The boy whom he liked best was Charles Growler; a youth of his own age, but possessed1 with greater abilities, and a universal favorite in the village. Charles was nimble, strong, and good-natured; ready for any adventure or exploit, and the very soul of drollery2. No matter what might happen he never lost his temper, his presence of mind, or his keen humor. He was a very brave boy, rushing headlong into every kind of danger. In fact, the boys admitted that they had never known him to be afraid.
He and Will entered school at the same time and had kept together in all their studies. There was no jealousy3 or rivalry4 between them, nothing but a quiet and laudable competition, which stimulated5 each one to do his best. When one could assist the other he did so willingly and gladly. No boy ever had a more sincere friend than Will in Charles or Charles in Will. And yet this boy Charles was nicknamed “Buffoon.” Not, however, on account of clownishness or monkey tricks, but simply on account of his love of fun.
George Andrews was another boy of the village, associated with Will and Charles. He was a good boy, smart and shrewd, but too much disposed to display his abilities and his knowledge. In his tender childhood he had overheard a weak-headed fellow drawl out, “Yes, George will make an excellent scholard; I guess he’s a good scholard a’ready.” This so filled the young hero with self-conceit that he really believed that he, a mere6 boy, was indeed a scholar! Firm in this belief, he never let slip an opportunity in which he might avail himself of his superior knowledge; and having read a great deal in[40] all sorts of books,—particularly in certain musty and ponderous7 volumes that treated of everything under the sun—he was able to have his say, it made no difference what subject was being discussed. But, alas8! he was just as apt to be wrong as to be right; and worse still, his information, like the Dutchman’s wit, generally came too late to be duly appreciated. He was a few months older than Will and Charles, and outstripped9 them both in his studies. The boys always rejoiced to have him accompany them—partly because of his actual cleverness, partly because of his immoderate self-conceit, as it was very amusing to hear him hold forth10 on a subject of which he really was totally ignorant. Not at all to his disinclination this boy was dubbed11 “the Sage12.”
Marmaduke Baldwin Alphonso Fitz-Williams was a youth, the grandeur13 of whose name drove abashed14 Johns and Thomases almost to phrensy. But the name befitted the boy, for even at his tender age his mind was occupied with strange thoughts. He delighted in the romantic; indeed, he had lived in an atmosphere of romance from his baptism. This heavy cloud of romance obscured the boy’s ideas, and sometimes caused him to speak and act more like a hero of fiction than was seemly. When alone he would slide his hand into his bosom15 over his heart, whenever the weight of romance and mystery was more than ordinarily oppressive, and if his heart beat fast he was satisfied with himself.
The boy who detects the conception of a nocturnal robbery or murder in a stranger’s eye, simply because he [the cautious stranger] slips his hand stealthily into his “pistol pocket,”—in this case the breast pocket—to assure himself that his watch is still there, is a remarkably16 shrewd member of the human race, whose genius and acuteness should be diligently17 fostered. And such a boy was Marmaduke. But it was neither fear nor idiocy18 that caused him to think thus; it was only an extravagant19 imagination.
Marmaduke and George resembled each other in many particulars: each one was prompt to arrive at startling conclusions; each one believed himself equal to any[41] emergency; but George was far more practical than Marmaduke. Each of these boys took pleasure in learning, and each one manifested a puerile20 eagerness to let people see how well informed he was. For instance, they flattered themselves that they were accomplished21 grammarians, and when any reference was made to grammar both looked very knowing, as much as to say that they apprehended22 what was meant.
Marmaduke had a strong will of his own, but, by man?uvring artfully, Charles could generally make him look at things from his point of view. The boys took advantage of his love for the marvellous to play mean tricks on him; but when he found that they were making game of him, he flew into a passion, and made himself ridiculous.
Poor boy! Though he is called Marmaduke in this book, his poetic23 names were too long for everybody except his parents; and while his teachers called him Mark, the school-boys called him “Marmalade,” or “Dreamer,” or something else quite as appropriate and scurrilous24. Some envious25 little Smiths and Greens did not scruple26 to call him “Fitty.”
Next on the list is Stephen Goodfellow, one of the most important characters in the tale. He was a fun-loving fellow, fertile in devices, an adept27 at repartee28, and too light-hearted to be serious for more than five consecutive29 minutes. In a word, he was the most nimble, sprightly30, ingenious and good-natured boy in the village. At the same time he was the most reckless of all boys, taking pride in rushing blindly into danger. Indeed, he affected31 a stoical contempt for every kind of danger; jumped backwards32 off empty schooners33 with his eyes shut; made friends with the most unamiable and untractable bull-dogs in the place; lowered himself into deep, dismal34, and unsafe old wells to wake the echoes with his bellowing35 voice, and busied himself about the punching and shearing36 machine, the steam engine, and the circular saws in the Columbia foundry. He knew every sailor of all the vessels37 that put into the harbor; knew every engineer and brakeman on all the trains that passed[42] through the village; knew the name and disposition38 of every respectable dog within the corporation; knew just where to look for the best raspberries and the most desirable fish-worms; but he didn’t know an adversative conjunction from an iambic pentameter.
To be acquainted with this boy was to like him. By Will and Charles he was actually beloved, and there was a mutual39 and lasting40 affection between him and all our heroes. He was always ready to lend them his counsel and assistance when agitating41 their dark schemes, and when any waggish42 trick was in view, or when anything ludicrous was going on, his approval and support were the first consideration. Some of the urchins43 tried to equal Stephen’s feats44 of dexterity45 and to ape his sallies and whimsicalness; but it could not be done, and they only exposed themselves to his derision and made themselves more envious and unhappy than before. Stephen was familiarly known as “Stunner;” which, being offensively vulgar, we, out of respect for the reader’s feelings, have transposed into Steve.
If this were the history of a sailor-boy, Steve would assuredly be the hero; and we should eulogize him so unweariedly and enthusiastically that the heroes of romance, goaded46 to frenzy47 by the praise thus lavished48 on him, would commission their ghosts to haunt us. But Steve has nothing to do with sailor-boys; and as we do not wish to incur49 the displeasure of such heroes,—much less the displeasure of their ghosts,—or to compel anybody to fall in love with him, it will be the wisest course to leave it for impartial50 readers to praise him or to condemn51 him, to love him or to detest52 him, as their judgment53 may determine.
George and Marmaduke, to the best of their ability, cultivated the science of grammar; Stephen cultivated the art of dismembering grammars, and of blazoning54 their fly-leaves with hideous55 designs of frolicsome56 sea-serpents; wrecked57 schooners; what seemed to be superb pagan temples suffering from the effects of an earthquake; crazy old jades58 painfully drawing along glittering circus vans, with coatless little boys—some took them for monkeys,[43] but probably they were circus prodigies—sitting in the roof and driving; and all sorts of monstrosities. We say grammars: Stephen’s designs were to be found chiefly in them. But he was no niggard of his illustrations; for, to his noble nature, it mattered little whether the book which he illuminated59 belonged—so long as it was old and dilapidated—to himself or to somebody else.
Last and least was James Horner. He was an infamous60 coward—in fact, so infamous that although fifteen years old, even a sudden and loud sound would unstring his nerves and twitch61 his facial muscles. As a natural consequence, he very often heard sudden and loud sounds—in fact, he heard all sorts of hideous and unaccountable sounds. But the boy was by no means an entire fool; and he made greater progress at school than might be expected. It is a lamentable62 fact—which, however, must be chronicled—that his playfellows studied to excite his fears, and played off some of their most farcical, sly, and atrocious tricks on him. Will and Charles had too much self-respect and sound moral principle to snub the boy; but Steve seemed to take a savage63 delight in snubbing him and in turning him into ridicule64. But, though many a sportive trick was played on him, his confidence in mankind was still so great that he was very easily deceived, it made no difference how often he was mocked. In this confidence the others might well have copied after him. On the other hand, his disposition was unamiable, and under undue65 provocation66 he was a dangerous boy, who could harbour revenge. Nevertheless, he hardly ever ventured to interfere67 with the boys’ schemes, but blindly and humbly68 followed wherever they might lead. Why our heroes tolerated his company can be explained on only two grounds: first, because they liked to play tricks on him; secondly69, because this history requires such a character. When not called Jim, this abused lad was branded “Timor,” which shows how notorious he was for cowardice70. But in process of time this classical gem71 became corrupted72 by the ignorant into “Tim.”
These five were the school-fellows and associates of Will, and generally the six might be found together. It[44] was only natural that they should quarrel sometimes; but, for the most part, they were at peace with themselves and all other boys. They were all full of mischievousness73, but taking everything into consideration, were as free from sin as boys can be.
There is another youth that figures in this tale—Will’s cousin Henry. He is perhaps the most distinguished74 hero. However, it is not yet time for him; and as it is dogmatically and impolitically observed a few pages back that it is cowardly and wicked in a writer to anticipate, he must not yet be introduced.
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1
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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drollery
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| n.开玩笑，说笑话；滑稽可笑的图画（或故事、小戏等） | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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rivalry
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| n.竞争，竞赛，对抗 | |
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stimulated
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| a.刺激的 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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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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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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outstripped
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| v.做得比…更好，（在赛跑等中）超过( outstrip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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dubbed
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| v.给…起绰号( dub的过去式和过去分词 )；把…称为；配音；复制 | |
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sage
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| n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的 | |
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grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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abashed
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| adj.窘迫的，尴尬的v.使羞愧，使局促，使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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diligently
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| ad.industriously;carefully | |
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idiocy
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| n.愚蠢 | |
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extravagant
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| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
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puerile
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| adj.幼稚的，儿童的 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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apprehended
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| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
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poetic
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| adj.富有诗意的，有诗人气质的，善于抒情的 | |
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scurrilous
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| adj.下流的，恶意诽谤的 | |
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envious
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| adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的 | |
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scruple
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| n./v.顾忌，迟疑 | |
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adept
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| adj.老练的，精通的 | |
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repartee
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| n.机敏的应答 | |
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consecutive
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| adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的 | |
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sprightly
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| adj.愉快的，活泼的 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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schooners
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| n.（有两个以上桅杆的）纵帆船( schooner的名词复数 ) | |
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dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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35
bellowing
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的现在分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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36
shearing
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| n.剪羊毛，剪取的羊毛v.剪羊毛( shear的现在分词 )；切断；剪切 | |
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vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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40
lasting
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| adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持 | |
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41
agitating
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| 搅动( agitate的现在分词 )； 激怒； 使焦虑不安； （尤指为法律、社会状况的改变而）激烈争论 | |
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42
waggish
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| adj.诙谐的，滑稽的 | |
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43
urchins
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| n.顽童( urchin的名词复数 )；淘气鬼；猬；海胆 | |
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44
feats
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| 功绩，伟业，技艺( feat的名词复数 ) | |
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45
dexterity
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| n.(手的)灵巧，灵活 | |
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46
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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47
frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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48
lavished
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| v.过分给予，滥施( lavish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49
incur
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| vt.招致，蒙受，遭遇 | |
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50
impartial
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| adj.(in,to)公正的，无偏见的 | |
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51
condemn
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| vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑 | |
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52
detest
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| vt.痛恨，憎恶 | |
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53
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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54
blazoning
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| v.广布( blazon的现在分词 )；宣布；夸示；装饰 | |
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55
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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56
frolicsome
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| adj.嬉戏的，闹着玩的 | |
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wrecked
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| adj.失事的，遇难的 | |
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58
jades
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| n.玉，翡翠（jade的复数形式）v.（使）疲（jade的第三人称单数形式） | |
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illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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infamous
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| adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的 | |
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61
twitch
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| v.急拉，抽动，痉挛，抽搐；n.扯，阵痛，痉挛 | |
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lamentable
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| adj.令人惋惜的，悔恨的 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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ridicule
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| v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄 | |
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undue
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| adj.过分的；不适当的；未到期的 | |
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provocation
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| n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因 | |
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interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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68
humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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69
secondly
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| adv.第二，其次 | |
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cowardice
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| n.胆小，怯懦 | |
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gem
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| n.宝石，珠宝；受爱戴的人 [同]jewel | |
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corrupted
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| （使）败坏( corrupt的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）腐化； 引起（计算机文件等的）错误； 破坏 | |
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73
mischievousness
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| 恶作剧 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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