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1、TheLoons1JustbelowManawaka,wheretheWachakwaRiverranbrownandnoisyoverthepebbles,thescruboakandgrey-greenwillowandchokecherrybushesgrewinadensethicket.InaclearingatthecentreofthethicketstoodtheTonnerrefamily'sshack.Thebasisofthisdwellingwasasmallsquarecabinmadeofpoplarp
2、olesandchinkedwithmud,whichhadbeenbuiltbyJulesTonnerresomefiftyyearsbefore,whenhecamebackfromBatochewithabulletinhisthigh,theyearthatRielwashungandthevoicesoftheMetisenteredtheirlongsilence.JuleshadonlyintendedtostaythewinterintheWachakwaValley,butthefamilywasstillthe
3、reinthethirties,whenIwasachild.AstheTonnerreshadincreased,theirsettlementhadbeenaddedto,untiltheclearingatthefootofthetownhillwasachaosoflean-tos,woodenpackingcases,warpedlumber,discardedcartypes,ramshacklechickencoops,tangledstrandsofbarbedwireandrustytincans.2TheTon
4、nerreswereFrenchhalfbreeds,andamongthemselvestheyspokeapatoisthatwasneitherCreenorFrench.TheirEnglishwasbrokenandfullofobscenities.TheydidnotbelongamongtheCreeoftheGallopingMountainreservation,furthernorth,andthey18didnotbelongamongtheScots-IrishandUkrainiansofManawak
5、a,either.Theywere,asmyGrandmotherMacLeodwouldhaveputit,neitherflesh,fowl,norgoodsaltherring.WhentheirmenwerenotworkingatoddjobsorassectionhandsontheC.P.R.theylivedonrelief.Inthesummers,oneoftheTonnerreyoungsters,withafacethatseemedtotallyunfamiliarwithlaughter,wouldkn
6、ockatthedoorsofthetown'sbrickhousesandofferforsalealard-pailfullofbruisedwildstrawberries,andifhegotasmuchasaquarterhewouldgrabthecoinandrunbeforethecustomerhadtimetochangehermind.SometimesoldJules,orhissonLazarus,wouldgetmixedupinaSaturday-nightbrawl,andwouldhitoutat
7、whoeverwasnearestorhowldrunkenlyamongtheoffendedshoppersonMainStreet,andthentheMountiewouldputthemforthenightinthebarredcellunderneaththeCourtHouse,andthenextmorningtheywouldbequietagain.3PiquetteTonnerre,thedaughterofLazarus,wasinmyclassatschool.ShewasolderthanI,buts
8、hehadfailedseveralgrades,perhapsbecauseherattendancehadalwaysbeensporadicandherinterestinschoolworknegligible.Partofthereaso