亚当,午后-第2章
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谑直凵希谂耐贰�
“以前我驯过蛇，我有一打。其中一条又长又黄，是水蛇，但它脱皮逃掉了。看这条正张着嘴巴的蛇，注意它分叉的舌头。碰碰它，它不咬人。”
但是玛丽亚—娜琪塔也怕蛇。他们又去了假山池。他先是给他看喷泉，打开了所有的喷头，这让她特别开心。然后他给她看金鱼。这是一条孤单的老金鱼，它的鱼鳞已经开始变白了。最终，玛丽亚—娜琪塔喜欢这条金鱼，里博热索动手去水里抓它。它很难抓，但如果抓到以后，玛丽亚—娜琪塔就能把它放在碗里，在厨房里养着了。他抓住了它，但不把它捞出水，以免闷死。
“你的手伸下来，摸摸它，”里博热索说。“你能感到它在呼吸；它有象纸一样的鳍，还有刺手的鱼鳞，虽然不多。”
但玛丽亚—娜琪塔也不想摸金鱼。
牵牛花下的泥土非常松软，里博热索用手指捉出了一些又长又软的虫子。
玛丽亚—娜琪塔小声尖叫着逃开了。
“把你的手放在这里，”里博热索指着一棵老桃树的树干说。玛丽亚—娜琪塔不明白为什么，但她还是这样做了；接着她叫起来，冲到池边上，把手浸到水里。因为她手里已经爬满了蚂蚁。那棵桃树是蚂蚁的老巢，那种又黑又小的“阿根廷”蚂蚁。
“瞧着，”里博热索把手放到树干上。蚂蚁爬上了他的手，但他并不把它们赶走。
“为什么？”玛丽亚—娜琪塔问，“为什么你让蚂蚁爬满了你的手？”
现在他的手已经有点变黑了，蚂蚁正在往他的手腕上爬。
“把你的手拿开吧，”玛丽亚—娜琪塔哀求道，“它们会爬满你全身的。”
蚂蚁爬上了他裸着的上臂，已经接近了他的肘部。
一会儿，他整个的手臂被移动着的小黑点组成的纱巾覆盖了；它们爬到了他的胳肢窝，但他还不把它们赶走。
“甩掉它们，里博热索。放你的手臂在水里！”
里博热索笑了，现在一些蚂蚁从他的脖子向他的脸上爬。
“里博热索！你要我做什么我就做什么！我接受你送我的所有那些礼物。”
她伸手到他的脖子上，赶走蚂蚁。
里博热索棕白色的脸上露出了笑容，他把手从树干上移走，若无其事地打扫他的手臂。但他显然被感动了。
“太好了，现在，我会给你一个真正的大礼物，我已经决定了，我能搞到的最大的礼物。”
“那是什么？”
“一只刺猬。”
“哇哇呀！茜格诺拉！茜格诺拉在叫我！”
玛丽亚—娜琪塔刚洗完碗，就听到窗户上石块的敲击声。里博热索带着一个大篮子站在窗下。
“玛丽亚—娜琪塔，让我进来。我要给你一个惊喜。”
“不，你不能进来。你带来什么呀？”
但是这时茜格诺拉拉了铃，玛丽亚—娜琪塔走开了。
等她回到厨房里，已经看不到里博热索了，他不在厨房，也不在窗下。玛丽亚—娜琪塔走到水槽边，她就看到了那个惊喜。
她留下风干的每一个盘子都蹲了一只青蛙；托盘上盘着一条蛇，汤碗里装满了蜥蜴，细长的蜗牛正在玻璃上留下闪光的黏液。装满了水的水盆里游着一条孤独的老金鱼。
玛丽亚—娜琪塔向后退，她看到在她两脚之间有一只硕大无比的癞蛤蟆，在它后面五只小癞蛤蟆排成一排，在黑白相间的瓷砖上，小步跳着朝她而来。
。。
Adam； One Afternoon
＿
italo calvino
the new gardeners boy had long hair which he kept in place by a piece of stuff tied round his head with a little bow。 he was walking along the path with his watering…can filled to the brim and his other arm stretched out to balance the load。 slowly； carefully； he watered the nasturtiums as if pouring out coffee and milk； until the earth at the foot of each plant dissolved into a soft black patch； when it was large and moist enough he lifted the watering…can and passed on to the next plant。 maria…nunziata was watching him from the kitchen window； and thinking what a nice calm job gardening must be。 he was a grown youth； she noticed； though he still wore shorts and that long hair made him look like a girl。 she stopped washing the dishes and tapped on the window。
〃hey； boy；〃 she called。
the gardeners boy raised his head； saw maria…nunziata and smiled。 she laughed back at him； partly because she had never seen a boy with such long hair and a bow like that on his head。 the gardeners boy beckoned to her with one hand； and maria…nunziata went on laughing at the funny gesture hed made； and began gesturing back to explain that she had the dishes to wash。
but the boy beckoned again； and pointed at the pots of dahlias with his other hand。 why was he pointing at those dahlias ？ maria…nunziata opened the window and put her head out。
〃whats up ？〃 she asked； and began laughing again。
〃dyou want to see something nice ？〃
〃whats that ？〃
〃something nice。 e and see。 quickly。〃
〃tell me what。〃
〃ill give you it。 ill give you something very nice。〃
〃but ive the dishes to wash； and the signorall e along and not find me。〃
〃do you want it or dont you？ e on； now。〃
〃wait a second；〃 said maria…nunziata； and shut the window。
when she came out through the kitchen door the gardeners boy was still there； watering the nasturtiums。
〃hallo；〃 said maria…nunziata。
maria…nunziata seemed taller than she was because of her high… heeled shoes； which were a pity to work in； but she loved wearing them。 her little face looked like a childs amid its mass of black curls； and her legs were thin and childlike too； though her body； under the folds of her apron； was already round and ripe。 she was always laughing： either at what others or she herself said。
〃hallo；〃 said the gardeners boy。 the skin on his face； neck and chest was dark brown； perhaps because he was always half naked； as now；
〃whats your name ？〃 asked maria…nunziata。
〃libereso；〃 said the gardeners boy。
mafia…nunziata laughed and repeated： 〃libereso。。。 libereso 。。。 what a funny name； libereso。〃
〃its a name in esperanto；〃 he said。 〃in esperanto it means liberty。 〃
〃esperanto；〃 said maria…nunziata。 〃are you esperanto？〃
〃esperantos a language；〃explained libereso。 〃my father speaks esperanto。〃
〃im calabrian；〃 exclaimed maria…nunziata。
〃whats your name ？〃
〃maria…nunziata；〃 she said and laughed。
〃why are you always laughing ？〃
〃why are you called esperanto ？〃
〃not esperanto； libereso。〃
〃why ？〃
〃why are you called maria…nunziata ？〃
〃it is the madonnas name。 im called after the madonna and my brother after saint joseph。〃
〃senjosef？〃
maria…nunziata burst out laughing： 〃senjosef！ saint joseph； not senjosef； libereso！〃
〃my brother；〃 said libereso； 〃is called germinal and my sister omnia。〃
〃that nice thing you mentioned；〃 said maria…nunziata； 〃show me it。〃
〃e on； then；〃 said libereso。 he put down the watering…can and took her by the hand。
maria…uunziata hesitated。 〃tell me what it is first。〃
〃youll see；〃 he said； 〃but you must promise me to take care of it。〃
〃will you give it to me ？〃
〃yes； ill give it to you。〃 he had led her to a corner of the garden wall。 there the dahlias standing in pots were as tall as themselves。
〃its there。〃
〃what is ？〃
〃wait。〃
maria…nunziata peeped over his shoulder。 libereso bent down to move a pot； lifted another by the wall； and pointed to the ground。
〃there；〃 he said。
〃what is it ？〃 asked maria…nunziata。 she could not see any…thing； the corner was in shadow； full of wet leaves and garden mould。
〃look； its moving；〃 said the boy。 then she saw something which looked like a moving stone or leaf； something wet； with eyes and feet； a toad。
〃mammamial〃
maria…nunziata went skipping off among the dahlias in her high heeled shoes。 libereso squatted down by the toad and laughed； showing the white teeth in the middle of his brown face。
〃are you frightened？ its only a toad！ why are you frightened ？
〃a toad！〃 gasped maria…nunziata。
〃of course its a toad。 e here；〃 said libereso。
she pointed at it with a trembling finger。 〃kill it。〃
he put out his hands； as if to protect it。 〃i dont want to。 its so nice。〃
〃a nice toad ？〃
〃all toads are nice。 they eat the worms。〃
〃oh！〃 said maria…nunziata； but she did not e any nearer。
she was chewing the edge of her apron and trying to watch from the corner of her eyes。
〃look how pretty it is；〃 said libereso and put a hand on it。
maria…nunziata approached； no longer laughing； and looked on open mouthed。 〃no ！ no ！ dont touch it ！〃
with one finger lihereso was stroking the toads grey…green back； which was covered with shiny warts。
〃are you mad ？ dont you know they burn when you touch them； and make your hand swell up ？〃
the boy showed her his big brown hands； the palms covered with a layer of yellow callouses。
〃oh； it wont hurt me；〃 he said。 〃and its so pretty。〃
now hed taken the toad by file scruff of the neck like a cat and put it in the palm of his band。 maria…mmziata； still chewing the edge of her apron； came nearer and crouched down beside him。
〃mammamia！〃 she exclaimed。
they were both crouching down behind the dahlias； and maria…nunziatas rosy knees were grazing the brown； scratched ones of libereso。 libereso cupped his other hand over the back of the toad； and caught it every now and again as it tried to slip out。
〃you stroke it； maria…nunziata；〃 he said。
the girl hid her hands in her apron。
〃no；〃 she said firmly。
〃what ？〃 he said。 〃you dont want it ？〃
maria…nunziata lowered her eyes； glanced at the toad； and lowered them again quickly。
〃no；〃 she said。
〃but its yours。 im giving it to you；〃 said libereso。
maria…nunziatas eyes clouded over。 it was sad to refuse a present； no one ever gave her presents； but the toad really did revolt her。
〃you can take it home if you like。 itll keep you pany。〃
〃no；〃 she said。
libereso put the toad back on the ground and it quickly hopped off and squatted under the leaves。
〃good…bye； libereso。〃
〃wait a minute。〃
〃but i must go and finish washing the dishes。 tile signora doesnt like me ing out in the garden。〃
〃wait。 i want to give you something。 s
