【荆棘鸟】第六章 01

你明白吗，梅吉？你爸和弗兰克吵架只是表明弗兰克想走了。这不是因为他们互相厌恶。许多年轻人都是这样做的、这是一种借口。这次吵架给弗兰克找到了一个去做他长期以来就想做的事情的借口，一个弗兰克离开的借口，你明白吗，我的梅吉？"

　　她的眼光转到了他的脸上，停在了那里。那双眼睛是如此疲惫，如此充满了痛苦，如此老气横秋。"我明白。"她说。"我明白，我还是个小姑娘的时候，弗兰克就想走，可他没走成。爸把他带了回来，强迫他和我们呆在一起。"

　　"但这次爸爸不会把他带回来了，因为爸爸现在不能强迫他留下来了。弗兰克永远走了，梅吉。他不会回来了。"

　　"我再也见不到他了吗？"

　　"我不知道，"他老老实实地答道。"当然，我愿意说你能再见到他，但没人能预言未来，梅吉，甚至连教士都不能。"他吸了口气。"你千万别告诉妈妈他们吵了架，梅吉。你听见我的话了吗？这会使她非常烦恼的，她身体不好。"

　　"是因为她又要生孩子了吗？"

　　"你怎么知道的？"

　　"妈喜欢养孩子；她生了好多。神父，她生了那么多好孩子，就是她身体不好的时候也生。我自己就想生个像哈尔那样的孩子，那样，我就不会太思念弗兰克了，对吗？"

　　"单性生殖，"他说。"好运气呀，梅吉。那你干嘛不想法生一个？

　　"我还有哈尔呢，"她迷迷糊糊地说着，偎起了身子。随后，她又说："神父，你也会走吗？会吗？"

　　"总有一天会的，梅吉。但没那么快，我想，所以用不着担心。我觉得我会在基里呆很久很久的。"教士答道，他的眼睛里充满了酸楚的神情。

 

第06章

　　梅吉总得回家，这是没法子的事。菲离开她就十不成事。这时，基里的女修道院只剩下斯图尔特一个人了；他绝了一次食，于是，他也回德罗海达去了。时当八月，寒气逼人。他们来到澳大利亚刚好一年。不过，今年冬天要比去年冷。干旱少雨，空气干冷，于肺不利。

 

Do you see that, Meggie? The fight between your daddy and Frank¹ was only a sign of Frank's wanting to go. It didn't happen because they don't like each other. It happened because that's the way a lot of young men leave home, it's a sort of excuse. The fight was just an excuse for Frank to do what he's been wanting to do for a long time, an excuse for Frank to leave. Do you understand that, my Meggie?" Her eyes shifted² to his face and rested there. They were so exhausted³, so full of pain, so old. "I know," she said. "I know. Frank wanted to go away when I was a little girl, and he didn't go. Daddy brought him back and made him stay with us."

"But this time Daddy isn't going to bring him back, because Daddy can't make him stay now. Frank has gone for good, Meggie. He isn't coming back." "Won't I ever see him again?"

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "I'd like to say of course you will, but no one can predict the future, Meggie, even priests⁵." He drew a breath. "You mustn't tell Mum there was a fight, Meggie, do you hear me? It would upset her very much, and she isn't well."

"Because there's going to be another baby?"

"What do you know about that?"

"Mum likes growing babies; she's done it a lot. And she grows such nice babies, Father, even when she isn't well. I'm going to grow one like Hal myself, then I won't miss Frank so much, will I?" "Parthenogenesis," he said. "Good luck, Meggie. Only what if you don't manage to grow one?"

"I've still got Hal," she said sleepily, nestling down. Then she said, "Father, will you go away, too? Will you?"

"One day, Meggie. But not soon, I think, so don't worry. I have a feeling I'm going to be stuck in Gilly for a long, long time," answered the priest⁴, his eyes bitter.

Chapter 6

There was no help for it, Meggie had to come home. Fee could not manage without her, and the moment he was left alone at the convent in Gilly, Stuart went on a hunger strike, so he too came back to Drogheda. It was August, and bitterly cold. Just a year since they had arrived in Australia; but this was a colder winter than last. The rain was absent and the air was so crisp⁶ it hurt the lungs.

1 frank   

adj.坦白的，直率的，真诚的

参考例句：

• A frank discussion can help to clear the air.坦率的谈论有助于消除隔阂。
• She is frank and outgoing.她很爽朗。

2 shifted   

v.改变( shift的过去式和过去分词 )；去掉；摆脱掉；换挡

参考例句：

• He shifted his position from the horizontal. 他从水平姿势变换成其他姿势。
• He nervously shifted his weight from foot to foot. 他很紧张，重心在双脚之间来回换。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

4 priest   

n.神父，牧师，司铎，司祭，领导者，神甫；vt.使成为神职人员

参考例句：

• He confessed to a priest that he had sinned.他向神父忏悔他犯了罪。
• The priest visited all the old people in the parish.牧师探望了教区里的所有老人。

5 priests   

n.（基督教和罗马天主教的）神父( priest的名词复数 )；牧师；（非基督教会的）教士；祭司

参考例句：

• the ordination of women priests 女司祭的授职礼
• The clergy remain divided on the issue of women priests. 在女性教士的问题上，牧师们意见不一。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 crisp   

adj.脆的；清新的；扼要的；n.[pl.]油炸土豆片

参考例句：

• What a crisp voice she has!听她的嗓音多脆！
• These pears are sweet and crisp.这种梨又甜又脆。