第四章
大胡子一愣，隨即搖頭大笑：“哈哈哈，你這怪老頭子，告訴你，我們真的去隨便轉轉！”
老沙頭無言了，心裏矛盾著，最後，他甕聲甕氣地對女兒說：“孩子，那你就領著客人進佗子轉轉吧！”
“哦哦，不必了，她不必去了，我們都騎著馬，她跟不上。”
“讓她騎驢好了，俺們家還有一頭驢。領導視察，俺們哪能不領路！”老沙頭顯得很固執，硬叫女兒牽出了毛驢。女兒倒很高興。
大胡子無奈，隻好客隨主便。something for you before I leave. You may makeone request. '
"Well-I do have a small request . " Theold man threw a glance at his daughter, thenhesitated. "Well, no, I suppose I don't. Not re-ally. "
The daughter chimed in, "Ask the visitorsin, dad. What are you standing there for? I'llmake you something to eat. ' She was buoyant,stealing glances at the fair-complexioned youngsecretary.
"Ah, yes, come inside. 1 have some goodwine too. " Perking up, the old man briskly in-vited the visitors in.
"There's no rush. We have all day. " Beardylooked at the sky and then around at the dunes."We'll just take a turn round the dunes and seeyour plants. "
"Well一”Sandy looked at him, ponderingwhat he had said-his heart had missed a beatat that "just take a turn”一and his glance fell onBeardy's shotgun. The secretary had a gun too."Okay, you can look around. But why are youcarrying guns?"
"Just a precaution. What if we should come
於是，二二馬一驢，一行三人，沿著曲曲彎彎的小徑向沙佗子深處出發了。
老沙頭心裏疑慮地目送著他們的背影，然後轉過身，抬起發木的雙腿撲向院子裏的雞群。這裏天地廣闊，雞群放進佗子裏野生野長，不用人去操心管理，所以雞也變野了。老沙頭追了一陣，呼味帶喘，連雞毛都沒抓著。他隻好悻悻地揀起那些下在草窩子裏的雞蛋。然後，他回屋子，抓了一把米“咕咕”地叫起來。很快，雞群跟著他走進了屋裏，老沙頭一下子關住了板門。
屋裏立刻傳出了大雞小雞咕嘎亂叫和衝撞碗鍋的動靜。
當沙佗子深處“砰”地傳出一聲槍響時，老沙頭正沉浸在殺雞的樂趣中。他殺雞的辦法很個別，先把雞的脊骨用手折斷，然後把雞腦袋擰過來掖在翅膀下，使勁往地下一摔，雞就蹬腿了。他用這種不用刀刃的上法，處理了六隻across some wolf in the dunes?" Beardy joked.
" Hm. " Sandy thought for a while. "Howabout this, boss?" He blurted out, "Don't botherwalking round. Just shoot at my chickens. Idon't fancy keeping them and I don't know whatto do with them. "
Beardy was stunned. Then he shook hishead and laughed. " You're a strange old man.I'm telling you, we'll just take a turn. '
He could say nothing, despite his apprehen-sion. He spoke gruffly to his daughter: "Takethem round the dunes, child. "
"No, no, there's no need. We're on horse-back. She can't keep up with us. "
"She can take the donkey. We have a don-key. It's only right for her to show the bossaround." The old man insisted stubbornly thathis daughter should go with them on the donkey,and she seemed happy to do so.
Beardy had to comply with his host's wish-es.
So the three of them, two on horseback,one on a donkey, set out along a twisting pathinto the dunes.
Full of misgivings, the old man gazed after雞。他計算得很周全：一人吃一隻，帶走兩隻，二三得六雞在沙沱裏野生野長，不是什麼稀奇貨，他不心疼。聽到槍聲，他愣了一下，驚愕地張了張嘴，隨著跑出門外， 向佗子深處側耳傾聽。可是莽莽沙佗子又複歸沉寂，沒有絲毫聲息，沒有再響起那可疑的槍聲。
“獵槍走火了，要不他們隨便打著玩……”老沙頭這樣安慰著自己。他又走回屋裏。地下炕上落滿雞毛，六隻白嫩嫩的退毛雞一溜擺在案板上，等著下鍋。
“砰！砰！”佗子裏又傳出兩聲槍響，接著四聲五聲，槍聲不斷。