the hunger games-饥饿游戏(英文版)-第15章

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¨Yes；　and　Iˇm　sure　the　arena　will　be　full　of　bags　of　flour　for　me　to　chuck　at　people。　Itˇs　not　like　being　able　to　use　a　weapon。　You　know　it　isnˇt；〃　he　shoots　back。
¨He　can　wrestle；〃　I　tell　Haymitch。　¨He　came　in　second　in　our　school　petition　last　year；　only　after　his　brother。〃
¨What　use　is　that？　How　many　times　have　you　seen　someone　wrestle　someone　to　death？〃　says　Peeta　in　disgust。
¨Thereˇs　always　hand…to…hand　bat。　All　you　need　is　to　e　up　with　a　knife；　and　youˇll　at　least　stand　a　chance。　If　I　get　jumped；　Iˇm　dead！〃　I　can　hear　my　voice　rising　in　anger。
¨But　you　wonˇt！　Youˇll　be　living　up　in　some　tree　eating　raw　squirrels　and　picking　off　people　with　arrows。　You　know　what　my　mother　said　to　me　when　she　came　to　say　good…bye；　as　if　to　cheer　me　up；　she　says　maybe　District　Twelve　will　finally　have　a　winner。　Then　I　realized；　she　didnˇt　mean　me；　she　meant　you！〃　bursts　out　Peeta。
¨Oh；　she　meant　you；〃　I　say　with　a　wave　of　dismissal。
¨She　said；　ˉSheˇs　a　survivor；　that　one。ˇ　She　is；〃　says　Peeta。
That　pulls　me　up　short。　Did　his　mother　really　say　that　about　me？　Did　she　rate　me　over　her　son？　I　see　the　pain　in　Peetaˇs　eyes　and　know　he　isnˇt　lying。
Suddenly　Iˇm　behind　the　bakery　and　I　can　feel　the　chill　of　the　rain　running　down　my　back；　the　hollowness　in　my　belly。　I　sound　eleven　years　old　when　I　speak。　¨But　only　because　someone　helped　me。〃
Peetaˇs　eyes　flicker　down　to　the　roll　in　my　hands；　and　I　know　he　remembers　that　day；　too。　But　he　just　shrugs。　¨People　will　help　you　in　the　arena。　Theyˇll　be　tripping　over　each　other　to　sponsor　you。〃
¨No　more　than　you；〃　I　say。
Peeta　rolls　his　eyes　at　Haymitch。　¨She　has　no　idea。　The　effect　she　can　have。〃　He　runs　his　fingernail　along　the　wood　grain　in　the　table；　refusing　to　look　at　me。
What　on　earth　does　he　mean？　People　help　me？　When　we　were　dying　of　starvation；　no　one　helped　me！　No　one　except　Peeta。　Once　I　had　something　to　barter　with；　things　changed。　Iˇm　a　tough　trader。　Or　am　I？　What　effect　do　I　have？　That　Iˇm　weak　and　needy？　Is　he　suggesting　that　I　got　good　deals　because　people　pitied　me？　I　try　to　think　if　this　is　true。　Perhaps　some　of　the　merchants　were　a　little　generous　in　their　trades；　but　I　always　attributed　that　to　their　long…standing　relationship　with　my　father。　Besides；　my　game　is　first…class。　No　one　pitied　me！
I　glower　at　the　roll　sure　he　meant　to　insult　me。
After　about　a　minute　of　this；　Haymitch　says；　¨Well；　then。　Well；　well；　well。　Katniss；　thereˇs　no　guarantee　theyˇll　be　bows　and　arrows　in　the　arena；　but　during　your　private　session　with　the　Gamemakers；　show　them　what　you　can　do。　Until　then；　stay　clear　of　archery。　Are　you　any　good　at　trapping？〃
¨I　know　a　few　basic　snares；〃　I　mutter。
¨That　may　be　significant　in　terms　of　food；〃　says　Haymitch。　¨And　Peeta；　sheˇs　right；　never　underestimate　strength　in　the　arena。　Very　often；　physical　power　tilts　the　advantage　to　a　player。　In　the　Training　Center；　they　will　have　weights；　but　donˇt　reveal　how　much　you　can　lift　in　front　of　the　other　tributes。　The　planˇs　the　same　for　both　of　you。　You　go　to　group　training。　Spend　the　time　trying　to　learn　something　you　donˇt　know。　Throw　a　spear。　Swing　a　mace。　Learn　to　tie　a　decent　knot。　Save　showing　what　youˇre　best　at　until　your　private　sessions。　Are　we　clear？〃　says　Haymitch。　Peeta　and　I　nod。
¨One　last　thing。　In　public；　I　want　you　by　each　otherˇs　side　every　minute；〃　says　Haymitch。　We　both　start　to　object；　but　Haymitch　slams　his　hand　on　the　table。　¨Every　minute！　Itˇs　not　open　for　discussion！　You　agreed　to　do　as　I　said！　You　will　be　together；　you　will　appear　amiable　to　each　other。　Now　get　out。　Meet　Effie　at　the　elevator　at　ten　for　training。〃
I　bite　my　lip　and　stalk　back　to　my　room；　making　sure　Peeta　can　hear　the　door　slam。　I　sit　on　the　bed；　hating　Haymitch；　hating　Peeta；　hating　myself　for　mentioning　that　day　long　ago　in　the　rain。
Itˇs　such　a　joke！　Peeta　and　I　going　along　pretending　to　be　friends！　Talking　up　each　otherˇs　strengths；　insisting　the　other　take　credit　for　their　abilities。　Because；　in　fact；　at　some　point；　weˇre　going　to　have　to　knock　it　off　and　accept　weˇre　bitter　adversaries。　Which　Iˇd　be　prepared　to　do　right　now　if　it　wasnˇt　for　Haymitchˇs　stupid　instruction　that　we　stick　together　in　training。　Itˇs　my　own　fault；　I　guess；　for　telling　him　he　didnˇt　have　to　coach　us　separately。　But　that　didnˇt　mean　I　wanted　to　do　everything　with　Peeta。　Who；　by　the　way；　clearly　doesnˇt　want　to　be　partnering　up　with　me；　either。
I　hear　Peetaˇs　voice　in　my　head。　She　has　no　idea。　The　effect　she　can　have。　Obviously　meant　to　demean　me。　Right？　but　a　tiny　part　of　me　wonders　if　this　was　a　pliment。　That　he　meant　I　was　appealing　in　some　way。　Itˇs　weird；　how　much　heˇs　noticed　me。　Like　the　attention　heˇs　paid　to　my　hunting。　And　apparently；　I　have　not　been　as　oblivious　to　him　as　I　imagined；　either。　The　flour。　The　wrestling。　I　have　kept　track　of　the　boy　with　the　bread。
Itˇs　almost　ten。　I　clean　my　teeth　and　smooth　back　my　hair　again。　Anger　temporarily　blocked　out　my　nervousness　about　meeting　the　other　tributes；　but　now　I　can　feel　my　anxiety　rising　again。　By　the　time　I　meet　Effie　and　Peeta　at　the　elevator；　I　catch　myself　biting　my　nails。　I　stop　at　once。
The　actual　training　rooms　are　below　ground　level　of　our　building。　With　these　elevators；　the　ride　is　less　than　a　minute。　The　doors　open　into　an　enormous　gymnasium　filled　with　various　weapons　and　obstacle　courses。　Although　itˇs　not　yet　ten；　weˇre　the　last　ones　to　arrive。　The　other　tributes　are　gathered　in　a　tense　circle。　They　each　have　a　cloth　square　with　their　district　number　on　it　pinned　to　their　shirts。　While　someone　pins　the　number　12　on　my　back；　I　do　a　quick　assessment。　Peeta　and　I　are　the　only　two　dressed　alike。
As　soon　as　we　join　the　circle；　the　head　trainer；　a　tall；　athletic　woman　named　Atala　steps　up　and　begins　to　explain　the　training　schedule。　Experts　in　each　skill　will　remain　at　their　stations。　We　will　be　free　to　travel　from　area　to　area　as　we　choose；　per　our　mentorˇs　instructions。　Some　of　the　stations　teach　survival　skills；　others　fighting　techniques。　We　are　forbidden　to　engage　in　any　bative　exercise　with　another　tribute。　There　are　assistants　on　hand　if　we　want　to　practice　with　a　partner。
When　Atala　begins　to　read　down　the　list　of　the　skill　stations；　my　eyes　canˇt　help　flitting　around　to　the　other　tributes。　Itˇs　the　first　time　weˇve　been　assembled；　on　level　ground；　in　simple　clothes。　My　heart　sinks。　Almost　all　of　the　boys　and　at　least　half　of　the　girls　are　bigger　than　I　am；　even　though　many　of　the　tributes　have　never　been　fed　properly。　You　can　see　it　in　their　bones；　their　skin；　the　hollow　look　in　their　eyes。　I　may　be　smaller　naturally；　but　overall　my　familyˇs　resourcefulness　has　given　me　an　edge　in　that　area。　I　stand　straight；　and　while　Iˇm　thin；　Iˇm　strong。　The　meat　and　plants　from　the　woods　bined　with　the　exertion　it　took　to　get　them　have　given　me　a　healthier　body　than　most　of　those　I　see　around　me。
The　exceptions　are　the　kids　from　the　wealthier　districts；　the　volunteers；　the　ones　who　have　been　fed　and　trained　throughout　their　lives　for　this　moment。　The　tributes　from　1；　2；　and　4　traditionally　have　this　look　about　them。　Itˇs　technically　against　the　rules　to　train　tributes　before　they　reach　the　Capitol　but　it　happens　every　year。　In　District　12；　we　call　them　the　Career　Tributes；　or　just　the　Careers。　And　like　as　not；　the　winner　will　be　one　of　them。
The　slight　advantage　I　held　ing　into　the　Training　Center；　my　fiery　entrance　last　night；　seems　to　vanish　in　the　presence　of　my　petition。　The　other　tributes　were　jealous　of　us；　but　not　because　we　were　amazing；　because　our　stylists　were。　Now　I　see　nothing　but　contempt　in　the　glances　of　the　Career　Tributes。　Each　must　have　fifty　to　a　hundred　pounds　on　me。　They　project　arrogance　and　brutality。　When　Atala　releases　us；　they　head　straight　for　the　deadliest…looking　weapons　in　the　gym　and　handle　them　with　ease。
Iˇm　thinking　that　itˇs　lucky　Iˇm　a　fast　runner　when　Peeta　nudges　my　arm　and　I　jump。　He　is　still　beside　me；　per　Haymitchˇs　instructions。　His　expression　is　sober。　¨Where　would　you　like　to　start？〃
I　look　around　at　the　Career　Tributes　who　are　showing　off；　clearly　trying　to　intimidate　the　field。　Then　at　the　others；　the　underfed；　the　inpetent；　shakily　having　their　first　lessons　with　a　knife　or　an　ax。
¨Suppose　we　tie　some　knots；〃　I　say。
¨Right　you　are；〃　says　Peeta。　We　cross　to　an　empty　station　where　the　trainer　seems　pleased　to　have　students。　You　get　the　feeling　that　the　knot…tying　class　is　not　the　Hunger　games　hot　spot。　When　he　realizes　I　know　something　about　snares；　he　shows　us　a　simple；　excellent　trap　that　will　leave　a　human　petitor　dangling　by　a　leg　from　a　tree。　We　concentrate　on　this　one　skill　for　an　hour　until　both　of　us　have　mastered　it。　Then　we　move　on　to　camouflage。　Peeta　genuinely　seems　to　enjoy　this　station；　swirling　a　bination　of　mud　and　clay　and　berry　juices　around　on　his　pale　skin；　weaving　disguises　from　vines　and　leaves。　The　trainer　who　runs　the　camouflage　station　is　full　of　enthusiasm　at　his　work。
¨I　do　the　cakes；〃　he　admits　to　me。
¨The　cakes？〃　I　ask。　Iˇve　been　preoccupied　with　watching　the　boy　from　District　2　send　a　spear　through　a　dummyˇs　heart　from　fifteen　yards。　¨What　cakes？〃
¨At　home。　The　iced　ones；　for　the　bakery；〃　he　sa