6 Mostly about Gussy

　　6
　　Mostly about Gussy
　　It was fun settling in at Quarry¹ Cottage. Mrs Cunningham was pleased and happy. She hadn’t beenlooking forward to a holiday for seven people, five of them children, knowing that she would haveto do everything for them, and that perhaps the shopping would be difficult.
　　But it was easy. The village was not too far away, even for walking purposes. The farmhousewas willing to supply a wonderful selection of good food. Mrs Gump, the tiny little charwoman,came every day, and was cheerful and hardworking. She also liked children, which was a greatblessing.
　　She didn’t like Gussy, though. ‘He orders me about, that one,’ she complained. ‘He evenwanted me to go upstairs and fetch his handkerchief for him, Mam. He’s staying with you, isn’the? Well, I’m not going to be ordered about by anyone, specially³ not little nippers like that.’
　　Gussy was very difficult those first days. He didn’t like this and he didn’t like that. Hecomplained if he was given a cracked plate. He absolutely refused to make his bed, though it was arule in the house that everyone should make their own.
　　‘I do not make beds,’ he announced, in his haughtiest⁴ manner. ‘Mrs Gump shall make my bed.’
　　‘Mrs Gump shall not,’ said Dinah, firmly. ‘You go and make your own – and for goodness’
　　sake don’t make such a fuss, Gussy.’
　　‘Fussy⁵-Gussy, Fussy-Gussy!’ chanted Kiki, in delight. ‘Fussy-Gussy, Fussy …’
　　Gus caught up a book and flung it at Kiki. The bird dodged⁶ easily, sat on the back of a chair andcackled with laughter. Gus was just about to pick up another book when he found himself on hisback on the floor.
　　Dinah had put up with enough from Gussy. She had now lost her temper, and was showing himhow well she could do it! She banged his head on the floor, and he yelled the place down.
　　Mrs Cunningham came in at once. ‘Dinah! What are you thinking of? Get up at once. Goupstairs and stay there till I come to you.’
　　‘He flung a book at Kiki,’ panted Dinah, rising up red and angry. Gussy still lay on the floor,and the tears ran down his cheeks.
　　‘Get up, Gussy,’ said Mrs Cunningham. ‘I’m just as cross with you as I am with Dinah. Go upto your room too, and stay there.’
　　‘You cannot order me,’ said Gussy, with as much dignity as he could manage through his tears.
　　‘Send this girl back home. And that wicket bird.’
　　‘ GO TO YOUR ROOM !’ said Mrs Cunningham in such a furious voice that Gussy leapt to his feet,tore up the stairs, went into his room, slammed the door and turned the key!
　　Bill came in. ‘It’s Gussy again,’ said his wife. ‘He’s such a little fathead. I hope this is going towork out all right, Bill. I think we should have thought of some other idea. The others don’tunderstand, you see. Can’t we tell them?’
　　‘I’ll have a word with Gussy again,’ said Bill. ‘If he doesn’t come to heel I’ll take him away bymyself – but I thought it would be so much safer if he was here with all of us.’
　　He went upstairs. Mrs Cunningham also went up to Dinah. Lucy-Ann was with her, arrangingthe clothes in the drawers. Dinah was very mutinous⁷.
　　‘It’s all very well,’ she said, when her mother scolded her, ‘but why should Gussy spoileverything for us? He’s always interfering⁸, always ordering us about, always wanting the best ofeverything for himself – and fancy DARING to try and hurt Kiki!’
　　‘I understand how you all feel,’ said her mother. ‘So does Bill. But he’s promised to keep aneye on Gussy for the next few weeks, and he must. I think perhaps it would be best if he tookGussy off somewhere, and left us here by ourselves.’
　　‘Oh, no,’ said Lucy-Ann at once. ‘No, Aunt Allie! You’ve married him, and he belongs to usnow. Please don’t let him do that! Dinah, say something!’
　　‘Well – I thought, I could put up with Gussy, rather than have Bill leave us,’ said Dinah. ‘But –but – oh dear, I can’t promise not to go for Gussy. I don’t think I’ll be able to stop myself! And Ican’t possibly let Bill go away either.’
　　‘Well, stay here by yourself for an hour and make up your mind,’ said her mother, losingpatience. ‘Lucy-Ann, come downstairs with me.’
　　Nobody told Jack⁹ or Philip about Gussy flinging a book at Kiki. Kiki didn’t forget though! Sheplagued the life out of poor Gussy! He never knew when she was under the table ready to tweakhis toes at the end of his sandals. He never knew when she would hide in his bedroom and wait forhim to come up. Then she would produce one of her extraordinary noises and send him downstairsin a panic at top speed!
　　‘Well, if Bill didn’t punish him – and I don’t think he did – Kiki’s doing it all right!’ said Dinahto Lucy-Ann. ‘Anyway, Gussy is certainly better. I wish he wasn’t coming on the picnic with ustoday, though.’
　　A picnic had been arranged for everyone on Sugar-Loaf Hill. It was really the name that hadattracted the children – Sugar-Loaf Hill! What a lovely name!
　　They set off together, Bill and the boys carrying the food in satchels¹¹ on their backs. Gus hadmade a fuss, of course. He seemed to think that it was a great indignity¹² to carry something on hisback.
　　‘Never haf I done this before,’ he protested. ‘In my country it is the – how do you call it? –donkeys who carry for us. Why do you not haf donkeys? I will not be a donkey.’
　　He was puzzled at the shouts of laughter that greeted this speech. ‘Oh, Gus – you’ll be the deathof me,’ said Jack. ‘Do you mean to say you didn’t know you were a donkey?’
　　‘It is bad to call me that,’ said Gussy, frowning. ‘In my country you would …’
　　‘Oh, gee-up, donkey, and stop fussing,’ said Philip, giving Gussy a shove. ‘Leave your satchelbehind, if you like. No one will mind. It’s got your lunch in, but nobody else’s! We’re carrying thegirls’ lunch, and Bill’s got Mother’s. You’ve only got your own.’
　　‘So chuck it into the bushes, then you won’t have to carry it like a donkey,’ said Dinah, with asqueal of laughter. ‘Go on, Gus!’
　　But Gus didn’t. He thought better of it, and took the satchel¹⁰ of food on his back, though helooked extremely annoyed about it.
　　Sugar-Loaf Hill was just like its name – it was very like a sugar-loaf, cone¹³ shaped but flat at thetop, and was covered with primroses¹⁴, cowslips and dog-violets.
　　‘We ought to be able to see quite a good way from the top,’ said Jack, as they toiled¹⁵ up. It was astiff pull up but at last they were at the top. A strong breeze blew round them, but the sun was hot,so it was very pleasant to feel the wind blowing by.
　　‘I say! Gussy carried his lunch after all!’ said Jack, pretending to be surprised. ‘My word, I’mhungry.’
　　They all were. They ate every single thing they had brought, and Kiki had a good share, too,especially of the bananas. She loved holding a banana in one foot and biting big pieces off it.
　　Gussy sneezed. Kiki immediately sneezed too, a much bigger sneeze than Gussy’s. Then Gussysniffed, a little habit he had which annoyed Mrs Cunningham very much.
　　Kiki sniffed¹⁷ too. ‘Stop it, Kiki,’ said Mrs Cunningham. ‘One sniffer is quite enough.’
　　‘Polly’s got a cold,’ said Kiki, and sniffed again, exactly like Gussy. Gussy took no notice butafter a minute he suddenly sniffed again.
　　‘Blow your nose!’ shouted Kiki. ‘Where’s your hanky! Gussy’s got a cold, send for …’
　　‘Be quiet, Kiki,’ said Jack. ‘Gussy, don’t keep sniffing¹⁸. If you do, you’ll set Kiki off and she’lldo nothing but sniff¹⁶ too.’
　　‘I do not sniff,’ said Gussy. ‘That bird is wicket and too clever. It should have a cage.’
　　‘Shut up, Gus,’ said Bill, who was now leaning back, enjoying a pipe. ‘Remember what I saidto you.’
　　Gus apparently¹⁹ remembered. He subsided²⁰ and lay back and closed his eyes. The others sat andlooked at the view. It was marvellous, for they could see a great way off.
　　‘That’s the village over there,’ said Philip, pointing. ‘And there’s the farmhouse². And you canjust see the tops of the chimneys and a bit of one end of the thatched roof belonging to QuarryCottage. In those trees, look.’
　　‘And there’s the road we came by – the main road,’ said Jack. ‘Where are my field glasses?
　　Would you pass them, Di. Gosh, I can see miles with these. I can see the way the main road twistsand turns; I can see the traffic on it – looking just as small as the toy cars we used to have, Philip.
　　Have a look.’
　　Philip put the glasses to his eyes. They really were magnificent ones. He could see for miles,just as Jack had said. ‘Yes – it’s queer to see the cars and the lorries looking like toys, going alongthose ribbony roads,’ said Philip. ‘Now – there’s a black car – rather like Bill’s. I’m going towatch it and see how far I can follow it.’
　　The others lay back, half asleep, listening to Philip’s voice. The sun was hot now, and theydidn’t feel inclined to go walking after such a big picnuc,‘Yes – it’s on the main road still,’ said Philip, staring through the glasses. ‘There it goes – agood speed too. Jolly good speed. May be a police car, perhaps.’
　　‘You can’t tell a police car so far away,’ said Jack. Bill looked up from his newspaper. He knewa lot about police cars!
　　‘Tell me its number and I’ll tell you if it’s a police car,’ he said. The boys laughed.
　　‘That’s clever of you, Bill,’ said Jack, ‘but you know jolly well you’re safe – you can’t possiblyread the number at this distance. Still got the car, Philip?’
　　‘Lost it for a bit,’ said Philip. ‘It’s gone behind some buildings – no, there it is again. It’s cometo crossroads – it’s gone across. Now it’s stopped.’
　　Gussy gave a little snore which Kiki immediately copied. Philip went on with his car story.
　　‘A man got out – I think he must have gone back to look at the sign post. He’s got into the caragain. Yes, they missed their way, they’re backing. Ah, I thought so – they’ve turned down theother road – the road that leads to our village.’
　　‘You’ll tell us it’s at Quarry Cottage next,’ said Jack, sleepily. You’re making all this up now, Ibet!’
　　‘I’ve lost it again. No, here it comes,’ said Philip, pleased. Yes, it’s going through the village –down into the lane. It’s stopped again. I think they’re asking the way from someone – a labourerprobably. Can’t see from here. On they go again – and they’ve turned up the farm road! They’regoing to the farmhouse. Probably rich relations of Mrs Ellis.’
　　Bill put down his paper abruptly²¹ and reached out for the glasses. He focused them on thefarmhouse and saw the car immediately – a big one, obviously expensive. He studied it intently fora minute and then handed back the glasses without a word.
　　‘Do you know the car, Bill?’ asked Jack, curiously²², seeing Bill’s expression.
　　‘No,’ said Bill. ‘I don’t. But – it just makes me think a bit, that’s all. Sorry I can’t tell you anymore. I’ll wander up to the farmhouse tonight and ask a few questions – then I’ll know a bitmore!’

1 quarry   

n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找

参考例句：

• Michelangelo obtained his marble from a quarry.米开朗基罗从采石场获得他的大理石。
• This mountain was the site for a quarry.这座山曾经有一个采石场。

2 farmhouse   

n.农场住宅（尤指主要住房）

参考例句：

• We fell for the farmhouse as soon as we saw it.我们对那所农舍一见倾心。
• We put up for the night at a farmhouse.我们在一间农舍投宿了一夜。

3 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

4 haughtiest   

haughty（傲慢的，骄傲的）的最高级形式

参考例句：

5 fussy   

adj.为琐事担忧的，过分装饰的，爱挑剔的

参考例句：

• He is fussy about the way his food's cooked.他过分计较食物的烹调。
• The little girl dislikes her fussy parents.小女孩讨厌她那过分操心的父母。

6 dodged   

v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避

参考例句：

• He dodged cleverly when she threw her sabot at him. 她用木底鞋砸向他时，他机敏地闪开了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He dodged the book that I threw at him. 他躲开了我扔向他的书。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 mutinous   

adj.叛变的，反抗的；adv.反抗地，叛变地；n.反抗，叛变

参考例句：

• The mutinous sailors took control of the ship.反叛的水手们接管了那艘船。
• His own army,stung by defeats,is mutinous.经历失败的痛楚后，他所率军队出现反叛情绪。

8 interfering   

adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词

参考例句：

• He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！
• I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。

9 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

10 satchel   

n.(皮或帆布的)书包

参考例句：

• The school boy opened the door and flung his satchel in.那个男学生打开门，把他的书包甩了进去。
• She opened her satchel and took out her father's gloves.打开书箱，取出了她父亲的手套来。

11 satchels   

n.书包( satchel的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Genuine leather satchels make young ladies fall into temptation. 真皮女用挎包——妙龄女郎的诱惑。 来自互联网
• Scans the front for mines, satchels, IEDs, and other threats. 搜索前方可能存在的地雷、炸药、路边炸弹以及其他的威胁。 来自互联网

12 indignity   

n.侮辱，伤害尊严，轻蔑

参考例句：

• For more than a year we have suffered the indignity.在一年多的时间里,我们丢尽了丑。
• She was subjected to indignity and humiliation.她受到侮辱和羞辱。

13 cone   

n.圆锥体，圆锥形东西，球果

参考例句：

• Saw-dust piled up in a great cone.锯屑堆积如山。
• The police have sectioned off part of the road with traffic cone.警察用锥形路标把部分路面分隔开来。

14 primroses   

n.报春花( primrose的名词复数 )；淡黄色；追求享乐（招至恶果）

参考例句：

• Wild flowers such as orchids and primroses are becoming rare. 兰花和报春花这类野花越来越稀少了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The primroses were bollming; spring was in evidence. 迎春花开了，春天显然已经到了。 来自互联网

15 toiled   

长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉

参考例句：

• They toiled up the hill in the blazing sun. 他们冒着炎炎烈日艰难地一步一步爬上山冈。
• He toiled all day long but earned very little. 他整天劳碌但挣得很少。

16 sniff   

vi.嗅…味道；抽鼻涕；对嗤之以鼻，蔑视

参考例句：

• The police used dogs to sniff out the criminals in their hiding - place.警察使用警犬查出了罪犯的藏身地点。
• When Munchie meets a dog on the beach, they sniff each other for a while.当麦奇在海滩上碰到另一条狗的时候，他们会彼此嗅一会儿。

17 sniffed   

v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说

参考例句：

• When Jenney had stopped crying she sniffed and dried her eyes. 珍妮停止了哭泣，吸了吸鼻子，擦干了眼泪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The dog sniffed suspiciously at the stranger. 狗疑惑地嗅着那个陌生人。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 sniffing   

n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说

参考例句：

• We all had colds and couldn't stop sniffing and sneezing. 我们都感冒了，一个劲地抽鼻子，打喷嚏。
• They all had colds and were sniffing and sneezing. 他们都伤风了，呼呼喘气而且打喷嚏。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

19 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

20 subsided   

v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上

参考例句：

• After the heavy rains part of the road subsided. 大雨过后，部分公路塌陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• By evening the storm had subsided and all was quiet again. 傍晚， 暴风雨已经过去，四周开始沉寂下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

21 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

22 curiously   

adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地

参考例句：

• He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
• He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。