a-good-man-is-hard-to-find-英文原文

AGoodManIsHardToFindThegrandmotherdidn'twanttogotoFlorida.ShewantedtovisitsomeofherconnectionsineastTennes-seeandshewasseizingateverychancetochangeBailey'smind.Baileywasthesonshelivedwith,heronlyboy.Hewassittingontheedgeofhischairatthetable,bentovertheorangesportssectionoftheJournal.Nowlookhere,Bailey,shesaid,seehere,readthis,andshestoodwithonehandonherthinhipandtheotherrattlingthenewspaperathisbaldhead.HerethisfellowthatcallshimselfTheMisfitisaloosefromtheFederalPenandheadedtowardFloridaandyoureadherewhatitsayshedidtothesepeople.Justyoureadit.Iwouldn'ttakemychildreninanydirectionwithacriminallikethatalooseinit.Icouldn'tanswertomyconscienceifIdid.Baileydidn'tlookupfromhisreadingsoshewheeledaroundthenandfacedthechildren'smother,ayoungwomaninslacks,whosefacewasasbroadandinnocentasacabbageandwastiedaroundwithagreenhead-kerchiefthathadtwopointsonthetoplikerabbit'sears.Shewassittingonthesofa,feedingthebabyhisapricotsoutofajar.ThechildrenhavebeentoFloridabefore,theoldladysaid.Youalloughttotakethemsomewhereelseforachangesotheywouldseedifferentpartsoftheworldandbebroad.TheyneverhavebeentoeastTennessee.Thechildren'smotherdidn'tseemtohearherbuttheeight-year-oldboy,JohnWesley,astockychildwithglasses,said,Ifyoudon'twanttogotoFlorida,whydontchastayathome?Heandthelittlegirl,JuneStar,werereadingthefunnypapersonthefloor.Shewouldn'tstayathometobequeenforaday,JuneStarsaidwithoutraisingheryellowhead.Yesandwhatwouldyoudoifthisfellow,TheMisfit,caughtyou?thegrandmotherasked.I'dsmackhisface,JohnWesleysaid.Shewouldn'tstayathomeforamillionbucks,JuneStarsaid.Afraidshe'dmisssomething.Shehastogoeverywherewego.Allright,Miss,thegrandmothersaid.Justre-memberthatthenexttimeyouwantmetocurlyourhair.JuneStarsaidherhairwasnaturallycurly.Thenextmorningthegrandmotherwasthefirstoneinthecar,readytogo.Shehadherbigblackvalisethatlookedliketheheadofahippopotamusinonecorner,andunderneathitshewashidingabasketwithPittySing,thecat,init.Shedidn'tintendforthecattobeleftaloneinthehouseforthreedaysbecausehewouldmisshertoomuchandshewasafraidhemightbrushagainstoneofhergasburnersandaccidentallyasphyxiatehimself.Herson,Bailey,didn'tliketoarriveatamotelwithacat.ShesatinthemiddleofthebackseatwithJohnWesleyandJuneStaroneithersideofher.Baileyandthechildren'smotherandthebabysatinfrontandtheyleftAtlantaateightforty-fivewiththemileageonthecarat55890.Thegrandmotherwrotethisdownbecauseshethoughtitwouldbeinterestingtosayhowmanymilestheyhadbeenwhentheygotback.Ittookthemtwentyminutestoreachtheoutskirtsofthecity.Theoldladysettledherselfcomfortably,removingherwhitecottonglovesandputtingthemupwithherpurseontheshelfinfrontofthebackwindow.Thechildren'smotherstillhadonslacksandstillhadherheadtiedupinagreenkerchief,butthegrandmotherhadonanavybluestrawsailorhatwithabunchofwhitevioletsonthebrimandanavybluedresswithasmallwhitedotintheprint.Hercollarsandcuffswerewhiteorgandytrimmedwithlaceandathernecklineshehadpinnedapurplesprayofclothvioletscontainingasachet.Incaseofanaccident,anyoneseeingherdeadonthehighwaywouldknowatoncethatshewasalady.Shesaidshethoughtitwasgoingtobeagooddayfordriving,neithertoohotnortoocold,andshecautionedBaileythatthespeedlimitwasfifty-fivemilesanhourandthatthepatrolmenhidthemselvesbehindbillboardsandsmallclumpsoftreesandspedoutafteryoubeforeyouhadachancetoslowdown.Shepointedoutinterestingdetailsofthescenery:StoneMountain;thebluegranitethatinsomeplacescameuptobothsidesofthehighway;thebrilliantredclaybanksslightlystreakedwithpurple;andthevariouscropsthatmaderowsofgreenlace-workontheground.Thetreeswerefullofsilver-whitesunlightandthemeanestofthemsparkled.Thechildrenwerereadingcomicmagazinesandtheirmotherandgonebacktosleep.Let'sgothroughGeorgiafastsowewon'thavetolookatitmuch,JohnWesleysaid.IfIwerealittleboy,saidthegrandmother,Iwouldn'ttalkaboutmynativestatethatway.TennesseehasthemountainsandGeorgiahasthehills.Tennesseeisjustahillbillydumpingground,JohnWesleysaid,andGeorgiaisalousystatetoo.Yousaidit,JuneStarsaid.Inmytime,saidthegrandmother,foldingherthinveinedfingers,childrenweremorerespectfuloftheirnativestatesandtheirparentsandeverythingelse.Peopledidrightthen.Ohlookatthecutelittlepickaninny!shesaidandpointedtoaNegrochildstandinginthedoorofashack.Wouldn'tthatmakeapicture,now?sheaskedandtheyallturnedandlookedatthelittleNegrooutofthebackwindow.HewavedHedidn'thaveanybritcheson,JuneStarsaid.Heprobablydidn'thaveany,thegrandmotherexplained.Littleriggersinthecountrydon'thavethingslikewedo.IfIcouldpaint,I'dpaintthatpicture,shesaid.Thechildrenexchangedcomicbooks.Thegrandmotherofferedtoholdthebabyandthechildren'smotherpassedhimoverthefrontseattoher.Shesethimonherkneeandbouncedhimandtoldhimaboutthethingstheywerepassing.Sherolledhereyesandscreweduphermouthandstuckherleatherythinfaceintohissmoothblandone.Occasionallyhegaveherafarawaysmile.Theypassedalargecottonfieldwithfiveorfixgravesfencedinthemiddleofit,likeasmallisland.Lookatthegraveyard!thegrandmothersaid,pointingitout.Thatwastheoldfamilyburyingground.Thatbelongedtotheplantation.Where'stheplantation?JohnWesleyasked.GoneWit