the hunger games-饥饿游戏(英文版)-第38部分

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　have　to　shoot　at　a　momentˇs　notice。　Peeta　sits　beside　me；　leaning　against　the　wall；　his　bad　leg　stretched　out　before　him；　his　eyes　trained　on　the　world　outside。　¨Go　to　sleep；〃　he　says　softly。　His　hand　brushes　the　loose　strands　of　my　hair　off　my　forehead。　Unlike　the　staged　kisses　and　caresses　so　far；　this　gesture　seems　natural　and　forting。　I　donˇt　want　him　to　stop　and　he　doesnˇt。　Heˇs　still　stroking　my　hair　when　I　fall　asleep。
Too　long。　I　sleep　too　long。　I　know　from　the　moment　I　open　my　eyes　that　weˇre　into　the　afternoon。　Peetaˇs　right　beside　me；　his　position　unchanged。　I　sit　up；　feeling　somehow　defensive　but　better　rested　than　Iˇve　been　in　days。
¨Peeta；　you　were　supposed　to　wake　me　after　a　couple　of　hours；〃　I　say。
¨For　what？　Nothingˇs　going　on　here；〃　he　says。　¨Besides　I　like　watching　you　sleep。　You　donˇt　scowl。　Improves　your　looks　a　lot。〃
This；　of　course；　brings　on　a　scowl　that　makes　him　grin。　Thatˇs　when　I　notice　how　dry　his　lips　are。　I　test　his　cheek。　Hot　as　a　coal　stove。　He　claims　heˇs　been　drinking；　but　the　containers　still　feel　full　to　me。　I　give　him　more　fever　pills　and　stand　over　him　while　he　drinks　first　one；　then　a　second　quart　of　water。　Then　I　tend　to　his　minor　wounds；　the　burns；　the　stings；　which　are　showing　improvement。　I　steel　myself　and　unwrap　the　leg。
My　heart　drops　into　my　stomach。　Itˇs　worse；　much　worse。　Thereˇs　no　more　pus　in　evidence；　but　the　swelling　has　increased　and　the　tight　shiny　skin　is　inflamed。　Then　I　see　the　red　streaks　starting　to　crawl　up　his　leg。　Blood　poisoning。　Unchecked；　it　will　kill　him　for　sure。　My　chewed…up　leaves　and　ointment　wonˇt　make　a　dent　in　it。　Weˇll　need　strong　antiinfection　drugs　from　the　Capitol。　I　canˇt　imagine　the　cost　of　such　potent　medicine。　If　Haymitch　pooled　every　donation　from　every　sponsor；　would　he　have　enough？　I　doubt　it。　Gifts　go　up　in　price　the　longer　the　Games　continue。　What　buys　a　full　meal　on　day　one　buys　a　cracker　on　day　twelve。　And　the　kind　of　medicine　Peeta　needs　would　have　been　at　a　premium　from　the　beginning。
¨Well；　thereˇs　more　swelling；　but　the　pus　is　gone；〃　I　say　in　an　unsteady　voice。
¨I　know　what　blood　poisoning　is；　Katniss；〃　says　Peeta。　¨Even　if　my　mother　isnˇt　a　healer。〃　
¨Youˇre　just　going　to　have　to　outlast　the　others；　Peeta。　Theyˇll　cure　it　back　at　the　Capitol　when　we　win；〃　I　say。
¨Yes；　thatˇs　a　good　plan；〃　he　says。　But　I　feel　this　is　mostly　for　my　benefit。
¨You　have　to　eat。　Keep　your　strength　up。　Iˇm　going　to　make　you　soup；〃　I　say。
¨Donˇt　light　a　fire；〃　he　says。　¨Itˇs　not　worth　it。〃
¨Weˇll　see；〃　I　say。　As　I　take　the　pot　down　to　the　stream；　Iˇm　struck　by　how　brutally　hot　it　is。　I　swear　the　Gamemakers　are　progressively　ratcheting　up　the　temperature　in　the　daytime　and　sending　it　plummeting　at　night。　The　heat　of　the　sun…baked　stones　by　the　stream　gives　me　an　idea　though。　Maybe　I　wonˇt　need　to　light　a　fire。
I　settle　down　on　a　big　flat　rock　halfway　between　the　stream　and　the　cave。　After　purifying　half　a　pot　of　water；　I　place　it　in　direct　sunlight　and　add　several　egg…size　hot　stones　to　the　water。　Iˇm　the　first　to　admit　Iˇm　not　much　of　a　cook。　But　since　soup　mainly　involves　tossing　everything　in　a　pot　and　waiting；　itˇs　one　of　my　better　dishes。　I　mince　groosling　until　itˇs　practically　mush　and　mash　some　of　Rueˇs　roots。　Fortunately；　theyˇve　both　been　roasted　already　so　they　mostly　need　to　be　heated　up。　Already；　between　the　sunlight　and　the　rocks；　the　waterˇs　warm。　I　put　in　the　meat　and　roots；　swap　in　fresh　rocks；　and　go　find　something　green　to　spice　it　up　a　little。　Before　long；　I　discover　a　tuft　of　chives　growing　at　the　base　of　some　rocks。　Perfect。　I　chop　them　very　fine　and　add　them　to　the　pot；　switch　out　the　rocks　again；　put　on　the　lid；　and　let　the　whole　thing　stew。
Iˇve　seen　very　few　signs　of　game　around；　but　I　donˇt　feel　fortable　leaving　Peeta　alone　while　I　hunt；　so　I　rig　half　a　dozen　snares　and　hope　I　get　lucky。　I　wonder　about　the　other　tributes；　how　theyˇre　managing　now　that　their　main　source　of　food　has　been　blown　up。　At　least　three　of　them；　Cato；　Clove　and　Foxface；　had　been　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。〃
¨N