'I really must have a few words with you, captain!' he began nervously3 enough.
'What on earth's the matter, Price? What's wrong now?' testily4 demanded the captain, grievously annoyed at being disturbed over his ponderous5 literary labours.
'It's the old story,' said Philip dejectedly. 'The fact is, the boys are getting beyond me, Alick especially so.'
'Well,' said the captain, fidgeting impatiently with his pen as he sat surrounded by waves of MSS., 'thrash them, can't you?'
'I'd rather try any other means than that!' was the quietly spoken answer.
'Hasn't the pluck in him for it!' was the thought that passed through the fiery7 old sailor's mind. But if he had noted8 the calm smile of a self-controlled nature that flitted across the face of the young man standing9 opposite him, the captain would have rapidly changed his opinion as to the lack of pluck in Philip Price.
'Oh, well, what do you want me to do, eh? You really can't expect me to come into the schoolroom and horsewhip the young scamps for you! You see for yourself how my time is occupied on a most important subject.' The captain waved his pen over the closely-written sheets before him.
'Perhaps not. But I really must ask you to reason with Alick, if not to punish him. It is imperative10 that something of the sort must be done. It comes to this, captain, I don't feel that it's quite honest to be taking your money for the mockery of teaching the boys, particularly Alick!' As he forced himself to speak thus, a dark-red flush rose to Philip Price's brow, for he was one of the over-sensitive folk.
'Pshaw, man! What a fool you must be!' The blunt captain was at the end of his patience. He was quivering to get back to his work. 'Besides, boys will be boys all the world over. Alick is no worse than others, I suppose. You're too conscientious11. It's absurd!' ended the sailor in a more kindly12 tone, after he had pushed his spectacles up into the roots of his iron-grey hair, to take a leisurely13 look at the earnest, agitated14 face confronting him.
'Now, I'll tell you what, Price!' he began again—'the best thing you can do is to go and talk the matter over with Theo. That girl can do anything with her brothers. She's got a way that some women are born with—not all women, mind you, but my Theo has it. Just go and consult her, and let me get on with my work, I beg of you. I am going over my MSS. for the fifth time, young man! That will give you an idea of my perseverance15 with difficulties. Follow the example, and you'll soon conquer those young limbs. Now, good morning to you, Price, good morning!' and Philip was hastily bowed out of the stuffy16 little sanctum, with its piles of MSS. and its odours of stale tobacco.
'Theo's the one to settle it all!' cheerfully muttered the captain, as the tutor's footsteps died away. 'She's such a sensible little woman, and has such a talent for managing and organising; she takes after me!' he added, with a complacence that would have received a rude shock by a little plain speaking as to those duties close at hand in his home that he was daily neglecting, in order to follow a will-o'-the-wisp in the shape of literary success.
'Miss Carnegy, the captain has referred me to you about a matter I have been forced to mention to him.'
Philip Price was standing in the doorway17 of the tea-house, as the Carnegys called the rustic18 erection at the end of the long, unproductive garden, hanging sheer over the little rocky headland on which the captain had built his bunk19, when he came to settle at Northbourne. A large part of the Carnegys' lives was spent in the tea-house, for as a family they loved the open air.
It was Queenie's schoolroom, in spring, summer, and autumn. The two fair heads raised at the sound of Philip's voice belonged to Theo and her pupil. They were busy over the Monday Bible-lessons, it being a wise rule of the young teacher to follow up the lessons of Sunday while they were still fresh in the childish memory of her little charge.
'What a contrast!' inwardly groaned20 the tutor as he took in the peaceful scene, and compared it with the one he had so recently quitted, in despair, where Geoff and Alick had that morning well-nigh goaded21 him to frenzy22 by their rebellious23 conduct. Alick had been in one of his worst moods, and Geoff had caught the infection. Books had been flung up to the ceiling; the ink-bottles deliberately24 emptied; and the rebels daringly shouted 'Rule Britannia!' from the top of the table on which they had leaped, brandishing25 the fire-irons. The tutor knew that he could have severely26 chastised27 one of the boys, and conquered him with ease, but he could hardly cope at once, single-handed, with the two. He therefore felt it to be the most dignified28 thing to leave the schoolroom in silence. All this he told, in a few brief words, to Theo, unwilling29 as he was to burden her youthful shoulders, already overweighted with many cares.
'I'm sorry, Mr. Price, so sorry!' Theo spoke6 humbly30, and her sweet face coloured from chin to brow with vexation. 'It's hard for you to be subjected to such treatment. The boys are truly unmanageable. But, indeed, they have good hearts; they will be so repentant32 for their shocking behaviour by and by.'
'They must say so, if they are,' said Philip, firmly, his pale face growing set. 'I must have an apology from them before I can resume the lessons, whatever may be the cost.'
'Of course! oh, of course!' hurriedly assented33 Theo, her fingers working nervously. There were breakers ahead, she foresaw. The idea of Alick, or Geoff either, apologising! 'I shall go to them, and do my best to bring them to reason,' she said presently.
'Thank you! I am sorry that the matter should vex31 you!' was the grave reply; and lifting his hat, the tutor departed home.
'Vex me!' murmured Theo, leaning her head out of one of the open windows of the tea-house, and staring absently down upon the waves leaping over the black rocks below. 'Vex me! It's more than that. Oh, it's too bad that all the burden should fall on me! Father ought to look after the boys. It's too bad!' she repeated.
Then the sea and sky were blurred34, and a vision took their place—a vision of a sweet, fading face; hands outstretched in pleading; and a loved voice, long since dumb, rang in her ears: 'You will promise, Theo, to be a little mother to the boys, and help them over the rough places in life's journey, as I should have tried to do? God will help you, dear. He will ever be ready with His aid!'
How vividly35 it all came back to the girl, that dark time in her young life when the dear, tender mother was called from out their midst. When all things, in heaven and earth alike, were shrouded36 in the pitiless gloom which hid the face of her Heavenly Father from the despairing daughter. What a chill, empty, rudderless home it was for the terror-struck children, with no one to look to for guidance! Father was away at the far ends of the world on his good ship, and mother—ah, farther off still was the mother, who had slipped out of the little home. Theo remembered, with a pang37, the clinging hands of the desolate38 boys and the baby, Queenie, which had stirred her out of her own stupor39 of sorrow. It was borne in upon her, then, that she must step into the dead mother's empty place; and, frail40, weak girl though she was, she had done her brave best to fill it ever since. She knew well, none better, that God had indeed helped her daily in her efforts hitherto. Lifting her tear-stained face, Theo told herself that He would do so still, for 'His mercies never fail.' With a silent little prayer for strength and patience, she left Queenie in the tea-house while she went indoors to confront the rebels as courageously41 as she could.
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1
harassed
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| adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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testily
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| adv. 易怒地, 暴躁地 | |
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ponderous
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| adj.沉重的，笨重的，(文章)冗长的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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11
conscientious
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| adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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13
leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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16
stuffy
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| adj.不透气的，闷热的 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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rustic
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| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
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bunk
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| n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话 | |
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20
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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21
goaded
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| v.刺激( goad的过去式和过去分词 )；激励；（用尖棒）驱赶；驱使（或怂恿、刺激）某人 | |
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22
frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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rebellious
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| adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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brandishing
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| v.挥舞( brandish的现在分词 )；炫耀 | |
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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chastised
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| v.严惩（某人）（尤指责打）( chastise的过去式 ) | |
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28
dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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31
vex
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| vt.使烦恼，使苦恼 | |
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32
repentant
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| adj.对…感到悔恨的 | |
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33
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34
blurred
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| v.（使）变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）难以区分；模模糊糊；迷离 | |
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35
vividly
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| adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地 | |
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36
shrouded
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| v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 )；保密 | |
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pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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38
desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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39
stupor
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| v.昏迷；不省人事 | |
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40
frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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41
courageously
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| ad.勇敢地，无畏地 | |
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