CHAPTER I. JASPER'S VICTORY.

 A dozen boys were playing ball in a field adjoining the boarding-school of Dr. Pericles Benton, in the town of Walltham, a hundred and twenty-five miles northeast of the city of New York. These boys varied¹ in age from thirteen to seventeen. In another part of the field a few younger boys were amusing themselves. All these boys were boarding-scholars connected with the school.

 

The ball had been knocked to a distance by the batter², and it was the duty of Nicholas Thorne, one of the oldest boys, to ran after it. But he thought of an easier way.

 

"Cameron, run for that ball!" he cried, addressing one of the smaller boys outside the game.

 

"I don't want to," said little Cameron.

 

"Did you hear what I said?" demanded Thorne, imperiously.

 

"Yes."

 

"Then you'd better go if you know what's best for yourself," said the bully³, frowning.

 

"I ain't in the game," said Cameron. "Why should I get the ball?"

 

"Because I say so!" retorted the tyrant⁴.

 

"Run after it yourself, Thorne," said a lad named Davies. "It's your business, not Cameron's."

 

"It's his business, because I ordered him to do it," said Thorne, flushed and angry. "Do you think I will allow him to bully me?"

 

"The boot's on the other leg," said Davies, dryly. "Run after the ball, and don't keep the game waiting."

 

"That's so," said half a dozen voices. "Let Cameron alone."

 

"I won't let him alone," said Thorne, who had by this time worked himself into a towering passion. "I'll give him the worst flogging he ever had, if he doesn't obey me!"

 

So saying, he advanced toward Cameron in a menacing manner.

 

Thorne was the acknowledged bully of the school. He was a big, hulking fellow, with a heavy figure and a repulsive⁵ face, and small ferret eyes, emitting a cold and baleful light. He was more than a match for any of his fellow-pupils, and availed himself of his superior physical strength to abuse and browbeat⁶ the smaller boys. Knowing his strength he was not afraid of interference, and usually carried his point. If Cameron had not been particularly occupied playing marbles with a boy of his own age he would not have ventured to object to obey the despot. When he saw Thorne advancing toward him with a cruel light in his eyes he became frightened, and said, hurriedly:

 

"Don't pound me, Thorne, I'll go."

 

"Yes," said Thorne, between his teeth, "you'll go; but you ought to have done so at first. I'll give you something to remind you to be more prompt next time."

 

"Don't hit me, Thorne!" pleaded the little boy, with tears in his eyes. "I'm going."

 

"Shame, Thorne!" exclaimed Davies.

 

Thorne glared at Davies wrathfully.

 

"Take care how you talk," he said, "or it'll be your turn next!"

 

Davies was two inches shorter than Thorne, and by no means his equal. So, honestly indignant as he was, he didn't venture to say any more.

 

Little Cameron turned to run, despairing of help, and Thorne started to pursue him. Of course there was no chance of the smaller boy's escape, or would not have been, but for an unexpected incident.

 

"Stop!" was heard, in a clear, commanding voice.

 

Thorne turned in surprise. What boy (for it was a boy's voice) had dared to command him to atop?

 

He wasn't long in doubt.

 

Jasper Kent, a new scholar, who had only arrived the day before, advanced intrepidly⁸ to the rescue of the little victim. He was an inch shorter than Thorne, of a slight, elegant build, with a clear complexion⁹ and a bright, attractive face that would have been pronounced handsome by anyone. Judging from outward appearances, no one would have thought him the equal of Thorne in strength.

 

When Nicholas Thorne's eye lighted on his antagonist¹⁰ his lip turned in scorn and he paused.

 

"You're the new boy, I believe?" he said.

 

"Yes."

 

"I thought so. If you had been here longer you would know better than to interfere⁷ with me."

 

This was spoken with the utmost arrogance¹¹.

 

"You appear to consider yourself master here," said Jasper, quietly.

 

"I am master here," returned Nicholas, in the same tone.

 

"And you claim the right of ordering around smaller boys?"

 

"I do."

 

"And of beating them if they dare to disobey your majesty's commands, I suppose?" continued Jasper, with sarcasm¹².

 

"Yes, I do. Have you anything to say about it?" exclaimed the young despot, in a swaggering manner.

 

"Yes, I have," was the quiet answer.

 

"What have you got to say, I should like to know?"

 

"That I won't allow it," said Jasper.

 

"You won't allow it?" exclaimed Thorne, bursting into a brutal¹³ laugh. "And who are you, young poppinjay?"

 

"My name is Jasper Kent, at your service."

 

"Then, Mr. Jasper Kent, I beg leave to suggest that you mind your own business."

 

"I generally do," said Jasper, coolly; "but that advice comes with a bad grace from you."

 

"Why does it?"

 

"Because you are not attending to your business."

 

"What is my business?" demanded Thorne, angrily.

 

"To go after that ball."

 

"It's Cameron's business. I ordered him to go after it."

 

"And I order him not to go for it," said Jasper, resolutely¹⁴, but without excitement.

 

Thorne answered with an oath.

 

"I've a great mind to send you for it," he exclaimed, his small eyes glaring at his opponent.

 

"It's one thing to order, and another to secure obedience," said Jasper.

 

"Your turn will come," growled¹⁵ Thorne, "but just at present I've got Cameron's case to dispose of. Cameron, go for that ball!"

 

The little boy started, but his purpose was interrupted. Jasper Kent hurried forward and placed his hand kindly¹⁶ on his shoulder.

 

"Don't go, Cameron," he said. "I'll protect you."

 

Cameron stopped, but looked apprehensively¹⁷ at Thorne. He evidently doubted the power of his young protector.

 

Thorne was now thoroughly¹⁸ exasperated¹⁹. His authority was openly defied. He rushed at Jasper, intending to overwhelm him by the suddenness and momentum²⁰ of his attack. But Jasper was prepared for him. He turned swiftly aside and planted a blow on Thorne's right ear which sent him staggering to the earth.

 

The bully was astonished, but rallied. Almost foaming²¹ at the mouth with rage, he sprang to his feet and renewed the attack. He attempted to throw his arms round the waist of Jasper and throw him. Had his tactics been successful, probably Jasper would have been borne to the earth by the superior weight of his opponent. But here, again, he was prepared. He stepped back and received Thorne with a blow on his breast, so firmly planted that he staggered again.

 

By this time he had lost all control of himself and was thoroughly under the dominion²² of passion. He "pitched into" Jasper, trying to get in a blow wherever he could, and in so doing exposed himself to the skilful²³ blows of his slighter foe²⁴, who had some knowledge of boxing, while Thorne had none whatever.

 

Finally Thorne was stretched on his back, not immediately to rise.

 

"Have you had enough?" asked Jasper, bending over him.

 

"I'll kill you!" shrieked²⁵ Thorne.

 

"Wail²⁶ till you are able," said Jasper.

 

Thorne struggled to rise. Jasper held him down forcibly.

 

"You will stay there till you promise to let Cameron alone," he said.

 

"I won't promise!"

 

"Then you'll stay where you are."

 

But at that moment a small boy came across the field from the school.

 

"Thorne is wanted," he said. "There's a lady to see him."

 

"You can rise, then," said Jasper.

 

Thorne rose sullenly²⁷, and without a word strode toward the large, square building, with an extended wing, which was used for the boarding-school.

 

Little Cameron seized Jasper's hand and kissed it.

 

"How brave you are!" he said. "How much I thank you!"

 

"Oh, it's nothing," said Jasper, modestly. "You just send for me when you're in trouble, Cameron. I won't let him hurt you."

1 varied   

adj.多样的，多变化的

参考例句：

• The forms of art are many and varied.艺术的形式是多种多样的。
• The hotel has a varied programme of nightly entertainment.宾馆有各种晚间娱乐活动。

2 batter   

v.接连重击；磨损；n.牛奶面糊；击球员

参考例句：

• The batter skied to the center fielder.击球手打出一个高飞球到中外野手。
• Put a small quantity of sugar into the batter.在面糊里放少量的糖。

3 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。

4 tyrant   

n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人

参考例句：

• The country was ruled by a despotic tyrant.该国处在一个专制暴君的统治之下。
• The tyrant was deaf to the entreaties of the slaves.暴君听不到奴隶们的哀鸣。

5 repulsive   

adj.排斥的，使人反感的

参考例句：

• She found the idea deeply repulsive.她发现这个想法很恶心。
• The repulsive force within the nucleus is enormous.核子内部的斥力是巨大的。

6 browbeat   

v.欺侮；吓唬

参考例句：

• They browbeat him into signing the document.他们威逼他签署了文件。
• The judge browbeat the witness.那法官威吓证人。

7 interfere   

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。

8 intrepidly   

adv.无畏地，勇猛地

参考例句：

9 complexion   

n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格

参考例句：

• Red does not suit with her complexion.红色与她的肤色不协调。
• Her resignation puts a different complexion on things.她一辞职局面就全变了。

10 antagonist   

n.敌人，对抗者，对手

参考例句：

• His antagonist in the debate was quicker than he.在辩论中他的对手比他反应快。
• The thing is to know the nature of your antagonist.要紧的是要了解你的对手的特性。

11 arrogance   

n.傲慢，自大

参考例句：

• His arrogance comes out in every speech he makes.他每次讲话都表现得骄傲自大。
• Arrogance arrested his progress.骄傲阻碍了他的进步。

12 sarcasm   

n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic）

参考例句：

• His sarcasm hurt her feelings.他的讽刺伤害了她的感情。
• She was given to using bitter sarcasm.她惯于用尖酸刻薄语言挖苦人。

13 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

14 resolutely   

adj.坚决地，果断地

参考例句：

• He resolutely adhered to what he had said at the meeting. 他坚持他在会上所说的话。
• He grumbles at his lot instead of resolutely facing his difficulties. 他不是果敢地去面对困难，而是抱怨自己运气不佳。

15 growled   

v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说

参考例句：

• \"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道：“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 kindly   

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。

17 apprehensively   

adv.担心地

参考例句：

• He glanced a trifle apprehensively towards the crowded ballroom. 他敏捷地朝挤满了人的舞厅瞟了一眼。 来自辞典例句
• Then it passed, leaving everything in a state of suspense, even the willow branches waiting apprehensively. 一阵这样的风过去，一切都不知怎好似的，连柳树都惊疑不定的等着点什么。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子

18 thoroughly   

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。

19 exasperated   

adj.恼怒的

参考例句：

• We were exasperated at his ill behaviour. 我们对他的恶劣行为感到非常恼怒。
• Constant interruption of his work exasperated him. 对他工作不断的干扰使他恼怒。

20 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

21 foaming   

adj.布满泡沫的；发泡

参考例句：

• He looked like a madman, foaming at the mouth. 他口吐白沫，看上去像个疯子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He is foaming at the mouth about the committee's decision. 他正为委员会的决定大发其火。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 dominion   

n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图

参考例句：

• Alexander held dominion over a vast area.亚历山大曾统治过辽阔的地域。
• In the affluent society,the authorities are hardly forced to justify their dominion.在富裕社会里，当局几乎无需证明其统治之合理。

23 skilful   

(=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的

参考例句：

• The more you practise,the more skilful you'll become.练习的次数越多，熟练的程度越高。
• He's not very skilful with his chopsticks.他用筷子不大熟练。

24 foe   

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。

25 shrieked   

v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She shrieked in fright. 她吓得尖叫起来。
• Li Mei-t'ing gave a shout, and Lu Tzu-hsiao shrieked, "Tell what? 李梅亭大声叫，陆子潇尖声叫：“告诉什么？ 来自汉英文学 - 围城

26 wail   

vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸

参考例句：

• Somewhere in the audience an old woman's voice began plaintive wail.观众席里，一位老太太伤心地哭起来。
• One of the small children began to wail with terror.小孩中的一个吓得大哭起来。

27 sullenly   

不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地

参考例句：

• 'so what?" Tom said sullenly. “那又怎么样呢？”汤姆绷着脸说。
• Emptiness after the paper, I sIt'sullenly in front of the stove. 报看完，想不出能找点什么事做，只好一人坐在火炉旁生气。