when god laughs and other stories(当上帝发笑时)-第6节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
superintendent hastened to add。
〃Machine idle？〃 the inspector asked； pointing at the unoccupied
machine beside Johnny's； in which the part…filled bobbins were flying like
mad。
〃Looks that way。〃 The superintendent motioned the overseer to him
and shouted in his ear and pointed at the machine。 〃Machine's idle；〃 he
reported back to the inspector。
They passed on； and Johnny returned to his work； relieved in that the
ill had been averted。 But the one…legged boy was not so fortunate。 The
sharp… eyed inspector haled him out at arms length from the bin truck。
His lips were quivering； and his face had all the expression of one upon
whom was fallen profound and irremediable disaster。 The overseer
looked astounded； as though for the first time he had laid eyes on the boy；
while the superintendent's face expressed shock and displeasure。
〃I know him；〃 the inspector said。 〃He's twelve years old。 I've had
him discharged from three factories inside the year。 This makes the
fourth。〃
He turned to the one…legged boy。 〃You promised me； word and
honour； that you'd go to school。〃
The one…legged boy burst into tears。 〃Please； Mr。 Inspector； two
babies died on us； and we're awful poor。〃
〃What makes you cough that way？〃 the inspector demanded； as though
charging him with crime。
And as in denial of guilt； the one…legged boy replied： 〃It ain't nothin'。
I jes' caught a cold last week； Mr。 Inspector； that's all。〃
In the end the one…legged boy went out of the room with the inspector；
the latter accompanied by the anxious and protesting superintendent。
20
… Page 21…
WHEN GOD LAUGHS； AND OTHER STORIES
After that monotony settled down again。 The long morning and the
longer afternoon wore away and the whistle blew for quitting time。
Darkness had already fallen when Johnny passed out through the factory
gate。 In the interval the sun had made a golden ladder of the sky； flooded
the world with its gracious warmth； and dropped down and disappeared in
the west behind a ragged sky…line of housetops。
Supper was the family meal of the daythe one meal at which Johnny
encountered his younger brothers and sisters。 It partook of the nature of
an encounter； to him； for he was very old； while they were distressingly
young。 He had no patience with their excessive and amazing juvenility。
He did not understand it。 His own childhood was too far behind him。
He was like an old and irritable man； annoyed by the turbulence of their
young spirits that was to him arrant silliness。 He glowered silently over
his food； finding compensation in the thought that they would soon have
to go to work。 That would take the edge off of them and make them
sedate and dignifiedlike him。 Thus it was； after the fashion of the
human； that Johnny made of himself a yardstick with which to measure
the universe。
During the meal； his mother explained in various ways and with
infinite repetition that she was trying to do the best she could； so that it
was with relief； the scant meal ended； that Johnny shoved back his chair
and arose。 He debated for a moment between bed and the front door； and
finally went out the latter。 He did not go far。 He sat down on the stoop；
his knees drawn up and his narrow shoulders drooping forward； his elbows
on his knees and the palms of his hands supporting his chin。
As he sat there； he did no thinking。 He was just resting。 So far as
his mind was concerned； it was asleep。 His brothers and sisters came out；
and with other children played noisily about him。 An electric globe at the
corner lighted their frolics。 He was peevish and irritable； that they knew；
but the spirit of adventure lured them into teasing him。 They joined
hands before him； and； keeping time with their bodies； chanted in his face
weird and uncomplimentary doggerel。 At first he snarled curses at them…
… curses he had learned from the lips of various foremen。 Finding this
futile； and remembering his dignity； he relapsed into dogged silence。
21
… Page 22…
WHEN GOD LAUGHS； AND OTHER STORIES
His brother Will； next to him in age； having just passed his tenth
birthday； was the ringleader。 Johnny did not possess particularly kindly
feelings toward him。 His life had early been embittered by continual
giving over and giving way to Will。 He had a definite feeling that Will
was greatly in his debt and was ungrateful about it。 In his own playtime；
far back in the dim past； he had been robbed of a large part of that
playtime by being compelled to take care of Will。 Will was a baby then；
and then； as now； their mother had spent her days in the mills。 To Johnny
had fallen the part of little father and little mother as well。
Will seemed to show the benefit of the giving over and the giving way。
He was well…built； fairly rugged； as tall as his elder brother and even
heavier。 It was as though the life…blood of the one had been diverted into
the other's veins。 And in spirits it was the same。 Johnny was jaded；
worn out； without resilience； while his younger brother seemed bursting
and spilling over with exuberance。
The mocking chant rose louder and louder。 Will leaned closer as he
danced； thrusting out his tongue。 Johnny's left arm shot out and caught
the other around the neck。 At the same time he rapped his bony fist to
the other's nose。 It was a pathetically bony fist； but that it was sharp to
hurt was evidenced by the squeal of pain it produced。 The other children
were uttering frightened cries； while Johnny's sister； Jennie； had dashed
into the house。
He thrust Will from him； kicked him savagely on the shins； then
reached for him and slammed him face downward in the dirt。 Nor did he
release him till the face had been rubbed into the dirt several times。 Then
the mother arrived； an anaemic whirlwind of solicitude and maternal
wrath。
〃Why can't he leave me alone？〃 was Johnny's reply to her upbraiding。
〃Can't he see I'm tired？〃
〃I'm as big as you；〃 Will raged in her arms； his face a mass of tears；
dirt； and blood。 〃I'm as big as you now； an' I'm goin' to git bigger。 Then
I'll lick yousee if I don't。〃
〃You ought to be to work； seein' how big you are；〃 Johnny snarled。
〃That's what's the matter with you。 You ought to be to work。 An' it's up
22
… Page 23…
WHEN GOD LAUGHS； AND OTHER STORIES
to your ma to put you to work。〃
〃But he's too young；〃 she protested。 〃He's only a little boy。〃
〃I was younger'n him when I started to work。〃
Johnny's mouth was open； further to express the sense of unfairness
that he felt； but the mouth closed with a snap。 He turned gloomily on his
heel and stalked into the house and to bed。 The door of his room was
open to let in warmth from the kitchen。 As he undressed in the semi…
darkness he could hear his mother talking with a neighbour woman who
had dropped in。 His mother was crying； and her speech was punctuated
with spiritless sniffles。
〃I can't make out what's gittin' into Johnny；〃 he could hear her say。
〃He didn't used to be this way。 He was a patient little angel。
〃An' he is a good boy；〃 she hastened to defend。 〃He's worked faithful；
an' he did go to work too young。 But it wasn't my fault。 I do the best I
can； I'm sure。〃
Prolonged sniffling from the kitchen； and Johnny murmured to himself
as his eyelids closed down； 〃You betcher life I've worked faithful。〃
The next morning he was torn bodily by his mother from the grip of
sleep。 Then came the meagre breakfast； th
