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Text A The Drovers Wife（第1页）

TextATheDrover’sWife

HenryLawson

[1]Thetwo-roomedhouseisbuiltofroundtimber，slabs，andstringy-bark，ahsplitslabs。Abigbarkkitdingatoneendislargerthaself，verandaincluded。

[2]Bushallround—bushwithnohorizoryisflat。hedistahebushsistsofstuerees。h。Nothiheeyesavethedarkergreenofafewshe-oakswhicharesighihenarrow，almostwaterlesseteehesignofcivilization—ashantyonthemainroad。

[3]Thedrover，aer，isawaywithsheep。Hiswifeandareleftherealone。

[4]Fed，dried-up-lookingareplayingaboutthehouse。Suddehemyells:“Sher，here’sasnake!”

[5]Thegaunt，sun-brownedbushwomahekitatchesherbabyfromtheground，holdsitohip，andreachesforastick。

[6]“Whereisit?”

[7]“Here!Gohe!”yellstheeldestboy—asharp-faofeleven。“Stopthere，mother!I’llhavehim。Standback!I’llhavethebeggar。”

[8]“Tommy，ehere，oryou’llbebit。ehereatoellyou，youlittlewretch!”

[9]Theyoungsteresrelutly，gastickbiggerthaheriumphantly:

[1oes—uhehouse!”anddartsawaywithclubuplifted。Atthesametime，thebig，black，yellow-eyeddog-of-all-breeds，whohasshowiheprogs，breakshisdrushesafterthatsnake。Heisamomentlate，however，andhishetheslabsjustastheendofitstaildisappears。Almostatthesamemomenttheboy’sesdownandskinstheaforesaidortakessmallhis，aouhebuilding;butheissubduedafterastruggleaheyotaffordtolosehim。

[11]Thedrover’swifemakesthestahedog-housewhileshewatchesfortheswosmalldishesofmilkahemdowotemptittoeout;butanhoesbyashowitself。

[12]Itis，andathuormising。Themustbebroughtitakethemintothehouse，forsheknowstheshere，andmayataeupthroughatheroughslabfloor;soshecarriesseveralarmfulsoffirewoodidthehethere。Thekitofloor—or，rather，ahenone—calleda“groundfloor”inthispartofthebush。Thereisalarge，roughly-madetableiheplace。Shebringsthein，ahemgetonthistable。Theyaretwoboysandtwogirls—merebabies。Shegivesthemsomesupper，andthesdark，shegoesintothehouse，andsnatepillowsahes—expegtoseeorlayherhandonthesnakeanyminute。Shemakesabedotableforthe，andsitsdowowatight。

[13]Shehasahedagreensaplingclublaidihedresserbyherside;alsbasketandacopyoftheYoungLadies’Journal。Shehasbroughtthedogintotheroom。

[14]Tommyturnsi，butsayshe’llbeawakeallnightandsmashthatblindedsnake。

[15]Hismotheraskshimhowmanytimesshehastoldhimnottos>

[16]Hehashisclubwithhimuhes，andJackyprotests。

[17]“Mummy!Tommy’sskinnin’mealivewifhisclub。Makehimtakeitout。”

[18]Tommy:“Shetup，youlittle——!D’yerwahthesnake?”

[19]Jackyshutsup。

[20]“Ifyerbit，”saysTommy，afterapause，“you’llswellup，aurnredan’greenan’blueallovertillyerbust。Woher?”

[21]“frightenthechild。Gotosleep，”shesays。

[22]Thetwoyoungergotosleep，andnowandthenJaplainsofbeing“skeezed。”Moreroomismadeforhim。PresentlyTommysays:“Mother!Listelepossums。I’dliketoscrewtheirblankynecks。”

[23]AndJackyprotestsdrowsily。

[24]“Buttheydon’thurtus，thelittleblanks!”

[25]Mother:“There，Itoldyouyou’dteachJackytoswear。”Buttheremarkmakeshersmile。Jackygoestosleep。

[26]PresentlyTommyasks:

[27]“Mother!Doyouthinkthey’lleverextricatethekangaroo?”

[28]“Lord!HowamItoknow，child?Gotosleep。”

[29]“Willyouwakemeifthes?”

[30]“Yes。Gotosleep。”

[31]Nearmidnight。Theareallasleepaherestill，sewingandreadingbyturns。Fromtimetotimesheglahefloorandlate，and，whenevershehearsanoise，shereachesforthestick。Thethuormeson，andthewind，rushingthroughthetheslabwall，threatenstoblowoutherdle。Sheplaashelteredpartofthedresserandfixesupaectit。Ateveryflashoflightning，thecracksbetweentheslabsgleamlikepolishedsilver。Thethunderrolls，andtherainesdows。

[32]Alligatorliesatfulllengthonthefloor，withhiseyesturoartition。Sheknowsbythisthattheshere。Therearelargethatehefloorofthedwelling-house。