodrandownherlegs.Af

8、terawhilethebloodontheragswasthin,watery,almostpink.Corathrewthemonthefireandstoodmotionlessinthestinkingsmoke.Randallwentbyandsaidthere’dbeababy,ahatchedeggtothrowoutwiththerags,buttherewasn’t.Iwatchedtoseeandtherewasn’t;