"Explain it? Who could! It just happened," said Robin2 Arkness, the Fourth Form boy who had led the cheering. "You know how it is, Cayton—the wider you open your mouth to shout the tighter your eyes close. I just yelled myself blind."
"Oh, come, now! You had Clodhopper Jim bang in the midst of you behind the goal. Some of you must have given him a final leg-up over the ropes."
"We didn't!" was Robin's indignant denial.
Roger thought he detected a shade of emphasis on the "we".
"Who did, then?" he sharply inquired.
But Robin and his chums—known at Foxenby as "Robin Hood3 and his Merry Men", because of their escapades in the school shrubbery or "Forest"—were not to be drawn4. Their ranks were recruited from both houses, and it was an unwritten law amongst them that nothing to the detriment5 of either house should ever be spoken outside the select circle.
"We were awfully6 pipped about it, honour bright, Cayton," said their frank-faced spokesman, evasively. "Why, to be sure, aren't we just as proud as peacocks to know that our rousing cheer bucked7 old Forge into that great run? And we didn't half 'lam' Fluffy Jim for butting8 in and queering the pitch—eh, chaps, what?"
"Oh, cut away—skedaddle!" cried Roger, losing patience. "You're shielding somebody, and that's a rotten thing for men of honour to do when Foxenby's reputation is at stake."
Leaving this barb10 to rankle11, as he knew it would, in the hearts of the young adventurers, who prided themselves on being loyal to the core, Roger returned to the study which he and Dick Forge shared between them.
Dick was seated there, but did not raise his head, being too deeply immersed in the latest issue of The Foxonian to heed12 his chum's entry.
"Hallo! That scurrilous13 rag out again?" said Roger. "Don't soil your hands, Dick; I'll reach the tongs14."
"Oh, rats, Roger! Don't be prejudiced. It's 'extra special' this time," was Dick's enthusiastic comment. "Don't I just wish I could do anything half so clever!"
"Are you quite sure you couldn't? You generally 'click' when you make up your mind to tackle a thing, Dick."
Dick flushed. "Don't!" he said, quickly. "Oh, my dear old pard, have a care! You are stirring dangerously deep thoughts within me. If I could write with the sparkle and wit that Luke Harwood puts into this topping magazine of his, I'd be content never to kick a football or swing a cricket-bat again. Listen to this, lad—it's great!"
Appreciatively he read aloud a little article, in which Luke Harwood had scourged15 some Foxonians whom he had caught in the act of twisting an inoffensive donkey's tail. The irony16 was clever, though probably aimed too high to penetrate17 the skulls18 of those whom it was intended to shame.
"Literature, my good Roger," Dick declared. "Shows a kind heart, too—he's down on animal-torturers."
"Quite right that he and everybody else should be. Yet," said Roger rather bitterly, "in his laudable anxiety to protect quadrupeds, he might have extended a little consideration to donkeys of the two-legged variety."
"Don't be sphinx-like, Roger! When you look like an owl19 and talk like a book I'm afraid of you. What are you getting at?"
"In plain English, then, this humane20 editor slates21 the fatheaded youngsters who twisted the donkey's tail, but omits to chide23 himself and his clique24 for pulling the leg of Fluffy Jim, the village ass25. Now, honestly, which do you call the crueller sport of the two?"
"You've turned on the searchlight, Roger, as you always do, you clever beggar! Why, to be sure, that was a rotten business. You told Harwood so."
"It was cruel all round, and hurt the school more than it did Fluffy Jim. Your big toe mayn't be right for months, and what guarantee have we that we shan't lose next term's replay by a couple of goals or more? The maddening part of the affair is that Fluffy Jim couldn't have got to Walsbridge on his own. Somebody paid his fare!"
Dick coughed uneasily. Unsuspicious by nature, believing good of everybody, he had already wiped from his mind the mortification26 of his lost triumph.
"See here, Roger—no offence, old man, but aren't you in some danger of exaggerating a thoughtless lark27 into a deep-dyed melodramatic plot? I'll convince you that you are, dear boy. Here's Harwood's own account of the match—a top-notch piece of reporting, too. Listen to the last paragraph.
"'It was heartrending,' he writes, 'to see this Titanic28 struggle brought to an inconclusive finish, just as the fruits of well-won victory were at our gallant29 captain's lips. No one can guess what motive30 was at work in the village boy's mind when he scrambled31 in to kick the ball from Forge's toes. It is charitable to assume his intentions were good—probably he thought to win fadeless laurels32 for himself and Foxenby by netting the winning goal. Such intricate things as football rules, involving the replay of interrupted cup-ties, could have no meaning for him. The whole thing seems, at first blush, a disaster beyond compensation. But are we not entitled to hope that good may yet come out of evil—that even the great Octopus33 may be unable to prevent us winning the replay by such a handsome margin34 that none can dispute our supremacy35? Such a wish, I am sure, is in the heart of every Fox who witnessed that glorious and unforgettable game.'"
Roger stuck it through in silence, repressing an impatient gesture. Useless to "slate22" Luke Harwood while Dick Forge so manifestly credited the Foxonian editor's loyalty36. The paragraph was engagingly sincere in tone, and by his able control of the school magazine "Old Wykeham's Pet Fox" always had the last word. So Roger gulped37 down his bile in an effort to fall in with his chum's mood.
"He puts it well," said Roger, "and we can admire his editorial skill without waiving38 our right to criticism. I'm open to wager39, for instance, that of twelve pages this month he gives quite nine to the affairs of Holbeck's House exclusively. Am I right or not?"
"Oh, quite right, Roger. Rather natural, you know—he eats and sleeps there."
"Getting one-eyed in the process. Now, why shouldn't Rooke's House be more in the picture? We're a robust40 lot, even though we don't wear the carpet threadbare on prize-giving days. They produce the most scholars; we turn out the athletes. Honours are evenly divided, but the Foxonian's space is not!"
"Granting all that, old spitfire, what remedy have we?"
"A rival paper," answered Roger, dramatically. "Nay41, but me no buts. A rival magazine, sir, edited by Richard Forge, and to bear the name of Rooke's Home Rag. All in favour, hands up. Carried unanimously!"
"Nonsense, Roger, thumbs down! Your project is crazy; we could never run to it!"
"What!" thundered Roger. "Shall it be said that Dick Forge, Captain of Foxenby, fears to tread where Luke Harwood has so long stalked alone? You can do it, old man, and you shall. You owe it to yourself, and to Rooke's House. Mr. Editor, I salute42 you. May I have the honour of contributing something to the first number of Rooke's House Rag?"
Dick thrilled with delight. His chum's spontaneous enthusiasm carried him along like a cork43 on the tide. Always he had cherished in secret the hope of rivalling the literary reputation which the school magazine had won for Harwood; now, at last, his dream was to come true. Jottings from his pen, unsigned, but obviously his, were to be printed, circulated throughout Foxenby, discussed indoors and out, compared with Harwood's work, and not necessarily to the captain's disadvantage.
His cheeks burned feverishly44 with the joyous45 excitement of it all. Football had small space in his thoughts now; anybody could kick a ball about—that was brawn46, but writing was brain! Enraptured47 by this new bond of friendship, the pair discussed matters in every detail, and before bedtime their plans were cut and dried.
It was to be a fortnightly magazine, for which Dick, whose aunt kept him well supplied with pocket-money, was to be financially responsible; the subscription48 was to be at the same rate as that fixed49 for The Foxonian, and the number of pages were, in the aggregate50, to be the same also; but there all resemblance between the two papers was to end. Originality51 of method was to be a strong point, imagination was to have full rein52, and the fortnightly publication would give sufficient time for repartee53 if the honour of Rooke's House were in any way assailed54.
"I shan't sleep to-night, I know," said Dick, at the end of their confab. "Not even yet can I wholly credit the thing. Tell me, honestly, Roger—have you the faintest doubt of its success?"
"No possible doubt whatever," he avowed56. "We're heart and soul together in this venture, old boy, and success is a certainty!"
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收听单词发音
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1
fluffy
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| adj.有绒毛的，空洞的 | |
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robin
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| n.知更鸟，红襟鸟 | |
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hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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detriment
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| n.损害；损害物，造成损害的根源 | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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bucked
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| adj.快v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的过去式和过去分词 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃 | |
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butting
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| 用头撞人（犯规动作） | |
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fervent
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| adj.热的，热烈的，热情的 | |
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barb
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| n.（鱼钩等的）倒钩，倒刺 | |
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rankle
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| v.（怨恨，失望等）难以释怀 | |
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heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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scurrilous
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| adj.下流的，恶意诽谤的 | |
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tongs
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| n.钳；夹子 | |
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scourged
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| 鞭打( scourge的过去式和过去分词 )； 惩罚，压迫 | |
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irony
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| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
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penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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skulls
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| 颅骨( skull的名词复数 )； 脑袋； 脑子； 脑瓜 | |
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owl
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| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
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humane
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| adj.人道的，富有同情心的 | |
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slates
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| （旧时学生用以写字的）石板( slate的名词复数 )； 板岩； 石板瓦； 石板色 | |
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slate
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| n.板岩，石板，石片，石板色，候选人名单；adj.暗蓝灰色的，含板岩的；vt.用石板覆盖，痛打，提名，预订 | |
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chide
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| v.叱责；谴责 | |
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clique
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| n.朋党派系，小集团 | |
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ass
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| n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人 | |
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mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
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lark
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| n.云雀，百灵鸟；n.嬉戏，玩笑；vi.嬉戏 | |
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titanic
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| adj.巨人的，庞大的，强大的 | |
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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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laurels
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| n.桂冠，荣誉 | |
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octopus
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| n.章鱼 | |
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margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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supremacy
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| n.至上；至高权力 | |
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loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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gulped
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| v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的过去式和过去分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
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38
waiving
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| v.宣布放弃( waive的现在分词 )；搁置；推迟；放弃（权利、要求等） | |
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wager
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| n.赌注；vt.押注，打赌 | |
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robust
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| adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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cork
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| n.软木，软木塞 | |
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feverishly
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| adv. 兴奋地 | |
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joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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brawn
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| n.体力 | |
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enraptured
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| v.使狂喜( enrapture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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subscription
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| n.预订，预订费，亲笔签名，调配法，下标（处方） | |
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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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50
aggregate
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| adj.总计的，集合的；n.总数；v.合计；集合 | |
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51
originality
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| n.创造力，独创性；新颖 | |
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52
rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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53
repartee
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| n.机敏的应答 | |
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54
assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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zest
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| n.乐趣；滋味，风味；兴趣 | |
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56
avowed
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| adj.公开声明的，承认的v.公开声明，承认( avow的过去式和过去分词) | |
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