諾貝爾文學經典:《寵兒》第9章Part 2

In Ohio seasons are theatrical. Each one enters like a prima donna, convinced its performance isthe reason the world has people in it. When Paul D had been forced out of 124 into a shed behindit, summer had been hooted offstage and autumn with its bottles of blood and gold had everybody'sattention. Even at night, when there should have been a restful intermission, there was nonebecause the voices of a dying landscape were insistent and loud. Paul D packed newspaper under himself and over, to give his thin blanket some help. But the chilly night was not on his mind. When he heard the door open behind him he refused to turn and look.
"What you want in here? What you want?" He should have been able to hear her breathing.
"I want you to touch me on the inside part and call me my name."
Paul D never worried about hislittle tobacco tin anymore. It was rusted shut. So, while she hoisted her skirts and turned her headover her shoulder the way the turtles had, he just looked at the lard can, silvery in moonlight, andspoke quietly.
"When good people take you in and treat you good, you ought to try to be good back. You don'e loves you. Much as her own daughter. You know that."
Beloved dropped her skirts as he spoke and looked at him with empty eyes. She took a step hecould not hear and stood close behind him.
"She don't love me like I love her. I don't love nobody but her."
"Then what you come in here for?"

在俄亥俄，季節更替富於戲劇性。每一個季節出場時都像個女主角，自以爲它的表演是人們在這世界上生息的緣由。當保羅·D被迫從124號搬到後面的棚子裏去的時候，夏已經被噓下臺，秋帶着它那血與金的瓶子引起了大家的矚目。甚至在夜晚，本該有個安閒的間歇，卻仍沒有，因爲風景隱去的聲音依舊動人而嘹亮。保羅·D把報紙墊在身下、蓋在身上，給他的薄毯子幫點忙。可是他一心想着的並不是寒冷的夜晚。當他聽見背後的開門聲時，他拒絕轉身去看。
"你到這兒來要什麼？你要什麼？"他本來應該能聽見她的喘息。
"我要你進到我身體裏撫摸我，還要你叫我的名字。"
保羅·D再也不用操心他的小菸草罐了。它鏽死了。因此，當她撩起裙子、像那兩隻烏龜一樣把頭扭過肩膀的時候，他只是看着月光下銀光閃閃的豬油罐頭，平靜地說話。
"好心人收留你、好好待你的時候，你應該想着報答纔是。你不該……塞絲愛你，就像愛她自己的女兒。這你知道。"
他說話的時候，寵兒撂下裙子，用空蕩的眼睛望着他。她悄沒聲息地邁了一步，緊挨在他身後站着。
"她不像我愛她那樣愛我。我除了她誰也不愛。"
"那你到這兒來幹什麼？"