飘-(上.下)-英文全本典藏

　　《英文全本典藏：飘（英文版 套装上下册）》：　　They were a close-mouthed and stiff-necked family， who kept strictlyto themselves and intermarried with their Carolina relatives， and Geraldwas not alone in disliking them， for the County people were neighborlyand sociable and none too tolerant of anyone lacking in those same quali-ties. Rumors of Abolitionist sympathies did not enhance the popularity ofthe Macintoshes. Old Angus had never manumitted a single slave andhad committed the unpardonable social breach of selling some of his ne-groes to passing slave traders en route to the cane fields of Louisiana，but the rumors persisted.　　"He's an Abolitionist， no doubt，"observed Gerald to John Wilkes. "But，in an Orangeman， when a principle comes up against Scotch tightness，the principle fares ill. "　　The Slatterys were another affair. Being poor white， they were not evenaccorded the grudging respect that Angus Macintosh's dour independencewrung from neighboring families. Old Slattery， who clung persistently tohis few acres， in spite of repeated offers from Gerald and John Wilkes，was shiftless and whining. His wife was a snarly-haired woman， sicklyand washed-out of appearance， the mother of a brood of sullen and rab-bity-looking children—— a brood which was increased regularly everyyear. Tom Slattery owned no slaves， and he and his two oldest boysspasmodically worked their few acres of cotton， while the wife and youn-ger children tended what was supposed to be a vegetable garden. But，somehow， the cotton always failed， and the garden， due to Mrs. Slattery'sconstant childbearing， seldom furnished enough to feed her flock.　　The sight of Tom Slattery dawdling on his neighbors' porches， beggingcotton seed for planting or a side of bacon to"tide him over， "was a famil-iar one. Slattery hated his neighbors with what little energy he pos-sessed， sensing their contempt beneath their courtesy， and especiallydid he hate"rich folks' uppity niggers. "The house negroes of the Countyconsidered themselves superior to white trash， and their unconcealedscorn stung him， while their more secure position in life stirred his en-vy. By contrast with his own miserable existence， they were well-fed，well-clothed and looked after in sickness and old age. They were proudof the good names of their owners and， for the most part， proud to be-long to people who were quality， while he was despised by all.　　Tom Slattery could have sold his farm for three times its value to anyof the planters in the County. They would have considered it money wellspent to rid the community of an eyesore， but he was well satisfied to re-main and to subsist miserably on the proceeds of a bale of cotton a yearand the charity of his neighbors.　　With all the rest of the County， Gerald was on terms of amity andsome intimacy. The Wilkeses， the Calverts， the Tarletons， the Fon-taines， all smiled when the small figure on the big white horse gallopedup their driveways， smiled and signaled for tall glasses in which a ponyof Bourbon had been poured over a teaspoon of sugar and a sprig ofcrushed mint. Gerald was likable， and the neighbors learned in timewhat the children， negroes and dogs discovered at first sight， that a kindheart， a ready and sympathetic ear and an open pocketbook lurked justbehind his bawling voice and his truculent manner.　　……