1、.適用文檔.SpringSowingItwasstilldarkwhenMartinDelaneyandhiswifeMarygotup.Martinstoodinhisshirtbythewindow,rubbinghiseyesandyawning,whileMaryrakedoutthelivecoalsthathadlainhiddenintheashesonthehearthallnight.Outside,cockswerecrowingandawhitestreakwasrisingformtheground,asitwere,andbeginningtoscattertheda

2、rkness.ItwasaFebruarymorning,dry,coldandstarry.Thecouplesatdowntotheirbreakfastoftea,breadandbutter,insilence.Theyhadonlybeenmarriedthepreviousautumnanditwashatefulleavingawarmbedatsuchandearlyhour.Martin,withhisbrownhairandeyes,hisfreckledfaceandhislittlefairmoustache,lookedtooyoungtobemarried,andh

3、iswifelookedhardlymorethanagirl,red-cheekedandblue-eyed,herblackhairpiledattherearofherheadwithalargecombgleaminginthemiddleofthepile,Spanishfashion.Theywerebothdressedinroughhomespuns,andbothworetheloosewhiteshirtthatInverarapeasantsuseforworkinthefields.Theyateinsilence,sleepyandyetonfirewithexcit

4、ement,foritwasthefirstdayoftheirfirstspringsowingasmanandwife.Andeachfelttheglamourofthatdayonwhichtheyweretoopenuptheearthtogetherandplantseedsinit.Butsomehowtheimminenceofaneventthathadbeenlongexpectedloved,fearedandpreparedformadethemdejected.Mary,.適用文檔.withhershrewdwomansmind,thoughtofasmanythin

5、gsasthereareinlifeasawomanwouldinthefirstjoyandanxietyofhermating.ButMartinsmindwasfixedononethought.Wouldhebeabletoprovehimselfamanworthyofbeingtheheadofafamilybydonghisspringsowingwell?Inthebarnafterbreakfast,whentheyweregettingthepotatoseedsandthelineformeasuringthegroundandthespade,Martinfellove

6、rabasketinthehalf-darknessofthebarn,hesworeandsaidthatamanwouldbebetteroffdeadthan.Butbeforehecouldfinishwhateverhewasgoingtosay,Maryhadherarmsaroundhiswaistandherfacetohis.Martin,shesaid,letusnotbeginthisdaycrosswithoneanother.Andtherewasatremorinhervoice.Andsomehow,astheyembraced,alltheirirritatio

7、nandsleepinessleftthem.AndtheystoodthereembracinguntilatlastMartinpushedherfromhimwithpretendedroughnessandsaid:Come,come,girl,itwillbesunsetbeforewebeginatthisrate.Still,astheywalkedsilentlyintheirrawhideshoesthroughthelittlehamlet,therewasnotasoulabout.Lightswereglimmeringinthewindowsofafewcabins.

8、Theskyhadabiggreycrackinitintheeast,asifitweregoingtoburstinordertogivebirthtothesun.Birdsweresingingsomewhereatadistance.MartinandMaryrestedtheirbasketsofseedsonafenceoutsidethevillageandMartinwhisperedtoMaryproudly:Wearefirst,Mary.Andtheybothlookedbackatthelittleclusterofcabinsthatwasthecentreofth

9、eirworld,withthrobbinghearts.Forthejoy.適用文檔.ofspringhadnowtakencompleteholdofthem.Theyreachedthelittlefieldwheretheyweretosow.Itwasalittletriangularpatchofgroundunderanivy-coveredlimestonehill.Thelittlefieldhadbeenmanuredwithseaweedsomeweeksbefore,andtheweedshadrottedandwhitenedonthegrass.Andtherewa

10、sabigredheapoffreshseaweedlyinginacornerbythefencetobespreadundertheseedsastheywerelaid.Martin,inspiteofthecold,threwoffeverythingabovehiswaistexcepthisstripedwoolenshirt.Thenhespatonhishands,seizedhisspadeandcried:Nowyouaregoingtoseewhatkindofamanyouhave,Mary.There,now,saidMary,tyingalittleshawlclo

11、serunderherchin.Arentweboastfulthisearlyhourofthemorning?MaybeIllwaittillsunsettoseewhatkindofamanIhavegot.Theworkbegan.Martinmeasuredthegroundbythesouthernfenceforthefirstridge,astripofgroundfourfeetwide,andheplacedthelinealongtheedgeandpeggeditateachend.Thenhespreadfreshseaweedoverthestrip.Maryfil

12、ledherapronwithseedsandbegantolaytheminrows.Whenshewasalittledistancedowntheridge,Martinadvancedwithhisspadetothehead,eagertocommence.NowinthenameofGod,hecried,spittingonhispalms,letusraisethefirstsod!Oh,Martin,waittillImwithyou!criedMary,droppingherseedson.適用文檔.theridgeandrunninguptohim.Herfingerso

13、utsideherwoolenmittenswerenumbwiththecold,andshecouldntwipetheminherapron.Hercheeksseemedtobeonfire.SheputanarmroundMartinswaistandstoodlookingatthegreensodhisspadewasgoingtocut,withtheexcitementofalittlechild.NowforGodssake,girl,keepback!saidMartingruffly.Supposeanybodysawuslikethisinthefieldofours

14、pringsowing,whatwouldtheytakeusforbutapairofuseless,soft,empty-headedpeoplethatwouldbesuretodieofhunger?Huh!Hespokeveryrapidly,andhiseyeswerefixedonthegroundbeforehm.Hiseyeshadawild,eagerlightinthemasifsomeprimevalimpulsewereburningwithinhisbrainanddrivingouteveryotherdesirebutthatofassertinghismanh

15、oodandofsubjugatingtheearth.Oh,whatdowecarewhoislooking?saidMary;butshedrewbackatthesametimeandgazeddistantlyattheground.ThenMartincutthesod,andpressingthespadedeepintotheearthwithhisfoot,heturnedupthefirstsodwithacrunchingsoundasthegrassrootsweredraggedoutoftheearth.Marysighedandwalkedbackhurriedly

16、toherseedswithfurrowedbrows.Shepickedupherseedsandbegantospreadthemrapidlytodriveoutthesuddenterrorthathadseizedheratthatmomentwhenshesawthefierce,hardlookinherhusbandseyesthatwereunconsciousofherpresence.Shebecamesuddenlyafraidofthatpitiless,cruelearth,the.適用文檔.peasantsslavemasterthatwouldkeepherch

17、ainedtohardworkandpovertyallherlifeuntilshewouldsinkagainintoitsbosom.Hershort-livedlovewasgone.Henceforthshewasonlyherhusbandshelpertotilltheearth.AndMartin,absolutelywithoutthought,workedfuriously,coveringtheridgewithblockearth,hissharpspadegleamingwhiteashewhirleditsidewaystobeatthesods.Then,asth

18、esunrose,thelittlevalleybeneaththeivy-coveredhillsbecamedottedwithwhiteshirts,andeverywheremenworkedmadly,withoutspeaking,andwomenspreadseeds.Therewasnoheatinthelightofthesun,andtherewasasharpnessinthestillthinairthatmadethemenjumpontheirspadehaltsferociouslyandbeatthesodsasiftheywerelivingenemies.B

19、irdshoppedsilentlybeforethespades,withtheirheadscockedsideways,watchingforworms.Madebravebyhunger,theyoftendashedunderthespadestosecuretheirfood.Then,whenthesunreachedacertainpoint,allthewomenwentbacktothevillagetogetdinnerfortheirmen,andthemenworkedonwithoutstopping.Thenthewomenreturned,almostrunni

20、ng,eachcarryingatincanwithaflanneltiedarounditandalittlebundletiedwithawhitecloth,MartinthrewdownhisspadewhenMaryarrivedbackinthefield.Smilingatoneanothertheysatunderthehillfortheirmeal.Itwasthesameastheirbreakfast,teaandbreadandbutter.Ah,saidMartin,whenhehadtakenalongdraughtofteaformhismug,.適用文檔.is

21、thereanythinginthisworldasfineaseatingdinneroutintheopenlikethisafterdoingagoodmorningswork?There,Ihavedonetworidgesandahalf.Thatsmorethananymaninthevillagecoulddo.Ha!Andhelookedathiswifeproudly.Yes,isntitlovely,saidMary,lookingatthebackridgeswistfully.Shewasjustmunchingherbreadandbutter.Thehurriedt

22、riptothevillageandthetroubleofgettingtheteareadyhadrobbedherofherappetite.Shehadtokeepblowingattheturffirewiththerimofherskirt,andthesmokenearlyblindedher.Butnow,sittingonthatgrassyknoll,withthevalleyallroundglisteningwithfreshseaweedandalightsmokerisingfromthefreshlyturnedearth,astrangejoysweptover

23、her.Itoverpoweredthatotherfellingofdreadthathadbeenwithherduringthemorning.Martinateheartily,revelinginhisgreatthirstandhisgreathunger,witheveryporeofhisbodyopentothepureair.Andhelookedaroundathisneighborsfieldsboastfully,comparingthemwithhisown.Thenhelookedathiswifeslittleroundblackheadandfeltveryp

24、roudofhavingherashisown.Heleanedbackonhiselbowandtookherhandinhis.Shylyandinsilence,notknowingwhattosayandashamedoftheirgentlefeelings,theyfinishedeatingandstillsathandinhandlookingawayintothedistance.Everywherethesowerswererestingonlittleknolls,men,womenandchildrensittinginsilence.Andthegreatcalmof

25、natureinspringfilledtheatmospherearoundthem.Everythingseemedtosit.適用文檔.stillandwaituntilmiddayhadpassed.Onlythegleamingsunchasedwestwardsatamightypace,inandoutthroughwhiteclouds.Theninadistantfieldanoldmangotup,tookhisspadeandbegantocleantheearthfromitwithapieceofstone.Theraspingnoisecarriedalongway

26、inthesilence.Thatwasthesignalforageneralrisingallalongthelittlevalley.Youngmenstretchedthemselvesandyawned.Theywalkedslowlybacktotheirridges.Martinsbackandhiswristsweregettingsore,andMaryfeltthatifshestoopedagainoverherseedsherneckwouldbreak,butneithersaidanythingandsoontheyhadforgottentheirtirednes

27、sinthemechanicalmovementoftheirbodies.Thestrongsmelloftheupturnedearthactedlikeadrugontheirnerves.Intheafternoon,whenthesunwasstrongest,theoldmenofthevillagecameouttolookattheirpeoplesowing.Martinsgrandfather,almostbentdoubleoverhisthickstickstoppedinthelandoutsidethefieldandgroaningloudly,heleanedo

28、verthefence.“Godblessthework,hecalledwheezily.Andyou,grandfather,repliedthecoupletogether,buttheydidnotstopworking.Ha!mutteredtheoldmantohimself.Hesowswellandthatwomanisgoodtoo.Theyarebeginningwell.ItwasfiftyyearssincehehadbegunwithhisMary,fullofhopeandpride,.適用文檔.andthemercilesssoilhadhuggedthemtoi

29、tsbosomeversince,eachspringwithoutrest.Today,theoldman,withhishugerednoseandthespottedhandkerchieftiedaroundhisskullunderhisblacksoftfelthat,watchedhisgrandsonworkandgavehimadvice.Dontcutyoursodssolong,hewouldwheeze,youareputtingtoomuchsoilonyourridge.Ahwoman!Dontplantaseedsoneartheedge.Thestalkwill

30、comeoutsideways.Andtheypaidnoheedtohim.Ah,grumbledtheoldman,inmyyoungdays,whenmenworkedfrommorningtillnightwithouttastingfood,betterworkwasdone.Butofcourseitcantbeexpectedtobethesamenow.Thebreedisgettingweaker.Soitis.ThenhebegantocoughinhischestandhobbledawaytoanotherfieldwherehissonMichaelwasworkin

31、g.BysundownMartinhadfiveridgesfinished.Hethrewdownhisspadeandstretchedhimself.Allhisbonesachedandhewantedtoliedownandrest.Itstimetobegoinghome,Mary,hesaid.Marystraightenedherself,butshewastootiredtoreply.Shelookedat.適用文檔.Martinwearilyanditseemedtoherthatitwasagreatmanyyearssincetheyhadsetoutthatmorning.Thenshethoughtofthejourneyhomeandthetroubleoffeedingthepigs,pu