Securing his key from the matron’s room, he leaped up the first flight of narrow stairs and, half-way down the corridor, unlocked a dingy5 door which bore a big black figure 16, and, below it, a card with the inscription6 “Richard Fowler Hope.” The room was filled with the mellow7 light of the setting sun, and here and there the rays were caught—by the glass doors of the bookcase, by the metal top of the inkstand, or, less sharply, by the silver and pewter mugs ranged along the mantel—and were thrown back in golden blurs8 that dazzled the eyes.
Dick laid aside his coat and cap, took off his gloves, and[12] thrusting his hands into his pocket, surveyed the apartment smilingly. It was awfully9 jolly to get back, he thought happily, as his gaze took in the shabby, comfortable furnishings and the hundred and one objects about the room so intimately connected with three and a half years of pleasant school life. An array of worn and soberly bound books lined an end of the leather-covered study table, and he took one up and fluttered its pages between his fingers; it was a good deal like shaking hands with an old friend. With the volume still in his clasp he moved to the mantel and examined the knickknacks thereon, the cups and photographs and little china things, all cheap enough viewed from a money standpoint, yet to Dick priceless from long possession. He felt a momentary10 heart-flutter as his eyes fell on one pewter mug ornately engraved11 with his name.
As he looked the mantel and wall faded from sight, and he saw a stretch of cinder12 track, pecked by the spikes13 of runners’ shoes; at a little distance a thin white tape. He saw himself, head back, eyes staring, struggling desperately14 for that white thread across the track. Again he heard the thud and crunch15 of the St. Eustace runner’s feet almost beside him; heard, far more dimly, the shouts of excited onlookers16, and again felt his effortful gasps17 as he gained inch by inch. The captain of the track team had been the first to reach him as the tape fluttered to the ground and he turned, half reeling, onto the turf. And he had thrown an arm about him and lowered him gently to the[13] welcome sod and had whispered three short words into his ear, words that meant more than volumes of praise:
“Good work, Dick!”
The vision faded and the boy, with a sigh that expressed more happiness than a laugh could have done, turned away from the mantel. The crimson18 silk sash-curtains, drawn19 to the sides of the two windows, glowed like fire, but the shafts20 of sunlight had traveled up the walls to the ceiling, and the study was growing dim. In the fireplace a pile of wood and shavings was ready to light, and Dick, scratching a match along the mantel edge, set it ablaze21 and drew an easy chair to the hearth22. With the shabby school-book in his hands, he settled comfortably against the cushions, and, his gaze on the leaping flames, let his thoughts wander as they willed.
There was plenty to think of. Before him lay five of the busiest, most important months of his school life, months that would be filled with plenty of hard work, much pleasure, and probably not a little worriment, and which might be crowned with a double triumph for him, for his hopes were set upon graduating at the head of his class and upon turning out a crew which in the annual boat-race with Hillton’s well-loved rival, St. Eustace, would flaunt23 the crimson above the blue in a decisive victory. To attain24 the first result many long hours of the hardest sort of study would be necessary, while the last would require never-flagging patience, tact25, courage, and skill, and would demand[14] well-nigh every moment of his time not given to lessons. The outlook did not, however, frighten him. He had returned to school feeling strong and confident and eager to begin his tasks.
When, the preceding June, after a sorrowful defeat by St. Eustace, the members of the Hillton crew had met to elect a new captain, Richard Hope had been chosen because he above all other candidates possessed26 the directness of purpose, the gift of leadership, and the untiring ability for hard work requisite27 to form a winning eight from unpromising material; even the defeated candidates for the post, which at Hillton was the highest and most honorable in the gift of the school, applauded the choice, and, with a possible exception, honestly felt the pleasure they expressed. The possible exception was Roy Taylor, one of the best oarsmen at Hillton. Taylor had striven hard for the captaincy and had accepted defeat with far less graciousness than had the other three candidates, though he had tried to hide his disappointment under a mask of smiling indifference29. The recollection of Roy Taylor was this evening almost the only source of uneasiness to Dick as he watched the mellow flames leap and glow.
Presently he pushed back his chair, lighted the drop-light on the table and drew the blinds. It was almost supper time. Throwing aside his coat, he unpacked30 his satchel31, distributing several presents about the study. Then, with his toilet articles in hand, he opened the door into the bedroom[15] and started back in surprise. Between the two narrow iron bedsteads stood a pile of luggage. A dilapidated tin trunk, painted in ludicrous imitation of yellow oak, flanked a handsome leather portmanteau, while upon these was piled a motley array of bundles and bags; a tennis racquet and two cricket bats were tied together with three brightly colored neckties; a battered32 golf bag fairly bristled33 with sticks; a pair of once white flannel34 trousers were tied about at the ankles with strings35, and were doing duty as a repository for discarded shoes, golf, tennis, and cricket balls, and sundry36 other treasures. The improvised37 bag had fallen open at the larger end and had disgorged a portion of its contents in the manner of a huge, strangely formed horn of plenty. Crowning all was a soiled clothes bag, vivid with purple lilies on a yellow ground, whose contour told plainly that it held books.
Quickly following his first moment of surprise came to Dick a knowledge of what the presence of the luggage meant, and his grin of amusement was succeeded by a frown. The boy who had shared his quarters with him at the beginning of the year had left the academy in October, and Dick had held sole possession of the rooms until now. He had been told that with the commencement of the winter term he would have a roommate, but until that moment he had forgotten the fact. He wondered as he spluttered at the wash-stand what sort of a chap his future chum was, and drew ill augury38 from the queer[16] collection of luggage. With towel in hand he walked around the pile and studied the labels and the initials that adorned39 trunks and bags. The former were numerous; plainly the owner of the yellow tin trunk had traveled, for a Cunard steamship40 label flanked a red-lettered legend “Wanted,” and the two were elbowed by the paper disk of a Geneva hotel. The initials “T. N.” told him nothing, save that the owner’s name was probably Tom. Well, Tom was a good enough name, he thought, as he applied41 the brush vigorously to his brown hair, and as for the rest he would soon learn.
Drawing on his coat and lowering the light, he hurried across to Warren Hall and supper. The dining-room was well filled, and as he made his way to his seat at a far table he was obliged to return a dozen greetings, and had he paused in response to every detaining hand that was stretched out he would scarcely have reached his seat in the next half hour. It was pleasant to be back again among all those good fellows, he thought as he laughingly pulled himself free from the clutches of his friends, and pleasanter still to know that they were glad to have him back. His heart beat a little faster than usual, and his cheeks were a little more flushed as he clapped his nearest neighbor on the shoulder and sank into his chair, only to leave it the next moment and detour42 the table to shake hands with Professor Longworth, who had bowed to him smilingly across the board.
[17]
“Vacation seems to have agreed with you, Hope; you look as hearty43 as you please. You must let Mr. Beck see you before the bloom wears off; he’d rather see one of you boys looking fit than come into a legacy44.”
“I’m feeling fine, sir,” laughed Dick, “and I’m so glad to get back that even trigonometry doesn’t scare me.”
“Hum,” replied the professor grimly. “Just wait until you see what I’ve got ready for you.”
Dick was soon busy satisfying a huge appetite and listening to the veritable avalanche45 of information and inquiry46 that was launched at him.
“St. Eustace has chosen the negative side in the debate, Hope, and old Tinker’s tickled47 to death; says he’s certain we’ll win, because——” “Dick, come up to my cave Saturday afternoon, will you? Burns isn’t coming back, and he’s written me to sell his stuff, and we’re going to have an auction48; Smith junior’s going to be auctioneer, and we’re going to hang a red flag out the window, and——” “Did you hear about that upper middle chap they call ‘’Is ’Ighness’? He nearly upset the coach this afternoon, they say, and Professor Wheeler’s going to put him on probation49. Chalmers says he told Wheeler that——” “We’ve got some dandy hockey games fixed50, Hope; Shrewsburg’s coming down Monday next if the ice holds and St. Eustace about the first of Feb.” “You ought to’ve been with us, Hope, last Saturday. We went fishing through the ice, and Jimmy Townsend caught four[18] regular whales; and we cooked them at the hut on the island and had a fine feast, only the silly things wouldn’t get quite done through, and tasted rather nasty if you didn’t hold your nose and swallow quick.” “Say, have you seen Carl Gray? He told me to tell you that he’d be up to your room after supper; wants to see you most particular, he says. Don’t forget I told you, ’cause I promised I would.” “I’m going to try for the boat, Hope. When shall I report?” “When you make the crew, youngster, I’ll win a scholarship; and that won’t happen in a thousand years!” “Speaking of the crew, Dick, Roy Taylor says we’re goners this year.”
Dick helped himself generously to the blackberry jam.
“How’s that?” he asked calmly.
“Says we haven’t got good material.”
“If we had seven other fellows as good as Taylor we’d be all right,” responded Dick. “And as it is, we’ve turned out cracking fine crews before this from even less promising28 stuff. Well, I’m off. Never mind what Todd says, Jimmy; show up with the others and have a try. I only wish there were other chaps as plucky51!”
And amid mingled52 groans53 of reproach and derision Dick pushed back his chair and left the hall. When he reached the second floor of Masters he saw that the door of Number 16 was ajar, and that some one had turned up the light.
“Gray’s waiting, I guess,” he told himself. “Wonder[19] what he wants?” He pushed the door open, and then paused in surprise on the threshold.
In Dick’s big green leather armchair, his slippered54 feet to the blaze, a book in his hands, reclined very much at his ease the youth who had driven the stage-coach.
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1
gusts
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| 一阵强风( gust的名词复数 )； （怒、笑等的）爆发； （感情的）迸发； 发作 | |
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2
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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3
marsh
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| n.沼泽，湿地 | |
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granite
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| adj.花岗岩，花岗石 | |
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dingy
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| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
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6
inscription
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| n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文 | |
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7
mellow
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| adj.柔和的；熟透的；v.变柔和；(使)成熟 | |
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8
blurs
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| n.模糊( blur的名词复数 )；模糊之物；（移动的）模糊形状；模糊的记忆v.（使）变模糊( blur的第三人称单数 )；（使）难以区分 | |
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9
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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10
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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11
engraved
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| v.在（硬物）上雕刻（字，画等）( engrave的过去式和过去分词 )；将某事物深深印在（记忆或头脑中） | |
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12
cinder
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| n.余烬，矿渣 | |
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13
spikes
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| n.穗( spike的名词复数 )；跑鞋；（防滑）鞋钉；尖状物v.加烈酒于( spike的第三人称单数 )；偷偷地给某人的饮料加入（更多）酒精（ 或药物）；把尖状物钉入；打乱某人的计划 | |
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14
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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15
crunch
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| n.关键时刻；艰难局面；v.发出碎裂声 | |
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16
onlookers
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| n.旁观者，观看者( onlooker的名词复数 ) | |
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17
gasps
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| v.喘气( gasp的第三人称单数 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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18
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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19
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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20
shafts
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| n.轴( shaft的名词复数 )；（箭、高尔夫球棒等的）杆；通风井；一阵（疼痛、害怕等） | |
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21
ablaze
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| adj.着火的，燃烧的；闪耀的，灯火辉煌的 | |
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22
hearth
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| n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面 | |
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23
flaunt
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| vt.夸耀，夸饰 | |
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24
attain
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| vt.达到，获得，完成 | |
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25
tact
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| n.机敏，圆滑，得体 | |
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26
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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27
requisite
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| adj.需要的，必不可少的；n.必需品 | |
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28
promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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29
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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30
unpacked
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| v.从（包裹等）中取出（所装的东西），打开行李取出( unpack的过去式和过去分词 )；拆包；解除…的负担；吐露（心事等） | |
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31
satchel
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| n.(皮或帆布的)书包 | |
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32
battered
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| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
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33
bristled
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| adj. 直立的，多刺毛的 动词bristle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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34
flannel
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| n.法兰绒；法兰绒衣服 | |
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35
strings
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| n.弦 | |
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36
sundry
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| adj.各式各样的，种种的 | |
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37
improvised
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| a.即席而作的,即兴的 | |
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38
augury
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| n.预言，征兆，占卦 | |
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39
adorned
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| [计]被修饰的 | |
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40
steamship
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| n.汽船，轮船 | |
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41
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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42
detour
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| n.绕行的路，迂回路；v.迂回，绕道 | |
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43
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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44
legacy
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| n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西 | |
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45
avalanche
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| n.雪崩，大量涌来 | |
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46
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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47
tickled
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| （使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐 | |
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48
auction
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| n.拍卖；拍卖会；vt.拍卖 | |
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49
probation
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| n.缓刑(期)，(以观后效的)察看；试用(期) | |
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50
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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51
plucky
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| adj.勇敢的 | |
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52
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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53
groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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54
slippered
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| 穿拖鞋的 | |
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