On this particular day the world ceases to speak in those gentle and submissive tones. With all its grays and its blacks turned full in view, it says: "You are only an atom; there are millions of other human beings to share my good things as well as my evil. After all, I am not your slave, but your mistress; I have made laws, and you have got to obey them. Up to the present I have treated you as a baby, but now I am going to show you what life really means."
It was in some such fashion that the world spoke1 to Bridget O'Hara on this special summer's morning.
Mrs. Freeman took her unwilling2 hand, led her into Miss Patience's dull little sitting room, which only[Pg 63] looked out upon the back yard, and, shutting the door behind her, left her to her own meditations3.
"You remain here, Bridget," she repeated, "until you have promised to obey the rules of the school. No longer and no shorter will be your term of punishment. It remains4 altogether with yourself how soon you are liberated5."
The door was closed then, and Bridget O'Hara found herself alone.
The summer sounds came in to her, for the window of her dull room was open, the birds were twittering in the trees, innumerable doves were cooing; there was the gentle, soft whisper of the breeze, the cackling of motherly hens, the lowing of cows, and, far away beyond and over them, the insistent6, ceaseless whisper of the gentle waves on the shore.
Bridget stood by the window, but she heard none of these soothing7 sounds. Her spoilt, childish heart was in the most open state of rebellion and revolt.
She was in every sense of the word an untamed creature; she was like a wild bird who had just been caught and put into a cage.
By and by doubtless the poor bird would be taught to develop his notes into something richer and rarer than nature had made them, but the process would be painful. Bridget was like the bird, and she was beating her poor little wings now against her cage.
Her first impulse was to open the door of her prison and go boldly out.
She had not passed a pleasant morning, however, and this plan scarcely commended itself to her.
For some reason her companions, both old and young in the school, had taken upon themselves to cut her.
[Pg 64]
In all her life Bridget had never been cut before.
At the dear old wild Castle in Ireland she had been idolized by everyone, the servants had done her bidding, however extravagant8 and fanciful that bidding had been. She led her old father where she wished with silken reins9. The dogs, the horses, even the cows and the calves10, followed Bridget like so many faithful shadows. In short, this wild little girl was the beloved queen of the Castle. To cut her, or show her the smallest incivility, would have been nothing short of high treason.
This morning Bridget had been practically "sent to Coventry." Even Dorothy was cold in her manner to her. The small children who had hung upon her words and followed her with delight the evening before, were now too frightened at the consequences of their own daring to come near her. Janet, Ruth, and Olive had shown their disapproval11 by marked avoidance and covert12 sneers14. Bridget had done a very naughty act, and the school thought it well to show its displeasure.
There was little use, therefore, in rushing out of her prison to join her companions in their playground or on the shore.
Should she run away altogether? Should she walk to Eastcliff and take the next train to London, and then, trusting to chance, and to the kindness of strangers, endeavor to find her way back to the dear and loving shores of the old country, and so back again to the beloved home?
Tears rolled down her cheeks as she thought of this plan; but, in the first place, she had no idea how to manage it, and, what was a far more serious obstacle, her little sealskin purse, her father's last present, was empty.
[Pg 65]
Bridget could certainly not return home without money.
She sat down presently on the nearest chair and covered her face with her hands. She could only resolve on one thing—she would certainly not yield to Mrs. Freeman's request—nothing would induce her to promise to obey the rules of the school.
A story book, belonging to the school library, happened to be lying on a chair close to her own. She took it up, opened it, and began to read. The tale was sufficiently15 interesting to cause her to forget her troubles.
She had read for nearly an hour when the door of the room opened, and Miss Patience came in. Miss Patience was an excellent woman, but she took severe views of life; she emphatically believed in the young being trained; she thought well of punishments, and pined for the good old days when children were taught to make way for their elders, and not—as in the present degenerate16 times—to expect their elders to make way for them. Miss Patience just nodded toward Bridget, and, sitting beside a high desk, took out an account book and opened it. Miss O'Hara felt more uncomfortable than ever when Miss Patience came into the room; her book ceased to entertain her, and the walls of her prison seemed to get narrower. She fidgeted on her chair, and jumped up several times to look out of the window. There was nothing of the least interest, however, going on in the yard at that moment. Presently she beat an impatient tattoo17 on the glass with her fingers.
"Don't do that, Bridget," said Miss Patience; "you are disturbing me."
[Pg 66]
Bridget dropped back into her seat with a profound sigh. Presently the dinner gong sounded, and Miss Patience put away her papers and accounts, and shutting up her desk, prepared to leave the room. Bridget got up too. "I am glad that is dinner," she said; "I'm awfully18 hungry. May I go up to my room to tidy myself, Miss Patience?"
"I won't eat any dinner in this horrid20 room," she said; "I think I have been treated shamefully21. If my dinner is sent to me I won't eat it."
"You can please yourself about that," said Miss Patience, in her calmest voice. She left the room, closing the door behind her.
Bridget felt a wild desire to rush after Miss Patience, and defying all punishment and all commands, appear as usual in the dining room.
Something, however, she could not tell what, restrained her from doing this. She sank back again in her chair; angry tears rose to her bright eyes, and burning spots appeared in her round cheeks.
The door was opened, and a neatly22 dressed servant of the name of Marshall entered, bearing a dinner tray.
She was a tall, slight girl, fairly good-looking, and not too strong-minded.
"Here, Miss O'Hara," she said good-naturedly, "here's a lovely slice of lamb; and I saved some peas for you. Them young ladies always do make a rush on the peas, but I secured some in time. I'll bring you some cherry tart23 presently, miss, and some whipped cream. You eat a good dinner, miss, and forget your[Pg 67] troubles; oh, dear! I don't like to see young ladies in punishment—and that I don't!"
While Marshall was speaking she looked down at the pretty and rebellious24 young prisoner with marked interest.
"I'd make it up if I was you, miss," she said.
Marshall, with all her silliness, was a shrewd observer of character. Had the girl in disgrace been Janet May or Dorothy Collingwood, she would have known far better than to presume to address her; but Bridget was on very familiar terms with her old nurse and with many of the other servants at home, and it seemed quite reasonable to her that Marshall should speak sympathetic words.
"I can't eat, Marshall," she said. "I'm treated shamefully, and the very nicest dinner wouldn't tempt25 me. You can take it away, for I can't possibly touch a morsel26. Oh, dear! oh, dear! how I do wish I were at home again! What a horrid, horrid sort of place school is!"
"Poor young lady!" said Marshall. "Anyone can see, Miss O'Hara, as you aint accustomed to mean ways; you has your spirit, and I doubt me if anyone can break it. You aint the sort for school—ef I may make bold to say as much, you aint never been brought under. That's the first thing they does at school; under you must go, whether you likes it or not. Oh, dear, there's that bell, and it's for me—I must fly, miss—but I do, humble27 as I am, sympathize with you most sincere. You try and eat a bit of dinner, miss, do now—and I'll see if I can't get some asparagus for you by and by, and, at any rate, you shall have the tart and the whipped cream."
[Pg 68]
"I can't eat anything, Marshall," said Bridget, shaking her head. "You are kind; I see by your face that you are very kind. When I'm let out of this horrid prison I'll give you some blue ribbon that I have upstairs, and a string of Venetian beads28. I dare say you're fond of finery."
"Oh, lor, miss, you're too good, but there's that bell again; I must run this minute."
Marshall departed, and Bridget lifted the cover from her plate and looked at the nice hot lamb and green peas.
Notwithstanding her vehement29 words, some decided30 pangs31 of hunger seized her as she saw the tempting32 food, She remembered, however, that in the old novels heroines in distress33 had never any appetite, and she resolved to die rather than touch food while she was treated in so disgraceful a manner.
She leant back, therefore, in her chair and reflected with a sad sort of pleasure on the sorrow which her father would feel when he learnt that she had almost died of hunger and exhaustion34 at this cruel school.
"He'll be sorry he sent me; he'll be sorry he listened to Aunt Kathleen," she said to herself.
A flash of self-pity filled her eyes, but there was some consolation35 in reflecting on the fact that no one could force her to eat against her will.
Marshall reappeared with the asparagus and cherry tart.
She gave Bridget a great deal of sympathy, adjured36 her to eat, shook her head over her, and having gained a promise that a pair of long suède gloves should be added to the ribbons and Venetian beads, went away,[Pg 69] having quite made up her mind to take Bridget's part through thick and thin.
"It's most mournful to see her, poor dear!" she muttered. "She's fat and strong and hearty37, but I know by the shape of her mouth that she's that obstinate38 she won't touch any food, and she won't give in to obey Mrs. Freeman, not if it's ever so. I do pity her, poor dear, and it aint only for the sake of the things she gives me. Now let me see, aint there anyone I can speak to about her? Oh, there's Miss Dorothy Collingwood, she aint quite so 'aughty as the other young ladies; I think I will try her, and see ef she couldn't bring the poor dear to see reason."
The girls were leaving the dining room while these thoughts were flashing through Marshall's mind. Dorothy and Janet May were walking side by side.
"Miss Collingwood," said Marshall, in a timid whisper, "might I say a word to you, miss?"
"Yes, Marshall," said Dorothy; she stopped. Janet stopped also, and gave Marshall a freezing glance.
"We haven't a moment to lose, Dorothy," she said, "I want to speak to you alone before the rest of the committee arrive. That point with regard to Evelyn Percival must be settled. Perhaps your communication can keep, Marshall."
"No, miss, that it can't," said Marshall, who felt as she expressed it afterward39, "that royled by Miss May's 'aughty ways." "I won't keep Miss Collingwood any time, miss, ef you'll be pleased to walk on."
Janet was forced to comply, and Dorothy exclaimed eagerly:
[Pg 70]
"Oh, miss, it's that poor dear young lady."
"What poor dear young lady?"
"Miss Bridget O'Hara. She aint understood, and she's in punishment, pore dear; shut up in Miss Patience's dull parlor41. Mrs. Freeman don't understand her. She aint the sort to be broke in, and if Mrs. Freeman thinks she'll do it, she's fine and mistook. The pore dear is that spirited she'd die afore she'd own herself wrong. Do you think, Miss Collingwood, as she'd touch a morsel of her dinner? No, that she wouldn't! Bite nor sup wouldn't pass her lips, although I tempted42 her with a lamb chop and them beautiful marrow43 peas, and asparagus and whipped cream and cherry tart. You can judge for yourself, miss, that a healthy young lady with a good, fine appetite must be bad when she refuses food of that sort!"
"I'm very sorry, Marshall," said Dorothy, "but Miss O'Hara has really been very naughty. You have heard, of course, of the carriage accident, and how nearly Miss Percival was hurt. It's kind of you to plead for Miss O'Hara, but she really does deserve rather severe punishment, and Mrs. Freeman is most kind, as well as just. I don't really see how I can interfere44."
"Are you coming, Dorothy?" called Janet May from the end of the passage.
"Yes, in one minute, Janet! I don't know what I'm to do, Marshall," continued Dorothy. "I should not venture to speak to Mrs. Freeman on the subject; she would be very, very angry."
"I don't mean that, miss; I mean that perhaps you'd talk to Miss Bridget, and persuade her to do whatever Mrs. Freeman says is right. I don't know what that is, of course, but you has a very kind way, Miss Dorothy,[Pg 71] and ef you would speak to Miss O'Hara, maybe she'd listen to you."
"Well, Marshall, I'll see what I can do. I must join Miss May now, for we have something important to decide, but I won't forget your words."
"Well," said Janet, "what did that impertinent servant want? I hope you showed her her place, Dorothy? The idea of her presuming to stop us when we were so busy!"
"She's not at all impertinent," said Dorothy. "After all, Janet, servants are flesh and blood, like the rest of us, and this poor Marshall, although she's not the wisest of the wise, is a good-natured creature. What do you think she wanted?"
"How can I possibly guess?"
"She was interceding46 for Bridget," said Dorothy.
"Bridget O'Hara!" exclaimed Janet, "that incorrigible47, unpleasant girl? Why did you waste your time listening to her?"
"I could not help myself," replied Dorothy. "You know, of course, Janet, what Bridget did last night?"
"Yes, yes, I know," replied Janet, with a sneer13; "she did something which shook the nerves of our beloved favorite. Had anyone else given Miss Percival her little fright, I could have forgiven her!"
"Janet, I wish you would not speak in that bitter way."
"I can't help it, my dear; I'm honest, whatever I am."
"But why will you dislike our dear Evelyn?"
"We won't discuss the whys nor the wherefores; the fact remains that I do dislike her."
[Pg 72]
"And you also dislike poor Bridget? I can't imagine why you take such strong prejudices."
"As to disliking Miss O'Hara, it's more a case of despising; she's beneath my dislike."
"Well, she's in trouble now," said Dorothy, with a sigh. "I think you are very much mistaken in her, Janet; she's a very original, clever, amusing girl. I find her tiresome48 at times, and I admit that she's dreadfully naughty, but it's the sort of naughtiness which comes from simply not knowing. The accident last night might have been a dreadful one, and Bridget certainly deserves the punishment she has got; all the same;—I'm very sorry for her."
"I can't share your sorrow," replied Janet. "If her punishment, whatever it is, deprives us of her charming society for a few days, it will be a boon49 to the entire school. I noticed that she was absent from dinner, and I will own I have not had a pleasanter meal for some time."
"Well, Marshall is unhappy about her," replied Dorothy. "She said that Bridget would not touch her dinner. I don't exactly know what Mrs. Freeman means to do about her, but the poor girl is a prisoner in Miss Patience's dull little sitting room for the present."
"Hurrah50! Hurrah! Long may she stay there! Now, do let us drop this tiresome subject. We have only ten minutes to ourselves before the rest of the committee arrive, and that point with regard to Evelyn Percival must be arranged. Come, Dorothy, let us race each other to the Lookout51!"
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
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： |
|
|
|
|
2
unwilling
|
|
| adj.不情愿的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
meditations
|
|
| 默想( meditation的名词复数 )； 默念； 沉思； 冥想 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
remains
|
|
| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
liberated
|
|
| a.无拘束的，放纵的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
insistent
|
|
| adj.迫切的，坚持的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
soothing
|
|
| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
extravagant
|
|
| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
reins
|
|
| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
calves
|
|
| n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子，腓；腿肚子( calf的名词复数 )；牛犊；腓；小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 )；（冰川）崩解；生（小牛等），产（犊）；使（冰川）崩解 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
disapproval
|
|
| n.反对，不赞成 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
covert
|
|
| adj.隐藏的；暗地里的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
sneer
|
|
| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
sneers
|
|
| 讥笑的表情（言语）( sneer的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
sufficiently
|
|
| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
degenerate
|
|
| v.退步，堕落；adj.退步的，堕落的；n.堕落者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
tattoo
|
|
| n.纹身，(皮肤上的)刺花纹；vt.刺花纹于 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
awfully
|
|
| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
crimson
|
|
| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
horrid
|
|
| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
shamefully
|
|
| 可耻地； 丢脸地； 不体面地； 羞耻地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
neatly
|
|
| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
tart
|
|
| adj.酸的；尖酸的，刻薄的；n.果馅饼；淫妇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
rebellious
|
|
| adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
tempt
|
|
| vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
morsel
|
|
| n.一口，一点点 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
humble
|
|
| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
beads
|
|
| n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
vehement
|
|
| adj.感情强烈的；热烈的；(人)有强烈感情的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
pangs
|
|
| 突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 )； 悲痛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
tempting
|
|
| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
distress
|
|
| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
exhaustion
|
|
| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
consolation
|
|
| n.安慰，慰问 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
adjured
|
|
| v.（以起誓或诅咒等形式）命令要求( adjure的过去式和过去分词 )；祈求；恳求 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
hearty
|
|
| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
obstinate
|
|
| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
afterward
|
|
| adv.后来；以后 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
fussy
|
|
| adj.为琐事担忧的，过分装饰的，爱挑剔的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
parlor
|
|
| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
tempted
|
|
| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
marrow
|
|
| n.骨髓；精华；活力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
interfere
|
|
| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
dubious
|
|
| adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
interceding
|
|
| v.斡旋，调解( intercede的现在分词 )；说情 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
47
incorrigible
|
|
| adj.难以纠正的，屡教不改的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
tiresome
|
|
| adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
boon
|
|
| n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
hurrah
|
|
| int.好哇，万岁，乌拉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
lookout
|
|
| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |