The place was large, well lighted, and comfortably warmed; good pictures hung on the walls, and racks of books filled every available nook. At the upper end of the room, near the master's desk, stood an open piano; and at the lower, a table bearing plates, cups, and wholesome1 refreshments2 which would be distributed among the boys when study-hour was over. Throughout the room great cheerfulness and comfort reigned3, and the apple-cheeked boys at the desks showed that they were generously cared for[Pg 208] under this kindly4 roof. They were mostly little fellows, ranging in age from eight to twelve years, and a merrier company one would journey far to find.
When Nicholas Chopin sat behind the desk, this hour was always a quiet one; for while he was indulgent with the boys out of school, furthering their enjoyment5 with all his heart, he was also a strict and thorough teacher, who would tolerate no disturbance6 from the pupils during lesson-time.
But to-night the master was absent, and the new assistant, a mild-eyed, pale young man, sat in Nicholas Chopin's chair and sought to keep the boys at their tasks. He had been among them but two or three days, and at the very beginning the pupils had decided7 that this was his first attempt at teaching. His soft voice and worried look filled the boys with glee; and half their playtime was spent in making plans to mock and deride8 him. Until now, however, they had failed to carry out their [Pg 209]mischievous schemes, for Nicholas Chopin had compelled them to treat the new assistant with respectful obedience9. But to-night the master had gone from home, leaving his assistant in full charge of the school, and the boys threw all rules to the winds for the sole purpose of vexing10 the new teacher.
Instead of the usual stillness maintained at this hour, the room was a-buzz with whispers. The boys noisily shuffled11 their feet, rattled12 their papers, and tossed their books about on their desks. The teacher rapped sharply with his ruler again and again, but these warnings were greeted with impudent13 chuckles14 and laughter.
At one of the side desks sat Frédéric Chopin, the master's son, toiling15 at a much blotted16 copy-book. He was heartily17 liked by every boy in the house, and for some reason, whenever he spoke18 in his quiet way, the others obeyed his wishes without a syllable19 of complaint. John Skotricki, who had the strongest arms and legs at school, was the ringleader on[Pg 210] the playground; but Frédéric was chief councillor and fun-maker at all other times and places. Although the master's son, he enjoyed no special favor or liberty, but was held to the same line of duty prescribed for the other students. In the classroom he was not noticeably clever, for he was very bad at numbers, and it is doubtful if he could have found his own country on the great globe in the corner; but there was one thing that Frédéric Chopin could do better than any other boy in the school, better than any other boy in Warsaw, better, probably, than any other boy in all the country of Poland: he could play magnificently on the piano. So remarkably20 he played that everybody wondered, and strangers often came to the house for a glimpse of the young musician.
A year before, when he was nine, he had played at a great charity concert given in the city hall, and after the performance the people had surged by the stage to shake his hand and praise him;[Pg 211] and in the excitement and pleasure of it all, he might have become very vain of his powers and success, but he remembered just in time that while he could play brilliantly on the piano, he could not jump as far by ten inches as John Skotricki, and that he did not know as much about grammar as the youngest pupil at school.
One boy who had attended the concert, and who loved music passionately21, was the young Prince Radziwill. He decided that evening that he would like to know the boy pianist, and soon it was no uncommon22 thing for the prince's carriage to roll up to the Chopin school. Frédéric went often with the young nobleman to drive, sometimes even accompanying him home to the palace; but of these things he never spoke to the boys at school, and not one of them was jealous because Frédéric had become the prince's friend.
He practised diligently23 for many hours every day in his own room; but he never[Pg 212] mentioned the subject of music to the other lads, and when in their company he was as happy-go-lucky as any schoolboy in Warsaw.
To-night, however, when he saw the new teacher's face flush with displeasure in the noisy schoolroom, he felt a bit sorry, for he knew that the young man would prove to be a good-natured companion if he were not enraged24 at the outset.
Frédéric glanced uneasily about him from time to time as the confusion increased, realizing that even the most patient of teachers would not long endure such rebellion. He, as much as any one, enjoyed the antics that kept the whole school tittering, and was strongly tempted25 to join in the mutiny; but he had promised his father to stand by the new assistant this evening, and he felt honor-bound to do it.
The crisis came when John Skotricki leaped from his seat and ran down the room in pursuit of a boy who had given[Pg 213] him a cuff26 on the ear in passing. The teacher sprang up with an angry light in his eye, and flourished the ruler threateningly. Frédéric exchanged glances with the assistant, and threw down his pen with the announcement,—
"Boys, if you'll all be quiet in your seats, I'll tell you a story."
The others, supposing that Frédéric was on their side, and that this was a part of the joke, folded their arms; and instantly the room grew so still that one could hear the ticking of the clock in the hall beyond.
Frédéric turned out all the lights, for "a story always sounds better in the dark," he explained. Then seating himself at the piano, he began to speak, playing all the while music that helped to tell his story.
Every student rested his arms on his desk, and bent27 attentively28 to listen.
"Once upon a time there stood a great house on the bank of a lonely river." (Here came a lightly running passage on[Pg 214] the piano, like the rippling29 of water.) "A band of robbers riding through the country paused in the glade30 at nightfall. Seeing the old mansion31 by the river side, they decided to force an entrance at midnight and carry away the gold and jewels that were probably secreted32 there.
"They laid their plans carefully" (sounds of many gruff, deep-toned voices, one at a time, then all together in a rumbling33 chorus), "and at the solemn hour they had chosen" (twelve clanging tones), "they tied their horses farther up the dell, and marched, two by two, toward the house by the swirling34 river. Noiselessly they approached and surrounded the many-pinnacled dwelling35, each robber choosing a window through which he would make his entrance. At the signal of the leader" (a high faint trill), "each man climbed to his window ledge36, sawed straight through the iron bars that protected it" (a steady rasping sound as of edged tools), "and ripped out[Pg 215] the glass with the point of his dagger37" (tinklings as of shattered crystal).
"Now for the treasures! Each man had one foot inside the house, and one hand on the inner sill, when, all at once, lights flared38 up in every room" (a reckless sweep of notes), "dogs barked fiercely, shouts were heard from the upper corridors, pistol-shots burst on the stillness of the night, and the robbers leaped from their perches39, rolling over and over in the mud below" (loud discordant40 notes, and the bang, bang of the pistols mingled41 with the furious growling42 and yelping43 of dogs).
"Gaining their feet in a twinkling, the robbers fled as swiftly as though wearing wings on their boots; and reaching the horses in breathless fright, they swung themselves into their saddles and galloped44 madly away. Hour after hour they rode" (pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat of the hoof-beats), "through valley and village and glen. On, on they spurred" (pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat), "until they came to a deep,[Pg 216] dense45 forest. Into its shadows they plunged46, knowing that here they would be safe at last from the dogs and the men who lived in the house by the rolling river.
"They pulled up their horses and listened" (silence), "and listened" (silence), "but heard no pursuing feet. So, dismounting, they turned their horses loose to nibble47 at will, and jaded48 by hours of reckless riding, the robbers threw themselves upon the green turf to rest. The scents49 of the flowers were sweet, the grass was deep and soft, the leaves overhead rustled50, rustled, rustled, and ere long, in the cool of the summer's dawn, the weary robbers—fell—asleep."
So quietly had Frédéric spoken, so softly had he played as he described the woodland sounds, that, gently touching51 the final chord, he discovered, by the moonlight streaming in through the windows, that twenty-four boys, like the tired robbers, were fast asleep.
Like the tired robbers, were fast asleep
"Like the tired robbers, were fast asleep."
Stealing from the room on tiptoe, he[Pg 217] summoned his sisters and the servants to bring in lights; then stepping to the piano, he struck one crashing chord.
As though a bomb had exploded among them, the boys started from their slumbers52, rubbing their eyes and staring stupidly at one another.
At that moment the clock chimed the hour of dismissal, and Nicholas Chopin entered the room; whereupon the pupils bounded from their seats with shouts of laughter over the musical spell that Frédéric had cast upon them.
When the cups and plates went round, the new teacher drew the master into the hall and told him how cleverly Frédéric had helped him to maintain order; but in the schoolroom the lads were waving their sandwiches and napkins, and cheering the master's son as a jolly comrade and a true-blue mate.
>The city of Warsaw adored its composer, Frédéric Chopin. The residents detected hidden meanings in his playing[Pg 218] of the piano which they believed would sometime be accepted beyond the realm of Poland.
He was young, handsome, and gay, and his companionship was sought on every side. Had not his breast been stirred by an impulse stronger than the mere53 desire for popularity, Frédéric Chopin would have developed into nothing more than an elegant young musician, the acknowledged favorite of his fellow-townsmen. But he was not content to end his career so tamely. He must see the world. He must conquer the public beyond his native land. He must play, he must compose, he must work and study to greater ends.
Accordingly, one day in November, at the age of twenty-one, he set out for Vienna. When he found himself actually leaving kindred and home behind, a flood of sadness swept over him.
"I shall never return," he groaned54; "my eyes will never look upon Warsaw again!"
[Pg 219]
His friends responded lightly to these fears, and with their words of cheer he soon recovered his usual bright spirit.
He was escorted as far as the first day's travel would carry him by a score of affectionate friends; and at the end of a banquet given in his honor, he was touched to the heart by one of their number presenting to him a silver goblet55 filled with Polish earth, with entreaties56 that he would meet the world as a man, and keep his country in constant remembrance.
In Vienna he attracted much attention by his playing, and at the end of a year he was accounted one of the leading musical spirits of the city.
He had decided to pay a brief visit to his home and friends, when on his way he was horrified57 to learn that his beloved Poland had been seized by the Russians, that his country was in the hands of the enemy, and that Warsaw was converted into a camp of foreign soldiers. He dared not advance farther, as all absent[Pg 220] Poles had been warned by the new Government to keep away from Poland, on pain of death.
Frédéric was nearly crushed by these unlooked-for tidings, and, only waiting to learn that his parents were safe and well, he set his face toward Paris. Here he decided to make his home, as had so many others of his exiled countrymen. Success in this city meant success in the world, and for this Frédéric Chopin labored58 through the following years.
His playing was so rare, so peculiarly delicate, that no one in Paris could approach him in his chosen style. One critic called him "the piano god," another, "Velvet59 Fingers"; and when his compositions were printed, and the people could play them for themselves, they were nigh transported by his genius.
London vainly besought60 him to take up his residence there, but he steadily61 refused, remaining for the rest of his days in Paris, the pride of the Parisians and the idol62 of the many Poles who, like[Pg 221] himself, were exiled from their native land.
When the end came, and the "velvet fingers" were stilled at last, he was buried from the Church of the Madeleine. Crowds of distinguished63 persons and homeless Poles attended the sacred service, and the procession was numbered by hundreds, that, to the strains of his own "Funeral March," followed Frédéric Chopin to the tomb.
Finally, when his body was lovingly laid in the place prepared for it, one of his countrymen brought forth64 the silver goblet which for nineteen years the composer had fondly cherished, and, as the sweetest benediction65 he could offer, reverently66 took a handful of Polish earth and sprinkled it upon the body of Frédéric of Warsaw.
FOOTNOTE:
[4] Chopin (pronounced Sho-pang).
The End
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收听单词发音
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1
wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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refreshments
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| n.点心,便餐;(会议后的)简单茶点招 待 | |
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3
reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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6
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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7
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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8
deride
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| v.嘲弄，愚弄 | |
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9
obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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10
vexing
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| adj.使人烦恼的，使人恼火的v.使烦恼( vex的现在分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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11
shuffled
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| v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼 | |
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12
rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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13
impudent
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| adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的 | |
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14
chuckles
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的名词复数 ) | |
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15
toiling
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的现在分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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16
blotted
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| 涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 )； （用吸墨纸）吸干 | |
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17
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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18
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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19
syllable
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| n.音节；vt.分音节 | |
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20
remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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21
passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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22
uncommon
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| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
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23
diligently
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| ad.industriously;carefully | |
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24
enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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25
tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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26
cuff
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| n.袖口；手铐；护腕；vt.用手铐铐；上袖口 | |
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27
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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28
attentively
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| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
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29
rippling
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| 起涟漪的，潺潺流水般声音的 | |
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30
glade
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| n.林间空地，一片表面有草的沼泽低地 | |
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31
mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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32
secreted
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| v.（尤指动物或植物器官）分泌( secrete的过去式和过去分词 )；隐匿，隐藏 | |
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33
rumbling
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| n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词 | |
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34
swirling
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| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的现在分词 ) | |
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35
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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36
ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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37
dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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38
Flared
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| adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词 | |
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39
perches
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| 栖息处( perch的名词复数 )； 栖枝； 高处； 鲈鱼 | |
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40
discordant
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| adj.不调和的 | |
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41
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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42
growling
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| n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼 | |
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43
yelping
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| v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的现在分词 ) | |
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44
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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45
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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46
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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47
nibble
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| n.轻咬，啃；v.一点点地咬，慢慢啃，吹毛求疵 | |
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48
jaded
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| adj.精疲力竭的；厌倦的；（因过饱或过多而）腻烦的；迟钝的 | |
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49
scents
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| n.香水( scent的名词复数 )；气味；（动物的）臭迹；（尤指狗的）嗅觉 | |
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50
rustled
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| v.发出沙沙的声音( rustle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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52
slumbers
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| 睡眠，安眠( slumber的名词复数 ) | |
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53
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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54
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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55
goblet
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| n.高脚酒杯 | |
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56
entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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57
horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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58
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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59
velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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60
besought
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| v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的过去式和过去分词 )；(beseech的过去式与过去分词) | |
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61
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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62
idol
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| n.偶像，红人，宠儿 | |
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63
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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64
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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65
benediction
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| n.祝福；恩赐 | |
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66
reverently
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| adv.虔诚地 | |
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