MYSELF AS SPORTSMAN
THENEWYORKERFIbyDorisLessingJanuary21,1956
Nowadays,wheypeswhoflushgrouseorworksalmon(Ithinkthesearethecorrectterms),Imoreoftenthannotbeheardsaving,“Allthesame,food,spivemeaflockofguineafowlinopentry.”Fromthere,Ipassontocasualmentionofthehigherfauna—deerandlions,andsoon—andinnotimethemosthardenedsportsmenareoozingenvyofwhatsoundslikeagirlhoodspentoualsafari.Ikeepthetruthtomyself.
NotthatIhaven’tseenlions.Ihaveenteredthem,andotheriinganimals,intheLondonZoo,whereIgotolookatthemfromtimetotime.Andonmyhomeground,whichisMashonaland,SouthernRhodesia,faunaofeverykioflourishand,forallIknow,flourishyet.Idonotcare.Ineverdid.
Alongwithmyindiffereandlittlegamegoesthefactthatthiswholeplexislinkedirretrievablywithmysiblingrivalry(formybrother)andmymaseprotest(againstpracticallyeverything).Itallstartedvery,early,whenmybrivena.22rifle—Butperhapsitwouldbebesttogoevenfurtherback,tohisbicycle,whichherodeperfectlyatthefirstattempt,whereasIcouldonlylookatitandshudderwithfear.Idecideditwasnotbeingfirltorideaboy’sbicycle,andstuckoutforoneofmyown,knowingfullwellthatthestateofthefamily’sfinanceswouldputofftheevilhourindefinitely.
Inthelightofthisdiscreditableandevasivebehavior,itiseasytouandpenedwhenthe.22rifleappeared,duringoneofmybrother’sholidaysfromschool.Hepickeditup,tookaimatasmallbirdsittingonatwigahundredyardsaway,judiciouslypressedthetrigger,andthebirdfelldead.Irememberhefeltbadbecausetheshothadnotgohroughtheeye.Tohim,therefore,sportimmediatelytookonitspropercolors;tofireatasittingbirdwasaltogetherbehhim,andunlesshecouldgetinagoodobliqueshotatabirdhwiddershinsahundredandfiftyyardsoff,withastrongwiweenhimandit,hewouldnotshoot.Asforduikerbok—smallantelope,whicharenotonlyplentifulinourpartsbutverygoodtoeat—hewouldnotkilloneunlesshehadfirstarrangedanexhaustingcrawlthroughthickbush,preferablyinheavymud.
When,oneday,hehaherifletome,IsaidIdidnotcareforit.WhyIdidnotsticktothissimpletruthIagine.IdidpointoutthatevenpeoplelikeHunterJimandElephantBillusedshotgunsforbirdsonthewingaherun,andthatitwouldneverhaveeheirheadstousea.22rifle,butmybrotherwasnotmoved.Ididnotexpecthimtobe.
Afterhehadgonebacktoschool,Icrepttohisroomandtookthe.22fromthebedofoiledwasteinwhichhehadlaiditawayforthedurationoftheterm.Ispentaweekingerlyopeningandshuttihing,andputtingbulletsinandtaki.WhenIcoulddothiswithoutfling,Iwentoutintothebushwithit.
Therewasalotofbushallaroundourhouse—infact,milesofitineverydire,wild,uninhabited,aperfectparadiseforsportsmen.Irememberclearlyhow,thatfirstday,Imoonedalong,thinkingaboutGuinevereandAnneables,untilafinekudubull(faunaofthemostcovetablesort,antelopethesizeofahorse)thathadapparentlybeenscrutinizingmefromananthilltooktoitshoofsandfled.Iwatcheditgo.(Mybrother,needlesstosay,hadalreadyshothalfadozenkuduthroughtheeyeunderimpossiblehandicaps.)
appearedaduiker,andIputtheguntomyshoulderandfiredrepeatedlybutwithoutresult,sihecreaturehadvanishedbeforeIaosightit.
Thatwasadiscingday,andthosethatfolloweditwereer.Oneday,Iwassittingonaroaclearingwhenaguineafowltrottedpast,followedsoonbyabouttwentyuineafowl,insinglefile.Iliftedmygunandshotateachofthem.Itwasexactlylikeshootinginafunfair,withrabbits,orwhatyoulike,movingbeforeyouonaband.Imissedalltwentyoftheguineafowl,andthoughthowmucheasieritwouldbeifonlytheywerepreparedtokeepstill.Fromthisthoughtmysuccesswasborn,andsiwasbasedentirelyonthehabitsofguineafowl,Ishallnowdescribethem—fromasportsman’s,notanaturalist’s,pointofview.
Guineafowlmoveinflocksofanywherefromtentotwohuheybeheardalongwayoff,becauseofak,k,kingsoundtheymake,likestonesrubbingtogetheruer.Whendisturbed,whichtheyregularlyare,sihiskingadvertisestheirpreseoeveryenemyformilesaround,theysetuparaucousplaintandruremelyfastinalldires.Iftheystucktodoingthis,theywouldbepracticallyinvulnerable,but,no—curiosityistheirdownfall.Moreoftenthannot,beforetheyhaverunanydistaheyflyupintotreestoseewhatisgoingon.Theirwingsareweak,andohetreestheyarereluttolaunchthemselvesintospace.
Havingsideredthesefadalltheirimplications,IsetoutonedaywiththerifleandwanderedarounduntilIheardthe“k,k.”Icrepttowardit.ThenIheavedalargesto.Therewasascurrying,alyseventy-fuineafowlflewupintotreesallaroundme.Ikherewereseventy-fourbecauseIsatonalogtingthemanddegwhichlookedtheyouandfattest.Ithencarefullyaimedatthisoneandfired.Thebirdstartedperceptibly,aledbadwatchedaleafthathadbeendislodgedfromafrondthreefeetaboveitsheadfloatdowntomyfeet.Itriedagain.HowdifficultitistokeepagunbarrelstillbecameapparenttomeonlynowthatIhadallthetimeintheworldtopracticeit.Iwalkedtoanearbytreeandlaidthebarrelagainstitstrunkforsupport.
ThebirdIhadchosenwasaboutfouryardsaway.Ikepttheriflesteadylongenoughtoshootitinthecrop.Itfell,andIdispatcheditwithanothershot,intheeye,ahomewithit.Thefamily,naturally,assumedithadbeenshotonthewing,andithat—thefirstshotgoingunnoticed—aerwiththisnewswasatoomybrother.
Thereafter,myteique,whileremainingsubstantiallythesame,developedsmallrefis.Forinstahoughaproperlytraineddogwouldhavebeenuselesstome,wedidhaveadogperfeypurposes.Itookhimalofullpelttowardthe“k,k”assoonasheheardit,andbythetimeIarrived,dozensofguineafowlwerealreadyperchedoree,watgthedog,whowasboungandyellihem,satisfactorilydistragtheirattentionfrommewhileIarrangedmyselfandybirdatleisure.
Aguineafowlbesetbyayappingdogtendstoshowuneasinessbyturningslowlyaroundandaroundonitsperch,butitturnsonitsownaxisandsopresentsamoreorlessstabletarget.TherewasoneoccasionwhenabirdsittingonalowbushwassofasatedbythedogthatIwasabletoleanoverandpluckitoffthebranchbythelegs.ThenIwrungitsneck.Ihaveneverbeforerevealedthisdeplorableioasoul.WhenItookthefowlhome,Iexplaihatthebullethadstruckitsbeakandstu,andsaidcarelesslythatitsoundedverylikeoneofmybrother’smoretortuousfeats.
Iknewverywellthatwhenmybrothercamehome,thatwouldbetheendofme.And,infatheeveningofhisarrivalmybrothertookmeintothebush,saying,“Now,let’sseeyoudoit.”
Thedogwentyappingoffafteraflockofguineafowl.Ishotnegligentlyatabirdrisingintoatree,shrugged,andsaidself-critically,“Damnedbadshot.”Mybrother,ofcourse,sawatoallsportwiththatflockwasatanend,butthedogtiowhinepointedlyundervariousplumpbirdswhilemybrotherandIwalkedoffinsearchofairborargets.
Thishappenedseveraltimes.Mymotherplaihatthelarderty.Then,luckily,mybrotaduikerthathadpresentedalongshotdownhillinbadlight.Weatetheduikerforawholeweek(themaindisadvantageoflivinginasportsman’sparadiseisthetediumofthediet)andIwasabletosaythatitwasaltogetherunsptokillthingswhilewewereinnoneedofmeat.Butthenthereweretendaysmoreofmybrother’sholidaystogetthrough,andmyexposurewasclearlyimmi.ItriedtodeferitbysayingthatIwasincapable,forpsychologicalreasons,ofshootinganythingwhilewatched.Iwentoffintothebushbymyself,andmybrothersecretlyfollowedandcaughtmeiofshootingasittingbirdatfourorfiveyards.Itoldhimhisbehaviorwassneakingandcaddish,buthewastooshockedtolistetheblowtothefamilyhonorsoprofoundlythathesaidnothingthateveningatsupper.Ithinkhewaswhowtobreakittomyfatherintheleasttraumaticway.
Thatnight,mybrotherwentoutspot-shooting—huntingwithalight.Spot-shootingthewayhediditwasnotunsp,becausehesawtoitthatthecesweresubstantiallyoherside.Onlycrudetypesusetheheadlightsofcars;mybrotherfixedaweakbicyclelamptohisforeheadaforthintothenightlikeaquixoticCyclops.Theusualpracticeistofixtheeyesofananimalwiththelight,thenwalkascloseaspossibletothehypnotizedcreatureandshootit.Mybrother’smethodmeantthatthecreaturewouldbeiedbutnotfixed.Itwouldhaveplentyofopportunitytorunaway.
Hereturnedfromthatexpeditionseverelydepressed.Apparently,hehadseentwogreeneyesfiftyyardsoff.Theyhadnotmoved.Hehadshouted,butnothinghadhappened.He’dswitchedoffhisheadlampandfiredbetweentheeyes.Theyhadnotmoved.Hehadfiredagain.Itwasobviouslyimpossiblethathecouldhavemissed,buthehadfiredthreetimesmore.Thenhehadwalkeduptohistargetvihathewouldfindfivecorpsespiledupthere.Hehadfound,iwoglow-wormsonalog.Theiwassuchablowtohispridethathefottodiscussmycasewithmyparents.Thiswas,onthewhole,luckyforthehousehold,which,aftermybrotherwentbacktoschool,ItiosupplywithmeatuntilonehappydaywhenIwasabletoleaveforthecityandthedelightsofcivilization.
Mytalentsashunterwereusefuloheroccasion.IthappehatwhileiyIbecameengaged,orattached—theprecisewordforthisrelationshipevadesme—toayoungmanwhowasineveryortsman.Hisceptionsofhonorwereintricate,andcausedmehoursofintrospe,asaresultofwhichIcludedwewereill-matched.He,however,didnotthinkso,andtriedtopersuademethatmyrelucetojoinmyfateeternallytohiswastheresultoftenderage;Iwassixteenatthetime.
Amongothervirtues,hehadideasabouthunting,shooting,andfishingthatbedescribedonlyasclassic.Hehadalargenumberofgoldandsilvermedalsformarksmanship,andwas,naturally,eagertovisitourfarm,wherehecouldprovehimself.SinceleavingScotlandtenyearsbefore,neveroncehadhesetfootonanyshootinggroundbutatargetrange.
Forawhile,Imadeexcuses,butatlasttheyranout,ahomeforaweekendvisit.Itookhimguinea-fowlshooting,sinceIwasfamedforthis,but,ofcourse,Ipressedtherifleintohishandwiththeself-denialproodhostess.Atonce,heshowedthecorreessofhisupbringingbysayingthatnoonehadeverheardofshootingbirdswitharifle.Buthetried.Hemissedagoodmanyguineafowlrunningalongtheground,whichwashardlysurprising,seeingthespeedtheygetup.Thenhemissedalotmoreflyingupintothetrees.Hehithattime,hewasinabadtemper.Hepushedtheriflebatomyhandandsaid,“Well,then,youshowmehowtodoit.”
Theguineafowlwerebynowallsafelyupirees.Wethrewstohem,andevenshookthetrees,buttheywouldn’tbudge.Icouldnotshoot.WebeganwalkinghomealongatrackthroughthebushwhileIprayedthatnosedflockofbirdswouldannouself.Iplanned,ifIheardthe“k,k,”totalkveryloudlyanddrownit.Suddenlyheshouted,“Look!Now’syource!”
Hundredsoffeetaartridgedodgedamosoftheroad.Idoubtwhetherevenmybrothercouldhavehitit.Asmallpuffofwindraisedthedust.Isawmyd,muttering,“Damnthisdust,”Ifiredatrandomintoit.
Thedustsubsided.Thepartridgelaydead,shhthehead—arunningshot,frombehind,atahundredayyards.Iejectedthecartridgeinaneffitsortofway,andmypaniohedistawice.Isaidnothing,ofcourse;oboast.
Hethenbeganplainingthathewasnotusedtothegun,thatitwastenyearssincehehadshotatamovingtarget,andsooioexcusehimselfthusatsupper.Myfatherwassilent.Iimagihiswasfortheusualreason—thathewasthinkingofsomethingelse—butatlastitcamehometomethatitwasbecausehissenseofdecywasbeinged.
Agoodsportsman,Iremembered,stheblameforhisfailuresoher,orluck,oranythingbuthimself.Ihaveneveruoodwhy,butthenit’saman’sworld.day,myfathersaiddarklythattherewasnothinglikesporttouttheotsinaman’scharacter,and,thussupported,Iwasabletobreakoffthee,orattat,ihonorableway.Soohis,Iacquiredaninflexibleprinciple—hatitiswrongtoshootfaunaofanykind—andwiththatIlaiddownmygun.?松语文学www.16sy.coM免费小说阅读
Nowadays,wheypeswhoflushgrouseorworksalmon(Ithinkthesearethecorrectterms),Imoreoftenthannotbeheardsaving,“Allthesame,food,spivemeaflockofguineafowlinopentry.”Fromthere,Ipassontocasualmentionofthehigherfauna—deerandlions,andsoon—andinnotimethemosthardenedsportsmenareoozingenvyofwhatsoundslikeagirlhoodspentoualsafari.Ikeepthetruthtomyself.
NotthatIhaven’tseenlions.Ihaveenteredthem,andotheriinganimals,intheLondonZoo,whereIgotolookatthemfromtimetotime.Andonmyhomeground,whichisMashonaland,SouthernRhodesia,faunaofeverykioflourishand,forallIknow,flourishyet.Idonotcare.Ineverdid.
Alongwithmyindiffereandlittlegamegoesthefactthatthiswholeplexislinkedirretrievablywithmysiblingrivalry(formybrother)andmymaseprotest(againstpracticallyeverything).Itallstartedvery,early,whenmybrivena.22rifle—Butperhapsitwouldbebesttogoevenfurtherback,tohisbicycle,whichherodeperfectlyatthefirstattempt,whereasIcouldonlylookatitandshudderwithfear.Idecideditwasnotbeingfirltorideaboy’sbicycle,andstuckoutforoneofmyown,knowingfullwellthatthestateofthefamily’sfinanceswouldputofftheevilhourindefinitely.
Inthelightofthisdiscreditableandevasivebehavior,itiseasytouandpenedwhenthe.22rifleappeared,duringoneofmybrother’sholidaysfromschool.Hepickeditup,tookaimatasmallbirdsittingonatwigahundredyardsaway,judiciouslypressedthetrigger,andthebirdfelldead.Irememberhefeltbadbecausetheshothadnotgohroughtheeye.Tohim,therefore,sportimmediatelytookonitspropercolors;tofireatasittingbirdwasaltogetherbehhim,andunlesshecouldgetinagoodobliqueshotatabirdhwiddershinsahundredandfiftyyardsoff,withastrongwiweenhimandit,hewouldnotshoot.Asforduikerbok—smallantelope,whicharenotonlyplentifulinourpartsbutverygoodtoeat—hewouldnotkilloneunlesshehadfirstarrangedanexhaustingcrawlthroughthickbush,preferablyinheavymud.
When,oneday,hehaherifletome,IsaidIdidnotcareforit.WhyIdidnotsticktothissimpletruthIagine.IdidpointoutthatevenpeoplelikeHunterJimandElephantBillusedshotgunsforbirdsonthewingaherun,andthatitwouldneverhaveeheirheadstousea.22rifle,butmybrotherwasnotmoved.Ididnotexpecthimtobe.
Afterhehadgonebacktoschool,Icrepttohisroomandtookthe.22fromthebedofoiledwasteinwhichhehadlaiditawayforthedurationoftheterm.Ispentaweekingerlyopeningandshuttihing,andputtingbulletsinandtaki.WhenIcoulddothiswithoutfling,Iwentoutintothebushwithit.
Therewasalotofbushallaroundourhouse—infact,milesofitineverydire,wild,uninhabited,aperfectparadiseforsportsmen.Irememberclearlyhow,thatfirstday,Imoonedalong,thinkingaboutGuinevereandAnneables,untilafinekudubull(faunaofthemostcovetablesort,antelopethesizeofahorse)thathadapparentlybeenscrutinizingmefromananthilltooktoitshoofsandfled.Iwatcheditgo.(Mybrother,needlesstosay,hadalreadyshothalfadozenkuduthroughtheeyeunderimpossiblehandicaps.)
appearedaduiker,andIputtheguntomyshoulderandfiredrepeatedlybutwithoutresult,sihecreaturehadvanishedbeforeIaosightit.
Thatwasadiscingday,andthosethatfolloweditwereer.Oneday,Iwassittingonaroaclearingwhenaguineafowltrottedpast,followedsoonbyabouttwentyuineafowl,insinglefile.Iliftedmygunandshotateachofthem.Itwasexactlylikeshootinginafunfair,withrabbits,orwhatyoulike,movingbeforeyouonaband.Imissedalltwentyoftheguineafowl,andthoughthowmucheasieritwouldbeifonlytheywerepreparedtokeepstill.Fromthisthoughtmysuccesswasborn,andsiwasbasedentirelyonthehabitsofguineafowl,Ishallnowdescribethem—fromasportsman’s,notanaturalist’s,pointofview.
Guineafowlmoveinflocksofanywherefromtentotwohuheybeheardalongwayoff,becauseofak,k,kingsoundtheymake,likestonesrubbingtogetheruer.Whendisturbed,whichtheyregularlyare,sihiskingadvertisestheirpreseoeveryenemyformilesaround,theysetuparaucousplaintandruremelyfastinalldires.Iftheystucktodoingthis,theywouldbepracticallyinvulnerable,but,no—curiosityistheirdownfall.Moreoftenthannot,beforetheyhaverunanydistaheyflyupintotreestoseewhatisgoingon.Theirwingsareweak,andohetreestheyarereluttolaunchthemselvesintospace.
Havingsideredthesefadalltheirimplications,IsetoutonedaywiththerifleandwanderedarounduntilIheardthe“k,k.”Icrepttowardit.ThenIheavedalargesto.Therewasascurrying,alyseventy-fuineafowlflewupintotreesallaroundme.Ikherewereseventy-fourbecauseIsatonalogtingthemanddegwhichlookedtheyouandfattest.Ithencarefullyaimedatthisoneandfired.Thebirdstartedperceptibly,aledbadwatchedaleafthathadbeendislodgedfromafrondthreefeetaboveitsheadfloatdowntomyfeet.Itriedagain.HowdifficultitistokeepagunbarrelstillbecameapparenttomeonlynowthatIhadallthetimeintheworldtopracticeit.Iwalkedtoanearbytreeandlaidthebarrelagainstitstrunkforsupport.
ThebirdIhadchosenwasaboutfouryardsaway.Ikepttheriflesteadylongenoughtoshootitinthecrop.Itfell,andIdispatcheditwithanothershot,intheeye,ahomewithit.Thefamily,naturally,assumedithadbeenshotonthewing,andithat—thefirstshotgoingunnoticed—aerwiththisnewswasatoomybrother.
Thereafter,myteique,whileremainingsubstantiallythesame,developedsmallrefis.Forinstahoughaproperlytraineddogwouldhavebeenuselesstome,wedidhaveadogperfeypurposes.Itookhimalofullpelttowardthe“k,k”assoonasheheardit,andbythetimeIarrived,dozensofguineafowlwerealreadyperchedoree,watgthedog,whowasboungandyellihem,satisfactorilydistragtheirattentionfrommewhileIarrangedmyselfandybirdatleisure.
Aguineafowlbesetbyayappingdogtendstoshowuneasinessbyturningslowlyaroundandaroundonitsperch,butitturnsonitsownaxisandsopresentsamoreorlessstabletarget.TherewasoneoccasionwhenabirdsittingonalowbushwassofasatedbythedogthatIwasabletoleanoverandpluckitoffthebranchbythelegs.ThenIwrungitsneck.Ihaveneverbeforerevealedthisdeplorableioasoul.WhenItookthefowlhome,Iexplaihatthebullethadstruckitsbeakandstu,andsaidcarelesslythatitsoundedverylikeoneofmybrother’smoretortuousfeats.
Iknewverywellthatwhenmybrothercamehome,thatwouldbetheendofme.And,infatheeveningofhisarrivalmybrothertookmeintothebush,saying,“Now,let’sseeyoudoit.”
Thedogwentyappingoffafteraflockofguineafowl.Ishotnegligentlyatabirdrisingintoatree,shrugged,andsaidself-critically,“Damnedbadshot.”Mybrother,ofcourse,sawatoallsportwiththatflockwasatanend,butthedogtiowhinepointedlyundervariousplumpbirdswhilemybrotherandIwalkedoffinsearchofairborargets.
Thishappenedseveraltimes.Mymotherplaihatthelarderty.Then,luckily,mybrotaduikerthathadpresentedalongshotdownhillinbadlight.Weatetheduikerforawholeweek(themaindisadvantageoflivinginasportsman’sparadiseisthetediumofthediet)andIwasabletosaythatitwasaltogetherunsptokillthingswhilewewereinnoneedofmeat.Butthenthereweretendaysmoreofmybrother’sholidaystogetthrough,andmyexposurewasclearlyimmi.ItriedtodeferitbysayingthatIwasincapable,forpsychologicalreasons,ofshootinganythingwhilewatched.Iwentoffintothebushbymyself,andmybrothersecretlyfollowedandcaughtmeiofshootingasittingbirdatfourorfiveyards.Itoldhimhisbehaviorwassneakingandcaddish,buthewastooshockedtolistetheblowtothefamilyhonorsoprofoundlythathesaidnothingthateveningatsupper.Ithinkhewaswhowtobreakittomyfatherintheleasttraumaticway.
Thatnight,mybrotherwentoutspot-shooting—huntingwithalight.Spot-shootingthewayhediditwasnotunsp,becausehesawtoitthatthecesweresubstantiallyoherside.Onlycrudetypesusetheheadlightsofcars;mybrotherfixedaweakbicyclelamptohisforeheadaforthintothenightlikeaquixoticCyclops.Theusualpracticeistofixtheeyesofananimalwiththelight,thenwalkascloseaspossibletothehypnotizedcreatureandshootit.Mybrother’smethodmeantthatthecreaturewouldbeiedbutnotfixed.Itwouldhaveplentyofopportunitytorunaway.
Hereturnedfromthatexpeditionseverelydepressed.Apparently,hehadseentwogreeneyesfiftyyardsoff.Theyhadnotmoved.Hehadshouted,butnothinghadhappened.He’dswitchedoffhisheadlampandfiredbetweentheeyes.Theyhadnotmoved.Hehadfiredagain.Itwasobviouslyimpossiblethathecouldhavemissed,buthehadfiredthreetimesmore.Thenhehadwalkeduptohistargetvihathewouldfindfivecorpsespiledupthere.Hehadfound,iwoglow-wormsonalog.Theiwassuchablowtohispridethathefottodiscussmycasewithmyparents.Thiswas,onthewhole,luckyforthehousehold,which,aftermybrotherwentbacktoschool,ItiosupplywithmeatuntilonehappydaywhenIwasabletoleaveforthecityandthedelightsofcivilization.
Mytalentsashunterwereusefuloheroccasion.IthappehatwhileiyIbecameengaged,orattached—theprecisewordforthisrelationshipevadesme—toayoungmanwhowasineveryortsman.Hisceptionsofhonorwereintricate,andcausedmehoursofintrospe,asaresultofwhichIcludedwewereill-matched.He,however,didnotthinkso,andtriedtopersuademethatmyrelucetojoinmyfateeternallytohiswastheresultoftenderage;Iwassixteenatthetime.
Amongothervirtues,hehadideasabouthunting,shooting,andfishingthatbedescribedonlyasclassic.Hehadalargenumberofgoldandsilvermedalsformarksmanship,andwas,naturally,eagertovisitourfarm,wherehecouldprovehimself.SinceleavingScotlandtenyearsbefore,neveroncehadhesetfootonanyshootinggroundbutatargetrange.
Forawhile,Imadeexcuses,butatlasttheyranout,ahomeforaweekendvisit.Itookhimguinea-fowlshooting,sinceIwasfamedforthis,but,ofcourse,Ipressedtherifleintohishandwiththeself-denialproodhostess.Atonce,heshowedthecorreessofhisupbringingbysayingthatnoonehadeverheardofshootingbirdswitharifle.Buthetried.Hemissedagoodmanyguineafowlrunningalongtheground,whichwashardlysurprising,seeingthespeedtheygetup.Thenhemissedalotmoreflyingupintothetrees.Hehithattime,hewasinabadtemper.Hepushedtheriflebatomyhandandsaid,“Well,then,youshowmehowtodoit.”
Theguineafowlwerebynowallsafelyupirees.Wethrewstohem,andevenshookthetrees,buttheywouldn’tbudge.Icouldnotshoot.WebeganwalkinghomealongatrackthroughthebushwhileIprayedthatnosedflockofbirdswouldannouself.Iplanned,ifIheardthe“k,k,”totalkveryloudlyanddrownit.Suddenlyheshouted,“Look!Now’syource!”
Hundredsoffeetaartridgedodgedamosoftheroad.Idoubtwhetherevenmybrothercouldhavehitit.Asmallpuffofwindraisedthedust.Isawmyd,muttering,“Damnthisdust,”Ifiredatrandomintoit.
Thedustsubsided.Thepartridgelaydead,shhthehead—arunningshot,frombehind,atahundredayyards.Iejectedthecartridgeinaneffitsortofway,andmypaniohedistawice.Isaidnothing,ofcourse;oboast.
Hethenbeganplainingthathewasnotusedtothegun,thatitwastenyearssincehehadshotatamovingtarget,andsooioexcusehimselfthusatsupper.Myfatherwassilent.Iimagihiswasfortheusualreason—thathewasthinkingofsomethingelse—butatlastitcamehometomethatitwasbecausehissenseofdecywasbeinged.
Agoodsportsman,Iremembered,stheblameforhisfailuresoher,orluck,oranythingbuthimself.Ihaveneveruoodwhy,butthenit’saman’sworld.day,myfathersaiddarklythattherewasnothinglikesporttouttheotsinaman’scharacter,and,thussupported,Iwasabletobreakoffthee,orattat,ihonorableway.Soohis,Iacquiredaninflexibleprinciple—hatitiswrongtoshootfaunaofanykind—andwiththatIlaiddownmygun.?松语文学www.16sy.coM免费小说阅读
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并不代表本站立场!本站亦无法严格审:Stories by Doris Lessing最新章节其版权归属。如您对Stories by Doris LessingTXT下载持有版权方面的异议，请联系本站客服。我们将于72小时内处理。
Copyright (C) 2019 All Rights Reserved 版权所有：松语文学