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首页 » 儿童英文小说 » Andy Gordon The Fortunes of A Young Janitor » CHAPTER X. THE FATE OF A BULLY.
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CHAPTER X. THE FATE OF A BULLY.
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 The next day, Herbert Ross reappeared at school. As we know, it had been his intention not to go back unless Dr. Euclid would dismiss Andy from the post of janitor1.
Now, however, he and his father saw a way of getting even with our hero, by the help of Mr. Starr, and the note which he had placed in the lawyer’s hands for collection.
The prospect2 of distressing3 the family of his poor schoolmate was exceedingly pleasant to Herbert, who from time to time cast glances of triumph at Andy, which the latter well understood. But, with the means at hand to foil his ungenerous foe4, Andy, too, could afford to be in good spirits, and his face showed that he was so.
This puzzled Herbert not a little. He had expected that Andy would be cast down, and was annoyed because he seemed so far from despondent5.
“Of course they can’t pay the note,” thought{60} Herbert, with momentary6 apprehension7. “But of course they can’t! I don’t suppose they have got ten dollars in the house. I mean to go round when the sheriff seizes the furniture. Andy won’t look quite so happy then, I am thinking!”
Herbert recited his Latin lesson as poorly as usual—perhaps even more so, for his mind had been occupied with other things—and Dr. Euclid, who never flattered or condoned8 the shortcomings of a pupil on account of his social position, sharply reprimanded him.
“Herbert Ross,” he said, “how do you expect to get into college if you recite so disgracefully?”
“The lesson was hard,” said Herbert, coolly, shrugging his shoulders.
“Hard, was it?” retorted the doctor. “There are some of your classmates who succeeded in learning it. Andrew Gordon, did you find the lesson very hard?”
“No, sir,” answered Andy, promptly9.
Herbert looked at his successful classmate with a sneer10.
“I can’t expect to compete with a janitor!” he said, slowly.
“Then,” said the doctor, provoked, “the sooner you obtain the position of a janitor the better, if that is going to improve the character of your recitations!”{61}
“I wouldn’t accept such a position!” said Herbert, coloring with anger.
“You are not likely to have one offered you,” said the doctor. “A boy who neglects his lessons is not likely to discharge well the duties of any position.”
Herbert bit his lips in annoyance11, but he did not dare to say anything more, for he saw, by the ominous12 flashing of Dr. Euclid’s eyes, that he was in no mood to suffer impertinence.
He began to regret that he had been induced to return to school. He felt that it was very reprehensible13 in Dr. Euclid to treat the son of his most important patron with so little deference14, or, indeed, respect.
“But never mind!” thought Herbert. “I will soon have my revenge. Father has given Mrs. Gordon a week’s grace, and then she will have to pay the note or lose her furniture.”
Two days later an incident occurred which incensed15 Herbert still more against Andy, and, as usual, the fault was Herbert’s.
The young aristocrat16 was a natural bully17. Like most bullies18 he was deficient19 in courage, and preferred to cope with a boy smaller than himself. For this reason he was both hated and feared by the young boys of the village, as he seldom lost an opportunity to annoy and tease them.{62}
On Saturday there was no session of the Hamilton Academy. Teacher and scholars enjoyed a season of rest which was welcome to both.
After getting through a late breakfast, Herbert Ross took his hat, and sauntered through the village in search of something to amuse him or while away his time. Though he was glad to stay at home from school, he found Saturday rather a dull day.
There was a young clerk with whom he used sometimes to play billiards20 in the evening, but during the day it was difficult to find anyone who was not employed.
“I wish father would move to New York or Philadelphia,” thought Herbert, yawning. “Hamilton is a dull hole, and there’s absolutely nothing to do. If we lived in a city, there wouldn’t be any difficulty in finding company and enjoying myself.”
There was a vacant field, unfenced, near the engine house, which was used as a sort of common by the village boys, and in the course of his walk Herbert Ross came to it.
Two boys of ten were playing marbles in one corner of the field. Their names were Harry21 Parker and John Grant.
“I’ll have some fun with them,” thought Herbert.{63}
He stood watching the boys for a minute or two, then, stooping suddenly, seized the marbles with which they were playing.
“Give me those marbles, Herbert Ross,” cried Johnny Grant.
“What’ll you give to get them back?” asked Herbert.
“It’s mean to break up our game,” said Harry.
“Here, then, come and get them,” said Herbert.
Harry approached, and extended his hand to receive the marbles, but Herbert, with a taunting22 laugh, drew back his own hands, and put them into his pocket.
Johnny had a spirit of his own, though he was a small boy, and he doubled up his small fists, and said, angrily:
“You have no business to keep our marbles.”
“What are you going to do about it?” demanded Herbert, provokingly.
“I know what I’d do if I was as big as you,” said Johnny, hotly.
“Well, what would you do, you little bantam?”
“I’d give you a licking and make you cry.”
“Hear the small boy talk!” said Herbert, bursting into a laugh.{64}
“It’s because we are small boys that you interfere23 with us,” said Harry. “You don’t dare to take one of your size.”
“Look here, you little rascal24, you are getting impudent,” said Herbert, who was sensitive to an imputation25 that he knew to be well founded. “If you ain’t careful, I’ll do something worse than take your marbles.”
“What will you do?” asked Johnny, spiritedly.
“What will I do? Come here and I’ll show you.”
Johnny, in no way frightened, approached, and Herbert, seizing him by the collar, tripped him up, depositing him upon the ground.
“That’s the way I punish impudence,” said Herbert.
There had been a witness to his cowardly act.
“What are you doing there, Herbert Ross?” demanded Andy, who had just come up.
“None of your business!” retorted Herbert; but he looked disturbed.
“Harry, what has he been doing to you?” asked Andy.
Harry and Johnny both told their story.
Andy turned to Herbert, with eyes full of contempt.
“You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Herbert{65} Ross, to tease little boys. Give them back their marbles.”
“I will give them back when I get ready,” said Herbert, doggedly26.
“Give them up now, or you will be sorry for it.”
“Mind your business!” retorted Herbert, and turned to walk away.
Before he well knew what was going to happen, the young bully found himself lying on his back, in the very spot where he had deposited Johnny a minute before, with Andy bending over him.
“Let me up, you brute27!” he screamed.
“So I will, when you have given up the marbles.”
Herbert struggled, but in the end was obliged to surrender the marbles.
As he rose from the ground he shook his fist at Andy, and shouted, with passion:
“You’ll repent28 this, Andrew Gordon! You’ll be a beggar inside of a week, and in State’s prison before the year’s out!”
“Thank you for your good wishes!” said Andy, coolly. “I’ll take the risk of both.”
As Herbert slunk home discomfited29, he felt that he hated Andy Gordon more than any one in the world, and vowed30 to be revenged.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 janitor iaFz7     
n.看门人,管门人
参考例句:
  • The janitor wiped on the windows with his rags.看门人用褴褛的衣服擦着窗户。
  • The janitor swept the floors and locked up the building every night.那个看门人每天晚上负责打扫大楼的地板和锁门。
2 prospect P01zn     
n.前景,前途;景色,视野
参考例句:
  • This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
  • The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。
3 distressing cuTz30     
a.使人痛苦的
参考例句:
  • All who saw the distressing scene revolted against it. 所有看到这种悲惨景象的人都对此感到难过。
  • It is distressing to see food being wasted like this. 这样浪费粮食令人痛心。
4 foe ygczK     
n.敌人,仇敌
参考例句:
  • He knew that Karl could be an implacable foe.他明白卡尔可能会成为他的死敌。
  • A friend is a friend;a foe is a foe;one must be clearly distinguished from the other.敌是敌,友是友,必须分清界限。
5 despondent 4Pwzw     
adj.失望的,沮丧的,泄气的
参考例句:
  • He was up for a time and then,without warning,despondent again.他一度兴高采烈,但忽然又情绪低落下来。
  • I feel despondent when my work is rejected.作品被拒后我感到很沮丧。
6 momentary hj3ya     
adj.片刻的,瞬息的;短暂的
参考例句:
  • We are in momentary expectation of the arrival of you.我们无时无刻不在盼望你的到来。
  • I caught a momentary glimpse of them.我瞥了他们一眼。
7 apprehension bNayw     
n.理解,领悟;逮捕,拘捕;忧虑
参考例句:
  • There were still areas of doubt and her apprehension grew.有些地方仍然存疑,于是她越来越担心。
  • She is a girl of weak apprehension.她是一个理解力很差的女孩。
8 condoned 011fd77ceccf9f1d2e07bc9068cdf094     
v.容忍,宽恕,原谅( condone的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Terrorism can never be condoned. 决不能容忍恐怖主义。
  • They condoned his sins because he repented. 由于他的悔悟,他们宽恕了他的罪。 来自辞典例句
9 promptly LRMxm     
adv.及时地,敏捷地
参考例句:
  • He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
  • She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。
10 sneer YFdzu     
v.轻蔑;嘲笑;n.嘲笑,讥讽的言语
参考例句:
  • He said with a sneer.他的话中带有嘲笑之意。
  • You may sneer,but a lot of people like this kind of music.你可以嗤之以鼻,但很多人喜欢这种音乐。
11 annoyance Bw4zE     
n.恼怒,生气,烦恼
参考例句:
  • Why do you always take your annoyance out on me?为什么你不高兴时总是对我出气?
  • I felt annoyance at being teased.我恼恨别人取笑我。
12 ominous Xv6y5     
adj.不祥的,不吉的,预兆的,预示的
参考例句:
  • Those black clouds look ominous for our picnic.那些乌云对我们的野餐来说是个不祥之兆。
  • There was an ominous silence at the other end of the phone.电话那头出现了不祥的沉默。
13 reprehensible 7VpxT     
adj.该受责备的
参考例句:
  • Lying is not seen as being morally reprehensible in any strong way.人们并不把撒谎当作一件应该大加谴责的事儿。
  • It was reprehensible of him to be so disloyal.他如此不忠,应受谴责。
14 deference mmKzz     
n.尊重,顺从;敬意
参考例句:
  • Do you treat your parents and teachers with deference?你对父母师长尊敬吗?
  • The major defect of their work was deference to authority.他们的主要缺陷是趋从权威。
15 incensed 0qizaV     
盛怒的
参考例句:
  • The decision incensed the workforce. 这个决定激怒了劳工大众。
  • They were incensed at the decision. 他们被这个决定激怒了。
16 aristocrat uvRzb     
n.贵族,有贵族气派的人,上层人物
参考例句:
  • He was the quintessential english aristocrat.他是典型的英国贵族。
  • He is an aristocrat to the very marrow of his bones.他是一个道道地地的贵族。
17 bully bully     
n.恃强欺弱者,小流氓;vt.威胁,欺侮
参考例句:
  • A bully is always a coward.暴汉常是懦夫。
  • The boy gave the bully a pelt on the back with a pebble.那男孩用石子掷击小流氓的背脊。
18 bullies bullies     
n.欺凌弱小者, 开球 vt.恐吓, 威胁, 欺负
参考例句:
  • Standing up to bullies takes plenty of backbone. 勇敢地对付暴徒需有大无畏精神。
  • Bullies can make your life hell. 恃强欺弱者能让你的日子像活地狱。
19 deficient Cmszv     
adj.不足的,不充份的,有缺陷的
参考例句:
  • The crops are suffering from deficient rain.庄稼因雨量不足而遭受损害。
  • I always have been deficient in selfconfidence and decision.我向来缺乏自信和果断。
20 billiards DyBzVP     
n.台球
参考例句:
  • John used to divert himself with billiards.约翰过去总打台球自娱。
  • Billiards isn't popular in here.这里不流行台球。
21 harry heBxS     
vt.掠夺,蹂躏,使苦恼
参考例句:
  • Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天,人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
  • Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。
22 taunting ee4ff0e688e8f3c053c7fbb58609ef58     
嘲讽( taunt的现在分词 ); 嘲弄; 辱骂; 奚落
参考例句:
  • She wagged a finger under his nose in a taunting gesture. 她当着他的面嘲弄地摇晃着手指。
  • His taunting inclination subdued for a moment by the old man's grief and wildness. 老人的悲伤和狂乱使他那嘲弄的意图暂时收敛起来。
23 interfere b5lx0     
v.(in)干涉,干预;(with)妨碍,打扰
参考例句:
  • If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话,可能弊多利少。
  • When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件,棘手的事情就来了。
24 rascal mAIzd     
n.流氓;不诚实的人
参考例句:
  • If he had done otherwise,I should have thought him a rascal.如果他不这样做,我就认为他是个恶棍。
  • The rascal was frightened into holding his tongue.这坏蛋吓得不敢往下说了。
25 imputation My2yX     
n.归罪,责难
参考例句:
  • I could not rest under the imputation.我受到诋毁,无法平静。
  • He resented the imputation that he had any responsibility for what she did.把她所作的事情要他承担,这一责难,使他非常恼火。
26 doggedly 6upzAY     
adv.顽强地,固执地
参考例句:
  • He was still doggedly pursuing his studies.他仍然顽强地进行着自己的研究。
  • He trudged doggedly on until he reached the flat.他顽强地、步履艰难地走着,一直走回了公寓。
27 brute GSjya     
n.野兽,兽性
参考例句:
  • The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。
  • That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲,它咬人。
28 repent 1CIyT     
v.悔悟,悔改,忏悔,后悔
参考例句:
  • He has nothing to repent of.他没有什么要懊悔的。
  • Remission of sins is promised to those who repent.悔罪者可得到赦免。
29 discomfited 97ac63c8d09667b0c6e9856f9e80fe4d     
v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词);使狼狈;使挫折;挫败
参考例句:
  • He was discomfited by the unexpected questions. 意料不到的问题使得他十分尴尬。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • He will be particularly discomfited by the minister's dismissal of his plan. 部长对他计划的不理会将使他特别尴尬。 来自辞典例句
30 vowed 6996270667378281d2f9ee561353c089     
起誓,发誓(vow的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
  • I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。


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