Chapter 8

　　Tired of her fantasies, Francesca looks up to the sun toclear her mind. It is blinding. When she looks back out ontothe road, her vision is momentarily blurred¹. Until, slowly,out of the blue, she sees:

　　A TRUCK driving toward her house, kicking up dust, like somephantom appearing through the etheric plane. Francesca isn'teven sure it's real. She sips² cool drink & blinks toregain her vision. The truck slows down and turns into herdriveway. Francesca watches with suspicious curiosity as:

　　The truck stops and ROBERT KINCAID steps out. Flashing hisblue eyes in her direction, he smiles and says:

　　ROBERTSorry to bother you, but I've got afeeling I'm lost.

　　Francesca remains³ guarded.

　　FRANCESCAAre you supposed to be in Iowa?

　　ROBERT(laughs)Yeah.

　　FRANCESCA:

　　Well, you're not that lost.

　　He laughs. She puts down her tea and crosses to him.

　　ROBERTI'm looking for a covered bridge outthis way... uh... wait a minute --He looks through a small notepad for the name. Francescafinds herself scanning his body.

　　FRANCESCARoseman Bridge?

　　ROBERTThat's it.

　　FRANCESCAWell, you're pretty close. It's onlyabout two miles from here.

　　ROBERTOh, terrific. Which way?

　　Pause as Robert awaits directions and Francesca scans a suddenimpulse.

　　FRANCESCAWell, I can take you if you want.

　　Robert is pleased, but a bit surprised as is Francesca whoanxiously recants:

　　FRANCESCA (cont'd)Or I can tell you. I can take you ortell you. It's up to you. I don'tcare. Either way.

　　Robert smiles finding her sudden nervousness charming.

　　ROBERTWell --Suddenly, from the opposite direction of the road, A CHEVYbarrels by. The driver, FLOYD, toots his horn.

　　FLOYDHowdy, Francesca.

　　FRANCESCAHey, Floyd.

　　He drives off. Francesca knows they've been seen. Slightlyannoyed by Iowain neighborliness, she turns to Robert andwith some defiance⁴ says:

　　FRANCESCA (cont'd)It'd be better if I show you, I think.

　　ROBERTIf I'm not taking you away fromanything.

　　FRANCESCANo. I was just going to have someiced tea then split the atom, butthat can wait.

　　(he smiles)I just have to get my shoes.

　　Robert watches her as she turns and heads back to the house.

　　He watches her lift her blouse and tuck it into her jeans,revealing her shapely hips⁵ and buttocks. He turns back to thetruck and notices the mailbox -- MR & MRS. RICHARD JOHNSON. Henods as if he knew all along and begins to make room on thefront seat for Francesca.

　　INT. JOHNSON HOUSEFrancesca is slipping on her boots when she suddenly stops.

　　"What am I doing?", she asks herself silently.

　　EXT. JOHNSON DRIVEWAYFrancesca approaches the truck. On the door, she reads:

　　KINCAID PHOTOGRAPHY, BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON.

　　Robert is clearing away paper cups, banana peels, paper bags,photography equipment. In the back, Francesca notices acooler and a guitar case.

　　ROBERTI wasn't expect company. Let meget this out of the way.

　　He hauls a case of film from the front to the back. Francescanotices his tanned, muscular arm move in one graceful⁶ sweep.

　　ROBERT (cont'd)Okay. All set.

　　Francesca smiles. They both get into the truck.

　　ROBERT (cont'd)Now, where are we going?

　　FRANCESCAOut, then right.

　　CUT TO:

　　EXT. MADISON COUNTY ROAD - DAYAs the truck drives, we see no one else in sight.

　　INT. KINCAID'S TRUCKThey drive in silence. Francesca is enjoying the breeze againsther face.

　　ROBERTPretty country.

　　FRANCESCAHmm-mmm.

　　She looks out at the vast expanse. It depresses her.

　　ROBERTThere's a wonderful smell aboutIowa -- very particular to this partof the country. Do you know what Imean?

　　FRANCESCANo.

　　ROBERTI can't describe it. I think it'sfrom the loam⁷ in the soil. This veryrich, earthy kind of... alive...

　　No. No, that's not right. Can yousmell it?

　　FRANCESCA(shakes her head)Maybe it's because I live here.

　　ROBERTThat must be it. It's a great smell.

　　Francesca wants to know more about him.

　　FRANCESCAAre you from Washington originally?

　　ROBERTUh-huh. Lived there till I was twentyor so and then moved to Chicago whenI got married.

　　FRANCESCAOh. When did you move back?

　　ROBERTAfter the divorce.

　　FRANCESCAOh.

　　ROBERTHow long you been married?

　　FRANCESCAUh... uh...

　　(can't remember)Umm... long time.

　　ROBERTYou don't look like a native, if youdon't mind my saying so.

　　FRANCESCANo, I don't mind. I'm not from here.

　　I was born in Italy.

　　ROBERTWell, from Italy to Iowa -- that's astory!

　　(Francesca smiles)Whereabouts in Italy?

　　FRANCESCASmall town on the Eastern side noone's ever heard of called Bari.

　　ROBERTOh yeah, Bari. I've been there.

　　FRANCESCA(surprised)No, really?

　　ROBERTOh, yeah. Actually, I had anassignment in Greece and I had to gothrough Bari to get the boat atBrindisi. But it looked so pretty Igot off and stayed for a few days.

　　Breathtaking country.

　　Francesca is overcome by the idea of such freedom.

　　FRANCESCAYou just... got off the train becauseit looked pretty?

　　ROBERTYeah. Excuse me a sec.

　　He reaches over with one arm, brushing slightly against herthigh. He opens the glove compartment⁸ and pulls out a pack ofCamels and a Zippo lighter⁹.

　　ROBERTLike one?

　　Francesca, who doesn't usually smoke, accepts.

　　FRANCESCASure.

　　She takes a cigarette out of the pack. Robert drops the packand, with the same hand, flicks¹⁰ open the Zippo and ignites it.

　　Francesca leans over. The road is bumpy¹¹ and a breeze blowsthrough both windows.

　　She cups her hands around his to shelter the flame. She feelshis skin for a brief moment.

　　She sits back and enjoys the ride and her cigarette as Robertlights up. Silence. They drive.

　　ROBERTSo, how long you've been living here?

　　FRANCESCALong.

　　(changes subject)You just got off the train and stayedwithout knowing anyone there?

　　ROBERT(laughs)Yeah. 　　弗朗西丝卡猜想,对罗伯特金凯来说这是很平常的谈话,而对她,这却是文学素材.麦县的人从来不这么谈话,不谈这些事.这里的话题是天气.农产品价格.谁家生孩子.谁家办丧事还有政府计划和体育队.不谈艺术,不谈梦.也不谈那使音乐沉默.把梦关在盒子的现实.

　　他切完菜,"我还能做什么吗?"她摇摇头,"没什么,差不多就绪了."他又坐到桌边,抽着烟,不时呷一两口啤酒.她在煮菜,抽空啜口啤酒.她能感觉到那酒精的作用,尽管量是这么少.她只是在除夕和理查德在"军人大厦"喝点酒.除此之外平时很少喝家里也几乎不放酒,除了有一瓶白兰地,那是她有一次忽然心血不潮,隐隐地希望在乡村生活中有点浪漫情调而买的.那瓶盖至今没有打开过.

　　素油,一半蔬菜,煮到浅棕色,加面粉拌匀,再另一品脱水,然后把剩下的蔬菜和作料加进去,文火炖四十分钟.

　　菜正炖着时,弗朗西丝卡再次坐到他对面.厨房里渐渐洋溢着淡淡的亲切感.这多少是从做饭而来的.为一个陌生人做晚饭,让他切萝卜,同时也切掉了距离,人在你的旁边,缓减了一部分陌生感.既然失去了陌生感,就为亲切感腾出了地方.

　　他把香烟推向她.打火机在烟盒上面.她抖落出一支来,摸索着用打火机,觉得自己笨手笨脚的,就是点不着.他笑了笑,小心地从她手里把打火机拿过来,打了两下才点着.他拿着打火机,她就着火点了香烟.她一般在男人面前总觉得自己比他们风度优雅一点,但是在罗伯特面前却不是这样.

　　太阳由白变红,正好落在玉米地上.她从窗户望也去看见一只鹰正乘着黄昏的风扶摇而上.收音机里播放着七点钟新闻和市场简讯.此刻弗朗西丝卡隔着黄色贴面的桌子望着罗伯特金凯,他走了很长的路到她的厨房来,漫漫长路,何止以英里计!已经闻到香味了,清静?清静能闻的到吗?排烧烤之余,今天的这顿饭确实是清静的做法.整个食物制作过程和链条上没有暴力,除了把菜从地里拨起来可以算.炖烩菜是静静地在进行,散发的味道也是静静的,厨房里也是静悄悄要是你不介意的话,请你给我讲讲你在意大利的生活.叉放在左踝上.

　　默默无言一跟他在一起使她感到不自在,于是她就讲起来,给他讲她青少年时成长的情况,私立学校.修女.她的双亲-一个是家庭妇女,一个是银行经理.讲她十几岁经常到海堤边去看世界各国的船舶;讲后来的那些美国兵;讲她如何和女伴们在一家咖啡馆里喝咖啡时遇到了理查德.战争搅乱了生活,他们起先也不知道他们是否终于会结婚.她对尼可洛只字未提.

　　他听着,不说话,有时点点头表示理解.最后她停下来,他说,"你有孩子,你是这么说的吗是的.迈可十七岁,卡洛琳十六岁.他们都在温特塞特上学.他们是4--H协会成员,所以他们去参加伊利诺伊州博览会了,去展同卡洛琳养的小牛."这是我永远没法习惯的事,没法理解他们怎么能对这牲口倾注发这么多爱心的关怀之后又眼看着它出售给人家去屠宰.不过我什么也没敢说,要不然理查德和他的朋友全要对我大光其火了.可是这里面总有一种冷酷无情的矛盾."她提了理查德的名字,心里有点内疚,她什么也没做,什么也没有.可是她还是感到内疚是从一种遥远的可能性而来的内疚.她也不知道如果她陷入了她无法处理的局面,今晚结束时该怎么办.也许罗伯特金凯就此走了,他看起来挺安静,挺和善,甚至有点腼腆.

　　他们谈着谈着,夜色变蓝了,薄雾擦过牧场的草.在弗朗西丝卡的烩菜炖着的时候,他又给俩打开两瓶啤酒.她站起来在开水里放进几个饺子,搅了搅,靠在洗涤池上,对这位从华盛顿贝灵汉来的罗伯特金凯产生一股温情,希望他不要走的太早.

　　他静静地有教养地吃了两份烩菜,两次告诉她有多好吃.西瓜甜美无比.啤酒很凉.夜色是蓝的,弗朗西丝卡.约翰逊四十五岁,汉克.斯诺在依阿华州谢南多阿的KMA电台唱着一支火车歌曲.

　　古老的夜晚,远方的音乐现在怎么办呢?弗朗西丝卡想,晚饭已毕,相对而坐.

　　这个问题他给解决了."到草场去走走怎么样?外面凉快一点了."她同意之后,他从一只背包里拿出一架相机,把背带套在肩上.

　　金凯推开后廊的门,给她撑着,然后跟在她后面走出去,轻轻关上门,他们沿着裂缝的边道穿过水泥铺的场院走到机器棚东边的草地上.那机器棚散发着热油脂的味道.

　　当他们走到篱笆前时,她一只手把铁丝网拽下来跨了过去,感觉到她细条凉鞋带周围脚上沾了露水.他也照此办理,穿靴子的脚轻松地迈过铁丝网.你管这叫草场还是叫牧场?我想叫牧场.有牲口在,草就长不高.当心脚底下牛粪.升起,太阳刚从地平线消失,天空变成蔚蓝色.月光下公路上一辆小汽车呼啸着疾驰而过,消声器很响.那是克拉克家孩子的车,他是温特塞特橄榄球队的四分卫,跟裘迪.莱弗伦森经常约会.

　　她已经很久没有这样散步了.平时,总是五点钟开饭,晚饭过后就是电视新闻,然后是晚间节目,理查德看,有时孩子们做完功课也看.弗朗西丝卡通常坐在厨房看书-从温特塞特图书馆和她参加的图书俱乐部借来的书,历史.诗歌和小说,或者是在天气好的时候坐在前廊上.她烦电视.

　　有时理查德叫她:"弗兰妮,你瞧瞧这个!"她就进去和他一起看一小会儿.埃尔维期出现时常引起他发出这样的召唤.还有甲壳虫乐队首次在"埃德.苏利文大观"出现时也叫她看,理查德看着他们的头发,不断摇头,大不以为然.

　　有短暂的时间几抹红道划破天空.罗伯特金凯指着上面说:"我把这叫做'反射'.多数人把照相机收起得太早.太阳落山后总是有一段时候天空出现真正美妙的光和色,只有几钟,那是在太阳刚隐入地平线而把光线反射到天空的时候."弗朗西丝卡没说话,心里捉摸这是怎样一个人,草场和牧场的区别似乎对他那么重要,天空的颜色会引得他兴奋不已,他写点儿诗,可是不大写小说.他弹吉他,以影像为生,把工具放在包里.他就像一阵风,行动像风,也许本身就是风中来的.

　　他仰望着天空,双手插在裤袋里,相机挂在左胯上."月亮的银苹果/太阳的金苹果."他用他的男中音中区声部像一个职业演员那样朗诵这两句诗.

　　她望着他说:"W.B.叶芝'流浪者安古斯之歌'."对,叶芝的东西真好.现实主义.简洁精练.刺激感官.充满美感和魔力.合乎我爱尔兰传统的口味."他都说了,用五个词全部概括了.弗朗西丝卡曾想方设法向温特塞特的沉重解释叶芝,但是没能让大多数人理解.她之所以选了叶芝,部分原因正是刚才金凯说的,她想所有这些物质是会对那些十几的孩子有吸引力的,他们身上的腺体正跳得咚咚响,就像橄榄球赛半场休息时绕场而行的中学生乐队一样.然而他们受对诗歌的偏见的影响太深了,把诗看作是英雄气短的产物,这种观点太强烈了,连叶芝也克服不了.

　　她记得当她在班上读到"太阳的金苹果"一句时,马修.克拉克看着他旁边的男孩子,把双手拱起来做出女人乳房的样子.他们偷偷笑着,同他们一起坐在后排的女生都涨红了脸.

1 blurred   

v.（使）变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）难以区分；模模糊糊；迷离

参考例句：

• She suffered from dizziness and blurred vision. 她饱受头晕目眩之苦。
• Their lazy, blurred voices fell pleasantly on his ears. 他们那种慢吞吞、含糊不清的声音在他听起来却很悦耳。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 sips   

n.小口喝，一小口的量( sip的名词复数 )v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• You must administer them slowly, allowing the child to swallow between sips. 你应慢慢给药，使小儿在吸吮之间有充分的时间吞咽。 来自辞典例句
• Emission standards applicable to preexisting stationary sources appear in state implementation plans (SIPs). 在《州实施计划》中出现了固定污染的排放标准。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

3 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

4 defiance   

n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗

参考例句：

• He climbed the ladder in defiance of the warning.他无视警告爬上了那架梯子。
• He slammed the door in a spirit of defiance.他以挑衅性的态度把门砰地一下关上。

5 hips   

abbr.high impact polystyrene 高冲击强度聚苯乙烯，耐冲性聚苯乙烯n.臀部( hip的名词复数 )；[建筑学]屋脊；臀围（尺寸）；臀部…的

参考例句：

• She stood with her hands on her hips. 她双手叉腰站着。
• They wiggled their hips to the sound of pop music. 他们随着流行音乐的声音摇晃着臀部。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 graceful   

adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的

参考例句：

• His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
• The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。

7 loam   

n.沃土

参考例句：

• Plant the seeds in good loam.把种子种在好的壤土里。
• One occupies relatively dry sandy loam soils.一个则占据较干旱的沙壤土。

8 compartment   

n.卧车包房，隔间；分隔的空间

参考例句：

• We were glad to have the whole compartment to ourselves.真高兴，整个客车隔间由我们独享。
• The batteries are safely enclosed in a watertight compartment.电池被安全地置于一个防水的隔间里。

9 lighter   

n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级

参考例句：

• The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
• The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

10 flicks   

（尤指用手指或手快速地）轻击( flick的第三人称单数 )； （用…）轻挥； （快速地）按开关； 向…笑了一下（或瞥了一眼等）

参考例句：

• 'I shall see it on the flicks, I suppose.' “电影上总归看得见。” 来自英汉文学
• Last night to the flicks. 昨晚看了场电影。 来自英汉文学

11 bumpy   

adj.颠簸不平的，崎岖的

参考例句：

• I think we've a bumpy road ahead of us.我觉得我们将要面临一段困难时期。
• The wide paved road degenerated into a narrow bumpy track.铺好的宽阔道路渐渐变窄，成了一条崎岖不平的小径。