Chapter 53

    I AM BE LOV ED and she is mine. Sethe is the one that picked flowers, yellow flowers in theplace before the crouching¹. Took them away from their green leaves. They are on the quilt nowwhere we sleep. She was about to smile at me when the men without skin came and took us up intothe sunlight with the dead and shoved² them into the sea. Sethe went into the sea. She went there.

　　They did not push her. She went there. She was getting ready to smile at me and when she saw thedead people pushed into the sea she went also and left me there with no face or hers. Sethe is theface I found and lost in the water under the bridge. When I went in, I saw her face coming to meand it was my face too. I wanted to join. I tried to join, but she went up into the pieces of light atthe top of the water. I lost her again, but I found the house she whispered to me and there she was,smiling at last. It's good, but I cannot lose her again. All I want to know is why did she go in thewater in the place where we crouched³? Why did she do that when she was just about to smile atme? I wanted to join her in the sea but I could not move; I wanted to help her when she waspicking the flowers, but the clouds of gunsmoke blinded me and I lost her. Three times I lost her:

　　once with the flowers because of the noisy clouds of smoke; once when she went into the seainstead of smiling at me; once under the bridge when I went in to j oin her and she came towardme but did not smile. She whispered to me, chewed me, and swam away. Now I have found her inthis house. She smiles at me and it is my own face smiling. I will not lose her again. She is mine.

　　Tell me the truth. Didn't you come from the other side? Yes. I was on the other side. You cameback because of me? Yes. You rememory me? Yes. I remember you. You never forgot me? Yourface is mine. Do you forgive me? Will you stay? You safe here now. Where are the men withoutskin? Out there. Way off. Can they get in here? No. They tried that once, but I stopped them. Theywon't ever come back. One of them was in the house I was in. He hurt me. They can't hurt us nomore. Where are your earrings⁴? They took them from me. The men without skin took them? Yes. I was going to help you but the clouds got in the way. There're no clouds here. If they put an ironcircle around your neck I will bite it away. Beloved⁵. I will make you a round basket. You're back.

　　You're back. Will we smile at me? Can't you see I'm smiling? I love your face. We played by thecreek. I was there in the water. In the quiet time, we played. The clouds were noisy and in the way.

　　When I needed you, you came to be with me. I needed her face to smile. I could only hearbreathing.

　　The breathing is gone; only the teeth are left.

　　She said you wouldn't hurt me.

　　She hurt me.

　　I will protect you.

　　I want her face.

　　Don't love her too much.

　　I am loving her too much.

　　Watch out for her; she can give you dreams.

　　She chews and swallows.

　　Don't fall asleep when she braids your hair.

　　She is the laugh; I am the laughter.

　　I watch the house; I watch the yard.

　　She left me.

　　Daddy is coming for us.

　　A hot thing.

　　BelovedYou are my sisterYou are my daughterYou are my face; you are meI have found you again; you have come back to meYou are my BelovedYou are mineYou are mineYou are mineI have your milkI have your smileI will take care of youYou are my face; I am you. Why did you leave me who am you?

　　I will never leave you againDon't ever leave me againYou will never leave me againYou went in the waterI drank your bloodI brought your milkYou forgot to smileI loved youYou hurt meYou came back to meYou left meI waited for youYou are mineYou are mineYou are mine

1 crouching   

v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• a hulking figure crouching in the darkness 黑暗中蹲伏着的一个庞大身影
• A young man was crouching by the table, busily searching for something. 一个年轻人正蹲在桌边翻看什么。 来自汉英文学 - 散文英译

2 shoved   

推，猛推，乱推( shove的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱放； 随便放； 胡乱丢

参考例句：

• The people shoved to get on the bus. 人们你推我挤争着上公共汽车。
• He shoved me roughly aside. 他粗暴地把我推到了一边。

3 crouched   

v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He crouched down beside her. 他在她的旁边蹲了下来。
• The lion crouched ready to pounce. 狮子蹲下身，准备猛扑。

4 earrings   

n.耳环( earring的名词复数 )；耳坠子

参考例句：

• a pair of earrings 一对耳环
• These earrings snap on with special fastener. 这付耳环是用特制的按扣扣上去的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 beloved   

adj./n.受爱戴的，敬爱的；爱人，被心爱的人

参考例句：

• She longs for the early return of her beloved.她盼着心上人早日归来。
• She is Tom's beloved wife.她是汤姆的爱妻。