諾貝爾文學經典:《寵兒》第1章Part 10

"I don't know about lonely," said Denver's mother. "Mad, maybe, but I don't see how it could belonely spending every minute with us like it does.""Must be something you got it wants."Sethe shrugged. "It's just a baby.""My sister," said Denver. "She died in this house."Paul D scratched the hair under his jaw. "Reminds me of that headless bride back behind SweetHome. Remember that, Sethe? Used to roam them woods regular.""How could I forget? Worrisome . . .""How come everybody run off from Sweet Home can't stop talking about it? Look like if it was sosweet you would have stayed.""Girl, who you talking to?"Paul D laughed. "True, true. She's right, Sethe. It wasn't sweet and it sure wasn't home." He shookhis head.
"But it's where we were," said Sethe. "All together. Comes back whether we want it to or not." Sheshivered a little. A light ripple of skin on her arm, which she caressed back into sleep. "Denver,"she said, "start up that stove. Can't have a friend stop by and don't feed him.""Don't go to any trouble on my account," Paul D said.
"Bread ain't trouble. The rest I brought back from where I work. Least I can do, cooking fromdawn to noon, is bring dinner home. You got any objections to pike?""If he don't object to me I don't object to him."At it again, thought Denver. Her back to them, she jostled the kindlin and almost lost the fire.
"Why don't you spend the night, Mr. Garner? You and Ma'am can talk about Sweet Home all nightlong."Sethe took two swift steps to the stove, but before she could yank Denver's collar, the girl leanedforward and began to cry.
"What is the matter with you? I never knew you to behave this way.""Leave her be," said Paul D. "I'm a stranger to her.""That's just it. She got no cause to act up with a stranger. Oh baby, what is it? Did somethinghappen?"But Denver was shaking now and sobbing so she could not speak.
The tears she had not shed for nine years wetting her far too womanly breasts.

"我拿不準是不是孤獨，"丹芙的母親說道，"憤怒倒有可能，可是它這樣時時刻刻跟我們在一塊兒，我看不出它怎麼會孤獨。" "你肯定有什麼它想要的東西。"塞絲聳聳肩膀。"它只不過是個娃娃。""是我姐姐，"丹芙說，"她死在這房子裏。"保羅·D抓了抓下巴上的鬍子。"讓我想起了-甜蜜之家-後面的那個無頭新娘。還記得嗎，塞絲？老在那片樹林裏遊蕩。""怎麼忘得了呢？怪煩人的……""爲什麼每個從-甜蜜之家-逃走的人都不能不談它？要是真這麼甜蜜的話，看來你們應該留在那兒。""丫頭，你這是跟誰說話呢？"保羅·D哈哈大笑。"的確，的確。她說得對，塞絲。那兒並不甜蜜，當然也不是個家。"他搖了搖頭。
"可那是我們待過的地方，"塞絲說，"大家都在一起。不管願不願意，總會想起來。"她微微哆嗦了一下。胳膊表面皺起了一塊，她連忙撫平。①"丹芙，"她說道，"生爐子。不能來了朋友倒不招待他。""甭爲我費事了。"保羅·D說。
"烤麪包不費什麼事。再有就是我從工作的餐館帶回來的東西。從一大早忙活到晌午，我起碼能把晚飯帶回家。你不討厭吃梭魚吧？""要是他不討厭我，我也不討厭他。"又來了，丹芙心想。她背對着他們，拐了一下柴火，差點碰滅了火。
"你幹嗎不在這兒過夜，加納先生？那樣你和太太就能整夜談-甜蜜之家-了。"塞絲三步並作兩步趕到火爐邊，可還沒抓住丹芙的衣領，那姑娘就向前掙去，哭了起來。
"你怎麼了？我從沒見過你這麼不懂事。""甭管她了。"保羅·D說，"我是個生人。""說的就是這個。她沒理由對生人不禮貌。噢，寶貝，怎麼回事？到底怎麼啦？"可是丹芙這會兒正在顫抖，由於抽泣說不出話來。
九年來從未落過的淚水，打溼了她過於女人味的胸脯。