the-chrysanthemums-菊花(中英对照)

Thehighgrey-flannelfogofwinterclosedofftheSalinasValleyfromtheskyandfromalltherestoftheworld.Oneverysideitsatlikealidonthemountainsandmadeofthegreatvalleyaclosedpot.Onthebroad,levellandfloorthegangplowsbitdeepandlefttheblackearthshininglikemetalwheretheshareshadcut.OnthefoothillranchesacrosstheSalinasRiver,theyellowstubblefieldsseemedtobebathedinpalecoldsunshine,buttherewasnosunshineinthevalleynowinDecember.Thethickwillowscrubalongtheriverflamedwithsharpandpositiveyellowleaves.飘荡在半空中的冬雾呈现出灰法兰绒色，将萨利纳斯山谷严实地罩了起来；同时也把它与外界分隔开。雾气锁着山头，四面象顶盖子，而山谷则成了一口盖得严严实实的深锅。农民在宽阔平坦的土地上深耕，犁铧过处，黑色的土地闪着金属的光泽。在横卧萨利纳斯河的丘陵地上，农场里的茬地泛着黄色，象是沐浴在冷冷的苍白日光下；不过，现在时至腊月，山谷里没什么阳光。河边上密密麻麻的柳丛上的黄叶颜色鲜浓，象着了火似的。Itwasatimeofquietandofwaiting.Theairwascoldandtender.Alightwindblewupfromthesouthwestsothatthefarmersweremildlyhopefulofagoodrainbeforelong;butfogandraindonotgotogether.这是一个安静，叫人等待的季节。空气凉凉的，柔柔的。从西南方向吹来一阵轻风，农民们隐隐地感到不久会有一场及时雨，但雨和雾是不一起来的。Acrosstheriver,onHenryAllen'sfoothillranchtherewaslittleworktobedone,forthehaywascutandstoredandtheorchardswereploweduptoreceivetheraindeeplywhenitshouldcome.Thecattleonthehigherslopeswerebecomingshaggyandrough-coated.河对岸亨利•埃伦家位于丘陵上的农场里已经没什么活计了：干草都收割过并存放了起来，果园业已深翻过，好等到有雨的时候浇个透底墒。高处山坡上的牛变得毛皮杂乱粗糙。ElisaAllen,workinginherflowergarden,lookeddownacrosstheyardandsawHenry,herhusband,talkingtotwomeninbusinesssuits.Thethreeofthemstoodbythetractorshed,eachmanwithonefootonthesideofthelittleFordson.Theysmokedcigarettesandstudiedthemachineastheytalked.伊利莎•埃伦正在花园里干活儿，穿过院子朝远处望时，她看见丈夫亨利正在与两个身着工作服的人交谈。三个人都站在拖拉机棚边上，一只脚蹬在那辆小型福特牌拖拉机的一侧。说话的时候，他们边抽着烟，边打量拖拉机。Elisawatchedthemforamomentandthenwentbacktoherwork.Shewasthirty-five.Herfacewasleanandstrongandhereyeswereasclearaswater.Herfigurelookedblockedandheavyinhergardeningcostume,aman'sblackhatpulledlowdownoverhereyes,clod-hoppershoes,afiguredprintdressalmostcompletelycoveredbyabigcorduroyapronwithfourbigpocketstoholdthesnips,thetrowelandscratcher,theseedsandtheknifesheworkedwith.Sheworeheavyleatherglovestoprotectherhandswhilesheworked.伊利莎看了他们一会儿，又继续忙自己的活儿。她今年三十五岁，脸庞瘦俏并透着坚毅，一双眼睛清澈如水。由于穿着园艺工作服，她显得鼓囊囊的、有点儿笨拙。她头上戴着一顶男式的黑帽子，拉得很低，直到她的眼睛。脚上是一双粗笨的鞋子。下面穿的印花裙子几乎全给那个大号的灯心绒围裙遮盖了起来。围裙上有四个大口袋，用来放她干活时用的剪刀、泥铲、刮管器、种子和刀。干活时她戴着厚厚的皮手套，免得弄伤手。Shewascuttingdowntheoldyear'schrysanthemumstalkswithapairofshortandpowerfulscissors.Shelookeddowntowardthemenbythetractorshednowandthen.Herfacewaseagerandmatureandhandsome;evenherworkwiththescissorswasover-eager,over-powerful.Thechrysanthemumstemsseemedtoosmallandeasyforherenergy.她这会儿正用一把锋利的小剪子把去年的菊花枝剪短，还不时朝站在拖拉机棚边上的三个男人望一望。她的脸上充满着渴望，看起来成熟漂亮——甚至连她拿着剪刀干活的样子都显得那么有力，饱含期待，以至于那些菊花的枯杆相比之下都显得纤细柔弱，容易收拾了。Shebrushedacloudofhairoutofhereyeswiththebackofherglove,andleftasmudgeofearthonhercheekindoingit.Behindherstoodtheneatwhitefarmhousewithredgeraniumsclose-bankedarounditashighasthewindows.Itwasahard-sweptlookinglittlehousewithhard-polishedwindows,andacleanmud-matonthefrontsteps.她用手套的背部将眼前的一绺乌发抹开，一点污渍就留在了她的脸颊上。她身后是整洁的白色农舍，红色的天竺葵紧紧地簇拥着，直到窗户附近。看得出这座不大的屋子好好打扫过，窗户也曾细心地擦拭过，就连前面台阶上的擦鞋垫都收拾得干干净净。Elisacastanotherglancetowardthetractorshed.ThestrangersweregettingintotheirFordcoupe.Shetookoffagloveandputherstrongfingersdownintotheforestofnewgreenchrysanthemumsproutsthatweregrowingaroundtheoldroots.Shespreadtheleavesandlookeddownamongtheclose-growingstems.Noaphidswerethere,nosowbugsorsnailsorcutworms.Herterrierfingersdestroyedsuchpestsbeforetheycouldgetstarted.伊利莎又朝拖拉机棚的方向看了一眼，那些陌生人正钻进他们的福特牌小客车里。她脱掉一只手套，将自己有力的手指伸到从老的菊花根部新生的一丛幼苗里，然后分开叶子，在长得郁郁葱葱的幼苗里查看。里面蚜虫、潮虫、蜗牛、毛虫什么的都没有。如果真有的话，她那犀利无比的手指也会在这些害虫逃跑之前就将它们消灭。Elisastartedatthesoundofherhusband'svoice.Hehadcomenearquietly,andheleanedoverthewirefencethatprotectedherflowergardenfromcattleanddogsandchickens.听到丈夫的声音，伊利莎吃了一惊。原来他已经悄悄地走到了她的旁边，从铁丝栅栏那边俯过身来。铁丝栅栏把她的花园圈了起来，免得牛呀，狗呀，鸡呀这些家畜糟蹋。Atitagain,hesaid.You'vegotastrongnewcropcoming.Elisastraightenedherbackandpulledonthegardeninggloveagain:Yes.They'llbestrongthiscomingyear.Inhertoneandonherfacetherewasalittlesmugness.You'vegotagiftwiththings,Henryobserved.Someofthoseyellowchrysanthemumsyouhadthisyearwereteninchesacross.Iwishyou'dworkoutintheorchardandraisesomeapplesthatbig.Hereyessharpened.MaybeIcoulddoit,too.I'veagiftwiththings,allright.Mymotherhadit.Shecouldstickanythinginthegroundandmakeitgrow.Shesaiditwashavingplanters'handsthatknewhowtodoit.Well,itsureworkswithflowers,hesaid.Henry,whowerethosemenyouweretalkingto?Why,sure,that'swhatIcametotellyou.TheywerefromtheWesternMeatCompany.Isoldthosethirtyheadofthree-year-oldsteers.Gotnearlymyownprice,too.“又侍弄你的花儿啦，”他说，“它们今年长势好啊。”听到丈夫搭话，伊利莎直起身，顺手把那只手套又戴上：“对，今年长势会很好。”不管是言语中还是脸上都洋溢着得意。“你干活儿很有一手，”亨利说，“你今年种的黄菊花中有的有十英寸那么大，真希望你去侍弄果园，也结出那么大的苹果来。”她的眼睛一亮。“或许我也能。我的确在种植方面有一手，我妈妈也是那样。她随便把什么东西往地下一插，就能活。她说是因为有了庄稼人的手才知道怎么去种植。”“嗯，种花也是这样的，”他说。“亨利，刚才同你说话的那些人是谁呀？”“啊，对了，我正要跟你说呢。他们是西部肉制品公司的。我把那三十头三岁的菜牛卖给他们，差不多是我要的价格。”Good,shesaid.Goodforyou.AndIthought,hecontinued,Ithoughthowit'sSaturdayafternoon,andwemightgointoSalinasfordinneratarestaurant,andthentoapictureshow－tocelebrate,yousee.Good,sherepeated.Oh,yes.Thatwillbegood.Henryputonhisjokingtone.There'sfightstonight.How'dyouliketogotothefig