特別的追悼 an ecial funeral (第1/13頁)

常青藤語言教學中心編譯提示您：看後求收藏（貓撲小說www.mpzw.tw），接着再看更方便。

佚名onymous

Whydidthememoryofthatdeadchildseekmeoutonthisbeautifulday?Tillthen，nointimationofsorrowhadcometomethroughthedazzlingrevelationsofasummerthatsang。

Ithaenedmanyyearsago。IhadjustarrivedinasmallvillageinManitoba，Canada，tofinishtheschoolyearasrelacementforateacherwhohadfallenillorsimly，forallIknew，becomediscouraged。

“Whenthetimecomesforyoutoalyforaermanentosition，”therincialofthenormalschoolhadtoldme，“Youllbeabletosaythatyouvehadexerience。”

AndsoIfoundmyselfinsringinthatveryoorvillage—justafewshacks，withnothingaroundbutsindlingsrucetrees。“Amonth，”Iaskedmyself，“willthatbelongenoughtobecomeattachedtothechildren?Willamonthbeworththeeffort?”

Perhasthesamecalculationwasinthemindsofthechildren，forIhadneverseenfacessodejected，soaatheticorerhassorrowful。Ihadhadsolittleexerience。Imyselfwashardlymorethanachild。

Nineoclockcame。Theroomwashotasanoven。SometimesinManitobaanincredibleheatsettlesinduringthefirstdaysofJune。

Scarcelyknowingwhereorhowtobegin，Ioenedtheattendancebookandcalledtheroll。ThenameswereforthemostartFrench，andtodaytheystillreturntomymemory，likethis，fornoreason:MadeleineBerube，JosehatBrisset，EmilienDumont，CecileLeine。。。

Butmostofthechildrenwhoroseandanswered“Present，mamzelle”，whentheirnameswerecalledhadtheslightlynarrowedeyes，warmcoloringandjet-blackhairthattoldofmetisblood。

Theywerebeautifulandexquisitelyolite;therewasreallynothingtoreroachthemforexcettheinconceivabledistancetheymaintainedbetweenthemselvesandme。Itcrushedme。“Isthiswhatchildrenarelike，then，”Iaskedmyselfwithanguish，“untouchable，barricadedinsomeregionwhereyoucantreachthem?”