A succession of events combined to upset Mike during his firstfortnight at school. He was far more successful than he had any rightto be at his age. There is nothing more heady than success, and if itcomes before we are prepared for it, it is apt to throw us off ourbalance. As a rule, at school, years of wholesome1 obscurity make usready for any small triumphs we may achieve at the end of our timethere. Mike had skipped these years. He was older than the average newboy, and his batting was undeniable. He knew quite well that he wasregarded as a find by the cricket authorities; and the knowledge wasnot particularly good for him. It did not make him conceited3, for hiswas not a nature at all addicted4 to conceit2. The effect it had on himwas to make him excessively pleased with life. And when Mike waspleased with life he always found a difficulty in obeying Authorityand its rules. His state of mind was not improved by an interview withBob.
Some evil genius put it into Bob's mind that it was his duty to be, ifonly for one performance, the Heavy Elder Brother to Mike; to give himgood advice. It is never the smallest use for an elder brother toattempt to do anything for the good of a younger brother at school,for the latter rebels automatically against such interference in hisconcerns; but Bob did not know this. He only knew that he had receiveda letter from home, in which his mother had assumed without evidencethat he was leading Mike by the hand round the pitfalls5 of life atWrykyn; and his conscience smote6 him. Beyond asking him occasionally,when they met, how he was getting on (a question to which Mikeinvariably replied, "Oh, all right"), he was not aware of having doneanything brotherly towards the youngster. So he asked Mike to tea inhis study one afternoon before going to the nets.
Mike arrived, sidling into the study in the half-sheepish, half-defiantmanner peculiar7 to small brothers in the presence of their elders, andstared in silence at the photographs on the walls. Bob was changing intohis cricket things. The atmosphere was one of constraint8 and awkwardness.
The arrival of tea was the cue for conversation.
"Well, how are you getting on?" asked Bob.
"Oh, all right," said Mike.
Silence.
"Sugar?" asked Bob.
"Thanks," said Mike.
"How many lumps?""Two, please.""Cake?""Thanks."Silence.
Bob pulled himself together.
"Like Wain's?""Ripping.""I asked Firby-Smith to keep an eye on you," said Bob.
"What!" said Mike.
The mere9 idea of a worm like the Gazeka being told to keep an eye on_him_ was degrading.
"He said he'd look after you," added Bob, making things worse.
Look after him! Him!! M. Jackson, of the third eleven!!!
Mike helped himself to another chunk10 of cake, and spoke11 crushingly.
"He needn't trouble," he said. "I can look after myself all right,thanks."Bob saw an opening for the entry of the Heavy Elder Brother.
"Look here, Mike," he said, "I'm only saying it for your good----"I should like to state here that it was not Bob's habit to go aboutthe world telling people things solely12 for their good. He was onlydoing it now to ease his conscience.
"Yes?" said Mike coldly.
"It's only this. You know, I should keep an eye on myself if I wereyou. There's nothing that gets a chap so barred here as side.""What do you mean?" said Mike, outraged13.
"Oh, I'm not saying anything against you so far," said Bob. "You'vebeen all right up to now. What I mean to say is, you've got on so wellat cricket, in the third and so on, there's just a chance you mightstart to side about a bit soon, if you don't watch yourself. I'm notsaying a word against you so far, of course. Only you see what Imean."Mike's feelings were too deep for words. In sombre silence he reachedout for the jam; while Bob, satisfied that he had delivered hismessage in a pleasant and tactful manner, filled his cup, and castabout him for further words of wisdom.
"Seen you about with Wyatt a good deal," he said at length.
"Yes," said Mike.
"Like him?""Yes," said Mike cautiously.
"You know," said Bob, "I shouldn't--I mean, I should take care whatyou're doing with Wyatt.""What do you mean?""Well, he's an awfully15 good chap, of course, but still----""Still what?""Well, I mean, he's the sort of chap who'll probably get into somethundering row before he leaves. He doesn't care a hang what he does.
He's that sort of chap. He's never been dropped on yet, but if you goon breaking rules you're bound to be sooner or later. Thing is, itdoesn't matter much for him, because he's leaving at the end of theterm. But don't let him drag you into anything. Not that he would tryto. But you might think it was the blood thing to do to imitate him,and the first thing you knew you'd be dropped on by Wain or somebody.
See what I mean?"Bob was well-intentioned, but tact14 did not enter greatly into hiscomposition.
"What rot!" said Mike.
"All right. But don't you go doing it. I'm going over to the nets. Isee Burgess has shoved you down for them. You'd better be going andchanging. Stick on here a bit, though, if you want any more tea. I'vegot to be off myself."Mike changed for net-practice in a ferment16 of spiritual injury. It wasmaddening to be treated as an infant who had to be looked after. Hefelt very sore against Bob.
A good innings at the third eleven net, followed by some strenuousfielding in the deep, soothed17 his ruffled18 feelings to a large extent;and all might have been well but for the intervention19 of Firby-Smith.
That youth, all spectacles and front teeth, met Mike at the door ofWain's.
"Ah, I wanted to see you, young man," he said. (Mike disliked beingcalled "young man.") "Come up to my study."Mike followed him in silence to his study, and preserved his silencetill Firby-Smith, having deposited his cricket-bag in a corner of theroom and examined himself carefully in a looking-glass that hung overthe mantelpiece, spoke again.
"I've been hearing all about you, young man." Mike shuffled20.
"You're a frightful21 character from all accounts." Mike could not thinkof anything to say that was not rude, so said nothing.
"Your brother has asked me to keep an eye on you."Mike's soul began to tie itself into knots again. He was just at theage when one is most sensitive to patronage22 and most resentful of it.
"I promised I would," said the Gazeka, turning round and examininghimself in the mirror again. "You'll get on all right if you behaveyourself. Don't make a frightful row in the house. Don't cheek yourelders and betters. Wash. That's all. Cut along."Mike had a vague idea of sacrificing his career to the momentarypleasure of flinging a chair at the head of the house. Overcoming thisfeeling, he walked out of the room, and up to his dormitory to change.
* * * * *In the dormitory that night the feeling of revolt, of wanting todo something actively23 illegal, increased. Like Eric, he burned, notwith shame and remorse24, but with rage and all that sort of thing.
He dropped off to sleep full of half-formed plans for assertinghimself. He was awakened25 from a dream in which he was batting againstFirby-Smith's bowling26, and hitting it into space every time, by aslight sound. He opened his eyes, and saw a dark figure silhouettedagainst the light of the window. He sat up in bed.
"Hullo," he said. "Is that you, Wyatt?""Are you awake?" said Wyatt. "Sorry if I've spoiled your beautysleep.""Are you going out?""I am," said Wyatt. "The cats are particularly strong on the wing justnow. Mustn't miss a chance like this. Specially28 as there's a goodmoon, too. I shall be deadly.""I say, can't I come too?"A moonlight prowl, with or without an air-pistol, would just havesuited Mike's mood.
"No, you can't," said Wyatt. "When I'm caught, as I'm morally certainto be some day, or night rather, they're bound to ask if you've everbeen out as well as me. Then you'll be able to put your hand on yourlittle heart and do a big George Washington act. You'll find thatuseful when the time comes.""Do you think you will be caught?""Shouldn't be surprised. Anyhow, you stay where you are. Go to sleepand dream that you're playing for the school against Ripton. So long."And Wyatt, laying the bar he had extracted on the window-sill,wriggled out. Mike saw him disappearing along the wall.
* * * * *It was all very well for Wyatt to tell him to go to sleep, but it wasnot so easy to do it. The room was almost light; and Mike always foundit difficult to sleep unless it was dark. He turned over on his sideand shut his eyes, but he had never felt wider awake. Twice he heardthe quarters chime from the school clock; and the second time he gaveup the struggle. He got out of bed and went to the window. It was alovely night, just the sort of night on which, if he had been at home,he would have been out after moths29 with a lantern.
A sharp yowl from an unseen cat told of Wyatt's presence somewhere inthe big garden. He would have given much to be with him, but herealised that he was on parole. He had promised not to leave thehouse, and there was an end of it.
He turned away from the window and sat down on his bed. Then abeautiful, consoling thought came to him. He had given his word thathe would not go into the garden, but nothing had been said aboutexploring inside the house. It was quite late now. Everybody would bein bed. It would be quite safe. And there must be all sorts of thingsto interest the visitor in Wain's part of the house. Food, perhaps.
Mike felt that he could just do with a biscuit. And there were boundto be biscuits on the sideboard in Wain's dining-room.
He crept quietly out of the dormitory.
He had been long enough in the house to know the way, in spite of thefact that all was darkness. Down the stairs, along the passage to theleft, and up a few more stairs at the end The beauty of the positionwas that the dining-room had two doors, one leading into Wain's partof the house, the other into the boys' section. Any interruption thatthere might be would come from the further door.
To make himself more secure he locked that door; then, turning up theincandescent light, he proceeded to look about him.
Mr. Wain's dining-room repaid inspection30. There were the remains31 ofsupper on the table. Mike cut himself some cheese and took somebiscuits from the box, feeling that he was doing himself well. Thiswas Life. There was a little soda-water in the syphon. He finished it.
As it swished into the glass, it made a noise that seemed to him likethree hundred Niagaras; but nobody else in the house appeared to havenoticed it.
He took some more biscuits, and an apple.
After which, feeling a new man, he examined the room.
And this was where the trouble began.
On a table in one corner stood a small gramophone. And gramophoneshappened to be Mike's particular craze.
All thought of risk left him. The soda-water may have got into hishead, or he may have been in a particularly reckless mood, as indeedhe was. The fact remains that _he_ inserted the first record thatcame to hand, wound the machine up, and set it going.
The next moment, very loud and nasal, a voice from the machineannounced that Mr. Godfrey Field would sing "The Quaint32 Old Bird."And, after a few preliminary chords, Mr. Field actually did so.
_"Auntie went to Aldershot in a Paris pom-pom hat."_Mike stood and drained it in.
_"... Good gracious_ (sang Mr. Field), _what was that?"_It was a rattling33 at the handle of the door. A rattling that turnedalmost immediately into a spirited banging. A voice accompanied thebanging. "Who is there?" inquired the voice. Mike recognised it as Mr.
Wain's. He was not alarmed. The man who holds the ace27 of trumps34 has noneed to be alarmed. His position was impregnable. The enemy was heldin check by the locked door, while the other door offered an admirableand instantaneous way of escape.
Mike crept across the room on tip-toe and opened the window. It hadoccurred to him, just in time, that if Mr. Wain, on entering the room,found that the occupant had retired35 by way of the boys' part of thehouse, he might possibly obtain a clue to his identity. If, on theother hand, he opened the window, suspicion would be diverted. Mikehad not read his "Raffles36" for nothing.
The handle-rattling was resumed. This was good. So long as the frontalattack was kept up, there was no chance of his being taken in therear--his only danger.
He stopped the gramophone, which had been pegging37 away patiently at"The Quaint Old Bird" all the time, and reflected. It seemed a pity toevacuate the position and ring down the curtain on what was, to date,the most exciting episode of his life; but he must not overdo38 thething, and get caught. At any moment the noise might bringreinforcements to the besieging39 force, though it was not likely, forthe dining-room was a long way from the dormitories; and it mightflash upon their minds that there were two entrances to the room. Orthe same bright thought might come to Wain himself.
"Now what," pondered Mike, "would A. J. Raffles have done in a caselike this? Suppose he'd been after somebody's jewels, and found thatthey were after him, and he'd locked one door, and could get away bythe other."The answer was simple.
"He'd clear out," thought Mike.
Two minutes later he was in bed.
He lay there, tingling40 all over with the consciousness of havingplayed a masterly game, when suddenly a gruesome idea came to him, andhe sat up, breathless. Suppose Wain took it into his head to make atour of the dormitories, to see that all was well! Wyatt was stillin the garden somewhere, blissfully unconscious of what was going onindoors. He would be caught for a certainty!
收听单词发音 |
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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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conceit
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| n.自负，自高自大 | |
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conceited
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| adj.自负的，骄傲自满的 | |
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addicted
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| adj.沉溺于....的，对...上瘾的 | |
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pitfalls
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| （捕猎野兽用的）陷阱( pitfall的名词复数 )； 意想不到的困难，易犯的错误 | |
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smote
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去式 ) | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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constraint
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| n.(on)约束，限制；限制(或约束)性的事物 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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chunk
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| n.厚片，大块，相当大的部分（数量） | |
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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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solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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outraged
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| a.震惊的，义愤填膺的 | |
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tact
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| n.机敏，圆滑，得体 | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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ferment
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| vt.使发酵；n./vt.（使）激动，（使）动乱 | |
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soothed
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| v.安慰( soothe的过去式和过去分词 )；抚慰；使舒服；减轻痛苦 | |
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ruffled
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| adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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intervention
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| n.介入，干涉，干预 | |
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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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frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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patronage
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| n.赞助，支援，援助；光顾，捧场 | |
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actively
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| adv.积极地，勤奋地 | |
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remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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bowling
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| n.保龄球运动 | |
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ace
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| n.A牌；发球得分；佼佼者；adj.杰出的 | |
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specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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moths
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| n.蛾( moth的名词复数 ) | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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trumps
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| abbr.trumpets 喇叭；小号；喇叭形状的东西；喇叭筒v.（牌戏）出王牌赢（一牌或一墩）( trump的过去式 )；吹号公告，吹号庆祝；吹喇叭；捏造 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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raffles
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| n.抽彩售物( raffle的名词复数 )v.以抽彩方式售（物）( raffle的第三人称单数 ) | |
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pegging
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| n.外汇钉住，固定证券价格v.用夹子或钉子固定( peg的现在分词 )；使固定在某水平 | |
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overdo
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| vt.把...做得过头，演得过火 | |
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besieging
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的现在分词 ) | |
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tingling
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| v.有刺痛感( tingle的现在分词 ) | |
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