It was a relief to all at Noulton Farm, I need hardly say, when the master of the house was away.
A very sad day it was for the boy; a day whose gloom was every now and then crossed by the thrill and fear of a great excitement.
As evening darkened he went out again to the garden in the hope of seeing Tom Orange. He would have liked that cheer at the eve of his great venture. But Tom was not there.
Neither counsel nor encouragement to be heard; nothing but the song of the small birds among the leaves, and the late flowers, soon to close, peeping from among the garden plants, and the long quiet shadows of the poplars that stood so tall and still against the western sky.
The boy came in and had his lonely cup of tea in the “parlour,” and a little talk with the somewhat sour and sad old servant. He was longing3 for the night. Yearning4 to see Tom’s friendly face and to end his suspense5.
At last the twilight6 was gone. The night had indeed come, and the moon shone serenely7 over the old gray roof and the solemn trees; over the dead and the living.
The boy lay down in his bed at the accustomed early hour. The old woman had taken away his candle and shut the door. He lay with his eyes wide open listening with a palpitating heart for every sound.
The inflexible8 regularity9 which the absent master had established in his household was in the boy’s favour. He heard the servant shut and bar the outer door at the—wonted hour. He saw the boy’s candle in his window for a while and then put out. Tony was in his bed, and for tired Tony to lie down was generally to be asleep.
Peeping stealthily from his lattice he saw the old servant’s candle glimmering10 redly through the window on the juniper that stood near the wall in the shadow; and soon that light also disappeared, and he knew that the old woman had gone into her room. It was half-past ten. She would be asleep in a quarter of an hour, and in another fifteen minutes his critical adventure would have commenced.
Stealthily, breathlessly, he dressed. His window looked toward the ozier trees, where Tom was to await him. It opened, lattice fashion, with a hinge.
Happily the night was still, and the process of preparing to descend11 perfectly12 noiseless. The piece of old rope that lay in the corner he had early fixed13 on as his instrument of escape. He made it fast to the bed-post, and began to let himself down the wall. The rope was too short, and he dangled14 in air from the end of it for a second or two, and then dropped to the ground. The distance of the fall, though not much, was enough to throw him from his feet, and the dog in the lock-up yard at the other side of the house began to bark angrily. For a minute the boy gave himself up.
He lay, however, perfectly still, and the barking subsided15. There was no other alarm, and he stole very softly away under cover of the trees, and then faster down the slope toward the appointed oziers.
There indeed was Tom Orange in that faint light, more solemn than he ever remembered to have seen him before. Tom was thinking that the stealing away this boy might possibly turn out the most serious enterprise he had yet engaged in.
He had no notion, however, of receding16, and merely telling the boy to follow him, he got into a swinging trot18 that tried the little fellow’s endurance rather severely19. I think they ran full three miles before Tom came to a halt.
Then, more like himself, he inquired how he was, and whether he thought he could go on fifteen miles more that night.
“Oh, yes, he could do anything that night. Quite well.”
“Well, walk a bit that you may get breath, and then we’ll run again,” said Tom, and so they set forward once more.
They had now accomplished20 about four miles more. The little fellow was not so fresh as at starting. A drizzling21 rain, too, had commenced, with a cold change of wind, and altogether the mere17 adventure of running away was not quite so pleasant, nor even Tom’s society quite so agreeable on the occasion, as he had fancied.
“You have done four out of the fifteen; you have only eleven of the fifteen before you now. You have got over seven altogether up to this. Not so bad. You’re not tired, youngster?”
“Not the least.”
“That’s right. You’re a good soldier. Now come, we’ll stand close under this hedge and eat a bit.”
They supped very heartily22 on great slices of bread and corned beef, which bore ample traces of the greens in which it had been served when hot.
“And now, boy, you must get on to Hatherton by yourself, for I’m known about here, and there’s a fair there in the morning, and there will be people on the way before light. You must go a mile beyond the town, to the George public. Mrs. Gumford keeps it, and there I’ll meet you.” Then he detailed23 the route and the landmarks24 for the boy’s guidance. “ Take a drink of this,” said he, pulling a soda-water bottle full of milk out of his coat pocket.
And when he had done—
“Take a mouthful of this, my hero, it will keep you warm.”
And he placed a flask25 of brandy to the boy’s lips, and made him swallow a little.
“And here’s a bit more bread, if you should be hungry. Good night, and remember.”
After about an hour’s solitary26 walking, the boy began to grow alarmed. Tom’s landmarks failed him, and he began to fear that he had lost his way. In half an hour more he was sure that he was quite out of his reckoning, and as his spirits sank he began to feel the cold wind and drenching27 rain more and more.
And now he found himself entering a town not at all answering Tom’s description of Hatherton.
The little town was silent, its doors and windows shut, and all except a few old-fashioned oil-lamps dark.
After walking listlessly about—afraid to knock and ask anywhere for shelter—worn out, he sat down on a door-step. He leaned back and soon fell fast asleep.
A shake by the shoulder roused him. A policeman was stooping over him.
“I say, get up out o’ that,” said the imperious voice of the policeman.
The boy was not half awake; he stared at him, his big face and leather-bound chimney-pot looked like a dream.
“I say,” he continued, shaking him, but not violently, “you must get up out o’ that. You’re not to be making yourself comfortable there all night. Come, be lively.”
Comfortable! Lively!—all comparative—all a question of degrees.
The boy got up as quickly as the cold and stiffness of his joints28 would let him.
Very dutifully he got up, and stood drenched29, pale, and shivering in the moon-light.
The policeman looked down not unkindly now, at the little wayfarer30. There was something piteous, I dare say. He looked a grave, thoughtful man, of more than fifty, and he put his hand on the child’s shoulder.
“Ye see, hoy, that was no place to sleep in.”
“No, sir, I’ll never do it again, sir, please.”
“You’re cold; you’d get pains in your bones.”
“I’ll not any more, sir, please.”
“Come with me, my boy, it’s only a step.”
He brought the boy into his house down the lane close by.
“There’s a fire. You warm yourself. There’s my little one in fever, so you can’t stop long. Sit down, child, and warm yourself”
He gave him a drink of hot milk and a piece of bread.
“You don’t get up, you know; there’s no need,” he added.
I think he was afraid of his pewter spoons. He kept the little fellow nearly half an hour, and he lent him an old bottomless sack to wrap about his shoulders, and charged him to bring it back in the morning. I think the man thought he might be a thief. He was a kind man—there was a balancing of great pity and suspicion.
The boy returned the sack with many thanks, in the first faint twilight of morning, and set forth31 again for Hatherton. It was, the fellow who directed him said, still five miles on.
At about a mile from Hatherton, cold and wet, and fearing to be too early at the George Inn, the rendezvous32 agreed on, the tired little fellow crept in, cold and wet, to a road-side pot-house.
At the fire of the ale-house three fellows were drinking beer. Says one who had now and then had his eye on the boy—
“That boy there has run away from school.”
I cannot describe the terror with which the little fellow heard those words. The other two looked at him. One was a fat fellow in breeches and top boots, and a red cloth waist-coat, and a ruddy good-humoured face; and after a look they returned to their talk; and in a little while the lean man, who seemed to find it hard to take his eyes off him, said, “That’s a runaway33, that chap; we ought to tell the police and send him back to school.”
“Well, that’s no business of ours; can’t you let him be?” said the red waistcoat.
“Come here,” said the lean man, beckoning34 him over with his hard eye on him.
He rose and slowly approached under that dreadful command.
I can’t say that there was anything malevolent35 in that man’s face. Somewhat sharp and stern, with a lean inflexibility36 of duty. To the boy at this moment no face could have been imagined more terrific; his only hope was in his fat companion. He turned, I am sure, an imploring37 look upon him.
“Come, Irons, let the boy alone, unless ye mean to quarrel wi’ me; damn me ye shall let him alone! And get him his breakfast of something hot, and be lively,” he called to the people; “and score it up to me.”
So, thanks to that good Samaritan in top boots and red waistcoat, the dejected little man pursued his way comforted.
As he walked through Hatherton he was looking into a shop window listlessly, when he distinctly saw, reflected in the plate glass, that which appalled38 him so that he thought he should have fainted.
It was the marble, blue-chinned face of the Sergeant–Major looking over his shoulder, with his icy gray eyes, into the same window.
He was utterly39 powerless to move. His great eyes were fixed on that dreadful shadow. He was actually touching40 his shoulder as he leaned over. Happily the Sergeant did not examine the reflection, which he would have been sure to recognise. The bird fascinated by the cold eye of a snake, and expecting momentarily, with palpitating heart, the spring of the reptile41, may feel, when, withdrawing the spell, it glides42 harmlessly away, as the boy did when he saw that dreaded43 man turn away and walk with measured tread up the street. For a moment his terror was renewed, for Bion, that yellow namesake of the philosopher, recognising him, stood against the boy’s leg, and scratched repeatedly, and gave him a shove with his nose, and whimpered. The boy turned quickly, and walking away the dog left him, and ran after his master, and took his place at his side.
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1
sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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yearning
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| a.渴望的；向往的；怀念的 | |
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suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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7
serenely
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| adv.安详地，宁静地，平静地 | |
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8
inflexible
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| adj.不可改变的，不受影响的，不屈服的 | |
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regularity
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| n.规律性，规则性；匀称，整齐 | |
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glimmering
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| n.微光，隐约的一瞥adj.薄弱地发光的v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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dangled
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| 悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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15
subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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16
receding
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的现在分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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17
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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18
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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19
severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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drizzling
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| 下蒙蒙细雨，下毛毛雨( drizzle的现在分词 ) | |
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22
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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detailed
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| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
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24
landmarks
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| n.陆标( landmark的名词复数 )；目标；（标志重要阶段的）里程碑 ~ (in sth)；有历史意义的建筑物（或遗址） | |
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25
flask
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| n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱 | |
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26
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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27
drenching
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| n.湿透v.使湿透( drench的现在分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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28
joints
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| 接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语） | |
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29
drenched
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| adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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wayfarer
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| n.旅人 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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rendezvous
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| n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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runaway
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| n.逃走的人，逃亡，亡命者；adj.逃亡的，逃走的 | |
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34
beckoning
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| adj.引诱人的，令人心动的v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的现在分词 ) | |
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35
malevolent
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| adj.有恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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36
inflexibility
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| n.不屈性，顽固，不变性；不可弯曲；非挠性；刚性 | |
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imploring
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| 恳求的，哀求的 | |
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38
appalled
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| v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的 | |
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39
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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40
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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41
reptile
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| n.爬行动物；两栖动物 | |
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42
glides
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| n.滑行( glide的名词复数 )；滑音；音渡；过渡音v.滑动( glide的第三人称单数 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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43
dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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