gs.earthabides-第35部分
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ood Year。
The Year 14 was much like it； so they called that the Second Good Year。
The Year 15 was also excellent； and they considered calling it the Third Good Year； but there was a difference。 Ish and the older people again felt that first loneliness and the drawing in of the darkness。 Not to grow more numerous was essentially to grow fewer； and this was the first year since the very beginning when there had been no children born。 All the women…Em； Molly； Jean and Maurine…were now getting old； and the younger girls were not yet quite old enough to marry； except for Evie； the half…witted one； who should never be allowed to have children。 So they did not like to call this the Third Good Year； because it was not wholly good。 Instead； the children remembered that this year could be thought remarkable because Ish had got out his old accordion and to its wheezing they had sung songs together…old songs like Home on the Range or She'll Be in' Round the Mountain； and so they called this； at the children's prompting； the Year That We Sang。 （No one except Ish seemed to think that anything was wrong with the grammar。）
The Year 16； however； was remarkable because the first marriage actually took place。 Those married were Mary； who was Ish and Em's oldest daughter； and Ralph； who had been bom to Molly just before the Great Disaster。 They were younger than would have been thought suitable or even decent for marriage in the Old Days； but in this also standards had changed。 Ish and Em； when they discussed the matter privately； were not even sure that Mary was especially fond of Ralph； or Ralph of Mary。 But everyone had always assumed that the two of them would get married because there was nobody else available whom either of them could take； just as it once was with princes and princesses。 So perhaps； as Ish concluded； romantic love had merely been another necessary casualty of the Great Disaster。
Maurine and Molly and Jean were all for 〃a real wedding；〃 as they said。 They hunted up a Lohengrin record for the windup phonograph； and were making a wedding costume in white with a veil； and everything to go with it。 But； to Ish； all this seemed a horrible parody of things that had once been； Em； in her quiet way； supported him。 Since Mary was their daughter； they controlled the wedding。 In the end； they had no ceremony at all； except that Ralph and Mary stood before Ezra； and he told them that now they were being married and that they would assume a new responsibility to the munity and that they must try to fulfill it well。 Mary bore a child before the year was out； and so for that reason； it was called the Year of the Grandchild。
The Year 17 they called； mostly at the children's prompting； the Year the House Busted。 The reason was that one of the nearby houses had suddenly collapsed and crashed down with a great noise just in time for some of the children to see it as they came running out at the first crack。 On investigation； the matter proved simple enough； because termites had had a chance now to work in the house for seventeen years undisturbed； and had eaten through the underpinning。 But the incident had made a great impression upon the children； and so it gave the name to the year； although it was not really a matter of importance。
In the Year 18； Jean bore still another child。 This was the last of all that were born to the older generation； but by this time there were two marriages of the second generation； and two more grandchildren were born。
This was called the Year of the Schoolteaching。。。。 Ever since the first children had been old enough； Ish had tried； in a more or less desultory way； to give them some kind of teaching； so that they could at least read and write and do a little arithmetic； and know something of geography。 But it had always been difficult to get the children together； and there seemed to be so many things that they wanted to do； either in play or in earnest； and the schoolteaching had never acplished very much； although most of the older children could read after a fashion。 At least they had once been able to read； but Ish doubted whether some of them…such as Mary； who was now a mother with two babies…could at the present moment do more than spell out words of one syllable。 （Though she was his own beloved oldest daughter； he admitted to himself that Mary was not intellectual…no need to say she was stupid。）
In this Year 18； however； Ish really tried to get together all of the children who were of proper age； so that they would not grow up pletely ignorant。 It worked for a while； and then again it lapsed； and it was hard to say whether he had acplished anything or not； and he felt a sense of frustration。
The Year 19 was named the Year of the Elk； again because of a little incident which impressed the children。 One morning some of them saw Evie； now grown to be a woman； looking out and pointing and crying excitedly in her strange voice； which did not quite form words。 When they looked； they saw that she was pointing at a new kind of animal。 This turned out to be an elk； which was the first one that they had seen in all these years。 Apparently； the herds had now increased enough so that they had worked down from the north and were ing back into this region； where they had lived before the arrival of white men。
There was no question about the Year 20。 It was the Year of the Earthquake。 The old San Leandro Fault stirred again； and early one morning there was a sharp jolt and the sound of falling chimneys。 The houses in which they all lived stood the shock； because George always kept them in excellent repair。 But the houses that had been weakened by termites or undermined by washing water or damaged by rot came crashing down。 After that there was hardly a street which was not littered here and there with brick or with other debris； and because of damage from the earthquake deterioration began to accelerate。
The Year 21 Ish had thought they might call the Year of the Corriing of Age。 They now numbered thirty…six…seven of the older ones； Evie； twenty…one of the second generation； and seven of the third。 In the end； however； this year was named； like many others； from a small incident 。。。。 Joey was one of the twins； who were the youngest of the children born to Ish and Em。 He was a bright boy； though small for his age and not so good at play as some of those who were even younger than he。 He got a certain favoring from both his father and mother； because he was； with his twin； the youngest。 On the whole； however； in such a large group of children； nobody had paid him any great attention； and now he was nine years old。 But just at the end of this year； they suddenly discovered to their great amaze ment that Joey could read…not only could read in the slow； halting way of the other children； but could read quickly and accurately and with pleasure。 Ish felt a sudden warming of his heart toward the youngest son。 This was the one in whom the light of intellect really was still burning。
The other children also were much impressed； and so at the ceremony they cried out that this should be called the Year When Joey Read。
End of the inter…chapter called Quick Years。
2
The Year 22
There must be in their social bond something singularly captivating； and far superior to anything to be boasted of among us； for thousands of Europeans are Indians； and we have no examples of even one of those Aborigines having from choice bee Europeans！
… J。 Hector St。 John de Crèvecoeur； Letters from an American Farmer
Chapter 1
After the ceremony at the rock was over and the numerals 2 and 1 stood out sharply and freshly cut on the smooth surface； the people started back toward the houses。 Most of the children scuttled ahead； calling back and forth； eager with ideas about the bonfire which traditionally ended the New Year celebration。
Ish walked beside Em； but they talked little。 As always at the date…carving Ish felt himself thinking deeper thoughts than usual and wondering what would happen in the course of the year。 He heard the children shouting out：
〃Go to the old house that fell down； you can pull off lots of dry wood there。。。。 I think I can find a can of gasoline。。。。 I know where there is toilet paper； it burns fine。〃
The older people； as was the custom； gathered at Ish and Em's house； and sat around for a little conversation。 Since it was a time for festivity； Ish opened some port； and they all drank toasts； even George； who ordinarily did not drink。 They agreed again； as they had at the rock； that the Year 21 had been a good year and that the prospects for the ing one were good also。
Yet in the midst of the general self…congratulation； Ish himself felt a renewed sense of dissatisfaction。
〃Why；〃 he thought； feeling the words flow through his mind； as if he were arguing aloud； 〃why should I be the one who in times like this always has to start thinking ahead？ Why am I the one that has to think； or'try to think； five years or ten years； or twenty years into the future？ I may not even be alive then！ The people who e after me…they will have to solve their own problems。〃
Yet he knew； as he thought again； that
