Chapter Four A FEW LITTLE UPSETS

Chapter Four A FEW LITTLE UPSETS
　　GEORGE read the letter out loud. It was not very long, and had evidently been written in a greathurry.
　　DEAR GEORGE,
　　Your mother has been taken very ill. I am going with her to the hospital. I shall not leave her till sheis getting better. That may be in a few days' time, or in a week's time. I will telephone you each day atnine o'clock in the morning to tell you how she is. Mrs. Stick will look after you all. Try to manageall right till I come back.
　　Your loving
　　FATHER
　　"Oh dear!" said Anne, knowing how dreadful George must feel. George loved her mother dearly, andfor once in a way the girl had tears in her eyes. George never cried - but it was terrible to come homeand find her mother gone like this. And Father too! No one there but Mrs. Stick and Edgar.
　　"I can't bear Mother going like this," sobbed¹ George suddenly, and buried her head in a cushion.
　　"She - she might never come back."
　　"Don't be silly, George," said Julian, sitting down and putting his arm round her. "Of course she will.
　　Why shouldn't she? Didn't your father say he was staying with her till she was getting better- and that would be probably in a few days" time, Cheer up, George! It isn't like you to give way likethis."
　　"But I didn't say good-bye," sobbed poor George. "And I made her ask Mrs. Stick for the sandwiches,instead of me. I want to go and find Mother and see how she is myself.""You don't know where they've taken her, and if you did, they wouldn't let you in," said Dick, gently.
　　"Let's have some tea. We shall all feel better after that.""I couldn't eat anything," said George, fiercely. Timothy pushed his nose into her hands, and tried tolick them. They were under her buried face. The dog whined³ a little.
　　"Poor Timmy! He can't understand," said Anne. "He's awfully⁴ upset because you are unhappy,George."
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　　That made George sit up. She rubbed her hands over her eyes, and let Timmy lick the wet tears offthem. He looked surprised at the salty taste. He tried to get on to George's knee.
　　"Silly Timmy!" said George, in a more ordinary voice. "Don't be upset. I just got a shock, that's all!
　　I'm better now, Timmy. Don't whine² like that, silly! I'm all right. I'm not hurt."But Timothy felt certain George was really hurt or injured in some way to cry like that, and he keptwhining, and pawing at George, and trying to get on to her knee.
　　Julian opened the door. "I'm going to tell Mrs. Stick we want our tea," he said, and went out. Theothers thought he was rather brave to face Mrs. Stick.
　　Julian went to the kitchen door and opened it. Edgar was sitting there, one side of his face scarlet,where George had slapped it. Mrs. Stick was there, looking grim,"If that girl slaps my Edgar again I'll be after her," she said, threateningly.
　　"Edgar deserved what he got," said Julian, "Can we have some tea, please?""I've a good mind to get you none," said Mrs. Stick. Her dog started up from its corner and growledat Julian. "That's right, Tinker! You growl⁶ at folks that slap Edgar, said Mrs. Stick.
　　Julian was not in the least afraid of Tinker. "If you are not going to get us any tea, I'll get it myself,"said the boy. "Where is the bread, and where are the cakes?"Mrs. Stick stared at Julian, and the boy looked back at her steadfastly⁷. He thought she was a mostunpleasant woman, and he certainly was not going to allow her to get the better of him. He wished hecould tell her to go - but he had a feeling that she wouldn't, so it would be a waste of his breath.
　　Mrs. Stick dropped her eyes first. "I'll get your tea," she said, "but if I've any nonsense from you I'llget you no other meals."
　　"And if I have any nonsense from you I shall go to the police," said Julian, unexpectedly. He hadn'tmeant to say that. It came out quite suddenly, but it had a surprising effect on Mrs. Stick.
　　She looked startled and alarmed.
　　"Now, there's no call to be nasty," she said in a much more polite voice. "We've all had a bit of ashock, and we're upset, like - I'll get you your tea right now."Julian went out. He wondered why his sudden threat of going to the police had made Mrs. Stick somuch more polite. Perhaps she was afraid the police would get on to his Uncle Quentin and"he would come tearing back. Uncle Quentin wouldn't care for a hundred Mrs. Sticks!
　　He went back to the others. "Tea's coming," he said. "So cheer up, everyone!"17
　　It wasn't a very cheerful company that sat down to the tea Mrs. Stick brought in. George was nowfeeling ashamed of her tears. Anne was still upset. Dick tried to make a few silly jokes to cheereveryone up, but they fell so flat that he soon gave it up. Julian was grave and helpful, suddenly verygrown-up.
　　Timothy sat close beside George, his head on her knee. "I do wish I had a dog who loved me likethat," thought Anne. Timmy kept gazing up at George out of big brown devoted⁸ eyes. He had no eyesor ears for anyone but his little mistress now she was sad.
　　Nobody noticed what they had for tea, but all the same it did them good, and they felt better after it.
　　They didn't like to go out to the beach afterwards in case the telephone bell rang, and there was newsof George's mother. So they sat about in the garden, keeping an ear open for the telephone.
　　From the kitchen came a song.
　　"Georgie-porgie, pudding and pie,
　　Sat herself down and had a good cry,
　　Georgie-porgie . . ."
　　Julian got up. He went to the kitchen window and looked in. Edgar was there alone.
　　"Come on out here, Edgar!" said Julian, in a grim voice. I'll teach you to sing another song.
　　Come along!"
　　Edgar didn't stir. "Can't I sing if I want to?" he said.
　　"Oh yes," said Julian, "but not that song. I'll teach you another. Come along out!""No fear," said Edgar. "You want to fight me.""Yes, I do," said Julian. "I think a little bit of good honest fighting would be better for you than sittingsinging nasty little songs about a girl who is miserable⁹. Are you coming out? Or shall I come in andfetch you?"
　　"Ma!" called Edgar, suddenly feeling panicky. "Ma! Where are you?"Julian suddenly reached a long arm in at the window, caught hold of Edgar's over-long nose, andpulled it so hard that Edgar yelled in pain.
　　"Led go! Led go! You're hurding me! Led go by dose!"Mrs. Stick came hurrying into the kitchen. She gave a scream when she saw what Julian was doing.
　　She flew at him. Julian withdrew his arm, and stood outside the window.
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　　"How dare you!" yelled Mrs. Stick. "First that girl slaps Edgar, and then you pull his nose!
　　What's the matter with you all?"
　　"Nothing," said Julian, pleasantly; "but there's an awful lot wrong with Edgar, Mrs. Stick. We feel wejust must put it right. It should be your job, of course, but you don't seem to have done it.""You're downright insolent," said Mrs. Stick, outraged¹⁰ and furious.
　　"Yes, I dare say I am," said Julian. "It's just the effect Edgar has on me. Stinker has the same effect.""Stinker!" cried Mrs. Stick, getting angrier still. "That's not my dog's name, and well you know it.""Well, it really ought to be," said Julian, strolling off. "Give him a bath, and maybe we'll call himTinker instead."
　　Leaving Mrs. Stick muttering in fury, he went back to the others. They stared at him curiously¹¹.
　　He somehow seemed a different Julian - a grim and determined¹² Julian, a very grown-up Julian, arather frightening Julian.
　　"I'm afraid the fat's in the fire now," said Julian, sitting down on the grass. "I pulled old Edgar's nosenearly off his fat face, and Ma saw me doing it. I guess it's open warfare¹³ now! We shan't have a verymerry time from now on. I doubt if we'll get any meals.""We'll get them ourselves then," said George. "I hate Mrs. Stick. I wish Joanna would come back. Ihate that horrid¹⁴ Edgar too, and that awful Stinker.""Look - there is Stinker!" suddenly said Dick, putting out his hand to catch Timothy, who had risenwith a growl. But Timmy shook off his hand and leapt across the grass at once. Stinker gave a woefulhowl and tried to escape. But Timothy had him by the neck and was shaking him like a rat.
　　Mrs. Stick appeared with a stick and lashed¹⁵ out, not seeming to mind which dog she hit. Julian rushedfor the hose again. Edgar skipped indoors at once, remembering what had happened to him before.
　　The water gushed¹⁶ out, and Timothy gave a gasp¹⁷ and let go the howling mongrel he held in his teeth.
　　Stinker at once hurled¹⁸ himself on Mrs. Stick, and tried to hide in her skirts trembling with terror.
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　　"I'll poison that dog of yours!" said Mrs. Stick, furiously, to George. "Always setting on to mine.
　　You look out or I'll poison him."
　　She disappeared indoors, and the four children went and sat down again. George looked reallyalarmed. "Do you suppose she really might try to poison Timmy?" she asked Julian, in a scaredvoice.
　　"She's a nasty bit of work," said Julian, in a low tone. "I think it would be just as well to keep oldTimmy close by us, day and night, and only to feed him ourselves, from our own plates."George pulled Timothy to her, horrified¹⁹ at the thought that anyone might want to poison him.
　　But Mrs. Stick really was awful - she might do anything like that, George thought. How she wishedher father and mother were back! It was horrid to be on their own, like this.
　　The telephone bell suddenly shrilled²⁰ out and made everyone jump. They all leapt to their feet, andTimmy growled⁵. George flew indoors and lifted the receiver. She heard her father's voice, and herheart began to beat fast.
　　"Is that you, George?" said her father. "Are you all right? I hadn't time to stay and tell youeverything."
　　"Father - what about Mother? Tell me quick - how is she?" said George.
　　"We shan't know till the day after next," said her father. "I'll telephone tomorrow morning and thenthe next morning too. I shan't come back till I know she's better.""Oh Father - it's awful without you and Mother," said poor George. "Mrs. Stick is so horrid.""Now, George," said her father, rather impatiently, "surely you children can see to yourselves andmake do with Mrs. Stick till I get back! Don't worry me about such things now. I've enough worry asit is."
　　"When will you be back, do you think?" said George. "Can I come and see Mother?""No," said her father. "Not for at least two weeks, they say. I'll be back as soon as I can. But I'm notgoing to leave your Mother now. She needs me. Good-bye and be good, all of you."George put back the receiver. She turned to face the others. "Shan't know about Mother till the dayafter next," she said. "And we've got to put up with Mrs. Stick till Father comes back - and goodnessknows when that will be! It's awful, isn't it?"

1 sobbed   

哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说

参考例句：

• She sobbed out the story of her son's death. 她哭诉着她儿子的死。
• She sobbed out the sad story of her son's death. 她哽咽着诉说她儿子死去的悲惨经过。

2 whine   

v.哀号，号哭；n.哀鸣

参考例句：

• You are getting paid to think,not to whine.支付给你工资是让你思考而不是哀怨的。
• The bullet hit a rock and rocketed with a sharp whine.子弹打在一块岩石上，一声尖厉的呼啸，跳飞开去。

3 whined   

v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 )；哀诉，诉怨

参考例句：

• The dog whined at the door, asking to be let out. 狗在门前嚎叫着要出去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He whined and pouted when he did not get what he wanted. 他要是没得到想要的东西就会发牢骚、撅嘴。 来自辞典例句

4 awfully   

adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地

参考例句：

• Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
• I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。

5 growled   

v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说

参考例句：

• \"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道：“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 growl   

v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣

参考例句：

• The dog was biting,growling and wagging its tail.那条狗在一边撕咬一边低声吼叫，尾巴也跟着摇摆。
• The car growls along rutted streets.汽车在车辙纵横的街上一路轰鸣。

7 steadfastly   

adv.踏实地，不变地；岿然；坚定不渝

参考例句：

• So he sat, with a steadfastly vacant gaze, pausing in his work. 他就像这样坐着，停止了工作，直勾勾地瞪着眼。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
• Defarge and his wife looked steadfastly at one another. 德伐日和他的妻子彼此凝视了一会儿。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

8 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

9 miserable   

adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的

参考例句：

• It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。
• Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

10 outraged   

a.震惊的，义愤填膺的

参考例句：

• Members of Parliament were outraged by the news of the assassination. 议会议员们被这暗杀的消息激怒了。
• He was outraged by their behavior. 他们的行为使他感到愤慨。

11 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。

12 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

13 warfare   

n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突

参考例句：

• He addressed the audience on the subject of atomic warfare.他向听众演讲有关原子战争的问题。
• Their struggle consists mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare.他们的斗争主要是农民游击战。

14 horrid   

adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的

参考例句：

• I'm not going to the horrid dinner party.我不打算去参加这次讨厌的宴会。
• The medicine is horrid and she couldn't get it down.这种药很难吃，她咽不下去。

15 lashed   

adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥

参考例句：

• The rain lashed at the windows. 雨点猛烈地打在窗户上。
• The cleverly designed speech lashed the audience into a frenzy. 这篇精心设计的演说煽动听众使他们发狂。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 gushed   

v.喷，涌( gush的过去式和过去分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话

参考例句：

• Oil gushed from the well. 石油从井口喷了出来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Clear water gushed into the irrigational channel. 清澈的水涌进了灌溉渠道。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

17 gasp   

n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说

参考例句：

• She gave a gasp of surprise.她吃惊得大口喘气。
• The enemy are at their last gasp.敌人在做垂死的挣扎。

18 hurled   

v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂

参考例句：

• He hurled a brick through the window. 他往窗户里扔了块砖。
• The strong wind hurled down bits of the roof. 大风把屋顶的瓦片刮了下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 horrified   

a.(表现出)恐惧的

参考例句：

• The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。
• We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。

20 shrilled   

（声音）尖锐的，刺耳的，高频率的( shrill的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Behind him, the telephone shrilled. 在他身后，电话铃刺耳地响了起来。
• The phone shrilled, making her jump. 电话铃声刺耳地响起，惊得她跳了起来。