A-woman-on-a-roof-英语原文

AwomanonaroofItwasduringtheweekofhotsun，thatJune.Threemenwereatworkontheroof，wheretheleadsgotsohottheyhadtheideaofthrowingwaterontocoolthem.Butthewatersteamed，thensizzled；andtheymakejokesaboutgettinganeggfromsomewomanintheflatsundertheflatsunderthem，topoachitfortheirdinner.Bytwoitwasnotpossibletotouchthegutteringtheywerereplacing，andtheyspeculatedaboutwhatworkmendidinregularlyhotcountries.Perhapstheyshouldborrowkitchengloveswiththeegg?Theywereallabitdizzy，notusedtotheheat；andtheyshedtheircoatsandstoodsidebysidesqueezingthemselvesintoafootwidepatchofshadeagainstachimney，carefultokeeptheirfeetinthethicksocksandbootsoutofthesun.Therewasafineviewacrossseveralacresofroofs.Notfaroffamansatinadeckchairreadingthenewspapers.Thentheysawher，betweenchimneys，aboutfiftyyardsaway.Shelayfacedownonabrownblanket.Theycouldseethetoppartofher：blackhair，aflushedsolidback，armsspreadout.“She’sstarknaked，”saidStanley，soundingannoyed.Harry，theoldest，amanofaboutforty-five，said：“Lookslikeit.”YoungTom，seventeen，saidnothing，buthewasexcitedandgrinning.Stanleysaid：“Someone’llreportherifshedoesn’twatchout.”“Shethinksnoonecansee，”saidTom，craninghisheadallwaystoseemore.Atthispointthewoman，stilllyingprone，broughthertwohandsupbehindhershoulderswiththeendsofascarfinthem，tieditbehindherback，andsatup.Sheworearedscarftiedaroundherbreastsandbriefredbikinipants.Thisbeingthefirstdayofthesunshewaswhite，flushingred.Shesatsmoking，anddidnotlookupwhenStanleyletoutawolfwhistle.Harrysaid：“Smallthingsamusesmallminds，”leadingthewaybacktotheirpartoftheroof，butitwasscorching.Harrysaid：“Wait，I’mgoingtorigupsomeshade，”anddisappeareddowntheskylightintothebuilding.Nowthathe’dgone，StanleyandTomwenttothefarthestpointtheycouldtopeeratthewoman.Shehadmoved，andalltheycouldseeweretwopinklegsstretchedontheblanket.Theywhistledandshoutedbutthelegsdidnotmove.Harrycamebackwithablanketandshouted：“Comeon，then.”Hesoundedirritatedwiththem.TheyclamberedbacktohimandhesaidtoStanley：“Whataboutyourmissus?”Stanleywasnewlymarried，aboutthreemonths.Stanleysaid，jeering：“Whataboutmymissus?”--preservinghisindependence.Tomsaidnothing，buthismindwasfullofthenearlynakedwoman.Harryslungtheblanket，whichhehadborrowedfromafriendlywomandownstairs，fromthestemofatelevisionaerialtoarowofchimney-pots.Thisshadefellacrossthepieceofguttertheyhadtoreplace.Buttheshadekeptmoving，theyhadtoadjusttheblanket，andnotmuchprogresswasmade.Atlastsomeoftheheatlefttheroof，andtheyworkedfast，makingupforlosttime.FirstStanley，thenTom，madeatriptotheendoftherooftoseethewoman.“She’sonherback，”Stanleysaid，addingajestwhichmadeTomsnicker，andtheoldermansmiletolerantly.Tom’sreportwasthatshehadn’tmoved，butitwasalie.Hewantedtokeepwhathehadseentohimself：hehadcaughtherintheactofrollingdownthelittleredpantsoverherhips，tilltheywerenomorethanasmalltriangle.Shewasonherback，fullyvisible，glisteningwithoil.Nextmorning，assoonastheycameup，theywenttolook.Shewasalreadythere，facedown，armsspreadout，nakedexceptforthelittleredpants.Shehadturnedbrowninthenight.Yesterdayshewasascarlet-and-whitewoman，todayshewasabrownwoman.Stanleyletoutawhistle.Sheliftedherhead，startled，asifshe’dbeenasleep，andlookedstraightoveratthem.Thesunwasinhereyes，sheblinkedandstared，thenshedroppedherheadagain.Atthisgestureofindifference，theyallthree，Stanley，TomandoldHarry，letoutwhistlesandyells.Harrywasdoingitinparodyoftheyoungermen，makingfunofthem，buthewasalsoangry.Theywereallangrybecauseofherutterindifferencetothethreemenwatchingher.“Bitch，”saidStanley.“Sheshouldaskusover，”saidTom，snickering.HarryrecoveredhimselfandremindedStanley：“Ifshe’smarried，heroldmanwouldn’tlikethat.”“Christ，”saidStanleyvirtuously，“ifmywifelayaboutlikethat，foreveryonetosee，I’dsoonstopher.”Harrysaid，smiling：“Howdoyouknow，perhapsshe’ssunningherselfatthisverymoment?”“Notachance，notonourroof.”ThesafetyofhiswifeputStanleyintoagoodhumor，andtheywenttowork.Buttodayitwashotterthanyesterday；andseveraltimesoneortheothersuggestedtheyshouldtellMatthew，theforeman，andasktoleavetheroofuntiltheheatwavewasover.Buttheydidn’t.Therewasworktobedoneinthebasementofthebigblockofflats，butupheretheyfeltfree，onadifferentlevelfromordinaryhumanityshutinthestreetsorthebuildings.Alotmorepeoplecameoutontotheroofsthatday，foranhouratmidday.Somemarriedcouplessatsidebysideindeckchairs，thewomen’slegsstockinglessandscarlet，themeninvestswithreddeningshoulders.Thewomanstayedonherblanket，turningherselfoverandover.Sheignoredthem，nomatterwhattheydid.WhenHarrywentofftofetchmorescrews，Stanleysaid：“Comeon.”Herroofbelongedtoadifferentsystemofroofs，separatedfromtheirsatonepointbyabouttwentyfeet.Itmeantascramblingclimbfromoneleveltoanother，edgingalongparapets，clingingtochimneys，whiletheirbigbootsslippedandheredslithered，butatlasttheystoodonasmallsquareprojectingrooflookingstraightdownather，close.Shesatsmoking，readingabook.Tomthoughtshelookedlikeaposter，oramagazinecover，withtheblueskybehindherandherlegsstretchedout.BehindheragreatcraneatworkonanewbuildinginOxfordStreetswungitsblackarmacrossroofsinagreatarc.Tomimaginedhimselfatworkonthecrane，adjustingthearmtos