In the course of ten days I recovered sufficiently1 from my injuries to attend school, where, for a little while, I was looked upon as a hero, on account of having been blown up. What don't we make a hero of? The distraction2 which prevailed in the classes the week preceding the Fourth had subsided3, and nothing remained to indicate the recent festivities, excepting a noticeable want of eyebrows4 on the part of Pepper Whitcomb and myself.
In August we had two weeks' vacation. It was about this time that I became a member of the Rivermouth Centipedes, a secret society composed of twelve of the Temple Grammar School boys. This was an honor to which I had long aspired5, but, being a new boy, I was not admitted to the fraternity until my character had fully6 developed itself.
It was a very select society, the object of which I never fathomed7, though I was an active member of the body during the remainder of my residence at Rivermouth, and at one time held the onerous8 position of F. C., First Centipede. Each of the elect wore a copper9 cent (some occult association being established between a cent apiece and a centipedes suspended by a string round his neck). The medals were worn next the skin, and it was while bathing one day at Grave Point, with Jack10 Harris and Fred Langdon, that I had my curiosity roused to the highest pitch by a sight of these singular emblems11. As soon as I ascertained12 the existence of a boys' club, of course I was ready to die to join it. And eventually I was allowed to join.
The initiation13 ceremony took place in Fred Langdon's barn, where I was submitted to a series of trials not calculated to soothe14 the nerves of a timorous15 boy. Before being led to the Grotto16 of Enchantment--such was the modest title given to the loft17 over my friend's wood-house--my hands were securely pinioned18, and my eyes covered with a thick silk handkerchief. At the head of the stairs I was told in an unrecognizable, husky voice, that it was not yet too late to retreat if I felt myself physically19 too weak to undergo the necessary tortures. I replied that I was not too weak, in a tone which I intended to be resolute20, but which, in spite of me, seemed to come from the pit of my stomach.
"It is well!" said the husky voice.
I did not feel so sure about that; but, having made up my mind to be a Centipede, a Centipede I was bound to be. Other boys had passed through the ordeal21 and lived, why should not I?
A prolonged silence followed this preliminary examination and I was wondering what would come next, when a pistol fired off close by my car deafened22 me for a moment. The unknown voice then directed me to take ten steps forward and stop at the word halt. I took ten steps, and halted.
"Stricken mortal," said a second husky voice, more husky, if possible, than the first, "if you had advanced another inch, you would have disappeared down an abyss three thousand feet deep!"
I naturally shrunk back at this friendly piece of information. A prick23 from some two-pronged instrument, evidently a pitchfork, gently checked my retreat. I was then conducted to the brink24 of several other precipices25, and ordered to step over many dangerous chasms26, where the result would have been instant death if I had committed the least mistake. I have neglected to say that my movements were accompanied by dismal27 groans28 from different parts of the grotto.
Finally, I was led up a steep plank29 to what appeared to me an incalculable height. Here I stood breathless while the bylaws were read aloud. A more extraordinary code of laws never came from the brain of man. The penalties attached to the abject30 being who should reveal any of the secrets of the society were enough to make the blood run cold. A second pistol-shot was heard, the something I stood on sunk with a crash beneath my feet and I fell two miles, as nearly as I could compute31 it. At the same instant the handkerchief was whisked from my eyes, and I found myself standing32 in an empty hogshead surrounded by twelve masked figures fantastically dressed. One of the conspirators33 was really appalling34 with a tin sauce-pan on his head, and a tiger-skin sleigh-robe thrown over his shoulders. I scarcely need say that there were no vestiges35 to be seen of the fearful gulfs over which I had passed so cautiously. My ascent36 had been to the top of the hogshead, and my descent to the bottom thereof. Holding one another by the hand, and chanting a low dirge37, the Mystic Twelve revolved38 about me. This concluded the ceremony. With a merry shout the boys threw off their masks, and I was declared a regularly installed member of the R. M. C.
I afterwards had a good deal of sport out of the club, for these initiations, as you may imagine, were sometimes very comical spectacles, especially when the aspirant39 for centipedal honors happened to be of a timid disposition40. If he showed the slightest terror, he was certain to be tricked unmercifully. One of our subsequent devices--a humble41 invention of my own--was to request the blindfolded42 candidate to put out his tongue, whereupon the First Centipede would say, in a low tone, as if not intended for the ear of the victim, "Diabolus, fetch me the red-hot iron!" The expedition with which that tongue would disappear was simply ridiculous.
Our meetings were held in various barns, at no stated periods, but as circumstances suggested. Any member had a right to call a meeting. Each boy who failed to report himself was fined one cent. Whenever a member had reasons for thinking that another member would be unable to attend, he called a meeting. For instance, immediately on learning the death of Harry43 Blake's great-grandfather, I issued a call. By these simple and ingenious measures we kept our treasury44 in a flourishing condition, sometimes having on hand as much as a dollar and a quarter.
I have said that the society had no special object. It is true, there was a tacit understanding among us that the Centipedes were to stand by one another on all occasions, though I don't remember that they did; but further than this we had no purpose, unless it was to accomplish as a body the same amount of mischief45 which we were sure to do as individuals. To mystify the staid and slow-going Rivermouthians was our frequent pleasure. Several of our pranks46 won us such a reputation among the townsfolk, that we were credited with having a large finger in whatever went amiss in the place.
One morning, about a week after my admission into the secret order, the quiet citizens awoke to find that the signboards of all the principal streets had changed places during the night. People who went trustfully to sleep in Currant Square opened their eyes in Honeysuckle Terrace. Jones's Avenue at the north end had suddenly become Walnut47 Street, and Peanut Street was nowhere to be found. Confusion reigned48. The town authorities took the matter in hand without delay, and six of the Temple Grammar School boys were summoned to appear before justice Clapbam.
Having tearfully disclaimed49 to my grandfather all knowledge of the transaction, I disappeared from the family circle, and was not apprehended50 until late in the afternoon, when the Captain dragged me ignominiously51 from the haymow and conducted me, more dead than alive, to the office of justice Clapham. Here I encountered five other pallid52 culprits, who had been fished out of divers53 coal-bins, garrets, and chicken-coops, to answer the demands of the outraged54 laws. (Charley Marden had hidden himself in a pile of gravel55 behind his father's house, and looked like a recently exhumed56 mummy.)
There was not the least evidence against us; and, indeed, we were wholly innocent of the offence. The trick, as was afterwards proved, had been played by a party of soldiers stationed at the fort in the harbor. We were indebted for our arrest to Master Conway, who had slyly dropped a hint, within the hearing of Selectman Mudge, to the effect that "young Bailey and his five cronies could tell something about them signs." When he was called upon to make good his assertion, he was considerably57 more terrified than the Centipedes, though they were ready to sink into their shoes.
At our next meeting it was unanimously resolved that Conway's animosity should not be quietly submitted to. He had sought to inform against us in the stagecoach58 business; he had volunteered to carry Pettingil's "little bill" for twenty-four icecreams to Charley Marden's father; and now he had caused us to be arraigned59 before justice Clapham on a charge equally groundless and painful. After much noisy discussion, a plan of retaliation60 was agreed upon.
There was a certain slim, mild apothecary61 in the town, by the name of Meeks. It was generally given out that Mr. Meeks had a vague desire to get married, but, being a shy and timorous youth, lacked the moral courage to do so. It was also well known that the Widow Conway had not buried her heart with the late lamented62. As to her shyness, that was not so clear. Indeed, her attentions to Mr. Meeks, whose mother she might have been, were of a nature not to be misunderstood, and were not misunderstood by anyone but Mr. Meeks himself.
The widow carried on a dress-making establishment at her residence on the corner opposite Meeks's drug-store, and kept a wary63 eye on all the young ladies from Miss Dorothy Gibbs's Female Institute who patronized the shop for soda-water, acid-drops, and slate-pencils. In the afternoon the widow was usually seen seated, smartly dressed, at her window upstairs, casting destructive glances across the street--the artificial roses in her cap and her whole languishing64 manner saying as plainly as a label on a prescription65, "To be Taken Immediately!" But Mr. Meeks didn't take.
The lady's fondness, and the gentleman's blindness, were topics ably handled at every sewing-circle in the town. It was through these two luckless individuals that we proposed to strike a blow at the common enemy. To kill less than three birds with one stone did not suit our sanguinary purpose. We disliked the widow not so much for her sentimentality as for being the mother of Bill Conway; we disliked Mr. Meeks, not because he was insipid66, like his own syrups67, but because the widow loved him. Bill Conway we hated for himself.
Late one dark Saturday night in September we carried our plan into effect. On the following morning, as the orderly citizens wended their way to church past the widow's abode68, their sober faces relaxed at beholding69 over her front door the well known gilt70 Mortar71 and Pestle72 which usually stood on the top of a pole on the opposite corner; while the passers on that side of the street were equally amused and scandalized at seeing a placard bearing the following announcement tacked73 to the druggist's window-shutters:
Wanted, a Sempstress!
The naughty cleverness of the joke (which I should be sorry to defend) was recognized at once. It spread like wildfire over the town, and, though the mortar and the placard were speedily removed, our triumph was complete. The whole community was on the broad grin, and our participation74 in the affair seemingly unsuspected.
It was those wicked soldiers at the fort!
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1
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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2
distraction
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| n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐 | |
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subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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4
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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5
aspired
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| v.渴望，追求( aspire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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7
fathomed
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| 理解…的真意( fathom的过去式和过去分词 )； 彻底了解； 弄清真相 | |
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8
onerous
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| adj.繁重的 | |
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9
copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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10
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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11
emblems
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| n.象征，标记( emblem的名词复数 ) | |
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12
ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
initiation
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| n.开始 | |
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14
soothe
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| v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承 | |
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15
timorous
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| adj.胆怯的，胆小的 | |
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16
grotto
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| n.洞穴 | |
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17
loft
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| n.阁楼，顶楼 | |
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18
pinioned
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| v.抓住[捆住]（双臂）( pinion的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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19
physically
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| adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律 | |
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20
resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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21
ordeal
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| n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验 | |
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22
deafened
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| 使聋( deafen的过去式和过去分词 )； 使隔音 | |
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23
prick
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| v.刺伤，刺痛，刺孔；n.刺伤，刺痛 | |
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24
brink
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| n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿 | |
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25
precipices
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| n.悬崖，峭壁( precipice的名词复数 ) | |
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26
chasms
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| 裂缝( chasm的名词复数 )； 裂口； 分歧； 差别 | |
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27
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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28
groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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29
plank
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| n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目 | |
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30
abject
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| adj.极可怜的，卑屈的 | |
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31
compute
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| v./n.计算，估计 | |
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32
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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33
conspirators
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| n.共谋者，阴谋家( conspirator的名词复数 ) | |
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34
appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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35
vestiges
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| 残余部分( vestige的名词复数 )； 遗迹； 痕迹； 毫不 | |
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36
ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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37
dirge
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| n.哀乐，挽歌，庄重悲哀的乐曲 | |
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38
revolved
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| v.（使）旋转( revolve的过去式和过去分词 )；细想 | |
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39
aspirant
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| n.热望者；adj.渴望的 | |
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40
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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41
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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42
blindfolded
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| v.（尤指用布）挡住（某人）的视线( blindfold的过去式 )；蒙住（某人）的眼睛；使不理解；蒙骗 | |
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43
harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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44
treasury
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| n.宝库；国库，金库；文库 | |
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45
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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46
pranks
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| n.玩笑，恶作剧( prank的名词复数 ) | |
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47
walnut
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| n.胡桃，胡桃木，胡桃色，茶色 | |
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48
reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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49
disclaimed
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| v.否认( disclaim的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50
apprehended
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| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
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51
ignominiously
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| adv.耻辱地，屈辱地，丢脸地 | |
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52
pallid
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| adj.苍白的，呆板的 | |
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53
divers
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| adj.不同的；种种的 | |
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54
outraged
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| a.震惊的，义愤填膺的 | |
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55
gravel
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| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
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56
exhumed
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| v.挖出，发掘出( exhume的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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57
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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58
stagecoach
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| n.公共马车 | |
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59
arraigned
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| v.告发( arraign的过去式和过去分词 )；控告；传讯；指责 | |
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60
retaliation
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| n.报复，反击 | |
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61
apothecary
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| n.药剂师 | |
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62
lamented
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| adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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63
wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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64
languishing
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| a. 衰弱下去的 | |
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65
prescription
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| n.处方，开药；指示，规定 | |
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66
insipid
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| adj.无味的，枯燥乏味的，单调的 | |
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67
syrups
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| n.糖浆，糖汁( syrup的名词复数 )；糖浆类药品 | |
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68
abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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69
beholding
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| v.看，注视( behold的现在分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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70
gilt
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| adj.镀金的；n.金边证券 | |
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71
mortar
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| n.灰浆，灰泥；迫击炮；v.把…用灰浆涂接合 | |
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72
pestle
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| n.杵 | |
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73
tacked
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| 用平头钉钉( tack的过去式和过去分词 )； 附加，增补； 帆船抢风行驶，用粗线脚缝 | |
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74
participation
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| n.参与，参加，分享 | |
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