.“Onedayonherwayhomefromschool - itwasFebruary.”“No,” saidanother, “inMarch - , shehadtoborrowabookfromoneoftheothers,” - andIsawonthefacesofsomeofthemthatthey'dgrudgedlendingtheirreadersandwouldalwaysregretthis.“Nothavingadressforherconfirmation, shehadpleadedtillhermotherfinallymadeheronefromtheonlycurtaininthehouse - theonefromthisroom...abeautifullacecurtain, mamzelle.”
“AnddidYolandelookprettyinherlace-curtaindress?” Iasked.
Theyallnoddeddeeply, intheireyesthememoryofapleasantimage.
, , .
“Let'sgoandpicksomerosesforYolande.”
Onthechildren'sfacesthereappearedthesameslowsmilesofgentlesadnessIhadseenwhenIsuggestedvisitingthebody.
, farfromthat, , , thoseofadeepshadethatwasalmostred.
Fromtimetotime, onetuggedatmysleeve.“Mamzelle, seethelovelyoneI'vefound!”
- howcouldthisbe? - itlookedalittlelessforlorn.
Thechildrenformedaringaroundtheirschoolmateandsaidofherwithoutthebittersadnessofthemorning, “Shemusthavegottoheavenbythistime.”
Or.“Shemustbehappynow.”
Ilistenedtothem, alreadyconsolingthemselvesasbesttheycouldforbeingalive...
Butwhy, ohwhy, didthememoryofthatdeadchildseekmeouttodayintheverymidstofthesummerthatsang?
Wasitbroughttomejustnowbythewindwiththescentofroses?
AscentIhavenotmuchlikedsincethelongagoJunewhenIwenttothatpoorestofvillages - toacquire, astheysay, experience.
在这个美好的日子里，不知为什么，我又想起了那个死去的女孩。而此前，我一直沉浸在夏日璀璨的光辉和欢乐的海洋里，毫无任何悲伤的征兆。
事情发生在很多年前，那时，我刚到加拿大曼尼托巴一个小村庄，那里的一个老师生病了，或许只是气馁了。我作为代课老师，要教完那个学年。
“当你申请固定教师职位时，”师范学校的校长曾告诉我，“你就可以说有工作经验了。”
