“Well done indeed!” cried Blair, as Forbes laid down his manuscript and reached for his pipe. There was a general murmur13 of assent14 as the men got up to stretch and talk. Someone punched the coals into flame, and the bowl of fruit was passed round.
“Who's to write the next chapter?” asked Graham.
“Let Falstaff do it!” cried Blair. “He's the sentimentalist! But go easy on poor Joe. You know all Rhodes Scholars don't come from Indiana! Have a heart!”
“Do whatever you like to Joe!” cried Forbes; “But be careful with Kathleen! She's adorable! I'm going to write a ballade to her and mail it to her anonymously15.”
“I wish there was some way of getting hold of her picture,” said Keith.
“Her picture?” said Graham. “Nonsense! Why not see the flapper herself? I'm going to bike over there on my Rudge, erb round till I find the street, and then skid16 like hell right on to her doorstep. I shall lie there in mute agony until I'm carried indoors.”
“I say, now, that's no fair!” cried Forbes. “I discovered her! Just because you've got a motor bike you mustn't take an advantage!”
“Look here,” said the Goblin, mildly, speaking from a blue cloud of Murray's Mixture, “we must all sign a protocol17, or a mandamus or a lagniappe or whatever you law men call it, not to steal a march. I think we'd all like to meet the real Kathleen. But we must give a bond to start fair and square, and nobody do anything that isn't authorized18 by the whole club.”
“Right-O!” cried several voices.
“All right, then,” said the Goblin, “fill glasses everyone, and we'll solemnize the oath. Brother Scorpions19, I do you to wit that we all, jointly20 and severally, promise not to take any steps toward making the acquaintance of said Kathleen until so authorized by the whole society. So help me God!”
“Very likely Joe will have her here,” said Whitney. “You seem to forget that he's been rowing this course for some time.”
“I wonder how many members of the 'varsity are called Joe?” Keith asked.
“About three hundred, I dare say,” said Falstaff.
“I tell you what we might do,” said Forbes. “When the yarn's finished we can send it to her, explain just how the whole thing happened, and ask permission to call. She's got a sense of humour, I'll swear!”
“Balmy!” retorted Falstaff. “She'd probably be frightfully fed because you bagged her letter! 'S a hell of a thing to do, crib a lady's letter!”
“It's a hell of a thing to do to leave it lying around!” cried Forbes, impenitent24. “No quarter for Joebags! Let the punishment fit the crime.”
“Well, you chaps, I've got to sheer off,” said Whitney. “It's nearly eleven and I've got an essay on the stocks. Cheer-o Priapus, I've had a ripping time.”
“'Arf a mo,'” cried Forbes. “Who's to do the next chapter, and where do we meet next week?”
“Falstaff!” cried several voices.
“Why not do two chapters a week,” said Carter. “I'll do one, and Goblin can do another. Let's meet in my rooms.”
This was agreed to, and after much scuffling with greatcoats and scarves the guests tramped off down the stairs and out into the rainy quad25. Forbes could hear them, a minute later, thundering with their heels on the huge iron-studded college gate as they waited for the porter to let them out. The room was foul26 with smoke, and he opened a window over the gardens letting in a gush27 of chill sweet air and rain. Through the darkness he could hear many chimes, counting eleven. He looked wearily at the scribbled28 notes for his essay on Danton and Robespierre: then shrugged29 his shoulders and went to bed.
点击收听单词发音
1 deft | |
adj.灵巧的,熟练的(a deft hand 能手) | |
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2 sketched | |
v.草拟(sketch的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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3 irony | |
n.反语,冷嘲;具有讽刺意味的事,嘲弄 | |
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4 heartily | |
adv.衷心地,诚恳地,十分,很 | |
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5 chestnut | |
n.栗树,栗子 | |
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6 athletic | |
adj.擅长运动的,强健的;活跃的,体格健壮的 | |
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7 straightforward | |
adj.正直的,坦率的;易懂的,简单的 | |
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8 maiden | |
n.少女,处女;adj.未婚的,纯洁的,无经验的 | |
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9 erecting | |
v.使直立,竖起( erect的现在分词 );建立 | |
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10 abrupt | |
adj.突然的,意外的;唐突的,鲁莽的 | |
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11 conceal | |
v.隐藏,隐瞒,隐蔽 | |
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12 climax | |
n.顶点;高潮;v.(使)达到顶点 | |
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13 murmur | |
n.低语,低声的怨言;v.低语,低声而言 | |
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14 assent | |
v.批准,认可;n.批准,认可 | |
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15 anonymously | |
ad.用匿名的方式 | |
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16 skid | |
v.打滑 n.滑向一侧;滑道 ,滑轨 | |
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17 protocol | |
n.议定书,草约,会谈记录,外交礼节 | |
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18 authorized | |
a.委任的,许可的 | |
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19 scorpions | |
n.蝎子( scorpion的名词复数 ) | |
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20 jointly | |
ad.联合地,共同地 | |
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21 chuckles | |
轻声地笑( chuckle的名词复数 ) | |
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22 lark | |
n.云雀,百灵鸟;n.嬉戏,玩笑;vi.嬉戏 | |
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23 scowled | |
怒视,生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24 impenitent | |
adj.不悔悟的,顽固的 | |
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25 quad | |
n.四方院;四胞胎之一;v.在…填补空铅 | |
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26 foul | |
adj.污秽的;邪恶的;v.弄脏;妨害;犯规;n.犯规 | |
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27 gush | |
v.喷,涌;滔滔不绝(说话);n.喷,涌流;迸发 | |
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28 scribbled | |
v.潦草的书写( scribble的过去式和过去分词 );乱画;草草地写;匆匆记下 | |
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29 shrugged | |
vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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