앵무새 죽이기 <To Kill a Mockingbird> 영어 원서 함께읽기

“ I pulled him down beside me on the cot. I tried to reason with him. “Mr. Nathan’s gonna find ‘em in the morning, Jem. He knows you lost ‘em. When he shows ‘em to Atticus it’ll be pretty bad, that’s all there is to it. Go’n back to bed.” “That’s what I know,” said Jem. “That’s why I’m goin’ after ‘em.” I began to feel sick. Going back to that place by himself — I remembered Miss Stephanie: Mr. Nathan had the other barrel waiting for the next sound he heard, be it nigger, dog... Jem knew that better than I. I was desperate: “Look, it ain’t worth it, Jem. A lickin’ hurts but it doesn’t last. You’ll get your head shot off, Jem. Please...” He blew out his breath patiently. “I — it’s like this, Scout,” he muttered. “Atticus ain’t ever whipped me since I can remember. I wanta keep it that way.” This was a thought. It seemed that Atticus threatened us every other day. “You mean he’s never caught you at anything.” “Maybe so, but — I just wanta keep it that way, Scout. We shouldn’a done that tonight, Scout.” It was then, I suppose, that Jem and I first began to part company. Sometimes I did not understand him, but my periods of bewilderment were short-lived. This was beyond me. “Please,” I pleaded, “can’tcha just think about it for a minute — by yourself on that place—” ”

“ Next morning on the way to school he ran ahead of me and stopped at the tree. Jem was facing me when he looked up, and I saw him go stark white. “Scout!” I ran to him. Someone had filled our knot-hole with cement. “Don’t you cry, now, Scout... don’t cry now, don’t you worry—” he muttered at me all the way to school. ”

“ Atticus left us on the porch. Jem leaned on a pillar, rubbing his shoulders against it. “Do you itch, Jem?” I asked as politely as I could. He did not answer. “Come on in, Jem,” I said. “After while.” He stood there until nightfall, and I waited for him. When we went in the house I saw he had been crying; his face was dirty in the right places, but I thought it odd that I had not heard him. ”