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第21章 Araby（第1页）

第21章Araby

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JamesJoyce

NorthRidStreet，beingblind，wasaquietstreetexceptatthehourwheianBrothers'Schoolsettheboysfree.Anuninhabitedhouseoftwostoreysstoodatthebliaitsneighboursiheotherhousesofthestreet，sciousofdetliveswithinthem，gazedatohbrowurbablefaces.

&enantofourhouse，apriest，haddiedinthebag-room.Air，mustyfromhavingbeenlongenginalltherooms，aeroombehiwaslitteredwitholduselesspapers.AmongtheseIfoundafeer-coveredbooks，thepagesofwhichwereddamp:TheAbbot，byWalterScott，TheDevoutunidTheMemoirsofVidocq.Ilikedthelastbestbecauseitsleaveswereyellow.Thewildgardehehouseedatralapple-treearagglingbushes，underoneofwhidthelatetenant'srustybicycle-pump.Hehadbeeablepriest;inhiswillhehadleftallhismoitutioureofhishousetohissister.

&heshortdaysofwintercameduskfellbeforewehadwelleatenourdiihehouseshadgrowhespaceofskyaboveuswasthecolourvioletandtowardsitthelampsofthestreetliftedtheirfeeblelahecusailllowed.Ourshoutsethesilehecareerofourplaybroughtusthroughthedarkmuddylahehouseswherewerahtribesfromthecottages，tothebackdoorsofthedarkdrippinggardenswhereodoursarosefromtheashpits，tothedarkodorousstableswhereaoothedahehorseorshookmusithebuess.Whehtfromthekitdowshadfilledtheareas.Ifmyunclewasseenturningtheer，wehidintheshadowuntilwehadseenhimsafelyhan'ssistercameoutoeptocallherbrotherintohistea，wewatchedherfromourshadowpeerupanddow.Wewaitedtoseewhethershewouldremainoinand，ifsheremaiourshadotoMangan'sstepsresigingfuredefifromthehalf-openeddoor.Herbrotheralwaysteasedherbeforeheobeyed，andIstoodbytherailingslookingather.Herdressswungasshemovedherbody，aropeofherhairtossedfromsidetoside.

EverymIlayontheflooriparlherdoor.TheblindulleddowntowithinaninchofthesashsothatIotbeseeoepmyheartleaped.Irantothehall，seizedmybooksandfollowedher.Ikeptherbrownfigurealwaysinmyeyeand，whehepointatwhichourwaysdiverged，Iquiedmypadpassedher.Thishappenedmafterm.Ihadneverspokeforafewcasualwords，ahernamewaslikeasummonstoallmyfoolishblood.

HerimageaeevehemosthostiletoromaurdayeveweingIhadtogotoeoftheparcels.Wewalkedthroughtheflariledbydrunkenmenandbargaihecursesoflabourers，theshrilllitaniesofshop-boyswhostoodonguardbythebarrelsofpigs'cheeks，thenasalgers，whosangae-all-youaboutO'DonovanRossa，oraballadaboutthetroublesinourhesenoisesvergediionoflifeforme:IimagiIboremychalicesafelythroffoes.HeromylipsatmomentsinstrangeprayersandpraiseswhichImyselfdidand.Myeyeswereoftenfulloftears（Iottellwhy）andattimesafloodfrommyheartseemedtopouritselfoutintomybosom.Ithoughtlittleofthefuture.IdidnotkherIwouldeverspeaktoherornotor，ifIspoketoher，howIcouldtellherofmyfusedadoration.Butmybodyandherwestureswerelikefingersrunninguponthewires.

Oneevehebag-roominwhichthepriesthaddied.Itwasadarkrainyeveningandtherewasnosouhroughohebrokenpaheraiheearth，thefierplayinginthesoddenbeds.Somedistantlamphtedwindowgleamedbelowme.IwasthankfulthatIcouldseesolittle.AllmyseodesiretoveilthemselvesaIwasabouttoslipfromthem，Ipressedthepalmsofmyhailtheytrembled，murmuring:'Olove!Olove!'manytimes.

Atlastshespoketome.WhensheaddressedthefirstwordstomeIwassofusedthatIdidnotknowwhattoanswer.SheaskedmewasIgoingtoAraby.IfotwhetherIansweredyesorno.Itlendidbazaar;shesaidshewouldlovetogo.

"Andos;tyou?"Iasked.

Whileshespokesheturnedasilverbradandrou.Sheotgo，shesaid，becausetherewouldbearetreatthatweeki.HerbrotherandtwootherbhtingfortheirdIwasaloherailings.Sheheldohespikes，bowiowardsme.Thelightfromthelampoppositehtthewhitecurveofherupherhairthatrestedthereand，falling，litupthehandup.Itfelloveronesideofherdressandcaughtthewhiteborderofapetticoat，justvisibleasshestoodatease.

"It'swellforyou，"shesaid.

"IfIgo，"Isaid，"Iwillbringyousomething."

Whatinnumerablefollieslaidwastemyingthoughtsafterthatevenioaedidays.IchafedagainsttheworkofsightinmybedroomandbydayintheagecamebetageIstrovetoread.ThesyllablesofthewordArabywereethroughthesilenwhichmysoulluxuriatedandEastermentoverme.Iaskedforleavetogotothebazaarht.Myauntrised，awasnotsomeFreemasonaffair.Iaionsinclass.Iwatchedmymaster'sfacepassfromamiabilitytosternness;hehopedIwasoidle.Iywahoughtstogether.Ihadhardlyahtheseriousworkoflifewhiowthatitstoodbetweenmeandmydesire，seemedtomechild'splay，uglymonotonouschild'splay.

OnSaturdaymIremindedmyuIwishedtogotothebazaarintheevening.Hewasfussiand，looki-brush，aly:

"Yes，boy，Iknow."

&hehallIotgoiparlourahewihehouseinbadhumourandwalkedslowlytowardstheschool.Theairitilesslyrawandalreadymyheartmisgaveme.

Wheodinnermyuyetbeewasearly.Isatstaringattheetimeaigbegantoirritateme，Ilefttheroom.Imouairdgaiheupperpartofthehouse.Thehigh，pty，gloomyroomsliberatedmeafromring.Fromthefrontmypanionsplayihestreet.Theircriesreachedmeweakenedandindistind，leaningmyfainstthecoolglass，Ilookedoveratthedarkhousewhereshelived.Imayhavestoodtherefnothingbutthebrown-cladfigurecastbymyimagination，toucheddiscreetlybythelamplightattheeck，atthehandupsandattheborderbelowthedress.