“Good to eat! Roasted, stewed2, boiled—which shall it be?” said some one who popped out and laid a hand with such suddenness upon her shoulder that Kitty almost dropped with fright.
Apple-Pie Corner.—Page 193.
The creature who held her so tight was dressed from head to foot in white linen3; he wore an apron4 and white cap like a French cook. He twirled a knife, and looked at Kitty with a pair of bloodshot eyes. His cheeks were purple and pendulous5, his figure was flabby and fat; it suggested two suet puddings placed 201on the top of each other, and set upon a pair of legs. What with his pendulous cheeks and his bloodshot eyes, he reminded Kitty of an overfed pug dog.
“Indeed, I am not at all good to eat—not in any way,” said Kitty with an attempt at dignity, but in a quavering voice.
“If you’re not good to eat, then you are ready to eat. Eat or be eaten—that is all life in a nut-shell.” The creature chuckled6.
Kitty felt rather nervous under the glance of his rolling red eyes, so she did not like to suggest there was something else to be done than to eat or be eaten.
“Would you please tell me,” she said politely, “where this road leads to?”
“Where to! why, to a lot of places. Apple-pie Corner—Vanilla-cream Pond—Almond-rock Valley—Barley-sugar Field—Chocolate Pavilion—lawn tennis with plum-pudding balls—”
“Oh, don’t—don’t!” cried Kitty, putting up her hands to her ears. “It sounds as if the world were nothing but a big dinner-table.”
202“You’ve hit it to a T! A big dinner-table—with everything in it eating or being eaten,” and the creature panted out his words.
“Pray,” said Kitty, jerking her head back, “would you let me pass? I am in such a hurry.”
“Not till you have chosen what you will do—eat or be eaten,” said the creature hoarsely7.
“Well, of course, I had rather eat,” said Kitty reluctantly.
“Pass on, then!” said the being of the pendulous cheeks, loosing his grasp. And then as Kitty ran along she heard him puffing9, panting, rumbling10 out:
“Eat or be eaten—eat or be eaten.”
“What an old prose he is!” thought Kitty. “One idea goes a long way with him. If he is a goblin, they should call him ‘Gobbling’ Greediness.”
“Goblin Greediness. Take care!” whispered the guardian11 child.
“Oh!” cried Kitty, laughing, “I need only think of his fat, flabby cheeks and his bloodshot eyes to lose all care for eating, were I ever so hungry!”
203The air seemed to be made up of the scent12 of everything she liked best—ripe strawberries and vanilla-cream, with a touch of pine-apples and peach. All at once there came a great puff8 of chocolate perfume.
“Lo—ove—ly!” sighed Kitty, shutting her eyes and sniffing13.
“Ex—cel—lent!” chuckled the naughty sprite, opening its nose.
“Shut your nose,” whispered the guardian child anxiously.
Kitty laughed. She thought it was just a little exacting14 of the guardian child to advise her to shut her nose. What harm could there be in a perfume, especially if in smelling it she kept her eyes fixed15 upon the star, and she did not stray from the path?
The odor grew more and more enticing16. She took in deeper and deeper breaths of that smell of ripe sunlighty fruit with an entrancing suggestion of burnt almonds stealing upon the breeze.
“It is dangerous! it is dangerous! Think of the Christmas blessing17 for Johnnie! Think 204of the fog picture of the greedy children!” murmured the guardian child restlessly.
“Oh! what harm can there be in smelling a taste?” laughed Kitty, with a confident glance first at the glistening19 little figure standing20 erect21 and watchful22 on her right shoulder, then giving a peep round to the sprite, who was sniffing with a look of expectation.
“You are not hungry! you are not thirsty!” whispered the guardian child.
The naughty sprite jogged Kitty’s cheek in a friendly fashion, and pointed23 with its furry24 paw. She gave a sidelong look in the direction it indicated. Then she paused in amazement25. Was it fruit-country they were going through? No wonder it smelled so sweet! Hot-house fruit and garden fruit grew together in glowing profusion26. There were fields of strawberry-beds, where the red berries shone like elfin lanterns through the fresh green leaves. There were plantations27 of bananas, and each banana was like a hatchet28 of gold. There were martial-looking pine-apples burnished29 like copper30 helmets, guarded by pale-green swords of 205spiky leaves. Enormous bunches of grapes hung down, each grape big as a plum; purple grapes, grapes blue on one side, redly transparent31 on the other; white grapes golden and gleaming. And oh! the peaches and the nectarines were as plentiful32 as blackberries.
A thousand tiny voices seemed to be calling to Kitty in audible gusts33 of perfume: “Eat us! taste us! with the touch of sunshine upon us!”
“Is there any any harm to pluck and eat some of that delicious fruit?” asked Kitty, who had never felt such a desire to set her teeth in a juicy peach.
“No Christmas! no blessing! no Johnnie! if you loiter,” murmured the guardian child. “You are not in need of food. You are not hungry—you are not thirsty—it would be greediness.”
“Suck!” said the naughty sprite. He had plucked an enormous strawberry and put it to Kitty’s mouth.
“Don’t!” whispered the guardian child.
Kitty looked up impatiently. His eyes were 206fixed on the star. He looked so bright, so good, so like Johnnie, Kitty felt ashamed and put the strawberry aside.
“Silly!” hissed35 the naughty sprite.
“Christmas blessing! Christmas blessing!” laughed the guardian child as Kitty set off running up the narrow path, closing her eyes not to see the tempting36 fruit.
A sound of many feet made her open her eyes.
Helter! skelter! a crowd of children were bounding along, all in one direction, laughing as they went.
“Only a few steps more! only a few steps more!” murmured the guardian child.
“And we’ll be out of the pleasantest, sweetest-smelling, merriest place,” growled37 the naughty sprite, with a great roll of rrs and hiss34 of ss.
One boy lingered behind the other children. He was a jovial38-looking little fellow with twinkling blue eyes squeezed up into his ruddy cheeks, the corners of his lips curled up comfortably. He had a comical friendly air; he reminded Kitty of a child Father Christmas.
207“You are going the wrong way for the big pie,” he said, in a voice that sounded like a deep rich murmur18. It was a comfortable, suetty sort of a voice.
“The big pie!” replied Kitty, surprised and interested. The naughty sprite gave a caper39.
208“Do not loiter!” whispered the guardian child.
“The biggest pie that ever was made, and the best. Such a pie!” cried the boy. He gathered his fat finger-tips in a bunch, kissed them and spread them open in the air, as if words failed to describe that pie.
“I am following the star,” Kitty remarked in a depressed40 but resolute41 tone.
“Time enough after you have had a slice of pie,” whispered the sprite insinuatingly42.
“Look! the star is passing away,” urged the guardian child.
“I’ll think you’re an affected43 silly,” said the boy.
“I am not an affected silly,” cried Kitty, turning very red.
“Come along, then.”
Kitty felt her palm and fingers rolled up in a soft warm pudding of a hand, and she allowed herself to be dragged along.
What a run that was! The grapes touched her lips as she passed like silken fingers, the bananas gave delicious blows to her cheeks, 209the peaches caressed44 her with their velvet45 skins, the cherries pelted46 her.
She passed by a brown pool of chocolate-cream, in which ladies’ fingers stood up like reeds. She ran across a field where barley-sugar grew, and crystallized wild flowers. She came to a valley strewn with immense lumps like bowlders of almond-rock.
There the great table was set, under a pavilion made of gingerbread. The pie rose in the center. It was an immense pie, as big as a one-story house with its roof on, and it was all angles and bulges47. It was white with sugar. All around it was clustered every dainty that could be imagined.
Children smacking48 their lips were assembled, and the moment the fat boy took his seat at the head of the table, with Kitty at his right hand, they all began to help themselves.
Kitty’s fingers itched49 to close over the delicious, crisp, sugary morsels50 spread near her.
“Don’t!” sighed the guardian child each time she stretched out her hand.
The naughty sprite licked its lips and 210smacked its tongue. It was all in a tremble of delight, and repeated the names of all the good things around in a most expressive51 tone, that seemed to bring their flavor to Kitty’s mouth. More and more she longed for delicious things to eat and drink. Yet every time her hand was stretched out to snatch at something near her—
“Don’t!” murmured the guardian child.
“Eat, drink, and never mind,” urged the sprite in a jovial, don’t-care manner.
Kitty shook her head, as if shaking off the thought of consequences. She would eat. She stretched out her hand; it closed upon a big, crisp sugar-plum. She put it to her mouth.
The naughty sprite crouched52 like a pouncing53 pussy54.
“Greedy, greedy! No Christmas! No Johnnie! No blessing!” sighed a breath in her ear.
Kitty looked up; her guardian child, pale as a ghost, was vanishing away, but still his eyes were turned toward her. They were Johnnie’s eyes.
211She dropped the sugar-plum. “No, no!” she cried, springing to her feet. “I shall not eat; I shall not drink!”
There was a great scuffle round her; the guests had started to their feet.
Kitty clapped her hands against her ears, not to hear her naughty sprite crying out “Silly, silly!” She was surrounded by the children; they tried to force sweet, cool fruit and sugar-plums between her lips. All the while that craving55 for good things that was not hunger or thirst fought against her like a wolf; but she went blindly on resisting.
How long the struggle lasted she could not tell, but all at once Kitty knew her enemies had left her.
That faint peal56 of distant Christmas bells again sounded in her ear, and looking up she found herself on the steep and narrow path, the star shining above her.
“Conquered! conquered! Good old Kitsy! good old Kitsy!” sang her guardian child, in the old familiar comforting words, as he fanned 212her with his rosy57 wings. He seemed brighter, rosier58 than ever.
The sprite glared at her with wild eyes, full of disappointment.
213“I shall never reach my journey’s end,” cried Kitty, bursting into tears. “If I could but rest a little while—just a little while—before going on further through that dreadful wood.”
“Look, you may rest; the star has stopped,” said her guardian child, pointing.
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收听单词发音
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1
pastry
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| n.油酥面团，酥皮糕点 | |
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stewed
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| adj.焦虑不安的，烂醉的v.炖( stew的过去式和过去分词 )；煨；思考；担忧 | |
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linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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pendulous
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| adj.下垂的；摆动的 | |
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chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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8
puff
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| n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气 | |
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puffing
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| v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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rumbling
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| n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词 | |
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11
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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13
sniffing
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| n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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14
exacting
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| adj.苛求的，要求严格的 | |
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15
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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16
enticing
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| adj.迷人的；诱人的 | |
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blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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18
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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19
glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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20
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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22
watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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24
furry
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| adj.毛皮的；似毛皮的；毛皮制的 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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profusion
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| n.挥霍；丰富 | |
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27
plantations
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| n.种植园，大农场( plantation的名词复数 ) | |
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28
hatchet
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| n.短柄小斧；v.扼杀 | |
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29
burnished
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| adj.抛光的，光亮的v.擦亮（金属等），磨光( burnish的过去式和过去分词 )；被擦亮，磨光 | |
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30
copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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32
plentiful
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| adj.富裕的，丰富的 | |
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33
gusts
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| 一阵强风( gust的名词复数 )； （怒、笑等的）爆发； （感情的）迸发； 发作 | |
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34
hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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35
hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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36
tempting
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| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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37
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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38
jovial
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| adj.快乐的，好交际的 | |
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39
caper
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| v.雀跃，欢蹦；n.雀跃，跳跃；续随子，刺山柑花蕾；嬉戏 | |
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40
depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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41
resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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42
insinuatingly
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43
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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44
caressed
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| 爱抚或抚摸…( caress的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45
velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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46
pelted
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| （连续地）投掷( pelt的过去式和过去分词 )； 连续抨击； 攻击； 剥去…的皮 | |
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47
bulges
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| 膨胀( bulge的名词复数 )； 鼓起； （身体的）肥胖部位； 暂时的激增 | |
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48
smacking
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| 活泼的，发出响声的，精力充沛的 | |
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49
itched
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| v.发痒( itch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50
morsels
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| n.一口( morsel的名词复数 )；（尤指食物）小块，碎屑 | |
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51
expressive
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| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
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52
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53
pouncing
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| v.突然袭击( pounce的现在分词 )；猛扑；一眼看出；抓住机会（进行抨击） | |
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54
pussy
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| n.(儿语)小猫，猫咪 | |
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55
craving
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| n.渴望,热望 | |
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56
peal
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| n.钟声；v.鸣响 | |
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57
rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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rosier
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| Rosieresite | |
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