Had Mrs. Socrates Smith been a kind, motherly woman, she might have done much to reconcile the boy to his new home; but she was a tall, gaunt, bony woman, more masculine than feminine, not unlike Miss Sally Brass4, whom all readers of Dickens will remember.
I am sorry to say that a homesick boy in a boarding school does not meet with much sympathy. Even those boys who have once experienced the same malady are half ashamed of it, and, if they remember it at all, remember it as a mark of weakness. There was but one boy who made friendly approaches to Tommy, and this was Hector Roscoe.
Hector had seen the little fellow sitting by himself with a sad face, and he had gone up to him, and asked him in a pleasant tone some questions about himself and his home.
“So you have never been away from home before, Tommy,” he said.
“No, sir,” answered the boy, timidly.
“Don’t call me sir. I am only a boy like you. Call me Hector.”
“That is a strange name. I never heard it before.”
“No, it is not a common name. I suppose you don’t like school very much?”
“I never shall be happy here,” sighed Tommy.
“You think so now, but you will get used to it.”
“I don’t think I shall.”
“Oh, yes, you will. It will never seem like home, of course, but you will get acquainted with some of the boys, and will join in their games, and then time will pass more pleasantly.”
“I think the boys are very rough,” said the little boy.
“Yes, they are rough, but they don’t mean unkindly. Some of them were homesick when they came here, just like you.”
“Were you homesick?” asked Tommy, looking up, with interest.
“I didn’t like the school very well; but I was much older than you when I came here, and, besides, I didn’t leave behind me so pleasant a home. I am not so rich as you, Tommy. I have no father nor mother,” and for the moment Hector, too, looked sad.
The little fellow became more cheerful under the influence of Hector’s kind and sympathetic words. Our hero, however, was catechised about his sudden intimacy5 with the new scholar.
“I see you’ve got a new situation, Roscoe,” said Bates, when Hector was walking away.
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve secured the position of nurse to that little cry baby.”
“You mean Tommy Cooper?”
“Yes, if that’s his name.”
“I was cheering up the little fellow a bit. He’s made rather a bad exchange in leaving a happy home for Smith Institute.”
“That’s so. This is a dreary hole, but there’s no need of crying about it.”
“You might if you were as young as Tommy, and had just come.”
“Shall you take him under your wing?”
“Yes, if he needs it.”
We now come to the few minutes preceding the return of Hector from his walk, as indicated in the last chapter.
Tommy Cooper was sitting in the school yard, with a disconsolate6 look, when Jim Smith, who was never happier than when he was bullying7 other boys, espied9 him.
“What’s the matter with you, young one?” he said, roughly, “Is your grandmother dead?”
“Come here and play.”
“I would rather not.”
“I am not going to have you sulking round here. Do you hear me?”
“Are you one of the teachers?” asked Tommy, innocently.
“You’ll find out who I am,” answered Jim, roughly. “Here, Palmer, do you want a little fun with this young one?”
“What are you going to do, Jim?” questioned Palmer.
“All right!” said Palmer.
“We’ll toss him in a blanket. He won’t look so sulky after we get through with him.”
“It’s a shame!” said one, in a low voice. “See the poor little chap, how sad he looks! I felt just as he does when I first came to school.”
“Jim ought not to do it,” said the second. “It’s a mean thing to do.”
“Tell him so.”
“No, thank you. He’d treat me the same way.”
The two speakers were among the smaller boys, neither being over fourteen, and though they sympathized with Tommy, their sympathy was not likely to do him any good.
Out came Palmer with the blanket.
“Are there any teachers about?” asked Jim.
“No.”
“That’s good. We shan’t be interfered15 with. Here, young one, come here.”
“What for?” asked Tommy, looking frightened.
“Come here, and you’ll find out.”
But Tommy had already guessed. He had read a story of English school life, in which a boy had been tossed in a blanket, and he was not slow in comprehending the situation.
“Oh, don’t toss me in a blanket!” said the poor boy, clasping his hands.
“Sorry to disturb you, but it’s got to be done, young one,” said Jim. “Here, jump in. It’ll do you good.”
“No, it won’t! Don’t be a cry baby. We’ll make a man of you.”
But Tommy was not persuaded. He jumped up, and tried to make his escape. But, of course, there was no chance for him. Jim Smith overtook him in a couple of strides, and seizing him roughly by the collar, dragged him to the blanket, which by this time Palmer and one of the other boys, who had been impressed into the service reluctantly, were holding.
Jim Smith, taking up Tommy bodily, threw him into the blanket, and then seizing one end, gave it a violent toss. Up went the boy into the air, and tumbling back again into the blanket was raised again.
Then it was that Tommy screamed, and Hector heard his cry for help.
He came rushing round the corner of the building, and comprehended, at a glance, what was going on.
Naturally his hot indignation was much stirred.
If there was anyone whom Jim Smith did not want to see at this moment, it was Hector Roscoe. He would much rather have seen one of the ushers20. He saw that he was in a scrape, but his pride would not allow him to back out.
“Keep on, boys!” he cried. “It’s none of Roscoe’s business. He’d better clear out, or we’ll toss him.”
Hector was not the boy to let such an appeal go unheeded. He sprang forward, dealt Jim Smith a powerful blow, that made him stagger, and let go the blanket, and then helped Tommy to his feet.
“Run into the house. Tommy!” he said. “There may be some rough work here.”
But Jim reckoned without his host. The blow was returned with interest, and, in the heat of his indignation, Hector followed it up with such a volley that the bully retreated in discomfiture27, and was glad to withdraw from the contest.
“I’ll pay you for this, you scoundrel!” he said, venomously.
“Whenever you please, you big brute19!” returned Hector, contemptuously. “It is just like you to tease small boys. If you annoy Tommy Cooper again, you’ll hear from me.”
“I’d like to choke that fellow!” muttered Jim. “Either he or I will have to leave this school.”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
dreary
|
|
| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
distressing
|
|
| a.使人痛苦的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
malady
|
|
| n.病，疾病(通常做比喻) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
brass
|
|
| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
intimacy
|
|
| n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
disconsolate
|
|
| adj.忧郁的，不快的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
bullying
|
|
| v.恐吓，威逼( bully的现在分词 )；豪；跋扈 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
bully
|
|
| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
espied
|
|
| v.看到( espy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
briefly
|
|
| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
devoted
|
|
| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
adherents
|
|
| n.支持者，拥护者( adherent的名词复数 )；党羽；徒子徒孙 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
malicious
|
|
| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
interfered
|
|
| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
sobbed
|
|
| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
hoist
|
|
| n.升高，起重机，推动；v.升起，升高，举起 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
brutes
|
|
| 兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
brute
|
|
| n.野兽，兽性 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
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： |
|
|
|
|
21
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： |
|
|
|
|
22
espying
|
|
| v.看到( espy的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
23
fend
|
|
| v.照料（自己），（自己）谋生，挡开，避开 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
partially
|
|
| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
impudence
|
|
| n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
meddle
|
|
| v.干预，干涉，插手 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
discomfiture
|
|
| n.崩溃；大败；挫败；困惑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |