文章点睛
《曾经沧海》是美国作家舍伍德？安德森的名著《小镇畸人》中的一则，讲述了爱丽丝？欣德曼曲折的情感经历。可以说，这是一篇关于爱情和信念如何导致个人悲剧的小说。通篇没有冗长拗口的文字，而安德森那犹如牛奶般挤出的词和句以一种闲适的漫不经心的口气将一个凄凉的故事向我们娓娓道来，使我们追随着他渐进到主人公思想的深核中，进而在尾声处，意犹未尽的同时充满了对现实的思考。这正是舍伍德？安德森的伟大之处，同时也是《曾经沧海》的魅力所在。
Alice Hindman，a woman of twenty-seven when George Willard was a mere boy，had lived in Winesburg[1]all her life.She clerked in Winney’s Dry Goods Store and lived with her mother，who had married a second husband.
Alice’s step-father was a carriage painter，and given to drink.His story is an odd one.It will be worth telling some day.
At twenty-seven Alice was tall and somewhat slight.Her head was large and overshadowed[2]her body.Her shoulders were a little stooped[3]and her hair and eyes brown.She was very quiet but beneath a placid[4]exterior[5]a continual ferment[6]went on.
When she was a girl of sixteen， and before she began to work in the store，Alice had an affair with a young man.The young man，named Ned Currie，was older than Alice.He，like George Willard[7]，was employed on the Winesburg Eagle and for a long time he went to see Alice almost every evening.Together the two walked under the trees through the streets of the town and talked of what they would do with their lives.Alice was then a very pretty girl and Ned Currie took her into his arms and kissed her.He became excited and said things he did not intend to say and Alice，betrayed by her desire to have something beautiful come into her rather narrow life，also grew excited.She also talked.The outer crust of her life，all of her natural diffidence[8]and reserve[9]，was torn away[10]and she gave herself over to the emotions of love.When，late in the fall of her sixteenth year，Ned Currie went away to Cleveland where he hoped to get a place on a city newspaper and rise in the world，she wanted to go with him.With a trembling voice she told him what was in her mind.“I will work and you can work，”she said，“I do not want to harness[11]you to a needless expense that will prevent your ****** progress.Don’t marry me now.We will get along without that and we can be together.Even though we live in the same house no one will say anything.In the city we will be unknown and people will pay no attention to us.”
Ned Currie was puzzled，by the determination and abandon of his sweetheart and was also deeply touched.He had wanted the girl to become his mistress[12]but changed his mind.He wanted to protect and care for her.“You don’t know what you’re talking about，”he said sharply，“You may be sure I’ll let you do no such thing.As soon as I get a good job I’ll come back.For the present you’ll have to stay here.It’s the only thing we can do.”
On the evening， before he left Winesburg to take up his new life in the city，Ned Currie went to call on Alice.They walked about through the streets for an hour and then got a rig[13]from Wesley Moyer’s livery[14]and went for a drive in the country.The moon came up and they found themselves unable to talk.In his sadness the young man forgot the resolutions he had made regarding his conduct with the girl.
They got out of the buggy[15]at a place where a long meadow ran down to the bank of Wine Creek and there in the dim light became lovers.When at midnight they returned to town they were both glad.It did not seem to them that anything that could happen in the future could blot out[16]the wonder and beauty of the thing that had happened.“Now we will have to stick to each other，whatever happens we will have to do that.”Ned Currie said as he left the girl at her father’s door.
The young newspaper man ，did not succeed in getting a place on a Cleveland paper and went west to Chicago.For a time he was lonely and wrote to Alice almost every day.Then he was caught up by the life of the city；he began to make friends and found new interests in life.In Chicago he boarded at a house where there were several women.One of them attracted his attention and he forgot Alice in Winesburg.At the end of a year he had stopped writing letters，and only once in a long time，when he was lonely or when he went into one of the city parks and saw the moon shining on the grass as it had shone that night on the meadow by Wine Creek，did he think of her at all.
In Winesburg， the girl who had been loved grew to be a woman.When she was twenty-two years old her father，who owned a harness repair shop，died suddenly.The harness maker was an old soldier，and after a few months his wife received a widow’s pension[17].She used the first money she got to buy a loom[18]and became a weaver of carpets，and Alice got a place in Winney’s store.For a number of years nothing could have induced her to believe that Ned Currie would not in the end return to her.
She was glad ，to be employed because the daily round of toil in the store made the time of waiting seem less long and uninteresting.She began to save money，thinking that when she had saved two or three hundred dollars she would follow her lover to the city and try if her presence would not win back his affections.
Alice did not blame Ned Currie ，for what had happened in the moonlight in the field，but felt that she could never marry another man.To her the thought of giving to another what she still felt could belong only to Ned seemed monstrous[19].When other young men tried to attract her attention she would have nothing to do with them.“I am his wife and shall remain his wife whether he comes back or not.”she whispered to herself，and for all of her willingness to support herself could not have understood the growing modern idea of a woman’s owning herself and giving and taking for her own ends in life.
Alice worked ，in the dry goods store from eight in the morning until six at night and on three evenings a week went back to the store to stay from seven until nine.As time passed and she became more and more lonely she began to practice the devices common to lonely people.When at night she went upstairs into her own room she knelt on the floor to pray and in her prayers whispered things she wanted to say to her lover.She became attached to inanimate objects，and because it was her own，could not bare to have anyone touch the furniture of her room.The trick of saving money，begun for a purpose，was carried on after the scheme of going to the city to find Ned Currie had been given up.It became a fixed habit，and when she needed new clothes she did not get them.Sometimes on rainy afternoons in the store she got out her bank book and，letting it lie open before her，spent hours dreaming impossible dreams of saving money enough so that the interest would support both herself and her future husband.
“Ned always liked to travel about，”she thought，“I’ll give him the chance.Some day when we are married and I can save both his money and my own，we will be rich.Then we can travel together all over the world.”
In the， dry goods store weeks ran into months and months into years as Alice waited and dreamed of her lover’s return.Her employer，a grey old man with false teeth and a thin grey mustache that drooped[20]down over his mouth，was not given to[21]conversation，and sometimes，on rainy days and in the winter when a storm raged in Main Street，long hours passed when no customers came in.Alice arranged and rearranged the stock.She stood near the front window where she could look down the deserted street and thought of the evenings when she had walked with Ned Currie and of what he had said.“We will have to stick to each other now.”The words echoed and re-echoed through the mind of the maturing woman.Tears came into her eyes.Sometimes when her employer had gone out and she was alone in the store she put her head on the counter[22]and wept.“Oh，Ned，I am waiting.”she whispered over and over，and all the time the creeping[23]fear that he would never come back grew stronger within her.
In the， spring when the rains have passed and before the long hot days of summer have come，the country about Winesburg is delightful.The town lies in the midst of open fields，but beyond the fields are pleasant patches of woodlands.In the wooded places are many little cloistered[24]nooks[25]，quiet places where lovers go to sit on Sunday afternoons.Through the trees they look out across the fields and see farmers at work about the barns or people driving up and down on the roads.In the town bells ring and occasionally a train passes，looking like a toy thing in the distance.
For several years after ，Ned Currie went away Alice did not go into the wood with the other young people on Sunday，but one day after he had been gone for two or three years and when her loneliness seemed unbearable，she put on her best dress and set out.Finding a little sheltered place from which she could see the town and a long stretch of the fields，she sat down.Fear of age and ineffectuality[26]took possession of[27]her.She could not sit still，and arose.As she stood looking out over the land something，perhaps the thought of never ceasing life as it expresses itself in the flow of the seasons，fixed her mind on the passing years.With a shiver of dread，she realized that for her the beauty and freshness of youth had passed.For the first time she felt that she had been cheated.She did not blame Ned Currie and did not know what to blame.Sadness swept over her.Dropping to her knees，she tried to pray，but instead of prayers words of protest came to her lips.“It is not going to come to me.I will never find happiness.Why do I tell myself lies？”she cried，and an odd sense of relief came with this，her first bold attempt to face the fear that had become a part of her everyday life.
In the year， when Alice Hindman became twenty-five two things happened to disturb the dull uneventfulness[28]of her days.Her mother married Bush Milton，the carriage painter of Winesburg，and she herself became a member of the Winesburg Methodist Church.Alice joined the church because she had become frightened by the loneliness of her position in life.Her mother’s second marriage had emphasized her isolation.“I am becoming old and queer.If Ned comes he will not want me.In the city where he is living men are perpetually young.There is so much going on that they do not have time to grow old.”she told herself with a grim[29]little smile，and went resolutely about the business of becoming acquainted with people.Every Thursday evening when the store had closed she went to a prayer meeting in the basement of the church and on Sunday evening attended a meeting of an organization called The Epworth League.
When Will Hurley，a middle-aged man who clerked in a drug store and who also belonged to the church，offered to walk home with her she did not protest.“Of course I will not let him make a practice of being with me，but if he comes to see me once in a long time there can be no harm in that.”she told herself，still determined in her loyalty to Ned Currie.
Without， realizing what was happening，Alice was trying feebly at first，but with growing determination，to get a new hold upon life.Beside the drug clerk she walked in silence，but sometimes in the darkness as they went stolidly along she put out her hand and touched softly the folds of his coat.When he left her at the gate before her mother’s house she did not go indoors，but stood for a moment by the door.She wanted to call to the drug clerk，to ask him to sit with her in the darkness on the porch before the house，but was afraid he would not understand.“It is not him that I want，”she told herself，“I want to avoid being so much alone.If I am not careful I will grow unaccustomed to being with people.”
During the early fall of her twenty-seventh year a passionate restlessness[30]took possession of Alice.She could not bear to be in the company of the drug clerk，and when，in the evening，he came to walk with her she sent him away.Her mind became intensely active and when，weary from the long hours of standing behind the counter in the store，she went home and crawled into bed，she could not sleep.With staring eyes she looked into the darkness.Her imagination，like a child awakened from long sleep，played about the room.Deep within her there was something that would not be cheated by phantasies[31]and that demanded some definite answer from life.
Alice ，took a pillow into her arms and held it tightly against her breasts.Getting out of bed，she arranged a blanket so that in the darkness it looked like a form lying between the sheets and，kneeling beside the bed，she caressed it，whispering words over and over，like a refrain.“Why doesn’t something happen？Why am I left here alone？”she muttered.Although she sometimes thought of Ned Currie，she no longer depended on him.Her desire had grown vague.She did not want Ned Currie or any other man.She wanted to be loved，to have something answer the call that was growing louder and louder within her.
And ，then one night when it rained Alice had an adventure.It frightened and confused her.She had come home from the store at nine and found the house empty.Bush Milton had gone off to town and her mother to the house of a neighbor.Alice went upstairs to her room and undressed in the darkness.For a moment she stood by the window hearing the rain beat against the glass and then a strange desire took possession of her.Without stopping to think of what she intended to do，she ran downstairs through the dark house and out into the rain.As she stood on the little grass plot before the house and felt the cold rain on her body a mad desire to run naked through the streets took possession of her.
She ，thought that the rain would have some creative and wonderful effect on her body.Not for years had she felt so full of youth and courage.She wanted to leap and run，to cry out，to find some other lonely human and embrace him.On the brick sidewalk before the house a man stumbled[32]homeward.Alice started to run.A wild，desperate mood took possession of her.“What do I care who it is.He is alone，and I will go to him，”she thought；and then without stopping to consider the possible result of her madness，called softly，“Wait！”she cried，“Don’t go away.Whoever you are，you must wait.”
The ，man on the sidewalk stopped and stood listening.He was an old man and somewhat deaf.Putting his hand to his mouth，he shouted.“What？What say？”he called.
Alice ，dropped to the ground and lay trembling.She was so frightened at the thought of what she had done that when the man had gone on his way she did not dare get to her feet，but crawled on hands and knees through the grass to the house When she got to her own room she bolted the door and drew her dressing table across the doorway.Her body shook as with a chill and her hands trembled so that she had difficulty getting into her nightdress.When she got into bed she buried her face in the pillow and wept brokenheartedly.“What is the matter with me？I will do something dreadful if I am not careful，”she thought，and turning her face to the wall，began trying to force herself to face bravely the fact that many people must live and die alone，even in Winesburg.
舍伍德？安德森
当乔治？威拉德还是个小男孩儿时，爱丽丝？欣德曼已是27岁的妇人，在温尼斯堡生活了好长一段时间。她在温尼绸缎店上班，和再嫁的母亲在一起过活。
爱丽丝的继父是个马车油漆匠，视酒如命。他的故事也很古怪，他日大可一讲。
27岁时，爱丽丝身材高挑，略显骨感。她的脑袋很大，看上去和身子不成比例。她的肩膀有点儿佝偻，棕色的头发和眼睛。她很文静，不过在平静的外表下，那颗心却始终骚动难宁。
16岁那年，她还没有在店里上班，爱丽丝和一个小伙子曾经相好过。小伙子名叫耐德？库里埃，岁数比爱丽丝稍大些。和乔治？威拉德一样，耐德任职于《温尼斯堡鹰报》，长久以来他几乎每晚都去爱丽丝那儿。两个人一起在树下散布，穿过城里的街道，讨论他们对未来生活的种种打算。那时候爱丽丝是个娇俏的姑娘，耐德？库里埃将她揽在怀里，给她密吻。待到情绪亢奋，他说了好些他原本不打算说的话；而爱丽丝呢，渴盼某种美好东西注入她相当窄憋的生活，芳心为此激动起来。她也倾吐着。她生活的罩壳，她所有禀性的羞怯和矜持，全撕开了，她听凭爱情的力量摆布自己。随后，在她16岁那年的秋杪，耐德？库里埃去了克利夫兰，他期盼在那座城市的报馆谋一份工作，干出点儿名堂来，她则要求和他一同去打拼。“我得有活干，而你干你的工作，”她这样说。“我不想让你背上不必要的负担，成为你事业发展的阻碍。眼下咱俩别谈婚事。不结婚我们也能一起过日子。即使我们同住一个屋子里，也没有人瞎嚼舌。在这座城市里，谁都不了解我们，也没人会关注我们。”
耐德？库里埃被他心上人的打算弄迷惑了，同时打心底里给触动了。起先他的想法是让她做情妇，这时候却改变了。他得呵护和关怀她。“乱七八糟的，你胡扯些什么呀，”他厉声说，“你该相信我，我决不让你这般蛮干的。等我谋到一份好工作，我必回来接你。眼下你得待在这儿。这是咱们唯一的选择。”
在离开温尼斯堡到大城市去闯荡的前夜，耐德？库里埃去造访爱丽丝？欣德曼。他们压了一个钟头的马路，随后在威斯里？莫耶马车行里雇了一辆货运马车到乡间兜风。月华升起来了，他们觉得言说成为多余。处在悲哀的情愫下，这个小伙子忘却了他所抱定的对待这个姑娘的操守。
他们走下马车，来到一片铺展至瓦恩河畔的长草坪上，在幽暗的光照下，他们完成了情事。午夜返回城里，彼此心里都很爽悦。对于他们来说，无论将来发生什么，都无法抹杀刚才他们所体验过的神奇和美妙的事儿。“打这以后，我们得厮守终生，无论发生什么事情，我们都得这么着。”在她继父家门前，耐德？库里埃对这姑娘道别。
这位年轻的新闻工作者在克利夫兰报馆的谋职并不顺利，便向西又前往芝加哥。有一段时期他内心孤独，几乎每天给爱丽丝写信。随后他沉迷于都市生活；他开始结交朋友，在生活中寻觅新的乐子。在芝加哥，他寄宿于一所有好些女人的宅子里。其中一个引得他垂青，他便把温尼斯堡的爱丽丝丢到脑后。有一年岁末，他终止给她写信。过了好久他才偶尔思念她一回，那也是当他感到寂寞，或者当他步入一个市区公园，望见月华映照着草坪，恰如当年那夜映照在瓦恩河畔的长草坪上。
在温尼斯堡，曾被他爱过的小姑娘长成了一个妇人。在她22岁时，她那张罗一家马车修理铺的父亲，突然间过世了。这位马具制造商是个老兵，几个月后，他老婆领到一笔抚恤金。她用领来的头一笔钱购买一架纺织机，成了一个地毯织工，爱丽丝则在温尼店里谋到一个职位。好些时光流走了，却没有什么能使她相信，耐德？库里埃终究不会回到她的身边。
她很高兴被雇用，因为店里每天忙碌得团团打转，能使等待的时光消减得不太长久和不太乏味。她开始积攒私房钱，以为只需攒够二、三百元钱，她就可以追随情人来到大城市里，尝试一下假如她亲临那儿，能否赢回他的倾慕。
爱丽丝并不拿田野里月光下发生的事儿来责备耐德？库里埃，不过她觉得嫁给其他男子是永不可能了。在她的想法中，将她仍然仅属于耐德的东西另外交给别人，这是很离谱的。当别的青年男子试图吸引她的注意力时，她却一概漠然处之。“我是他的妻子，始终是他的妻子，不管他回不回来。”她兀自悄悄诉说。虽然她一心想自立，却没有领悟一种正在茁然成长的新思想：妇女独立自主，不管给予还是索取，都是为了她生命自身的目的。
爱丽丝从上午八点到晚上六点在店里上班，每星期有三个晚上得再回店里，从七点待到九点。时光流逝了，她变得越来越孤独，开始尝试些孤独者常干的玩意儿。晚间一进入楼上自己的房间，她便跪在地板上祈祷，在祷语中喃喃地倾吐她要跟恋人说的情话。她变得执着于无生命的事物，而且因为这是属于她自己的，任何人碰她房间里的家具，她都无法容忍。攒钱的打算起先自有其用意，而当到城市寻找耐德？库里埃的计划告吹后，她仍旧执行下去。这变成一个刻板的习惯，她甚至连新衣服都不去购买。偶尔在雨天的下午，她在店里取出银行存折，将它摊开在面前，花费好几个小时来梦想那不可能实现的储蓄之梦，她竟梦想存款的利息足以维持未来她两口子的生活。
“耐德总喜欢到处旅行，”她想。“我要为他提供机会。等将来有一天我们结婚后，我能把他的钱和我的钱攒在一起，我们会发财的。那时我们可以一起环球旅行了。”
爱丽丝在绸缎店里等待她情人的归来，而时光月复一月、年复一年地过去。她的老板是个镶着假牙的白胡子老头，一绺稀疏的灰白髭须悬在嘴边，不喜欢和人谈天。有时候逢着阴雨天，或是街上狂风肆虐的冬季，长长的钟点挨过去了，竟没有一个顾客上门。爱丽丝把存货整理了一遍又一遍。站在店面窗口近旁，那儿她能眺见落寞无人的街道，悬想她和耐德一起散步的那些夜晚，以及他说过的那些话儿。“噢，耐德，我正等待着呐，”她一叠声地喃喃低语，同时对他永不归来的这个隐惧，在她心中渐次增长起来。
下春雨的时节过去了，夏季漫长的炎热日子还没有到来，温尼斯堡四周乡村的景色宜人。城镇位于开阔的田畴当中，田畴外有一片片蓊郁的森林，那儿有好些幽僻的角落，情侣们安坐着用来消磨星期日下午的时光。透过树木望出去，他们看见农夫们在谷仓近旁劳作，或人们驱车在大路上熙来攘往。城里的钟声鸣响，间或一列火车经过，远远望去活像一件小玩具。
耐德？库里埃离开已经好些年了，爱丽丝从不和别的年轻男人在星期天到林子里玩耍，但是在他走后的两三年，某一天她似乎无法忍受孤独，穿上她最好的衣服外出了。找了一块僻静地方坐下，从这里她可以看见城市和一大片田地。韶华的逝去和缺乏吸引力，这些忧惧占据了她的心灵。再也坐不住了，她站立起来。当她眺望远处的田野，某种东西，兴许是四季变迁所传达的永不停息的生命感受，使她的心灵眷恋着消逝的岁月。她悚然震惊，意识到青春的妍丽和时鲜在她已成为过去时。她第一次感觉到，她是受人欺骗了。她并不责备耐德？库里埃，也不知道应该责备谁。悲哀闪袭了她。她跪地，试图祷告，抗议却代替祷语来到了唇边。“快乐不会降临我身上。我永远找不到快乐。为什么我要对自己撒谎呢？”她哭道。随之来了一种离奇的轻松感：这是她第一次坦然地对待恐惧，这种恐惧已成为她日常生活的一部分。
爱丽丝25岁的那年，两件事情将她日子的沉闷和枯乏打乱了。她母亲改嫁给温尼斯堡的漆车匠布什？弥尔顿，她则成了温尼斯堡卫理公会的教徒。爱丽丝参加教会，是因为被她的孤独境遇吓坏了。她母亲第二次结婚，加深了她原有的落寞。“我正变得老而古怪。倘若耐德归来，他也会不要我了。在他生活着的都市里，男子们总是永葆青春。有那么多新花样，他们就没工夫变老了。”她带着一丝乖戾的微笑告诉自己，于是下决定着手和别人结交相识。每星期四夜晚店铺打烊后，她来到教堂底层参加祈祷会；到了星期日夜晚，她参加一个名叫爱普完斯联谊的聚会。
当威尔？赫尔利，一个在药店当职员的中年人且是卫理公会的教徒，提出送她回家时，她并不张口回绝。“当然我不会让他经常围着我转，不过假如人家偶尔来探望我，那也碍不着什么。”她对自己说，内心依旧恪守对耐德的忠贞。
爱丽丝不知不觉地在人生中获得新的支持，起初软弱地试试，逐渐可有了决心。她在药房职员的身旁默默地行走，但有时在黑暗中，当他们木然地一道行走时，她伸出手来，轻柔地摸摸他的外套的折痕。当他在她母亲家的门口离开她时，她并不走进门去，却在门口站一会儿。她很想唤这药房职员，叫他陪她坐在门口黑暗里，却又怕他不会懂得她的意思。“我需要的不是他，”她告诉她自己，“我是要避免过分的孤寂。我如果不留神，就要变得不习惯和人相处了。”
在她二十七岁那年的初秋之日，一种坐立不安的燥热纠缠着爱丽丝。她不堪与药房职员作伴，晚上他来同她散步的时候，她便撵他走了。她的心灵变得强烈地活跃；她在店里柜台背后站了好几个钟头，倦了，回家爬上床，却又睡不着觉。她瞪着眼睛，凝视着黑暗。她的想象，跟睡了一大觉醒来的孩子一样，在房间里到处活动。在她的内心深处，有某种非幻想所能欺骗的东西，它需要人生的某种确确实实的报答。
爱丽丝双手抱起一个枕头，把它紧紧地搂在自己的胸口。她走下床来，把一条毯子叠得在黑暗中看上去像一个人形似的躺在被子里，于是她跪在床边，抚摸它，一遍遍地悄声低语，像是歌尾叠句似的。“为什么一点事情也不发生？为什么我被孤零零地丢在这里？”她喃喃说道。虽然她有时想起耐德？库里埃，她却不再寄期望于他了。她的欲望变得愈来愈朦胧了。她不需要耐德？库里埃或其他男人。她要被人所爱，要有一种东西来回答她内心的愈来愈响亮的呼声。
于是在一个下雨之夜，爱丽丝冒险作了一件怪事。这事使她恐惧而惶惑。她九点钟时从店里回来，看到屋里空无一人。布什？米尔顿到城里去了，她的母亲到邻家去了。爱丽丝上楼到她的房间里，在黑暗中脱掉衣服。她在窗口站了一会儿，听着雨点打在玻璃窗上，一个奇怪的欲望兜上心来。也不停下来想想她要做的事，她便奔下楼梯，穿过黑？？的房子，直向雨中奔去。她站在门前那一小块草地上，感到冷雨打在她肉体上，一种要想裸体在街上奔跑的疯狂欲望占了上风。
她以为雨对她的肉体会产生某种创造性的神奇效果。多年来她不曾感到这样充满青春活力和勇气了。她要跳跃，奔跑，叫喊，寻找别的寂寞的人，拥抱他。房子前砖砌的人行道上，有一个男人踉跄地走回家去。爱丽丝开始奔跑。一种野性的不顾一切的心情驱策着她。“我才不管他是谁哩。他是寂寞的，我一定要去救他。”她想；也不停下来考虑考虑她的疯狂可能产生什么后果，她随即柔声呼唤。“等着！”她喊道。“不要走开。不论你是谁，你必须等着。”
人行道上的男子停步，站在那里谛听着。他是一个老头儿，多少有点儿耳聋。他把手架在嘴上，嚷道：“什么？说什么？”他呼唤。
爱丽丝倒在地上，躺着发抖。她想到自己竟做出这种事情来，大为震惊，所以在老人已经径自走他的路时，她也不敢站起身来，只是用手和膝盖爬过草地溜到屋子里去。她进了她自己的房间时，便闩上门，把她的梳妆台拖过来堵住门口。她的身体像打寒战似的发抖，而她的手抖得连睡衣也难以穿上。她上了床，把脸儿埋在枕头里，心碎地哭泣。“我怎么啦？要是不留神，我会做出可怕的事情来的。”她想，她把脸儿朝着墙壁，开始竭力强迫自己勇敢地面对这一事实：许多人必须孤寂地生和死，即使在温尼斯堡，也是一样的。
作者简介
About the Author
Sherwood Anderson：舍伍德？安德森是20世纪早期美国著名的小说家，在美国文学史上有很重要的地位，海明威、菲茨杰拉德、福克纳、斯坦贝克、考德威尔等都受过他的很大影响。在《记舍伍德？安德森》文中，福克纳评价说：
“他没有麦尔维尔的力度与冲劲，麦尔维尔是他的祖父，也没有马克？吐温对生活的旺盛的幽默感，马克？吐温是他父亲。他也没有他的兄长德莱塞对种种细微差别的粗暴的蔑视。他的特点是追求精确，在有限的词汇范围之内力图选用最恰当的词句，他内心对简朴有一种近乎盲目的崇拜，他要把词与句都像挤牛奶一样挤得干干净净，总是力图要穿透到思想最深的核心里去。他在这上面费了那么大的力气，到最后他的作品里剩下的只有风格了―风格成了一种目的而不是手段。”
V
词汇扫雷
ocabulary
1.winesburg：美国小说家舍伍德安德森短片小说集《小镇畸人》中虚构的地名。
2.overshadow：使……相形见绌，显得不重要。
3.stooped：驼背的
4.placid：苍白的
5.exterior：外表
6.ferment：骚乱，****
7.George Willard：乔治？威拉德，《小镇畸人》一书中起到情节串联作用的人物。
8.diffidence：漠然
9.reserve：内敛
10.torn away：被撕裂
11.harness：给马套上挽具，文中指阻碍爱丽丝的个人发展。
12.mistress：情人
13.rig：运货马车
14.livery：马车行
15.buggy：轻型马车
16.blot out：抹杀
17.pension：抚恤金
18.loom：织布机
19.monstrous：可怕的
20.droop：下垂
21.give to：热衷
22.counter：柜台
23.creep：蔓延
24.cloistered：隐匿的
25.nook：角落
26.ineffectuality：无济于事
27.take possession of：充斥，占据
28.uneventfulness：平淡无奇
29.grim：令人担忧的
30.restlessness：躁动不安
31.phantasy：幻影
32.stumble：踉跄
小编点评
如果说乔伊斯用水粉般的凝重惊现了一个落寞女人顿悟的一刻，如果说曼斯菲尔德用速写般的简约勾画出一个孤单女人寂寥的一天，那么安德森则是用他不紧不慢的素描手法为我们娓娓道来一个可怜女人的一生。读罢整个故事，谁都无法忘却女主人公在雨中绝望裸奔的一幕。在27岁时，她就过早得领悟出：有的人会注定孤独一生。
在为爱丽丝？欣德曼唏嘘感慨的同时，小编忍不住提醒各位同为性情中人的读者，凡事还是需要理性的介入。试想一只失去外壳保护的蜗牛，它在沙砾铺就的地面艰难地前行，必定会让自己浑身是伤。
L（aleaffalls）oneliness
