6. Pigtails 辫子拽了保罗

"Hi, Leslie," said Paul.

"Hi, Paul," said Leslie.

They were friends now. Paul hadn't pulled either of her pigtails for a long time.

Paul sat in the desk behind Leslie. Once, a long time ago, he had pulled Leslie's pigtails. It felt great!

That is-Paul thought it felt great. Leslie didn't think it felt too good.

But that was earlier in the year, when Paul was younger and immature¹. Now he knew better.

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Still, her two long brown pigtails hung in front of his face, all day, every day.

The bell rang for recess².

"Leslie," said Paul. "Can I talk to you a second?"

"Sure, Paul," said Leslie.

They were alone in the room. All the other kids had rushed down the stairs. Mrs. Jewls had run to the teachers' lounge.

"I've been good, right?" asked Paul. "I haven't pulled one of your pigtails in a long time, have I?"

"So what do you want, a medal?" asked Leslie.

Paul chuckled³. "No, well, can I ask you something?"

"Sure," said Leslie.

Paul took a breath. "May I pull just one of your pigtails?" he asked. "Please?"

"No!" said Leslie.

"Please?" Paul begged. "I won't pull it hard. No one will have to know. Please? Please? I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important! Please?"

"You're sick!" exclaimed Leslie.

Paul lowered his head. "I'm sorry," he said. "You're right. I don't know what came over me. I won't ask again."

"Good," said Leslie. She shook her head in disgust.

Paul watched her pigtails waggle. "Can I just touch one?" he asked. "I won't even pull it. I promise."

"No!"

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"What's wrong with just touching⁴ one?" Paul asked.

"Yuck, you're gross!" said Leslie as she turned and marched out of the room.

As Paul watched her go, her pigtails seemed to wave good-bye to him.

He slapped himself in the face with both hands. What's wrong with me? he wondered.

He walked to the side of the room and leaned over the counter. He stuck his head out the window to get some fresh air. Down below, he could see the kids playing on the playground. They looked like tiny toys.

Leslie stepped back into the classroom. "I'm getting my hair trimmed tomorrow," she announced. "If you want, I'll save the pieces for you. It'll just be some split ends."

Paul was so excited he forgot where he was. He quickly raised his head. It bashed against the window frame, then he bounced forward and toppled out the window.

Leslie stared in horror at the open window, then rushed toward it. She leaned over the counter and looked down.

"Help!" gasped⁵ Paul.

There was one brick on the side of the building that stuck out a little farther than the others. Paul desperately⁶ held on to it with both hands.

"Ill go get Louis," said Leslie. "He'll save you."

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"No, don't go!" cried Paul. "I can't hold on. My fingers are slipping!"

Leslie reached down for him. "Try to grab my hand," she said.

Paul made a grab for it, but missed, then quickly clutched the brick. "I can't! Help, I'm scared."

"Just don't look down," said Leslie as she tried to stay calm. She pulled her head back in through the window.

"Where are you going!" cried Paul. "Help! Don't leave me."

Leslie looked around Mrs. Jewls's room for a rope or an extension cord or something for Paul to grab, but she couldn't find anything.

She returned to the window, sighed, then leaned out backward. Her hands tightly held the edge of the counter as she looked up at the sky. "Grab my pigtails," she said, then winced⁷.

A big smile came across Paul's face. "Really?" he asked.

"Just do it!" said Leslie.

The pigtails hung about a foot above Paul's head. He let go of the brick with his right hand and grabbed her right pigtail.

"Yaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!" Leslie yelped⁸.

He grabbed her left pigtail with his left hand.

"Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!" she screamed.

"Okay, pull me in," said Paul. His legs dangled⁹ beneath him.

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Leslie's eyes watered in pain as she tried to step away from the window. "I can't!" she groaned¹⁰. "You're too heavy."

Paul swung his legs up against the side of the building. "Try now."

Leslie groaned, then took a small step away from the window as Paul took a small step up the wall. Then they each took another small step. At last Paul managed to get one foot on top of the brick that jutted¹¹ out.

Leslie pulled her head inside the window. As she took another step, Paul let go of one pigtail and grabbed the windowsill. Leslie took another step, pulling Paul the rest of the way through.

They both collapsed¹² on the floor, tired and sore.

"Ooh, my head hurts," said Leslie.

"Wow, you saved my life," said Paul. "Well, don't worry, someday I'll save yours."

"You don't have to," said Leslie. "Just don't pull my pigtails anymore."

"I won't," said Paul. Suddenly he laughed.

"What's so funny?" asked Leslie.

"This time your pigtails pulled me."

1 immature   

adj.未成熟的，发育未全的，未充分发展的

参考例句：

• Tony seemed very shallow and immature.托尼看起来好像很肤浅，不夠成熟。
• The birds were in immature plumage.这些鸟儿羽翅未全。

2 recess   

n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处）

参考例句：

• The chairman of the meeting announced a ten-minute recess.会议主席宣布休会10分钟。
• Parliament was hastily recalled from recess.休会的议员被匆匆召回开会。

3 chuckled   

轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She chuckled at the memory. 想起这件事她就暗自发笑。
• She chuckled softly to herself as she remembered his astonished look. 想起他那惊讶的表情，她就轻轻地暗自发笑。

4 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。

5 gasped   

v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要

参考例句：

• She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
• People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 desperately   

adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地

参考例句：

• He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
• He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。

7 winced   

赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He winced as the dog nipped his ankle. 狗咬了他的脚腕子，疼得他龇牙咧嘴。
• He winced as a sharp pain shot through his left leg. 他左腿一阵剧痛疼得他直龇牙咧嘴。

8 yelped   

v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He yelped in pain when the horse stepped on his foot. 马踩了他的脚痛得他喊叫起来。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• A hound yelped briefly as a whip cracked. 鞭子一响，猎狗发出一阵嗥叫。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 dangled   

悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口

参考例句：

• Gold charms dangled from her bracelet. 她的手镯上挂着许多金饰物。
• It's the biggest financial incentive ever dangled before British footballers. 这是历来对英国足球运动员的最大经济诱惑。

10 groaned   

v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦

参考例句：

• He groaned in anguish. 他痛苦地呻吟。
• The cart groaned under the weight of the piano. 大车在钢琴的重压下嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 jutted   

v.（使）突出( jut的过去式和过去分词 )；伸出；（从…）突出；高出

参考例句：

• A row of small windows jutted out from the roof. 有一排小窗户从房顶上突出来。
• His jaw jutted stubbornly forward; he would not be denied. 他固执地扬起下巴，一副不肯罢休的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。