1TheLoonsMargarelLaurence1、JustbelowManawaka,wheretheWachakwaRiverranbrownandnoisyoverthepebbles,thescruboakandgrey-greenwillowandchokecherrybushesgrewinadensethicket.InaclearingatthecentreofthethicketstoodtheTonnerrefamily'sshack.Thebasisatthisdwellingwasasmallsquarecabinmadeofpoplarpolesandchinkedwithmud,whichhadbeenbuiltbyJulesTonnerresomefiftyyearsbefore,whenhecamebackfromBatochewithabulletinhisthigh,theyearthatRielwashungandthevoicesoftheMetisenteredtheirlongsilence.JuleshadonlyintendedtostaythewinterintheWachakwaValley,butthefamilywasstillthereinthethirties,whenIwasachild.AstheTonnerreshadincreased,theirsettlementhadbeenaddedto,untiltheclearingatthefootofthetownhillwasachaosoflean-tos,woodenpackingcases,warpedlumber,discardedcartypes,ramshacklechickencoops,tangledstrandsofbarbedwireandrustytincans.2、TheTonnerreswereFrenchhalfbreeds,andamongthemselvestheyspokeapatoisthatwasneitherCreenorFrench.TheirEnglishwasbrokenandfullofobscenities.TheydidnotbelongamongtheCreeoftheGallopingMountainreservation,furthernorth,andtheydidnotbelongamongtheScots-IrishandUkrainiansofManawaka,either.Theywere,asmyGrandmotherMacLeodwouldhaveputit,neitherflesh,fowl,norgoodsaltherring.Whentheirmenwerenotworkingatoddjobsorassectionhandson2theC.P.R.theylivedonrelief.Inthesummers,oneoftheTonnerreyoungsters,withafacethatseemedtotallyunfamiliarwithlaughter,wouldknockatthedoorsofthetown'sbrickhousesandofferforsalealard-pailfullofbruisedwildstrawberries,andifhegotasmuchasaquarterhewouldgrabthecoinandrunbeforethecustomerhadtimetochangehermind.SometimesoldJules,orhissonLazarus,wouldgetmixedupinaSaturday-nightbrawl,andwouldhitoutatwhoeverwasnearestorhowldrunkenlyamongtheoffendedshoppersonMainStreet,andthentheMountiewouldputthemforthenightinthebarredcellunderneaththeCourtHouse,andthenextmorningtheywouldbequietagain.3、PiquetteTonnerre,thedaughterofLazarus,wasinmyclassatschool.ShewasolderthanI,butshehadfailedseveralgrades,perhapsbecauseherattendancehadalwaysbeensporadicandherinterestinschoolworknegligible.Partofthereasonshehadmissedalotofschoolwasthatshehadhadtuberculosisofthebone,andhadoncespentmanymonthsinhospital.Iknewthisbecausemyfatherwasthedoctorwhohadlookedafterher.HersicknesswasalmosttheonlythingIknewabouther,however.Otherwise,sheexistedformeonlyasavaguelyembarrassingpresence,withherhoarsevoiceandherclumsylimpingwalkandhergrimycottondressesthatwerealwaysmilestoolong.Iwasneitherfriendlynorunfriendlytowardsher.Shedweltandmovedsomewherewithinmyscopeofvision,butIdidnotactuallynoticeherverymuchuntilthatpeculiarsummerwhenIwaseleven.34、"Idon'tknowwhattodoaboutthatkid."myfathersaidatdinneroneevening."PiquetteTonnerre,Imean.Thedamnbone'sflaredupagain.I'vehadherinhospitalforquiteawhilenow,andit'sundercontrolallright,butIhatelikethedickenstosendherhomeagain."5、"Couldn'tyouexplaintohermotherthatshehastorestalot?"mymothersaid.6、"Themother'snotthere"myfatherreplied."Shetookoffafewyearsback.Can'tsayIblameher.Piquettecooksforthem,andshesaysLazaruswouldneverdoanythingforhimselfaslongasshe'sthere.Anyway,Idon'tthinkshe'dtakemuchcareofherself,onceshegotback.She'sonlythirteen,afterall.Beth,Iwasthinking—WhatabouttakingheruptoDiamondLakewithusthissummer?Acoupleofmonthsrestwouldgivethatboneamuchbetterchance."7、Mymotherlookedstunned.8、"ButEwen--whataboutRoddieandVanessa?"9、"She'snotcontagious,"myfathersaid."Andi...
