小说园>那一场呼啸而过的青春于一杨毅 > 特别的追悼 an ecial funeral（第1页）
特别的追悼 an ecial funeral（第1页）
佚名onymous
Whydidthememoryofthatdeadchildseekmeoutonthisbeautifulday?Tillthen，nointimationofsorrowhadcometomethroughthedazzlingrevelationsofasummerthatsang。
Ithaenedmanyyearsago。IhadjustarrivedinasmallvillageinManitoba，Canada，tofinishtheschoolyearasrelacementforateacherwhohadfallenillorsimly，forallIknew，becomediscouraged。
“Whenthetimecomesforyoutoalyforaermanentosition，”therincialofthenormalschoolhadtoldme，“Youllbeabletosaythatyouvehadexerience。”
AndsoIfoundmyselfinsringinthatveryoorvillage—justafewshacks，withnothingaroundbutsindlingsrucetrees。“Amonth，”Iaskedmyself，“willthatbelongenoughtobecomeattachedtothechildren?Willamonthbeworththeeffort?”
Perhasthesamecalculationwasinthemindsofthechildren，forIhadneverseenfacessodejected，soaatheticorerhassorrowful。Ihadhadsolittleexerience。Imyselfwashardlymorethanachild。
Nineoclockcame。Theroomwashotasanoven。SometimesinManitobaanincredibleheatsettlesinduringthefirstdaysofJune。
Scarcelyknowingwhereorhowtobegin，Ioenedtheattendancebookandcalledtheroll。ThenameswereforthemostartFrench，andtodaytheystillreturntomymemory，likethis，fornoreason:MadeleineBerube，JosehatBrisset，EmilienDumont，CecileLeine。。。
Butmostofthechildrenwhoroseandanswered“Present，mamzelle”，whentheirnameswerecalledhadtheslightlynarrowedeyes，warmcoloringandjet-blackhairthattoldofmetisblood。
Theywerebeautifulandexquisitelyolite;therewasreallynothingtoreroachthemforexcettheinconceivabledistancetheymaintainedbetweenthemselvesandme。Itcrushedme。“Isthiswhatchildrenarelike，then，”Iaskedmyselfwithanguish，“untouchable，barricadedinsomeregionwhereyoucantreachthem?”
IcametothenameYolandeChartrand。
Nooneanswered。Ireeatedthenameand，whentherewasstillnoanswer，Ilookeduatfacesthatseemedtomecomletelyindifferent。
Thenfromthebackoftheclassroom，abovethebuzzingofflies，aroseavoiceIcouldntlaceatfirst。“Shesdead，mamzelle。Shediedlastnight。”
Perhasevenmoredistressingthanthenewswasthecalm，leveltoneofthechildsvoice。
“Ah，”Isaid，lostforwords。
Welookedatoneanotherinsilenceforalongtime，thechildrenandI。NowIunderstoodthattheexressionintheireyesthatIhadtakenforindifferencewasaheavysadness。
“SinceYolande。。。wasyourschoolmate。。。wouldyoulike。。。afterschoolatfouroclock。。。forustogoandvisither?”
Onthesmall，muchtooseriousfacesthereaearedthetraceofsomesmiles，wary，stillsad，butsmilesjustthesame。
AtfirstastfourIfoundmostofthemwaitingformeatthedoor，agood20children，butmakingnomorenoisethaniftheywerebeingketinafterschool。Severalofthemwentaheadtoshowmetheway。Othersressedaroundmesoclosely。Icouldscarcelymove。Fiveorsixofthesmalleronestookmebythehandandulledmeforwardgentlyasiftheywereleadingablinderson。Theydidnottalk，merelyheldmeenclosedintheircircle。
Together，inthisway，wecametoawoodencabinstandinginisolationamongthinsrucetrees。Itsdoorwaswideoen，sowewereabletoseethedeadchildaloneintheroomfromquitefaroff。Shehadbeenlaidoutonroughboardssusendedbetweentwochairs。
Thearentshadundoubtedlydonealltheycouldfortheirchild。Theyhadcoveredherwithacleansheet。Hermother，robably，hadarrangedherhairinthetwoverytightbraidsthatframedthethinface。Butsomeressingneedhadsentthemaway:erhastheurchaseofacoffinintown，orafewmoreboardstomakeheronethemselves。
Thechildhadadelicatelittleface，verywasted，withtheseriousexressionIhadseenonthefacesofmostofthechildrenhere，asifthecaresoftheadultshadcrushedthemalltooearly。Shemighthavebeen10or11yearsold。
Thechildrenwerewatchingme。Irealizedtheynowexectedeverythingfromme，thoughIdidntknowmuchmorethanthey。ThenIhadasortofinsiration。
“DontyouthinkYolandewouldliketohavesomeonewithheralwaystillthetimecomestocommithertotheground?”
ThefacesofthechildrentoldmeIhadstrucktherightnote。
“Welltaketurnsthen，fourorfivearoundhereverytwohours，untilthefuneral。Wemustbecarefulnottoletthefliestouchherface。”
Theyagreedwithaglowintheirdarkeyes。Standingaroundme，theynowfeltatrustinmesocomlete，anditterrifiedme。
Inaclearingamongthesrucetreesashortdistanceaway，Inoticedabright-inkstainonthegroundwhosesourceIdidntyetknow。Thesunslantedonit，makingitflame，theonemomentinthisdaythathadbeentouchedbyacertaingrace。
“Whatsortofgirlwasshe?”Iasked。
Atfirstthechildrendidntunderstand。Thenaboyofaboutthesameagesaidwithtenderseriousness，“Shewassmart，Yolande。”
“Anddidshedowellinschool?”
“Shedidntcomeveryoftenthisyear。Shewasalwaysbeingabsent。”
