【荆棘鸟】第一章 08

for the most stringent 1 rule in Paddy's domain 2 concerned the proper delegation 3 ofduties. The house was woman's work, and that was that. No male member of thefamily was to put his hand to a female task. But each night after Paddy went tobed Frank helped his mother, Fee aiding and abetting 4 him by delaying herdishwashing until they heard the thump 5 of Paddy's slippers 6 hitting the floor.Once Paddy's slippers were off he never came back to the kitchen. Fee looked atFrank gently. "I don't know what I'd 18 do without you, Frank. But youshouldn't. You'll be so tired in the morning."
  "It's all right, Mum. Drying a fewdishes won't kill me. Little enough to make life easier for you."
  "It's my job, Frank. I don't mind."
  "I just wish we'd get rich one of thesedays, so you could have a maid." "That is wishful thinking!" Shewiped her soapy red hands on the dishcloth and then pressed them into hersides, sighing. Her eyes as they rested on her son were vaguely 7 worried,sensing his bitter discontent, more than the normal railing of a workingmanagainst his lot. "Frank, don't get grand ideas. They only lead to trouble.We're working-class people, which means we don't get rich or have maids. Becontent with what you are and what you have. When you say things like thisyou're insulting Daddy, and he doesn't deserve it. You know that. He doesn'tdrink, he doesn't gamble, and he works awfully 8 hard for us. Not a penny heearns goes into his own pocket. It all comes to us." The muscularshoulders hunched 9 impatiently, the dark face became harsh and grim. "Butwhy should wanting more out of life than drudgery 10 be so bad? I don't see what'swrong with wishing you had a maid."
  "It's wrong because it can't be! Youknow there's no money to keep you at school, and if you can't stay at schoolhow are you ever going to be anything better than a manual worker? Your accent,your clothes and your hands show that you labor 11 for a living. But it's nodisgrace to have calluses on your hands. As Daddy says, when a man's hands arecallused you know he's honest." 
 

弗兰克头也不抬地修着那个布娃娃，可是在盘子摄得越来越高的时候，他默不作声地站起身来，取下一条毛巾，把盘子擦干。他在圆桌和碗柜之间来回走着，带着对这种劳作久已熟悉的轻巧神情。他和他的妈妈是冒天下之大韪。不过偷着这样做的，因为在帕迪统辖的天地里，适当的分工是一条最严厉的法规。家务活是女人家的事，这是没二话的。女人的活不许家里的男人沾手。可是，每天晚上，在帕迪上床睡觉以后，弗兰克总要帮帮他妈妈。菲为了能让他这样做，就故意拖延洗盘子的时间一直到他们听见帕迪的拖鞋落在地板上的沉重的声音。他脱了拖鞋就决不再到回房里来了。
    菲温柔地望着弗兰克。“我真不知道没有你，我该怎么过，弗兰克。可你不该干，到早晨你会疲乏之极的。”
    “没关系，妈妈。擦几个盘子累不死我。你够辛苦了，给你帮的忙也够少的了。”
    “弗兰克，那是该我于的事，我不在乎。”
    “我真希望有朝一日咱们能富起来，那样你就可以雇个女佣人了。”
    “那是痴心妄想。”那将那双沾着肥皂的发红的手在洗碗布上擦了擦，然后往腰眼上一样，叹道。她的两眼停在了她儿子身上，隐隐地流露出忧虑的神色。她意识到，他那强烈的不满，超过了一个劳动者对命运的正常的抱怨。“弗兰克，别心比天高了，这只会招来烦恼。我们是干活吃饭的人，也就是说我们富不了，也不会有女佣人。满足于你的现状和你现有的东西吧。在你说那种话的时候，你是在导没你爸爸，这不是他应得的，这个你心里明白。他既不喝酒，也不赌钱，辛辛苦苦地干活儿都是为了咱们。他挣的钱连一个子儿也没进自己的腰包，统统都给咱们了。”
    他那肌肉发达的肩旁不耐烦地耸了起来，那张黝黑的脸变得严峻而又冷酷。“为什么期望过上比做苦工更好些的日子就如此要不得呢？我不明白，想让你使上个佣人有什么不对。”
    “错就错在那是不可能的！你知道，我们没有钱供你上学，要是你上不了学，你怎么能过的比卖力气的人更好呢？你的口音，你的衣服，你的双手都说明你是个靠干活挣饭吃的人。可是手上长茧子并不丢人。就像你爸说的，一个人手上有茧子，你就知道他是个老实人。”