Chapter 56

    But. Sethe was pregnant in the spring and by August is so heavy with child she may not be able to keep up with the men, who can carry the children but not her.

　　But. Neighbors discouraged by Garner¹ when he was alive now feel free to visit Sweet Home andmight appear in the right place at the wrong time.

　　But. Sethe's children cannot play in the kitchen anymore, so she is dashing back and forth² betweenhouse and quarters-fidgety and frustrated³ trying to watch over them. They are too young for men'swork and the baby girl is nine months old. Without Mrs. Garner's help her work increases as doschoolteacher's demands.

　　But. After the conversation about the shoat, Sixo is tied up with the stock at night, and locks areput on bins⁴, pens, sheds, coops, the tackroom and the barn door. There is no place to dart⁵ into orcongregate. Sixo keeps a nail in his mouth now, to help him undo⁶ the rope when he has to.

　　But. Halle is told to work his extra on Sweet Home and has no call to be anywhere other thanwhere schoolteacher tells him. Only Sixo, who has been stealing away to see his woman, andHalle, who has been hired away for years, know what lies outside Sweet Home and how to getthere.

　　It is a good plan. It can be done right under the watchful⁷ pupils and their teacher.

　　But. They had to alter it — just a little. First they change the leaving. They memorize thedirections Halle gives them. Sixo, needing time to untie⁸ himself, break open the door and notdisturb the horses, will leave later, joining them at the creek⁹ with the Thirty-Mile Woman. All fourwill go straight to the corn. Halle, who also needs more time now, because of Sethe, decides tobring her and the children at night; not wait till first light. They will go straight to the corn and notassemble at the creek. The corn stretches to their shoulders — it will never be higher. The moon isswelling. They can hardly harvest, or chop, or clear, or pick, or haul for listening for a rattle¹⁰ that isnot bird or snake. Then one midmorning, they hear it. Or Halle does and begins to sing it to theothers: "Hush¹¹, hush. Somebody's calling my name. Hush, hush. Somebody's calling my name. Omy Lord, O my Lord, what shall I do?"On his dinner break he leaves the field. He has to. He has to tell Sethe that he has heard the sign.

　　For two successive nights she has been with Mrs. Garner and he can't chance it that she will notknow that this night she cannot be. The Pauls see him go. From underneath¹² Brother's shade wherethey are chewing corn cake, they see him, swinging along. The bread tastes good. They lick sweatfrom their lips to give it a saltier flavor. Schoolteacher and his pupils are already at the houseeating dinner. Halle swings along. He is not singing now.

　　Nobody knows what happened. Except for the churn, that was the last anybody ever saw of Halle.

　　What Paul D knew was that Halle disappeared, never told Sethe anything, and was next seensquatting in butter. Maybe when he got to the gate and asked to see Sethe, schoolteacher heard atint of anxiety in his voice — the tint¹³ that would make him pick up his ever-ready shotgun. MaybeHalle made the mistake of saying "my wife" in some way that would put a light in schoolteacher'seye. Sethe says now that she heard shots, but did not look out the window of Mrs. Garner'sbedroom. But Halle was not killed or wounded that day because Paul D saw him later, after shehad run off with no one's help; after Sixo laughed and his brother disappeared. Saw him greasedand flat-eyed as a fish. Maybe schoolteacher shot after him, shot at his feet, to remind him of thetrespass. Maybe Halle got in the barn, hid there and got locked in with the rest of schoolteacher'sstock. Maybe anything. He disappeared and everybody was on his own.

　　Paul A goes back to moving timber after dinner. They are to meet at quarters for supper. He nevershows up. Paul D leaves for the creek on time, believing, hoping, Paul A has gone on ahead;certain schoolteacher has learned something. Paul D gets to the creek and it is as dry as Sixopromised. He waits there with the Thirty-Mile Woman for Sixo and Paul A. Only Sixo shows up,his wrists bleeding, his tongue licking his lips like a flame.

　　"You see Paul A?""No.""Halle?""No.""No sign of them?""No sign. Nobody in quarters but the children.""Sethe?""Her children sleep. She must be there still.""I can't leave without Paul A.""I can't help you.""Should I go back and look for them?""I can't help you.""What you think?""I think they go straight to the corn."

1 garner   

v.收藏；取得

参考例句：

• He has garnered extensive support for his proposals.他的提议得到了广泛的支持。
• Squirrels garner nuts for the winter.松鼠为过冬储存松果。

2 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

3 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 bins   

n.大储藏箱( bin的名词复数 )；宽口箱（如面包箱，垃圾箱等）v.扔掉，丢弃( bin的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Garbage from all sources was deposited in bins on trolleys. 来自各方的垃圾是装在手推车上的垃圾箱里的。 来自辞典例句
• Would you be pleased at the prospect of its being on sale in dump bins? 对于它将被陈列在倾销箱中抛售这件事，你能欣然接受吗？ 来自辞典例句

5 dart   

v.猛冲，投掷；n.飞镖，猛冲

参考例句：

• The child made a sudden dart across the road.那小孩突然冲过马路。
• Markov died after being struck by a poison dart.马尔科夫身中毒镖而亡。

6 undo   

vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销

参考例句：

• His pride will undo him some day.他的傲慢总有一天会毁了他。
• I managed secretly to undo a corner of the parcel.我悄悄地设法解开了包裹的一角。

7 watchful   

adj.注意的，警惕的

参考例句：

• The children played under the watchful eye of their father.孩子们在父亲的小心照看下玩耍。
• It is important that health organizations remain watchful.卫生组织保持警惕是极为重要的。

8 untie   

vt.解开，松开；解放

参考例句：

• It's just impossible to untie the knot.It's too tight.这个结根本解不开。太紧了。
• Will you please untie the knot for me?请你替我解开这个结头，好吗？

9 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

10 rattle   

v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓

参考例句：

• The baby only shook the rattle and laughed and crowed.孩子只是摇着拨浪鼓，笑着叫着。
• She could hear the rattle of the teacups.她听见茶具叮当响。

11 hush   

int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静

参考例句：

• A hush fell over the onlookers.旁观者们突然静了下来。
• Do hush up the scandal!不要把这丑事声张出去！

12 underneath   

adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面

参考例句：

• Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
• She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。

13 tint   

n.淡色，浅色；染发剂；vt.着以淡淡的颜色

参考例句：

• You can't get up that naturalness and artless rosy tint in after days.你今后不再会有这种自然和朴实无华的红润脸色。
• She gave me instructions on how to apply the tint.她告诉我如何使用染发剂。