Chapter2 The Story of My Life-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《假如给我三天光明Three Days to See》

The Story ofMyCife CHAPTER2 rCANNOT RECALL what happened during the first months after my illness LI only know that I sat in my mother's lap or clung to her dress as she went about her household duties. My hands felt every object and observed every motion, and in this way I learned to know many things. Soon I felt the need of some communication with others and began to make crude① signs. A shake of the head meant "No" and a nod, "Yes," a pull meant "Come" and a push "Go."Was it bread that I wanted? Then I would imitate the acts of cutting the slices and buttering them. If I wanted my mother to make ice-cream for dinner I made the sign for working the freezer and shivered{②}, indicating cold. My mother, more-over, succeeded in making me understand a good deal. I always knew when she wished me to bring her something, and I would run upstairs or anywhere else she indicated. Indeed, I owe to{} her loving wisdom all that was bright and good in my long night I understood a good deal of what was going on about me. At five I learned to fold and put away the clean clothes when they were brought in from the laundry and I distinguished my own from the rest. I knew by the way my mother and aunt dressed when they were going out, and I invariably{} begged to go with them. I was always sent for when there was company, and when the guests took their leave{}, I waved my hand to them. I think with a vague remembrance^{}of .042: 我的生活l 第二章 疾病到来的最初几个月里,我几乎什么都记不起 来了。我只知道自已整天坐在母亲的膝上或者抓着她 的裙子跟着她做家务。慢慢地我用手去摸索各种东西 感知各种动作。就这样,我学会认识了很多东西。不久, ① crude [krud]a. 简单的, 我发现我需要与其他人进行交流,于是开始使用一些 粗糙的 简单的动作:摇头代表“不”,点头代表“是”,手拉 向自己代表“来”,手推向别人代表“去”。如果我想 吃面包,我就会模仿切面包加奶油的动作。如果我想 ② shiver I'fiva]v 顾抖 让母亲在晚餐时准备点冰激凌,我就会做出操作冰柜 和浑身颤抖的动作,这代表“冰凉”。不过,母亲也成 功地让我明白了很多她的意思:当她希望我为她取东西 的时候,我就会跑到楼上或者其他她暗示的地方去取 ③owe..to归功干 的确,我漫漫长夜里的光明和美好都是母亲的慈爱和 智慧的结果。 后来,我明白了很多关于自己现状的事情。五岁的 时候,我学会了把洗好的衣服叠起来放好,并把自已的 ④ invariably Iin'veariobli] 衣服和其他人的分开。当母亲和姑妈换上好衣服,我就 ad.总是,不变地 take one's leave 告别. 知道她们要出门了,于是恳求她们把我带上。当有客人 辞行 remembrance 来访时,我总是被带出来见他们。在他们离开时又被带 [ri'membrons] n. 回忆 出来跟他们挥手再见,我还依稀记得那种手势的含义 ·043· The Story ofMyCife the meaning of the gesture. One day some gentlemen called on my mother, and I felt the shutting of the front door and other sounds that indicated their arrival On a sudden thought I ran upstairs before any one could stop me, to put on my idea of a company dress. Standing before the mirror, as I had seen others do,1 anointed mine head with{ oil and covered my face thickly with powder. Then I pinned②} a veil over my head so that it covered my face and fell in folds down to my shoulders, and tied an enormous bustle{③} round my small waist. so that it dangled^{①}behind. almost meeting the hem{}of my skirt. Thus attired{}I wen down to help entertain the company. I do not remember when I first realized that I was different from other people: but I knew it before my teacher came to me. I had noticed that my mother and my friends did not use signs as I did when they wanted anything done, but talked with their mouths. Sometimes I stood between two persons who were conversing and touched their lips. I could not understand, and was vexed{}. I moved my lips and gesticulated^{} frantically②}without result. This made me so angry at times that I kicked and screamed until I was exhausted I think I knew when I was naughty, for I knew that it hurt Ella, my nurse. to kick her, and when my fit of temper was over I had a feeling akin^{} to regret But I cannot remember any instance in which this feeling prevented me from repeating the naughtiness when I failed to get what I wanted. In those days a little colored girl. Martha Washington. the child of our cook, and Belle, an old setter^{} and a great hunter in her day, were my constant companions. Martha Washington understood my signs, and I seldom had any difficulty in making her do just as I wished. It pleased me to domineer over{} her, and she generally submitted to^{①}my tyranny^{③} rather than risk a hand-to- hand encounter. I was strong, active. indifferent to conseauences. I knew my own mind well enough and always had my own way, even if I had to fight tooth and nail^} for it. We spent a great deal of time in the kitchen, kneading}dough^{①} balls, helping make ice-cream, grinding{④}coffee, quarreling over the cake-bowl and feeding the hens and turkeys that swarmed about{} the kitchen steps. Many .044: 我的生活l 一天,有一群绅士来拜访我母亲,从前门的开和关中我 知道了他们的到来。灵机一动,我奋不顾身地爬到楼上 准备换件会客礼服。站在镜子前,我学着其他人的样子 往头上抹油,在脸上茶粉,把纱巾用针别在头上,并下 ① anoint...with在..... 垂到肩膀。接着,在瘦弱的腰间系上一件裙撑,它悬挂 上擦油 在身后,几乎与我的裙子底边平齐。装扮好后,我跑下 ② pin pin]v将.....用针 别住 楼去迎接客人。 ③ bustle I'baslln(女裙) 裙撑 我记不清是什么时候开始意识到自已与他人的不 ④ dangle l'daengllv: (使) 悬垂 同了,但我知道那是在我老师到来之前的事情。那时, hem]hem]n. 边沿 我注意到我的母亲和朋友们需要东西的时候都是用嘴巴 attire[a'taia]v盛饰,装 交谈的,只有我一个人用手势。有时我站在两个正在交 谈的人之间去触摸他们的嘴唇,但我并不理解他们在说 什么。我难过极了,动着嘴唇指天划地,他们却不明 白我在说什么。我十分气愤,有时甚至发出尖叫,到处 vex [veks]v使恼火 踢碰,直到筋疲力尽 ⑧ gesticulate [d3es'tikjuleit 用手势表达 我知道自已不应该经常淘气,因为有一次脾气爆发 frantically ['frentikali] ad.疯狂似的 后,我踢伤了保姆艾拉,我知道她很痛,事后我也为之 akin [e'kinla. 相似的 懊恼。但是,如果我没有得到自已想要的东西,仍然会 枉风骤雨般地胡乱踢打。 在那些日子里,我有两个童年伙伴:一个是我们厨 师的女儿一-黑人小孩玛莎·华盛顿,另一个是名叫贝 尔的老猎狗。玛莎·华盛顿明白我的手势,所以她每次 setter Isetoln. 塞特种猎 几乎都会按照我的意愿办事。渐渐地,我喜欢凌驾于她。 犬;警犬 domineer over盛气凌人 她呢,也慢慢地屈服于我的蛮横,不与我发生冲突。我 地对待 submit to服从,屈服 身体强壮,动作活跃,但做事不顾后果。我知道自已想 ④ tyranny I'tirani]n. 暴虑, 专横 要什么,也通常按照自已的方式做事,即使有时我不得 tooth and nail拼命,竭 不全力以赴地去争取。我和玛莎经常在厨房里玩,帮着 尽全力 knead[nid]v揉,捏 揉面团、做冰激凌、磨咖啡,或者是为了几个蛋糕而抖 dough [dou]n. 生面 (团) 嘴,然后去喂挤在厨房门前的母鸡和火鸡。这些家禽并 grind Igraind]v 研磨. 磨碎 不怕人,它们敢从我的手里抢食吃,还驯服地让我抚摸 swarm about 密集分布 一天,一只大火鸡竟然把我手中的番茄叹走了。也许受 ·045· The Story ofMy Cife of them were so tame^{①} that they would eat from my hand and let me feel them One big gobbler② snatched a tomato from me one day and ran away with it. Inspired, perhaps, by Master Gobbler's success, we carried off to the woodpile{③} a cake which the cook had just frosted④, and ate every bit of it, I was quite ill afterward, and I wonder if retribution{②} also overtook^{} the turkey. The guinea-fowl^{} likes to hide her nest in out-of-the-way places, and it was one of my greatest delights to hunt for the eggs in the long grass. I could not tell Martha Washington when I wanted to go egg-hunting, but I would double my hands and put them on the ground, which meant something round in the grass, and Martha always understood. When we were fortunate enough to find a nest 1 never allowed her to carry the eggs home, making her understand by emphatic signs that she might fall and break them. The sheds{} where the corn was stored, the stable{} where the horses were kept, and the yard where the cows were milked morning and evening were unfailing sources of interest to Martha and me. The milkers would let me keep my hands on the cows while they milked. and I often got well switched by the cows for my curiosity. The making ready for Christmas was always a delight to me. Of course I dic not know what it was all about. but I enjoyed the pleasant odors that filled the house and the tidbits^{} that were given to Martha Washington and me to keep us quiet. We were sadly in the way, but that did not interfere with our pleasure in the least. They allowed us to grind the spices^{}, pick over the raisin^{} and lick^{} the stirring spoons. I hung my stocking because the others did: I cannot remember, however, that the ceremony interested me especially, nor did my curiosity cause me to wake before daylight to look for my gifts Martha Washington had as great a love of mischief^*} as I. Two little childrer were seated on the veranda{} steps one hot July afternoon. One was black as ebony{}, with little bunches of fuzzy hair tied with shoestrings sticking out all over her head like corkscrews^{}. The other was white, with long golden curls One child was six years old, the other two or three years older. The younger .046. 我的生活l ① tame [teim]a. 驯服的 到火鸡先生的启发,我和玛莎把厨师刚做好的带有一层 ② gobbler I'aoblal n. 雄火 鸡 糖霜的蛋糕偷走了,并躲在柴堆里吃得于于净净。不幸 ③ woodpile ['wudpail]n 木材块;柴块 的是我却吃坏了肚子,不知道那只火鸡先生有没有遭受 ④ frost [frost]v 在(糕饼 到这样的惩罚。 等)上撒糖霜 ) retribution L.retri'bju:fan] 珍珠鸡喜欢把巢藏在狭窄偏僻的角落里,我特别喜 n.惩罚 overtake Lauva'teik]: 降 欢在深深的草丛中找鸡蛋。我不能用嘴巴告诉玛莎我想 临 guinea-fowl珍珠建 去找鸡蛋,但是,我可以把双手合成圆形放在地上,示 意那是草丛中的鸡蛋,玛莎一看就明白了。如果够幸运 的话,我们能够找到鸡巢,但我从来不让玛莎拿着鸡蛋 回家,用手势告诉她,她可能会把鸡蛋滚落打碎 谷仓、马既、奶牛圈都给我和玛莎带来了无穷的乐 趣。挤奶工人常常会纵容我把手放在奶牛身上,边好奇 地感受它们挤奶,边被牛尾用好多次。 ⑧ shed[fed]n. 棚屋 stable I'steiblln. 马既: 为圣诞节做准备是一件快乐的事情,虽然我并不 牛棚 知道它的缘由,但是我的确很享受满屋子的香味。为了 让我和玛莎安静,大人们还为我们准备了美味的稀有食 品。虽然我们为不能大声喧哗而感到悲哀,但是这并不 能阻止我们汲取快乐;因为我们可以研磨香料、挑选葡 萄于、舔砥用来揽摔的勺子等。我学着其他人的样子把 长袜挂起来,不过,我对这个仪式并不感兴趣,也没有 tidbit I'tidbit]n. 少量精 因为好奇而半夜爬起来去袜子里寻找礼物 美的食物 spice [spais] n.香料 和我一样,玛莎·华盛顿也喜欢调皮捣蛋。时值7 raisin I'reizanln. 葡萄干 lick llik]v 舔 月,在一个酷热的下午,两个孩子坐在走廊的台阶上; 其中一个跟炭一样黑,把毛茸茸的头发用鞋带系在脑 后,看起来就像很多蝶丝锥长在头上;另一个是拥有白 哲的皮肤和一头长长的金色卷发。皮肤黝黑的八九岁的 ④ mischief [mistfif] n. 恶 女孩是玛莎·华盛顿,小一点的盲孩是我,那时六岁 作剧 veranda [va'renda] n. 走 那个下午我们坐在台阶上忙着剪纸娃娃,不久便厌倦了 ebony [eboni]n. 乌木. 黑糟 corkscrew ['ko:k. skru:]n 蝶丝锥 ·047· The Story ofMyCife child was blind -that was I- and the other was Martha Washington. We were busy cutting out paper dolls: but we soon wearied of} this amusement, and after cutting up our shoestrings and clipping all the leaves off②} the honeysuckle tha were within reach, I turned my attention to Martha's corkscrews. She objected at first. but finally submitted. Thinking that turn and turn about is fair play, she seized the scissors and cut off one of my curls, and would have cut them all off but for my mother's timely interference{}. Belle, our dog, my other companion, was old and lazy and liked to sleep by the open fire rather than to romp with{} me. I tried hard to teach her my sign language, but she was dull and inattentive. She sometimes started and quivered} with excitement, then she became perfectly rigid, as dogs do when they point a bird. I did not then know why Belle acted in this way: but I knew she was not doing as I wished. This vexed me and the lesson always ended in a one-sided boxing match{}. Belle would get up, stretch herself lazily, give one or two contemptuous^{} sniffs, go to the opposite side of the hearth{} and lie dowr again, and I, wearied and disappointed, went off in search of Martha Many incidents of those early years are fixed in my memory, isolated, but clear and distinct, making the sense of that silent, aimless, dayless life all the more intense One day I happened to spil^{②}water on my apron, and I spread it out to dry before the fire which was flickering on the sitting-room hearth. The apron did not dry quickly enough to suit me, so I drew nearer and threw it right over the hot ashes, The fire leaped into life: the flames encircled me so that in a momen my clothes were blazing^{}. I made a terrified noise that brought Viny, my old nurse, to the rescue. Throwing a blanket over me, she almost suffocated^{}me. but she put out the fire. Except for my hands and hair I was not badly burned. About this time I found out the use of a key. One morning I locked my mother up in the pantry^{}, where she was obliged to^{①} remain three hours, as the servants were in a detached^{} part of the house. She kept pounding on the door. while I sat outside on the porch steps and laughed with glee as{I felt the .048. 我的生活l 这个游戏。干是我们开始剪鞋带,剪我们够得着的忍冬 ①be wearied of 对...感 的叶子,之后,我把目光转移到了玛莎的蝶丝锥头发。 到厌倦 ②clip off修剪 起初,她反对我打她头发的主意,可后来她还是屈服了。 为公平起见,我也让玛莎剪我的头发。在她刚剪下一缕 的时候,我的母亲及时赶到,制止了玛莎,否则,她一 定会把我的头发都剪光的。 ③ interference Linta'fiarans] 我的另一个玩伴是我们家的那条猎狗贝尔,它年迈 n.干涉;干预 而懒惰,喜欢趴在暖炉旁睡觉,而不想陪我到处跑蹄 我试图教它我的肢体语言,可是它表现出一副呆滞而散 ④ rompwith与......玩要 漫的姿态。它有时兴奋得浑身颤抖,然后变得跃跃欲试 quiver l'kwivalv 颤抖 就跟其他狗目光锁定住小鸟时一样。我不明白贝尔为什 么是这个样子的,我只知道它从来不听我的话。对此我 非常生气,所以常常会以一通拳打脚踢而结束我们的训 boxing match拳赛 练。贝尔则无精打采地站起来,伸个懒腰,轻蔑地嗅几 contemptuous 下暖炉,然后跑到另一侧躺下。最后,我既失望又无奈, kon'temptjuas]a. 轻视 的 只好去找玛莎玩。 ⑧ hearth hatol n. 壁炉 早些年的很多事情都牢牢刻在了我的脑海里,虽然 互不相干,但清晰可见,并把那种沉寂、无助和迷茫的 感觉变得更加强烈 spill[spil]:泼洒 记得有一天我把围裙打湿了,于是我把它展开放 到客厅的暖炉边烘烤。湿漉漉的围裙没那么快变得干 燥,所以我就把它更贴近了火源,不料正好碰到了火 烫的灰烬,围裙一下子着火了。火苗突然变得旺盛起来 围绕在我身边,盘盘欲动地扑向我的衣服。我惊慌失 blaze [bleiz]: 着火 措地大叫起来,老保姆维呢听到后跑来救我。她用一 suffocate I'safakeitl y 使 窒息 条毯子把我裹上,把我憨得嘴不过气来。不过,她还 pantry I'pentri]n. 餐具 是把火扑灭了。最后,除了双手和头发被烧到一点外 空 be obliged to do 被迫做 我并无大碍。 某事 ④ detached [di'taetft]a. 不 大约就在那个时期,我发现了钥匙的用处。一天 连接的,分开的 早晨,我把母亲锁在了储藏室里,她被迫在里面待了三 glee lql:]n. 欢乐,高 个小时,因为那时仆人们都在屋外干活儿。母亲不停地 .049· The Story ofMyCife jar of the pounding. This most naughty prank{} of mine convinced my parents that I must be taught as soon as possible. After my teacher, Miss Sullivan, came to me, I sought an early opportunity to lock her in her room. I went upstairs with something which my mother made me understand I was to give to Miss Sullivan but no sooner had I given it to her than I slammed the door to②. locked it. and hid the key under the wardrobe{③}in the hall. I could not be induced to{} tell where the key was. My father was obliged to get a ladder and take Miss Sullivar out through the window -much to my delight. Months after I produced the key When I was about five years old we moved from the little vine-covered house to a large new one. The family consisted of my father and mother, two older half- brothers, and. afterward. a little sister. Mildred. My earliest distinct recollectior of my father is making my way{} through great drifts of^{} newspapers to his side and finding him alone, holding a sheet of paper before his face. I was greatly puzzled to know what he was doing. I imitated this action, even wearing his spectacles^{}, thinking they might help solve the mystery. But I did not find out the secret for several years. Then I learned what those papers were, and that my father edited one of them My father was most loving and indulgent{}. devoted to his home, seldom leaving us, except in the hunting season. He was a great hunter, I have been told. and a celebrated shot. Next to his family he loved his dogs and gun. His hospitality{was great, almost to a fault, and he seldom came home - without bringing a guest. His special pride was the big garden where, it was said, he raised the finest watermelons and strawberries in the country: and to me he brought the first ripe grapes and the choicest berries. I remember his caressing* touch as he led me from tree to tree, from vine to vine, and his eager delight ir whatever pleased me He was a famous story-teller: after I had acquired language he used to spell clumsily into my hand his cleverest anecdotes, and nothing pleased him more than to have me repeat them at an opportune momen^{}. .050: 我的生活l ① prank [praenk]n. 恶作剧 敲打房门,我坐在走廊台阶上,感觉到重重的敲击声, 不禁略略地偷笑起来。这次顽皮的恶作剧之后,我的父 母决定要尽快找个人来管教我。我的老师--沙利文 小姐来到我身边后,我还找了个机会把她锁在了她的房 ② slamto砰地关上 间里:有一次,母亲让我上楼送东西给老师,但是,我 ③ wardrobe f'ws:drsub] n. 衣柜,衣根 刚到门口还没把东西递给她,就回转身砰的一下把门锁 ④ be induced to do 被诱导 做 上,将钥匙藏在客厅的衣柜里了。无论家人怎样对我哄 骗利诱,我都不肯说出钥匙的下落。最后,父亲不得不 搬架梯子让沙利文小姐从窗户爬出。这让我感到分外地 高兴。几个月后,我才将钥匙交出来 在我五岁的时候,我们从那所爬满绿藤的小房子搬 到了一栋新的大房子。我们一家有六口人:父亲、母亲、 make one's way 费力地 前进 drifts of 成堆的 两个同父异斑的哥哥,我和一个名叫米尔德里德的小她 妹。对于父亲的记忆,最早而且印象最深的就是我摇摇 晃晃地穿过一堆堆的报纸来到他身边,那时我发现他总 spectacles I'spektaklzln 是独自一人,面前举着一张报纸。我感到十分困惑,很 [复]眼镜 想知道他在干什么。因此,我开始模仿他的举动,甚至 戴上他的眼镜,以为这样迷团就可以解开。但几年过去 ⑧ indulgent in'dAld3ontl a 爱的 了,我仍然未寻找到答案。后来我才知道那些都是报纸 父亲是其中一家报纸的编辑 我的父亲慈爱而顾家,除了狩猎季节,他很少离开 。 hospitality [.hospi'taeloti] 我们。我那时得知父亲是一位出色的猎人,也是一位神 n.殷勤,好客 枪手。除了家人,他的最爱有两样:猎狗和猎枪。他非常 好客,这几乎成了他的性格弱点,每次回家他都要带客 caressing Ika'resinla. 爱 人来。他最引以为自豪的地方是我们家的大种植园。据说, 抚的 他种的西瓜和草荐是全村最好的。他总是把最先成熟的 葡萄和精选的浆果摘给我吃。我依然记得他的爱抚,他 带着我穿过果林和瓜田,能逗我开心让他欣喜不已。 父亲还非常擅长讲故事。在我学会写字之后,他常 at an opportune moment 在适当的时机 常会把一些奇闻轶事笨拙地写在我手心里。这时,如果 我能把它们复述出来,他就会高兴万分。 .051·