“Ah, indeed!” said Crabb, adjusting his glasses, which seemed to sit uneasily on his nose. “I hope you are well, Roscoe?”
“Thank you, sir; my health is good.”
“The schoolbell will ring directly. Perhaps you had better come into the schoolroom and select a desk.”
“Very well, sir.”
“Are you a classical scholar, Roscoe?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I was reading the fifth book of Virgil when I left off study.”
“Really, you are quite a scholar. I suppose you don’t know any Greek?”
“I was in the second book of the Anabasis.”
“You will go into the first class, then. I hope you will become one of the ornaments2 of the institute.”
“Thank you. Is the first class under Mr. Smith?”
“No; I teach the first class,” said Crabb, with a modest cough.
“I thought the principal usually took the first class himself?”
“Mr. Smith comes into the room occasionally and supervises, but he has too much business on hand to teach regularly himself.”
“Is Mr. Smith a good scholar?” asked Hector.
“Ahem!” answered Mr. Crabb, evidently embarrassed; “I presume so. You should not ask Ahem! irrelevant3 questions.”
In fact, Mr. Crabb had serious doubts as to the fact assumed. He knew that whenever a pupil went to the principal to ask a question in Latin or Greek, he was always referred to Crabb himself, or some other teacher. This, to be sure, proved nothing, but in an unguarded moment, Mr. Smith had ventured to answer a question himself, and his answer was ludicrously incorrect.
The schoolroom was a moderate-sized, dreary-looking room, with another smaller room opening out of it, which was used as a separate recitation room.
“I think that will do. Who sits at the next desk?”
“Mr. Smith’s nephew.”
“Hush!” said Crabb, apprehensively6. “Mr. Smith would not like to have you speak so of his nephew.”
“So, Mr. Crabb is afraid of the cad,” soliloquized Hector. “I suppose I may think what I please about him,” he added, smiling pleasantly.
“Is he in your class?”
“Yes.”
“Is he much of a scholar?”
“I don’t think he cares much for Latin and Greek,” answered Mr. Crabb. “But I must ring the bell. I see that it wants but five minutes of nine.”
“About my desk?”
“Here is another vacant desk, but it is not as well located.”
“Never mind. I will take it. I shall probably have a better neighbor.”
The bell was rung. Another teacher appeared, an elderly man, who looked as if all his vitality8 had been expended9 on his thirty years of teaching. He, too, was shabbily dressed—his coat being shiny and napless, and his vest lacking two out of the five original buttons.
“I guess Smith doesn’t pay very high salaries,” thought Hector. “Poor fellows. His teachers look decidedly seedy.”
The boys began to pour in, not only those on the playground, but as many more who lived in the village, and were merely day scholars. Jim Smith stalked in with an independent manner and dropped into his seat carelessly. He looked around him patronizingly. He felt that he was master of the situation. Both ushers10 and all the pupils stood in fear of him, as he well knew. Only to his uncle did he look up as his superior, and he took care to be on good terms with him, as it was essential to the maintenance of his personal authority.
Last of all, Mr. Smith, the learned principal, walked into the schoolroom with the air of a commanding general, followed by Allan Roscoe, who he had invited to see the school in operation.
Socrates Smith stood upright behind his desk, and waved his hand majestically12.
“My young friends,” he said; “this is a marked day. We have with us a new boy, who is henceforth to be one of us, to be a member of our happy family, to share in the estimable advantages which you all enjoy. Need I say that I refer to Master Roscoe, the ward13 of our distinguished14 friend, Mr. Allan Roscoe, who sits beside me, and with interest, I am sure, surveys our institute?”
“I may say to Mr. Roscoe that I am proud of my pupils, and the progress they have made under my charge. (The principal quietly ignored the two ushers who did all the teaching.) When these boys have reached a high position in the world, it will be my proudest boast that they were prepared for the duties of life at Smith Institute. Compared with this proud satisfaction, the few paltry16 dollars I exact as my honorarium17 are nothing—absolutely nothing.”
“And now, boys, you will commence your daily exercises, under the direction of my learned associates, Mr. Crabb and Mr. Jones.”
Mr. Crabb looked feebly complacent21 at this compliment, though he knew it was only because a visitor was present. In private, Socrates was rather apt to speak slightingly of his attainments22.
“While I am absent with my distinguished friend, Mr. Roscoe, I expect you to pursue your studies diligently23, and preserve the most perfect order.”
With these words, the stately figure of Socrates passed through the door, followed by Mr. Roscoe.
“A pleasant sight, Mr. Roscoe,” said the principal; “this company of ambitious, aspiring24 students, all pressing forward eagerly in pursuit of learning?”
“Quite true, sir,” answered Allan Roscoe.
“I wish you could stay with us for a whole day, to inspect at your leisure the workings of our educational system.”
“Thank you, Mr. Smith,” answered Mr. Roscoe, with an inward shudder25; “but I have important engagements that call me away immediately.”
“Then we must reluctantly take leave of you. I hope you will feel easy about your nephew—”
“My ward,” corrected Allan Roscoe.
“I beg your pardon—I should have remembered—your ward.”
“I leave him, with confidence, in your hands, my dear sir.”
So Allan Roscoe took his leave.
Let us look in upon the aspiring and ambitious scholars, after Mr. Smith left them in charge of the ushers.
Jim Smith signalized his devotion to study by producing an apple core, and throwing it with such skillful aim that it struck Mr. Crabb in the back of the head.
Of course no one answered.
“I hope no personal disrespect was intended,” continued the usher.
Again no answer.
“Does anyone know who threw it?” asked Mr. Crabb.
“Master Roscoe,” said Mr. Crabb, with a pained look, “I hope you have not started so discreditably in your school life.”
“No, sir,” answered Hector; “I hope I am not so ungentlemanly. I don’t like to be an informer, but I saw Smith himself throw it at you. As he has chosen to lay it to me, I have no hesitation28 in exposing him.”
Jim Smith’s face flushed with anger.
“I’ll get even with you, you young muff!” he said.
“Whenever you please!” said Hector, disdainfully.
“Really, young gentlemen, these proceedings29 are very irregular!” said Mr. Crabb, feebly.
With Jim Smith he did not remonstrate30 at all, though he had no doubt that Hector’s charge was rightly made.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
queried
|
|
| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
ornaments
|
|
| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
irrelevant
|
|
| adj.不恰当的，无关系的，不相干的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
situated
|
|
| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
bully
|
|
| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
apprehensively
|
|
| adv.担心地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
prudent
|
|
| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
vitality
|
|
| n.活力，生命力，效力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
expended
|
|
| v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
ushers
|
|
| n.引座员( usher的名词复数 )；招待员；门房；助理教员v.引，领，陪同( usher的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
usher
|
|
| n.带位员，招待员；vt.引导，护送；vi.做招待，担任引座员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
majestically
|
|
| 雄伟地； 庄重地； 威严地； 崇高地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
ward
|
|
| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
distinguished
|
|
| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
spoke
|
|
| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
paltry
|
|
| adj.无价值的，微不足道的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
honorarium
|
|
| n.酬金，谢礼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
virtuous
|
|
| adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
disinterested
|
|
| adj.不关心的，不感兴趣的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
utterance
|
|
| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
complacent
|
|
| adj.自满的；自鸣得意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
attainments
|
|
| 成就，造诣； 获得( attainment的名词复数 )； 达到； 造诣； 成就 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
diligently
|
|
| ad.industriously;carefully | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
aspiring
|
|
| adj.有志气的；有抱负的；高耸的v.渴望；追求 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
shudder
|
|
| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
vexed
|
|
| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
malicious
|
|
| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
hesitation
|
|
| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
proceedings
|
|
| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
remonstrate
|
|
| v.抗议，规劝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |