諾貝爾文學經典:《寵兒》第1章Part 4

When the last of the chamomile was gone, she went around to the front of the house, collecting hershoes and stockings on the way. As if to punish her further for her terrible memory, sitting on the porch not forty feet away was Paul D, the last of the Sweet Home men. And although she she said, "Is that you?""What's left." He stood up and smiled. "How you been, girl, besides barefoot?"When she laughed it came out loose and young. "Messed up my legs back yonder. Chamomile."He made a face as though tasting a teaspoon of something bitter."I don't want to even hear 'bout ys did hate that stuff."
Sethe balled up her stockings and jammed them into her pocket. "Come on in.""Porch is fine, Sethe. Cool out here." He sat back down and looked at the meadow on the otherside of the road, knowing the eagerness he felt would be in his eyes.
"Eighteen years," she said softly.
"Eighteen," he repeated. "And I swear I been walking every one of em. Mind if I join you?" Henodded toward her feet and began unlacing his shoes.
"You want to soak them? Let me get you a basin of water." She moved closer to him to enter thehouse.
"No, uh uh. Can't baby feet. A whole lot more tramping they got to do yet."
"You can't leave right away, Paul D. You got to stay awhile.""Well, long enough to see Baby Suggs, anyway. Where is she?""Dead.""Aw no. When?""Eight years now. Almost nine.""Was it hard? I hope she didn't die hard."Sethe shook her head. "Soft as cream. Being alive was the hard part. Sorry you missed her that what you came by for?""That's some of what I came for. The rest is you. But if all the truth be known, I go anywhere thesedays. Anywhere they let me sit down.""You looking good.""Devil's confusion. He lets me look good long as I feel bad." He looked at her and the word "bad"took on another meaning.

最後一滴春黃菊汁洗掉，她繞到房子前面，一路上將鞋襪拾起來。好像是爲了她糟糕的記憶而進一步懲罰她，在不到四十英尺遠的門廊臺階上，赫然坐着保羅·D——"甜蜜之家"的最後一個男人。雖然她永遠不可能把他的臉跟別人的搞混，她還是問道："那是你嗎？" "還沒死的那個。"他站起來，微笑道，"你過得怎麼樣，姑娘，除了腳還光着？" 她也笑了，笑得輕鬆而年輕。"在那邊把腿弄髒了。春黃菊。" 他扮了個鬼臉，好像在嘗一勺很苦的東西。"我聽着都難受。從來都討厭那玩意兒。"
塞絲團起襪子，塞進衣袋。"進來吧。" "門廊上挺好，塞絲。外邊涼快。"他重新坐下，知道自己心中的熱望會從眼裏流露，便轉頭去望路另一側的草地。
"十八年了。"她輕聲說。
"十八年。"他重複道，"我敢發誓我每一年都在走。不介意我跟你搭伴吧？"他衝着她的腳點點頭，開始解鞋帶。
"想泡泡嗎？我去給你端盆水。"她走近他，準備進屋。
"不，不用。不能寶貝腳丫子。它們還有好多路要走哩。"
"你不能馬上就走，保羅·D。你得多待一會兒。" "好吧，反正得看看貝比·薩格斯。她在哪兒？""死了。""噢不。什麼時候？""到現在八年。快九年了。""遭罪嗎？但願她死得不遭罪。"塞絲搖了搖頭。"輕柔得像奶油似的。活着才遭罪呢。不過你沒見到她真遺憾。是專爲這個來的嗎？""那是一部分原因。再有就是你。可說老實話，我如今什麼地方都去。只要能讓我坐下，哪兒都行。""你看起來挺好。""見鬼。只要我感覺壞，魔鬼就讓我看起來好。"他看着她，"壞"這個詞說的是另一個意思。