A Boy with a Mission-男孩的使命

ABoywithaMission|男孩的使命Reubencouldn’taskhisfatherforthemoney.EverythingMarkEarlemadethroughfishinginBayRoberts,Newfoundland,Canada.Reuben’smother,Dora,stretchedlikeelastic2tofeedandclothetheirfivechildren.Nevertheless,heopenedtheshop’sweathered3doorandwentinside.Standingproudandstraightinhisflour-sackshirtandwashed-outtrousers,hetoldtheshopkeeperwhathewanted,adding,“ButIdon’thavethemoneyrightnow.Canyoupleaseholditformeforsometime?”“I’lltry,”theshopkeepersmiled.“Folksaroundheredon’tusuallyhavethatkindofmoneytospendonthings.Itshouldkeepforawhile.”Reubenrespectfullytouchedhisworncapandwalkedoutintothesunlightwiththebayrippling4inafresheningwind.Therewaspurposeinhislopingstride5.Hewouldraisethefivedollarsandnottellanybody.Hearingthesoundofhammeringfromasidestreet,Reubenhadanidea.Herantowardsthesoundandstoppedataconstructionsite.PeoplebuilttheirownhomesinBayRoberts,usingnailspurchasedinhessian6sacksfromalocalfactory.Sometimesthesackswerediscarded7intheflurryofbuilding,andReubenknewhecouldsellthembacktothefactoryforfivecentsapiece.Thatdayhefoundtwosacks,whichhetooktotherambling8woodenfactoryandsoldtothemaninchargeofpackingnails.Theboy’shandtightlyclutchedthefive-centpiecesasheranthetwokilometershome.Nearhishousestoodtheancientbarnthathousedthefamily’sgoatsandchickens.Reubenfoundarusty9sodatinanddroppedhiscoinsinside.Thenheclimbedintotheloftofthebarnandhidthetinbeneathapileofsweetsmellinghay.ItwasdinnertimewhenReubengothome.Hisfathersatatthebigkitchentable,workingonafishingnet.Dorawasatthekitchenstove,readytoservedinnerasReubentookhisplaceatthetable.Helookedathismotherandsmiled.Sunlightfromthewindowgildedhershoulder-lengthblondehair.Slimandbeautiful,shewasthecenterofthehome,thegluethatheldittogether.Herchoreswerenever-ending.SewingclothesforherfamilyontheoldSingertreadlemachine10,cookingmealsandbakingbread,plantingandtendingavegetablegarden,milkingthegoatsandscrubbing11soiledclothesonawashboard.Butshewashappy.Herfamilyandtheirwell-beingwereherhighestpriority.Everydayafterchoresandschool,Reubenscoured12thetown,collectingthehessiannailbags.Onthedaythetwo-roomschoolclosedforthesummer,nostudentwasmoredelightedthanReuben.Nowhewouldhavemoretimeforhismission.Allsummerlong,despitechoresathomeweedingandwateringthegarden,cuttingwoodandfetchingwater—Reubenkepttohissecrettask.Thenalltoosoonthegardenwasharvested,thevegetablescannedandstored,andtheschoolreopened.Soontheleavesfellandthewindsblewcoldandgusty13fromthebay.Reubenwanderedthestreets,diligentlysearchingforhishessiantreasures.Oftenhewascold,tiredandhungry,butthethoughtoftheobjectintheshopwindowsustainedhim.Sometimeshismotherwouldask:“Reuben,wherewereyou?Wewerewaitingforyoutohavedinner.”“Playing,Mum.Sorry.”Dorawouldlookathisfaceandshakeherhead.Boys.Finallyspringburstintoglorious14greenandReuben’sspiritserupted15.Thetimehadcome!Heranintothebarn,climbedtothehayloft16anduncoveredthetincan.Hepouredthecoinsoutandbegantocount.Thenhecountedagain.Heneeded20centsmore.Couldtherebeanysacksleftanywhereintown?Hehadtofindfourandsellthembeforethedayended.ReubenrandownWaterStreet.TheshadowswerelengtheningwhenReubenarrivedatthefactory.Thesackbuyerwasabouttolockup.“Mister!Pleasedon’tcloseupyet.”ThemanturnedandsawReuben,dirtyandsweatstained.“Comebacktomorrow,boy.”“Please,Mister.Ihavetosellthesacksnow—please.”Themanheardatremor17inReuben’svoiceandcouldtellhewasclosetotears.“Whydoyouneedthismoneysobadly?”“It’sasecret.”Themantookthesacks,reachedintohispocketandputfourcoinsinReuben’shand.Reubenmurmuredathankyouandranhome.Then,clutchingthetincan,heheadedfortheshop.“Ihavethemoney,”hesolemnly18toldtheowner.Themanwenttothewindowandretrieved19Reuben’streasure.Hewipedthedustoffandgentlywrappeditinbrownpaper.ThenheplacedtheparcelinReuben’shands.Racinghome,Reubenburstthroughthefrontdoor.Hismotherwasscrubbingthekitchenstove.“Here,Mum!Here!”Reubenexclaimedasherantoherside.Heplacedasmallboxinherworkroughenedhand.Sheunwrappeditcarefully,tosavethepaper.Ablue-velvet20jewelboxappeared.Doraliftedthelid,tearsbeginningtoblurhervision.Ingoldletteringonasmall,almond-shapedbroochwasthewordMother.ItwasMother’sDay,1946.Dorahadneverreceivedsuchagift;shehadnofinery21exceptherweddingring.Speechless,shesmiledradiantly22andgatheredhersonintoherarms.1945年，一个12岁的男孩在一家商店橱窗里看到一样令他心动的东西，但是——5美元——远不是鲁本·厄尔能付得起的。5美元几乎够买全家一周的食品呢。鲁本不能向父亲要钱。马克·厄尔的每一分钱都是靠在加拿大纽芬兰的罗伯茨湾捕鱼挣来的。鲁本的母亲多拉，为了不让五个孩子冻着饿着，差不多是一个钱当两个钱用。尽管如此，鲁本还是推开商店那扇久经风雨的门走了进去。他穿着面粉袋改做的衬衫和洗得褪了色的裤子，站得笔直，丝毫不觉困窘。他告诉了店主他想要的东西，又加上一句：“可我现在还没有钱买它，您能为我预留一段时间吗?”“我尽量吧，”店主微笑着说，“这儿的人买起东西来，一般不会花那么大一笔钱的，一时半会儿卖不出去。”鲁本很有礼貌地碰了碰他的旧帽沿儿，走出店外。阳光下清新的微风吹得罗伯茨湾的海水泛起阵阵涟漪。鲁本迈着大步，下定决心：他要凑齐那5美元，而且不告诉任何人。听到街边传来的铁锤声，鲁本有了主意。他循声跑过去，来到一处建筑工地。罗伯茨湾的人喜欢自己建房，用的钉子是从本地一家工厂买的，都用麻袋来装。有时干活时忙乱中麻袋就被随手丢弃，而鲁本知道他可以5分钱一条把麻袋再卖给工厂。那天，他找了两条麻袋，拿到杂乱的木材厂，卖给为钉子装袋的人。两公里的路程他是一路跑着回的家，手里紧紧攥着两个5分硬币。他家旁边有个颇有年头的谷仓，里面圈着家里的山羊和鸡。鲁本在那里找到一个生锈的装苏打的铁罐，把两枚硬币放了进去。然后，他爬上谷仓的阁楼，把铁罐藏在一堆散发着甜香味的干草下面。晚饭时分，鲁本跨进家门。父亲正坐在厨房大餐桌旁摆弄渔网，多拉在灶台边忙碌着，准备开饭。鲁本就在桌边坐下了。他看着妈妈，笑了。窗户透进的夕阳余晖将她棕褐的披肩发染成了金色。苗条、美丽的母亲是这个家的中心，她像胶水一样使这个家紧紧粘结在一起。母亲的家务活永远也没个完。用老式的“胜家”缝纫机为一家人缝缝补补；要做饭、烤面包