世界名著现实关联读《飘》(Gone with the wind)(35)
〈接续〉 他发脾气吼叫,斯佳丽比谁都不在乎。斯佳丽是他的长女,三个儿子都已夭折,躺在了家庭墓地,他知道以后再也不会有儿子了,便渐渐习惯了对她坦诚相待,而她对此深感愉快。她比几个meimei更像父亲。教名为卡罗琳·艾琳的卡丽恩天生柔弱,耽于幻想;教名为苏姗·埃利诺的苏埃伦老为自己优雅的淑女举止自鸣得意。 另外,斯佳丽和父亲还遵守着一种彼此间心照不宣的约定。要是杰拉尔德看到她不愿意绕道半英里而翻越围栏,或者是和一个公子哥儿在门前台阶上坐得太晚,他就会私底下严厉训斥她一顿,但是绝不会向埃伦或黑mama提及。要是斯佳丽发现他向妻子庄严保证过之后,还是偷偷骑马跨越围栏,或者是玩牌输掉一笔钱,因为这事她总能从县里人的闲话中了解到,她在饭桌上准会巧妙地显出和苏埃伦一样若无其事的样子。斯佳丽和父亲彼此之间郑重保证,决不让这事传到埃伦的耳朵里,否则只会伤她的心,而父女俩无论如何也不愿意让温柔慈悲的埃伦受到任何伤害。 在昏暗的暮色中,斯佳丽注视着父亲,不知怎的,只要在父亲身边,她就会感到安宁。父亲身上那种活力、那种朴实、那种粗豪,一直感染着她。不过她最不善于分析,因而也就没有意识到自己在气质上很像父亲,尽管十六年来埃伦和黑mama始终在努力清除她身上这些特征。 “你现在看起来挺好的。”她说,“我看除非你自己吹牛,否则谁也不会怀疑你又玩你那老把戏了。不过我还是觉得,去年你就是跳那个围栏摔破了膝盖,现在——” “行了,这可真是的,我怎么能让自己的女儿来教训我,什么时候该跳,什么时候不该跳。”他高声说着,一边又拧了她脸蛋儿一下,“这脖子反正是我自己的,爱怎么就怎么吧。你倒是说说看,闺女,你连披肩也不戴,一个人在这儿干什么?” 见父亲又用这种老办法来摆脱不愉快的话题,她便把手伸进他的臂弯里说:“我在等你呢。我不知道你这么晚才回来。我想看看你是不是把迪尔西买下来了。” “买倒是买下了,可那价钱把我给毁了。买了她和她那个小女儿普莉西。约翰·韦尔克斯倒是愿意把她俩白送我,可我决不能让人家说我杰拉尔德·奥哈拉利用朋友的交情做买卖。我硬让他收下三千块,把她俩卖给我。” Scarlettwasimpressedlessthananyoneelsebyhistempersandhisroarings.Shewashisoldestchildand,nowthatGeraldknewtherewouldbenomoresonstofollowthethreewholayinthefamilyburyingground,hehaddriftedintoahabitoftreatingherinaman-to-manmannerwhichshefoundmostpleasant.Shewasmorelikeherfatherthanheryoungersisters,forCarreen,whohadbeenbornCarolineIrene,wasdelicateanddreamy,andSuellen,christenedSusanElinor,pridedherselfonhereleganceandlady-likedeportment. Moreover,Scarlettandherfatherwereboundtogetherbyamutualsuppressionagreement.IfGeraldcaughtherclimbingafenceinsteadofwalkinghalfamiletoagate,orsittingtoolateonthefrontstepswithabeau,hecastigatedherpersonallyandwithvehemence,buthedidnotmentionthefacttoEllenortoMammy.AndwhenScarlettdiscoveredhimjumpingfencesafterhissolemnpromisetohiswife,orlearnedtheexactamountofhislossesatpoker,asshealwaysdidfromCountygossip,sherefrainedfrommentioningthefactatthesuppertableintheartfullyartlessmannerSuellenhad.ScarlettandherfathereachassuredtheothersolemnlythattobringsuchmatterstotheearsofEllenwouldonlyhurther,andnothingwouldinducethemtowoundhergentleness. Scarlettlookedatherfatherinthefadinglight,and,withoutknowingwhy,shefounditcomfortingtobeinhispresence.Therewassomethingvitalandearthyandcoarseabouthimthatappealedtoher.Beingtheleastanalyticofpeople,shedidnotrealizethatthiswasbecauseshepossessedinsomedegreethesesamequalities,despitesixteenyearsofeffortonthepartofEllenandMammytoobliteratethem. “Youlookverypresentablenow,”shesaid,“andIdon’tthinkanyonewillsuspectyou’vebeenuptoyourtricksunlessyoubragaboutthem.Butitdoesseemtomethatafteryoubrokeyourkneelastyear,jumpingthatsamefence—”
“Well,mayIbedamnedifI’llhavemeowndaughtertellingmewhatIshalljumpandnotjump,”heshouted,givinghercheekanotherpinch.“It’smeownneck,soitis.Andbesides,Missy,whatareyoudoingoutherewithoutyourshawl” Seeingthathewasemployingfamiliarmaneuverstoextricatehimselffromunpleasantconversation,sheslippedherarmthroughhisandsaid:“Iwaswaitingforyou.Ididn’tknowyouwouldbesolate.IjustwonderedifyouhadboughtDilcey.” “BoughtherIdid,andthepricehasruinedme.Boughtherandherlittlewench,Prissy.JohnWilkeswasforalmostgivingthemaway,butneverwillIhaveitsaidthatGeraldO’Harausedfriendshipinatrade.Imadehimtakethreethousandforthetwoofthem.” 以上摘自美国小说《飘》 Scarlett姊妹三个,性格各异。Scarlett象她父亲,相对于其他两个女儿,Scarlett的父亲也更喜欢Scarlett。他们的共同点是敢于冒险、判逆精神。Scarlett以各种诡计蒙骗管教严格的母亲。Scarlett的父亲则以自己的方法蒙骗自己的妻子以放飞自我,比如瞒着妻子赌博、喝酒、作危险的马跳障碍。一对志趣相投的父女,很真实。 〈待续〉