the hunger games-饥饿游戏(英文版)-第15部分

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Now　that　I　know　sheˇs　there；　itˇs　hard　to　ignore　the　child。　She　slips　up　and　joins　us　at　different　stations。　Like　me；　sheˇs　clever　with　plants；　climbs　swiftly；　and　has　good　aim。　She　can　hit　the　target　every　time　with　a　slingshot。　But　what　is　a　slingshot　against　a　220…pound　male　with　a　sword？
Back　on　the　District　12　floor；　Haymitch　and　Effie　grill　us　throughout　breakfast　and　dinner　about　every　moment　of　the　day。　What　we　did；　who　watched　us；　how　the　other　tributes　size　up。　Cinna　and　Portia　arenˇt　around；　so　thereˇs　no　one　to　add　any　sanity　to　the　meals。　Not　that　Haymitch　and　Effie　are　fighting　anymore。　Instead　they　seem　to　be　of　one　mind；　determined　to　whip　us　into　shape。　Full　of　endless　directions　about　what　we　should　do　and　not　do　in　training。　Peeta　is　more　patient；　but　I　bee　fed　up　and　surly。
When　we　finally　escape　to　bed　on　the　second　night；　Peeta　mumbles；　¨Someone　ought　to　get　Haymitch　a　drink。〃
I　make　a　sound　that　is　somewhere　between　a　snort　and　a　laugh。　Then　catch　myself。　Itˇs　messing　with　my　mind　too　much；　trying　to　keep　straight　when　weˇre　supposedly　friends　and　when　weˇre　not。　At　least　when　we　get　into　the　arena；　Iˇll　know　where　we　stand。　¨Donˇt。　Donˇt　letˇs　pretend　when　thereˇs　no　one　around。〃
¨All　right；　Katniss；〃　he　says　tiredly。　After　that；　we　only　talk　in　front　of　people。
On　the　third　day　of　training；　they　start　to　call　us　out　of　lunch　for　our　private　sessions　with　the　Gamemakers。　District　by　district；　first　the　boy；　then　the　girl　tribute。　As　usual；　District　12　is　slated　to　go　last。　We　linger　in　the　dining　room；　unsure　where　else　to　go。　No　one　es　back　once　they　have　left。　As　the　room　empties；　the　pressure　to　appear　friendly　lightens。　By　the　time　they　call　Rue；　we　are　left　alone。　We　sit　in　silence　until　they　summon　Peeta。　He　rises。
¨Remember　what　Haymitch　said　about　being　sure　to　throw　the　weights。〃　The　words　e　out　of　my　mouth　without　permission。
¨Thanks。　I　will；〃　he　says。　¨You　。　。　。　shoot　straight。〃
I　nod。　I　donˇt　know　why　I　said　anything　at　all。　Although　if　Iˇm　going　to　lose；　Iˇd　rather　Peeta　win　than　the　others。　Better　for　our　district；　for　my　mother　and　Prim。
After　about　fifteen　minutes；　they　call　my　name。　I　smooth　my　hair；　set　my　shoulders　back；　and　walk　into　the　gymnasium。　Instantly；　I　know　Iˇm　in　trouble。　Theyˇve　been　here　too　long；　the　Gamemakers。　Sat　through　twenty…three　other　demonstrations。　Had　too　much　to　wine；　most　of　them。　Want　more　than　anything　to　go　home。
Thereˇs　nothing　I　can　do　but　continue　with　the　plan。　I　walk　to　the　archery　station。　Oh；　the　weapons！　Iˇve　been　itching　to　get　my　hands　on　them　for　days！　Bows　made　of　wood　and　plastic　and　metal　and　materials　I　canˇt　even　name。　Arrows　with　feathers　cut　in　flawless　uniform　lines。　I　choose　a　bow；　string　it；　and　sling　the　matching　quiver　of　arrows　over　my　shoulder。　Thereˇs　a　shooting　range；　but　itˇs　much　too　limited。　Standard　bullˇs…eyes　and　human　silhouettes。　I　walk　to　the　center　of　the　gymnasium　and　pick　my　first　target。　The　dummy　used　for　knife　practice。　Even　as　I　pull　back　on　the　bow　I　know　something　is　wrong。　The　stringˇs　tighter　than　the　one　I　use　at　home。　The　arrowˇs　more　rigid。　I　miss　the　dummy　by　a　couple　of　inches　and　lose　what　little　attention　I　had　been　manding。　For　a　moment；　Iˇm　humiliated；　then　I　head　back　to　the　bullˇs…eye。　I　shoot　again　and　again　until　I　get　the　feel　of　these　new　weapons。　
Back　in　the　center　of　the　gymnasium；　I　take　my　initial　position　and　skewer　the　dummy　right　through　the　heart。　Then　I　sever　the　rope　that　holds　the　sandbag　for　boxing；　and　the　bag　splits　open　as　it　slams　to　the　ground。　Without　pausing；　I　shoulder…roll　forward；　e　up　on　one　knee；　and　send　an　arrow　into　one　of　the　hanging　lights　high　above　the　gymnasium　floor。　A　shower　of　sparks　bursts　from　the　fixture。
Itˇs　excellent　shooting。　I　turn　to　the　Gamemakers。　A　few　are　nodding　approval；　but　the　majority　of　them　are　fixated　on　a　roast　pig　that　has　just　arrived　at　their　banquet　table。
Suddenly　I　am　furious；　that　with　my　life　on　the　line；　they　donˇt　even　have　the　decency　to　pay　attention　to　me。　That　Iˇm　being　upstaged　by　a　dead　pig。　My　heart　starts　to　pound；　I　can　feel　my　face　burning。　Without　thinking；　I　pull　an　arrow　from　my　quiver　and　send　it　straight　at　the　Gamemakersˇ　table。　I　hear　shouts　of　alarm　as　people　stumble　back。　The　arrow　skewers　the　apple　in　the　pigˇs　mouth　and　pins　it　to　the　wall　behind　it。　Everyone　stares　at　me　in　disbelief。
¨Thank　you　for　your　consideration；〃　I　say。　Then　I　give　a　slight　bow　and　walk　straight　toward　the　exit　without　being　dismissed。

8
As　I　stride　toward　the　elevator；　I　fling　my　bow　to　one　side　and　my　quiver　to　the　other。　I　brush　past　the　gaping　Avoxes　who　guard　the　elevators　and　hit　the　number　twelve　button　with　my　fist。　The　doors　slide　together　and　I　zip　upward。　I　actually　make　it　back　to　my　floor　before　the　tears　start　running　down　my　cheeks。　I　can　hear　the　others　calling　me　from　the　sitting　room；　but　I　fly　down　the　hall　into　my　room；　bolt　the　door；　and　fling　myself　onto　my　bed。　Then　I　really　begin　to　sob。
Now　Iˇve　done　it！　Now　Iˇve　ruined　everything！　If　Iˇd　stood　even　a　ghost　of　chance；　it　vanished　when　I　sent　that　arrow　flying　at　the　Gamemakers。　What　will　they　do　to　me　now？　Arrest　me？　Execute　me？　Cut　my　tongue　and　turn　me　into　an　Avox　so　I　can　wait　on　the　future　tributes　of　Panem？　What　was　I　thinking；　shooting　at　the　Gamemakers？　Of　course；　I　wasnˇt；　I　was　shooting　at　that　apple　because　I　was　so　angry　at　being　ignored。　I　wasnˇt　trying　to　kill　one　of　them。　If　I　were；　theyˇd　be　dead！
Oh；　what　does　it　matter？　Itˇs　not　like　I　was　going　to　win　the　Games　anyway。　Who　cares　what　they　do　to　me？　What　really　scares　me　is　what　they　might　do　to　my　mother　and　Prim；　how　my　family　might　suffer　now　because　of　my　impulsiveness。　Will　they　take　their　few　belongings；　or　send　my　mother　to　prison　and　Prim　to　the　munity　home；　or　kill　them？　They　wouldnˇt　kill　them；　would　they？　Why　not？　What　do　they　care？
I　should　have　stayed　and　apologized。　Or　laughed；　like　it　was　a　big　joke。　Then　maybe　I　would　have　found　some　leniency。　But　instead　I　stalked　out　of　the　place　in　the　most　disrespectful　manner　possible。
Haymitch　and　Effie　are　knocking　on　my　door。　I　shout　for　them　to　go　away　and　eventually　they　do。　It　takes　at　least　an　hour　for　me　to　cry　myself　out。　Then　I　just　lay　curled　up　on　the　bed；　stroking　the　silken　sheets；　watching　the　sun　set　over　the　artificial　candy　Capitol。
At　first；　I　expect　guards　to　e　for　me。　But　as　time　passes；　it　seems　less　likely。　I　calm　down。　They　still　need　a　girl　tribute　from　District　12；　donˇt　they？　If　the　Gamemakers　want　to　punish　me；　they　can　do　it　publicly。　Wait　until　Iˇm　in　the　arena　and　sic　starving　wild　animals　on　me。　You　can　bet　theyˇll　make　sure　I　donˇt　have　a　bow　and　arrow　to　defend　myself。
Before　that　though；　theyˇll　give　me　a　score　so　low；　no　one　in　their　right　mind　would　sponsor　me。　Thatˇs　what　will　happen　tonight。　Since　the　training　isnˇt　open　to　viewers；　the　Gamemakers　announce　a　score　for　each　player。　It　gives　the　audience　a　starting　place　for　the　betting　that　will　continue　throughout　the　Games。　The　number；　which　is　between　one　and　twelve；　one　being　irredeemably　bad　and　twelve　being　unattainably　high；　signifies　the　promise　of　the　tribute。　The　mark　is　not　a　guarantee　of　which　person　will　win。　Itˇs　only　an　indication　of　the　potential　a　tribute　showed　in　training。　Often；　because　of　the　variables　in　the　actual　arena；　high…scoring　tributes　go　down　almost　immediately。　And　a　few　years　ago；　the　boy　who　won　the　Games　only　received　a　three。　Still；　the　scores　can　help　or　hurt　an　individual　tribute　in　terms　of　sponsorship。　I　had　been　hoping　my　shooting　skills　might　get　me　a　six　or　a　seven；　even　if　Iˇm　not　particularly　powerful。　Now　Iˇm　sure　Iˇll　have　the　lowest　score　of　the　twenty…four。　If　no　one　sponsors　me；　my　odds　of　staying　alive　decrease　to　almost　zero。
When　Effie　taps　on　the　door　to　call　me　to　dinner；　I　decide　I　may　as　well　go。　The　scores　will　be　televised　tonight。　Itˇs　not　like　I　can　hide　what　happened　forever。　I　go　to　the　bathroom　and　wash　my　face；　but　itˇs　still　red　and　splotchy。
Everyoneˇs　waiting　at　the　table；　even　Cinna　and　Portia。　I　wish　the　stylists　hadnˇt　shown　up　because　for　some　reason；　I　donˇt　like　the　idea　of　disappointing　them。　Itˇs　as　if　Iˇve　thrown　away　all　the　good　work　they　did　on　the　opening　ceremonies　without　a　thought。　I　avoid　looking　at　anyone　as　I　take　tiny　spoonfuls　of　fish　soup。　The　saltiness　reminds　me　of　my　tears。
The　adults　begin　some　chitchat　about　the　weather　forecast；　and　I　let　my　eyes　meet　Peetaˇs。　He　raises　his　eyebrows。　A　question。　What　happened？　I　just　give　my　head　a　small　shake。　Then；　as　theyˇre　serving　the　main　course；　I　hear　Haymitch　say；　¨Okay；　enough　small　talk；　just　how　bad　were　you　today？〃
Peeta　jumps　in。　¨I　donˇt　know　that　it　mattered。　By　the　time　I　showed　up；　no　one　even　bothered　to　look　at　me。　They　were　singing　some　kind　of　drinking　song；　I　think。　So；　I　threw　around　some　heavy　objects　until　they　told　me　I　could　go。〃
That　makes　me　feel　a　bit　better。　Itˇs　not　like　Peeta　attacked　the　Gamemakers；　but　at　least　he　was　provoked；　too。
¨And　you；　sweetheart？〃　says　Haymitch。
Somehow　Haymitch　calling　me　sweetheart　ticks　me　off　enough　that　Iˇm　at　least　able　to　speak。　¨I　shot　an　arrow　at　the　Gamemakers。〃
Everyone　stops　eating。　¨You　what？〃　The　horror　in　Effieˇs　voice　confirms　my　worse　suspicions。
¨I　shot　an　arrow　at　them。　Not　exactly　at　them。　In　their　direction。　Itˇs　like　Peeta　said；　I　was　shooting　and　they　were　ignoring　me　and　I　just　。　。　。　I　just　lost　my　head；　so　I　shot　an　apple　out　of　their　stupid　roast　pigˇs　mouth！〃　I　say　defiantly。
¨And　what　did　they　say？〃　says　Cinna　carefully。
¨Nothing。　Or　I　donˇt　know。　I　walked　out　after　that；〃　I　say。
¨Without　being　dismissed？〃　gasps　Effie。
¨I　dismissed　myself；〃　I　said。　I　remember　how　I　promised　Prim　that　I　really　would　try　to　win　and　I　feel　like　a　ton　of　coal　has　dropped　on　me。
¨Well；　thatˇs　that；〃　says　Haymitch。　Then　he　butters　a　roll。
¨Do　you　think　theyˇll　arrest　me？〃　I　ask。　¨Doubt　it。　Be　a　pain　to　replace　you　at　this　stage；〃　says　Haymitch。
¨What　about　my　family？〃　I　say。　¨Will　they　punish　them？〃
¨Donˇt　think　so。　Wouldnˇt　make　much　sense。　See　theyˇd　have　to　reveal　what　happened　in　the　Training　Center　for　it　to　hav