诺贝尔文学经典:《宠儿》第3章Part 3
"Well, I made up my mind to have at the least a dress that wasn't the sacking I worked in. So I tookto stealing fabric, and wound up with a dress you wouldn't believe. The top was from two pillowcases in her mending basket. The front of the skirt was a dresser scarf a candle fell on and burnt ahole in, and one of her old sashes we used to test the flatiron on. Now the back was a problem forthe longest time. Seem like I couldn't find a thing that wouldn't be missed right away. Because Ihad to take it apart afterwards and put all the pieces back where they were. Now Halle was patient,waiting for me to finish it. He knew I wouldn't go ahead without having it. Finally I took themosquito netting from a nail out the barn. We used it to strain jelly through. I washed it and soakedit best I could and tacked it on for the back of the skirt. And there I was, in the worst-looking gownyou could imagine. Only my wool shawl kept me from looking like a haint peddling. I wasn't butfourteen years old, so I reckon that's why Iwas so proud of myself.
"Anyhow, Mrs. Garner must have seen me in it. I thought I was stealing smart, and she kneweverything I did. Even our honeymoon: going down to the cornfield with Halle. That's where wewent first. A Saturday afternoon it was. He begged sick so he wouldn't have to go work in townthat day. Usually he worked Saturdays and Sundays to pay off Baby Suggs' freedom. But hebegged sick and I put on my dress and we walked into the corn holding hands. I can still smell the ears roasting yonder where the Pauls and Sixo was. Next day Mrs. Garner crooked her finger at meand took me upstairs to her bedroom. She opened up a wooden box and took out a pair of crystalearrings. She said, 'I want you to have these, Sethe.' I said, 'Yes, ma'am.' 'Are your ears pierced?'she said.
I said, 'No, ma'am.' 'Well do it,' she said, 'so you can wear them. I want you to have themand I want you and Halle to be happy.' I thanked her but I never did put them on till I got awayfrom there. One day after I walked into this here house Baby Suggs unknotted my underskirt andtook em out. I sat right here by the stove with Denver in my arms and let her punch holes in myears for to wear them."
"这样，我决定起码要有条裙子，不是我干活时穿的麻袋片。于是我去偷了布料，弄出一条说出来你都不信的裙子。上身是用她针线笸箩里的两个枕套做的。裙子的前摆是块台布，一根蜡烛曾经倒在上面，烧了个窟窿；再加上她的一条试烙铁用的旧腰带。后背最费时间了。看来我找不到一样不会马上失去的东西了，因为事后我还得把它拆开，把各个部分都放回原处。黑尔可真耐心，一直等着我把它做完。他知道我没有它就不会走下一步。最后，我从外面仓库里的钉子上拽来了那个蚊帐。我们用它过滤果酱。我尽了最大努力又洗又泡，然后用粗针脚把它缝在裙子的背面。那就是我，穿着你能想象出的最难看的长裙。幸亏我的羊毛披肩使我不至于看着像个沿街叫卖的小鬼。我那时只有十四岁，我猜想，所以我才那么自豪吧。
"不管怎么说，加纳太太肯定见过我穿它。我自以为偷得挺高明，其实她什么都知道。甚至我们的蜜月：跟黑尔一起去玉米地。那是我们第一次去的地方。是个星期六下午。他请了病假，所以那天不用去城里干活儿。通常他星期六和星期天都去打工，为贝比·萨格斯赎自由。但是他请了病假，我穿上了裙子，我们手拉着手走进玉米中间。我现在还能闻见保罗们和西克索在远处烤的玉米棒子的香味呢。第二天加纳太太朝我钩手指头，把我带到楼上她的卧室。她打开一只木盒子，拿出一对水晶耳环。她说：-我想给你这个，塞丝-我说：-是，太太——你的耳朵穿孔了吗？-她说。
我说：-没有，太太——那么穿吧，-她说，-你就能戴它们了。我想把它们给你，祝你和黑尔幸福-我谢了她，可在离开那儿之前我从没戴过它们。我来了这房子以后，有一天贝比·萨格斯解开我的衬裙，把它们拿了出来。我就坐在这儿，在炉子旁边，抱着丹芙，让她在我耳朵上穿了孔，好戴上它们。"
