Kitty and Boris, having just heard the dismal10 sound of the schoolroom bell, started from their fascinating occupation of feeding the white rats and ran as fast as their small feet could carry them in the direction of the house. They went in by a side entrance, and with panting breath and hot little steps began to mount the spiral staircase which led to the schoolroom in the tower. They were late already, and they knew that they could not possibly escape bad marks for unpunctuality. They pushed open the green baize door which admitted them to the sanctum of learning and came in. All the other children whom Miss Macalister taught were already in the room. Kitty and Boris were the sole delinquents—the only ones in disgrace; even Elinor was present. Their faces fell when they saw her. They had built great hopes on having at least Elinor's company in their disgrace. The swift thought had darted11 through both their minds that she would be safe to be extra naughty that morning, and in consequence would divert some of the storm of Jane Macalister's wrath12 from their devoted heads; but no, there she sat in her accustomed place, her hymn13 book open on her knee, marks of tears on her cheeks, it is true, but in all other respects she looked a provokingly model Elinor.
It was too bad; Kitty made a face at her across [Pg 34]the schoolroom, and even Boris gave her a reproachful glance.
Jane Macalister fixed14 two awful spectacled eyes upon the culprits, and, scarlet15 blushes tingling16 in their cheeks, they took possession of their vacant chairs.
The children all sang their usual hymn, although Elinor's voice was a little husky and Boris held his book upside down.
"All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all."
"I wonder if He really made that dreadful horsey man," thought Nell, as she looked out of the window.
Boris smothered17 a sigh as he reflected again over the problem which had often before puzzled his small head—Why God, when he made everything so beautiful, had forgotten to give Jane Macalister a beautiful temper in school hours?
The singing was followed by the Bible reading, and then lessons began. Molly and Nora acquitted18 themselves admirably, as was their wont—Nell's dark grey eyes grew full of interest as she read the fascinating story of the "Field of the Cloth of Gold" in her history book—Kitty worked at her sums with fierce persistence19 and tried to fancy herself at boarding-school, going up rapidly to the top of her class, while Boris made more mistakes than ever over his dictation, and inked his fingers unmercifully.
"What was the use of fussing over such a stupid, useless thing as spelling?" This was his thought of thoughts.
The day was a warm one. Jane Macalister was [Pg 35]icily cold, however, as unapproachable as an iceberg20. Boris watched her with anxiety. He knew well that there was no chance for him and Kitty; they would both be punished for being late for prayers.
Oh, dear, oh, dear; why was Jane so unbeautiful, so unapproachable in school hours?
"I know she'll keep Kitty and me in during the whole of the play hour," he muttered to himself. "I'm certain of it, because the tip of her nose is getting red; that's a sign that she's worried, and when she's worried she's twice as bad as she is at any other time."
"What noise is that? Oh!—I say—Miss Macalister——"
Jane Macalister was always spoken to in this correct fashion during school hours.
"I say, there's a visitor!" burst from the eager lips of the little boy.
He started to his feet as he spoke21, upsetting the ink-pot over his own copybook and also over Kitty's white-frilled pinafore.
"Boris, you are incorrigible22!" exclaimed Jane. "You lose all your conduct marks for the week, and must stay indoors for an hour and learn a piece of poetry after lessons."
Boris got very red and tried to smile. The blow had fallen, so he wasn't going to whimper over it. He would stand up to his punishment like a man. He meant to be a soldier some day, and felt exactly now as if he were facing the guns. He met Elinor's full, troubled grey eyes, and seated himself slowly once more in his chair.
The steps had come nearer, the schoolroom door was burst open, and Nan Thornton rushed in.
[Pg 36]
"Here I am," she said. "I have come to torment23 you, Miss Macalister, and to beg off lessons at once. How do you do, children? How are you, Kitty? How are you, Boris? How do you do, Nell? Molly and Nora, I'll kiss you when I can get breath. Oh, what a climb those stairs are! Why do you have lessons in the tower? All the same, it's lovely when you are here. What a view! What a darling, darling, heavenly, scrumptious, ripping view. Oh, dear! oh, dear! I am out of breath. Jane, aren't you glad to see me? Aren't you glad to know that all the children are to have a holiday immediately? Shut up your books, young 'uns, and let's be off. You don't mind, do you, Jane?"
Certainly Jane Macalister did mind. The icy expression grew more marked on her face. Boris gave her a glance, felt that he was very close to the guns, and lowered his eyes. Nan began dancing about the room. Nan was in white—white hat, white frock. Her fluffy24 golden hair surrounded her like a cloud. Boris felt that she was something like a very naughty and very beautiful angel. Why was she tempting25 them all when Jane Macalister was like ice?
"I think, Nan," said Miss Macalister—"(how do you do, my dear? Of course I'm glad to see you)—I think I must ask you to leave the schoolroom for the present. Recess26 will be at half-past eleven, and then you can talk to all the children except Boris, who I grieve to say will have to undergo punishment. As to holidays, the summer holidays will begin in a fortnight, until then I cannot permit any such indulgence. Go away, Nan, for the present. Molly, I can attend to your German now. Bring your exercise book with the grammar and history."
[Pg 37]
Nan was not accustomed to being vanquished27, but she was very near defeat then. The next moment she would have found herself ignominiously28 outside the baize door if other steps had not approached, and Hester, looking cool and sweet, Annie, all radiant and laughing, and Mrs. Lorrimer, with her usual gentle motherly expression, had not appeared on the scene.
"Jane," said the mother, smiling round with her blue eyes at each of the children, "Hester wants us to get up a hasty picnic to Friar's Wood. The day is perfect, and this is the first of Nan's holidays, so I hope you will not object, particularly if the children promise to work extra well to-morrow."
Jane began to close up all the books hastily. Nan's petition was not to be listened to for a moment. Mrs. Lorrimer's was law, and must be cheerfully obeyed.
"Certainly," she said, in a pleasant tone, dropping her frozen manner as if by magic. "It is a perfect day for a picnic. Leave the schoolroom tidy, my loves, and then go and get ready. You'd like me to see the cook, wouldn't you, Mrs. Lorrimer? I can help her to cut sandwiches and to pack plates and dishes."
"Jane, you're an angel," said Mrs. Lorrimer.
Jane Macalister kissed Hester, was introduced to Annie, and then rushed down the spiral stairs, intent on housekeeping cares.
The Lorrimer boys and girls surrounded Hester and Annie. Nan flitted in and out of the group, and was here, there, and everywhere. All was excitement and laughter. Presently the children left the schoolroom in a body.
No, there was one exception. Boris stayed [Pg 38]behind. He looked wistfully after the others as they streamed away. Miss Macalister had not said a word about remitting29 his punishment, and he must be true to his colours. He found it very difficult to keep back his tears, but he would indeed think badly of himself if even one bright drop fell from his round blue eyes.
It would have comforted him if Kitty had noticed him. Kitty might have stayed if only to bestow30 a kiss of sympathy on him, but she was whirled on with the others. No one gave him a thought. He was only Boris, one of the younger children. He was alone in the schoolroom.
He looked at the clock; it pointed31 to half past eleven; he would not be free until half past twelve. Picnics at the Towers were hastily improvised32 affairs. Long before his hour of punishment was over the others would all be off and away. It was scarcely likely that any of them would even miss him. Kitty would be in such a frantic33 state of excitement at having Nan Thornton to talk to, that she would not have room in her heart to bestow a thought on him. He could not walk all the way to Friar's Wood, the day was too hot. How delicious it would be there in the shade. How interesting to watch the squirrels in the trees, and the rabbits as they darted in and out of their holes. Well, well, there was no use fretting34. His heart felt sore, of course, but he wouldn't be half a boy in his own opinion if he didn't take his punishment without a murmur35.
He drew his chair up to the table, pushed his ink-stained fingers through his curly brown locks, and looked around him.
Miss Macalister had forgotten to set him any [Pg 39]task, but he supposed he could set himself something.
He was just wondering what would be the least irksome form of punishment he could devise, when a small head was pushed in at the door, and a voice, in accents of extreme surprise, shouted his name.
"Why, Boris, what are you doing? They'll be off if you don't look sharp."
"I'm not going, Nell," said Boris; "but please don't fuss over it, it's nothing."
"Nothing!" said Nell, coming into the room and seating herself by the side of her little brother. "Don't you love picnics?"
"I adore them," said Boris.
"Don't make a fuss," he said again after a pause. "Do you think I might learn a bit of the 'Ancient Mariner37' for my punishment task? I like that old chap, he's so grisly."
"It's a splendid poem," said Nell with enthusiasm, "particularly that part about—
'Water, water everywhere, And not a drop to drink.'
Can't you picture it all, Boris? The sea like a great pond, and the thirsty old mariner looking at it, and longing38, and longing, and longing to drink it, and the dead people lying round. Sometimes at night I think of it, and then afterwards I have a good, big, startling dream. A dream that's not too frightful39 is almost as good as a story-book. Don't you think so?"
"No, I don't," said Boris. "I hate dreams. [Pg 40]Perhaps I'd better learn the first six verses of the 'Ancient Mariner,' and perhaps I'd better begin at once. Jane Macalister is very stern, isn't she, Nell?"
"Awful in lesson times," said Nell.
"Well, the only way I can bear it," said Boris, "is this—I think of her as the general of an army. I don't mind obeying her when I think of her in that way. Soldiers have to promise obedience40 before anything else, and I'm going to be a soldier some day. I'd better not talk now, Nell, for I must get the first six verses of the 'Ancient' into me in an hour, and I can't if you keep chattering42. The general was rather sharp with me this morning, I must say, for all my conduct marks are gone, too, and I won't get sixpence on Saturday, and I'll have nothing to subscribe43 to mother's birthday present; still, of course, 'tis 'diculous to fuss. You'd best go, Nell. Why aren't you ready for the picnic?"
"I'm not going," said Nell. "I have a headache, and a drive in the sun would make it worse. Besides, Nan Thornton does chatter41 so awfully44."
"Chatter," repeated Boris; "you don't mean to say you mind her chattering?"
"Yes, I do, when I have a headache."
"Well, I think she's sweet," said Boris.
"You had better learn your 'Mariner,' Boris, and I'll sit in the window and look out."
The schoolroom was so high up in the tower that people who sat in one of its windows had really only a bird's-eye view of what went on below.
Boris, in his rather tumbled sailor suit, sat with his back to Nell. He kicked the rungs of the chair very often with his sturdy legs. His inky fingers took fond clutches of his curls, his lips murmured the [Pg 41]rhyme of the "Ancient Mariner" in a monotonous45 sing-song. Nell pushed open the lattice window and looked out. There was a waggonette drawn46 by a rather bony old horse standing47 by the side entrance; behind the waggonette was a pony48-cart, a good deal the worse for wear. The pony, whose name was Shag, stood very still and flicked49 his long tail backwards50 and forwards to keep the flies away. Nell saw Miss Macalister and two of the servants come out with those flat delicious picnic baskets which she knew so well, and which had so often made her lips water in fond anticipation51; they were placed with solemnity in the waggonette. Then Molly and Nora, in their white sun-bonnets, took their places, and Hester and Annie sat opposite to them, and Mrs. Lorrimer took the seat of honour, and two or three of the smaller children were packed in heterogeneously52, while Nan and Kitty and Miss Macalister bundled themselves into the pony-cart.
Nell's heart beat high as she watched. Was no one going to think of her and Boris? Was no one going to miss them?
Apparently53 no one was.
The gay cavalcade54 got under weigh and disappeared from view down the long and lovely beech55 avenue.
Nell did not wish to go to the picnic, not to-day with her heart so sore, but it made that heart feel all the sorer not to be missed.
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收听单词发音
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1
tinged
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| v.（使）发丁丁声( ting的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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3
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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beguile
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| vt.欺骗，消遣 | |
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5
squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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6
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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7
invaluable
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| adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的 | |
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8
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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9
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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10
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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11
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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12
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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13
hymn
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌 | |
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14
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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15
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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16
tingling
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| v.有刺痛感( tingle的现在分词 ) | |
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17
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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18
acquitted
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| 宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现 | |
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19
persistence
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| n.坚持，持续，存留 | |
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iceberg
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| n.冰山，流冰，冷冰冰的人 | |
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21
spoke
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| 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 | |
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22
incorrigible
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| adj.难以纠正的，屡教不改的 | |
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23
torment
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| n.折磨；令人痛苦的东西(人)；vt.折磨；纠缠 | |
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24
fluffy
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| adj.有绒毛的，空洞的 | |
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tempting
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| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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26
recess
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| n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处） | |
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27
vanquished
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| v.征服( vanquish的过去式和过去分词 )；战胜；克服；抑制 | |
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28
ignominiously
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| adv.耻辱地，屈辱地，丢脸地 | |
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29
remitting
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| v.免除（债务），宽恕( remit的现在分词 )；使某事缓和；寄回，传送 | |
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30
bestow
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| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
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31
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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32
improvised
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| a.即席而作的,即兴的 | |
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33
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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34
fretting
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| n. 微振磨损 adj. 烦躁的, 焦虑的 | |
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35
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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36
winked
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| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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37
mariner
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| n.水手号不载人航天探测器，海员，航海者 | |
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38
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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39
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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40
obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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41
chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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42
chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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43
subscribe
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| vi.(to)订阅，订购；同意；vt.捐助，赞助 | |
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44
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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45
monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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46
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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47
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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48
pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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49
flicked
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| （尤指用手指或手快速地）轻击( flick的过去式和过去分词 )； （用…）轻挥； （快速地）按开关； 向…笑了一下（或瞥了一眼等） | |
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50
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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51
anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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52
heterogeneously
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| adj.多种多样的，混杂的；不均匀；非均匀；错杂 | |
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53
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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54
cavalcade
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| n.车队等的行列 | |
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55
beech
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| n.山毛榉；adj.山毛榉的 | |
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