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CHAPTER XX—FLUTTERS COMES TO A DECISION
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LUTTERS had something on his mind, and this in addition to all the cares and anxieties of the Bonifaces, which he took upon himself every whit1 as fully2 as though he actually belonged to the family. But the something in question was a little private affair of his own, an affair, however, that insisted upon filling most of his waking thoughts, and finally, after looking at it in every possible light, he arrived at a decision.

When a person has been thinking about a matter and turning it over and over in his mind, a decision is a glorious thing to come to. It is such a relief, after standing3 helpless in a perfect maze4 of doubt and hesitation5, to find a straight path opening up before you. At any rate, Flutters’s sensations were quite of that order, as late one afternoon he went to Mrs. Boniface and asked if she could spare him to go into town for a few hours.

“Certainly, Flutters,” if it is necessary for it was the first time Flutters had made a request like that, and she wondered what the little fellow was up to.

Flutters seemed to read her thoughts and answered, “It is necessary, Mrs. Boniface, but I would rather not tell you what I want to go for, if you are willing to trust me.”

“Certainly, I’ll trust you, Flutters,” was the answer that made his heart glad; for it is such a fine thing to be thoroughly6 trusted, and the haste with which he donned his coat and hurried from the house showed that, at least in his estimation, the something to be done was as important as necessary.

Along the frosty road, in the November twilight7, the little fellow trudged8 at a brisk pace, now and then breaking into a full run, as though in his eagerness he could not brook9 the delay of sober walking. White, fleecy clouds were scudding10 across the sky, as though making way for the moon which shone out whenever they would let her, and whose silvery beams were following so closely in the wake of the daylight as to create one earth night in which, as in Heaven above, there was to be no darkness at all.

But Flutters, like many another preoccupied11 fellow-mortal, saw naught12 of its beauty, only noting his surroundings sufficiently13 to take the straightest road to his destination.

Finally, he brought up at the barracks of Company F at Fort George, which company, as you remember, we learned from Mrs. Rainsford, was no longer quartered at the Avery homestead.

“Is Sergeant14 Bellows15 here?” Flutters asked, breathlessly, of one of the first men he met.

“He be,” answered the man, with provoking slowness, “but I doubt if he’ll see ye the night, he turned in early with a headache.” Flutters looked crestfallen16. “You sail for England day after to-morrow, don’t you?” >

“We do that,” answered the man, “and it’s with pleasure we’ll be after shaking the dust of the place off us.”

“But I must see Sergeant Bellows before he goes,” said Flutters, pathetically. “Do you think he’d mind if I disturbed him just for a minute?”

“Maybe not,” said the man, “the Sergeant’s that good-natured. You’ll find him in bunk17 No. 6, in the front room above-stairs.”

So Flutters climbed the stairs and entered the great cheerless room, with its row of uncomfortable-looking bunks18 lining19 the wall. A candle was burning in a tin candlestick at one end of the room. Flutters went on tip-toe and brought it so as to inspect the numbers of the bunks, and make no mistake, for he could see that two or three other men had also “turned in.”

“‘Who’s there?’ asked Sergeant Bellows.”

No. 6 was half-way down the room. “Sergeant Bellows,” said Flutters, in a penetrating20 whisper, screening the candle flame with his hand, so that it should not shine in the Sergeant’s face.



0177

“Who’s there?” asked Sergeant Bellows, raising himself on one elbow and bewildered at the sight of his unexpected visitor.

“It’s only me, Flutters, and I hope your headache isn’t very bad, ‘cause I wouldn’t have disturbed you for the world, only I almost had to.”

“Oh, that’s all right,” said the Sergeant, kindly21, “but it’ll take me a moment to get my wits to working, although I wasn’t rightly asleep either. Here, set the candle on the shelf, and run get that stool yonder for yourself.”

Flutters felt relieved thus to have the Sergeant take in the situation at a glance, and realize that he had come with a purpose.

“I was coming up to Kings Bridge to-morrow to say good-bye,” the Sergeant said, rather sadly, when Flutters had seated himself beside the bed. “How are they up there?”

“Why, they’re not well at all—that is, you know, don’t you, about the Captain’s being paralyzed all over?”

“No, by gracious! paralyzed! Do you mean he can’t move hand nor foot?”

Flutters sorrowfully shook his head yes, as though words failed him.

“You don’t mean it,” said the Sergeant, sorrowfully; “but tell me all about it,” and then Flutters told him everything about the Bonifaces that he thought could by any possibility be of any interest to him, till at last he felt justified22 in introducing his own little matter.

“But what I came to see about was this—”

“Oh, to be sure,” said the Sergeant. “I had almost forgotten to wonder what brought you here.”

“Well,” said Flutters, solemnly, “I have a great favor to ask of you, Sergeant.”

“You’re not giving me much time to do it, then,” said the Sergeant, “seeing as every British soldier quits the city day after to-morrow.”

“That’s the reason I came,” answered Flutters, excitedly, “it’s in England that I want the favor done.”

“Why, what have you to do with England, I’d like to know?” with evident astonishment23.

“Why, England was my home,” Flutters answered, rather proudly; “don’t you know I belonged to an English circus?”

“Why, so you did; I’d forgotten about that.” And then there was a little pause, while the Sergeant waited for further developments, and while Flutters was meditating24 how he had best put his case.

“I once heard you say, Sergeant, that your old home was somewhere in Cheshire, and that’s where my father lives. His name is Wainright.”

“Then your name is Wainright, too,” said the Sergeant; “Flutters Wainright, eh?”

“No, Arthur Wainright’s my name. Flutters is a name they gave me in the circus, because I used to be so scared when I first began to have a hand in the tumbling.”

“But look here,” said the Sergeant, in rather gruff, soldier-like fashion, “if you’ve a father and he’s living, why aren’t you living with him ‘stead of being away over here among strangers? Ye’re not a runaway25, are ye, Flutters?”

“Yes, I am,” said Flutters, scanning the Sergeant’s face closely to watch the effect of his confession26. “I had to do it, Sergeant. I was in the way at home. My mother was a colored lady, but she died in India, and then my father took me to England and married a white lady, and there were some white children and I wasn’t wanted. They used to say I was such a queer, dark little thing.”

“Blest if I blame you, then!” said the Sergeant, whose heart was touched; “but does your father know you’re in good, kind hands. I suppose he cared more for you than the rest of ‘em did?”

“Yes,” said Flutters, “and so I felt I ought to let him know, and I thought perhaps if you didn’t mind, you’d hunt him up when you get over there, and tell him ‘bout me, and how happy I am, and that I send my love.”

“But then he might be sending for you to come back. Have you thought of that, Flutters?”

“Yes, I’ve thought of it, but it isn’t likely, Sergeant. He knows I’m not wanted there; but anyhow, it seems to me I ought to let him know now that I’m so well cared for.”

“That’s so,” said the Sergeant, pausing a moment to give the matter due consideration. “I think you’re right about it, and I’ll hunt your father up just as soon as I can get my furlough and run down to see my relatives in Cheshire.”

“Here’s my father’s name and address,” said Flutters, taking a slip of paper from his pocket, “and when you write to me just direct ‘Flutters,’ care of Captain Boniface. I don’t want them to know about me up there. I just want them to think of me as an ordinary little darkey, and not above any sort of work.”

“That’s very good of you,” replied Sergeant Bellows, tucking the precious little paper under his blue gingham-covered pillow; “not every boy would be so considerate as to think of that, but then it’s a mighty27 nice berth28 for you, too. I’d give a good deal myself to live with the Bonifaces.”

“But you are glad to go home, aren’t you?” Flutters asked, with some surprise.

“No doubt I shall be glad to see old England again, but once I’ve seen it that’s all I care for. It’s different with most of the men. Some of them can hardly speak for joy at the thought, and that makes some of the rest of us who haven’t any homes to go to very wretched with—well I guess you’ll have to call it not-any-home-sickness. It’s half what is the matter with me to-day; and Andy there in the next bunk, who lost a wife and baby years ago in England, he’d a sight rather keep his back turned on everything that belongs to it. But there’s no help for it. A soldier had best not have any will of his own, nor any preferences either, if he knows what’s good for him.”

Flutters did not know what reply to make to all this, though feeling very sorry for the old Sergeant, and so he began to button his coat together, and said: “I guess I’d better go now. I hope I haven’t made your headache any worse, Sergeant?”

“Never you fear. It’s done me good to talk with you, Flutters. It was more of a heartache than a headache, you know. I had one of those blue streaks29, when a fellow feels he isn’t of any use in the world; but if I can carry a message from you to your father ‘way across the great ocean, I must be of a little use still, so I’ll turn over and go to sleep as a sensible old codger should,” and, suiting the action to the word, Sergeant Bellows rather unceremoniously “turned over” and pulled the gray army blanket half over his head.

“Good-night, then,” said Flutters, rising and taking the candle from the shelf.

“Good-night,” yawned the Sergeant, as though already half asleep. “I’ll be up to the Captain’s in the morning.”

Flutters set the lighted candle back where he had found it, and then made his way out as quietly as possible, and the moonbeams and the quiet once more had the room to themselves; and, unless thoughts were too active or hearts too heavy, there was no reason why Andy and the Sergeant should not have dropped off into the soundest of naps, at any rate, until the rest of the men should turn in an hour or two later, when there would, no doubt, be noise enough to wake the best of sleepers30.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 whit TgXwI     
n.一点,丝毫
参考例句:
  • There's not a whit of truth in the statement.这声明里没有丝毫的真实性。
  • He did not seem a whit concerned.他看来毫不在乎。
2 fully Gfuzd     
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地
参考例句:
  • The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气,然后全部呼出。
  • They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
3 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
4 maze F76ze     
n.迷宫,八阵图,混乱,迷惑
参考例句:
  • He found his way through the complex maze of corridors.他穿过了迷宮一样的走廊。
  • She was lost in the maze for several hours.一连几小时,她的头脑处于一片糊涂状态。
5 hesitation tdsz5     
n.犹豫,踌躇
参考例句:
  • After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天,他终于直说了。
  • There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。
6 thoroughly sgmz0J     
adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地
参考例句:
  • The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
  • The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。
7 twilight gKizf     
n.暮光,黄昏;暮年,晚期,衰落时期
参考例句:
  • Twilight merged into darkness.夕阳的光辉融于黑暗中。
  • Twilight was sweet with the smell of lilac and freshly turned earth.薄暮充满紫丁香和新翻耕的泥土的香味。
8 trudged e830eb9ac9fd5a70bf67387e070a9616     
vt.& vi.跋涉,吃力地走(trudge的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • He trudged the last two miles to the town. 他步履艰难地走完最后两英里到了城里。
  • He trudged wearily along the path. 他沿着小路疲惫地走去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
9 brook PSIyg     
n.小河,溪;v.忍受,容让
参考例句:
  • In our room we could hear the murmur of a distant brook.在我们房间能听到远处小溪汩汩的流水声。
  • The brook trickled through the valley.小溪涓涓流过峡谷。
10 scudding ae56c992b738e4f4a25852d1f96fe4e8     
n.刮面v.(尤指船、舰或云彩)笔直、高速而平稳地移动( scud的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • Clouds were scudding across the sky. 云飞越天空。 来自辞典例句
  • China Advertising Photo Market-Like a Rising Wind and Scudding Clouds. 中国广告图片市场:风起云涌。 来自互联网
11 preoccupied TPBxZ     
adj.全神贯注的,入神的;被抢先占有的;心事重重的v.占据(某人)思想,使对…全神贯注,使专心于( preoccupy的过去式)
参考例句:
  • He was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to notice anything wrong. 他只顾想着心事,没注意到有什么不对。
  • The question of going to the Mount Tai preoccupied his mind. 去游泰山的问题盘踞在他心头。 来自《简明英汉词典》
12 naught wGLxx     
n.无,零 [=nought]
参考例句:
  • He sets at naught every convention of society.他轻视所有的社会习俗。
  • I hope that all your efforts won't go for naught.我希望你的努力不会毫无结果。
13 sufficiently 0htzMB     
adv.足够地,充分地
参考例句:
  • It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。
  • The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。
14 sergeant REQzz     
n.警官,中士
参考例句:
  • His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
  • How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹?
15 bellows Ly5zLV     
n.风箱;发出吼叫声,咆哮(尤指因痛苦)( bellow的名词复数 );(愤怒地)说出(某事),大叫v.发出吼叫声,咆哮(尤指因痛苦)( bellow的第三人称单数 );(愤怒地)说出(某事),大叫
参考例句:
  • His job is to blow the bellows for the blacksmith. 他的工作是给铁匠拉风箱。 来自辞典例句
  • You could, I suppose, compare me to a blacksmith's bellows. 我想,你可能把我比作铁匠的风箱。 来自辞典例句
16 crestfallen Aagy0     
adj. 挫败的,失望的,沮丧的
参考例句:
  • He gathered himself up and sneaked off,crushed and crestfallen.他爬起来,偷偷地溜了,一副垂头丧气、被斗败的样子。
  • The youth looked exceedingly crestfallen.那青年看上去垂头丧气极了。
17 bunk zWyzS     
n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位;废话
参考例句:
  • He left his bunk and went up on deck again.他离开自己的铺位再次走到甲板上。
  • Most economists think his theories are sheer bunk.大多数经济学家认为他的理论纯属胡说。
18 bunks dbe593502613fe679a9ecfd3d5d45f1f     
n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位( bunk的名词复数 );空话,废话v.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位( bunk的第三人称单数 );空话,废话
参考例句:
  • These bunks can tip up and fold back into the wall. 这些铺位可以翻起来并折叠收入墙内。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • At last they turned into their little bunks in the cart. 最后他们都钻进车内的小卧铺里。 来自辞典例句
19 lining kpgzTO     
n.衬里,衬料
参考例句:
  • The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
  • Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。
20 penetrating ImTzZS     
adj.(声音)响亮的,尖锐的adj.(气味)刺激的adj.(思想)敏锐的,有洞察力的
参考例句:
  • He had an extraordinarily penetrating gaze. 他的目光有股异乎寻常的洞察力。
  • He examined the man with a penetrating gaze. 他以锐利的目光仔细观察了那个人。
21 kindly tpUzhQ     
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地
参考例句:
  • Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
  • A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。
22 justified 7pSzrk     
a.正当的,有理的
参考例句:
  • She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。
  • The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。
23 astonishment VvjzR     
n.惊奇,惊异
参考例句:
  • They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
  • I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。
24 meditating hoKzDp     
a.沉思的,冥想的
参考例句:
  • They were meditating revenge. 他们在谋划进行报复。
  • The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics. 这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。
25 runaway jD4y5     
n.逃走的人,逃亡,亡命者;adj.逃亡的,逃走的
参考例句:
  • The police have not found the runaway to date.警察迄今没抓到逃犯。
  • He was praised for bringing up the runaway horse.他勒住了脱缰之马受到了表扬。
26 confession 8Ygye     
n.自白,供认,承认
参考例句:
  • Her confession was simply tantamount to a casual explanation.她的自白简直等于一篇即席说明。
  • The police used torture to extort a confession from him.警察对他用刑逼供。
27 mighty YDWxl     
adj.强有力的;巨大的
参考例句:
  • A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
  • The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。
28 berth yt0zq     
n.卧铺,停泊地,锚位;v.使停泊
参考例句:
  • She booked a berth on the train from London to Aberdeen.她订了一张由伦敦开往阿伯丁的火车卧铺票。
  • They took up a berth near the harbor.他们在港口附近找了个位置下锚。
29 streaks a961fa635c402b4952940a0218464c02     
n.(与周围有所不同的)条纹( streak的名词复数 );(通常指不好的)特征(倾向);(不断经历成功或失败的)一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 );使布满条纹
参考例句:
  • streaks of grey in her hair 她头上的绺绺白发
  • Bacon has streaks of fat and streaks of lean. 咸肉中有几层肥的和几层瘦的。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
30 sleepers 1d076aa8d5bfd0daecb3ca5f5c17a425     
n.卧铺(通常以复数形式出现);卧车( sleeper的名词复数 );轨枕;睡觉(呈某种状态)的人;小耳环
参考例句:
  • He trod quietly so as not to disturb the sleepers. 他轻移脚步,以免吵醒睡着的人。 来自辞典例句
  • The nurse was out, and we two sleepers were alone. 保姆出去了,只剩下我们两个瞌睡虫。 来自辞典例句


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