[40]
Miss Roscoe might consider her unworthy of any further kindnesses, might even ask her father to take her away altogether from Rodenhurst. To take her away! Why, the world would come to an end! At home she was already regarded as the troublesome one of the family, and if she suffered this disgrace, she could never hold up her head again. Father—dear, patient, self-sacrificing Father—would be grieved and worried beyond expression; he hoped great things, she knew, from her schooling8, and how could she bear to disappoint him?
Then there was Beatrice, who always seemed ready to find fault, and think the worst of her. She would almost as soon let Miss Roscoe know as Beatrice! No, at all costs the episode of that afternoon must be kept a strict secret. She dared not confide9 it even to Winnie or Lesbia. She must take the burden on her own shoulders, and get out of the scrape as best she could alone. Netta had assumed the leadership of the affair, so to Netta she turned for counsel and comfort.
"What's the next move?" she asked.
"Why, we must go to Parker's directly school's over, and take the parcel with us."
"I shall miss the bus!"
"You can't help that; you must catch the next."
"I shall have to dodge10 Winnie and Lesbia."
"Dodge them, then, and make up some excuse for missing the bus. You can say I kept you."
"How much do you think the china will cost?"
"I haven't the least idea; it depends how much is broken."
[41]
"Netta, you won't tell a soul about this, will you?"
"Tell! Am I likely to tell? No, you and I are in the same boat, and we must shield each other. I wouldn't trust anybody in the school. One never knows how things are talked about and get round from the most unlikely quarters. Whatever happens, this mustn't reach Miss Roscoe's ears."
The motor omnibus started at 4.20, and as a rule the Gascoynes had quite a scramble11 to rush off and catch it. To-day Gwen managed to avoid Winnie and Lesbia, and waiting until they were safely off the premises12, she went with Netta to the pantry. Emma was not there, but they found the parcel behind the door and appropriated it, Gwen hiding it carefully under her waterproof14. Parker's china store was in the principal street of the town, nearly a quarter of an hour's walk from Rodenhurst. When the girls arrived there, several customers were in the shop, so that they had to wait a little before anyone could attend to them.
"You speak to him—I don't know what to say!" whispered Gwen, thrusting the parcel into Netta's hand, as an assistant at last came to serve them.
Netta had any amount of presence of mind, and did not at all object to be spokeswoman. She rapidly explained that they had had an accident, and were anxious to replace some broken articles at their own expense. The shopman opened the box, and pulling out the shavings in which the china was packed, laid the various pieces upon the counter. The girls were aghast at the extent of the damage. Several cups
[42]
were smashed to atoms, the teapot had lost its lid, and the cream jug15 its handle.
"Have you any more like them?" asked Netta anxiously.
"Fortunately we have, miss," replied the assistant. "It is a pattern we usually keep in stock, and—yes, I can match them all. I can repack the box and send it out by the six-o'clock van."
Gwen heaved a great sigh of relief. Miss Roscoe would receive her parcel that night, and would be no wiser for what had happened.
"We shall be very glad if you will do that," she said. "And will you please tell us what we have to pay extra?"
The man took the bill which had been enclosed in the box and rapidly glanced over the items.
"Let me see—teapot, cream jug, three cups, four plates—the sugar basin is all right—ah! but this saucer is cracked! Sixteen and six, seventeen and nine—it will be exactly one pound two and sixpence, please."
Gwen felt ready to sink through the floor. She had very little notion of the value of things, and could hardly believe that china cost so much. She looked blankly and helplessly at Netta, who after a moment's pause met the emergency.
"We haven't the money with us this afternoon, I'm afraid, but we'll bring it to-morrow without fail. Will that do?"
"Yes, thank you, miss, I dare say it will be all right if you give me the name."
"Miss Gwen Gascoyne," said Netta promptly16.
[43]
"At Rodenhurst, I suppose?"
"Yes."
That ended the transaction, so the two girls left the shop.
"Well, Gwen, my child, you've let yourself in for a nice little bill!" laughed Netta, when they found themselves in the street.
"It's impossible! I can't pay it!" gasped17 Gwen, with hot tears trickling18 down her cheeks. "What am I to do?"
"Turn along this quiet road immediately, and don't stand mopping your eyes in the middle of High Street! Everybody's staring at you. I believe the policeman's going to ask if you're lost!"
And seizing her schoolmate by the arm, Netta hustled19 her away from the unwelcome attention which she was attracting. The road led to the promenade20, where the girls found an unoccupied bench, and sat down to talk matters over.
"One pound two and sixpence!" ejaculated Gwen, with a sob21 between the words.
"And five shillings we promised Emma, so that makes twenty-seven and six," agreed Netta briskly. "Of course it was you who broke the china, so it's your business to pay for it, but I'll go shares in squaring Emma."
"I can't—I can't ever pay it! Oh, I wish I was at the bottom of the sea!" wailed22 Gwen.
"Don't be an idiot! It must be managed somehow. How much have you got at home?"
"I've about fifteen shillings in my money-box."
"Well, look here, I'll lend you ten, and that will
[44]
just do it. We'll each give Emma half a crown to make her hold her tongue, and we'll settle up Parker, and then the thing will be done with. You may pay me back as soon as you can."
"You're a white angel!"
"No, I'm not. I'm anything but a saintly person. I'm ready to help a chum out of a hole, though. I'll bring the money to school with me to-morrow morning. And now, for goodness sake, do wipe your eyes, and put your hat on straight, and try and make yourself look respectable enough to walk down the promenade. I want to go home."
"So do I," said Gwen. "What's the time? I mustn't miss the next bus."
"It's twenty past five."
"Oh, horrors! And the bus goes at half-past! Can I possibly catch it?"
"I'll say goodbye if you're going to pelt23 along the promenade. I hate rushing."
"Goodbye! And thank you a hundred thousand times!"
It was only as Gwen was scurrying24 along the asphalted walk that it struck her that, after all, Netta was getting rather easily out of the scrape. Of course she, Gwen, had knocked over the box of china, but it was Netta who had taken her into Miss Roscoe's room, and who was therefore in a sense responsible for the whole affair. Well, she was glad enough to find help on any terms; she did not know how she was going to repay Netta the money, but that might wait. It was sufficient for the present that the tea set could be replaced without any fear of discovery.
[45]
She hurried breathlessly on, fearing to miss the omnibus; taking any short cuts she knew, and breaking into a run when she reached the Ditton Road. She could see the omnibus standing25 at its starting-place, and hoped it might be just possible to arrive in time. As she tore along the footpath26, she noticed a boy a few yards in front of her who was running equally quickly, or even faster.
"I wonder if he's trying to catch it too?" she thought, and envied his longer legs and freedom from hampering27 skirts. "Oh! it's actually going! What a shame!"
The boy made a spurt28, and shouted and whistled after the retreating omnibus, but it was not of the slightest avail; neither the conductor nor the driver took any notice. Realizing the hopelessness of his efforts, the boy stopped and saw Gwen, who came panting up.
"No use, it's gone too far!" he exclaimed. "It's an atrocious swindle! Those men never look. I suppose you were trying to catch it too?"
"Yes. I always go by the 4.20."
"So do I; so it's a nuisance to miss this. We're out of luck to-day."
Gwen knew the boy quite well by sight, as for the last few weeks he had been a fellow passenger morning and evening in the omnibus. He was a jolly-looking fellow, about her own age or perhaps a little older, with a brown skin and very twinkling, brown eyes. He wore a grammar-school cap, and carried some books, so she could guess his occupation in Stedburgh.
[46]
GWEN MEETS DICK GWEN MEETS DICK
"I believe the next goes at half-past six," he remarked ruefully. "But you won't catch me waiting for it I shall walk."
"So shall I," agreed Gwen. "Walking's better fun any time than standing waiting," and she suited her action to her words. The boy kept by her side, evidently not unpleased to have a companion to talk to.
"You're one of the Gascoyne girls, aren't you?" he began. "I see the whole lot of you every day cramming29 into the bus. Aren't you the one they call Gwen?"
"I believe I am."
"It's you who's generally left something behind, or lost something, or got yourself into some kind of a pickle30; then the one with her hair turned up scolds."
"That's Winnie," chuckled31 Gwen.
"Those two youngsters are cheeky imps32. Tell them they'll get their heads smacked33 some day!"
"They often do at home."
"Serve 'em right. I'm glad to hear it. How many more are there of you at home?"
"Only two."
"Quite enough, I should think!"
"Thank you! You've asked all about my family, but you haven't told me who you are."
"Why, I thought you knew. My name is Dick Chambers34. My father is Dr. Chambers, who's just taken Dr. Harrison's practice."
"At North Ditton?"
"Yes, we only came six weeks ago. Dr. Harrison has gone to London."
"I knew Dr. Harrison," said Gwen. "He came to
[47]
see us when we had scarlatina, and gave us some loathly medicine!"
"Dad can do a little in that line!" laughed Dick. "He once made me drink asafœtida when I was a kid, to cure me of sampling bottles in the surgery."
"Is it nasty?"
"It smells like a defunct35 rat, so you can imagine the taste."
"Ugh!"
"He doesn't give such bad things to his patients, though. There's some quite decent stuff in the dispensary, and sometimes the bottles are coloured pink, especially if they're for girls. I'm going to be a doctor when I grow up."
"I suppose you'll help your father. Have you any brothers and sisters?"
"Not a single one."
"Oh, I should think that's rather slow!"
"I don't find it so. There's always plenty to do."
"Do you like North Ditton?"
"Oh, yes, pretty well! It's nicer than Essington, where we lived before."
"Do you like the Grammar School?"
"Fairly. The chaps are rather a rotten set, and the Head's unspeakable."
Chatting thus, Gwen found the four miles to North Ditton wonderfully short ones, but when she had said goodbye to her new friend, and was trudging36 along the road to Skelwick by herself, she had time for many unpleasant reflections. At one blow this afternoon, she had sacrificed not only all the money in her savings37 box, but had got into debt as well—a debt which
[48]
she had no present prospect of paying. It was most aggravating38 to have to empty her private bank; the contents were the accumulation of several little gifts that had been sent by her uncles and aunts on her last birthday, and even so far back as last Christmas. How would she explain, if Beatrice asked what had become of her money? She groaned39 as she splashed, recklessly through the puddles40 left by the morning's rain. She could foresee many difficulties ahead, especially at Christmas time.
The family had finished tea when she reached home, and Beatrice, grown uneasy at her absence, greeted her with upbraidings.
"Where have you been, Gwen? Why didn't you come with the others? Winnie nearly lost the bus with going back to look for you. You know quite well you mustn't stay behind like this. Answer me at once! Where were you?"
"I went along the promenade with Netta Goodwin, then I missed the 5.30 and had to walk all the way home. That's where I've been, and you may scold as much as you like—I don't care."
"Oh, Gwen!" exclaimed Winnie.
"I don't. I'm not going to be ordered about by Beatrice, and treated as if I were a baby. I'm surely old enough to manage my own affairs!"
Gwen was tired out with her six-mile tramp, and hungry, and very miserable41, or I think she would not have talked in so lawless and foolish a strain.
Beatrice gazed at her in amazement42. Gwen had often been naughty, but had never before ventured thus to wave the flag of defiance43.
[49]
"I shall have to get Father to speak to you," she replied gravely. "He's gone over to Hethersedge to take the temperance meeting. He started at five o'clock. You'd better have tea now. Nellie has made you some more, in the little blue pot, and we kept you a potato cake, though you don't deserve it. Father will be very astonished and sorry when I tell him what you've said."
Gwen ate her meal with a big lump in her throat. She had not meant to rebel openly, but she had lost her temper, and the words had flashed out. Beatrice's threat alarmed her. Through all the tangled44 skein of Gwen's character there ran, like a thread of pure gold, the intense passionate45 love for her father, and the desire to preserve his good opinion. She could not bear to see the grieved look that came into his eyes when he was forced to reprove her. What indeed would he think of her when he heard Beatrice's account? She pushed the potato cake away, feeling as if she could not swallow a morsel46.
Beatrice was putting Martin to bed. Better follow her now, and try to patch up peace. She ran upstairs and met her sister coming out of the little fellow's bedroom, candle in hand.
"Bee! I'm awfully47 sorry for what I said just now! I didn't really mean it I can't think what possessed48 me!" gulped49 Gwen.
"I try to do my best for you all. It's hard work sometimes to be eldest," said Beatrice, and there was a quiver in her voice too. "If only Mother were here."
"Don't!" said Gwen huskily. "I miss her so dread50
[50]
fully13 still. Oh, Bee! If only you wouldn't tell Father about this!"
"If I don't, will you promise faithfully always to come straight home from school with Winnie and Lesbia, and never go anywhere without asking?"
"On my honour!"
"Then I won't trouble him. He's enough worries, poor darling, without adding any more to them! I only wish I could save him some of those he already has!"
Early next morning, long before Lesbia was awake, Gwen got up very quietly, and unlocked her savings box. It seemed dreadfully hard to have to take her treasured fifteen shillings; pocket money was such a scarce article at the Parsonage that she did not know when she would have the chance of accumulating so much again. There were only two threepenny bits and a penny left to rattle51 when she shook the box, so she sighed ruefully as she locked it, and put it back in its place on the top shelf of the bookcase. She hoped Netta would not forget to bring the half-sovereign she had promised to lend, though how the loan was ever to be repaid she could not imagine. For to-day it seemed enough if she had avoided Miss Roscoe's anger, and spared casting an added worry on Father's already overburdened shoulders.
Netta was faithful to her word; she came to school with both the ten-shilling piece and the half-crown which was to be her share of the "hush52 money" for Emma. The two girls held a long whispered conference together during the interval53.
"I can't possibly go and pay Parker's myself," said
[51]
Gwen. "You've no idea what a row I got into last night for missing the bus. Winnie'll keep an eye on me to-day at four o'clock, I can assure you. Could you go?"
"Very sorry, but I've got to go straight home too. Some cousins are coming to tea, and I have to ask Miss Evans to let me out of the drawing class ten minutes earlier. Why not get Emma to go? We shall have to see her to give her her tip."
"A good idea," said Gwen. "Emma understands all about it."
They found the housemaid when she was helping54 to lay the tables for dinner, and managed to draw her aside for a private talk.
"Did the fresh china come last night?" they asked eagerly.
"Oh, yes! it came all right, and Miss Roscoe never said a word, so you may think yourselves lucky," replied Emma.
"Here's the little present we promised you," said Netta, slipping the five shillings into her hand.
"I hardly like taking it!" protested Emma, though she popped it hastily into her pocket all the same.
"Could you do something more for us?" begged Gwen. "Will you call at Parker's and pay for the broken china? Here's the money—it's one pound two and six. Neither Netta nor I can possibly go."
"Oh, yes, I don't mind doing that!" returned Emma. "It's my night out this evening, and I shall be down High Street, so I can easily call at Parker's on my road. They don't close till eight o'clock."
[52]
"And you promise you'll never breathe a single word to anybody about this?"
"Not likely!" declared Emma, as she turned away to finish laying her table.
"Well, I'm thankful that's done with," thought Gwen. "It might have been an awkward affair, and I've come out of it uncommonly55 well. I feel as if I'd laid a ghost, and popped a stone on its grave."
It was all very well for Gwen to congratulate herself, but she quite forgot that ghosts have an awkward habit sometimes of disregarding tombstones, and rising from their graves to haunt those who have interred56 them. The matter of the broken china was not to be so easily disposed of as she had imagined, and though for the present her secret seemed safe, there was trouble ahead for her in plenty.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
opposition
|
|
| n.反对，敌对 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
prospect
|
|
| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
wrath
|
|
| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
sitting-room
|
|
| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
compensated
|
|
| 补偿，报酬( compensate的过去式和过去分词 )； 给（某人）赔偿（或赔款） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
generosity
|
|
| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
breach
|
|
| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
schooling
|
|
| n.教育；正规学校教育 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
confide
|
|
| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
dodge
|
|
| v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
scramble
|
|
| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
premises
|
|
| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
fully
|
|
| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
waterproof
|
|
| n.防水材料；adj.防水的；v.使...能防水 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
jug
|
|
| n.(有柄，小口，可盛水等的)大壶，罐，盂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
promptly
|
|
| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
gasped
|
|
| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
trickling
|
|
| n.油画底色含油太多而成泡沫状突起v.滴( trickle的现在分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
hustled
|
|
| 催促（hustle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
promenade
|
|
| n./v.散步 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
sob
|
|
| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
wailed
|
|
| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
pelt
|
|
| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
scurrying
|
|
| v.急匆匆地走( scurry的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
footpath
|
|
| n.小路，人行道 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
hampering
|
|
| 妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
spurt
|
|
| v.喷出；突然进发；突然兴隆 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
cramming
|
|
| n.塞满，填鸭式的用功v.塞入( cram的现在分词 )；填塞；塞满；（为考试而）死记硬背功课 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
pickle
|
|
| n.腌汁，泡菜；v.腌，泡 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
chuckled
|
|
| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
imps
|
|
| n.（故事中的）小恶魔( imp的名词复数 )；小魔鬼；小淘气；顽童 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
smacked
|
|
| 拍，打，掴( smack的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
chambers
|
|
| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
defunct
|
|
| adj.死亡的；已倒闭的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
trudging
|
|
| vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的现在分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
savings
|
|
| n.存款，储蓄 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
aggravating
|
|
| adj.恼人的，讨厌的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
groaned
|
|
| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
puddles
|
|
| n.水坑， （尤指道路上的）雨水坑( puddle的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
miserable
|
|
| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
amazement
|
|
| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
defiance
|
|
| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
tangled
|
|
| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
passionate
|
|
| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
morsel
|
|
| n.一口，一点点 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
awfully
|
|
| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
possessed
|
|
| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
gulped
|
|
| v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的过去式和过去分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
dread
|
|
| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
rattle
|
|
| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
hush
|
|
| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
interval
|
|
| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
helping
|
|
| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
uncommonly
|
|
| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
interred
|
|
| v.埋，葬( inter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |