整整一个月过去了，尽管我们百般努力，玛丽依然没能从失去母亲的绝望和痛苦中恢复过来。她孤独而自闭，让人难以接近。三月末的一天，我的一个学生提议，为了迎接春天的到来给教室做些装饰花边。我把彩纸递给玛丽，鼓励她尝试，但并没抱多大希望。奇迹发生了，玛丽做了漂亮的风信子尧水仙花尧紫罗兰，还闪着亮晶晶的眼睛告诉我院“妈妈最爱鲜花了，她在我家的花园里种满了花。”
玛丽终于走出了阴影，她伏在我的肩头啜泣着。教室里其他的孩子们也跟着哭了起来，可我知道那是喜悦的泪水。
“There’sanewstudentwaitinginyourroom,”myprincipalannounced,hurryingpastmeonthestairs.“Hername’sMary.Ineedtotalktoyouabouther.Stopintheofficelater.”
Inoddedandglanceddownatthepacksofpink,redandwhitepaper,andthejarsofpasteandboxesofscissorsIheldinmyarms.“Fine,”Isaid.“I’vejustcomefromthesupplyroom.We’remakingvalentineenvelopesthismorning.It’llbeagoodwayforhertogetacquainted.”
Thiswasmythirdyearofteachingfourth-graders,butIwasalreadyawarehowmuchtheylovedValentine’sDay(nowjustaweekaway),andmakingthesebrightcontainerstotapetothefrontsoftheirdeskswasafavoriteactivity.Marywouldsurelybecaughtupintheexcite-mentandbechattingcheerfullywithnewfriendsbeforetheprojectwasfinished.
Hummingtomyself,Icontinuedupthestairs.
Ididn’tseeheratfirst.Shewassit-tinginthebackoftheroomwithherhandsfoldedinherlap.Herheadwasdownandlong,light-brownhairfellfor-ward,caressingthesoftlyshadowedcheeks.“Welcome,Mary,”Isaid.“I’msogladyou’llbeinourroom.AndthismorningyoucanmakeanenvelopetoholdyourvalentinesforourpartyonValentine’sDay.”
Noresponse.Hadsheheardme?“Mary,”Isaidagain,slowlyand
distinctly.
Sheraisedherheadandlookedintomyeyes.Thesmileonmyfacefroze.AchillwentthroughmeandIstoodmotion-less.Theeyesinthatsweet,little-girlfacewerestrangelyempty--asiftheownerofahousehaddrawntheblindsandgoneaway.OncebeforeIhadseensucheyes:Theyhadbelongedtoaninmateofamen-talinstitution,oneI’dvisitedasacollegestudent.“She’sfoundlifeunendurable,”theresidentpsychiatristhadexplained,“soshe’sretreatedfromtheworld.”Shehad,hewenton,killedherhusbandinafitofinsanejealousy.
Butthischild--shecouldhavebeenmyownsmall,lovablenieceexceptforthoseblank,desolateeyes.DearGod,Ithought,whathorrorhasenteredthelifeofthisinnocentlittlegirl?
Ilongedtotakeherinmyarmsandhugthehurtaway.Instead,Ipulledbooksfromtheshelfbehindherandplacedtheminherlap.“Herearetextsyou’llbeusing,Mary.Wouldyouliketolookatthem”Mechanically,sheopenedeachbook,closeditandresumedherformerposition.
Thebellrangthen,andthechildrenburstinonawaveofcold,snowyair.Whentheysawthevalentinematerialsonmydesk,theybubbledwithexcitement.
TherewaslittletimetoworryaboutMarythatfirsthour.Itookattendance,settledMaryintohernewdeskandin-troducedher.Thechildrenseemedsub-duedandconfusedwhenshefailedtoac-knowledgetheintroductionorevenraiseherhead.
Quickly,inordertopertthem,Idistributedmaterialsfortheenvelopesandsuggestedwaystoconstructanddecoratethem.IplacedmaterialsonMary’sdesk,too,andaskedKristie,hernearestneigh-
bor,toofferhelp.
Withthechildrenhappilyen-grossed,Iescapedtotheoffice.“Sit
down,”myprincipalsaid,“andI’llfillyouin.”
Thechild,shesaid,hadbeenveryclosetohermother,livingalonewithherinaDetroitsuburb.Onenight,severalweeksago,someonehadbrokenintotheirhomeandshotandkilledthemotherinMary’spresence.Maryescaped,screaming,toaneighbor’s.Thenthechildwentintoshock.Shehadn’tcriedormentionedhermothersince.（未完待续）