Thehighgrey-flannelfogofwinterclosedofftheSalinasValleyfromtheskyandfromalltherestoftheworld.Oneverysideitsatlikealidonthemountainsandmadeofthegreatvalleyaclosedpot.Onthebroad,levellandfloorthegangplowsbitdeepandlefttheblackearthshininglikemetalwheretheshareshadcut.OnthefoothillranchesacrosstheSalinasRiver,theyellowstubblefieldsseemedtobebathedinpalecoldsunshine,buttherewasnosunshineinthevalleynowinDecember.Thethickwillowscrubalongtheriverflamedwithsharpandpositiveyellowleaves.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。Itwasatimeofquietandofwaiting.Theairwascoldandtender.Alightwindblewupfromthesouthwestsothatthefarmersweremildlyhopefulofagoodrainbeforelong;butfogandraindonotgotogether.这是一个安静，叫人等待的季节。空气凉凉的，柔柔的。从西南方向吹来一阵轻风，农民们隐隐地感到不久会有一场及时雨，但雨和雾是不一起来的。Acrosstheriver,onHenryAllen'sfoothillranchtherewaslittleworktobedone,forthehaywascutandstoredandtheorchardswereploweduptoreceivetheraindeeplywhenitshouldcome.Thecattleonthehigherslopeswerebecomingshaggyandrough-coated.河对岸亨利•埃伦家位于丘陵上的农场里已经没什么活计了：干草都收割过并存放了起来，果园业已深翻过，好等到有雨的时候浇个透底墒。高处山坡上的牛变得毛皮杂乱粗糙。ElisaAllen,workinginherflowergarden,lookeddownacrosstheyardandsawHenry,herhusband,talkingtotwomeninbusinesssuits.Thethreeofthemstoodbythetractorshed,eachmanwithonefootonthesideofthelittleFordson.Theysmokedcigarettesandstudiedthemachineastheytalked.伊利莎•埃伦正在花园里干活儿，穿过院子朝远处望时，她看见丈夫亨利正在与两个身着工作服的人交谈。三个人都站在拖拉机棚边上，一只脚蹬在那辆小型福特牌拖拉机的一侧。说话的时候，他们边抽着烟，边打量拖拉机。Elisawatchedthemforamomentandthenwentbacktoherwork.Shewasthirty-five.Herfacewasleanandstrongandhereyeswereasclearaswater.Herfigurelookedblockedandheavyinhergardeningcostume,aman'sblackhatpulledlowdownoverhereyes,clod-hoppershoes,afiguredprintdressalmostcompletelycoveredbyabigcorduroyapronwithfourbigpocketstoholdthesnips,thetrowelandscratcher,theseedsandtheknifesheworkedwith.Sheworeheavyleatherglovestoprotectherhandswhilesheworked.伊利莎看了他们一会儿，又继续忙自己的活儿。她今年三十五岁，脸庞瘦俏并透着坚毅，一双眼睛清澈如水。由于穿着园艺工作服，她显得鼓囊囊的、有点儿笨拙。她头上戴着一顶男式的黑帽子，拉得很低，直到她的眼睛。脚上是一双粗笨的鞋子。下面穿的印花裙子几乎全给那个大号的灯心绒围裙遮盖了起来。围裙上有四个大口袋，用来放她干活时用的剪刀、泥铲、刮管器、种子和刀。干活时她戴着厚厚的皮手套，免得弄伤手。Shewascuttingdowntheoldyear'schrysanthemumstalkswithapairofshortandpowerfulscissors.Shelookeddowntowardthemenbythetractorshednowandthen.Herfacewaseagerandmatureandhandsome;evenherworkwiththescissorswasover-eager,over-powerful.Thechrysanthemumstemsseemedtoosmallandeasyforherenergy.她这会儿正用一把锋利的小剪子把去年的菊花枝剪短，还不时朝站在拖拉机棚边上的三个男人望一望。她的脸上充满着渴望，看起来成熟漂亮——甚至连她拿着剪刀干活的样子都显得那么有力，饱含期待，以至于那些菊花的枯杆相比之下都显得纤细柔弱，容易收拾了。Shebrushed...
