AND so on that frosty, snowy, and windy day in November, Kolya Krassotkin was sitting at home. It was Sunday and there was no school. It had just struck eleven, and he particularly wanted to go out “on very urgent business,” but he was left alone in charge of the house, for it so happened that all its elder inmates1 were absent owing to a sudden and singular event. Madame Krassotkin had let two little rooms, separated from the rest of the house by a passage, to a doctor’s wife with her two small children. This lady was the same age as Anna Fyodorovna, and a great friend of hers. Her husband, the doctor, had taken his departure twelve months before, going first to Orenburg and then to Tashkend, and for the last six months she had not heard a word from him. Had it not been for her friendship with Madame Krassotkin, which was some consolation2 to the forsaken3 lady, she would certainly have completely dissolved away in tears. And now, to add to her misfortunes, Katerina, her only servant, was suddenly moved the evening before to announce, to her mistress’s amazement4, that she proposed to bring a child into the world before morning. It seemed almost miraculous5 to everyone that no one had noticed the probability of it before. The astounded6 doctor’s wife decided7 to move Katerina while there was still time to an establishment in the town kept by a midwife for such emergencies. As she set great store by her servant, she promptly8 carried out this plan and remained there looking after her. By the morning all Madame Krassotkin’s friendly sympathy and energy were called upon to render assistance and appeal to someone for help in the case.
So both the ladies were absent from home, the Krassotkins’ servant, Agafya, had gone out to the market, and Kolya was thus left for a time to protect and look after “the kids,” that is, the son and daughter of the doctor’s wife, who were left alone. Kolya was not afraid of taking care of the house, besides he had Perezvon, who had been told to lie flat, without moving, under the bench in the hall. Every time Kolya, walking to and fro through the rooms, came into the hall, the dog shook his head and gave two loud and insinuating9 taps on the floor with his tail, but alas10! the whistle did not sound to release him. Kolya looked sternly at the luckless dog, who relapsed again into obedient rigidity12. The one thing that troubled Kolya was “the kids.” He looked, of course, with the utmost scorn on Katerina’s unexpected adventure, but he was very fond of the bereaved13 “kiddies,” and had already taken them a picture-book. Nastya, the elder, a girl of eight, could read, and Kostya, the boy, aged14 seven, was very fond of being read to by her. Krassotkin could, of course, have provided more diverting entertainment for them. He could have made them stand side by side and played soldiers with them, or sent them hiding all over the house. He had done so more than once before and was not above doing it, so much so that a report once spread at school that Krassotkin played horses with the little lodgers15 at home, prancing16 with his head on one side like a trace-horse. But Krassotkin haughtily17 parried this thrust, pointing out that to play horses with boys of one’s own age, boys of thirteen, would certainly be disgraceful “at this date,” but that he did it for the sake of “the kids” because he liked them, and no one had a right to call him to account for his feelings. The two “kids” adored him.
But on this occasion he was in no mood for games. He had very important business of his own before him, something almost mysterious. Meanwhile time was passing and Agafya, with whom he could have left the children, would not come back from market. He had several times already crossed the passage, opened the door of the lodgers’ room and looked anxiously at “the kids” who were sitting over the book, as he had bidden them. Every time he opened the door they grinned at him, hoping he would come in and would do something delightful18 and amusing. But Kolya was bothered and did not go in.
At last it struck eleven and he made up his mind, once for all, that if that “damned” Agafya did not come back within ten minutes he should go out without waiting for her, making “the kids” promise, of course, to be brave when he was away, not to be naughty, not to cry from fright. With this idea he put on his wadded winter overcoat with its catskin fur collar, slung19 his satchel20 round his shoulder, and, regardless of his mother’s constantly reiterated21 entreaties22 that he would always put on goloshes in such cold weather, he looked at them contemptuously as he crossed the hall and went out with only his boots on. Perezvon, seeing him in his outdoor clothes, began tapping nervously23, yet vigorously, on the floor with his tail. Twitching24 all over, he even uttered a plaintive25 whine26. But Kolya, seeing his dog’s passionate27 excitement, decided that it was a breach28 of discipline, kept him for another minute under the bench, and only when he had opened the door into the passage, whistled for him. The dog leapt up like a mad creature and rushed bounding before him rapturously.
Kolya opened the door to peep at “the kids.” They were both sitting as before at the table, not reading but warmly disputing about something. The children often argued together about various exciting problems of life, and Nastya, being the elder, always got the best of it. If Kostya did not agree with her, he almost always appealed to Kolya Krassotkin, and his verdict was regarded as infallible by both of them. This time the “kids”’ discussion rather interested Krassotkin, and he stood still in the passage to listen. The children saw he was listening and that made them dispute with even greater energy.
“I shall never, never believe,” Nastya prattled29, “that the old women find babies among the cabbages in the kitchen garden. It’s winter now and there are no cabbages, and so the old woman couldn’t have taken Katerina a daughter.”
Kolya whistled to himself.
“Or perhaps they do bring babies from somewhere, but only to those who are married.”
Kostya stared at Nastya and listened, pondering profoundly.
“Nastya, how silly you are!” he said at last, firmly and calmly. “How can Katerina have a baby when she isn’t married?”
Nastya was exasperated30.
“You know nothing about it,” she snapped irritably31. “Perhaps she has a husband, only he is in prison, so now she’s got a baby.”
“But is her husband in prison?” the matter-of-fact Kostya inquired gravely.
“Or, I tell you what,” Nastya interrupted impulsively32, completely rejecting and forgetting her first hypothesis. “She hasn’t a husband, you are right there, but she wants to be married, and so she’s been thinking of getting married, and thinking and thinking of it till now she’s got it, that is, not a husband but a baby.”
“Well, perhaps so,” Kostya agreed, entirely33 vanquished34. “But you didn’t say so before. So how could I tell?”
“Come, kiddies,” said Kolya, stepping into the room. “You’re terrible people, I see.”
“And Perezvon with you!” grinned Kostya, and began snapping his fingers and calling Perezvon.
“I am in a difficulty, kids,” Krassotkin began solemnly, “and you must help me. Agafya must have broken her leg, since she has not turned up till now, that’s certain. I must go out. Will you let me go?”
The children looked anxiously at one another. Their smiling faces showed signs of uneasiness, but they did not yet fully35 grasp what was expected of them.
“You won’t be naughty while I am gone? You won’t climb on the cupboard and break your legs? You won’t be frightened alone and cry?”
A look of profound despondency came into the children’s faces.
“And I could show you something as a reward, a little copper36 cannon37 which can be fired with real gunpowder38.”
The children’s faces instantly brightened. “Show us the cannon,” said Kostya, beaming all over.
Krassotkin put his hand in his satchel, and pulling out a little bronze cannon stood it on the table.
“Ah, you are bound to ask that! Look, it’s on wheels.” He rolled the toy on along the table. “And it can be fired off, too. It can be loaded with shot and fired off.”
“And it could kill anyone?”
“It can kill anyone; you’ve only got to aim at anybody,” and Krassotkin explained where the powder had to be put, where the shot should be rolled in, showing a tiny hole like a touch-hole, and told them that it kicked when it was fired.
The children listened with intense interest. What particularly struck their imagination was that the cannon kicked.
“And have you got any powder?” Nastya inquired.
“Yes.”
“Show us the powder, too,” she drawled with a smile of entreaty39.
Krassotkin dived again into his satchel and pulled out a small flask40 containing a little real gunpowder. He had some shot, too, in a screw of paper. He even uncorked the flask and shook a little powder into the palm of his hand.
“One has to be careful there’s no fire about, or it would blow up and kill us all,” Krassotkin warned them sensationally41.
The children gazed at the powder with an awe-stricken alarm that only intensified42 their enjoyment43. But Kostya liked the shot better.
“And does the shot burn?” he inquired.
“No, it doesn’t.”
“Give me a little shot,” he asked in an imploring44 voice.
“I’ll give you a little shot; here, take it, but don’t show it to your mother till I come back, or she’ll be sure to think it’s gunpowder, and will die of fright and give you a thrashing.”
“Mother never does whip us,” Nastya observed at once.
“I know, I only said it to finish the sentence. And don’t you ever deceive your mother except just this once, until I come back. And so, kiddies, can I go out? You won’t be frightened and cry when I’m gone?”
“We sha-all cry,” drawled Kostya, on the verge45 of tears already.
“We shall cry, we shall be sure to cry,” Nastya chimed in with timid haste.
“Oh, children, children, how fraught46 with peril47 are your years! There’s no help for it, chickens; I shall have to stay with you I don’t know how long. And time is passing, time is passing, oogh!”
“Tell Perezvon to pretend to be dead!” Kostya begged.
“There’s no help for it, we must have recourse to Perezvon. Ici, Perezvon.” And Kolya began giving orders to the dog, who performed all his tricks.
He was a rough-haired dog, of medium size, with a coat of a sort of lilac-grey colour. He was blind in his right eye, and his left ear was torn. He whined48 and jumped, stood and walked on his hind49 legs, lay on his back with his paws in the air, rigid11 as though he were dead. While this last performance was going on, the door opened and Agafya, Madame Krassotkin’s servant, a stout50 woman of forty, marked with small-pox, appeared in the doorway51. She had come back from market and had a bag full of provisions in her hand. Holding up the bag of provisions in her left hand she stood still to watch the dog. Though Kolya had been so anxious for her return, he did not cut short the performance, and after keeping Perezvon dead for the usual time, at last he whistled to him. The dog jumped up and began bounding about in his joy at having done his duty.
“Only think, a dog!” Agafya observed sententiously.
“Why are you late, female?” asked Krassotkin sternly.
“Female, indeed! Go on with you, you brat52.”
“Brat?”
“Yes, a brat. What is it to you if I’m late; if I’m late, you may be sure I have good reason,” muttered Agafya, busying herself about the stove, without a trace of anger or displeasure in her voice. She seemed quite pleased, in fact, to enjoy a skirmish with her merry young master.
“Listen, you frivolous53 young woman,” Krassotkin began, getting up from the sofa, “can you swear by all you hold sacred in the world and something else besides, that you will watch vigilantly54 over the kids in my absence? I am going out.”
“And what am I going to swear for?” laughed Agafya. “I shall look after them without that.”
“No, you must swear on your eternal salvation55. Else I shan’t go.”
“Well, don’t then. What does it matter to me? It’s cold out; stay at home.”
“Kids,” Kolya turned to the children, “this woman will stay with you till I come back or till your mother comes, for she ought to have been back long ago. She will give you some lunch, too. You’ll give them something, Agafya, won’t you?”
“That I can do.”
“Good-bye, chickens, I go with my heart at rest. And you, granny,” he added gravely, in an undertone, as he passed Agafya, “I hope you’ll spare their tender years and not tell them any of your old woman’s nonsense about Katerina. Ici, Perezvon!”
“Get along with you!” retorted Agafya, really angry this time. “Ridiculous boy! You want a whipping for saying such things, that’s what you want!”
收听单词发音 |
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inmates
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| n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
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consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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Forsaken
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| adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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miraculous
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| adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的 | |
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astounded
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| v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词)；愕然；愕；惊讶 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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insinuating
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| adj.曲意巴结的，暗示的v.暗示( insinuate的现在分词 )；巧妙或迂回地潜入；（使）缓慢进入；慢慢伸入 | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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rigidity
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| adj.钢性，坚硬 | |
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bereaved
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| adj.刚刚丧失亲人的v.使失去（希望、生命等）( bereave的过去式和过去分词)；（尤指死亡）使丧失（亲人、朋友等）；使孤寂；抢走（财物） | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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lodgers
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| n.房客，租住者( lodger的名词复数 ) | |
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prancing
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| v.（马）腾跃( prance的现在分词 ) | |
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haughtily
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| adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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satchel
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| n.(皮或帆布的)书包 | |
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reiterated
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| 反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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twitching
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| n.颤搐 | |
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plaintive
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| adj.可怜的，伤心的 | |
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whine
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| v.哀号，号哭；n.哀鸣 | |
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passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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breach
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| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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prattled
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| v.（小孩般）天真无邪地说话( prattle的过去式和过去分词 )；发出连续而无意义的声音；闲扯；东拉西扯 | |
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exasperated
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| adj.恼怒的 | |
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irritably
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| ad.易生气地 | |
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impulsively
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| adv.冲动地 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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vanquished
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| v.征服( vanquish的过去式和过去分词 )；战胜；克服；抑制 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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gunpowder
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| n.火药 | |
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entreaty
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| n.恳求，哀求 | |
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flask
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| n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱 | |
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sensationally
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intensified
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| v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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imploring
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| 恳求的，哀求的 | |
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verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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fraught
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| adj.充满…的，伴有(危险等)的；忧虑的 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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whined
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| v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 )；哀诉，诉怨 | |
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hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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brat
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| n.孩子；顽童 | |
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frivolous
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| adj.轻薄的；轻率的 | |
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vigilantly
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| adv.警觉地，警惕地 | |
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salvation
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| n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困 | |
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