第8章 一个古怪的梦〔3〕
暖小昕编译提示您:看后求收藏(宜小说jmvip6.com),接着再看更方便。
ndtheoorghostgratedhisteethinawaythatgavemeawrenchandashiver—fortheeffectismightilyincreasedbytheabsenceofmufflingfleshandcuticle.
"Iresideinthatoldgraveyard,andhaveforthesethirtyyears;andItellyouthingsarechangedsinceIfirstlaidthisoldtiredframethere,andturnedover,andstretchedoutforalongslee,withadelicioussenseuonmeofbeingdonewithbother,andgrief,andanxiety,anddoubt,andfear,foreverandever,andlisteningwithcomfortableandincreasingsatisfactiontothesexton'swork,fromthestartlingclatterofhisfirstsadefulonmycoffintillitdulledawaytothefaintattingthatshaedtheroofofmynewhome-delicious!My!Iwishyoucouldtryittonight!
"Andoutofmyreveriedeceasedfetchedmearattlingslawithabonyhand.
"Yes,sir,thirtyyearsagoIlaidmedownthere,andwashay.Foritwasoutinthecountrythen—outinthebreezy,flowery,grandoldwoods,andthelazywindsgossiedwiththeleaves,andthesquirrelscaeredoverusandaroundus,andthecreeingthingsvisitedus,andthebirdsfilledthetranquilsolitudewithmusic.Ah,itwasworthtenyearsofaman'slifetobedeadthen!
"
"Everythingwasleasant.Iwasinagoodneighborhood,forallthedeadeolethatlivednearmebelongedtothebestfamiliesinthecity.Ourosterityaearedtothinktheworldofus.Theyketourgravesintheverybestcondition;thefenceswerealwaysinfaultlessreair,head-boardswereketaintedorwhitewashed,andwererelacedwithnewonesassoonastheybegantolookrustyordecayed;monumentswereketuright,railingsintactandbright,therose-bushesandshrubberytrimmed,trained,andfreefromblemish,thewalkscleanandsmoothandgraveled.Butthatdayisgoneby.Ourdescendantshaveforgottenus.Mygrandsonlivesinastatelyhousebuiltwithmoneymadebytheseoldhandsofmine,andIsleeinaneglectedgravewithinvadingverminthatgnawmyshroudtobuildthemnestswithal!Iandfriendsthatliewithmefoundedandsecuredtheroserityofthisfinecity,andthestatelybantlingofourlovesleavesustorotinadilaidatedcemeterywhichneighborscurseandstrangersscoffat.
"
"Seethedifferencebetweentheoldtimeandthis—forinstance:Ourgravesareallcavedinnow;ourhead-boardshaverottedawayandtumbleddown;ourrailingsreelthiswayandthat,withonefootintheair,afterafashionofunseemlylevity;ourmonumentsleanwearily,andourgravestonesbowtheirheadsdiscouraged;therebenoadornmentsanymore—noroses,norshrubs,norgraveledwalks,noranythingthatisacomforttotheeye;andeventheaintlessoldboardfencethatdidmakeashowofholdingussacredfromcomanionshiwithbeastsandthedefilementofheedlessfeet,hastotteredtillitoverhangsthestreet,andonlyadvertisestheresenceofourdismalresting-laceandinvitesyetmorederisiontoit.
"
Andnowwecannothideourovertyandtattersinthefriendlywoods,forthecityhasstretcheditswitheringarmsabroadandtakenusin,andallthatremainsofthecheerofouroldhomeistheclusteroflugubriousforesttreesthatstand,boredandwearyofacitylife,withtheirfeetinourcoffins,lookingintothehazydistanceandwishingtheywerethere.Itellyouitisdisgraceful!
"Youbegintocomrehend—youbegintoseehowitis.Whileourdescendantsarelivingsumtuouslyonourmoney,rightaroundusinthecity,wehavetofighthardtokeeskullandbonestogether.Blessyou,thereisn'tagraveinourcemeterythatdoesn'tleaknotone.Everytimeitrainsinthenightwehavetoclimboutandroostinthetreesandsometimeswearewakenedsuddenlybythechillywatertricklingdownthebackofournecks.ThenItellyouthereisageneralheavinguofoldgravesandkickingoverofoldmonuments,andscameringofoldskeletonsforthetrees!Blessme,ifyouhadgonealongtheresomesuchnightsaftertwelveyoumighthaveseenasmanyasfifteenofusroostingononelimb,withourjointsrattlingdrearilyandthewindwheezingthroughourribs!Manyatimewehaveerchedthereforthreeorfourdrearyhours,andthencomedown,stiffandchilledthroughanddrowsy,andborrowedeachother'sskullstobailoutourgraveswith—ifyouwillglanceuinmymouthnowasItiltmyheadback,youcanseethatmyhead-ieceishalffullofolddrysedimenthowto-heavyandstuiditmakesmesometimes!
"
"Yes,sir,manyatimeifyouhadhaenedtocomealongjustbeforethedawnyou'dhavecaughtusbailingoutthegravesandhangingourshroudsonthefencetodry.Why,Ihadanelegantshroudstolenfromthereonemorning—thinkaartybythenameofSmithtookit,thatresidesinalebeiangraveyardoveryonder—IthinksobecausethefirsttimeIeversawhimhehadn'tanythingonbutacheckshirt,andthelasttimeIsawhim,whichwasatasocialgatheringinthenewcemetery,hewasthebest-dressedcorseinthecomany—anditisasignificantfactthatheleftwhenhesawme.
"
"Andresentlyanoldwomanfromheremissedhercoffin—shegenerallytookitwithherwhenshewentanywhere,becauseshewasliabletotakecoldandbringonthesasmodicrheumatismthatoriginallykilledherifsheexosedherselftothenightairmuch.ShewasnamedHotchkiss—AnnaMatildaHotchkiss—youmightknowher?Shehastwouerfrontteeth,istall,butagooddealinclinedtostoo,oneribontheleftsidegone,hasoneshredofrustyhairhangingfromtheleftsideofherhead,andonelittletuftjustaboveandalittleforwardofherrightear,hasherunderjawwiredononesidewhereithadworkedloose,smallboneofleftforearmgone—lostinafighthasakindofswaggerinhergaitanda'gallus'wayofgoingwith:herarmsakimboandhernostrilsintheairhasbeenrettyfreeandeasy,andisalldamagedandbatteredutillshelookslikeaqueenswarecrateinruins—maybeyouhavemether?
"