Elisa's Short Story 'The Chrysanthemums'

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The chrysanthemums菊花 Elisa is a young married lady working on an isolated farm and proud of her skills in growing flowers. One day, she suddenly feels a desire to communicate with the outside world. What happens to her? Please read the following story. 年轻媳妇伊利莎住在一家偏僻的农场,一手高超的种花技能令她自豪。一天,她突然有了与外界交流的愿望。有什么故事发生呢?请您往下看。 The high grey-flannel fog of winter closed off the Salinas Valley from the sky and from all the rest of the world. On every side it sat like a lid on the mountains and made of the great valley a closed pot. On the broad, level land floor the gang plows bit deep and left the black earth shining like metal where the shares had cut. On the foothill ranches across the Salinas River, the yellow stubble fields seemed to be bathed in pale cold sunshine, but there was no sunshine in the valley now in December. The thick willow scrub along the river flamed with sharp and positive yellow leaves. 飘荡在半空中的冬雾呈现出灰法兰绒色,将萨利纳斯山谷严实地罩了起来;同时也把它与外界分隔开。雾气锁着山头,四面象顶盖子,而山谷则成了一口盖得严严实实的 深锅。农民在宽阔平坦的土地上深耕,犁铧过处,黑色的土地闪着金属的光泽。在横卧萨利纳斯河的丘陵地上,农场里的茬地泛着黄色,象是沐浴在冷冷的苍白日光下;不过,现在时至腊月,山谷里没什么阳光。河边上密密麻麻的柳丛上的黄叶颜色鲜浓,象着了火似的。 It was a time of quiet and of waiting. The air was cold and tender. A light wind blew up from the southwest so that the farmers were mildly hopeful of a good rain before long; but fog and rain do not go together.…show more content…
She put on her newest underclothing and her nicest stockings and the dress which was the symbol of her prettiness. She worked carefully on her hair, penciled her eyebrows and rouged her lips. Before she was finished she heard the little thunder of hoofs and the shouts of Henry and his helper as they drove the red steers into the corral. She heard the gate bang shut and set herself for Henry's arrival. His step sounded on the porch. He entered the house calling, "Elisa, where are you?" "In my room, dressing. I'm not ready. There's hot water for your bath. Hurry up. It's getting

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