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《[第十三个故事].The.Thirteenth.Tale.(英)Diane.Setterfield.》由会员上传分享,免费在线阅读,更多相关内容在学术论文-天天文库。
1、TheThirteenthTaleDianeSetterfieldTHELETTERItwasNovember.Althoughitwasnotyetlate,theskywasdarkwhenIturnedintoLaundressPassage.Fatherhadfinishedfortheday,switchedofftheshoplightsandclosedtheshutters;butsoIwouldnotcomehometodarknesshehadleftonthelightoverthestairstotheflat.Throughth
2、eglassinthedooritcastafoolscaprectangleofpalenessontothewetpavement,anditwaswhileIwasstandinginthatrectangle,abouttoturnmykeyinthedoor,thatIfirstsawtheletter.Anotherwhiterectangle,itwasonthefifthstepfromthebottom,whereIcouldn’tmissit.Iclosedthedoorandputtheshopkeyinitsusualplaceb
3、ehindBailey’sAdvancedPrinciplesofGeometry.PoorBailey.Noonehaswantedhisfatgraybookforthirtyyears.SometimesIwonderwhathemakesofhisroleasguardianofthebookshopkeys.Idon’tsupposeit’sthedestinyhehadinmindforthemasterworkthathespenttwodecadeswriting.Aletter.Forme.Thatwassomethingofaneve
4、nt.Thecrisp-corneredenvelope,puffedupwithitsthicklyfoldedcontents,wasaddressedinahandthatmusthavegiventhepostmanacertainamountoftrouble.Althoughthestyleofthewritingwasold-fashioned,withitsheavilyembellishedcapitalsandcurlyflourishes,myfirstimpressionwasthatithadbeenwrittenbyachil
5、d.Thelettersseemeduntrained.Theirunevenstrokeseitherfadedintonothingorwereheavilyetchedintothepaper.Therewasnosenseofflowinthelettersthatspelledoutmyname.Eachhadbeenundertakenseparately—MARGARETLEA—asanewanddauntingenterprise.ButIknewnochildren.ThatiswhenIthought,Itisthehandofani
6、nvalid.Itgavemeaqueerfeeling.Yesterdayorthedaybefore,whileIhadbeengoingaboutmybusiness,quietlyandinprivate,someunknownperson—somestranger—hadgonetothetroubleofmarkingmynameontothisenvelope.Whowasitwhohadhadhismind’seyeonmewhileIhadn’tsuspectedathing?Stillinmycoatandhat,Isankontot
7、hestairtoreadtheletter.(IneverreadwithoutmakingsureIaminasecureposition.Ihavebeenlikethiseversincetheageofsevenwhen,sittingonahighwallandreadingTheWaterBabies,IwassoseducedbythedescriptionsofunderwaterlifethatIunconsciouslyrelaxedmymuscles.Insteadofbeingfieldbuoyantbythewaterthat
8、sovividlysurroundedmeinmymind,Iplummeted