高英第2课课文
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1、MarrakechGeorgeOrwell Asthecorpsewentpasttheflieslefttherestauranttableinacloudandrushedafterit,buttheycamebackafewminuteslater. Thelittlecrowdofmourners-allmenandboys,nowomen-threadedtheirwayacrossthemarketplacebetweenthepilesofpomegranatesandthetaxisandthecamels,wallingashortchantoverandoveragain.
2、Whatreallyappealstothefliesisthatthecorpseshereareneverputintocoffins,theyaremerelywrappedinapieceofragandcarriedonaroughwoodenbierontheshouldersoffourfriends.Whenthefriendsgettotheburying-groundtheyhackanoblongholeafootortwodeep,dumpthebodyinitandflingoveritalittleofthedried-up,lumpyearth,whichisli
3、kebrokenbrick.Nogravestone,noname,noidentifyingmarkofanykind.Theburying-groundismerelyahugewasteofhummockyearth,likeaderelictbuilding-lot.Afteramonthortwonoonecanevenbecertainwherehisownrelativesareburied. Whenyouwalkthroughatownlikethis-twohundredthousandinhabitantsofwhomatleasttwentythousandownlit
4、erallynothingexcepttheragstheystandupin-whenyouseehowthepeoplelive,andstillmorehoweasilytheydie,itisalwaysdifficulttobelievethatyouarewalkingamonghumanbeings.Allcolonialempiresareinrealityfoundeduponthisfact.Thepeoplehavebrownfaces-besides,therearesomanyofthem!Aretheyreallythesamefleshasyourself?Dot
5、heyevenhavenames?Oraretheymerelyakindofundifferentiatedbrownstuff,aboutasindividualasbeesorcoralinsects?Theyriseoutoftheearth,theysweatandstarveforafewyears,andthentheysinkbackintothenamelessmoundsofthegraveyardandnobodynoticesthattheyaregone.Andeventhegravesthemselvessoonfadebackintothesoil.Sometim
6、es,outforawalkasyoubreakyourwaythroughthepricklypear,younoticethatitisratherbumpyunderfoot,andonlyacertainregularityinthebumpstellsyouthatyouarewalkingoverskeletons. Iwasfeedingoneofthegazellesinthepublicgardens. Gazellesarealmosttheonlyanimalsthatlookgoodtoeatwhentheyarestillalive,infact,onecanhard
7、lylookattheirhindquarterswithoutthinkingofamintsauce.ThegazelleIwasfeedingseemedtoknowthatthisthoughtwasinmymind,forthoughittookthepieceofbreadIwasholdingoutitobviouslydidnotlikeme.Itnibblednibbledrapidlyatthebread,thenlowereditsheadandtriedtobuttme,thentookanothernibbleandthenbuttedagain.Probablyit
8、sideawasthatifitcoulddrivemeawaythebreadwouldsomehowremainhanginginmid-air.AnArabnavvyworkingonthepathnearbyloweredhisheavyhoeandsidledslowlytowardsus.Helookedfromthegazelletothebreadandfromthebreadtothegazelle,withasortofquietamazement,asthoughhehadneverseenanythingquitelikethisbefore.Finallyhesaid
9、shylyinFrench:1couldeatsomeofthatbread. Itoreoffapieceandhestoweditgratefullyinsomesecretplaceunderhisrags.Thismanisanemployeeofthemunicipality. WhenyougothroughtheJewishQuartersyougathersomeideaofwhatthemedievalghettoeswereprobablylike.UndertheirMoorishMoorishrulerstheJewswereonlyallowedtoownlandin
10、certainrestrictedareas,andaftercenturiesofthiskindoftreatmenttheyhaveceasedtobotheraboutovercrowding.Manyofthestreetsareagooddeallessthansixfeetwide,thehousesarecompletelywindowless,andsore-eyedchildrenclustereverywhereinunbelievablenumbers,likecloudsofflies.Downthecentreofthestreetthereisgenerallyr
11、unningalittleriverofurine.InthebazaarhugefamiliesofJews,alldressedinthelongblackrobeandlittleblackskull-cap,areworkingindarkfly-infestedboothsthatlooklikecaves.Acarpentersitscrossleggedataprehistoriclathe,turningchairlegsatlightningspeed.Heworksthelathewithabowinhisrighthandandguidesthechiselwithhis
12、leftfoot,andthankstoalifetimeofsittinginthispositionhisleftlegiswarpedoutofshape.Athissidehisgrandson,agedsix,isalreadystartingonthesimplerpartsofthejob. IwasjustpassingthecoppersmithsboothswhensomebodynoticedthatIwaslightingacigarette.Instantly,fromthedarkholesallround,therewasafrenziedrushofJews,m
13、anyofthemoldgrandfatherswithflowinggreybeards,allclamouringforacigarette.Evenablindmansomewhereatthebackofoneoftheboothsheardarumour ofcigarettesandcamecrawlingout,gropingintheairwithhishand.InaboutaminuteIhadusedupthewholepacket.Noneofthesepeople,Isuppose,workslessthantwelvehoursaday,andeveryoneoft
14、hemlooksonacigaretteasamoreorlessimpossibleluxury. AstheJewsliveinself-containedcommunitiestheyfollowthesametradesastheArabs,exceptforagriculture.Fruitsellers,potters,silversmiths,blacksmiths,butchers,leather-workers,tailors,water-carriers,beggars,porters-whicheverwayyoulookyouseenothingbutJews.Asam
15、atteroffacttherearethirteenthousandofthem,alllivinginthespaceofafewacres.AgoodjobHitletwasnthere.Perhapshewasonhisway,however.YouheartheusualdarkrumoursaboutJews,notonlyfromtheArabsbutfromthepoorerEuropeans. Yesvieuxmonvieux,theytookmyjobawayfrommeandgaveittoaJew.TheJews!Theyretherealrulersofthiscou
16、ntry,youknow.Theyvegotallthemoney.Theycontrolthebanks,finance-everything. But,Isaid,isntitafactthattheaverageJewisalabourerworkingforaboutapennyanhour? Ah,thatsonlyforshow!Theyreallmoneylendersreally.Theyrecunning,theJews. Injustthesameway,acoupleofhundredyearsago,pooroldwomenusedtobeburnedforwitchc
17、raftwhentheycouldnotevenworkenoughmagictogetthemselvesasquaremeal.squaremeal Allpeoplewhoworkwiththeirhandsarepartlyinvisible,andthemoreimportanttheworktheydo,thelessvisibletheyare.Still,awhiteskinisalwaysfairlyconspicuous.InnorthernEurope,whenyouseealabourerploughingafield,youprobablygivehimasecond
18、glance.Inahotcountry,anywheresouthofGibraltaroreastofSuez,thechancesarethatyoudontevenseehim.Ihavenoticedthisagainandagain.Inatropicallandscapeoneseyetakesineverythingexceptthehumanbeings.Ittakesinthedried-upsoil,thepricklypear,thepalmtreeandthedistantmountain,butitalwaysmissesthepeasanthoeingathisp
19、atch.Heisthesamecolourastheearth,andagreatdeallessinterestingtolookat. ItisonlybecauseofthisthatthestarvedcountriesofAsiaandAfricaareacceptedastouristresorts.NoonewouldthinkofrunningcheaptripstotheDistressedAreas.Butwherethehumanbeingshavebrownskinstheirpovertyissimplynotnoticed.WhatdoesMoroccomeant
20、oaFrenchman?AnorangegroveorajobinGovernmentservice.OrtoanEnglishman?Camels,castles,palmtrees,ForeignLegionnaires,brasstrays,andbandits.Onecouldprobablylivethereforyearswithoutnoticingthatfornine-tenthsofthepeopletherealityoflifeisanendlessback-breakingstruggletowringalittlefoodoutofanerodedsoil. Mos
21、tofMoroccoissodesolatethatnowildanimalbiggerthanaharecanliveonit.Hugeareaswhichwereoncecoveredwithforesthaveturnedintoatreelesswastewherethesoilisexactlylikebroken-upbrick. Neverthelessagooddealofitiscultivated,withfrightfullabour.Everythingisdonebyhand.Longlinesofwomen,bentdoublelikeinvertedcapital
22、Ls,worktheirwayslowlyacrossthefields,tearingupthepricklyweedswiththeirhands,andthepeasantgatheringlucerneforfodderpullsitupstalkbystalkinsteadofreapingit,thussavinganinchortwooneachstalk.Theploughisawretchedwoodenthing,sofrailthatonecaneasilycarryitononesshoulder,andfittedunderneathwitharoughironspi
23、kewhichstirsthesoiltoadepthofaboutfourinches.Thisisasmuchasthestrengthoftheanimalsisequalto.Itisusualtoploughwithacowandadonkeyyokedtogether.Twodonkeyswouldnotbequitestrongenough,butontheotherhandtwocowswouldcostalittlemoretofeed.Thepeasantspossessnonarrows,theymerelyploughthesoilseveraltimesoverind
24、ifferentdirections,finallyleavingitinroughfurrows,afterwhichthewholefieldhastobeshapedwithhoesintosmalloblongpatchestoconservewater.Exceptforadayortwoaftertherarerainstormsthereisneverenoughwater.Alongtheedgesofthefieldschannelsarehackedouttoadepthofthirtyorfortyfeettogetatthetinytrickleswhichrunthr
25、oughthesubsoil. Everyafternoonafileofveryoldwomenpassesdowntheroadoutsidemyhouse,eachcarryingaloadoffirewood.Allofthemaremummifiedwithageandthesun,andallofthemaretiny.Itseemstobegenerallythecaseinprimitivecommunitiesthatthewomen,whentheygetbeyondacertainage,shrinktothesizeofchildren.Onedaypoorcreatu
26、rewhocouldnothavebeenmorethanfourfeettallcreptpastmeunderavastloadofwood.Istoppedherandputafive-sousoupiece(alittlemorethanafarthingintoherhand.Sheansweredwithashrillwail,almostascream,whichwaspartlygratitudebutmainlysurprise.Isupposethatfromherpointofview,bytakinganynoticeofher,Iseemedalmosttobevio
27、latingalawofnature.Sheaccept-edherstatusasanoldwoman,thatistosayasabeastofburden.Whenafamilyistravellingitisquiteusualtoseeafatherandagrown-upsonridingaheadondonkeys,andanoldwomanfollowingonfoot,carryingthebaggage. Butwhatisstrangeaboutthesepeopleistheirinvisibility.Forseveralweeks,alwaysataboutthes
28、ametimeofday,thefileofoldwomenhadhobbledpastthehousewiththeirfirewood,andthoughtheyhadregisteredthemselvesonmyeyeballsIcannottrulysaythatIhadseenthem.Firewoodwaspassing-thatwashowIsawit.ItwasonlythatonedayIhappenedtobewalkingbehindthem,andthecuriousup-and-downmotionofaloadofwooddrewmyattentiontotheh
29、umanbeingbeneathit.ThenforthefirsttimeInoticedthepooroldearth-colouredbodies,bodiesreducedtobonesandleatheryskin,bentdoubleunderthecrushingweight.YetIsupposeIhadnotbeenfiveminutesonMoroccansoilbeforeInoticedtheoverloadingofthedonkeysandwasinfuriatedbyit.Thereisnoquestionthatthedonkeysaredamnablytrea
30、ted.TheMoroccandonkeyishardlybiggerthanaSt.Bernarddog,itcarriesaloadwhichintheBritishArmywouldbeconsideredtoomuchforafifteen-handsmule,andveryoftenitspacksaddleisnottakenoffitsbackforweekstogether.Butwhatispeculiarlypitifulisthatitisthemostwillingcreatureonearth,itfollowsitsmasterlikeadoganddoesnotn
31、eedeitherbridleorhalter.Afteradozenyearsofdevotedworkitsuddenlydropsdead,whereuponitsmastertipsitintotheditchandthevillagedogshavetornitsgutsoutbeforeitiscold. Thiskindofthingmakesonesbloodboil,whereas-onthewhole-theplightofthehumanbeingsdoesnot.Iamnotcommenting,merelypointingtoafact.Peoplewithbrown
32、skinsarenextdoortoinvisible.Anyonecanbesorryforthedonkeywithitsgalledback,butitisgenerallyowingtosomekindofaccidentifoneevennoticestheoldwomanunderherloadofsticks. AsthestorksflewnorthwardtheNegroesweremarchingsouthward-along,dustycolumn,infantry,screw-gunbatteries,andthenmoreinfantry,fourorfivethou
33、sandmeninall,windinguptheroadwithaclumpingofbootsandaclatterofironwheels. TheywereSenegalese,theblackestNegroesinAfrica,soblackthatsometimesitisdifficulttosee whereaboutsontheirnecksthehairbegins.Theirsplendidbodieswerehiddeninreach-me-downkhakiuniforms,theirfeetsquashedintobootsthatlookedlikeblocks
34、ofwood,andeverytinhatseemedtobeacoupleofsizestoosmall.Itwasveryhotandthemenhadmarchedalongway.Theyslumpedundertheweightoftheirpacksandthecuriouslysensitiveblackfaceswereglisteningwithsweat. Astheywentpast,atall,veryyoungNegroturnedandcaughtmyeye.Butthelookhegavemewasnotintheleastthekindoflookyoumigh
35、texpect.Nothostile,notcontemptuous,notsullen,noteveninquisitive.Itwastheshy,wide-eyedNegrolook,whichactuallyisalookofprofoundrespect.Isawhowitwas.Thiswretchedboy,whoisaFrenchcitizenandhasthereforebeendraggedfromtheforesttoscrubfloorsandcatchsyphilisingarrisontowns,actuallyhasfeelingsofreverencebefor
36、eawhiteskin.Hehasbeentaughtthatthewhiteracearehismasters,andhestillbelievesit.Butthereisonethoughtwhicheverywhiteman(andinthisconnectionitdoesntmattertwopenceifhecallshimselfasocialist)thinkswhenheseesablackarmymarchingpast.Howmuchlongercanwegoonkiddingthesepeople?Howlongbeforetheyturntheirgunsinthe
37、otherdirection? Itwascuriousreally.Everywhitemantherehadthisthoughtstowedsomewhereorotherinhismind.Ihadit,sohadtheotheronlookers,sohadtheofficersontheirsweatingchargersandthewhiteN.C.Osmarchingintheranks.Itwasakindofsecretwhichweallknewandweretooclevertotell;onlytheNegroesdidntknowit.Andreallyitwaslikewatchingaflockofcattletoseethelongcolumn,amileortwomilesofarmedmen,flowingpeacefullyuptheroad,whilethegreatwhitebirdsdriftedoverthemintheoppositedirection,glitteringlikescrapsofPaper.(fromReadingforRhetoric,byCarolineShrodes,CliffordA.Josephson,andJamesR.Wilson)
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