Chapter 69

   Denver heard mumbling¹ and looked to the left. She stood when she saw them. They grouped,murmuring and whispering, but did not step foot in the yard. Denver waved. A few waved backbut came no closer. Denver sat back down wondering what was going on. A woman dropped to herknees. Half of the others did likewise. Denver saw lowered heads, but could not hear the leadprayer — only the earnest syllables² of agreement that backed it: Yes, yes, yes, oh yes. Hear me.

　　Hear me. Do it, Maker³, do it. Yes. Among those not on their knees, who stood holding 124 in afixed glare, was Ella, trying to see through the walls, behind the door, to what was really in there.

　　Was it true the dead daughter come back? Or a pretend? Was it whipping Sethe? Ella had beenbeaten every way but down. She remembered the bottom teeth she had lost to the brake and thescars from the bell were thick as rope around her waist. She had delivered, but would not nurse, ahairy white thing, fathered by "the lowest yet." It lived five days never making a sound. The ideaof that pup coming back to whip her too set her jaw⁴ working, and then Ella hollered.

　　Instantly the kneelers and the standers joined her. They stopped praying and took a step back to the beginning. In the beginning there were no words. In the beginning was the sound, and they allknew what that sound sounded like.

　　Edward Bodwin drove a cart down Bluestone Road. It displeased⁵ him a bit because he preferredhis figure astride Princess. Curved over his own hands, holding the reins⁶ made him look the age hewas. But he had promised his sister a detour⁷ to pick up a new girl. He didn't have to think about theway — he was headed for the house he was born in. Perhaps it was his destination that turned histhoughts to time — the way it dripped or ran. He had not seen the house for thirty years. Not thebutternut in front, the stream at the rear nor the block house in between. Not even the meadowacross the road. Very few of the interior details did he remember because he was three years oldwhen his family moved into town. But he did remember that the cooking was done behind thehouse, the well was forbidden to play near, and that women died there: his mother, grandmother,an aunt and an older sister before he was born. The men (his father and grandfather) moved withhimself and his baby sister to Court Street sixty-seven years ago. The land, of course, eighty acresof it on both sides of Bluestone, was the central thing, but he felt something sweeter and deeperabout the house which is why he rented it for a little something if he could get it, but it didn'ttrouble him to get no rent at all since the tenants⁸ at least kept it from the disrepair totalabandonment would permit.

　　There was a time when he buried things there. Precious things he wanted to protect. As a childevery item he owned was available and accountable to his family. Privacy was an adult indulgence,but when he got to be one, he seemed not to need it.

　　The horse trotted⁹ along and Edward Bodwin cooled his beautiful mustache with his breath. It wasgenerally agreed upon by the women in the Society that, except for his hands, it was the mostattractive feature he had. Dark, velvety¹⁰, its beauty was enhanced by his strong clean-shaven chin.

　　But his hair was white, like his sister's — and had been since he was a young man. It made him themost visible and memorable¹¹ person at every gathering¹², and cartoonists had fastened onto thetheatricality of his white hair and big black mustache whenever they depicted¹³ local politicalantagonism. Twenty years ago when the Society was at its height in opposing slavery, it was asthough his coloring was itself the heart of the matter. The "bleached¹⁴ nigger" was what his enemiescalled him, and on a trip to Arkansas, some Mississippi rivermen, enraged¹⁵ by the Negro boatmenthey competed with, had caught him and shoe-blackened his face and his hair. Those heady dayswere gone now; what remained was the sludge of ill will; dashed hopes and difficulties beyondrepair. A tranquil¹⁶ Republic?

　　Well, not in his lifetime.

　　Even the weather was getting to be too much for him. He was either too hot or freezing, and thisday was a blister¹⁷. He pressed his hat down to keep the sun from his neck, where heatstroke was areal possibility. Such thoughts of mortality were not new to him (he was over seventy now), butthey still had the power to annoy. As he drew closer to the old homestead, the place that continuedto surface in his dreams, he was even more aware of the way time moved. Measured by the warshe had lived through but not fought in (against the Miami, the Spaniards, the Secessionists), it was slow. But measured by the burial of his private things it was the blink of an eye.

　　Where, exactly, was the box of tin soldiers? The watch chain with no watch? And who was hehiding them from? His father, probably, a deeply religious man who knew what God knew andtold everybody what it was. Edward Bodwin thought him an odd man, in so many ways, yet he hadone clear directive: human life is holy, all of it. And that his son still believed, although he had lessand less reason to.

　　Nothing since stimulating¹⁸ as the old days of letters, petitions, meetings, debates, recruitment, quarrels(was) , re(as) scue and downright sedition¹⁹.

　　Yet it had worked, more or less, and when it had not, he and his sister made themselves availableto circumvent²⁰ obstacles. As they had when a runaway²¹ slavewoman lived in his homestead with hermother-in-law and got herself into a world of trouble. The Society managed to turn infanticide andthe cry of savagery²² around, and build a further case for abolishing slavery. Good years, they were,full of spit and conviction. Now he just wanted to know where his soldiers were and his watchlesschain. That would be enough for this day of unbearable²³ heat: bring back the new girl and recallexactly where his treasure lay. Then home, supper, and God willing, the sun would drop once moreto give him the blessing²⁴ of a good night's sleep.

　　The road curved like an elbow, and as he approached it he heard the singers before he saw them.

　　When the women assembled outside 124, Sethe was breaking a lump of ice into chunks²⁵. Shedropped the ice pick into her apron²⁶ pocket to scoop²⁷ the pieces into a basin of water. When themusic entered the window she was wringing²⁸ a cool cloth to put on Beloved's forehead. Beloved,sweating profusely²⁹, was sprawled³⁰ on the bed in the keeping room, a salt rock in her hand. Bothwomen heard it at the same time and both lifted their heads. As the voices grew louder, Belovedsat up, licked the salt and went into the bigger room. Sethe and she exchanged glances and startedtoward the window. They saw Denver sitting on the steps and beyond her, where the yard met theroad, they saw the rapt faces of thirty neighborhood women.

　　Some had their eyes closed; others looked at the hot, cloudless sky.

　　Sethe opened the door and reached for Beloved's hand. Together they stood in the doorway³¹. ForSethe it was as though the Clearing had come to her with all its heat and simmering leaves, wherethe voices of women searched for the right combination, the key, the code, the sound that broke theback of words. Building voice upon voice until they found it, and when they did it was a wave ofsound wide enough to sound deep water and knock the pods off chestnut³² trees. It broke over Setheand she trembled like the baptized in its wash.

　　The singing women recognized Sethe at once and surprised themselves by their absence of fearwhen they saw what stood next to her. The devil-child was clever, they thought. And beautiful. Ithad taken the shape of a pregnant woman, naked and smiling in the heat of the afternoon sun.

　　Thunderblack and glistening³³, she stood on long straight legs, her belly³⁴ big and tight. Vines of hairtwisted all over her head. Jesus. Her smile was dazzling.

　　Sethe feels her eyes burn and it may have been to keep them clear that she looks up. The sky isblue and clear. Not one touch of death in the definite green of the leaves. It is when she lowers hereyes to look again at the loving faces before her that she sees him. Guiding the mare³⁵, slowingdown, his black hat wide-brimmed enough to hide his face but not his purpose. He is coming intoher yard and he is coming for her best thing. She hears wings. Little hummingbirds³⁶ stick needlebeaks right through her headcloth into her hair and beat their wings. And if she thinks anything, itis no. No no. Nonono. She flies.

　　The ice pick is not in her hand; it is her hand.

　　Standing alone on the porch, Beloved is smiling. But now her hand is empty. Sethe is runningaway from her, running, and she feels the emptiness in the hand Sethe has been holding. Now sheis running into the faces of the people out there, joining them and leaving Beloved behind. Alone.

　　Again. Then Denver, running too.

　　Away from her to the pile of people out there. They make a hill. A hill of black people, falling.

　　And above them all, rising from his place with a whip in his hand, the man without skin, looking.

　　He is looking at her.

1 mumbling   

含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I could hear him mumbling to himself. 我听到他在喃喃自语。
• He was still mumbling something about hospitals at the end of the party when he slipped on a piece of ice and broke his left leg. 宴会结束时，他仍在咕哝着医院里的事。说着说着，他在一块冰上滑倒，跌断了左腿。

2 syllables   

n.音节( syllable的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a word with two syllables 双音节单词
• 'No. But I'll swear it was a name of two syllables.' “想不起。不过我可以发誓，它有两个音节。” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

3 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

4 jaw   

n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训

参考例句：

• He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。
• A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。

5 displeased   

a.不快的

参考例句：

• The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。
• He was displeased about the whole affair. 他对整个事情感到很不高兴。

6 reins   

感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带

参考例句：

• She pulled gently on the reins. 她轻轻地拉着缰绳。
• The government has imposed strict reins on the import of luxury goods. 政府对奢侈品的进口有严格的控制手段。

7 detour   

n.绕行的路，迂回路；v.迂回，绕道

参考例句：

• We made a detour to avoid the heavy traffic.我们绕道走，避开繁忙的交通。
• He did not take the direct route to his home,but made a detour around the outskirts of the city.他没有直接回家，而是绕到市郊兜了个圈子。

8 tenants   

n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者

参考例句：

• A number of tenants have been evicted for not paying the rent. 许多房客因不付房租被赶了出来。
• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。

9 trotted   

小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走

参考例句：

• She trotted her pony around the field. 她骑着小马绕场慢跑。
• Anne trotted obediently beside her mother. 安妮听话地跟在妈妈身边走。

10 velvety   

adj. 像天鹅绒的, 轻软光滑的, 柔软的

参考例句：

• a velvety red wine 醇厚的红葡萄酒
• Her skin was admired for its velvety softness. 她的皮肤如天鹅绒般柔软，令人赞叹。

11 memorable   

adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的

参考例句：

• This was indeed the most memorable day of my life.这的确是我一生中最值得怀念的日子。
• The veteran soldier has fought many memorable battles.这个老兵参加过许多难忘的战斗。

12 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

13 depicted   

描绘，描画( depict的过去式和过去分词 )； 描述

参考例句：

• Other animals were depicted on the periphery of the group. 其他动物在群像的外围加以修饰。
• They depicted the thrilling situation to us in great detail. 他们向我们详细地描述了那激动人心的场面。

14 bleached   

漂白的，晒白的，颜色变浅的

参考例句：

• His hair was bleached by the sun . 他的头发被太阳晒得发白。
• The sun has bleached her yellow skirt. 阳光把她的黄裙子晒得褪色了。

15 enraged   

使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤

参考例句：

• I was enraged to find they had disobeyed my orders. 发现他们违抗了我的命令，我极为恼火。
• The judge was enraged and stroke the table for several times. 大法官被气得连连拍案。

16 tranquil   

adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的

参考例句：

• The boy disturbed the tranquil surface of the pond with a stick. 那男孩用棍子打破了平静的池面。
• The tranquil beauty of the village scenery is unique. 这乡村景色的宁静是绝无仅有的。

17 blister   

n.水疱；(油漆等的)气泡；v.(使)起泡

参考例句：

• I got a huge blister on my foot and I couldn't run any farther.我脚上长了一个大水泡，没办法继续跑。
• I have a blister on my heel because my shoe is too tight.鞋子太紧了，我脚后跟起了个泡。

18 stimulating   

adj.有启发性的，能激发人思考的

参考例句：

• shower gel containing plant extracts that have a stimulating effect on the skin 含有对皮肤有益的植物精华的沐浴凝胶
• This is a drug for stimulating nerves. 这是一种兴奋剂。

19 sedition   

n.煽动叛乱

参考例句：

• Government officials charged him with sedition.政府官员指控他煽动人们造反。
• His denial of sedition was a denial of violence.他对煽动叛乱的否定又是对暴力的否定。

20 circumvent   

vt.环绕，包围；对…用计取胜，智胜

参考例句：

• Military planners tried to circumvent the treaty.军事策略家们企图绕开这一条约。
• Any action I took to circumvent his scheme was justified.我为斗赢他的如意算盘而采取的任何行动都是正当的。

21 runaway   

n.逃走的人，逃亡，亡命者；adj.逃亡的，逃走的

参考例句：

• The police have not found the runaway to date.警察迄今没抓到逃犯。
• He was praised for bringing up the runaway horse.他勒住了脱缰之马受到了表扬。

22 savagery   

n.野性

参考例句：

• The police were shocked by the savagery of the attacks.警察对这些惨无人道的袭击感到震惊。
• They threw away their advantage by their savagery to the black population.他们因为野蛮对待黑人居民而丧失了自己的有利地位。

23 unbearable   

adj.不能容忍的；忍受不住的

参考例句：

• It is unbearable to be always on thorns.老是处于焦虑不安的情况中是受不了的。
• The more he thought of it the more unbearable it became.他越想越觉得无法忍受。

24 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

25 chunks   

厚厚的一块( chunk的名词复数 )； （某物）相当大的数量或部分

参考例句：

• a tin of pineapple chunks 一罐菠萝块
• Those chunks of meat are rather large—could you chop them up a bIt'smaller? 这些肉块相当大，还能再切小一点吗？

26 apron   

n.围裙；工作裙

参考例句：

• We were waited on by a pretty girl in a pink apron.招待我们的是一位穿粉红色围裙的漂亮姑娘。
• She stitched a pocket on the new apron.她在新围裙上缝上一只口袋。

27 scoop   

n.铲子，舀取，独家新闻；v.汲取，舀取，抢先登出

参考例句：

• In the morning he must get his boy to scoop it out.早上一定得叫佣人把它剜出来。
• Uh,one scoop of coffee and one scoop of chocolate for me.我要一勺咖啡的和一勺巧克力的。

28 wringing   

淋湿的，湿透的

参考例句：

• He was wringing wet after working in the field in the hot sun. 烈日下在田里干活使他汗流满面。
• He is wringing out the water from his swimming trunks. 他正在把游泳裤中的水绞出来。

29 profusely   

ad.abundantly

参考例句：

• We were sweating profusely from the exertion of moving the furniture. 我们搬动家具大费气力，累得大汗淋漓。
• He had been working hard and was perspiring profusely. 他一直在努力干活，身上大汗淋漓的。

30 sprawled   

v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的过去式和过去分词)；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着）

参考例句：

• He was sprawled full-length across the bed. 他手脚摊开横躺在床上。
• He was lying sprawled in an armchair, watching TV. 他四肢伸开正懒散地靠在扶手椅上看电视。

31 doorway   

n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径

参考例句：

• They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。
• Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。

32 chestnut   

n.栗树，栗子

参考例句：

• We have a chestnut tree in the bottom of our garden.我们的花园尽头有一棵栗树。
• In summer we had tea outdoors,under the chestnut tree.夏天我们在室外栗树下喝茶。

33 glistening   

adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Her eyes were glistening with tears. 她眼里闪着晶莹的泪花。
• Her eyes were glistening with tears. 她眼睛中的泪水闪着柔和的光。 来自《用法词典》

34 belly   

n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛

参考例句：

• The boss has a large belly.老板大腹便便。
• His eyes are bigger than his belly.他眼馋肚饱。

35 mare   

n.母马，母驴

参考例句：

• The mare has just thrown a foal in the stable.那匹母马刚刚在马厩里产下了一只小马驹。
• The mare foundered under the heavy load and collapsed in the road.那母马因负载过重而倒在路上。

36 hummingbirds   

n.蜂鸟( hummingbird的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Hummingbirds have discovered that nectar and pollen are very nutritious. 蜂鸟发现花蜜和花粉是很有营养的。
• Why do hummingbirds and gorillas both have backbones? 为什么蜂鸟和大猩猩都有脊骨？