文章点睛
《泥土》仿佛为我们平铺直叙了一个女人在万圣节前平淡无奇的一天，让我们在不知不觉中受文章如耳语般的行文所左右：这个可爱的小女人得到了周围人的爱戴，过着自给自足的生活，在都柏林的某个屋檐下有她视之为亲人的一群人。然而，正如玛丽亚被孩童们蒙眼抓阄这一极具象征意义的被蒙蔽的举动一样，乔伊斯在这篇文章中用高超的技巧向我们展示了欲望的盲点如何使主人公走上了自欺欺人的道路并如何诱拐着读者们走上同样的道路。
The matron[1]had given her leave to go out as soon as the women’s tea was over，and Maria looked forward to her evening out.The kitchen was spick and span[2]：the cook said you could see yourself in the big copper boilers.The fire was nice and bright and on one of the side-tables[3]were four very big barmbracks[4].These barmbracks seemed uncut；but if you went closer you would see that they had been cut into long thick even slices and were ready to be handed round at tea.Maria had cut them herself.
Maria was a very，very small person indeed，but she had a very long nose and a very long chin.She talked a little through her nose，always soothingly[5]：“Yes，my dear，”or“No，my dear.”She was always sent for when the women quarrelled over their tubs[6]and always succeeded in ****** peace.One day the matron had said to her：
“Maria，you are a veritable[7]peace-maker[8]！”
And the sub-matron and two of the Board ladies had heard the compliment[9].And Ginger Mooney was always saying what she wouldn’t do to the dummy[10]who had charge of[11]the irons[12]if it wasn’t for Maria.Everyone was so fond of Maria.
The women ，would have their tea at six o’clock and she would be able to get away before seven.From Ballsbridge[13]to the Pillar[14]，twenty minutes；from the Pillar to Drumcondra[15]，twenty minutes；and twenty minutes to buy the things.She would be there before eight.She took out her purse with the silver clasps[16]and read again the words A Present from Belfast[17].She was very fond of that purse because Joe had brought it to her five years before when he and Alphy had gone to Belfast on a Whit-Monday[18]trip.In the purse were two-half-crowns[19]and some coppers[20].She would have five shillings clear after paying the tram fare[21].What a nice evening they would have，all the children singing！Only she hoped that Joe wouldn’t come in drunk.He was so different when he took any drink.
Often he had wanted her to go and live with them；but she would have felt herself in the way（though Joe’s wife was ever so nice with her）and she had become accustomed to[22]the life of the laundry.Joe was a good fellow.She had nursed him and Alphy too；and Joe used often to say：
“Mamma is mamma，but Maria is my proper mother.”
After the break-up[23]at home the boys had got her that position in the“Dublin by Lamplight”laundry，and she liked it.She used to have such a bad opinion of Protestants[24]，but now she thought they were very nice people，a little quiet and serious，but still very nice people to live with.Then she had her plants in the conservatory[25]and she liked looking after them.She had lovely ferns[26]and wax-plants[27]and，whenever anyone came to visit her，she always gave the visitor one or two slips[28]from her conservatory.There was one thing she didn’t like and that was the tracts[29]on the walls；but the matron was such a nice person to deal with，so genteel[30]。
When the cook told her everything was ready she went into the women’s room and began to pull the big bell.In a few minutes the women began to come in by twos and threes，wiping their steaming hands in their petticoats[31]and pulling down the sleeves of their blouses over their red steaming arms.They settled down before their huge mugs[32]which the cook and the dummy filled up with hot tea，already mixed with milk and sugar in huge tin cans.Maria superintended[33]the distribution[34]of the barmbrack and saw that every woman got her four slices.There was a great deal of laughing and joking during the meal.Lizzie Fleming said Maria was sure to get the ring and，though Fleming had said that for so many Hallow Eves[35]，Maria had to laugh and say she didn’t want any ring or man either；and when she laughed her grey-green eyes sparkled with disappointed shyness and the tip of her nose nearly met the tip of her chin.Then Ginger Mooney lifted up her mug of tea and proposed Maria’s health，while all the other women clattered[36]with their mugs on the table，and said she was sorry she hadn’t a sup[37]of porter to drink it in.And Maria laughed again till the tip of her nose nearly met the tip of her chin and till her minute[38]body nearly shook itself asunder，because she knew that Mooney meant well，though of course she had the notions of a common woman.
But wasn’t Maria glad when the women had finished their tea and the cook and the dummy had begun to clear away the tea-things！She went into her little bedroom and，remembering that the next morning was a mass[39]morning，changed the hand of the alarm from seven to six.Then she took off[40]her working skirt and her house-boots and laid her best skirt out on the bed and her tiny dress-boots beside the foot of the bed.She changed her blouse too and，as she stood before the mirror，she thought of how she used to dress for mass on Sunday morning when she was a young girl；and she looked with quaint[41]affection[42]at the diminutive[43]body which she had so often adorned[44].In spite of its years she found it a nice tidy little body.
When she got outside ，the streets were shining with rain and she was glad of her old brown waterproof[45].The tram was full and she had to sit on the little stool at the end of the car，facing all the people，with her toes barely touching the floor.She arranged in her mind all she was going to do，and thought how much better it was to be independent and to have your own money in your pocket.She hoped they would have a nice evening.She was sure they would，but she could not help thinking what a pity it was Alphy and Joe were not speaking.They were always falling out[46]now，but when they were boys together they used to be the best of friends；but such was life.
She got out of， her tram at the Pillar and ferreted[47]her way quickly among the crowds.She went into Downes’s cake-shop but the shop was so full of people that it was a long time before she could get herself attended to.She bought a dozen of mixed penny cakes，and at last came out of the shop laden with a big bag.Then she thought what else would she buy：she wanted to buy something really nice.They would be sure to have plenty of apples and nuts.It was hard to know what to buy and all she could think of was cake.She decided to buy some plumcake，but Downes’s plumcake had not enough almond[48]icing[49]on top of it，so she went over to a shop in Henry Street.Here she was a long time in suiting herself，and the stylish[50]young lady behind the counter，who was evidently a little annoyed[51]by her，asked her was it wedding-cake she wanted to buy.That made Maria blush and smile at the young lady；but the young lady took it all very seriously and finally cut a thick slice of plumcake，parcelled[52]it up and said：
“Two-and-four，please.”
She thought ，she would have to stand in the Drumcondra tram because none of the young men seemed to notice her，but an elderly gentleman made room for[53]her.He was a stout[54]gentleman and he wore a brown hard hat；he had a square red face and a greyish moustache.Maria thought he was a colonel[55]-looking gentleman and she reflected how much more polite he was than the young men who simply stared straight before them.The gentleman began to chat with her about Hallow Eve and the rainy weather.He supposed the bag was full of good things for the little ones and said it was only right that the youngsters should enjoy themselves while they were young.Maria agreed with him and favoured him with demure[56]nods and hems[57].He was very nice with her，and when she was getting out at the Canal Bridge she thanked him and bowed，and he bowed to her and raised his hat and smiled agreeably；and while she was going up along the terrace[58]，bending her tiny head under the rain，she thought how easy it was to know a gentleman even when he has a drop taken.
詹姆斯？乔伊斯
女总管已经应允，等女工们用完茶点，玛丽亚就可以走了。她期待着黄昏离去的这一时刻，厨房里窗明几净，纤尘不染。厨娘说：“你能在那把大铜壶上看见自己的人影呢。”炉火很旺，亮堂堂的，在一张墙边桌上，放着四大块的葡萄干松饼。这些松饼好像没有切过，但走近一些，便会发现它们已被切成了长厚均匀的饼片，就等着用茶点时分发给大家。这都是玛丽亚亲手切的。
玛丽亚实在是个小巧玲珑的女人，却有很长的鼻子和很长的下巴。她话不多，总是用鼻音轻柔地说道：“是，亲爱的，”要么，“不，亲爱的。”每逢女工们为桶盆一类的琐事争执不休时，总是请她去调解，她也总能做到息事宁人。有一天，女总管对她说：
―玛丽亚，你可是个出色的调解人哪！
副总管和两个负责膳食的女工听到了这赞扬。金杰？穆尼总是说，要不是看在玛丽亚的份上，她才不会跟那个负责熨烫的哑巴善罢甘休呢。大家都很喜欢玛丽亚。
女工们六点钟用茶点，那么，不到七点她就可以走了。从鲍尔斯桥到纪念柱二十分钟，再从纪念柱到德拉姆康德拉二十分钟，加上二十分钟买东西。她可以在八点以前到那儿了。她拿出那个有银搭扣的钱包，又看了一遍上面的字：贝尔法斯特的礼物。她非常喜爱这个钱包，因为这是乔五年前和艾尔菲去贝尔法斯特圣灵降临节翌日旅游回来送给她的。钱包里有两枚半克朗硬币和一些铜币。付了电车费后，她还可以剩下五先令。他们将度过一个多么快活的晚上啊！孩子们一起欢唱！她只愿乔不要喝得醉醺醺地回来。他只要一沾酒，就会完全变个人。
乔经常要玛丽亚去，还要她和他们住在一起；但她总觉得这样会妨碍他们（尽管乔的妻子一直对她很好），而且她也习惯了洗衣店的生活。乔是个好人，是玛丽亚一手把他和艾尔菲从小带大的，因此乔常说：
―妈妈只是妈妈，而玛丽亚才是我名符其实的妈妈。
离开他们家后，男孩子们给她在都柏林灯光洗衣店找了这份活儿，她喜欢这份工作。过去她对新教徒常很有看法，现在她觉得他们也都是好人，虽说有些老成持重，沉默寡言，但仍是可以共处的好人。她在暖房里种上花草，喜爱摆弄照料它们。她种植了许多可爱的蕨类植物和球兰，每当有人来看望她，她总爱去暖房剪上一两根嫩枝送给他们。只有一样事情她不赞成，就是张贴在墙上的那些新教传单。不过，女总管可是个极易相处的女人，很有教养。
厨娘告诉玛丽亚，一切都已准备就绪，于是她走进女工用茶点的屋子，拉响了那口大钟。不一会儿，女工们三三两两地进来了，一边在围裙上擦着冒热气的双手，捋下罩衫袖子遮住红通通的冒热气的胳膊。她们坐在桌前，面前的大杯子已由厨娘和哑巴斟满了混装在大铁皮罐里的牛奶和白糖热茶。玛丽亚负责分发葡萄干松饼，每个女工拿到四片。她们一面喝茶吃点心，一面不时地打趣说笑。莉齐？弗莱明说，玛丽亚将来肯定会得到戒指的，尽管弗莱明多年来一直在万圣节前夕说过此话，玛丽亚还是不得不笑道，她不要戒指，也不要男人。她笑的时候，在绿色的眼睛中流露出失望的羞怯神色，鼻尖几乎要触到了下巴尖儿了。金杰？穆尼举起茶杯，建议为玛丽亚的健康碰杯，满桌的女工把杯子碰得叮直响，穆尼说遗憾的是，今天喝的不是黑啤酒。玛丽亚听了又咯咯笑起来，直笑得鼻尖几乎又碰到下巴尖，笑得纤小的身体几乎散了架。她知道穆尼完全出于好意，她只有一个普通女人的想法。
女工们用完茶点，厨师和哑巴开始收拾茶具，这时，玛丽亚感到欣喜异常！她走进自己那间小小的卧室，想到明天早晨是做弥撒的日子，于是把闹钟的指针从七点拨到六点。随后她脱去工作围裙和工作靴，拿出自己最好的一条裙子放在床上，一双小巧的作客穿的皮靴放在床脚边。她还换了一件衬衫，站在镜子前，想起了当年做姑娘那会儿，每到星期日早上去做弥撒时，她总是要精心梳妆打扮一番的。此时，她怀着异样的心情自我欣赏着镜中她一向认为是那样纤巧可爱的细小身影。虽说年事已长，她发现自己的身材依然苗条瘦小。
玛丽亚出门时，天下着雨，街面上亮闪闪的，她很高兴自己套着那件旧的棕色雨衣。电车十分拥挤，她只得坐在车尾处的小凳上，面对着车厢的全体乘客，脚尖勉强点着地。她计划着下车后要做的事，暗自思忖，做一个自立者，口袋里揣着自己挣的钱，是何等的美好啊。她希望他们能过上一个愉快的夜晚。她深信他们能，但随即又不由自主地想到艾尔菲和乔最近彼此不说话，实在太遗憾了。他俩现在时常吵架不和，可在少年时代却一直是最要好的伙伴：可生活就是这样。
她在纪念柱站下了车，在熙来攘往的人群中择路疾步而行。她走进唐斯糕点店，店里顾客盈门，等了好半天才轮到了她。她买了十几块价格低廉的什锦饼，终于提着满满一大包出了店门。然后她考虑还应该买些什么，她想买一些真正高档的东西。他们家肯定有了大量的苹果和核桃。要想出买什么真是太难了，想来想去，她还是想到了蛋糕。她决定去买葡萄干蛋糕，但唐尼店里的这种蛋糕上杏仁酥皮不太厚，因此她走到亨利街上的另一家店。她在这里左挑右选，花了很长时间这才选中自己满意的那种，柜台后面的那个年轻时髦的店员小姐显然因此有些不快了，问她是不是想买结婚蛋糕。玛丽亚听了脸一下子红了，但她只是朝对方淡淡一笑；但店员小姐却非常认真，终于切下一块厚厚的葡萄干蛋糕，包好后说道：
“两先令四便士。”
她乘上开往德拉姆康德拉的电车，原以为要一路站过去了，因为满车厢里似乎没有一个年轻人注意到她：只有一位上了年纪的绅士给她让了座。他是个矮墩墩的绅士，头戴一顶褐色礼帽，一张红润的四方脸，灰色的八字胡。玛丽亚觉得他看起来像位上校，和那些目光直瞪着前方的小伙子相比，他真是太有礼貌了。这位绅士和她闲聊起来，什么万圣节啦、下雨天啦。他说，据他猜测她那只装得满满当当的袋子里一定是带给孩子们吃的好东西，还说孩子们嘛，小时候就应该多享受快乐的童年。玛丽亚庄重地点点头，轻轻地嗯了一声表示同意他的看法。他对她真是太好了，玛丽亚在运河桥下车时，向他鞠躬致谢，他也鞠躬还礼，还拉了拉帽子，和颜悦色地向她微笑。玛丽亚在雨中低着小脑袋，沿着排屋前上坡的街道走着，一面思忖，绅士到底一眼便能看出，就是在喝了一点酒后也是如此。
作者简介
About the Author
James Joyce：詹姆斯？乔伊斯，作家、诗人。1882年2月2日生于都柏林一信奉天主教的家庭，1941年1月13日卒于瑞士苏黎世。乔伊斯早年就显露出音乐、宗教哲学和语言文化方面的才能，并开始诗歌、散文创作。他谙熟欧洲大陆作家作品，受易卜生影响尤为深刻，并逐渐表现出对人类精神世界特殊的感悟及对家庭笃信的宗教和自己生活环境中的习俗、传统的叛逆。他一生颠沛流离，辗转于的里雅斯特、罗马、巴黎等地，多以教授英语和为报刊撰稿糊口，又饱受眼疾折磨，到晚年几乎完全失明；但他对文学矢志不渝，勤奋写作，终成一代巨匠，他的作品及意识流思想对全世界产生了巨大影响。自1904年离开都柏林后，乔伊斯就再也没有回到过爱尔兰。但是在漂流异域的同时，他的目光又一直关注着爱尔兰，他一生的作品始终没有离开过爱尔兰这个背景。
V
词汇扫雷
ocabulary
1.matron：女总管
2.spick and span：干干净净的，整洁的
3.side-tables：靠墙的桌子
4.barmbrack：（有葡萄干等的）果子面包
5.soothingly：轻柔地
6.tub：桶，此处指洗衣女工为桶盆之类争执这类的小事。
7.veritable：名副其实的
8.peace-maker：和事佬，调解人
9.compliment：称赞
10.dummy：傻瓜，蠢货
11.have charge of：负责
12.iron：熨斗，这里泛指烫熨之类的活。
13.Ballsbridge：鲍尔斯桥，横跨都柏林南部多得河的一座桥。
14.the Pillar：是Nelson’s Pillar的简称。曾位于都柏林奥康纳街中心的纳尔逊纪念柱，由大理石制成，顶部有纳尔逊勋爵的雕像，1966年被爱尔兰共和军所炸。
15.Drumcondra：都柏林市内北部一近郊住宅区
16.clasp：搭扣
17.Belfast：贝尔法斯特，英国北爱尔兰港市
18.Whit-Monday：复活节后的第八个星期一
19.crown：（英国旧币的）四分之一英镑硬币
20.copper：铜币
21.tram fare：有轨电车的车费
22.be accustomed to：习惯于
23.break-up：分裂，离开
24.Protestant：新教徒（指16世纪脱离罗马天主教之基督教团体或后来由其形成的教派成员）
25.conservatory：玻璃暖房，温室
26.fern：蕨类植物
27.wax-plant：球兰
28.slip：嫩枝
29.tract：传单
30.genteel：文雅的，有教养的
31.petticoat：衬裙
32.mug：圆筒形有柄大杯
33.superintend：监督
34.distribution：分发
35.Hallow Eve：万圣节前夜
36.clatter：连续发出咔嗒的撞击声
37.sup：啜饮
38.minute：微小的
39.mass：弥撒
40.take off：脱去
41.quaint：少见的，古怪的
42.affection：喜爱之情
43.diminutive：小得出奇的，特小的
44.adorn：喜爱
45.waterproof：雨衣
46.fall out：争吵
47.ferret：搜寻，翻找
48.almond：杏仁
49.ice：加糖衣于糕点上
50.stylish：穿着时尚的
51.annoy：恼怒
52.parcel up：包装
53.make room for：腾出空间，文中指让座
54.stout：矮墩墩的
55.colonel：上校
56.demure：顺从的，温和的
57.hem：哼哼声
58.terrace：台阶
小编点评
到此为止是文章的上半部分，作者为我们刻画了一个平静祥和、与世无争的女性形象。早年身为家庭保姆的玛丽亚在孩子们长大后经介绍在一家洗衣店当起女工，过着独立、自给的单身生活。她性格温和，经常扮演息事宁人的调解人角色，深得周围人的好评。但这样一个人间天使究竟值不值得我们称道还是值得人深思的。她的退让、牺牲，以及对待他人的冷嘲热讽一笑了之的态度，这一点一滴究竟为她自身铺垫了一个怎样的结局呢？
T
阅读链接
ell You More
《都柏林人》全15篇文章及主旨关键词：
1《姐妹们》：宗教，信仰及其幻灭，冷漠，呆滞
2《偶遇》：少年与老年，人生各个阶段的断裂，潜藏在心中的变态
3《阿拉比》：爱的虚妄，虚荣心，冲动
4《伊芙琳》：爱的虚妄，责任与感情，意志力之不可避免的软弱
5《车赛以后》：虚荣，庸俗，“欢乐”的虚伪，市侩的拜物教
6《两个浪子》：年轻的荒诞，空虚，卑俗，漠不关心，人与人相互的欺骗与蔑视，寻求意义
7《寄寓》：爱的虚妄，市侩的婚姻与欲望，阴谋，生活的空虚本质
8《一朵浮云》：人的改变，友情中的虚荣与真相，贫富之间的矛盾心态，自负与自恋，自视清高与理想
9《无独有偶》：麻木，异化，沉沦到不能自拔，令人悲哀的恶性循环
10《土》：可爱的人们的无奈的生命，泪水中响起爱尔兰民歌
11《悲痛的往事》：孤独，精神与爱与什么是爱，自责，中年人对于人生的检视
12《纪念日，在委员会办公室》：爱尔兰的政治，理想与现实，历史与现在，崇高与猥琐
13《母亲》：虚伪，市侩，吝啬与贪婪，卑俗
14《圣恩》：宗教的虚伪，咬伤舌头象征在宗教性社会环境压力下的失语，爱尔兰的宗教，严肃与无聊
15《死者》：爱的真实与虚妄，欢乐的真与假，人与人的真诚与逢场作戏，庸俗，冷漠，无聊，尴尬，情面，死亡与爱，与所有人，与生命。
