伊莎貝爾小姐

暑期打工的我碰上了一位奇怪的雇主。我為她除草、擦地板，報(bào)酬豐厚;她教我開車、做書評(píng)，甚至推薦我去圖書館工作，分文不收。我和她非親非故，她對(duì)我毫無所求，但是她的恩惠卻讓我一生銘記。

\"I don't believe in power mowers，\" she said， \"and on Saturdays you will work inside.\"

Sitting in the library of a three story Victorian1) home with streams of warm spring sunlight dancing among the books nestled in the floor to ceiling shelves， Miss Isabel began to explain my duties as her summer hired helper.

\"I pay $1.25 per hour. Tuesdays we mow; Thursday is flower garden day， and Saturdays will be general house cleaning.\"

I really didn't hear much past the $1.25， as in 1958， I was only 14 and that was a fortune. I had come to this opportunity by way of an older neighborhood friend who had worked for Miss Isabel for the past 3 years and was leaving for Notre Dame2) mid summer and so had referred me.

\"Can you start next Saturday 8 a.m. sharp3)?\" she asked.

\"Sure!\" I said， \"I mean， Yes， Ma'am.\" There was something about Miss Isabel that made you say so.

Saturday arrived， and at 8 a.m. sharp I rang the doorbell. Miss Isabel opened the door. \"Good morning，\" she said， \"follow me. I had some hot tea ready， but we won't have time， now. We're running behind.\"

Running behind? How could we be running behind? She had said 8 and it was 8 exactly. As Miss Isabel led me down the hall to the kitchen， she imparted4) to me lesson one. \"I have found，\" she said， \"that when you arrive at work 15 to 20 minutes early， it allows you to settle in5).\" It wasn't a scold， but I felt somehow I had cheated her out of something important， and I wasn't sure what.

Miss Isabel had already laid out6) several white cotton rags and a bottle of furniture polish7). I had observed that the old Victorian house had highly polished ebony8) hardwood floors. I was about to find out how they became so highly polished.

On hands and knees I began to minister to9) those boards， with which over three years of Saturdays I would form a love-hate relationship. After a while Miss Isabel suddenly asked， \"What's your favorite flavor of soda pop10)?\"

\"Orange， I suppose，\" I replied， not sure what this was about.

\"I'm going to Ralph Brown's market，\" she said， \"and I'll be coming back in half an hour. Will you please come outside and swing open the garage doors?\"

As I opened the doors， I saw， resting comfortably in the huge three-car garage， a pristine11) four door sea green Plymouth， circa12) 1947， and even though 11 years old， looking brand new. I would soon come to learn how this automobile stayed so spotless. Miss Isabel drove away， and true to her word， returned in 30 minutes. I had gone back to finishing up the floors， so she tooted13) for me to come outside. \"Please carry in the groceries and put them on the sideboard14)，\" she said， and off she went to the house. As I sat the groceries on the sideboard， she instructed me to dust down15) the Plymouth and put it away. Here lay a problem—I couldn't drive.

\"Miss Isabel，\" I said， \"I don't know how to drive. I'm only fourteen.\"

\"Fine，\" she said， \"I'll pull her in and you dust her down and close the doors.\" Off she went with me trailing16) behind. For a woman in her late 60's and barely 5 feet tall， she was surprisingly quick， and I had to hustle17) to keep up. When I returned to the kitchen， Miss Isabel had prepared two ice cream sodas18) with orange soda pop. They were resting on a beautiful silver serving tray. \"Bring these along to the library，\" she ordered.

As I carried the treats along behind， she casually suggested that I arrive 30 minutes early on Tuesday for my driving lesson. I was astounded. Driving lesson? I couldn't believe that I was going to get to drive. Lesson two.

Miss Isabel took a seat in one of her chairs. For the first time， I took a moment to observe my employer. It was hard to believe that someone so tiny could be so impressive. I was accustomed to football and basketball coaches， big men， and even my dad was six feet four. But no one I had ever met was in such control of her surroundings.

\"Jerry， do you read?\" she asked.

\"Yes， I can read really well，\" I replied.

\"No， Jerry， not can you read， do you read?\"

\"Do you mean for the fun of it?\"

\"Exactly! What's the last book you read for fun?\"

\"Riders of the Purple Sage19)， I guess， a couple of years ago.\"

\"Have you ever seen Purple Sage?\" she asked.

\"I don't guess so.\"

\"Well， we'll plant some in the garden and you can tend to20) it. Now， Jerry， pick a book you'd like to read， and we'll discuss it next week.\"

That started three years of ice cream sodas and book reports， although I never knew I was giving book reports. As we discussed the books， Miss Isabel could make me feel the cold of the Yukon， the heat of the jungle， the dry winds of the African desert and see the glitter of the jewels of King Solomon's mines.

For the first few weeks， I only reported my reading to escape the hated task of pulling the dreaded chickweed21) from the garden， but eventually， I came to consider those book review sessions the very best part of Saturday.

After three years of polishing floors， learning to drive， and developing a permanent hate for chickweed， Miss Isabel told me one Saturday to come to work in tie and jacket. This seemed very bizarre22) for a lawn boy/floor polisher， but by then， I had learned not to question Miss Isabel's requests. Unknown to me， Miss Isabel had summoned to her home Mr. Fox， the director of the Springfield-Greene County Library， to have an ice cream soda.

Mr. Fox chose strawberry， and as he casually sipped23) away， Miss Isabel explained to him that I was ready to start my employment with the library system as a page24)， the very next week. She went on to discuss my qualities as an employee， and spoke of my knowledge of authors， subject matter and considerable interest in National Geographic， although she claimed not to know why. But maybe she did.

Mr. Fox was at least six feet four inches tall， but before Miss Isabel， he became her willing-and-eager-to-please student. He immediately briefed25) me on when and where to report26) the following Saturday. Miss Isabel and I spent the rest of the afternoon discussing the responsibilities of librarians， and how I should find a suitable replacement for myself as her employee.

These things came to pass27)， and though Miss Isabel has long since passed away， I often think of the unforgettable time I spent among the flowers， sage， dreaded chickweed and books of Miss Isabel Shepard's home， or even some time spent in the Shepard Room of the public library， which was named in her honor.

“我不相信電動(dòng)割草機(jī)，”她說，“星期六，你可以在屋里干活?！?/p>

我坐在那間具有維多利亞時(shí)代特點(diǎn)的三層建筑物的藏書室里——那里從地板到天花板舒適地?cái)[放著許多書，春日暖暖的陽(yáng)光就跳躍其間——伊莎貝爾小姐開始告訴我作為她的夏季雇工所要承擔(dān)的職責(zé)。

“我每小時(shí)付給你1.25美元。我們星期二割草，星期四修整花園，星期六打掃房子。”

在聽到1.25美元這個(gè)數(shù)字之后，我就沒有再聽進(jìn)去多少了——要知道在1958年，這對(duì)年僅14歲的我來說可是很大一筆財(cái)富呀。而我是通過一個(gè)鄰居朋友才得到這個(gè)機(jī)會(huì)的。他比我年長(zhǎng)，在過去的三年他一直為伊莎貝爾小姐工作，但這個(gè)仲夏他要去巴黎圣母院，所以就推薦了我。

“你下個(gè)星期能開始工作嗎?八點(diǎn)整?”她問。

“當(dāng)然!”我說，“我的意思是，是的，夫人?！币辽悹栃〗闵砩嫌心撤N東西迫使你這么回答。

星期六到了，早上八點(diǎn)整我按響了門鈴。伊莎貝爾小姐打開門。“早上好，”她說，“跟我來，我準(zhǔn)備了一些熱茶，但是我們現(xiàn)在沒有時(shí)間了。我們遲了?！?/p>

遲了?我們?cè)趺磿?huì)遲了呢?她說是八點(diǎn)，而現(xiàn)在正好八點(diǎn)。當(dāng)伊莎貝爾小姐領(lǐng)著我穿過大廳向廚房走去的時(shí)候，她給我上了第一課?！拔野l(fā)現(xiàn)，”她說，“當(dāng)你提前15~20分鐘來上班的話，你就會(huì)有時(shí)間適應(yīng)這里?！边@不是指責(zé)，但我感覺就像我曾在某個(gè)很重要的問題上欺騙了她，并且我還不確定那個(gè)問題是什么。

伊莎貝爾小姐已經(jīng)擺出來幾塊白棉布和一瓶家具上光劑。我已經(jīng)觀察到這所維多利亞風(fēng)格的老房子的烏木硬地板被打磨得非常光亮。我就要發(fā)現(xiàn)它們是如何變得這么光亮的了。

我在地板上跪下來，開始用雙手去擦那些將在以后三年多的每個(gè)星期六與我建立起一種愛恨交加關(guān)系的木地板。過了一會(huì)兒，伊莎貝爾小姐突然問，“你喜歡喝什么口味的汽水?”

“我想是甜橙吧。”我回答說，不知道她問這個(gè)干什么。

“我要到拉爾夫·布朗市場(chǎng)去，”她說，“半個(gè)小時(shí)后回來。你能到外面來幫我開一下車庫(kù)門嗎?”

當(dāng)我打開車庫(kù)門的時(shí)候，我看見在那個(gè)能放得下三輛汽車的大車庫(kù)里正舒適地停著一輛嶄新的海綠色四門普利茅斯車。那輛車大約制造于1947年，盡管已有11年的歷史，但看上去仍然很新。很快，我就搞明白這輛汽車為什么會(huì)這么一塵不染了。伊莎貝爾小姐開車走了，而且確如她所言，30分鐘后就回來了。那個(gè)時(shí)候我已經(jīng)回屋里繼續(xù)擦地板了。所以，她回來的時(shí)候就按響喇叭喊我出來。“請(qǐng)把這些食品拿進(jìn)屋去，放在餐具柜上。”她邊說邊下了車向屋里走去。等我把那些食品放在餐具柜上后，她命令我把那輛普利茅斯車上的灰塵擦去，并把它開回車庫(kù)。問題來了——我不會(huì)開車。

“伊莎貝爾小姐，”我說，“我不會(huì)開車。我才14歲?！?/p>

“好吧，”她說，“我把車開進(jìn)車庫(kù)，你把車上的灰塵擦去，關(guān)上車門?！蔽椅搽S在她身后。對(duì)于一個(gè)年近70、身高不足5英尺(譯者注:約1.52米)的女人來說，她的動(dòng)作真是快得驚人，我必須緊趕慢趕才能跟得上她。當(dāng)我回到廚房里的時(shí)候，伊莎貝爾小姐已經(jīng)準(zhǔn)備好了兩杯甜橙汽水味道的冰淇淋蘇打。它們都放在一個(gè)漂亮的銀托盤里。“端著這些來藏書室?！彼愿赖?。

我端著托盤跟在她身后，她漫不經(jīng)心地建議我在星期六早上早來30分鐘學(xué)開車。這讓我大吃一驚。駕駛課?我簡(jiǎn)直不相信我就要學(xué)開車了。這是她給我上的第二課。

伊莎貝爾小姐在一把椅子上坐下來。我第一次仔細(xì)地觀察我的雇主。簡(jiǎn)直令人難以置信，這樣一個(gè)瘦小的人卻能令人印象如此深刻。我已經(jīng)習(xí)慣了橄欖球教練和籃球教練那樣高大的男人，就連我爸爸，也有6.4英尺(譯者注:約1.95米)高，但是，我見過的所有人中還從來沒有一個(gè)人能像她這樣如此控制自己周圍的環(huán)境。

“杰里，你讀書嗎?”她問。

“是的，我讀得非常好。”我回答。

“不，杰里，我不是問你會(huì)不會(huì)讀，我是問你讀書嗎?”

“您的意思是我對(duì)讀書感不感興趣?”

“對(duì)!你出于喜歡最近讀的是哪一本呢?”

“《紫鼠尾草叢中的騎士們》，我想那是幾年前的事了?！?/p>

“你見過紫鼠尾草嗎?”她問。

“我想我沒見過?！?/p>

“唔，我們將在花園里種一些，你可以照料它們。現(xiàn)在，杰里，挑一本你喜歡讀的書，我們將在下個(gè)星期討論它?！?/p>

就這樣，由冰淇淋蘇打和書評(píng)相伴的三年開始了，盡管我從來都不知道我當(dāng)時(shí)是在做書評(píng)。當(dāng)我們討論那些書的時(shí)候，伊莎貝爾小姐能夠讓我感覺到育空河的清涼，叢林地帶的酷熱，非洲沙漠的干風(fēng)，還能讓我看到閃耀在所羅門王藏寶庫(kù)中的寶石的光芒。

在起先的幾周，我評(píng)論我讀過的書只是為了逃避在花園里拔那討厭的繁縷，但最終，我逐漸覺得評(píng)論那些書是星期六最令人愉快的部分。

我擦地板，學(xué)駕駛，對(duì)繁縷的討厭有增無減，這樣的生活過了三年。在之后的一個(gè)星期六，伊莎貝爾小姐告訴我，下次來工作的時(shí)候要系領(lǐng)帶，穿夾克衫。這對(duì)一個(gè)修剪草地、擦地板的男孩來說無疑非常古怪，但到那個(gè)時(shí)候，我早已學(xué)會(huì)不質(zhì)疑伊莎貝爾小姐的要求了。我不知道，伊莎貝爾小姐早已請(qǐng)斯普林菲爾德-格林縣縣立圖書館的館長(zhǎng)?？怂瓜壬鷣硭液缺苛芴K打。

?？怂瓜壬x了草莓味的冰淇淋蘇打。當(dāng)他隨意啜吸著飲料的時(shí)候，伊莎貝爾小姐向他解釋說我已經(jīng)有能力做圖書系統(tǒng)的雇員了，下個(gè)星期就能去上班。她進(jìn)一步詳述我作為一名雇員的能力，說起我知道的作家、著作以及我對(duì)《國(guó)家地理》的濃厚興趣，雖然她聲稱她并不知道這其中的緣由。但也許她知道。

?？怂瓜壬辽儆?英尺(譯者注:約1.83米)高，但在伊莎貝爾小姐面前，他卻成了甘愿盡自己所能讓她高興的學(xué)生。他立即簡(jiǎn)要地告訴我下個(gè)星期什么時(shí)候到哪里去報(bào)到。在那天下午余下的時(shí)間里，伊莎貝爾小姐和我一起討論圖書管理員的職責(zé)，以及我該如何找一名合適的人來接替我做她的雇工。

這些事情發(fā)生了，伊莎貝爾小姐也早已經(jīng)去世了，但是我還是會(huì)經(jīng)常想起那些我在鮮花、鼠尾草、討厭的繁縷中和在伊莎貝爾·謝潑德小姐房子里的藏書中度過的難忘時(shí)光，甚至?xí)肫鹉切┰诠矆D書館以她的名字命名的謝潑德圖書室里度過的時(shí)光。

Vocabulary

1.Victorian [vIk5tC:rIEn] adj. (裝飾、建筑等)維多利亞式的;(具)維多利亞時(shí)代建筑風(fēng)格(以巨大的構(gòu)筑與精美裝飾為特色)的

2.Notre Dame: 巴黎圣母院

3.sharp [FB:p] adv. 正(指時(shí)刻);準(zhǔn)時(shí)地

4.impart [Im5pB:t] vt. 給予(尤指抽象事物);傳授

5.settle in: (幫助……)適應(yīng)(或習(xí)慣于)新環(huán)境(或新工作等)

6.lay out: 攤開(衣服等);擺出;展開

7.furniture polish: 家具上光劑

8.ebony [5ebEnI] adj. 烏木制的

9.minister to: 照料

10.pop [pCp] n. <口> (汽水、啤酒等)含氣飲料

11.pristine [5prIstaIn] adj. 未受破壞(或損傷)的;嶄新的

12.circa [5sE:kE] prep. 用在日期、數(shù)字等前面，意思是“大約在，接近于”。

13.toot [tu:t] vi. 吹喇叭(或號(hào)角等);發(fā)出嘟嘟聲

14.sideboard [5saIdbC:d] n. 餐具柜

15.dust down: (用手)拍或(拂)去……的灰塵

16.trail [treIl] vi. 跟隨;落后于

17.hustle [5hQsl] vi. 急速行走

18.ice cream soda: 冰淇淋蘇打，一種由冰淇淋和汽水制成的飲料

19.Riders of the Purple Sage: 《紫鼠尾草中的騎士們》，美國(guó)近代著名作家Zane Grey的代表作之一，最早發(fā)表于1912年，先后多次以《荒野情天》的名字被搬上熒屏;它是一部關(guān)于復(fù)仇與救贖的西部愛情故事:主人公Jane Withersteen因不愿屈從于當(dāng)?shù)氐慕虝?huì)，交出自己名下的土地而受到教會(huì)的迫害;Jane在奮起反抗的過程中，發(fā)現(xiàn)了自己的真正信仰，找到了自己的真愛。這部小說被認(rèn)為是最早的西部小說之一，被認(rèn)為在推進(jìn)西部小說繁榮的過程中起了十分重要的作用。sage [seIdV] n. 鼠尾草屬植物

20.tend to: 照料

21.chickweed [5tFIkwi:d] n. 【植】 繁縷;卷耳。它是田間常見的雜草之一，繁殖力極為旺盛，一年到頭開滿了白色星形的花朵，四處散播數(shù)萬乃至數(shù)百萬顆種子，不易清除。

22.bizarre [bI5zB:(r)] adj. 怪誕的;異乎尋常的

23.sip [sIp] vi. 小口地喝，泯

24.page [peIdV] n. (旅館、劇院、俱樂部等處的)穿制服小聽差

25.brief [bri:f] vt. (尤指事前)向……介紹基本情況;向……布置簡(jiǎn)要任務(wù)

26.report [rI5pC:t] vi. 報(bào)到

27.come to pass: (事情)發(fā)生;(希望)實(shí)現(xiàn)