英語故事 保羅事件（1） 薇拉凱瑟

英語故事保羅事件（1）薇拉?凱瑟Paul'sCasebyWillaCather,PartOneOurstorytodayiscalled"Paul'sCase."WillaCatherwroteit.DonnadeSanctis?adapteditforVOALearningEnglish."Paul'sCase"willbetoldintwoparts.HereisKayGallantwithpartoneofthestory.Paulhatedschool.Hedidnotdohishomework.Hedidnotlikehisteachers.Paul'sfatherdidnotknowwhattodowithhim.Histeachersdidnotknoweither.Oneafternoon,allhisteachersatPittsburghHighSchoolmettogetherwithhimtodiscusshiscase.Paulwaslate.Whenheenteredtheroomhisteacherssatwaitingforhim.Hewastallforhisageandverythin.Hisclothesweretoosmallforhim,buttheywereclean.Hehadabrightredflowerinthebuttonholeofhisblackjacket.OneoftheteachersaskedPaulwhyhehadcometothemeeting.Paulsaidpolitelythathewantedtodobetterinschool.Thiswasalie.Pauloftenlied.Histeachersbegantospeak.Theyhadmanycomplaints.OnesaidPaultalkedtotheotherstudentsinsteadofpayingattentiontothelessons.AnothersaidPaulalwayssatinclasswithhishandscoveringhiseyes.AthirdteachersaidPaullookedoutthewindowinsteadoflookingather.Histeachersattackedhimwithoutmercy.Paul'seyebrowsmovedupanddownashisteachersspoke.Hissmileneverlefthisface,buthisfingersshookashetouchedthefloweronhiscoat.Atlastthemeetingwasover.Paul'ssmilegotevenwider.Hebowedgracefullyandlefttheroom.Histeacherswereangryandconfused.TheartteacherspokeforallofthemwhenhesaidtherewassomethingaboutPaulthathedidn'tunderstand."Idon'tthinkhereallymeanstobebad/'hesaid,"There'sjustsomethingwrongwiththatboy."ThentheartteacherrememberedonewarmafternoonwhenPaulhadfallenasleepinhisclass.Paul'sfacewaswhitewiththinblueveinsundertheskin.Theboy'sfacelookedtiredandlined,likeanoldman's.Hiseyebrowsmovedupanddown,eveninhissleep.Afterheleftthemeeting,Paulrandownthehillfromtheschoolwhistling.Hewaslateforhisjobattheconcerthall.Paulwasanusherthere.Heshowedpeopletotheirseats.Hecarriedmessagesforthem.Hebroughtthemtheirprogramswithapolitebow.Everyonethoughthewasacharmingboyandthebestusheratthehall.WhenPaulreachedtheconcerthallthatevening,hewentimmediatelytothedressingroom.Aboutsixboyswerealreadythere.Paulbeganchanginghisclotheswithexcitedhands.Helovedhisgreenuniformwiththegoldpocketsanddesign.CarnegieMusicHallPaulrushedintotheconcerthallassoonashehadchangedclothes.Heranupanddownthehall,helpingpeople.Hebecamemoreandmoreexcited.Hisfacebecamepinkandhiseyesseemedlargerandverybright.Helookedalmosthandsome.Atlasteveryonewasseated.TheorchestrabegantoplayandPaulsatdownwithasighofrelief.ThemusicseemedtofreesomethinginPaul'sspirit.Thenawomancameoutandbegantosing.Shehadarich,strongsopranovoice.Paulfelttrulyhappyforthefirsttimethatday.AttheendoftheconcertPaulwentbacktothedressingroom.Afterhehadchangedhisclothesagainhewentoutsidetheconcerthall.Hedecidedtowaitforthesingertocomeout.Whilehewaitedhelookedacrossthestreettothelargehotelcalled"TheSchenley."AlltheimportantpeoplestayedatTheSchenleywhentheyvisitedPittsburgh.Paulhadneverbeeninsideit,butheusedtostandnearthehotel'swideglassdoors.Helikedtowatchthepeopleenterandleave.Hebelievedifhecouldonlyenterthiskindofahotel,hewouldbeabletoleaveschool,histeachers,andhisordinary,graylifebehindhim...forever.Atlastthesingercameoutoftheconcerthall.Paulfollowedherasshewalkedtothehotel.Hewaspartofalargecrowdofadmirerswhohadwaitedtoseeher.Whentheyallreachedthehotel,sheturnedandwaved.Thenthedoorsopenedandshedisappearedinside.Paulstaredintothehotelasthedoorsslowlyclosed.Hecouldfeelthewarm,sweetairinside.Andforamoment,hefeltpartofagoldenworldofsparklinglightsandmarblefloors.Hethoughtaboutthemysteriousdishesoffoodbeingservedinthehotel'sdiningroom.Hethoughtaboutgreenbottlesofwinegrowingcoldinsilverbucketsofice.Heturnedawayfromthehotelandwalkedhome.Hethoughtofhisroomwithitshorribleyellowwallpaper,theoldbedwithitsuglyredcover.Heshookhishead.Soonhewaswalkingdownthestreetwherehelived.AllthehousesonCordeliaStreetwereexactlyalike.Middleclassbusinessmenhadboughtthemfortheirfamilies.Alltheirchildrenwenttoschoolandtochurch.Theylovedarithmetic.AsPaulwalkedtowardhishousehefeltasifheweredrowninginugliness.Helongedforcoolcolorsandsoftlightsandfreshflowers.Hedidn'twanttoseehisuglybedroomorthecoldbathroomwithitscrackedmirrorandgrayfloor.Paulwentaroundtothebackofhisfather'shouse.Hefoundanopenwindowandclimbedintothekitchen.Thenhewentdownstairstothebasement.Hewasafraidofrats.Buthedidnotwanttofacehisownbedroom.Paulcouldn'tsleep.Hesatonthefloorandstaredintothedarknessuntilmorningcame.ThefollowingSundayPaulhadtogotochurchwithhisfamily.Afterwards,everyonecamehomeandateabigdinner.ThenallthepeoplewholivedonCordeliaStreetcameoutsidetovisiteachother.AftersupperPaulaskedhisfatherifhecouldvisitafriendtogetsomehelpwithhisarithmeticPaulleftthehousewithhisschoolbooksunderhisarm.Buthedidn'tgotohisfriend'shouse.InsteadhewenttoseeCharleyEdwards.Charleywasayoungactor.PaullikedtospendasmuchtimeashecouldatthetheaterwhereCharleyEdwardsandhisgroupactedintheirplays.ItwasonlyatthetheaterandtheconcerthallthatPaulfeltreallyalive.Themomenthesmelledtheairoftheseplaceshefeltlikeaprisonersuddenlysetfree.Assoonasheheardtheconcerthallorchestraplayheforgotalltheugly,unpleasanteventsinhisownlife.Paulhaddiscoveredthatanykindofmusicawakenedhisimagination.Pauldidn'twanttobecomeamusician,however.Hedidn'twanttobecomeanactor,either.Heonlywantedtobenearpeoplewhowereactorsandmusicians.Hewantedtoseethekindoflifetheseartistsled.Paulfoundaschoolroomevenworseafteranightatthetheaterortheconcerthall.Hehatedtheschool'sbarefloorsandcrackedwalls.Heturnedawayfromhisdullteachersintheirplainclothes.Hetriedtoshowthemhowlittlehethoughtofthemandthestudiestheytaught.Hewouldbringphotographsofalltheactorsheknewtoschool.Hewouldtelltheotherstudentsthathespenthiseveningswiththesepeopleatelegantrestaurants.ThenhewouldannouncethathewasgoingawaytoEuropeortoCalifornia,ortoEgyptforawhile.Thenextdayhewouldcometoschoolsmilingnervously.Hissisterwasill,hewouldsay.Buthewasstillplanningtomakehistripnextspring.Paul'sproblemsatschoolbecameworse.Evenafterthemeetingwithhisteachers,thingsdidnotgetbetter.Hetoldthemhehadnotimetostudygrammarandarithmetic.Hetoldthemhehadtohelptheactorsinthetheater.Theywereoldfriendsofhis.Finally,histeacherswenttoPaul'sfather.HetookPauloutofschoolandmadehimgetajob.HetoldthemanagerattheconcerthallthatPaulcouldnotworkthereanymore.HisfatherwarnedthedoormanatthetheaternottoletPaulintotheplace.AndCharleyEdwardspromisedPaul'sfathernottoseePaulagain.AlltheactorsatthetheaterlaughedwhentheyheardaboutthestoriesPaulhadbeentelling.ThewomenthoughtitwasfunnythatPaulhadtoldpeoplehetookthemouttonicerestaurantsandsentthemflowers.TheyagreedwiththeteachersandwithhisfatherthatPaul'swasabadcase.YouhavejustheardpartoneoftheAmericanstory"Paul'sCase."WillaCatherwroteit.DonnadeSanctis?adapteditforVOALearningEnglish.Yo