Book1:TeDream-Maker (第141/166页)

rdisappoi，itwasdryandshriveled，totallyinedible．Thishadneverhappenedbefore.Shewasdismayedanddidn’tknowwhattodo．Astrahoughtcametoher．Waste,whetherofthehumanbanicsubstances,wassinfundcruel．Thismelon,forinstance,wasawasteofthegroundthatgrewandnurturedit,andtothemelohatwentthroughthearduousprocessofgrowth．heless,itsultimatefatewasbeingthrownintothegarbage．

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    ThatwasrareleisuretimeforLaverheshortintervalbeforedinner．Shewastiredafterawholeday’sworkandwasreingontheloungechaironthedeck,gazingatsomecloudsfloatingaroundafar-offmountain．Mr.andMrs．Johnsontooweretired．Theyhadstruggledallday．Lifetothemwasaneruggle，whichwastotiiltheirsthour，likeamaeabouttobeunserviceable，butstillingonarduously．Humanlifewasbutananicmaeandonedaywouldiablybetotaled，too．Butsolongastheybreathed,theycouldstilllive;forbreathingwasthepurestifsimplestenjoymentofthefleshbody．Solongastheirbrainsfuned，theyhadreaso．Thoughtsmightbetheinofsorrow，buttheywerealsothesourceofthehighestformofhappihesetwohadstruggledalldayandwerelookingforwardtoadelieal,afterwhichtheywouldslipintothemysteriousdarknessandenjoythesweetnessofslumber．Butas,itwasonlytoawaittheingofthemorrow,anotherdayle．Meanwhile，Markwaslockedinhisroom．Perhapshewasstilltryingtopuzzleoutthatplicatedmathematicalproblem;orhemaybeilyresearghispreciousprizefromtheruins．Oneday，hewasboundtouandthedifferehesexesandthatmasturbationwasnottheonlywaytosatisfytheneedsofhisfleshbody．Mapleleaveswereturnihecrispautumnair，andfleecycloudssurroundingthehilltopsfloatedlightlytowardsher．Lavernewassuddenlystruckwithastrangeidea．Ifthecloudscouldbepluckedaseasilyasmapleleaves,shewouldseizethemastheypassedandmakethemsurroundherhouse．ShewouldpntmapletreesalroundsothatMr．andMrs．Johnson，Markandherselfwouldlivetheirwholelivesharmoniouslytogether，hiddenbycloudsandsurroundedbycolorfulleaves，forthisfragilefamilycouldnolohstandtheslingsandarrowsofeousfortune．

    Hermindwasinaturmoisshethoughtofthepast．ShewouldneverfetthatstormywinterdaywhenMr．Johnsoncamehomeamidthewindandrain，breakierriblehatLaverne’smotherhaddied．Itainful，traumatie，etcheddeeplyinheryoungmemory，forwithinayear，shehadlostbothherparents：herfatherinacaractandher．ShecametolivewithMr.Johnsonwheherremarried；butthebrief，happyinterludehadnotstedtheyear．Shecouldstillrememberherhurt,fearandaywhenMr．JohnsonmarriedagainandhisnewwifeLavyrlbroughtMark，hersonfromherpreviousmarriagewithhertoliveintheJohnsonhome．Lavernewasrudeafultothetestadditionstoherfamily,butLavyrlwaswonderful．Thoughblind,shewasverysensitiveandwasallthemotherLavernecouldwishfor．Sheseemedtoualegirl’santagonismandgraduallywonherenuineloveandkiakingcareofherasshewouldherown．Herso-year-oldMark，wasstrongasanox．Hewasabitretarded,tobesure,butextremelyprotectiveofhislittlesister，andstoodupforheramidtheirpeers．Fromthenon，withMarkasherbodyguard，sheneverhadtofearbeingbulliedinschool．Thisnewfamily,broughttogetherbydifferentcircumstancesoflife,hadastrongtieinmisfortune．

    Thatyear，duetomisma，Mr．Johnson’sfirmwentbankruptandhewasidoff．Unemploym