“He took me by surprise,” said James.
“And what did you do? Did you knock him over?”
“I would,” said James, “but I didn't care to pursue him. I thought I would wait and tell you.”
“And what do you want me to do?”
“To get Mr. Cameron to turn him off. I want him to starve,” said James, bitterly.
“You express yourself too strongly, James; but, under the circumstances, I can't blame you much. The boy is evidently a ruffian.”
“Yes, he is a ruffian and a brute8, and I don't see what Mr. Cameron sees about him to like, I am sure.”
“Probably the boy makes him think he is a model of excellence9. Such boys are apt to be deceitful.”
“He's deceitful enough. You'd think butter wouldn't melt in his mouth.”
“I shall make such representations to Mr. Cameron as, I flatter myself, will dispose of the case of this young rascal10 and make him repent11 his brutal12 and unprovoked assault. I'll go over to-morrow forenoon to the hotel and speak to him on the subject,” said the squire, pompously13.
“Thank you, father. Put it as strong as you can.”
“I will, you may be assured of that.”
“If I can only get him turned off, I won't mind his hitting me,” thought James. “I hope to see him in the penitentiary14 some day. It would do him good.”
It so happened that Cameron had met Herbert in a walk he took before breakfast and had been informed of the occurrence of the evening previous.
“I don't know whether I ought to have struck James,” said Herbert, in conclusion; “but when he called my mother and myself low, I couldn't help it.”
“I am glad you did it,” said the young collegian. “The boy is a disagreeable cub15 and deserves more than one lesson of that sort. Didn't he offer to hit you back?”
“No.”
“So I supposed. I don't approve of fighting; but if he had shown a little courage to back his insolence16, I should have despised him less. What will he do?”
“He will injure me, if he can,” said Herbert.
“We will see what comes of it. Meanwhile, in this matter, you may count upon my support.”
Herbert thanked his friend, not realizing how likely Cameron was to be called upon to redeem17, his promise.
Shortly after breakfast, Cameron was told that Squire Leech wished to see him.
“Good-morning, Mr. Cameron,” said the squire. “This is an early call.”
“Not too early, sir,” said the young collegian.
“The fact is, I have called on unpleasant business.”
“Really, sir, I am sorry to hear it.”
“It is about the Carter boy who is in your employ.”
“By the Carter boy, you mean my young friend, Herbert Carter, I suppose,” said Cameron, significantly.
“Of course if you choose to regard him as a friend.”
“I certainly do.”
“I don't think you will look upon him in that light when you hear that last evening he brutally18 assaulted my son James, without provocation19, in the village street, taking him by surprise and knocking him over.”
Cameron did not seem as much shocked as the squire anticipated. He took the revelation very coolly.
“You say he did this without provocation?”
“Yes, Mr. Cameron.”
“Did James tell you this?”
“He did; and he is a boy of truth.”
“But perhaps he did not look upon it as a provocation when he called Herbert and his mother low.”
“He didn't say anything about that.”
“I dare say not.”
“I confess I don't agree with you there, Squire Leech. I hate brutality21 as much as anyone and an unprovoked assault I certainly look upon as brutal. But for a boy to resent an insult directed against his mother is quite a different matter, and if Herbert had not acted as he did, I should have been ashamed of him.”
Squire Leech flushed all over his face. This certainly was plain speaking.
“You have probably been misled by Carter's statement. I don't believe my boy did anything, or said anything, that Carter had a right to complain of.”
“From what I have observed of your son, I regret to differ with you.”
“You are prejudiced against James.”
“I was not to begin with; but what I have seen of him, certainly, has not prepossessed me in his favor. He seems disposed to be insolent22 to those whom he fancies beneath him in social position.”
“If you refer to the Carter boy,” said the squire, pompously, “I should say that James is right in regarding him as a social inferior.”
“I won't argue that point, or consider how far the possession of money, which is certainly the only point in which Herbert is inferior, justifies23 your son in looking down upon him. I will only say that he has no right to insult his social inferiors.”
The discussion had assumed such a different character from what the squire anticipated, that he found it difficult to come to the request he had in view. But he did it.
“I am certainly astonished, Mr. Cameron, to find you so prejudiced against my son. If you should find you had done him an injustice24, and that the Carter boy was really the aggressor last evening, will you be willing to discharge him from your employment?”
“If I find Herbert justifies your denunciations and his assault was unprovoked, I will discharge him.”
“Then you can do it at once. You have my son's word for it.”
“And I have Herbert's word for the contrary.”
“Between the two, I believe James.”
“Does James deny that he called Herbert and his mother low?”
“I have not asked him.”
“If you will do so and bring me his assurance that he said nothing of the kind, I will examine Herbert again and try to get at the truth.”
“Very well; I will put the question to him.”
Squire Leech did so on his return home.
“I don't know but I called him something of the kind,” James admitted; “but it's true, isn't it?”
“As to that, the boy certainly acted in a very low manner. But you shouldn't have called him so.”
“I couldn't help it, when I heard him boasting of Mr. Cameron's having taken supper at his house. Won't Cameron discharge him?”
“No,” said the squire, shortly; “he is infatuated about; that boy.”
“Suppose we cut both of them?”
“It won't do, James. Mr. Cameron's father is a wealthy manufacturer—much richer than I am. We must keep on good terms with him, but we needn't notice the Carter boy. Some day he and his mother will be in my power.”
“I hope so, father. I want to bring him to his knees, the proud beggar!”
It was a bitter pill for James to swallow, seeing his rival high in the favor of the young collegian.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
leech
|
|
| n.水蛭，吸血鬼，榨取他人利益的人；vt.以水蛭吸血；vi.依附于别人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
humiliation
|
|
| n.羞辱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
outrage
|
|
| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
bully
|
|
| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
attain
|
|
| vt.达到，获得，完成 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
squire
|
|
| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
brute
|
|
| n.野兽，兽性 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
excellence
|
|
| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
rascal
|
|
| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
repent
|
|
| v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
brutal
|
|
| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
pompously
|
|
| adv.傲慢地，盛大壮观地；大模大样 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
penitentiary
|
|
| n.感化院；监狱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
cub
|
|
| n.幼兽，年轻无经验的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
insolence
|
|
| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
redeem
|
|
| v.买回，赎回，挽回，恢复，履行（诺言等） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
brutally
|
|
| adv.残忍地，野蛮地，冷酷无情地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
provocation
|
|
| n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
justify
|
|
| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
brutality
|
|
| n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
insolent
|
|
| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
justifies
|
|
| 证明…有理( justify的第三人称单数 )； 为…辩护； 对…作出解释； 为…辩解（或辩护） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
injustice
|
|
| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |