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首页 » 儿童英文小说 » From Farm to Fortune or Nat Nason's Strange Experience » CHAPTER II A QUARREL IN THE BARNYARD
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CHAPTER II A QUARREL IN THE BARNYARD
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 The sight of Abner Balberry flat on his back, and with the milk flowing over him, was a comical one, and for the instant Nat had to laugh out-right.
 
"Hi! hi!" roared the farmer. "Git away! Drat the beasts! Now, Nat Nason, jest see what you've done!"
 
He struggled to his feet, and Nat at once became sober, for he realized that trouble was at hand.
 
"It's too bad, Uncle Abner——" began the youth.
 
"Too bad? I should say it was too bad!" cried the farmer. "An' all your fault, too!"
 
"I can't see how it was my fault. You told me to drive the cow up here."
 
"Don't tell me, Nat Nason! It's your fault. An' all that fresh milk gone to waste!" Abner Balberry gave a groan1. "I don't know most what I'm a-goin' to do with you fer this."
 
"I can't see how it's my fault."
 
"You made the cows git frightened."
 
"No, I didn't."
 
"Don't tell me! Don't you know that milk is worth money?"
 
"Yes, but——"
 
"You scart thet cow out o' her wits," went on the farmer, his rage growing as he looked at the spilt milk. "Nat Nason, I tell you, you're a bad boy!"
 
To this the youth made no reply.
 
"I'm a-goin' to teach ye a lesson fer it!"
 
"Shall I milk Jule?"
 
"Yes, an' mind ye don't spill a drop nuther!"
 
Silently Nat went to work, and milked not only the new cow but also two of the others. By this time milking was over, and the lacteal fluid was carried to the spring-house to cool. Then the cows were allowed to wander down to the pasture for the night.
 
When Nat approached the kitchen again an appetizing odor of frying fish filled the air. The boy's uncle followed him.
 
"Supper is ready," said Mrs. Felton, cheerfully. "You had some trouble with the cows, didn't you?" she continued.
 
"It was Nat's fault," grumbled2 Abner Balberry. "He made them run around an' upset everything. Nat, I said as how I was going to teach ye a lesson. You wash up an' go to bed at once."
 
"Go to bed?" queried3 the boy.
 
"Thet's what I said, didn't I?"
 
"Do you mean right after supper?"
 
"No, I mean before supper," snarled4 Abner Balberry.
 
"Oh, isn't he to have his supper first?" put in the housekeeper5, timidly.
 
"No, he ain't."
 
After this abrupt6 declaration there was an awkward pause.
 
"Do you want me to go to bed without my supper?" asked Nat, slowly.
 
"That's what I said."
 
"It isn't fair."
 
"Ain't it?"
 
"No, it isn't. It wasn't my fault that the milk was spilt, so there!"
 
"You say much more to me an' I'll tan yer hide well fer ye!" stormed Abner Balberry.
 
"Don't you want him to have none of the fish he brought in?" asked the housekeeper.
 
"The fish ain't worth much."
 
"Maybe you'd like to have all the fish yourself?" put in Nat, tartly7, before he had stopped to think.
 
Angered at this remark the farmer turned around and caught the youth by the collar and began to shake him.
 
"I'll teach ye to talk back to me!" he snarled. "I'll teach ye! Now go to bed, an' be quick about it."
 
"I want my supper!" came doggedly8 from Nat. He felt that he had earned the meal and he needed it.
 
"Not a mouthful."
 
"If you don't give me my supper I won't work for you any more, Uncle Abner!"
 
"Wot! Goin' to talk to me like this!" screamed the farmer, and caught the boy once again. "Up to your room with ye, before I trounce ye well!"
 
He shook Nat fiercely, and a struggle ensued between the pair which came to an end when a chair was overturned and then a side table on which rested some of the things for supper.
 
"Oh, the eating!" screamed the housekeeper, in alarm. "And the teapot is smashed!" she added, sadly.
 
"It's all Nat's fault," came from Abner Balberry. "He is a good-fer-nuthin', he is! Off to bed with ye, before I git my horsewhip!"
 
He opened the door leading to the enclosed stairs, and fearful of another attack Nat retreated. As soon as he was on the stairs, the farmer slammed the door shut and bolted it. A minute later he and Mrs. Felton heard the youth ascend9 the stairs to his own room.
 
"It was kind of hard on the boy to make him go to bed without his supper," remarked the housekeeper, as she gathered up the things on the floor.
 
"It's his own fault," snorted the farmer. "He's got to be took down, he has!"
 
"He hasn't had a mouthful since noon, and we had a light dinner, too."
 
"I can't help that, Mrs. Felton. I'm goin' to teach him a lesson."
 
"Nat is a high-spirited boy, Mr. Balberry. Maybe he won't stand for it."
 
"He has got to stand fer it," was the answer, from the sink, where the farmer was washing his face and hands.
 
"But if he won't?"
 
"Wot can he do, I'd like to know?"
 
"I'm sure I don't know—but he may do something that you least expect."
 
"He won't do nuthin'," said the farmer, and sank down in his seat at the table. "He can't do nuthin'. I give him a good home, but he don't seem to a'preciate it nohow."
 
To this Mrs. Felton did not reply, but set the food on the table. The fish had not been spoilt, and the farmer ate all he wished of the dish.
 
"Why don't you eat?" he asked of the housekeeper, seeing that she had abstained10 from touching11 the fish.
 
"I—I don't care for it," she answered. She had in mind to save what was left and give it to Nat for his breakfast.
 
"That boy is gittin' too big fer his boots," went on Abner Balberry. "He acts like he was of age, an' he is only sixteen. Last week he wanted to know how soon I was goin' to pay him reg'lar wages."
 
"And what did you tell him?"
 
"Told him I'd pay him wages when he was wuth it an' not before."
 
"He does almost a man's work now, doesn't he?"
 
"Not much! Besides, don't I feed an' clothe him an' give him a comfortable home? He's got too high-falutin' notions, he has!"
 
"But don't you think he ought to have some money?" went on Mrs. Felton, who could be a trifle independent herself at times.
 
"No. Money is the ruination o' young folks. Week before last he wanted a quarter to go to the circus with, but he didn't git it."
 
"Almost all of the boys in this district went to the circus. Tom Bradley told me it was very good, too."
 
"Humph! That Bradley boy is going to the dogs as fast as he can go."
 
"Deacon Slide thinks he is a very good boy."
 
"Well, the deacon don't know everything. I'm goin' to make Nat toe the mark until he is twenty-one. After that I'll wash my hands o' him."
 
The farmer finished his supper and then went out to see that everything was all right around the farm for the night. A little later he took a lamp and went upstairs. Tiptoeing his way through an upper hall he came to a pause in front of Nat's room.
 
"Asleep, jest as I thought," he told himself, after listening to the boy's breathing. Then he peeped into the room, to behold12 Nat lying under the cover of the bed, with his face turned to the wall.
 
"I'll give him another talkin' to in the mornin'," the farmer told himself; and then retired13, with no thought of what was going to happen before the sun arose upon another day.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 groan LfXxU     
vi./n.呻吟,抱怨;(发出)呻吟般的声音
参考例句:
  • The wounded man uttered a groan.那个受伤的人发出呻吟。
  • The people groan under the burden of taxes.人民在重税下痛苦呻吟。
2 grumbled ed735a7f7af37489d7db1a9ef3b64f91     
抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 ); 发牢骚; 咕哝; 发哼声
参考例句:
  • He grumbled at the low pay offered to him. 他抱怨给他的工资低。
  • The heat was sweltering, and the men grumbled fiercely over their work. 天热得让人发昏,水手们边干活边发着牢骚。
3 queried 5c2c5662d89da782d75e74125d6f6932     
v.质疑,对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 );询问
参考例句:
  • She queried what he said. 她对他说的话表示怀疑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • \"What does he have to do?\" queried Chin dubiously. “他有什么心事?”琴向觉民问道,她的脸上现出疑惑不解的神情。 来自汉英文学 - 家(1-26) - 家(1-26)
4 snarled ti3zMA     
v.(指狗)吠,嗥叫, (人)咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 );咆哮着说,厉声地说
参考例句:
  • The dog snarled at us. 狗朝我们低声吼叫。
  • As I advanced towards the dog, It'snarled and struck at me. 我朝那条狗走去时,它狂吠着向我扑来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
5 housekeeper 6q2zxl     
n.管理家务的主妇,女管家
参考例句:
  • A spotless stove told us that his mother is a diligent housekeeper.炉子清洁无瑕就表明他母亲是个勤劳的主妇。
  • She is an economical housekeeper and feeds her family cheaply.她节约持家,一家人吃得很省。
6 abrupt 2fdyh     
adj.突然的,意外的;唐突的,鲁莽的
参考例句:
  • The river takes an abrupt bend to the west.这河突然向西转弯。
  • His abrupt reply hurt our feelings.他粗鲁的回答伤了我们的感情。
7 tartly 0gtzl5     
adv.辛辣地,刻薄地
参考例句:
  • She finished by tartly pointing out that he owed her some money. 她最后刻薄地指出他欠她一些钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Kay said tartly, "And you're more Yankee than Italian. 恺酸溜溜他说:“可你哪,与其说是意大利人,还不如说是新英格兰人。 来自教父部分
8 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。
9 ascend avnzD     
vi.渐渐上升,升高;vt.攀登,登上
参考例句:
  • We watched the airplane ascend higher and higher.我们看着飞机逐渐升高。
  • We ascend in the order of time and of development.我们按时间和发展顺序向上溯。
10 abstained d7e1885f31dd3d021db4219aad4071f1     
v.戒(尤指酒),戒除( abstain的过去式和过去分词 );弃权(不投票)
参考例句:
  • Ten people voted in favour, five against and two abstained. 十人投票赞成,五人反对,两人弃权。
  • They collectively abstained (from voting) in the elections for local councilors. 他们在地方议会议员选举中集体弃权。 来自《简明英汉词典》
11 touching sg6zQ9     
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。
12 behold jQKy9     
v.看,注视,看到
参考例句:
  • The industry of these little ants is wonderful to behold.这些小蚂蚁辛勤劳动的样子看上去真令人惊叹。
  • The sunrise at the seaside was quite a sight to behold.海滨日出真是个奇景。
13 retired Njhzyv     
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的
参考例句:
  • The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
  • Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。


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