第7部分(第5/6 頁)

s　old；　she　helped　me　with　all　the　enthusiasm　and　joyfulness　of　her　age。

It　was　one　of　the　last　afteruoons　I　had　her　around　because　her　place　in　school　had　already　been　reserved。　She　wandered　around　so　happily　carefree2　with　her　little　bucket　and　spade；　covering　the　bulbs　with　earth　and　calling　out“Night　night”　or　“Sleep　tight”；　her　little　voice　chattering　constantly　on。　She　discovered　“baby　bulbs”and”　kiddie　bulbs”　and　“mummy　and　daddy　bulbs”—the　latter　snuggling3　cozily4　together。　While　we　were　both　working　so　industriously；　I　watched　my　child　very　deliberately。　She　was　such　a　tiny　thing；　between　an　infant　and　a　toddler；　with　such　a　round　little　tummy。　。　想看書來

金秋時節（2）

Every　autumn；　throughout　her　childhood；　we　repeated　the　ritual　of　planting　the　bulbs　together。　And　every　autumn　I　saw　her　changing；　the　toddler　became　a　schoolgirl；　a　straightforward　realist；　full　of　drive。　Never　once　dreamy；　her　hands　in　her　pockets；　no　longer　happily　indulging　her　fantasies5。　The　school　girl　developedlong　legs；　her　jawine　changed；　she　had　her　hair　cut。　It　was　autumn　again　and　I　thought　“Bye　roses；　bye　butterflies；bye　schoolgirl。”　I　listened　to　her　stories　while　we　painstakingly　burrowed　in　the　earth；　planting　the　promise　of　spring。

Suddenly；　much　quicker　than　I　had　expected；　a　tall　teenager　was　standing　by　my　side：　she　had　grown　taller　than　I。　The　ritual　became　rather　silent；　we　no　longer　chattered　away　from　one　subject　to　another。　I　thought　about　her　room　full　of　posters　and　knick…knacks；　how　it　had　been　full　of　treasures　in　bottles　and　boxes；　white　pebbles；　a　copper　brooch；　colored　drawings；　the　treasures　of　a　child　who　still　knew　nothing　of　money；　who　wanted　to　be　read　aloud　to　and　who　looked　anxiously　at　a　spider6　in　herroom　and　asked；　“Would　he　want　to　be