It was but natural, therefore, that, with the captain of the team as their companion, the boys should deluge3 him with questions, and they did.
“Honestly now, Phil, do you think Parker can beat Mercer Academy?” asked one of them. “If our pitchers5 work well, we ought to.”
“If our pitchers work well,” repeated another, in amazement6. “What’s the matter with you, Phil? Aren’t you the best pitcher4 in the school league, according to the coaches? Why, you did the most of the work last season and you’ve done all of it, practically, this year. And then you say if our pitchers go well we may win.”
“There’s going to be a change in the team,” replied Phil, quietly.
This statement elicited8 a veritable avalanche9 of comment and questions, but to them all the captain of the team would make no reply except to tell them to wait and see.
This answer was so unsatisfactory, serving as it did only to whet10 their curiosity the more, that finally Phil broke away from his companions and hurried ahead to join the girls. Yet no sooner had he caught up with them than he wished he had remained behind.
“Hello, Farmer Phil!” cried several of them, as they caught sight of the popular pitcher. “How’s crops? What’s the latest quotation11 on wheat?”
For the moment he thought to rebuke12 his sisters for disclosing the plan which he had intended to keep secret, at least until he should announce it on the morrow to his team-mates.
But Sallie and Margie wisely kept on the side of their companions farthest from him, and so riotous13 did the badinage14 become that Phil soon realized that anything he might say would only make the matter worse. Yet the glance he threw at his sisters was eloquent15.
“Oh, you needn’t blame Marg or Sallie,” exclaimed one of the others. “I heard part of what you said before I entered the dining-room. So I bullied16 Marg into supplying the missing links.”
By this time the rest of the fellows had caught up, and the group quickly divided into couples, all of them talking excitedly over the surprising bits of news.
As they proceeded toward the boathouse, Phil was seemingly unconscious that he was walking beside the girl who had sought to appease17 his wrath18 against his sisters, and so absorbed was he in his own thoughts that it was not until she spoke19 that he was aware of her presence.
“Why, your giving up the captaincy of the school team when you are certain to win the championship, just to help your mother.”
“Splendid nonsense! I should be worse than a cad if I didn’t.”
“But you could wait about going out West until after school closes, you know, and then you wouldn’t sacrifice the honour of bringing the championship to Parker.”
“You mustn’t say such a thing,” returned the boy, in a tense voice, as he heard with revulsion the very idea expressed in cold words which had been persistently22 surging through his mind.
“Why not, pray? I am as keen to have Parker land the championship under your captaincy as you are yourself, and what difference would a few weeks—it’s only seven—make to your mother? Besides—”
“Don’t, Helen, don’t,” pleaded Phil. “You know perfectly well how I feel about the team. But what would you, or any one else, think of me if I should let my selfish desire for school honours interfere23 with my mother’s health?”
“Yet it would only be for seven weeks. Besides, Blair simply said she needed a rest, but he didn’t say an immediate24 rest or—”
“It makes no difference if it were only for seven minutes, Helen, I should be ashamed of myself all the rest of my life if I let my own feelings weigh against Momsy’s health. Just think of all that she has done for us. Do you suppose she has ever thought of herself when anything for our benefit was at stake? It would have been better for her if she only had—I’ve been a selfish prig not to see before that she was killing25 herself. Besides, you can be certain she would not have told us that Dr. Blair said she must have a rest if he had not told her a great deal more. So if it is in my power, I am going to do everything I can to make her well and show her that I appreciate all she has put up with for me and the others.”
“Spoken like a man, Phil,” exclaimed a voice so close to the young people that they jumped in surprise; for so absorbed had they been in their conversation that they had not noticed the tall figure striding along behind them.
“Why, Dr. Blair, how you frightened me!” gasped26 the girl, confused and angry to think her words urging Phil to put the success of his team above all else had been overheard.
The physician, however, gave no heed27 to the remark, keeping his eyes fixed28 upon her companion, as he said:
“I really owe you an apology for playing the eavesdropper29, Phil. But just as I caught up with you, I could not but hear Miss Howell’s pleading, and, as the matter had also occurred to me, I was unable to refrain from listening to your reply. I am on my way to talk with your mother now, and I felt I was justified30 because your attitude could not but have an important bearing upon my advice to her. What it is that you propose to do I don’t know, and it really doesn’t matter so long as you intend to do it at once. Your mother has worked till she is on the verge31 of a breakdown32 to give you young people a comfortable and happy home. As a matter of fact, I told her this afternoon that if she gave another week to her work I should be able to do nothing for her. So you see your decision not to await the closing of school is most timely.”
The words as to the seriousness of his mother’s condition were like blows to Phil, and it was several minutes before he felt sufficiently33 sure of himself to ask:
“W-what is the trouble with Momsy, Dr. Blair?”
“Tuberculosis, and in such a much farther advanced stage than I suspected. With plenty of fresh air and outdoor life, however, I shall be able to check it, I believe. Only she must be spared all worry. Again I wish to tell you that I am proud to know you appreciate all your mother has done for you.”
With a friendly pat on the boy’s shoulder. Dr. Blair vanished in the dusk as suddenly as he had appeared, leaving the boy and girl standing34, abashed35 by the words he had spoken.
Impulsively36 Helen slipped her hand through her companion’s arm and drew him after the rest of the canoeing party, as she whispered earnestly:
“Forgive me, Phil.”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
applied
|
|
| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
attained
|
|
| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
deluge
|
|
| n./vt.洪水，暴雨，使泛滥 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
pitcher
|
|
| n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐；(棒球)投手 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
pitchers
|
|
| 大水罐( pitcher的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
amazement
|
|
| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
astounded
|
|
| v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词)；愕然；愕；惊讶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
elicited
|
|
| 引出，探出( elicit的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
avalanche
|
|
| n.雪崩，大量涌来 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
whet
|
|
| v.磨快，刺激 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
quotation
|
|
| n.引文，引语，语录；报价，牌价，行情 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
rebuke
|
|
| v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
riotous
|
|
| adj.骚乱的；狂欢的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
badinage
|
|
| n.开玩笑，打趣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
eloquent
|
|
| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
bullied
|
|
| adj.被欺负了v.恐吓，威逼( bully的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
appease
|
|
| v.安抚，缓和，平息，满足 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
wrath
|
|
| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
spoke
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
perfectly
|
|
| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
savagely
|
|
| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
persistently
|
|
| ad.坚持地；固执地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
interfere
|
|
| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
immediate
|
|
| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
killing
|
|
| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
gasped
|
|
| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
heed
|
|
| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
eavesdropper
|
|
| 偷听者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
justified
|
|
| a.正当的，有理的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
verge
|
|
| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
breakdown
|
|
| n.垮，衰竭；损坏，故障，倒塌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
sufficiently
|
|
| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
abashed
|
|
| 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 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
impulsively
|
|
| adv.冲动地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |