现代大学英语精读4Unit2SpringSowing原文

现代大学英语精读4Unit2SpringSowing原文现代大学英语精读4Unit2SpringSowing原文现代大学英语精读4Unit2SpringSowing原文资料仅供参考文件编号：2022年4月现代大学英语精读4Unit2SpringSowing原文版本号：A修改号：1页次：1.0审核：批准:发布日期：SpringSowingItwasstilldarkwhenMartinDelaneyandhiswifeMarygotup.Martinstoodinhisshirtbythewindow,rubbinghiseyesandyawning,whileMaryrakedoutthelivecoalsthathadlainhiddenintheashesonthehearthallnight.Outside,cockswerecrowingandawhitestreakwasrisingformtheground,asitwere,andbeginningtoscatterthedarkness.ItwasaFebruarymorning,dry,coldandstarry.

Thecouplesatdowntotheirbreakfastoftea,breadandbutter,insilence.Theyhadonlybeenmarriedthepreviousautumnanditwashatefulleavingawarmbedatsuchandearlyhour.Martin,withhisbrownhairandeyes,hisfreckledfaceandhislittlefairmoustache,lookedtooyoungtobemarried,andhiswifelookedhardlymorethanagirl,red-cheekedandblue-eyed,herblackhairpiledattherearofherheadwithalargecombgleaminginthemiddleofthepile,Spanishfashion.Theywerebothdressedinroughhomespuns,andbothworetheloosewhiteshirtthatInverarapeasantsuseforworkinthefields.

Theyateinsilence,sleepyandyetonfirewithexcitement,foritwasthefirstdayoftheirfirstspringsowingasmanandwife.Andeachfelttheglamourofthatdayonwhichtheyweretoopenuptheearthtogetherandplantseedsinit.Butsomehowtheimminenceofaneventthathadbeenlongexpectedloved,fearedandpreparedformadethemdejected.Mary,withhershrewdwoman'smind,thoughtofasmanythingsasthereareinlifeasawomanwouldinthefirstjoyandanxietyofhermating.ButMartin'smindwasfixedononethought.Wouldhebeabletoprovehimselfamanworthyofbeingtheheadofafamilybydonghisspringsowingwell?

Inthebarnafterbreakfast,whentheyweregettingthepotatoseedsandthelineformeasuringthegroundandthespade,Martinfelloverabasketinthehalf-darknessofthebarn,hesworeandsaidthatamanwouldbebetteroffdeadthan..Butbeforehecouldfinishwhateverhewasgoingtosay,Maryhadherarmsaroundhiswaistandherfacetohis."Martin,"shesaid,"letusnotbeginthisdaycrosswithoneanother."Andtherewasatremorinhervoice.Andsomehow,astheyembraced,alltheirirritationandsleepinessleftthem.AndtheystoodthereembracinguntilatlastMartinpushedherfromhimwithpretendedroughnessandsaid:"Come,come,girl,itwillbesunsetbeforewebeginatthisrate."

Still,astheywalkedsilentlyintheirrawhideshoesthroughthelittlehamlet,therewasnotasoulabout.Lightswereglimmeringinthewindowsofafewcabins.Theskyhadabiggreycrackinitintheeast,asifitweregoingtoburstinordertogivebirthtothesun.Birdsweresingingsomewhereatadistance.MartinandMaryrestedtheirbasketsofseedsonafenceoutsidethevillageandMartinwhisperedtoMaryproudly:"Wearefirst,Mary."Andtheybothlookedbackatthelittleclusterofcabinsthatwasthecentreoftheirworld,withthrobbinghearts.Forthejoyofspringhadnowtakencompleteholdofthem.

Theyreachedthelittlefieldwheretheyweretosow.Itwasalittletriangularpatchofgroundunderanivy-coveredlimestonehill.Thelittlefieldhadbeenmanuredwithseaweedsomeweeksbefore,andtheweedshadrottedandwhitenedonthegrass.Andtherewasabigredheapoffreshseaweedlyinginacornerbythefencetobespreadundertheseedsastheywerelaid.Martin,inspiteofthecold,threwoffeverythingabovehiswaistexcepthisstripedwoolenshirt.Thenhespatonhishands,seizedhisspadeandcried:"Nowyouaregoingtoseewhatkindofamanyouhave,Mary."

"There,now,"saidMary,tyingalittleshawlcloserunderherchin.

"Aren'tweboastfulthisearlyhourofthemorning

MaybeI'llwaittillsunsettoseewhatkindofamanIhavegot."

Theworkbegan.Martinmeasuredthegroundbythesouthernfenceforthefirstridge,astripofgroundfourfeetwide,andheplacedthelinealongtheedgeandpeggeditateachend.Thenhespreadfreshseaweedoverthestrip.Maryfilledherapronwithseedsandbegantolaytheminrows.Whenshewasalittledistancedowntheridge,Martinadvancedwithhisspadetothehead,eagertocommence.

"NowinthenameofGod,"hecried,spittingonhispalms,"letusraisethefirstsod!"

"Oh,Martin,waittillI'mwithyou!"criedMary,droppingherseedsontheridgeandrunninguptohim.Herfingersoutsideherwoolenmittenswerenumbwiththecold,andshecouldn'twipetheminherapron.Hercheeksseemedtobeonfire.SheputanarmroundMartin'swaistandstoodlookingatthegreensodhisspadewasgoingtocut,withtheexcitementofalittlechild.

"NowforGod'ssake,girl,keepback!"saidMartingruffly."Supposeanybodysawuslikethisinthefieldofourspringsowing,whatwouldtheytakeusforbutapairofuseless,soft,empty-headedpeoplethatwouldbesuretodieofhunger

Huh!"Hespokeveryrapidly,andhiseyeswerefixedonthegroundbeforehm.Hiseyeshadawild,eagerlightinthemasifsomeprimevalimpulsewereburningwithinhisbrainanddrivingouteveryotherdesirebutthatofassertinghismanhoodandofsubjugatingtheearth.

"Oh,whatdowecarewhoislooking"

saidMary;butshedrewbackatthesametimeandgazeddistantlyattheground.ThenMartincutthesod,andpressingthespadedeepintotheearthwithhisfoot,heturnedupthefirstsodwithacrunchingsoundasthegrassrootsweredraggedoutoftheearth.Marysighedandwalkedbackhurriedlytoherseedswithfurrowedbrows.Shepickedupherseedsandbegantospreadthemrapidlytodriveoutthesuddenterrorthathadseizedheratthatmomentwhenshesawthefierce,hardlookinherhusband'seyesthatwereunconsciousofherpresence.Shebecamesuddenlyafraidofthatpitiless,cruelearth,thepeasant'sslavemasterthatwouldkeepherchainedtohardworkandpovertyallherlifeuntilshewouldsinkagainintoitsbosom.Hershort-livedlovewasgone.Henceforthshewasonlyherhusband'shelpertotilltheearth.AndMartin,absolutelywithoutthought,workedfuriously,coveringtheridgewithblockearth,hissharpspadegleamingwhiteashewhirleditsidewaystobeatthesods.

Then,asthesunrose,thelittlevalleybeneaththeivy-coveredhillsbecamedottedwithwhiteshirts,andeverywheremenworkedmadly,withoutspeaking,andwomenspreadseeds.Therewasnoheatinthelightofthesun,andtherewasasharpnessinthestillthinairthatmadethemenjumpontheirspadehaltsferociouslyandbeatthesodsasiftheywerelivingenemies.Birdshoppedsilentlybeforethespades,withtheirheadscockedsideways,watchingforworms.Madebravebyhunger,theyoftendashedunderthespadestosecuretheirfood.Then,whenthesunreachedacertainpoint,allthewomenwentbacktothevillagetogetdinnerfortheirmen,andthemenworkedonwithoutstopping.Thenthewomenreturned,almostrunning,eachcarryingatincanwithaflanneltiedarounditandalittlebundletiedwithawhitecloth,MartinthrewdownhisspadewhenMaryarrivedbackinthefield.Smilingatoneanothertheysatunderthehillfortheirmeal.Itwasthesameastheirbreakfast,teaandbreadandbutter.

"Ah,"saidMartin,whenhehadtakenalongdraughtofteaformhismug,"isthereanythinginthisworldasfineaseatingdinneroutintheopenlikethisafterdoingagoodmorning'swork

There,Ihavedonetworidgesandahalf.That'smorethananymaninthevillagecoulddo.Ha!"Andhelookedathiswifeproudly.

"Yes,isn'titlovely,"saidMary,lookingatthebackridgeswistfully.Shewasjustmunchingherbreadandbutter.Thehurriedtriptothevillageandthetroubleofgettingtheteareadyhadrobbedherofherappetite.Shehadtokeepblowingattheturffirewiththerimofherskirt,andthesmokenearlyblindedher.Butnow,sittingonthatgrassyknoll,withthevalleyallroundglisteningwithfreshseaweedandalightsmokerisingfromthefreshlyturnedearth,astrangejoysweptoverher.Itoverpoweredthatotherfellingofdreadthathadbeenwithherduringthemorning.

Martinateheartily,revelinginhisgreatthirstandhisgreathunger,witheveryporeofhisbodyopentothepureair.Andhelookedaroundathisneighbors'fieldsboastfully,comparingthemwithhisown.Thenhelookedathiswife'slittleroundblackheadandfeltveryproudofhavingherashisown.Heleanedbackonhiselbowandtookherhandinhis.Shylyandinsilence,notknowingwhattosayandashamedoftheirgentlefeelings,theyfinishedeatingandstillsathandinhandlookingawayintothedistance.Everywherethesowerswererestingonlittleknolls,men,womenandchildrensittinginsilence.Andthegreatcalmofnatureinspringfilledtheatmospherearoundthem.Everythingseemedtositstillandwaituntilmiddayhadpassed.Onlythegleamingsunchasedwestwardsatamightypace,inandoutthroughwhiteclouds.

Theninadistantfieldanoldmangotup,tookhisspadeandbegantocleantheearthfromitwithapieceofstone.Theraspingnoisecarriedalongwayinthesilence.Thatwasthesignalforageneralrisingallalongthelittlevalley.Youngmenstretchedthemselvesandyawned.Theywalkedslowlybacktotheirridges.

Martin'sbackandhiswristsweregettingsore,andMaryfeltthatifshestoopedagainoverherseedsherneckwouldbreak,butneithersaidanythingandsoontheyhadforgottentheirtirednessinthemechanicalmovementoftheirbodies.Thestrongsmelloftheupturnedearthactedlikeadrugontheirnerves.Intheafternoon,whenthesunwasstrongest,theoldmenofthevillagecameouttolookattheirpeoplesowing.Martin'sgrandfather,almostbentdoubleoverhisthickstickstoppedinthelandoutsidethefieldandgroaningloudly,heleanedoverthefence.“Godblessthework,"hecalledwheezily."Andyou,grandfather,"repliedthecoupletogether,buttheydidnotstopworking.'Ha!"mutteredtheoldmantohimself."Hesowswellandthatwomanisgoodtoo.Theyarebeginningwell."ItwasfiftyyearssincehehadbegunwithhisMary,fullofhopeandpride,andthemercilesssoilhadhuggedthemtoitsbosomeversince,eachspringwithoutrest.Today,theoldman,withhishugerednoseandthespottedhandkerchieftiedaroundhisskullunderhisblacksoftfelthat,watchedhisgrandsonworkandgavehimadvice."Don'tcutyoursodssolong,"hewouldwheeze,"youareputtingtoomuchsoilonyourridge."''Ahwoman!Don'tplantaseedsoneartheedge.Thestalkwillcomeoutsideways."Andtheypaidnoheedtohim."Ah,"grumbledtheoldman,"inmyyoungdays,whenmenworkedfrommorningtillnightwithouttastingfood,betterworkwasdone.Butofcourseitcan'tbeexpectedtobethesamenow.Thebreedisgettingweaker.Soitis."ThenhebegantocoughinhischestandhobbledawaytoanotherfieldwherehissonMichaelwasworking.BysundownMartinhadfiveridgesfinished.Hethrewdownhisspadeandstretchedhimself.Allhisbonesachedandhewantedtoliedownandrest."It'stimetobegoinghome,Mary,"hesaid.

Marystraightenedherself,butshewastootiredtoreply.ShelookedatMartinwearilyanditseemedtoherthatitwasagreatmanyyearssincetheyhadsetoutthatmorning.Thenshethoughtofthejourneyhomeandthetroub