多多读书

手机浏览器扫描二维码访问

第35部分（第1页）

en　relying　on　it。　Probably　not　Thresh　though。　Iˇve　got　a　feeling　he　must　share　some　of　Rueˇs　knowledge　on　how　to　feed　yourself　from　the　earth。　Are　they　fighting　each　other？　Looking　for　us？　Maybe　one　of　them　has　located　us　and　is　just　waiting　for　the　right　moment　to　attack。　The　idea　sends　me　back　to　the　cave。

Peetaˇs　stretched　out　on　top　of　the　sleeping　bag　in　the　shade　of　the　rocks。　Although　he　brightens　a　bit　when　I　e　in；　itˇs　clear　he　feels　miserable。　I　put　cool　cloths　on　his　head；　but　they　warm　up　almost　as　soon　as　they　touch　his　skin。

¨Do　you　want　anything？〃　I　ask。

¨No；〃　he　says。　¨Thank　you。　Wait；　yes。　Tell　me　a　story。〃

¨A　story？　What　about？〃　I　say。　Iˇm　not　much　for　storytelling。　Itˇs　kind　of　like　singing。　But　once　in　a　while；　Prim　wheedles　one　out　of　me。

¨Something　happy。　Tell　me　about　the　happiest　day　you　can　remember；〃　says　Peeta。

Something　between　a　sigh　and　a　huff　of　exasperation　leaves　my　mouth。　A　happy　story？　This　ore　effort　than　the　soup。　I　rack　my　brains　for　good　memories。　Most　of　them　involve　Gale　and　me　out　hunting　and　somehow　I　donˇt　think　these　will　play　well　with　either　Peeta　or　the　audience。　That　leaves　Prim。

¨Did　I　ever　tell　you　about　how　I　got　Primˇs　goat？〃　I　ask。　Peeta　shakes　his　head；　and　looks　at　me　expectantly。　So　I　begin。　But　carefully。　Because　my　words　are　going　out　all　over　Panem。　And　while　people　have　no　doubt　put　two　and　two　together　that　I　hunt　illegally；　I　donˇt　want　to　hurt　Gale　or　Greasy　Sae　or　the　butcher　or　even　the　Peacekeepers　back　home　who　are　my　customers　by　publicly　announcing　theyˇd　breaking　the　law；　too。

Hereˇs　the　real　story　of　how　I　got　the　money　for　Primˇs　goat；　Lady。　It　was　a　Friday　evening；　the　day　before　Primˇs　tenth　birthday　in　late　May。　As　soon　as　school　ended；　Gale　and　I　hit　the　woods；　because　I　wanted　to　get　enough　to　trade　for　a　present　for　Prim。　Maybe　some　new　cloth　for　a　dress　or　a　hairbrush。　Our　snares　had　done　well　enough　and　the　woods　were　flush　with　greens；　but　this　was　really　no　more　than　our　average　Friday…night　haul。　I　was　disappointed　as　we　headed　back；　even　though　Gale　said　weˇd　be　sure　to　do　better　tomorrow。　We　were　resting　a　moment　by　a　stream　when　we　saw　him。　A　young　buck；　probably　a　yearling　by　his　size。　His　antlers　were　just　growing　in；　still　small　and　coated　in　velvet。　Poised　to　run　but　unsure　of　us；　unfamiliar　with　humans。　Beautiful。

Less　beautiful　perhaps　when　the　two　arrows　caught　him；　one　in　the　neck；　the　other　in　the　chest。　Gale　and　I　had　shot　at　the　same　time。　The　buck　tried　to　run　but　stumbled；　and　Galeˇs　knife　slit　his　throat　before　he　knew　what　had　happened。　Momentarily；　Iˇd　felt　a　pang　at　killing　something　so　fresh　and　innocent。　And　then　my　stomach　rumbled　at　the　thought　of　all　that　fresh　and　innocent　meat。

A　deer！　Gale　and　I　have　only　brought　down　three　in　all。　The　first　one；　a　doe　that　had　injured　her　leg　somehow；　almost　didnˇt　count。　But　we　knew　from　that　experience　not　to　go　dragging　the　carcass　into　the　Hob。　It　had　caused　chaos　with　people　bidding　on　parts　and　actually　trying　to　hack　off　pieces　themselves。　Greasy　Sae　had　intervened　and　sent　us　with　our　deer　to　the　butcher；　but　not　before　itˇd　been　badly　damaged；　hunks　of　meat　taken；　the　hide　riddled　with　holes。　Although　everybody　paid　up　fairly；　it　had　lowered　the　value　of　the　kill。　This　time；　we　waited　until　dark　fell　and　slipped　under　a　hole　in　the　fence　close　to　the　butcher。　Even　though　we　were　known　hunters；　it　wouldnˇt　have　been　good　to　go　carrying　a　150…pound　deer　through　the　streets　of　District　12　in　daylight　like　we　were　rubbing　it　in　the　officialsˇ　faces。

The　butcher；　a　short；　chunky　woman　named　Rooba；　came　to　the　back　door　when　we　knocked。　You　donˇt　haggle　with　Rooba。　She　gives　you　one　price；　which　you　can　take　or　leave；　but　itˇs　a　fair　price。　We　took　her　offer　on　the　deer　and　she　threw　in　a　couple　of　venison　steaks　we　could　pick　up　after　the　butchering。　Even　with　the　money　divided　in　two；　neither　Gale　nor　Ihad　held　so　much　at　one　time　in　　our　lives。　We　decided　to　keep　it　a　secret　and　surprise　our　families　with　the　meat　and　money　at　the　end　of　the　next　day。

This　is　where　I　really　got　the　money　for　the　goat；　but　I　tell　Peeta　I　sold　an　old　silver　locket　of　my　motherˇs。　That　canˇt　hurt　anyone。　Then　I　pick　up　the　story　in　the　late　afternoon　of　Primˇs　birthday。

Gale　and　I　went　to　the　market　on　the　square　so　that　I　could　buy　dress　materials。　As　I　was　running　my　fingers　over　a　length　of　thick　blue　cotton　cloth；　something　caught　my　eye。　Thereˇs　an　old　man　who　keeps　a　small　herd　of　goats　on　the　other　side　of　the　Seam。　I　donˇt　know　his　real　name；　everyone　just　calls　him　the　Goat　Man。　His　joints　are　swollen　and　twisted　in　painful　angles；　and　heˇs　got　a　hacking　cough　that　proves　he　spent　years　in　the　mines。　But　heˇs　lucky。　Somewhere　along　the　way　he　saved　up　enough　for　these　goats　and　now　has　something　to　do　in　his　old　age　besides　slowly　starve　to　death。　Heˇs　filthy　and　impatient；　but　the　goats　are　clean　and　their　milk　is　rich　if　you　can　afford　it。

One　of　the　goats；　a　white　one　with　black　patches；　was　lying　down　in　a　cart。　It　was　easy　to　see　why。　Something；　probably　a　dog；　had　mauled　her　shoulder　and　infection　had　set　in。　It　was　bad；　the　Goat　Man　had　to　hold　her　up　to　milk　her。　But　I　thought　I　knew　someone　who　could　fix　it。

¨Gale；〃　I　whispered。　¨I　want　that　goat　for　Prim。〃

Owning　a　nanny　goat　can　change　your　life　in　District　12。　The　animals　can　live　off　almost　anything；　the　Meadowˇs　a　perfect　feeding　place；　and　they　can　give　four　quarts　of　milk　a　day。　To　drink；　to　make　into　cheese；　to　sell。　Itˇs　not　even　against　the　law。

¨Sheˇs　hurt　pretty　bad；〃　said　Gale。　¨We　better　take　a　closer　look。〃

We　went　over　and　bought　a　cup　of　milk　to　share；　then　stood　over　the　goat　as　if　idly　curious。

¨Let　her　be；〃　said　the　man。

¨Just　looking；〃　said　Gale。

¨Well；　look　fast。　She　goes　to　the　butcher　soon。　Hardly　anyone　will　buy　her　milk；　and　then　they　only　pay　half　price；〃　said　the　man。

¨Whatˇs　the　butcher　giving　for　her？〃　I　asked。

The　man　shrugged。　¨Hang　around　and　see。〃　I　turned　and　saw　Rooba　ing　across　the　square　toward　us。　¨Lucky　thing　you　showed　up；〃　said　the　Goat　Man　when　she　arrived。　¨Girlˇs　got　her　eye　on　your　goat。〃

¨Not　if　sheˇs　spoken　for；〃　I　said　carelessly。

Rooba　looked　me　up　and　down　then　frowned　at　the　goat。　¨Sheˇs　not。　Look　at　that　shoulder。　Bet　you　half　the　carcass　will　be　too　rotten　for　even　sausage。〃

¨What？〃　said　the　Goat　Man。　¨We　had　a　deal。〃

¨We　had　a　deal　on　an　animal　with　a　few　teeth　marks。　Not　that　thing。　Sell　her　to　the　girl　if　sheˇs　stupid　enough　to　take　her；〃　said　Rooba。　As　she　marched　off；　I　caught　her　wink。

The　Goat　Man　was　mad；　but　he　still　wanted　that　goal　off　his　hands。　It　took　us　half　an　hour　to　agree　on　the　price。　Quite　a　crowd　had　gathered　by　then　to　hand　out　opinions。　It　was　an　excellent　deal　if　the　goat　lived；　Iˇd　been　robbed　if　she　died。　People　took　sides　in　the　argument；　but　I　took　the　goat。

Gale　offered　to　carry　her。　I　think　he　wanted　to　see　the　look　on　Primˇs　face　as　much　as　I　did。　In　a　moment　of　plete　giddiness；　I　bought　a　pink　ribbon　and　tied　it　around　her　neck。　Then　we　hurried　back　to　my　house。