The wash woman

旁白：she was a small woman ,old and wrinkled.when she started washing for this family ,the old washwoman was already past seventy.

(washwoman背着大口袋入)

Mother: Oh! Welcome lady.(放下手里的活) I’m very satisfied with what you did. Here is the money. You didn’t ask for more money than others and you did a good job. I have never been so pleased with any washwoman.（把钱给washwoman）

Washwoman : Thank you, madam.(喘) I’ll take the money.（把钱收起来）I just want to stand on my own feet. I do not want to be others’ load.

(washwoman 解开包 往外拿衣服 母亲上去看 表示满意)

(同时)旁白： most woman of her age sickly and weak. All the old woman in this street had bent backs and leaned on sicks when they walked.but this washwoman ,small and thin as she was possessed a strength that came form generations of peasant forebears

Me: the clothes are so neat!(拿着衣服看) How can you do it.

Washwoman: thanks, I was accustomed to doing this.it is not very hard.(摸me的头  笑笑)

（同时）旁白：laundering is not easy in those days. The old woman had no running water where she lived but had to bring in to the water form a pump.and the drying ! It could not be done out side because thieves would steal the laundry .so it had to be carried up to the attic and hung on clotheslines. Only god know what the old woman had to endure (bear)each time she did a wash.

Me: do you have a son or a daughter?

Washwoman: yes, I have a son . He has his own life, although he was wealthy , I want do something valuable by myself.

son：  I don't want to admit that you are my mother。You make me feel ashamed please go away！

旁白：and even his wedding ,he doesnt invite his mom

son.：I don't want to invite her to my wedding I have nothing to do with her

Mother：what a diligent and lovely mother!

Washwoman:Dose it pay to

make sacrifices(牺牲) for children? I use up my last strength, and he does not even know the meaning of loyalty

Mother:yeah, you are a good mother indeed.(递过去衣服，一件件清点)

well, hard working lady, here is some laundry, give you, See you two weeks later.

旁白： hers son was ashamed of his mother and never came to see her. Nor did he ever give her money .the old woman told this without bitterness .when the son got married ,the wedding took place in a church .the son had not invited the old mother to his wedding ,but she went to the church anyway and waited at the step to see her son lead the bride to the alter.

（旁白同时 把衣服都装进包里 送washwoman出门）

旁白：two weeks went by

Mother: Today is the time that washwoman brings back the laundry. It is so late. She may not come here today. Lets wait another day.(拿起灯准备走)

Me:（上前关门并说）yeah, it is too late ,but do you remember that winter night.（收拾东西）

旁白：that was a winter night,but the washwoman brought our laundry back. Mother gave her a pot of tea to warm herself, as well as some bread. The old woman sat on a kitchen chair trembling（发抖） and shaking, and warmed her hands against the teapot.of the will to work not only as one's strength permits but beyond the limits of one's power.洗衣妇用自己的行动表明了人类顽强的精神，表现了人类要劳动的意志，不仅是只要还有一点力气就要劳动，而且是在超越自己力量极限时仍然要劳动。

旁白：More than two months passed. The frost had gone, and then a new frost had come, a new wave of cold. One evening.旧霜散去，新霜又降，已经两个月了，这是一个寒冷的夜晚

（mother and me 在屋子里围坐在桌旁）

Mother:（坐在油灯旁织补衣服）the washwoman's absence was a catastrophe,We needed the laundry. We did not even know the woman's address. It seemed certain that she had （叹气）died.I had a premonition

Me:（围坐在母亲边上）no,I do not think so,（站起）although she is small and weak,but I pray she must living,the old woman who had grown close to us through the years she had served us so faithfully.（坐下）

Preist:My dear god your mother may be going to see him。I am sorry that I can't save her

（washwoman上，背包 气喘吁吁）

旁白: the door opened and a small puff of steam, followed by a huge bag, entered the room.

（me跑过去，帮washwoman拿下来包，搀扶她坐下，washwoman嘟囔，要求听不清 但是可以看到嘴动）

旁白：Her head shook from side to side as though she were saying no. she could not utter a clear word, but mumbled something with her sunken  mouth and pale lips.

Mother: scare me to death （站起）,what happened , oh！My god , When I saw you, a mixed feeling of sorrow and happiness filled my heart. You are even thinner now.（me奔上前去扶washwoman，扶她坐下）

Washwoman(嘟囔，要求同上)【主要演出冻得发抖，无法说话】

Me: stay here,I take some hot water for you.(匆忙下)

Washwoman(嘟囔，要求同上)

Me(拿来一杯子水，递给washwoman，坐在她边上，帮她把包拿开):Here are some water for you. Are you ok?

（Washwoman点头，me mother 坐在一起

小声议论，washwoman拿着杯子暖手，偶尔喝点）

旁白：during this two months,she had been ill.She had been so sick that someone called a doctor, and the doctor had sent for a priest  But she began to feel better, she became well, and as soon as she was able to stand on her feet once more, she began her washing. Not just ours, but the wash of several other, too.这短时间中，老人病倒了，即使医生判定了她的命运，但坚强的灵魂支撑着她重新站起来，完成她还未完成的工作

son: I have contributed money for a coffin I have done my duty

mom:Your son is going too far！

Washwoman:I could not rest easy in my bed because of the wash(喝了一口水)，the wash would not let me die.

Mother:With the help of God you will live to be a hundred and twenty.

Washwoman:God forbid!(自己的胸前划了个十字) What good would such a long life be? The work becomes harder and harder…my strength is leaving me…(抬起头往天上看去)I do not want to be a burden on anyone!【按停顿来，语速慢，带有感情】

旁白：Up to this point, the old people still adhere to their own value for the society, do not do other people's burdensome creed.

Mother:take this money,Let’s wish you a long life.(递钱)

Washwoman:thanks, I will return in a few weeks for a new load.(转身向外走，蹒跚)（mother and me 送，出）

旁白：But she never came back. The wash she had returned was her last effort on this earth. She had been driven by a strong will to return the property to its owners, to fulfill the task she had undertaken.I cannot imagine paradise without this washwoman. I cannot even imagine a world where there is no reward for such effort.物归原主的强烈愿望支持她做完最后的贡献，纵然她没有做什么惊天泣地的大作为，但我们都相信，天堂一定有她应有的位置，我绝对相信如此的努力是会得到回报的。

 

根据英语读写课本中《The washwoman》改编的话剧