洗衣女工原文及譯文

1、洗衣女工洗衣女工——I.B辛格一塊洗衣皂一塊洗衣皂——弗蘭克.薩杰森作者簡介作者簡介：I.B辛格翻譯：張偉偉I.B辛格（1902—1991）猶太裔美國人，因其短篇小說而聞名遐邇。辛格出生于波蘭華沙近郊的村莊，1935年因鄰國德國的納粹威脅不斷升級，辛格移民至美國并定居紐約，為當(dāng)?shù)匾患乙獾卣Z報紙擔(dān)任記者開始其多產(chǎn)寫作生涯。辛格共發(fā)表了18部長篇小說，但其最為人所知的還是他所創(chuàng)作的短篇小說。辛格的短篇小說收錄于他的文集中，包括《愚人吉姆佩爾

2、》（1957），（1961）及《羽毛王冠》（1970）。1978年辛格被授予諾貝爾文學(xué)獎。他的短篇小說和長篇小說多發(fā)言了其所生活長大的歐洲東部。TheWashwomanI.B.SingerOurhomehadlittlecontactwithGentiles.ButthereweretheGentilewashwomenwhocametothehousetofetchourlaundry.Mystyisaboutoneofthese.S

3、hewasasmallwomanoldwrinkled.Whenshestartedwashingfusshewasalreadypastseventy.MostJewishwomenofherageweresicklyweakbrokeninbody.Butthiswashwomansmallthinasshewaspossessedastrengththatcamefromgenerationsofpeasantancests.Mo

4、therwouldcountouttoherabagoflaundrythathadaccumulatedoverseveralweeks.Shewouldlifttheheavybagloaditonhernarrowshoulderscarryitthelongwayhome.Itmusthavebeenawalkofanhourahalf.Shewouldbringthelaundrybackabouttwoweekslater.

5、Mymotherhadneverbeensopleasedwithanywithoutbitterness.Onedaythesonwasmarried.Itseemedthathehadmadeagoodmatch.Theweddingtookplaceinachurch.Thesonhadnotinvitedtheoldmothertohisweddingbutshewenttothechurchwaitedatthestepsto

6、seehersonleadthe“younglady”toaltar…Thestyofthefaithlesssonleftadeepimpressiononmymother.Shetalkedaboutitfweeksmonths.Itwasaninsultnotonlytotheoldwomanbuttoallmothers.Motherwouldargue“DoesitpaytomakesacrificesfchildrenThe

7、motherusesupherlaststrengthhedoesnotevenknowthemeaningofloyalty.”Thatwinterwasaharshone.Thestreetswereicy.Nomatterhowmuchweheatedourstovethewindowswerecoveredwithfrost.Thenewspapersreptedthatpeopleweredyingofthecold.Coal

8、becamedear.Thewinterhadbecomesoseverethatparentsstoppedsendingchildrentoschool.Ononesuchdaythewashwomannownearlyeightyyearsoldcametoourhouse.Agooddealoflaundryhadaccumulatedduringthepastweeks.Mothergaveherapotofteatowarm