諾貝爾文學經典:《寵兒》第3章Part 3

"Well, I made up my mind to have at the least a dress that wasn't the sacking I worked in. So I tookto stealing fabric, and wound up with a dress you wouldn't believe. The top was from two pillowcases in her mending basket. The front of the skirt was a dresser scarf a candle fell on and burnt ahole in, and one of her old sashes we used to test the flatiron on. Now the back was a problem forthe longest time. Seem like I couldn't find a thing that wouldn't be missed right away. Because Ihad to take it apart afterwards and put all the pieces back where they were. Now Halle was patient,waiting for me to finish it. He knew I wouldn't go ahead without having it. Finally I took themosquito netting from a nail out the barn. We used it to strain jelly through. I washed it and soakedit best I could and tacked it on for the back of the skirt. And there I was, in the worst-looking gownyou could imagine. Only my wool shawl kept me from looking like a haint peddling. I wasn't butfourteen years old, so I reckon that's why Iwas so proud of myself.
"Anyhow, Mrs. Garner must have seen me in it. I thought I was stealing smart, and she kneweverything I did. Even our honeymoon: going down to the cornfield with Halle. That's where wewent first. A Saturday afternoon it was. He begged sick so he wouldn't have to go work in townthat day. Usually he worked Saturdays and Sundays to pay off Baby Suggs' freedom. But hebegged sick and I put on my dress and we walked into the corn holding hands. I can still smell the ears roasting yonder where the Pauls and Sixo was. Next day Mrs. Garner crooked her finger at meand took me upstairs to her bedroom. She opened up a wooden box and took out a pair of crystalearrings. She said, 'I want you to have these, Sethe.' I said, 'Yes, ma'am.' 'Are your ears pierced?'she said.
I said, 'No, ma'am.' 'Well do it,' she said, 'so you can wear them. I want you to have themand I want you and Halle to be happy.' I thanked her but I never did put them on till I got awayfrom there. One day after I walked into this here house Baby Suggs unknotted my underskirt andtook em out. I sat right here by the stove with Denver in my arms and let her punch holes in myears for to wear them."

"這樣，我決定起碼要有條裙子，不是我幹活時穿的麻袋片。於是我去偷了布料，弄出一條說出來你都不信的裙子。上身是用她針線笸籮裡的兩個枕套做的。裙子的前擺是塊檯布，一根蠟燭曾經倒在上面，燒了個窟窿；再加上她的一條試烙鐵用的舊腰帶。後背最費時間了。看來我找不到一樣不會馬上失去的東西了，因為事後我還得把它拆開，把各個部分都放回原處。黑爾可真耐心，一直等著我把它做完。他知道我沒有它就不會走下一步。最後，我從外面倉庫裡的釘子上拽來了那個蚊帳。我們用它過濾果醬。我盡了最大努力又洗又泡，然後用粗針腳把它縫在裙子的背面。那就是我，穿著你能想象出的最難看的長裙。幸虧我的羊毛披肩使我不至於看著像個沿街叫賣的小鬼。我那時只有十四歲，我猜想，所以我才那麼自豪吧。
"不管怎麼說，迦納太太肯定見過我穿它。我自以為偷得挺高明，其實她什麼都知道。甚至我們的蜜月：跟黑爾一起去玉米地。那是我們第一次去的地方。是個星期六下午。他請了病假，所以那天不用去城裡幹活兒。通常他星期六和星期天都去打工，為貝比·薩格斯贖自由。但是他請了病假，我穿上了裙子，我們手拉著手走進玉米中間。我現在還能聞見保羅們和西克索在遠處烤的玉米棒子的香味呢。第二天迦納太太朝我鉤手指頭，把我帶到樓上她的臥室。她開啟一隻木盒子，拿出一對水晶耳環。她說：-我想給你這個，塞絲-我說：-是，太太——你的耳朵穿孔了嗎？-她說。
我說：-沒有，太太——那麼穿吧，-她說，-你就能戴它們了。我想把它們給你，祝你和黑爾幸福-我謝了她，可在離開那兒之前我從沒戴過它們。我來了這房子以後，有一天貝比·薩格斯解開我的襯裙，把它們拿了出來。我就坐在這兒，在爐子旁邊，抱著丹芙，讓她在我耳朵上穿了孔，好戴上它們。"