Witches’Loaves女巫的面包.docx

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1、Witches Loaves女巫的面包欧亨利闻春国MissMarthaMeachamkeptthelittlebakeryonthecorner(theonewhereyougoupthreesteps,andthebelltinkleswhenyouopenthedoor).MissMarthawasforty,herbank-bookshowedacreditoftwothousanddollars,andshepossessedtwofalseteethandasympatheticheart. Manypeoplehavemarriedwhosechancestodosoweremuc

2、hinferiortoMissMarthas.Twoorthreetimesaweekacustomercameininwhomshebegantotakeaninterest. Hewasamiddle-agedman,wearingspectaclesandabrownbeardtrimmedtoacarefulpoint.HespokeEnglishwithastrongGermanaccent. Hisclotheswerewornanddarnedinplaces, andwrinkledandbaggyinothers. Buthelookedneat,andhadverygood

3、manners.Hea1waysboughttwoloavesofstalebread. Freshbreadwasf ivecentsaloaf. Staleonesweretwoforfive. Neverdidhecallforanythingbutstalebread.OnceMissMarthasawaredandbrownstainonhisfingers. Shewassurethenthathewasanartistandverypoor. Nodoubthelivedinagarret ,wherehepaintedpicturesandatestalebreadandtho

4、ughtofthegoodthingstoeatinMissMarthasbakery.OftenwhenMissMarthasatdowntoherchopsandlightrollsandjamandteashewouldsigh,andwishthatthegentle-manneredartistmightsharehertastymealinsteadofeatinghisdrycrustinthatdraughtyattic. MissMarthasheart, asyouhavebeentold, wasasympatheticone.Inordertotesthertheory

5、astohisoccupation,shebroughtfromherroomonedayapaintingthatshehadboughtatasale ,andsetitagainsttheshelvesbehindthebreadconter.ItwasaVenetianscene. Asplendidmarblepalazziostoodintheforegroundorratherforewater. Fortherestthereweregondolas(withtheladytrai1ingherhandinthewater ) , clouds , sky ,andchiaro

6、-oscuroinplenty. Noartistcouldfailtonoticeit.Twodaysafterwardthecustomercamein.Twoloafsofstalebread, ifyoublease.Youhafhereafinebicture,madame,hesaidwhileshewaswrappingupthebread.“Yes? saysMissMartha,revelinginherowncunning. uIdosoadmireartandv ( no ,itwouldnotdotosay uartistsv thusearly)uandpaintin

7、gs, “ shesubstituted. Youthinkitisagoodpicture? ”uDerbalance,“ saidthecustomer,“ isnotingooddrawing. Derbairspectiveofitisnottre. Gootmorning, madame. ”IIetookhisbread, bowed, andhurriedout.Yes,hemustbeanartist. MissMarthatookthepicturebacktoherroom. 40C76890-AA4A-4E25-83E2-8E57BD8B7F75Howgentleandk

8、indlyhiseyesshonebehindhisspectacles!Whatabroadbrowhehad ! Tobeabletojudgeperspectiveataglance -andtoliveonstaiebread!Butgeniusoftenhastostrugglebeforeitisrecognized.Whatathingitwouldbeforartandperspectiveifgeniuswerebackedbytwothousanddollarsinbank, abakery, andasympatheticheartto -Butthesewereday-

9、dreams, MissMartha.Oftennowhenhecamehewouldchatforawhileacrosstheshowcase. HeseemedtocraveMissMarthascheerfulwords.Hekeptonbuyingstaiebread. Neveracake, neverapie ,neveroneofherdeliciousSallyLunns.Shethoughthebegantolookthinneranddiscouraged. Herheartachedtoaddsomethinggoodtoeattohismeagrepurchase,b

10、uthercouragefailedattheact. Shedidnotdareaffronthim. Sheknewtheprideofartists.MissMarthatooktowearingherblue-dottedsilkwaistbehindthecounter.Inthebackroomshecookedamysteriouscompoundofquinceseedsandborax. Eversomanypeopleuseitforthecomplexion.Onedaythecustomercameinasusual, laidhisnickelontheshowcas

11、e,andcalledforhisstaleloaves. WhileMissMarthawasreachingforthemtherewasagreattootingandclanging,andafire-enginecamelumberingpast.Thecustomerhurriedtothedoortolook,asanyonewill. Suddenlyinspired,MissMarthaseizedtheopportunity.Onthebottomshelfbehindthecounterwasapoundoffreshbutterthatthedairymanhadlef

12、ttenminutesbefore. WithabreadknifeMissMarthamadeadeepslashineachofthestaleloaves,insertedagenerousquantityofbutter,andpressedtheloavestightagain.Whenthecustomerturnedoncemoreshewastyingthepaperaroundthem.Whenhehadgone ,af teranunusuallypleasant1i 11lechat,MissMarthasmiledtoherself,butnotwithoutaslig

13、htflutteringoftheheart.Hadshebeentoobold ? Wouldhetakeoffense ?Butsurelynot. Therewasnolanguageofedibles. Butterwasnoemb1emofunmaidenlyforwardness.Foralongtimethatdayherminddweltonthesubject. Sheimaginedthescenewhenheshoulddiscoverherlittledeception.Hewouldlaydownhisbrushesandpalette. Therewouldstan

14、dhiseaselwiththepicturehewaspaintinginwhichtheperspectivewasbeyondcriticism.Hewouldprepareforhisluncheonofdrybreadandwater.Hewouldslieeintoaloaf - ah!MissMarthablushed. Wouldhethinkofthehandthatplaceditthereasheate? Wouldhe - 40C76890-AA4A-4E25-83E2-8E57BD8B7F75Thefrontdoorbelljangledviciously. Some

15、bodywascomingin,makingagreatdealofnoise.MissMarthahurriedtothefront. Twomenwerethere. Onewasayoungmansmokingapipe -amanshehadneverseenbefore. Theotherwasherartist.Hi sfacewasveryred,hi shatwasonthebackofhi shead,hishairwaswildlyrumpled. HeclinchedhistwofistsandshookthemferociouslyatMissMartha. AtMissMartha.aDummkopf ! ” heshoutedwithextremeloudness；andthen aTasendonfer! ” orsomethinglikeitinGerman.Theyoungmantriedtodrawhimaway.aIvillnotgo, “ hesaidangrily, elselshalltoldher. ”HemadeabassdrumofMissMarthascounter.Youhafshpoi11me, h