THE OLD PUPIL.

As I came into the play-grounds this morning, I saw a dashing young fellow, with a tanned face and a blonde moustache, who was walking up and down the green, arm-in-arm with Champion Major, and followed by a little crowd of boys.

 

They were talking of old times evidently. "What had become of Irvine and Smith?"—"Where was Bill Harris and Jones, not Squinny Jones, but Cocky Jones?"—and so forth¹. The gentleman was no stranger; he was an old pupil evidently, come to see if any of his old comrades remained, and to revisit the cari luogi of his youth.

 

Champion was evidently proud of his arm-fellow. He espied³ his brother, young Champion, and introduced him. "Come here, Sir," he called. "The young 'un wasn't here in your time, Davison."

 

"Pat, Sir," said he, "this is Captain Davison, one of Birch's boys. Ask him who was among the first in the lines at Sobraon?"

 

Pat's face kindled⁴ up as he looked Davison full in the face, and held out his hand. Old Champion and Davison both blushed. The infantry⁵ set up a "Hurray! hurray! hurray!" Champion leading, and waving his wide-awake. I protest that the scene did one good to witness. Here was the hero and cock of the school come back to see his old haunts and cronies. He had always remembered them. Since he had seen them last, he had faced death and achieved honour. But for my dignity I would have shied up my hat too.

 

With a resolute⁶ step, and his arm still linked in Champion's, Captain Davison now advanced, followed by a wake of little boys, to that corner of the green where Mrs. Buggies has her tart-stand.

 

"Hullo, Mother Buggies! don't you remember me?" he said, and shook her by the hand.

 

"Lor, if it ain't Davison Major!" she said. "Well, Davison Major, you owe me fourpence for two sausage-rolls from when you went away."

 

Davison laughed, and all the little crew of boys set up a similar chorus.

 

"I buy the whole shop," he said. "Now, young 'uns—eat away!"

 

Then there was such a "Hurray! hurray!" as surpassed the former cheer in loudness. Everybody engaged in it except Piggy Duff, who made an instant dash at the three-cornered puffs⁷, but was stopped by Champion, who said there should be a fair distribution. And so there was, and no one lacked, neither of raspberry open-tarts⁸, nor of mellifluous⁹ bull's-eyes, nor of polonies, beautiful to the sight and taste.

 

The hurraying brought out the Doctor himself, who put his hand up to his spectacles and started when he saw the old pupil. Each blushed when he recognised the other; for seven years ago they had parted not good friends.

 

"What—Davison?" the Doctor said, with a tremulous voice. "God bless you, my dear fellow!"—and they shook hands. "A half-holiday, of course, boys," he added, and there was another hurray: there was to be no end to the cheering that day.

 

"How's—how's the family, Sir?" Captain Davison asked.

 

"Come in and see. Flora's grown quite a lady. Dine with us, of course. Champion Major, come to dinner at five. Mr. Titmarsh, the pleasure of your company?" The Doctor swung open the garden-gate: the old master and pupil entered the house reconciled.

 

I thought I would just peep into Miss Raby's room, and tell her of this event. She was working away at her linen¹⁰ there, as usual, quiet and cheerful.

 

"You should put up," I said with a smile; "the Doctor has given us a half-holiday."

 

"I never have holidays," Miss Raby replied.

 

Then I told her of the scene I had just witnessed, of the arrival of the old pupil, the purchase of the tarts, the proclamation of the holiday, and the shouts of the boys of "Hurray, Davison."

 

"Who is it?" cried out Miss Raby, starting and turning as white as a sheet.

 

I told her it was Captain Davison from India, and described the appearance and behaviour of the Captain. When I had finished speaking, she asked me to go and get her a glass of water; she felt unwell. But she was gone when I came back with the water.

 

I know all now. After sitting for a quarter of an hour with the Doctor, who attributed his guest's uneasiness no doubt to his desire to see Miss Laura Birch, Davison started up and said he wanted to see Miss Raby. "You remember, Sir, how kind she was to my little brother," he said. Whereupon the Doctor, with a look of surprise that anybody should want to see Miss Raby, said she was in the little school-room, whither the Captain went, knowing the way from old times.

 

A few minutes afterwards, Miss B. and Miss Z. returned from a drive with Plantagenet Gaunt in their one-horse fly, and being informed of Davison's arrival, and that he was closeted with Miss Raby in the little school-room, of course made for that apartment at once. I was coming into it from the other door. I wanted to know whether she had drunk the water.

 

 

This is what both parties saw. The two were in this very attitude. "Well, upon my word!" cries out Miss Zoe, But Davison did not let go his hold; and Miss Raby's head only sank down on his hand.

 

"You must get another governess, Sir, for the little boys," Frank Davison said to the Doctor. "Anny Raby has promised to come with me."

 

You may suppose I shut to the door on my side. And when I returned to the little school-room, it was blank and empty. Everybody was gone. I could hear the boys shouting at play in the green, outside. The glass of water was on the table where I had placed it. I took it and drank it myself, to the health of Anny Raby and her husband. It was rather a choker.

 

But of course I wasn't going to stop on at Birch's. When his young friends re-assemble on the 1st of February next, they will have two new masters. Prince resigned too, and is at present living with me at my old lodgings¹¹ at Mrs. Cammysole's. If any nobleman or gentleman wants a private tutor for his son, a note to the Rev². F. Prince will find him there.

 

Miss Clapperclaw says we are both a couple of old fools; and that she knew, when I set off last year to Rodwell Regis, after meeting the two young ladies at a party at General Champion's house in our street, that I was going on a goose's errand. Well, well, that journey is over now; I shall dine at the General's on Christmas-day, where I shall meet Captain and Mrs. Davison, and some of the old pupils of Birch's; and I wish a merry Christmas to them, and to all young and old boys.

 

 

The play is done; the curtain drops,

 

Slow falling, to the prompter's bell:

 

A moment yet the actor stops,

 

And looks around, to say farewell.

 

It is an irksome word and task;

 

And when he 's laughed and said his say,

 

He shows, as he removes the mask,

 

A face that's anything but gay.

 

 

One word, ere yet the evening ends,

 

Let's close it with a parting rhyme,

 

And pledge a hand to all young friends,

 

As fits the merry Christmas-time.

 

On life's wide scene you, too, have parts,

 

That Fate ere long shall bid you play;

 

Good night! with honest gentle hearts

 

A kindly¹² greeting go alway!

 

 

Good night!—I'd say, the griefs, the joys,

 

Just hinted in this mimic¹³ page,

 

The triumphs and defeats of boys,

 

Are but repeated in our age.

 

I 'd say, your woes¹⁴ were not less keen,

 

Your hopes more vain, than those of men;

 

Your pangs¹⁵ or pleasures of fifteen,

 

At forty-five played o'er again.

 

 

I'd say, we suffer and we strive

 

Not less nor more as men than boys;

 

With grizzled beards at forty-five,

 

As erst at twelve, in corduroys.

 

And if, in time of sacred youth,

 

We learned at home to love and pray,

 

Pray Heaven, that early Love and Truth

 

May never wholly pass away.

 

 

And in the world, as in the school,

 

I 'd say, how fate may change and shift;

 

The prize be sometimes with the fool,

 

The race not always to the swift.

 

The strong may yield, the good may fall,

 

The great man he a vulgar clown,

 

The knave¹⁶ be lifted over all,

 

The kind cast pitilessly down.

 

 

Who knows the inscrutable design?

 

Blessed be He who took and gave!

 

Why should your mother, Charles, not mine,

 

Be weeping at her darling's grave? *

 

We bow to Heaven that will'd it so,

 

That darkly rules the fate of all,

 

That sends the respite¹⁷ or the blow,

 

That's free to give or to recall.

 

This crowns his feast with wine and wit:

 

Who brought him to that mirth aud state?

 

His betters, see, below him sit,

 

Or hunger hopeless at the gate.

 

Who bade the mud from Dives' wheel

 

To spurn¹⁸ the rags of Lazarus?

 

Come, brother, in that dust we '11 kneel,

 

Confessing Heaven that ruled it thus.

 

 

* C. B., ob. 29 Nov. 1848, set. 42.

 

So each shall mourn, in life's advance,

 

Dear hopes, dear friends, untimely killed;

 

Shall grieve for many a forfeit¹⁹ chance,

 

And longing²⁰ passion unfulfilled.

 

Amen! whatever fate be sent,—

 

Pray God the heart may kindly glow,

 

Although the heart with cares be bent²¹,

 

And whitened with the winter-snow.

 

 

Come wealth or want, come good or ill,

 

Let young and old accept their part,

 

And bow before the Awful Will,

 

And bear it with an honest heart.

 

Who misses, or who wins the prize?

 

Go, lose or conquer as you can:

 

But if you fail, or if you rise,

 

Be each, pray God, a gentleman,

 

 

A gentleman, or old or young!

 

(Bear kindly with my humble²² lays);

 

The sacred chorus first was sung

 

Upon the first of Christmas-days:

 

The shepherds heard it overhead—

 

The joyful²³ angels raised it then:

 

Glory to Heaven 011 high, it said,

 

And peace 011 earth to gentle men.

 

 

My song, save this, is little worth;

 

I lay the weary pen aside,

 

And wish you health, and love, and mirth,

 

As fits the solemn Christmas-tide.

 

As fits the holy Christmas birth,

 

Be this, good friends, our carol still—

 

Be peace on earth, be peace on earth,

 

To men of gentle will.

1 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

2 rev   

v.发动机旋转，加快速度

参考例句：

• It's his job to rev up the audience before the show starts.他要负责在表演开始前鼓动观众的热情。
• Don't rev the engine so hard.别让发动机转得太快。

3 espied   

v.看到( espy的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• One day a youth espied her as he was hunting.She saw him and recognized him as her own son, mow grown a young man. 一日，她被一个正在行猎的小伙子看见了，她认出来这个猎手原来是自己的儿子，现在已长成为一个翩翩的少年。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• In a little while he espied the two giants. 一会儿就看见了那两个巨人。 来自辞典例句

4 kindled   

（使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光

参考例句：

• We watched as the fire slowly kindled. 我们看着火慢慢地燃烧起来。
• The teacher's praise kindled a spark of hope inside her. 老师的赞扬激起了她内心的希望。

5 infantry   

n.[总称]步兵(部队)

参考例句：

• The infantry were equipped with flame throwers.步兵都装备有喷火器。
• We have less infantry than the enemy.我们的步兵比敌人少。

6 resolute   

adj.坚决的，果敢的

参考例句：

• He was resolute in carrying out his plan.他坚决地实行他的计划。
• The Egyptians offered resolute resistance to the aggressors.埃及人对侵略者作出坚决的反抗。

7 puffs   

n.吸( puff的名词复数 )；（烟斗或香烟的）一吸；一缕（烟、蒸汽等）；（呼吸或风的）呼v.使喷出( puff的第三人称单数 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧

参考例句：

• We sat exchanging puffs from that wild pipe of his. 我们坐在那里，轮番抽着他那支野里野气的烟斗。 来自辞典例句
• Puffs of steam and smoke came from the engine. 一股股蒸汽和烟雾从那火车头里冒出来。 来自辞典例句

8 tarts   

n.果馅饼( tart的名词复数 )；轻佻的女人；妓女；小妞

参考例句：

• I decided to make some tarts for tea. 我决定做些吃茶点时吃的果馅饼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They ate raspberry tarts and ice cream. 大家吃着木莓馅饼和冰淇淋。 来自辞典例句

9 mellifluous   

adj.（音乐等）柔美流畅的

参考例句：

• Soon the room is filled with Bates' mellifluous tones.很快，房间里便充满了贝茨动听的声音。
• Her voice was distinctive,soft and mellifluous.她的嗓音甜美，清脆而柔和。

10 linen   

n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的

参考例句：

• The worker is starching the linen.这名工人正在给亚麻布上浆。
• Fine linen and cotton fabrics were known as well as wool.精细的亚麻织品和棉织品像羊毛一样闻名遐迩。

11 lodgings   

n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍

参考例句：

• When he reached his lodgings the sun had set. 他到达公寓房间时，太阳已下山了。
• I'm on the hunt for lodgings. 我正在寻找住所。

12 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

13 mimic   

v.模仿，戏弄；n.模仿他人言行的人

参考例句：

• A parrot can mimic a person's voice.鹦鹉能学人的声音。
• He used to mimic speech peculiarities of another.他过去总是模仿别人讲话的特点。

14 woes   

困境( woe的名词复数 )； 悲伤； 我好苦哇； 某人就要倒霉

参考例句：

• Thanks for listening to my woes. 谢谢您听我诉说不幸的遭遇。
• She has cried the blues about its financial woes. 对于经济的困难她叫苦不迭。

15 pangs   

突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 )； 悲痛

参考例句：

• She felt sudden pangs of regret. 她突然感到痛悔不已。
• With touching pathos he described the pangs of hunger. 他以极具感伤力的笔触描述了饥饿的痛苦。

16 knave   

n.流氓；（纸牌中的）杰克

参考例句：

• Better be a fool than a knave.宁做傻瓜，不做无赖。
• Once a knave,ever a knave.一次成无赖，永远是无赖。

17 respite   

n.休息，中止，暂缓

参考例句：

• She was interrogated without respite for twenty-four hours.她被不间断地审问了二十四小时。
• Devaluation would only give the economy a brief respite.贬值只能让经济得到暂时的缓解。

18 spurn   

v.拒绝，摈弃；n.轻视的拒绝；踢开

参考例句：

• They spurn all our offers of help.他们拒绝接受我们提出的一切援助。
• As an armyman,I spurn fearlessly at all danger and the enemy.作为一个军人，一切危险和敌人丝毫不在我的眼。

19 forfeit   

vt.丧失；n.罚金，罚款，没收物

参考例句：

• If you continue to tell lies,you will forfeit the good opinion of everyone.你如果继续撒谎，就会失掉大家对你的好感。
• Please pay for the forfeit before you borrow book.在你借书之前请先付清罚款。

20 longing   

n.（for）渴望

参考例句：

• Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。
• His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。

21 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

22 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

23 joyful   

adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的

参考例句：

• She was joyful of her good result of the scientific experiments.她为自己的科学实验取得好成果而高兴。
• They were singing and dancing to celebrate this joyful occasion.他们唱着、跳着庆祝这令人欢乐的时刻。