THE next night the noises in the attic1 were renewed. Bart lay calmly slumbering2, and remained undisturbed, but all the rest of the boys were very greatly excited. They turned out of their rooms, and talked with one another in the halls, and most of them passed a sleepless3 night. Tom and Phil, who roomed near Bart, knocked at his door to rouse him. He got up, opened the door, and declared that they had better go back to bed. He assured them that it was a hoax4, and that Pat was probably at the bottom of it. For his part he was sleepy, and wouldn’t bother himself about it that night at any rate. So Tom and Phil, seeing his indifference5, went back to bed, and fell asleep. Bruce and Arthur, however, being close under the attic, were more disturbed; and after trying in vain to sleep, they rose, took a lamp, and went up into the attic. Jiggins again met them as they came out of their room, at his door, but declined going up. So the two brothers went up together, and looked around for some time without finding anything. While they were up there the noises ceased; but after they had gone down, disgusted with this second failure, the noises were renewed. But familiarity breeds contempt, and Bruce himself had lost his superstitious6 fear. He was convinced that it was a hoax, and so he felt only irritated at the noise. Having failed to discover the cause, both he and Arthur went to bed, and for the rest of the night, in spite of the noises, they slept soundly.
On the following morning Bruce proposed a walk to Gaspereaux. All acceded7 to this proposition except Bart. He did not care about going. He had several things, he said, which he wished to attend to. After vain efforts to persuade him to accompany them, an arrangement was finally made that he should meet them at the camp at four o’clock. This Bart acceded to, and promised to bring provisions enough to supply them all with a bounteous8 and a generous repast.
The school was all alive that morning with excitement. Nothing was talked of, nothing thought of, but the unaccountable noises in the attic. Again, as before, the theories of superstition9 were put forth10. Again, as before, Jiggins and Bogud shook their heads solemnly over the matter, and declared that there was something serious in it. Again, as before, Pat went around among the boys giving a terrific account of his own experience, and expatiating11 upon the hardships which he had to undergo in living in a room which was close to that place of horror—the attic. But in spite of his professed12 fear, Pat did not seem to suffer in bodily health in any way. His appetite was as good, his complexion13 as ruddy, and his spirits as active as ever; and all the boys, as they heard his terrific experience, wondered how he could stand it so well.
Immediately after breakfast, Bruce and the other boys started off for Gaspereaux, leaving the whole school in this wild state of excitement. Bruce, at the breakfast table, had entered into an argument with Jiggins about the noise in the attic, in which he maintained the theory that it was a hoax by somebody. Jiggins, on the other hand, boldly asserted that the noises were supernatural, and announced his belief that it was done by some wandering Frenchman who had been exiled at the expulsion of the Acadians, and would never be at rest till the school should be given up. Bogud, Billymack, Johnny Blue, Sammy Ram14 Ram, and Pat supported Jiggins; while Muckle, Bart, Arthur, Tom, and Phil sustained Bruce. The argumentation was tremendous, but, as usual, resulted in nothing, since each was resolved to maintain his own opinion. Of those who thus argued, two only understood the case: the one was Pat, who said a great deal on his side of the question; the other was Bart, who only made an occasional remark, and created a vague surprise by his general reserve. He was usually outspoken15 and positive, but now he contented16 himself with general remarks and indistinct hints. But though Bart said little on this occasion, he kept his eyes open, and observed much. He noticed Pat’s demeanor17 in particular, and marked the eager volubility with which he supported Jiggins’s theory. This only strengthened his belief that Pat was, as he said, at the bottom of it, and made him more determined18 than ever to concoct19 some plan which should bring Pat to confusion, and force him to a confession20.
Such Avas the state of things, when Bruce, Avith his friends, started off to Gaspereaux, leaving Bart behind them, with the understanding that he should join them, with provisions, at the camp, at four o’clock in the afternoon. They took fishing-rods with them, and anticipated a day of sport.
The valley of the Gaspereaux lay about a mile behind the Academy, and was one of the most beautiful places in all that beautiful country. The river has its origin in several lakes, which are only a few miles away from the sea; and after flowing from these, between lofty hills and over precipices22, where it falls in picturesque23 cataracts24, it winds its way onward25 towards the Basin of Minas.
On either side arise steep slopes, and through the narrow valley between these the river winds. It is only a small stream in many places, easily fordable, and the numerous trout26 at certain seasons make it a favorite resort for the angler. The narrow valley is dotted with trees and groves27, the borders of the little stream are lined with willows28, the soil is exceedingly fertile, and amid the foliage29 of trees and the green vegetation the cottages of the farmers and the tapering30 spires31 peep forth, with a picturesque beauty which adds new charms to this romantic spot. A road winds down one side of the valley and up the other, and this road crosses the stream by a bridge, which forms a central spot, from which the eye may wander over a landscape, which for soft and quiet loveliness may be equalled by few, and surpassed by none, of those which in other climes have been celebrated33 by the poet or the artist.
But to venture into this delightful34 valley was not so safe for the boys of the Grand Pré school as was desirable. To go there was to penetrate35 into an enemy’s country, and to encounter all the dangers of such an enterprise. For the feud36 which raged between “town and gown” extended over to Gaspereaux, and the boys of this valley were the chief enemies of the school. The winter was the great season for campaigning, and then many were the snow-ball fights which took place between the hostile parties. During the other seasons there was a kind of truce37; the Gaspereaugians were generally busy on their farms, and no pitched battles occurred. Still, at any season, it was not pleasant for any one belonging to the school to find himself alone in Gaspereaux. For this reason they generally went in parties. Sometimes, also, the Gaspereaugians would invade the Academy woods, and commit various depredations38, such as breaking the dams, or tearing down the camps. Such was the state of things at this time.
Along the crest39 of the hill that separates Gaspereaux Valley from Grand Pré there ran a road originally made by the French Acadians, and known as the Ridge32 Road. A drive along this affords a series of the most magnificent prospects40 imaginable, and it was a favorite walk for all connected with the school. Bruce and his companions did not descend41 at once into the valley, but turned up the Ridge Road, and walked along for some distance. At last they descended42 through the woods into the upper part of the valley, and came to the river. It was quite shallow, and the boys walked up its bed, stepping from stone to stone, and occasionally taking to the bank as they came to some deep spot. They all had brought rods and lines, and at length varied43 their pursuits by fishing. They found plenty of angle-worms by turning up stones here and there. Phil was most successful, for he succeeded in hooking seven very fine trout. Bruce caught four, Arthur three, and Tom five. At length they grew tired of fishing, and as they felt hungry they made a fire, and cooked the trout on the coals. They had no salt, but they found the old proverb to be true, that hunger is the best seasoning44; and so, being excessively hungry, they all found the broiled45 trout delicious.
Amusements and occupations like these took up many hours, and so the time passed, till at length they began to think of returning. They decided46 to go back through the valley, and beard the lion in his den47, by facing the Gaspereaugians in their own retreat.
Off they all started then, and taking the road, they walked along down the valley. At every step they expected to encounter the enemy; but, to their surprise, no enemy appeared. The boys whom they saw from time to time were too small to deserve notice. Reaching at last the place where the road wound up the hill and went to Grand Pré, they turned aside, and strolled along to the centre of the village. This was where the bridge crossed the river. It was a beautiful place. An island lay midway, and just above the bridge was another island. Here they staid for some time, and fished; but no fish appeared. What was still more wonderful, no Gaspereaugians appeared, either.
They could not account for it. They felt disappointed. It seemed like a slight. After waiting as long as they could, they had to turn away at last; and it was with something like indignation that they started back to the Academy.
The rest of the journey was uneventful; but when they reached the camp in the woods, where they expected to meet Bart, a strange and startling sight met their eyes.
The brook48 ran along through a little dell, and on either side the banks arose. By the camp the bank on one side was steep, and covered with trees; but the other side, a little lower down, was a gentle slope, bare of trees, and green with short, soft grass.
And on this place Bruce and his companions saw a crowd of boys standing21, regarding them with hostile faces, and apparently49 bent50 on mischief51.
They were the Gaspereaugians.
The Gaspereaugians!
Now they understood it all. This, then, was the reason why they had gone through Gaspereaux unmolested. They had not been troubled, for the simple reason that the Gaspereaugians had themselves been off on a foray, and this was their enterprise. They wondered what had become of Bart and Solomon; and as Bruce thought of this, a dark frown came over his face, and he stood looking at the Gaspereaugians like a thunder-cloud.
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1
attic
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| n.顶楼，屋顶室 | |
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slumbering
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| 微睡，睡眠（slumber的现在分词形式） | |
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sleepless
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| adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的 | |
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4
hoax
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| v.欺骗，哄骗，愚弄；n.愚弄人，恶作剧 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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7
acceded
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| v.（正式）加入( accede的过去式和过去分词 )；答应；（通过财产的添附而）增加；开始任职 | |
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8
bounteous
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| adj.丰富的 | |
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superstition
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| n.迷信，迷信行为 | |
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10
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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expatiating
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| v.详述，细说( expatiate的现在分词 ) | |
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12
professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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ram
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| (random access memory)随机存取存储器 | |
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outspoken
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| adj.直言无讳的，坦率的，坦白无隐的 | |
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contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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demeanor
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| n.行为；风度 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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19
concoct
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| v.调合，制造 | |
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confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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21
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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22
precipices
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| n.悬崖，峭壁( precipice的名词复数 ) | |
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picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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24
cataracts
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| n.大瀑布( cataract的名词复数 )；白内障 | |
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25
onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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trout
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| n.鳟鱼；鲑鱼(属) | |
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27
groves
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| 树丛，小树林( grove的名词复数 ) | |
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willows
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| n.柳树( willow的名词复数 )；柳木 | |
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foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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tapering
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| adj.尖端细的 | |
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spires
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| n.（教堂的） 塔尖，尖顶( spire的名词复数 ) | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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33
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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35
penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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feud
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| n.长期不和；世仇；v.长期争斗；世代结仇 | |
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truce
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| n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束 | |
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38
depredations
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| n.劫掠，毁坏( depredation的名词复数 ) | |
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crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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41
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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42
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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43
varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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44
seasoning
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| n.调味；调味料；增添趣味之物 | |
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45
broiled
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| a.烤过的 | |
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46
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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47
den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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48
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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49
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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50
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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51
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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