芒果街上的小屋三姐妹

三姐妹

　　她們和八月裡吹來的風一起來到，像蛛網那麼輕渺，不易為人知曉。除了月亮，似乎和其他任何事物都不相關的三個。一個笑聲像鐵皮，一個有著貓一樣的眼，一個的手像瓷。嬸嬸們。三姐妹。媽媽們。他們說。

　　嬰兒死了。露西和拉切爾的小妹妹。有天晚上一條狗哭了，第二天一隻黃色的鳥飛進了打開的窗戶。那個星期還沒過完，寶寶燒得更厲害了。然後耶穌來了，把寶寶帶到遠方去了。她們的媽媽這麼說。

　　然後客人來了……在小屋裡穿進穿出。很難讓地板保持乾淨。過去想知道牆壁是什麼顏色的人來了一批又一批，看著那個糖果盒一樣的盒子裡拇指般的小人。

　　我以前從來沒看到過死人，沒看過真的，像這樣躺在某個人的客廳裡，等著人們來親吻和祝福，並點上一枝蠟燭的。這樣在一所房子裡的。這好像有點奇怪。

　　她們一定是知道了，那三姐妹。她們有那種能力，能夠感覺出什麼是什麼。她們說，過來，給了我一條香口膠。她們身上的氣味像面紙，又像一個絲緞手袋裡面的味道。於是我不覺得害怕。

　　你叫什麼名字，那個長著貓眼的問。

　　埃斯佩朗莎。我說。

　　埃斯佩朗莎。那個老而且青筋突起的用一種尖細的聲音重複著。埃斯佩朗莎……多好的名字。

　　我的膝蓋疼。那個笑聲滑稽的抱怨說。

　　明天要下雨了。

　　是的，明天。她們說。

　　你們怎麼知道？我問。

　　我們知道。

　　看看她的手。貓眼說。

　　於是她們把我的手翻過來翻過去，好像在找什麼東西一樣。

　　她很特別。

　　是的，她會去很遠的地方。

　　是的，是的，嗯。

　　許個願吧。

　　許願？

　　是的，許個願。你想要什麼？

　　什麼都可以？我問。

　　是的，為什麼不是？

　　我閉上了眼睛。

　　你許好了嗎？

　　是的。我說。

　　好，就這樣，它會實現的。

　　你怎麼知道？我問。

　　我們知道。我們知道。

　　埃斯佩朗莎。那個長著大理石樣的手的把我叫到一旁。埃斯佩朗莎。她用她青筋突起的手捧著我的臉，看了又看。許久的沉默。你離開時總要記得回來。她說。

　　什麼？

　　你離開時要記得為了其他人回來。一個圈子。懂嗎？你永遠是埃斯佩朗莎。你永遠是芒果街的人。你不能忘記你知道的事情。你不能忘記你是誰。

　　然後我不知道說什麼好。她似乎能看懂我的心思。她似乎知道我剛才許下了什麼願。我為許下那麼自私的一個願望感到羞愧。

　　你要記得回來。為了那些不像你那麼容易離開的人。你會記得嗎？她那麼問我似乎是在告訴我。是的，是的。我有點迷糊地說。

　　好。她說，揉了揉我的手。好。就這樣。你可以走了。

　　我站起來走到露西和拉切爾一起去，她們已經等在門外了，正在奇怪我和那三個散發著肉桂氣味的老女人做什麼。她們告訴我的事情我不是都明白。我轉過身。她們微笑著，揮了揮手，用她們輕煙似的姿態。

　　後來我就沒見過她們了。一次也沒有，兩次也沒有。從此再也沒有。

　　They came with the wind that blows in August, thin as a spider web and barely noticed. Three who did not seem to be related to anything but the moon. Oh laughter like tin and oh eyes of a cat and oh hands like porcelain. The aunts, the three sisters, las adres, they said.

　　The baby died. Lud Rachel's sister. One night a dog cried, and the day a yellow bird flew in through an open window. Before the week was over, the baby's fever was worse. Then Jesus came and took the baby with him far away. That's what their mother said.

　　Then the visitors came……in and out of the little house. It was hard to keep the floors . Anybody who had ever wondered what color the walls were came and came to look at that little thumb of a human in a box like dy.

　　I had never seen the dead before, not for real, not in somebody's living room for people to kiss and bless themselves and light a dle for. Not in a house. It seemed strange.

　　They must've known, the sisters. They had the power and could sense what was what. They said, e here, and gave me a stick of gum. They smelled like Kleenex or the inside of a satin handbag, and then I didn't feel afraid.

　　What's your he cat-eyed one asked.

　　Esperanza, I said.

　　Esperanza, the old blue-veined oed in a high thin voice. Esperanza……a good good name.

　　My knees hurt, the oh the funny laugh plained.

　　Tomorrow it will rain.

　　Yes, tomorrow, they said.

　　How do you know? I asked.

　　We know.

　　Look at her hands, cat-eyed said.

　　And they turhem over and over as if they were looking for something.

　　She's special.

　　Yes, she'll go very far.

　　Yes, yes, hmmm.

　　Make a wish.

　　A wish?

　　Yes, make a wish. What do you want?

　　Anything? I said.

　　Well, why not?

　　I closed my eyes.

　　Did you wish already?

　　Yes, I said.

　　Well, that's all there is to it. It'll e true.

　　How do you know? I asked.

　　We know, we know.

　　Esperanza. The oh marble hands called me aside. Esperanza. She held my face with her blue-veined hands and looked and looked at me. A long silence. When you leave you must remember always to e back, she said.

　　What?

　　When you leave you must remember to e back for the others. A circle, uand? You will always be Esperanza. You will always be Mango Street. You 't erase what you know. You 't fet who you are.

　　Then I didn't know what to say. It was as if she could read my mind, as if she knew what I had wished for, and I felt ashamed for having made such a selfish wish.

　　You must remember to e back. For the ones who ot leave as easily as you. You will remember? She asked as if she was telling me. Yes, yes, I said a little fused.

　　Good, she said, rubbing my hands. Good. That's all. You go.

　　I got up to join Lud Rachel who were already outside waiting by the door, w what I was doing talking to three old ladies who smelled like amon. I didn't uahing they had told me. I turned around. They smiled and waved in their smoky way.

　　Then I didn't see them. Not once, or twice, or ever again.

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