诺贝尔文学经典:《宠儿》第13章Part 2

Mr. Garner laughed. "Nothing to be scared of, Jenny. Just keep your same ways, you'll be all right."She covered her mouth to keep from laughing too loud.
"These people I'm taking you to will give you what help you need. Name of Bodwin. A brotherand a sister. Scots. I been knowing them for twenty years or more."Baby Suggs thought it was a good time to ask him something she had long wanted to know.
"Mr. Garner," she said, "why you all call me Jenny?"'"Cause that what's on your sales ticket, gal. Ain't that your name? What you call yourself?""Nothings" she said. "I don't call myself nothing."Mr. Garner went red with laughter. "When I took you out of Carolina, Whitlow called you Jennyand Jenny Whitlow is what his bill said. Didn't he call you Jenny?""No, sir. If he did I didn't hear it.""What did you answer to?""Anything, but Suggs is what my husband name.""You got married, Jenny? I didn't know it.""Manner of speaking.""You know where he is, this husband?""No, sir.""Is that Halle's daddy?""No, sir.""why you call him Suggs, then? His bill of sale says Whitlow too, just like yours.""Suggs is my name, sir. From my husband. He didn't call me Jenny.""What he call you?"
"Baby.""Well," said Mr. Garner, going pink again, "if I was you I'd stick to Jenny Whitlow. Mrs. BabySuggs ain't no name for a freed Negro."Maybe not, she thought, but Baby Suggs was all she had left of the "husband" she claimed. Aserious, melancholy man who taught her how to make shoes. The two of them made a pact: whichever one got a chance to run would take it; together if possible, alone if not, and no lookingback. He got his chance, and since she never heard otherwise she believed he made it. Now howcould he find or hear tell of her if she was calling herself some bill-of-sale name? She couldn't getover the city. More people than Carolina and enough whitefolks to stop the breath. Two-storybuildings everywhere, and walkways made of perfectly cut slats of wood. Roads wide as Garner'swhole house.
"This is a city of water," said Mr. Garner. "Everything travels by water and what the rivers can'tcarry the canals take. A queen of a city, Jenny. Everything you ever dreamed of, they make it righthere. Iron stoves, buttons, ships, shirts, hairbrushes, paint, steam engines, books. A sewer systemmake your eyes bug out. Oh, this is a city, all right. If you have to live in a city — this is it."The Bodwins lived right in the center of a street full of houses and trees. Mr. Garner leaped out andtied his horse to a solid iron post.

加纳先生大笑起来。"没什么可怕的，珍妮。原来怎么着，往后还怎么着，你不会出事的。"她捂着嘴，以免笑得太响。
"我带你去见的人会给你一切帮助。姓鲍德温。一兄一妹。苏格兰人。我认识他们有二十多年了。"贝比·萨格斯认为这是个好时机，去问问她好久以来一直想知道的事情。
"加纳先生，"她问道，"你们为什么都叫我珍妮？""因为那写在你的出售标签上，姑娘。那不是你的名字吗？你怎么称呼自己呢？""没有，"她说，"我自个儿没称呼。"加纳先生笑得满脸通红。"我把你从罗来纳带出来的时候，惠特娄叫你珍妮，他的标签上就写着你叫珍妮·惠特娄。他不叫你珍妮吗？""不叫，先生。就算他叫过，我也没听见。""那你怎么答应呢？""随便什么。可萨格斯是我丈夫的姓。""你结婚了，珍妮？我还不知道呢。""可以这么说吧。""你知道他在哪儿吗，这个丈夫？""不知道，先生。""是黑尔的爸爸吗？""不是，先生。""那你为什么叫他萨格斯？他的标签上也写着惠特娄，跟你一样。""萨格斯是我的姓，先生。随我丈夫。他不叫我珍妮。""他叫你什么？"
"贝比。""是吗，"加纳先生说着，又一次笑粉了脸，"我要是你，就一直用珍妮·惠特娄。贝比·萨格斯太太对一个自由的黑奴来说，听着不像个名字。"也许不像，她心想，可"贝比·萨格斯"是她的所谓"丈夫"留下来的一切。是个严肃、忧郁的男人，教会了她做鞋。他们两人达成了协议：谁有机会逃就先逃走；如果可能就一起逃，否则就单独逃，再也不回头。他得到了一个机会，她从此再没了他的音讯，所以她相信他成功了。现在，如果她用某个卖身标签上的名字称呼自己，他怎么能够找到她、听说她呢？她适应不了城市。人比卡罗来纳还多，白人多得让你窒息。二层楼房比比皆是，人行道是用切得整整齐齐的木板做的。路面像加纳先生的整幢房子一样宽。
"这是一座水城，"加纳先生说，"所有东西都从水上运来，河水运不了的就用运河。一个城市里的女王啊，珍妮。你梦想过的一切，他们这里都能造出来。铁炉子、扣子、船、衬衫、头发刷子、油漆、蒸汽机、书。裁缝行能让你眼珠子掉出来。噢，没错，这才是座城市呢。你要是必须住在城里——就是这儿啦。"鲍德温兄妹就住在一条挤满房屋和树木的大街的中段。加纳先生跳下大车，把马拴在结实的铁桩上。