Then he found he could move one of his arms from the shoulder, and then, after considerable effort, he could bend his elbow, and he felt the other elbow and assured himself that it was not bound after all. Then he managed to raise himself by one arm, though the iron rod in his spine7 was not as elastic8 as he could have wished, and a cautious look upward and a painful twisting of his neck showed that the giant was no longer pressing on the top of his head, though the sense of compression still remained. This soon gave way to a sensation of lightness, and Jack fell backward; though he managed to turn upon his side a moment or two after.
Some misty9 moments were consumed in attempts to determine who he was and how he had come to be in that particular place, the final result being that Jack became convinced that he had been drunk. The mere10 recalling of his last experiences of the previous night made him so lightheaded that he clutched frantically11 at a tuft of grass to keep himself from tumbling upward. Then he realized that he had never before in his life been so terribly thirsty, so he entered the side gate of the garden near which he had been lying, and drank freely from the well-pail. Even this exertion12 left him so shaky that he had barely strength enough to get outside the garden before he dropped. Then he curled up outside the fence, shaded his eyes with one hand, and determined13 that the sun had never before been so bright.
Then he set himself to thinking. His father and nice little Mattie Barker came into his mind, arm in arm as it were, but the latter soon drove out the former, with the result of making the young man more miserable14 than he had ever been under the oppressive terrors of parental15 wrath16. He had barely escaped losing her by being suspected of incendiarism and being a confessed gambler, but what were these to a genuine, positive case of drunkenness? No one had seen him in his present condition—at least, it was safe to assume that no one had, for to see a drunken person in Doveton was to talk about him, with the result of soon having a crowd of lookers-on. He had not meant to get drunk, but, honestly, had he ever deliberately17 intended to do any of the dreadful deeds of which he had been guilty! Once, while lounging in a courtroom, and in the cessation of putty-blowing which he had thought wise while the sheriff's eye seemed upon him, he heard a lawyer inform a jury that the law always considered the intention of the wrong-doer, and now Jack wished that his adored might have heard that address. He wondered if Matt could be trusted to carry her a message about something else, and then lead conversation deftly18 toward the unintentional wrong-doers of the world, and impress upon little Mattie the fact of which he had been informed in court. But, no, Matt was such a literal fellow.
Meanwhile, there had been an unusual commotion19 in the Wittingham household. Jack not having responded to the breakfast bell, the servant was sent to awaken20 him, but she returned with the information that he was not in his bed, nor had he been there during the night, for the coverlid and pillows were as smooth as if untouched. Then the doctor growled21 and Mrs. Wittingham fretted22; and the doctor said he supposed the young scamp had gone home with Matt, and Mrs. Wittingham hoped the boy had not gone to the river and got drowned in the dark; and the doctor said he did not see why women always imagined improbable things as soon as anything happened that was out of the usual order, and Mrs. Wittingham said she could not understand why men always would be unsympathetic just when there were aching hearts that longed for tenderness; and the doctor called himself a brute23, upon which Mrs. Wittingham disposed of a tear or two which had come unbidden, and the doctor declared that the skin of the young reprobate24 should pay for those tears. But the cuticle25 alluded26 to did not appear, either with or without its natural occupant, nor could a search of the stable throw any light upon the mystery.
Then the doctor drove to Matt's, and discovered that the boy was not there, and he stopped at the jail, ostensibly to ask about the keeper's baby, but really to give the official a chance to say something, if Jack had got into trouble and his old quarters again. But still he remained uninformed, so he began to interview such boys as were visible; these knew nothing, as boys always do when questioned about one of their own number who seems to be wanted by his right guardians27. No one had seen him since the balloon caught fire, though they quieted one very unscientific fear of the doctor's by declaring positively28 that he had not gone heavenward with the balloon itself.
Suddenly the doctor was accosted29 by Shantz the butcher, who was driving by, and who said:
"Doctor, you know dot bad boy dot you got?"
The doctor admitted that he did.
"Vell, den3," said Shantz; "yust you hear vat30 I say—better it is dot you do it. You not keep dot boy some oder blace, den I kick him some oder blace, py shimminy cracious! Dat's yust vat it is, I dell you."
"What had he done to you?" asked the doctor.
"Vat he has done?" echoed Shantz. "Vell, vat he didn't mebbe come pooty nigh a dooin', dot ding is mighty31 bad, now I dell you. He drew a pig sponge full of fire at my hogs32. You dink I vant to sell roast hogs? No, sir! an' ven I do, I puts 'em over de fire—I not put de fire right ofer de hogs, an' den git yust lots of boys to come an' laugh vile33 de pigs is squeaking34, cause I reckon dey don't like to be roasted midout being killed before dot."
"Why didn't you thrash him, if you caught him at such a trick?" asked the doctor.
"Vy didn't I?" asked Shantz. "Vell, I yust did, but 'twasn't no goot; he vouldn't holler, but yust tumbled on de ground an' vas vorse as a whole dressed pig to pick up again."
A few questions as to time and place followed, and the doctor drove hurriedly off, vowing35 to himself that if Shantz had really injured the boy, the burly German should have a large account to settle. To tell a man to punish Jack was one thing—to find that the man had taken the doctor at his word, and in advance, too, was quite another. The doctor drove toward Shantz's house, looking carefully about him and asking questions of every one he met, so it came to pass that just as Jack was wondering how to get home and explain his absence without telling the whole truth, he heard his father's voice, startingly near at hand, shouting:
"Jack, did he hurt you much?"
"Sir?" answered the miserable boy. Then Jack recalled the likeness36 of the giant of the previous night, so he feebly said, questioningly, "Shantz?"
"Yes—the villain37!" exclaimed the doctor. "My poor boy, come here, and let me see what he did to you. It was bad enough for you to throw a burning sponge into his pig-pen, but——"
"I didn't, father," said Jack. "The sponge fell from the balloon." And Jack told in detail the story of the ascension and untimely end of the balloon, though his recital38 was so fragmentary and delivered with so much shading of the eyes and rubbing of the head that the doctor grew seriously alarmed for the boy's reason. It took him but a second or two to dismount from his carriage and lay his hand on Jack's head, yet even in this short time his conscience pricked39 him sorely for his many sins of omission40 concerning his only son, and he formed enough of good resolutions to pave at least a mile of the infernal pathway.
"Let me see your eyes," said the doctor.
Jack lifted them, heavy and bloodshot.
"No concussion41 of the brain, thank the Lord," said the doctor. "Now show me your tongue."
Jack opened his mouth, and that very instant the doctor sniffed42 the air suspiciously; then with both hands he held the boy at arms' length and exclaimed:
"You've been drinking, young man."
Jack looked up guiltily for just a second, and then dropped his eyes.
"Go home this instant!" said the doctor; "take off your clothes and go to bed, and stay there until I come. I never gave you a bit of sympathy without finding that I'd wasted it. Go along—quick!"
As the doctor spoke43, he reached for his carriage-whip, so Jack moved off much faster than a moment or two before he would have thought possible under the existing physical circumstances. When the doctor had turned his carriage and moved off to visit some patients whom he had been neglecting all the morning, Jack's fears were sufficiently44 allayed45 to justify46 his thinking about the weather, for it seemed to him that the sun had never shone so hotly even in midsummer. Then he wondered what his father would do to him. He had been punished with great severity many a time, though his faults had never before been so grievous as this present one; the mere thought of being punished at all was more than in his present physical and mental condition he could bear.
Suddenly an old thought occurred to him: he would run away. He had many a time determined to do so, but on such occasions the weather was too cold, or too hot, or he had an uncompleted trade on hand, or he was penniless, or something. Now, however, the expected punishment overbalanced every lesser47 fear. Perhaps he would starve, but he would not be so dreadfully sorry if he did; he would escape the scoldings and punishments that he knew of, while that which might come after death would at least have the alleviating48 quality of novelty. But there was little likelihood of his starving; runaway49 boys in books and story papers never did anything of the kind—they always fell upon streaks50 of luck, and finally married heiresses. Jack did not care to marry an heiress; nice little Mattie Barker was rich enough for him, but alas51! she would have to remain a sweetly mournful memory. He would at least strive to obtain her sympathy; he would write her a touching52, a tenderly-worded farewell, and then, as he came into his fortune in other lands, he would write her respectful anonymous53 letters—perhaps, even, he might write her in verse, though about that he could not speak with certainty at present. One thing he knew—he did wish his head would stop aching so dreadfully.
Arrived at home, he went softly to his own room, bolted the door, and sat down to write. He wrote and tore at least a dozen letters before he could pen one which seemed to suit him; this, when completed, read as follows:
"Miss Mattie Barker:
Dear Madam,
Farewell forever.
Jack Wittingham."
It then seemed to him that his father deserved a parting word, so he wrote:
"Dear Father:
You want me to be good, and so do I, but circumstances over which I seem to have no control, prevent the consummation of my earnest desire and intention.[2] When I come back, I shall be a man, and rich enough to comfort you in your declining years, and mother too.
Your affectionate son,
Jack."
2. Jack had found this sentence in a note from one of his father's unfortunate debtors54, and he had been carefully saving it for years until a proper opportunity for using it should occur.
This letter had been begun at the top of the page, with the intention that it should cover the entire front, but as it was, there was a considerable blank space at the bottom. So Jack labored55 hard to devise a postscript56, but his head was not equal to much composition. Suddenly his fond resolution came to mind; it was to have been a dead secret, but now it seemed only just that his father should have something to break the shock of his son's departure—something particularly comforting and uplifting. So he wrote:
"P. S. The first thousand dollars I earn, I'm going to send to you, to pay for the stable that burned down on account of the matches in my jacket pocket getting scrunched57 under Bob Pinkshaw's foot."
This postscript gave Jack a great deal of comfort as he looked at it, but he doubted whether it was the part of prudence58 to linger over it. So he sealed and addressed both letters, and put his father's on the mantle59 in the doctor's room, just under the hook where the doctor's watch was always hung at night; the other letter he determined to mail at the first post-town he reached in his wanderings.
Then he got a little hand-valise of his father's, having failed to find a pocket-handkerchief large enough to hold the traveling outfit60 which he considered necessary. He packed all his fishing tackle, a red shirt, a pair of swimming tights, the box containing the remains61 of nice little Mattie Barker's bouquet62, some underclothing, his Sunday suit, and his whole assortment63 of old felt hats. He looked around the room lest he might have forgotten something, and beheld64 the little Bible which his mother had given him on his tenth birthday. He had not read a word from it for a month, but then runaway boys always carried their mother's Bibles, or Testaments65, he was not sure which—and they beat everything for turning off murderous bullets or the daggers66 of assassins. Then he remembered how his mother had looked at him and kissed him when she gave him that Bible, and he wished that she had always looked so, and he nearly cried without knowing why, and he longed to go find his mother and give her a great hug and kiss, but it would be just like her to ask awkward questions if he did. He would have a last look at her, anyhow, come what might, so he tiptoed to the sitting-room67, and there she sat darning one of Jack's stockings, with a lot of others before her, and she was looking very tired and seemed to have been crying.
"She won't have to darn stockings any more," said Jack to himself, "and that'll be a comfort." Then he slipped out of the back door, through the garden, behind the blackberry rows, into the meadow, and so down to a wild little gully which would lead him out of town unseen by any one.
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1
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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bracing
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| adj.令人振奋的 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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spinal
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| adj.针的，尖刺的，尖刺状突起的；adj.脊骨的，脊髓的 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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eyelids
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| n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色 | |
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spine
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| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
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elastic
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| n.橡皮圈，松紧带；adj.有弹性的；灵活的 | |
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misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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exertion
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| n.尽力，努力 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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14
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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parental
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| adj.父母的；父的；母的 | |
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wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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deftly
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| adv.灵巧地，熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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commotion
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| n.骚动，动乱 | |
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20
awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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21
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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22
fretted
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| 焦躁的，附有弦马的，腐蚀的 | |
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23
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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24
reprobate
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| n.无赖汉；堕落的人 | |
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cuticle
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| n.表皮 | |
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alluded
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| 提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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guardians
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| 监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者 | |
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28
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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29
accosted
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| v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 )；跟…搭讪；（乞丐等）上前向…乞讨；（妓女等）勾搭 | |
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30
vat
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| n.(=value added tax)增值税，大桶 | |
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31
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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32
hogs
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| n.（尤指喂肥供食用的）猪( hog的名词复数 )；（供食用的）阉公猪；彻底地做某事；自私的或贪婪的人 | |
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33
vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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34
squeaking
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| v.短促地尖叫( squeak的现在分词 )；吱吱叫；告密；充当告密者 | |
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35
vowing
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式） | |
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36
likeness
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| n.相像，相似（之处） | |
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villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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38
recital
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| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
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39
pricked
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| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
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40
omission
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| n.省略，删节；遗漏或省略的事物，冗长 | |
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41
concussion
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| n.脑震荡；震动 | |
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42
sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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43
spoke
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| 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 | |
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44
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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45
allayed
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| v.减轻，缓和( allay的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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46
justify
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| vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护 | |
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47
lesser
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| adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地 | |
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48
alleviating
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| 减轻，缓解，缓和( alleviate的现在分词 ) | |
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49
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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50
streaks
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| n.（与周围有所不同的）条纹( streak的名词复数 )；（通常指不好的）特征（倾向）；（不断经历成功或失败的）一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 )；使布满条纹 | |
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51
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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52
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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53
anonymous
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| adj.无名的；匿名的；无特色的 | |
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54
debtors
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| n.债务人，借方( debtor的名词复数 ) | |
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55
labored
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| adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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56
postscript
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| n.附言，又及；(正文后的)补充说明 | |
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57
scrunched
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| v.发出喀嚓声( scrunch的过去式和过去分词 )；蜷缩；压；挤压 | |
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prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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59
mantle
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| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
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60
outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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bouquet
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| n.花束，酒香 | |
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assortment
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| n.分类，各色俱备之物，聚集 | |
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64
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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65
testaments
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| n.遗嘱( testament的名词复数 )；实际的证明 | |
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daggers
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| 匕首，短剑( dagger的名词复数 ) | |
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sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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