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首页 » 儿童英文小说 » Frank's Campaign or the Farm and the Camp » CHAPTER XX. POMP'S EDUCATION COMMENCES
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CHAPTER XX. POMP'S EDUCATION COMMENCES
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 In the season of leisure from farm work which followed, Frank found considerable time for study. The kind sympathy and ready assistance given by Mr. Morton made his task a very agreeable one, and his progress for a time was as rapid as if he had remained at school.
He also assumed the office of teacher, having undertaken to give a little elementary instruction to Pomp. Here his task was beset1 with difficulties. Pomp was naturally bright, but incorrigibly2 idle. His activity was all misdirected and led him into a wide variety of mischief3. He had been sent to school, but his mischievous4 propensities5 had so infected the boys sitting near him that the teacher had been compelled to request his removal.
Three times in the week, during the afternoon, Pomp came over to the farm for instruction. On the first of these occasions we will look in upon him and his teacher.
Pomp is sitting on a cricket by the kitchen fire. He has a primer open before him at the alphabet. His round eyes are fixed6 upon the page as long as Frank is looking at him, but he requires constant watching. His teacher sits near-by, with a Latin dictionary resting upon a light stand before him, and a copy of Virgil's Aeneid in his hand.
“Well, Pomp, do you think you know your lesson?” he asks.
“Dunno, Mass' Frank; I reckon so.”
“You may bring your book to me, and I will try you.”
Pomp rose from his stool and sidled up to Frank with no great alacrity7.
“What's that letter, Pomp?” asked the young teacher, pointing out the initial letter of the alphabet.
Pomp answered correctly.
“And what is the next?”
Pomp shifted from one foot to the other, and stared vacantly out of the window, but said nothing.
“Don't you know?”
“'Pears like I don't 'member him, Mass' Frank.”
Here Frank had recourse to a system of mnemonics8 frequently resorted to by teachers in their extremity9.
“What's the name of the little insect that stings people sometimes, Pomp?”
“Wasp, Mass' Frank,” was the confident reply.
“No, I don't mean that. I mean the bee.”
“Yes, Mass' Frank.”
“Well, this is B.”
Pomp looked at it attentively10, and, after a pause, inquired, “Where's him wings, Mass' Frank?”
Frank bit his lips to keep from laughing. “I don't mean that this is a bee that makes honey,” he explained, “only it has the same name. Now do you think you can remember how it is called?” “Bumblebee!” repeated Pomp triumphantly11.
Pomp's error was corrected, and the lesson proceeded.
“What is the next letter?” asked Frank, indicating it with the point of his knife-blade.
“X,” answered the pupil readily.
“No, Pomp,” was the dismayed reply. “It is very different from X.”
“Dat's him name at school,” said Pomp positively12.
“No, Pomp, you are mistaken. That is X, away down there.”
“Perhaps him change his name,” suggested Pomp.
“No. The letters never change their names. I don't think you know your lesson, Pomp. just listen to me while I tell you the names of some of the letters, and try to remember them.”
When this was done, Pomp was directed to sit down on the cricket, and study his lesson for twenty Minutes, at the end of which he might again recite.
Pomp sat down, and for five minutes seemed absorbed in his book. Then, unfortunately, the cat walked into the room, and soon attracted the attention of the young student. He sidled from his seat so silently that Frank did not hear him. He was soon made sensible that Pomp was engaged in some mischief by hearing a prolonged wail13 of anguish14 from the cat.
Looking up, he found that his promising15 pupil had tied her by the leg to a chair, and under these circumstances was amusing himself by pinching her tail.
“What are you doing there, Pomp?” he asked quickly.
Pomp scuttled16 back to his seat, and appeared to be deeply intent upon his primer.
“Ain't doin' noffin', Mass' Frank,” he answered innocently.
“Then how came the cat tied to that chair?”
“'Spec' she must have tied herself.”
“Come, Pomp, you know better than that. You know cats can't tie themselves. Get up immediately and unfasten her.”
Pomp rose with alacrity, and undertook to release puss from the thraldom17 of which she had become very impatient. Perhaps she would have been quite as well off if she had been left to herself. The process of liberation did not appear to be very agreeable, judging from the angry mews which proceeded from her. Finally, in her indignation against Pomp for some aggressive act, she scratched him sharply.
“You wicked old debble!” exclaimed Pomp wrathfully.
He kicked at the cat; but she was lucky enough to escape, and ran out of the room as fast as her four legs could carry her.
“Big ugly debble!” muttered Pomp, watching the blood ooze18 from his finger.
“What's the matter, Pomp?”
“Old cat scratch me.”
“And what did you do to her, Pomp? I am afraid you deserved your scratch.”
“Didn't do noffin', Mass' Frank,” said Pomp virtuously19.
“I don't think you always tell the truth, Pomp.”
“Can't help it, Mass' Frank. 'Spec' I've got a little debble inside of me.”
“What do you mean, Pomp! What put that idea in your head?”
“Dat's what mammy says. Dat's what she al'ays tells me.”
“Then,” said Frank, “I think it will be best to whip it out of you. Where's my stick?”
“Oh, no, Mass' Frank,” said Pomp, in alarm; “I'll be good, for sure.”
“Then sit down and get your lesson.”
Again Pomp assumed his cricket. Before he had time to devise any new mischief, Mrs. Frost came to the head of the stairs and called Frank.
Frank laid aside his books, and presented himself at the foot of the stairs.
“I should like your help a few minutes. Can you leave your studies?”
“Certainly, mother.”
Before going up, he cautioned Pomp to study quietly, and not get into any mischief while he was gone. Pomp promised very readily.
Frank had hardly got upstairs before his pupil rose from the cricket, and began to look attentively about him. His first proceeding20 was to, hide his primer carefully in Mrs. Frost's work-basket, which lay on the table. Then, looking curiously21 about him, his attention was drawn22 to the old-fashioned clock that stood in the corner.
Now, Pomp's curiosity had been strongly excited by this clock. It was not quite clear to him how the striking part was effected. Here seemed to be a favorable opportunity for instituting an investigation23. Pomp drew his cricket to, the clock, and, opening it, tried to reach up to the face. But he was not yet high enough. He tried a chair, and still required a greater elevation24. Espying25 Frank's Latin dictionary, he pressed that into service.
By and by Frank and his mother heard the clock striking an unusual number of times.
“What is the matter with the clock?” inquired Mrs. Frost.
“I don't know,” said Frank unsuspiciously.
“It has struck ten times, and it is only four o' clock.”
“I wonder if Pomp can have got at it,” said Frank, with a sudden thought.
He ran downstairs hastily.
Pomp heard him coming, and in his anxiety to escape detection, contrived26 to lose his balance and fall to the floor. As he fell, he struck the table, on which a pan of sour milk had been placed, and it was overturned, deluging27 poor Pomp with the unsavory fluid.
Pomp shrieked28 and kicked most energetically. His appearance, as he picked himself up, was ludicrous in the extreme. His sable29 face was plentifully30 besprinkled with clotted31 milk, giving him the appearance of a negro who is coming out white in spots. The floor was swimming in milk. Luckily the dictionary had fallen clear of it, and so escaped.
“Is this the way you study?” demanded Frank, as sternly as his sense of the ludicrous plight32 in which he found Pomp would permit.
For once Pomp's ready wit deserted33 him. He had nothing to say.
“Go out and wash yourself.”
Pomp came back rather shamefaced, his face restored to its original color.
“Now, where is your book?”
Pomp looked about him, but, as he took good care not to look where he knew his book to be, of course he did not find it.
“I 'clare, Mass' Frank, it done lost,” he at length asserted.
“How can it be lost when you had it only a few minutes ago?”
“I dunno,” answered Pomp stolidly34.
“Have you been out of the room?”
Pomp answered in the negative.
“Then it must be somewhere here.”
Frank went quietly to the corner of the room and took therefrom a stick.
“Now, Pomp,” he said, “I will give you just two minutes to find the book in. If you don't find it, I shall have to give you a whipping.”
Pomp looked at his teacher to see if he was in earnest. Seeing that he was, he judged it best to find the book.
Looking into the work-box, he said innocently: “I 'clare to gracious, Mass' Frank, if it hasn't slipped down yere. Dat's mi'ty cur's, dat is.”
“Pomp, sit down,” said Frank. “I am going to talk to you seriously. What makes you tell so many lies?”
“Dunno any better,” replied Pomp, grinning.
“Yes, you do, Pomp. Doesn't your mother tell you not to lie?”
“Lor', Mass' Frank, she's poor ignorant nigger. She don't know nuffin'.”
“You mustn't speak so of your mother. She brings you up as well as she knows how. She has to work hard for you, and you ought to love her.”
“So I do, 'cept when she licks me.”
“If you behave properly she won't whip you. You'll grow up a 'poor, ignorant nigger' yourself, if you don't study.”
“Shall I get white, Mass' Frank, if I study?” asked Pomp, showing a double row of white teeth.
“You were white enough just now,” said Frank, smiling.
“Yah, yah!” returned Pomp, who appreciated the joke.
“Now, Pomp,” Frank continued seriously, “if you will learn your lesson in fifteen minutes I will give you a piece of gingerbread.”
“I'll do it, Mass' Frank,” said Pomp promptly35.
Pomp was very fond of gingerbread, as Frank very well knew. In the time specified36 the lesson was got, and recited satisfactorily.
As Pomp's education will not again be referred to, it may be said that when Frank had discovered how to manage him, he learned quite rapidly. Chloe, who was herself unable to read, began to look upon Pomp with a new feeling of respect when she found that he could read stories in words of one syllable37, and the “lickings” of which he complained became less frequent. But his love of fun still remained, and occasionally got him into trouble, as we shall hereafter have occasion to see.
 

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 beset SWYzq     
v.镶嵌;困扰,包围
参考例句:
  • She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
  • The plan was beset with difficulties from the beginning.这项计划自开始就困难重重。
2 incorrigibly 3ca6ad0cf12e859f885eba685f95dcc3     
adv.无法矫正地;屡教不改地;无可救药地;不能矫正地
参考例句:
  • He was incorrigibly obstinate, no matter who persuaded him. 不论谁劝他,他都顽固不化。 来自互联网
  • Medora is incorrigibly romantic. 梅朵拉很富于幻想,这是不可救药的。 来自互联网
3 mischief jDgxH     
n.损害,伤害,危害;恶作剧,捣蛋,胡闹
参考例句:
  • Nobody took notice of the mischief of the matter. 没有人注意到这件事情所带来的危害。
  • He seems to intend mischief.看来他想捣蛋。
4 mischievous mischievous     
adj.调皮的,恶作剧的,有害的,伤人的
参考例句:
  • He is a mischievous but lovable boy.他是一个淘气但可爱的小孩。
  • A mischievous cur must be tied short.恶狗必须拴得短。
5 propensities db21cf5e8e107956850789513a53d25f     
n.倾向,习性( propensity的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • This paper regarded AFT as a criterion to estimate slagging propensities. 文中以灰熔点作为判断煤灰结渣倾向的标准。 来自互联网
  • Our results demonstrate that different types of authoritarian regime face different propensities to develop toward democracy. 本文研究结果显示,不同的威权主义政体所面对的民主发展倾向是不同的。 来自互联网
6 fixed JsKzzj     
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的
参考例句:
  • Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗?
  • Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定,我们就不应该随意改变。
7 alacrity MfFyL     
n.敏捷,轻快,乐意
参考例句:
  • Although the man was very old,he still moved with alacrity.他虽然很老,动作仍很敏捷。
  • He accepted my invitation with alacrity.他欣然接受我的邀请。
8 mnemonics o67zw     
n.记忆术
参考例句:
  • Mnemonics is important in learning English.记忆术对学英语很重要。
  • Mnemonics are made up of letter to represent the operation code.助记码是由字母组成,以代表操作码。
9 extremity tlgxq     
n.末端,尽头;尽力;终极;极度
参考例句:
  • I hope you will help them in their extremity.我希望你能帮助在穷途末路的他们。
  • What shall we do in this extremity?在这种极其困难的情况下我们该怎么办呢?
10 attentively AyQzjz     
adv.聚精会神地;周到地;谛;凝神
参考例句:
  • She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时,她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着,把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
11 triumphantly 9fhzuv     
ad.得意洋洋地;得胜地;成功地
参考例句:
  • The lion was roaring triumphantly. 狮子正在发出胜利的吼叫。
  • Robert was looking at me triumphantly. 罗伯特正得意扬扬地看着我。
12 positively vPTxw     
adv.明确地,断然,坚决地;实在,确实
参考例句:
  • She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
  • The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。
13 wail XMhzs     
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。
14 anguish awZz0     
n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦,烦恼
参考例句:
  • She cried out for anguish at parting.分手时,她由于痛苦而失声大哭。
  • The unspeakable anguish wrung his heart.难言的痛苦折磨着他的心。
15 promising BkQzsk     
adj.有希望的,有前途的
参考例句:
  • The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
  • We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。
16 scuttled f5d33c8cedd0ebe9ef7a35f17a1cff7e     
v.使船沉没( scuttle的过去式和过去分词 );快跑,急走
参考例句:
  • She scuttled off when she heard the sound of his voice. 听到他的说话声,她赶紧跑开了。
  • The thief scuttled off when he saw the policeman. 小偷看见警察来了便急忙跑掉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
17 thraldom Cohwd     
n.奴隶的身份,奴役,束缚
参考例句:
18 ooze 7v2y3     
n.软泥,渗出物;vi.渗出,泄漏;vt.慢慢渗出,流露
参考例句:
  • Soon layer of oceanic ooze began to accumulate above the old hard layer.不久后海洋软泥层开始在老的硬地层上堆积。
  • Drip or ooze systems are common for pot watering.滴灌和渗灌系统一般也用于盆栽灌水。
19 virtuously a2098b8121e592ae79a9dd81bd9f0548     
合乎道德地,善良地
参考例句:
  • Pro31:29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. 箴31:29说,才德的女子很多,惟独你超过一切。
20 proceeding Vktzvu     
n.行动,进行,(pl.)会议录,学报
参考例句:
  • This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
  • The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。
21 curiously 3v0zIc     
adv.有求知欲地;好问地;奇特地
参考例句:
  • He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
  • He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。
22 drawn MuXzIi     
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的
参考例句:
  • All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
  • Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。
23 investigation MRKzq     
n.调查,调查研究
参考例句:
  • In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
  • He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。
24 elevation bqsxH     
n.高度;海拔;高地;上升;提高
参考例句:
  • The house is at an elevation of 2,000 metres.那幢房子位于海拔两千米的高处。
  • His elevation to the position of General Manager was announced yesterday.昨天宣布他晋升总经理职位。
25 espying c23583be9461e37616c8600966feafcb     
v.看到( espy的现在分词 )
参考例句:
26 contrived ivBzmO     
adj.不自然的,做作的;虚构的
参考例句:
  • There was nothing contrived or calculated about what he said.他说的话里没有任何蓄意捏造的成分。
  • The plot seems contrived.情节看起来不真实。
27 deluging ae79c1c68ddbe3bab33a9602fdf70a0c     
v.使淹没( deluge的现在分词 );淹没;被洪水般涌来的事物所淹没;穷于应付
参考例句:
  • Press releases began deluging newsrooms, touting the benefits of antibacterial honey. 新闻稿开始淹没了编辑部,吹捧抗菌素的神效带来的好处。 来自互联网
28 shrieked dc12d0d25b0f5d980f524cd70c1de8fe     
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
29 sable VYRxp     
n.黑貂;adj.黑色的
参考例句:
  • Artists' brushes are sometimes made of sable.画家的画笔有的是用貂毛制的。
  • Down the sable flood they glided.他们在黑黝黝的洪水中随波逐流。
30 plentifully f6b211d13287486e1bf5cd496d4f9f39     
adv. 许多地,丰饶地
参考例句:
  • The visitors were plentifully supplied with food and drink. 给来宾准备了丰富的食物和饮料。
  • The oil flowed plentifully at first, but soon ran out. 起初石油大量涌出,但很快就枯竭了。
31 clotted 60ef42e97980d4b0ed8af76ca7e3f1ac     
adj.凝结的v.凝固( clot的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • scones and jam with clotted cream 夹有凝脂奶油和果酱的烤饼
  • Perspiration clotted his hair. 汗水使他的头发粘在一起。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
32 plight 820zI     
n.困境,境况,誓约,艰难;vt.宣誓,保证,约定
参考例句:
  • The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
  • She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。
33 deserted GukzoL     
adj.荒芜的,荒废的,无人的,被遗弃的
参考例句:
  • The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
  • The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。
34 stolidly 3d5f42d464d711b8c0c9ea4ca88895e6     
adv.迟钝地,神经麻木地
参考例句:
  • Too often people sat stolidly watching the noisy little fiddler. 人们往往不动声色地坐在那里,瞧着这位瘦小的提琴手闹腾一番。 来自辞典例句
  • He dropped into a chair and sat looking stolidly at the floor. 他坐在椅子上,两眼呆呆地望着地板。 来自辞典例句
35 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。
36 specified ZhezwZ     
adj.特定的
参考例句:
  • The architect specified oak for the wood trim. 那位建筑师指定用橡木做木饰条。
  • It is generated by some specified means. 这是由某些未加说明的方法产生的。
37 syllable QHezJ     
n.音节;vt.分音节
参考例句:
  • You put too much emphasis on the last syllable.你把最后一个音节读得太重。
  • The stress on the last syllable is light.最后一个音节是轻音节。


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