I was fully4 resolved to defend myself, and especially to defend Flora. I picked up the heavy iron poker5 which lay on the back of the stove, and placed myself in front of my trembling sister. The captain was a brute6, and his wife was hardly better than a brute. I feared that she, supported by her husband, would again lay violent hands upon Flora, [33]knowing that such a course would sting me deeper than a blow upon my own head.
I did not flourish the poker, or make any irritating demonstrations8 with it; on the contrary, I held it behind me, rather for use in an emergency than to provoke my tyrants9. I was not disposed to make the affair any worse than the circumstances required, and by this time I was cool and self-possessed. Perhaps my critical reader may wonder that a boy of my age should have set so high a value upon controlling his temper, and preserving the use of his faculties11 in the time of peril12, for it is not exactly natural for boys to do so. Youth is hot-blooded, and age and experience are generally required to cool the impetuous current that courses through its veins13.
My father—blessings on his memory—had taught me the lesson. One day, a fire in the long grass of the prairie threatened the destruction of all our buildings. Clarence and myself went into a flurry, and did a great many stupid things, so excited that we did not know what we were about. Father stopped in the midst of the danger to reprove us, [34]and gave us such a solemn and impressive lesson on the necessity of keeping cool, that I never forgot it. Then he told us to harness the horses to the plough. Clarence struck a furrow14 along the imperilled side of the house; my father mowed15 a wide swath through the tall grass, and I raked it away. Before the fire reached us, we had made a barrier which it could not pass. We kept cool, and fought the devouring16 element with entire success.
I do not mean to say that I never got mad; only that, when I had a fair chance to think an instant, I nerved myself to a degree of self-possession which enabled me to avoid doing stupid things. Such was my frame of mind on the present occasion, and I coolly awaited the coming of the tyrants. Both of them were boiling over with wrath17 when they entered the kitchen, and rushed towards me so fiercely that I thought they intended to overwhelm me at a single blow.
"What does all this mean, Buck18? What have you been doing?" demanded Captain Fishley, as soon as he had crossed the threshold of the room.
I deemed it advisable to make no answer.[35]
"I'll teach you to insult your betters!" he continued, as he rushed forward, with arms extended, ready to wreak19 his vengeance20 upon me.
I was satisfied that the blow was to come with the word, and I slung21 the poker over my shoulder, in the attitude of defence.
"Hold on, Captain Fishley!" I replied.
He had evidently not expected any such demonstration7. He had no occasion to suspect it, for previously22 I had been uniformly submissive, not only to him and his wife, but even to Ham, which had always been a much harder task. The tyrants halted, and gazed at me with a look of stupefied astonishment23.
"What are you going to do with that poker?" asked the captain, after a long breath, in which much of his wrath seemed to have evaporated.
"Defend myself," I replied.
"Do you mean to strike me with that poker?"
"Not unless you put your hands on me or my sister. If you touch me, I'll knock you down, if I have to be hanged for it," was my answer, deliberately24 but earnestly uttered.
"Has it come to this?" groaned25 he, completely [36]nonplussed by the vigorous show of resistance I made.
"Yes, sir."
"I think it is time something was done," he added, glancing around the room, apparently26 in search of some weapon.
"I think so too, and I am going to do something, if need be."
"What are you going to do?"
"If you want to talk, I'll talk. I wish you to understand that I'm just as cool as well-water, and this thing has gone just as far as it's going to."
"What do you mean by that, you scoundrel? What thing?"
"My sister Flora is a poor, weak, sick child. She isn't your servant, nor your wife's servant; and she shall not be kicked round by either one of you. That's all I have to say."
"Mrs. Fishley has done just the same as to kick her. She took her by the arm, dragged her out of her chair, and was shaking her when I stepped in."[37]
I was particular to state the facts thus explicitly28, because I did not believe Mrs. Fishley had been careful to include this portion of the affair in her complaint to her husband.
"It's no such thing! I should like to know!" exclaimed Mrs. Fishley, who, by some miracle, had been enabled to hold her tongue thus far.
"I saw her do it," I added.
"It's no such thing!"
"Didn't you take her by the arm?" I demanded.
"Well, I did just touch her on the arm, but I didn't hurt her none. I wouldn't hurt her for a million dollars."
"Let Flora speak for herself," I continued. "What did she do to you, Flora?"
"I don't like to say anything about it, Buckland. She didn't hurt me much," answered the terrified child.
"You see, she won't say I shook her, or did any such awful thing," said the virago29, triumphantly30.
"Speak, my dearest sister. We had better settle this matter now," I added.
"She did take me by the arm, pull me out of the [38]chair, and was shaking me, when you interfered," replied the poor girl, trembling with fear of the consequences of her truthful31 confession32.
Captain Fishley evidently believed that his wife was lame34; but this did not make much difference to him. He was a tyrant10 and a bully35; but, as tyrants and bullies36 always are, he was a coward, or he would have demolished37 me before this time. He had a wholesome38 respect for the poker, which I still kept in readiness for immediate39 use.
"No matter whether Mrs. Fishley touched the child or not," said he, savagely40. "No boy in my house shall insult my wife, or raise his hand against her."
"And no man or woman, in this or any other house, shall raise his hand against my sister," I answered.
"She hadn't anything to do with the flapjacks. Flora boards here, and isn't anybody's servant," I replied.[39]
"I should like to know! Is that girl to sit there before the fire and let whatever's on the stove burn up before she'll raise her hand to save it?"
"It's no use of talking," said I. "You know all about it as well as I do. All I have to say is, that Flora shall not be abused by anybody, I don't care who it is."
"Nobody's going to abuse her," snapped the shrew.
"I've got another account to settle with you, Buck Bradford," continued Captain Fishley. "Did Ham tell you to black his boots?"
"He did."
"And you told him you wouldn't?"
"I told him so."
"I only meant that I wouldn't do it. That's all I meant."
"I should like to know what we're coming to!" ejaculated Mrs. Fishley.
"We are coming to an understanding, I hope," I answered.
"I hope so too, and I mean to do it," added the [40]captain. "High times we're having here, when the boys won't do what they are told, and then take the poker when they're spoken to."
"Captain Fishley, I think there are two sides to this question. The agreement my brother Clarence made with you was, that I should take care of the horse and go after the mail for my board. That's what he said to me in one of his letters. Instead of that, you make me do all the dirty work about the place, and run from pillar to post at everybody's beck and call."
"That's all you're good for," interposed Captain Fishley, sourly.
"Perhaps it is; but that's not what my brother, who is my guardian43, agreed to have me do. You have kept me at home from school half the time—"
"Too much learning spoils boys."
"That wasn't what spoiled you. But that's nothing to do with the agreement."
"None of your impudence44, you saucy45 young cub," said he, shaking his head, and moving a step nearer to me; whereat I demonstrated mildly with the poker.[41]
"I don't mean to be impudent46, but I won't be treated like a dog any longer. I was willing enough to do all I was told, even if it wasn't according to the agreement; but I get blowed up twenty times a day by all hands. Ham never speaks civilly to me, and treats me like a nigger servant. This thing has gone just as far as it can go. I have made up my mind not to stand it any longer."
"But I don't want to fight, or have any trouble, Captain Fishley," I proceeded, more gently, for I had warmed up considerably48 as I recited the history of my wrongs. "If Ham wants me to black his boots, and will ask me civilly to do so, I will do it, though that's not my work, and my brother never meant that I should be anybody's boot-black."
"All I ask is, that Flora shall be let alone, and [42]to be used fairly myself," I continued. "I will do the work just as I have done till October, if I can be treated decently. That's all I have to say."
"That isn't all I've got to say," replied the captain. "Buck Bradford, drop that poker!"
"I will not."
"You won't?"
"Not till I think it is safe to do so."
"Do you think I'm going to be threatened with a poker in my own house?"
"I won't threaten you if you'll let me alone. I've said all I have to say."
I know very well that Captain Fishley had not pluck enough to touch me while I had the poker in my hand; and I was fully satisfied that Mrs. Fishley would not meddle with Flora again very soon. The scene was becoming rather embarrassing to me, and I decided51 either to end it or to shift the battle-field. I turned and walked towards the back room. As one dog pitches into another when the latter appears to show the white feather, Captain Fishley made a spring at me, hoping to take me in the rear. I [43]was too quick for him, and, facing about, I again drew up in the order of battle.
"We'll settle this another time. You haven't seen the end of it yet," said he, as he turned and walked into the store.
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收听单词发音
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1
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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flora
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| n.(某一地区的)植物群 | |
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submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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poker
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| n.扑克；vt.烙制 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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7
demonstration
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| n.表明，示范，论证，示威 | |
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8
demonstrations
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| 证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威 | |
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9
tyrants
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| 专制统治者( tyrant的名词复数 )； 暴君似的人； （古希腊的）僭主； 严酷的事物 | |
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tyrant
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| n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人 | |
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11
faculties
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| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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13
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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14
furrow
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| n.沟；垄沟；轨迹；车辙；皱纹 | |
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15
mowed
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| v.刈，割( mow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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16
devouring
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| 吞没( devour的现在分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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17
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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18
buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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19
wreak
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| v.发泄；报复 | |
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20
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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21
slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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25
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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26
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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27
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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explicitly
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| ad.明确地，显然地 | |
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virago
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| n.悍妇 | |
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30
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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truthful
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| adj.真实的，说实话的，诚实的 | |
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32
confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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33
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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34
lame
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| adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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35
bully
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| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
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bullies
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| n.欺凌弱小者, 开球 vt.恐吓, 威胁, 欺负 | |
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37
demolished
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| v.摧毁( demolish的过去式和过去分词 )；推翻；拆毁（尤指大建筑物）；吃光 | |
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38
wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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39
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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40
savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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41
snarled
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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42
rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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43
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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44
impudence
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| n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼 | |
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45
saucy
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| adj.无礼的；俊俏的；活泼的 | |
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46
impudent
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| adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的 | |
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47
puckering
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| v.（使某物）起褶子或皱纹( pucker的现在分词 )；小褶纹；小褶皱 | |
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48
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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49
bullied
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| adj.被欺负了v.恐吓，威逼( bully的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50
meddle
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| v.干预，干涉，插手 | |
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51
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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