The beginning of a big row, one of those rows which turn a schoolupside down like a volcanic1 eruption2 and provide old boys withsomething to talk about, when they meet, for years, is not unlike thebeginning of a thunderstorm.
You are walking along one seemingly fine day, when suddenly there is ahush, and there falls on you from space one big drop. The next momentthe thing has begun, and you are standing3 in a shower-bath. It is justthe same with a row. Some trivial episode occurs, and in an instantthe place is in a ferment4. It was so with the great picnic at Wrykyn.
The bare outlines of the beginning of this affair are included in aletter which Mike wrote to his father on the Sunday following the OldWrykynian matches.
This was the letter:
"DEAR FATHER,--Thanks awfully5 for your letter. I hope you are quitewell. I have been getting on all right at cricket lately. My scoressince I wrote last have been 0 in a scratch game (the sun got in myeyes just as I played, and I got bowled); 15 for the third against aneleven of masters (without G. B. Jones, the Surrey man, and Spence);28 not out in the Under Sixteen game; and 30 in a form match. Ratherdecent. Yesterday one of the men put down for the second against theO.W.'s second couldn't play because his father was very ill, so Iplayed. Wasn't it luck? It's the first time I've played for thesecond. I didn't do much, because I didn't get an innings. They stopthe cricket on O.W. matches day because they have a lot of rottenGreek plays and things which take up a frightful6 time, and half thechaps are acting7, so we stop from lunch to four. Rot I call it. So Ididn't go in, because they won the toss and made 215, and by the timewe'd made 140 for 6 it was close of play. They'd stuck me in eighthwicket. Rather rot. Still, I may get another shot. And I made rather adecent catch at mid-on. Low down. I had to dive for it. Bob played forthe first, but didn't do much. He was run out after he'd got ten. Ibelieve he's rather sick about it.
"Rather a rummy thing happened after lock-up. I wasn't in it, but afellow called Wyatt (awfully decent chap. He's Wain's step-son, onlythey bar one another) told me about it. He was in it all right.
There's a dinner after the matches on O.W. day, and some of the chapswere going back to their houses after it when they got into a row witha lot of brickies from the town, and there was rather a row. There wasa policeman mixed up in it somehow, only I don't quite know where hecomes in. I'll find out and tell you next time I write. Love toeverybody. Tell Marjory I'll write to her in a day or two.
"Your loving son,"MIKE.
"P.S.--I say, I suppose you couldn't send me five bob, could you? I'mrather broke.
"P.P.S.--Half-a-crown would do, only I'd rather it was five bob."And, on the back of the envelope, these words: "Or a bob would bebetter than nothing."* * * * *The outline of the case was as Mike had stated. But there were certaindetails of some importance which had not come to his notice when hesent the letter. On the Monday they were public property.
The thing had happened after this fashion. At the conclusion of theday's cricket, all those who had been playing in the four elevenswhich the school put into the field against the old boys, togetherwith the school choir8, were entertained by the headmaster to supper inthe Great Hall. The banquet, lengthened9 by speeches, songs, andrecitations which the reciters imagined to be songs, lasted, as arule, till about ten o'clock, when the revellers were supposed to goback to their houses by the nearest route, and turn in. This was theofficial programme. The school usually performed it with certainmodifications and improvements.
About midway between Wrykyn, the school, and Wrykyn, the town, therestands on an island in the centre of the road a solitary10 lamp-post. Itwas the custom, and had been the custom for generations back, for thediners to trudge11 off to this lamp-post, dance round it for someminutes singing the school song or whatever happened to be the popularsong of the moment, and then race back to their houses. Antiquity12 hadgiven the custom a sort of sanctity, and the authorities, if theyknew--which they must have done--never interfered13.
But there were others.
Wrykyn, the town, was peculiarly rich in "gangs of youths." Like thevast majority of the inhabitants of the place, they seemed to have nowork of any kind whatsoever14 to occupy their time, which they used,accordingly, to spend prowling about and indulging in a mild,brainless, rural type of hooliganism. They seldom proceeded topractical rowdyism and never except with the school. As a rule, theyamused themselves by shouting rude chaff15. The school regarded themwith a lofty contempt, much as an Oxford16 man regards the townee. Theschool was always anxious for a row, but it was the unwritten law thatonly in special circumstances should they proceed to active measures.
A curious dislike for school-and-town rows and most misplaced severityin dealing17 with the offenders18 when they took place, were among the fewflaws in the otherwise admirable character of the headmaster ofWrykyn. It was understood that one scragged bargees at one's own risk,and, as a rule, it was not considered worth it.
But after an excellent supper and much singing and joviality19, one'sviews are apt to alter. Risks which before supper seemed great, show atendency to dwindle20.
When, therefore, the twenty or so Wrykynians who were dancing roundthe lamp-post were aware, in the midst of their festivities, that theywere being observed and criticised by an equal number of townees, andthat the criticisms were, as usual, essentially21 candid22 and personal,they found themselves forgetting the headmaster's prejudices andfeeling only that these outsiders must be put to the sword as speedilyas possible, for the honour of the school.
Possibly, if the town brigade had stuck to a purely23 verbal form ofattack, all might yet have been peace. Words can be overlooked.
But tomatoes cannot.
No man of spirit can bear to be pelted24 with over-ripe tomatoes for anylength of time without feeling that if the thing goes on much longerhe will be reluctantly compelled to take steps.
In the present crisis, the first tomato was enough to set mattersmoving.
As the two armies stood facing each other in silence under the dim andmysterious rays of the lamp, it suddenly whizzed out from the enemy'sranks, and hit Wyatt on the right ear.
There was a moment of suspense25. Wyatt took out his handkerchief andwiped his face, over which the succulent vegetable had spread itself.
"I don't know how you fellows are going to pass the evening," he saidquietly. "My idea of a good after-dinner game is to try and find thechap who threw that. Anybody coming?"For the first five minutes it was as even a fight as one could havewished to see. It raged up and down the road without a pause, now in asolid mass, now splitting up into little groups. The science was onthe side of the school. Most Wrykynians knew how to box to a certainextent. But, at any rate at first, it was no time for science. To bescientific one must have an opponent who observes at least the moreimportant rules of the ring. It is impossible to do the latest ducksand hooks taught you by the instructor26 if your antagonist27 butts28 you inthe chest, and then kicks your shins, while some dear friend of his,of whose presence you had no idea, hits you at the same time on theback of the head. The greatest expert would lose his science in suchcircumstances.
Probably what gave the school the victory in the end was therighteousness of their cause. They were smarting under a sense ofinjury, and there is nothing that adds a force to one's blows and arecklessness to one's style of delivering them more than a sense ofinjury.
Wyatt, one side of his face still showing traces of the tomato, ledthe school with a vigour30 that could not be resisted. He very seldomlost his temper, but he did draw the line at bad tomatoes.
Presently the school noticed that the enemy were vanishing little bylittle into the darkness which concealed31 the town. Barely a dozenremained. And their lonely condition seemed to be borne in upon theseby a simultaneous brain-wave, for they suddenly gave the fight up, andstampeded as one man.
The leaders were beyond recall, but two remained, tackled low by Wyattand Clowes after the fashion of the football-field.
* * * * *The school gathered round its prisoners, panting. The scene of theconflict had shifted little by little to a spot some fifty yards fromwhere it had started. By the side of the road at this point was agreen, depressed32 looking pond. Gloomy in the daytime, it lookedunspeakable at night. It struck Wyatt, whose finer feelings had beenentirely blotted33 out by tomato, as an ideal place in which to bestowthe captives.
"Let's chuck 'em in there," he said.
The idea was welcomed gladly by all, except the prisoners. A move wasmade towards the pond, and the procession had halted on the brink,when a new voice made itself heard.
"Now then," it said, "what's all this?"A stout34 figure in policeman's uniform was standing surveying them withthe aid of a small bull's-eye lantern.
"What's all this?""It's all right," said Wyatt.
"All right, is it? What's on?"One of the prisoners spoke35.
"Make 'em leave hold of us, Mr. Butt29. They're a-going to chuck us inthe pond.""Ho!" said the policeman, with a change in his voice. "Ho, are they?
Come now, young gentleman, a lark36's a lark, but you ought to knowwhere to stop.""It's anything but a lark," said Wyatt in the creamy voice he usedwhen feeling particularly savage37. "We're the Strong Right Arm ofJustice. That's what we are. This isn't a lark, it's an execution.""I don't want none of your lip, whoever you are," said Mr. Butt,understanding but dimly, and suspecting impudence38 by instinct.
"This is quite a private matter," said Wyatt. "You run along on yourbeat. You can't do anything here.""Ho!""Shove 'em in, you chaps.""Stop!" From Mr. Butt.
"Oo-er!" From prisoner number one.
There was a sounding splash as willing hands urged the first of thecaptives into the depths. He ploughed his way to the bank, scrambledout, and vanished.
Wyatt turned to the other prisoner.
"You'll have the worst of it, going in second. He'll have churned upthe mud a bit. Don't swallow more than you can help, or you'll gogetting typhoid. I expect there are leeches39 and things there, but ifyou nip out quick they may not get on to you. Carry on, you chaps."It was here that the regrettable incident occurred. Just as the secondprisoner was being launched, Constable40 Butt, determined41 to asserthimself even at the eleventh hour, sprang forward, and seized thecaptive by the arm. A drowning man will clutch at a straw. A man aboutto be hurled42 into an excessively dirty pond will clutch at a stoutpoliceman. The prisoner did.
Constable Butt represented his one link with dry land. As he camewithin reach he attached himself to his tunic43 with the vigour andconcentration of a limpet.
At the same moment the executioners gave their man the final heave.
The policeman realised his peril44 too late. A medley45 of noises made thepeaceful night hideous46. A howl from the townee, a yell from thepoliceman, a cheer from the launching party, a frightened squawk fromsome birds in a neighbouring tree, and a splash compared with whichthe first had been as nothing, and all was over.
The dark waters were lashed47 into a maelstrom48; and then two streamingfigures squelched49 up the further bank.
[Illustration: THE DARK WATERS WERE LASHED INTO A MAELSTROM]
The school stood in silent consternation50. It was no occasion for lightapologies.
"Do you know," said Wyatt, as he watched the Law shaking the waterfrom itself on the other side of the pond, "I'm not half sure that wehadn't better be moving!"
收听单词发音 |
1
volcanic
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| adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的 | |
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eruption
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| n.火山爆发；（战争等）爆发；（疾病等）发作 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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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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5
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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choir
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| n.唱诗班，唱诗班的席位，合唱团，舞蹈团；v.合唱 | |
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lengthened
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| （时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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trudge
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| v.步履艰难地走；n.跋涉，费力艰难的步行 | |
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antiquity
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| n.古老；高龄；古物，古迹 | |
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interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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whatsoever
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| adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么 | |
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chaff
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| v.取笑，嘲笑；n.谷壳 | |
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Oxford
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| n.牛津（英国城市） | |
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dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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offenders
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| n.冒犯者( offender的名词复数 )；犯规者；罪犯；妨害…的人（或事物） | |
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joviality
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| n.快活 | |
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dwindle
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| v.逐渐变小（或减少） | |
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essentially
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| adv.本质上，实质上，基本上 | |
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candid
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| adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的 | |
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purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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pelted
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| （连续地）投掷( pelt的过去式和过去分词 )； 连续抨击； 攻击； 剥去…的皮 | |
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25
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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instructor
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| n.指导者，教员，教练 | |
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antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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butts
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| 笑柄( butt的名词复数 )； （武器或工具的）粗大的一端； 屁股； 烟蒂 | |
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butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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31
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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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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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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lark
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| n.云雀，百灵鸟；n.嬉戏，玩笑；vi.嬉戏 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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impudence
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| n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼 | |
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leeches
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| n.水蛭( leech的名词复数 )；蚂蟥；榨取他人脂膏者；医生 | |
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constable
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| n.(英国)警察，警官 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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tunic
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| n.束腰外衣 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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45
medley
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| n.混合 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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lashed
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| adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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48
maelstrom
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| n.大乱动；大漩涡 | |
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49
squelched
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| v.发吧唧声，发扑哧声( squelch的过去式和过去分词 )；制止；压制；遏制 | |
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50
consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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