By Sheila Kohler
My second marriage，unlike my first，in which I became pregnant at 19 and married the man，was a love match from the start。I was introduced to my second husband by friends，a couple who took us both out to dinner at a Japanese restaurant。At the end of the meal my husband to be，a psychiatrist，who sat opposite me，turned green and asked，“Would you like to have a coffee with me？”
I stared back at him。There was a hushed and expectant silence at the table，all eyes on me。
You have to understand that my husband to be was，as I was，past 40，and we had each been married for over 15 years to someone else whom we had loved，and I had not dated anyone else in between。
“But how will I get home？”I asked，as though New York City had suddenly been transformed into the wild African veld of my childhood。
“I could，perhaps，drive you there。”he said softly，his voice rising slightly at the end of the sentence。We did have coffee and then some，and I fell in love，or perhaps into passion would be a better way of putting it。
I came to him whenever he summoned me，arriving too early at night，when his patients had not yet left，obliged to wander around the block in the snow with a basket of food for him like Little Red Riding Hood：soups，stews and compotes，the food from my colonial childhood，which he later confessed he had no taste for。Despite the English food，he eventually consented to have me move into his apartment in the Village。
There now remained only a small problem：my husband's two boys，whom he adored：both dark eyed and dark haired and beautiful。They spent half their time with their father and half with their mother，and now looked up at me，a stranger，with eyes full of suspicion。
No problem，I thought in my ignorance。My own three girls were at the teenager stage，when all they wanted was to be off on their own。My new husband，the busy doctor，was often obliged to work long hours。I was more than ready to take on what I had never had：two adorable boys。The boys，naturally，having a mother of their own，were not so eager to be taken on。
I tried everything that had worked so well with my own children：I cooked up all that colonial food，told stories，climbed dangerous fences into illicit places，taught them how to cheat at Monopoly，swam in cold water，dived off rocks，did handstands，helped with homework and chicken pox。
But when I served the boys the food that I had bought so lavishly at Balducci's-thick steaks，chips，double chocolate cake-or made them soups that I had stirred and strained for hours，the younger one looked up at his father and asked，“Do I have to eat this，Dad？”
This is where the dog comes in。I'm not now，and wasn't then，a dog person。In my previous marriage we had had cats，which we loved。The first thing my first husband and I did when we were married was to rush out and buy two silver gray Siamese cats。I liked their independence，their warmth in my lap and their decorative，quiet company。
But now，desperate，I considered that what might work with these boys was a dog。Besides，my husband had told me some vague and rather disturbing story about a foundling dog who had misbehaved and afterward been sold or given away，to the boys'chagrin。
So one afternoon，when I was left at home to care for the younger boy，in one of the frequent lulls in our conversation I said to him hopefully，“What if we were to get a dog？”
He deigned to look up at me directly，his dark eyes lit up with a flicker of interest I had not seen there before。
“Who would walk him when we are not here？”he asked me suspiciously，with his 9 year old wisdom。
“Well，I would。”I said，“It would be good exercise for me。Get me away from my computer。”
I clearly remember the visit to the pound：my husband sitting slumped in total dejection on a steel chair，his handsome head in his hands，thinking of the many rainy nights of dog walking ahead，no doubt，and the two boys，for the first time hanging eagerly onto my hands as I walked exultantly down the aisle of yapping dogs in cages。
I had been planning on something fairly small in order to go from the cat to the dog stage，something I would be able to put in a bag when traveling，but as we passed one of the cages，two ominously large golden brown paws were thrust out toward us imploringly。
“This one！I want this one！”the younger boy exclaimed immediately，jumping up and down。
“What about this one？”I tried，attempting to steer him to the next cage where a little ball of fluff lay curled sweetly on one side。
“No，no！We want this one。”the older boy proclaimed firmly。At 12 he was already the sort of boy who would protect his younger brother against all comers。
And so this was the one we got，a large，light brown puppy with amber eyes，half wolf and half husky with something mysterious mixed in besides。We were given a box and various instructions about vaccinations，and repaired to a restaurant nearby where we all ate a meal together with unusually good appetite and humor。
After that，of course，the boys quickly reverted to being who they were：my stepsons，with lives and a mother of their own。My own 16 year old daughter，whose father had also remarried，explained things to me：
“There is absolutely nothing you can do，so don't even try，Mummy。”she said，shaking her head at my ignorance。So I stopped trying so hard，and the boys and I gradually established a polite and not unfriendly relationship。
It was I，of course，who walked and cared for the dog obtained to ingratiate myself into the boys'good graces。He was not a particularly good dog。He was big and rambunctious and a barker。He could even be aggressive at times，and once bit the oculist who dared to lean over me and touch my face to adjust a new pair of glasses。But ultimately he and I，walking and talking together through our solitary days，fell in love，as humans tend to do with their dogs，and we were the ones who became inseparable。The dog sat patiently by my side as I worked the long solitary hours at my desk。We took endless walks together through the New York streets in the evenings，the dog following without a leash。
He came with us to Italy every summer，traveling half drugged in the hold of the plane and swimming for miles with us in the calm waters of the Mediterranean。In the water his herding instincts emerged，and he swam in big circles around the family，keeping us all safely together。
My husband and I acquired a new apartment near the park，so the dog would have a place to run，and the three of us took up running，my husband charging ahead and the dog running after him with me，tied with his leash at my waist，dragging me along in his wake。
Ten years after he had been adopted，the dog was found to have a tumor and had to have surgery。After the operation I was told I could come and visit and sit with him for a while。My younger stepson，now a tall teenager，offered，to my surprise，to accompany me。
The two of us sat cross legged on the floor of the animal hospital with the dog between us for a long while，the tears falling silently down my cheeks。All we could hear was the soft whimpering of the animal in pain。
I said：“I have never heard him cry before。”
The younger boy held him and stroked him gently。He looked up at me。“I've never seen you cry before either。”he said with a half smile and something like a glimmer of admiration in his dark eyes。
I nodded and reached out and took his hand。
注：文中Village指（美）格林尼治村（美国纽约市曼哈顿区的一部分，是作家、艺术家等聚居的地区）
我的第二次婚姻和第一次截然不同。19岁的时候，我怀孕了，于是就嫁给了那个人。而这一次，从一开始，就是爱的结合。我的朋友，一对夫妻，介绍我认识了我的第二任丈夫。这夫妻倆把我们带到一家日式餐馆吃饭。吃完饭的时候，我的准第二任丈夫，一个心理医生，莽莽撞撞地问我：“请和我一起喝杯咖啡好吗？”当时，他就坐在我对面。
我也盯着他看。餐桌上马上静下来，所有人的眼睛都看着我，期盼着。
你要知道我的准第二任丈夫和我一样，都是年过40的人了，还有我们都和自己曾经爱的人一起有过15年的婚姻生活。而且，在两次婚姻的空档，我不曾和人谈恋爱。
“那我怎么回家呢？”我问，好像纽约城一下子变成了我童年时期生活过的那一望无际的非洲大草原。
“也许我可以送你回家。”他说话的声音很轻柔，要说完的时候声调微微地高了一些。那天我们的确一起喝了咖啡，后来又一块儿喝过几次，然后我就爱上他了，或者，我陷入了激情的漩涡，也许后一种说法更准确一些。
无论他什么时候请我去，我都马上出现。总是晚上很早就到，他的病人还没有走，所以我得在周围的雪地上四处游荡，身上带着我专门为他做的晚餐。晚餐就像是童话故事“小红帽”里所说的那些：汤、炖汤，还有蜜饯水果。这都是我小时候在非洲吃的英式食品。后来他才跟我说实话，他一点也不喜欢吃这些东西。虽然他不爱吃我做的英式食品，最终还是同意让我搬到他在格林尼治村的公寓。
这时候，只有一个小问题存在：我丈夫非常钟爱的两个男孩。他们都长着黑色的眼睛、黑色的头发，英俊可爱。兄弟俩一半的时间和爸爸呆在一起，另一半的时间则跟妈妈生活。两个男孩抬起头，用满是怀疑的眼睛看着我这个陌生人。
没问题，我一厢情愿地想。我自己的三个女儿都已经是十几岁的年龄，一门心思地想独立。我刚结婚的丈夫，忙忙碌碌的心理医生，经常要长时间地工作。所以我急不可待地接受自己从来没有的：两个可爱的男孩。而这两个已经有了自己的妈妈的男孩，却不那么心甘情愿地接受我，这很正常。
我尽我所能来取悦这两个男孩，用那些在我自己孩子那儿效果都曾经非常好的做法：给他们做小时候吃的英式饭食；给他们讲故事；攀越危险的栏杆，翻入明令禁止进入的地方；教他们怎么在下强手棋的时候投机取巧；在冰冷的水里游泳；从岩石上往下跳；做倒立；帮他们写作业、在他们出水痘的时候照顾他们。
可是，当我给两个孩子献上从巴尔杜兹食品商场里买来的东西——熟牛肉啦、薯条啦、双层巧克力蛋糕的时候（到这么高档的百货店里购物，我实在是出手大方！），或者端上我费了九牛二虎之力、忙活了几个小时才做好的汤的时候，小一点的那个孩子抬头看看爸爸，问：“我必须得吃吗？爸爸？”
这时候，爱就像那只大狗一样，悄无声息地潜入我的心田。我现在不是，那时也不是，爱狗的人。在我第一次婚姻里，我们曾养过猫。我们都爱猫。当时我和我的第一任丈夫举行过结婚仪式之后的第一件事，就是跑出家门去买来两只银灰色的暹罗猫。我喜欢猫的独立性，喜欢他们躺在我怀里温暖的感觉，喜欢他们静静地陪伴我，让我觉得生活多姿多彩。
但是现在，没有别的办法。我想唯有养一只狗才能让这两个孩子接受我。另外，我丈夫曾经给我笼统地讲过关于一只弃狗的故事。故事让人感到非常不安。这只狗因为恶行，后来被卖掉，抑或是送人了，让孩子很懊恼。
有一天下午，家里又剩下我来照管这个小一点的孩子，我们俩在交谈，总是时断时续。于是在谈话的间隙，我满怀希望地对他说：“要是咱们养一只狗，你说好吗？”
他很给面子，抬起头，直直地看着我，黑色的眼睛闪烁着，充满了兴趣，这是我之前从未见过的。
“那我和我哥哥不在这里的时候，谁可以去遛狗呢？”他问，满是疑惑，带着9岁孩子特有的智慧。
“哦，我会去的，”我回答，“这是让我得到锻炼的好办法。这样我就可以不会整天坐在电脑前工作了。”
我至今还清晰地记得去狗栏的情景。我丈夫无精打采地坐在那儿，一脸的沮丧，两手捧着他那漂亮的头。他一定是想到了以后要面临的那些日子：夜里带着狗散步，虽然下着雨。我则朝着通道走下去，通道两边摆放着狗笼，狗笼里的狗都在汪汪地狂吠。而那两个孩子，在我兴高采烈地走过通道时，依偎在我两侧，跟着我，这是这么长时间以来他们第一次这样。我之前一直计划着要一个小一点的狗狗，那种小小的、旅行的时候可以放在袋子里的狗，以便我可以渐渐适应从猫到狗的过渡。然而，当我们从其中一只狗笼经过的时候，两只庞大的、闪着金光的棕色爪子突然伸出来，朝我们叫着，叫声里充满了哀求。
“就这只！我要这只！”小一点的孩子马上兴奋地大喊，同时又蹦又跳。
“这只怎么样？”我试着问，想把他的注意力引导到后面那只笼子，里面一只长着松软毛皮的小狗蜷着身子安静地躺在笼子一侧。
“不，不行！我们就要这个，”大一点的孩子坚决地说。虽说只有12岁，他已经长成了那种男孩：保护自己的弟弟不受欺负。
因此，我们就要了这样一只狗，身躯高大，全身上下都是亮亮的棕色的毛皮，一双琥珀色的眼睛，还未成年，属于半牧羊狗半西伯利亚雪橇犬血统，颇有一种神秘气质。那里的人给了我们一个箱子，还教给我们很多关于接种疫苗的知识。然后我们去了附近的一家餐馆吃饭，所有人都胃口大开，心情也出奇地好。
当然，那件事之后，两个孩子迅速地恢复到他们以前的状态：我的继子，有自己的生活，还有一个属于他们自己的妈妈。我的16的女儿向我说明其中的缘由，因为她也有一个再婚的爸爸。
“妈妈，你无论做什么都无济于事，所以连试都不要试。”她说，对我的不谙世事感到失望。于是我不再努力，孩子和我之间慢慢地形成一种客气、然而却是不那么友好的关系。
起初的想法是希望通过领养这条狗来博得孩子的欢心，所以，现在自然而然地由我来遛狗、照顾狗。这并不是一条特别听话的狗。身材高大、桀骜不驯，还总是汪汪地大叫。有的时候他甚至会攻击人，比如他曾经咬过我的眼科医生。当时为了替我把新配好的眼镜戴好，这位医生身子靠向我，手还触到我的脸。然而，在那些孤独的日子里，只有我和狗相互陪伴，我们一起散步，一起交谈，最终我们成了好朋友。总是如此，人总是会和自己养的狗成为朋友。我的狗和我谁也离不开对方。每天，一连几个小时，当形只影单的我在书桌旁边工作的时候，狗就站在我身边，耐心地等候。晚上，在纽约的大街小巷，我们无数次地一起散步，狗在我身后跟着，脖子上没有系皮带。
每一年的夏天，我们都带着他一起去意大利玩。在飞机的机舱里，我们和处于半麻醉状态的狗一起飞行。在地中海平静的水域里，狗和我们一起一口气游过好几里。在水里，他游牧犬的天性显露出来，围着我们一圈一圈地游，激起大大的水花，这让我们很安全。
我丈夫和我买了一个新公寓，新公寓距离公园很近，这样狗就可以有地方到处跑。我们俩和狗在这个公园学会了跑步，总是丈夫冲在前面，狗和我一起跟在他后面。狗的皮带系在我腰上，他拉着我，让我紧跟在他后面。
在我们领养这狗十年后，他被查出患了肿瘤，必须进行手术。手术结束时医生告诉我，我可以进去和狗一起呆一会。我的那个小一点的继子主动提出和我一块进去，这举动让我很惊讶。他现在已经长成个子高高的少年了。
我们两个盘腿坐在动物医院的地板上，狗就在我们中间。我们在一起呆了很长时间，眼泪顺着我的两颊静静地流着。我们能听见的就只有狗痛苦地、轻轻地、低声地吠叫。
我说：“我从来没有听见他这样哭过。”
小继子抱住狗，轻柔地抚摩着他。然后他抬起头看着我。“我也从来没有看见你这样哭过。”他苦笑着说，黑色的眼睛里闪现出崇敬的神色。
我点点头，朝他伸出胳膊，握住了他的手。
鹦鹉学舌
谢拉·科勒出生于南非的约翰内斯堡，是家里两个女儿中的妹妹。17岁的时候被英国的圣安德鲁斯大学录取。同年离开南非，到了欧洲。她在巴黎生活了15年，在巴黎结婚，并在巴黎大学拿到文学的学士学位，还取得法国天主教大学心理学的硕士学位。在三个女儿长大成人之后，她于1981年移居美国，在哥伦比亚从事写作。
1987年夏天，谢拉·科勒发表第一篇小说“The Mountain”（《山》），这篇小说获得了欧亨利奖，并被收入1988年出版的欧亨利奖获奖作品集里。它还是作家的第一部长篇小说“The Perfect Place”（《完美之地》）的第一章，此书由兰登书屋下属的克诺夫出版社出版。谢拉·科勒的另一部小说“Crakes”（《裂缝》）被改编成了电影。
谢拉·科勒现在住在美国的纽约。她最新出版的小说是“Crossways”（《十字路口》）。本文选自由安妮·巴特编辑的文选“My Father Married Your Mother”（《我爸爸娶了你妈妈》）。
莺声燕语
Background Knowledge
Little Red Riding Hood小红帽
《小红帽》这个著名的童话故事在英语里面叫做“Little Red Riding Hood”，还有一个英文名字“Little Red Cap”。在流传的过程中，人们不断地改动，故事内容发生了很大的变化。
故事讲述了一个名叫小红帽的小姑娘，穿过树林去给生病的外婆送饭的时候发生的事情。因为她头上戴着红色的帽子，人们就把小姑娘称作小红帽。
一只可恶的狼想要吃掉这个小姑娘，却又不敢当众这样做。于是狼走近她，主动向小姑娘套近乎。天真的小姑娘原原本本地告诉了狼她要去哪里，要干什么。狼建议小姑娘采一些花，小红帽照做了。与此同时，狼先到达小红帽的外婆家，声称自己是小红帽，外婆就让狼进了家。狼进屋之后，把外婆吃掉，然后把自己打扮成外婆的样子，等候小红帽的到来。
小红帽到达外婆家，却发现外婆怪怪的。在大多数改写本里，这个情节最终变成了小红帽惊叫着说：“哎呀，瞧你的牙齿有多大！”听见小红帽这样说，狼回答：“牙齿大，吃你就容易多了，”然后就把小红帽吞掉了。
幸运的是，来了一个猎人。猎人把狼砍开，小红帽和外婆被救出来，毫发无伤。几个人给狼的肚子里填满石头，把狼扔到一口井里。由于石头的作用，狼最后被淹死。别的版本的故事里说狼没有吃掉外婆，而是把她锁在壁橱里。还有版本说当狼扑向小红帽时，猎人就把她救下来，她并没有被狼吃掉。
T
猴老师有话说
est Yourself
Multiple Choice Questions
1.I was more than ready to take on what I had never had：two adorable boys。
A。披上；呈现
B。增加
C。装载
D。接受；接纳
2.I clearly remember the visit to the pound。
A。（走失或无执照家畜的）认领栏
B。牲畜栏
C。待领处
D。监禁所
3……and repaired to a restaurant nearby where we all ate a meal together with unusually good appetite and humor。
A。去；赴
B。修理；修复
C。求助
D。聚会
4……and repaired to a restaurant nearby where we all ate a meal together with unusually good appetite and humor。
A。幽默；诙谐
B。心情；情绪
C。古怪念头
D。发的事物
5.It was I，of course，who walked and cared for the dog obtained to ingratiate myself into the boys'good graces。
A。优雅
B。魅力
C。恩惠；眷顾
D。情理；体面
6.He came with us to Italy every summer，traveling half drugged in the hold of the plane and swimming for miles with us in the calm waters of the Mediterranean。
A。控制
B。支撑物；固定物
C。船舱
D。擒拿法
Keys：
1.D2.A3.A4.B5.C6.C