《rekindled(英文版)》第66章

water。〃
Anne　laughed　in　delight。　〃Maple…sugaring？　We　can　do　it　ourselves？　I"d
planned　on　visiting　a　local　farm　to　watch。〃
He　gave　a　satisfied　grin。　〃Why　go　elsewhere　when　we　have　everything　we
need　right　here？〃
〃Do　you　know　what　to　do？〃
〃Do　I　know　what　to　do？　Since　when　have　you　had　cause　to　question　my
expertise？〃
She　grunted。　He　was　all　too　appealing　when　he　was　in　good　humor。
〃Modesty　seems　to　have　escaped　you　entirely。〃
He　gave　a　short　laugh。　〃No　one"s　perfect。〃
In　Anne"s　biased　judgment；　Mitch　was　as　close　to　it　as　anyone　could　be
on　that　day　and　the　ones　that　followed。　Though　they　hiked；　read；　and
rested；　the　bulk　of　their　attention　focused　on　the　maple…sugaring；　about
which　he　did　indeed　know　almost　everything。
〃The　best　trees　have　to　be　big；　forty　years　old　or　more；〃　he　explained；
when　they　left　the　house　carting　the　tools　he　had　produced　from　a　shed。
〃We"re　using　metal　spouts。　This　is　the　old…fashioned　method　of　tapping
trees；　but　it　works　for　me。〃
〃You"ve　done　this　before？〃
〃Many　times。〃
At　the　first　maple　that　fit　that　bill；　he　drilled　a　small　hole　and
inserted　a　metal　spout　that　extended　several　inches　beyond　the　bark。　He
did　the　same　at　each　large　tree。
〃The　sap　generally　flows　between　mid…March　and　mid…April。　I　do　this
whenever　I"m　here　then。〃　With　a　shove；　he　pushed　a　spout　into　place；
then　inserted　one　on　the　back　side　of　the　same　tree。
〃More　than　one　per　tree？〃
〃With　a　tree　this　size；　there"ll　be　enough　sap　for　two。　Here；　you　slide
this　one　in；　while　I　get　more　buckets。〃
By　the　time　he　returned；　she　had　done　as　he　asked。　He　fit　a　bucket　on
the　spout。
〃A　sliding　lid？〃　she　asked；　studying　it。　〃I"ve　never　seen　lids　on　sap
buckets；　period。〃
A　smile　touched　the　corners　of　his　mouth。　〃Then　you"ve　never　seen　a
stray　horse　or　a　field　mouse　drink　the　sap　as　it　collects。〃
She　laughed。　〃No；　I　haven"t。〃
〃This　lid　doesn"t　always　keep　them　out。　A　persistent　animal　can　get　what
he　wants。　But　it　helps。〃
They　picked　up　the　equipment　and　moved　on　to　the　next　tree。
〃How　much　sap　will　we　get？〃　she　asked；　but　she　was　distracted　watching
him　as　he　debated　where　to　drill。　He　was　a　sight　to　behold；　larger　and
more　rugged…looking　than　ever　in　a　high…collared　sheepskin　jacket　and
faded　jeans。
He　knelt　before　the　tree　and　applied　the　drill。　〃On　a　good　day　the
bucket　will　fill　and　overflow。　On　a　poor　day　we"ll　get　only　a　few
inches。〃
He　grunted　as　he　pushed　the　bit　forward　into　the　tree。　〃If　we　were　to
continue　for　the　entire　length　of　the　sapping　season；　we　might　get　ten
or　twenty　gallons　from　each　tree。〃
She　was　startled。　〃That　much？　Whoa。　What　would　we　ever　do　with　all　that
sap？〃
The　hole　drilled；　he　straightened　and　motioned　with　his　finger　for　her
to　insert　the　spout；　which　she　deftly　did　this　time　with　the　aid　of　a
hammer。
〃〃All　that　sap；〃"　he　said；　〃boils　down　to　very　little。　To　get　one　gallon
of　syrup；　you　have　to　boil　down　anywhere　from　thirty…five　to　fifty
gallons　of　sap。〃
〃Ah。　That　explains　why　genuine　maple　syrup　costs　so　much。〃
Mitch　went　on　with　the　lesson　as　he　continued　to　work。　〃New　York　and
Vermont　produce　the　most　syrup　in　this　country；　though　the　province　of
Quebec　yields　more　than　the　two　states　bined。　Today；　most　of　the
monly　used　syrups　are　actually　a　bination　of　maple　syrup；　cane
sugar　syrup；　and　corn　syrup。　If　you　ask　me；　though；　there"s　no　contest。
The　straight　stuff；　the　real　thing；　beats　all。〃
Anne　couldn"t　argue　with　that。
For　a　while　they　proceeded　in　silence；　but　it　was　a　friendly　silence；　an
intimate　one。　She　noted　that　he　favored　his　right　arm；　cranking　the　hand
drill　around　with　it；　while　the　other　held　the　shaft　in　place。　When　she
offered　to　take　a　turn；　he　indulged　her；　enjoying　her　struggle　with　a
smug　smile。　When　she　finally　gave　up　and　turned　the　chore　back　to　him；
he　said；　〃That"s　okay；　Annie。　I　could　never　have　cleaned　the　house　the
way　you　did　this　time。〃
〃You　noticed？〃
〃How　could　I　help　it；〃　he　teased　with　a　rewarding　grin。　〃I　was　nearly
blinded　by　the　sparkle。〃
Anne　knew　the　feeling。　She　was　nearly　blinded　now　by　the　sparkle　in　his
eyes。　When　he　pushed　two　spouts　into　her　hand；　she　was　temporarily
disoriented。
〃In　the　tree？〃　he　prodded　with　a　cockeyed　grin；　leaving　her　to　recover
while　he　went　for　more　buckets。
That　first　day；　they　drilled　holes；　inserted　spouts；　and　hung　buckets　on
the　largest　of　the　maples　near　the　house。　On　succeeding　days　they
collected　the　sap　that　had　flowed。　It　was　no　mean　feat；　carting　heavy
buckets　from　tree　to　house　and　back。
〃If　we　had　the　most　modern　equipment；〃　Mitch　teased　as　she　massaged　the
nagging　muscles　of　her　shoulders；　〃we"d　have　used　plastic　spouts
attached　to　plastic　tubing　that　would　take　the　stuff　directly　from　the
tree　to　the　sugarhouse。　It"s　much　more　efficient　in　terms　of　time　and
labor。〃
〃That"s　all　okay；〃　she　reasoned。　〃We　don"t　have　a　sugarhouse。　Besides；
I"m　gaining　weight。　The　exercise　will　do　me　good。〃
He　looked　her　over。　〃Well；　you"re　not　scrawny　anymore；　but　。。。　in　danger
of　being　overweight？　Not　a　chance。〃
〃Fine　for　you　to　say。　You　did　most　of　the　work　this　week。〃　And　he　had。
He　had　cooked　nearly　every　meal；　in　addition　to　doing　the　lion"s　share
of　the　sugaring　work。
He　threw　an　arm　across　her　shoulders　and　drew　her　to　his　side。　〃I　owed
you　for　being　such　a　bastard　when　I　first　got　here。　Most　women　would
have　packed　up　and　left。〃
She　managed　a　gruff；　〃The　thought　did　cross　my　mind。〃
〃I"m　glad　you　stayed；〃　he　said　with　affection。
There　was　a　gleam　in　his　hazel　eyes；　a　softness　in　his　smile；　gentleness
in　the　fingers　that　cupped　her　shoulder；　and　a　velvet　edge　to　his　voice。
All　in　all；　it　was　a　warm　moment。　Anne　mitted　it　to　memory。
By　Friday　morning；　there　was　enough　sap　in　the　large　vat　to　begin　the
boiling　process。
〃They　usually　do　this　in　long；　shallow　pans　called　evaporators；〃　Mitch
explained。　〃The　one　we"re　using　is　a　little　deeper　than　we　need；　but
it"ll　have　to　do。　When　all　the　water　has　evaporated；　we"ll　have　pure
maple　syrup。
No　matter　that　he　had　done　this　before；　his　enthusiasm　and　genuine
enjoyment　of　the　process　were　in　no　way