第 53 节
作者:
这就是结局 更新:2022-08-21 16:39 字数:9322
〃Speak truth;〃 said Norman; ready to shake it out of him; 〃is this
for Anderson junior?〃
Under those eyes; flashing with generous; sorrowful wrath; he dared
not utter another falsehood; but Anderson's threats chained him; and
he preferred his thraldom to throwing himself on the mercy of his
brother who loved him。 He would not speak。
〃I am glad it is not for yourself;〃 said Norman; 〃but do you remember
what I said; in case I found you there again?〃
〃Oh! don't; don't!〃 cried the boy。 〃I would never have gone if they
had not made me。〃
〃Made you?〃 said Norman; disdainfully; 〃how?〃
〃They would have thrashed methey pinched my fingers in the box
they pulled my earsoh; don't〃
〃Poor little fellow!〃 said Norman; 〃but it is your own fault。 If you
won't keep with me; or Ernescliffe; of course they will bully you。
But I must not let you offI must keep my word!〃 Tom cried; sobbed;
and implored in vain。 〃I can't help it;〃 he said; 〃and now; don't
howl! I had rather no one knew it。 It will soon be over。 I never
thought to have this to do to one of us。〃 Tom roared and struggled;
till; releasing him; he said; 〃There; that will do。 Stop bellowing;
I was obliged; and I can't have hurt you much; have I?〃 he added more
kindly; while Tom went on crying; and turning from him。 〃It is
nothing to care about; I am sure; look up;〃 and he pulled down his
hands。 〃Say you are sorryspeak the truthkeep with me; and no one
shall hurt you again。〃
Very different this from Tom's chosen associates; but he was still
obdurate; sullen; and angry; and would not speak; nor open his heart
to those kind words。 After one more; 〃I could not help it; Tom;
you've no business to be sulky;〃 Norman took up the bottle; opened
it; smelled; and tasted; and was about to throw it into the river;
when Tom exclaimed; 〃Oh; don't; don't! what will they do to me? give
it to me!〃
〃Did they give you the money to pay for it?〃
〃Yes; let me have it。〃
〃How much was it?〃
〃Fourpence。〃
〃I'll settle that;〃 and the bottle splashed in the river。 〃Now then;
Tom; don't brood on it any more。 Here's a chance for you of getting
quit of their errands。 If you will keep in my sight。 I'll take care
no one bullies you; and you may still leave off these disgraceful
tricks; and do well。〃
But Tom's evil spirit whispered that Norman had beaten him; that he
should never have any diversion again; and that Anderson would punish
him; and there was a sort of satisfaction in seeing that his perverse
silence really distressed his brother。
〃If you will go on in this way; I can't help it; but you'll be sorry
some day;〃 said Norman; and he walked thoughtfully on; looking back
to see whether Tom was following; as he did slowly; meditating on the
way how he should avert his tyrant's displeasure。
Norman stood for a moment at the door; surveying the court; then
walked up to a party of boys; and laid his hand on the shoulder of
one; holding a silver fourpence to him。 〃Anderson Junior;〃 said he;
〃there's your money。 I am not going to let Stoneborough School be
turned into a gin palace。 I give you notice; it is not to be。 Now
you are not to bully May junior for telling me。 He did not; I found
him out。〃
Leaving Anderson to himself he looked for Tom; but not seeing him; he
entered the cloister; for it was the hour when he was used to read
there; but he could not fix his mind。 He went to the bench where he
had lain on the examination day; and kneeling on it; looked out on
the green grass where the graves were。 〃Mother! mother!〃 he
murmured; 〃have I been harsh to your poor little tender sickly boy?
I couldn't help it。 Oh! if you were but here! We are all going
wrong! What shall I do? How should Tom be kept from this evil?it
is ruining him! mean; false; cowardly; sullenall that is worstand
your sonoh! mother! and all I do only makes him shrink more from
me。 It will break my father's heart; and you will not be there to
comfort him。〃
Norman covered his face with his hands; and a fit of bitter grief
came over him。 But his sorrow was now not what it had been before
his father's resignation had tempered it; and soon it turned to
prayer; resolution; and hope。
He would try again to reason quietly with him; when the alarm of
detection and irritation should have gone off; and he sought for the
occasion; but; alas! Tom had learned to look on all reproof as
〃rowing;〃 and considered it as an additional injury from a brother;
who; according to the Anderson view; should have connived at his
offences; and turned a deafened ear and dogged countenance to all he
said。 The foolish boy sought after the Andersons still more; and
Norman became more dispirited about him; greatly missing Harry; that
constant companion and follower; who would have shared his
perplexities; and removed half of them; in his own part of the
school; by the influence of his high; courageous; and truthful
spirit。
In the meantime Richard was studying hard at home; with greater
hopefulness and vigour than he had ever thrown into his work before。
〃Suppose;〃 Ethel had once said to him; 〃that when you are a
clergyman; you could be Curate of Cocksmoor; when there is a church
there。〃
〃When?〃 said Richard; smiling at the presumption of the scheme; and
yet it formed itself into a sort of definite hope。 Perhaps they
might persuade Mr。 Ramsden to take him as a curate with a view to
Cocksmoor; and this prospect; vague as it was; gave an object and
hope to his studies。 Every one thought the delay of his examination
favourable to him; and he now read with a determination to succeed。
Dr。 May had offered to let him read with Mr。 Harrison but Richard
thought he was getting on pretty well; with the help Norman gave him;
for it appeared that ever since Norman's return from London;; he had
been assisting Richard; who was not above being taught by a younger
brother; while; on the other hand; Norman; much struck by his
humility; would not for the world have published that he was fit to
act as his elder's tutor。
One evening; when the two boys came in from school; Tom gave a great
start; and; pulling Mary by the sleeve; whispered; 〃How came that
book here?〃
〃It is Mr。 Harrison's。〃
〃Yes; I know; but how came it here?〃
〃Richard borrowed it to look out something; and Ethel brought it
down。〃
A little reassured; Tom took up an exciting story…book; and ensconced
himself by the fire; but his agonies were great during the ensuing
conversation。
〃Norman;〃 Ethel was exclaiming in delight; 〃do you know this book?〃
〃Smith? Yes; it is in the school library。〃
〃There's everything in it that one wants; I do believe。 Here is such
an account of ancient galleysI never knew how they managed their
banks of rowers beforeoh! and the Greek houseslook at the
pictures too。〃
〃Some of them are the same as Mr。 Rivers's gems;〃 said Norman;
standing behind her; and turning the leaves; in search of a
favourite。
〃Oh! what did I see? is that ink?〃 said Flora; from the opposite side
of the table。
〃Yes; didn't you hear?〃 said Ethel。 〃Mr。 Harrison told Ritchie when
he borrowed it; that unluckily one day this spring he left it in
school; and some of the boys must have upset an inkstand over it;
but; though he asked them all round; each denied it。 How I should
hate for such things to happen! and it was a prize…book too。〃
While Ethel spoke she opened the marked page; to show the extent of
the calamity; and as she did so Mary exclaimed; 〃Dear me! how funny!
why; how did Harry's blotting…paper get in there?〃
Tom shrank into nothing; set his teeth; and pinched his fingers;
ready to wish they were on Mary's throat; more especially as the
words made some sensation。 Richard and Margaret exchanged looks; and
their father; who had been reading; sharply raised his eyes and said;
〃Harry's blotting…paper! How do you know that; Mary?〃
〃It is Harry's;〃 said she; all unconscious; 〃because of that anchor
up in one corner; and the Union Jack in the other。 Don't you see;
Ethel?〃
〃Yes;〃 said Ethel; 〃nobody drew that but Harry。〃
〃Ay; and there are his buttons;〃 said Mary; much amused and delighted
with these relics of her beloved Harry。 〃Don't you remember one day
last holidays; papa desired Harry to write and ask Mr。 Ernescliffe
what clothes he ought to have for the naval school; and all the time
he was writing the letter; he was drawing sailors' buttons on his
blotting…paper。 I wonder how ever it got into Mr。 Harrison's book!〃
Poor Mary's honest wits did not jump to a conclusion quite so fast as
other people's; and she little knew what she was doing when; as a
great discovery; she exclaimed; 〃I know! Harry gave his paper…case
to Tom。 That's the way it got to school!〃
〃Tom!〃 exclaimed his father; suddenly and angrily; 〃where are you
going?〃
〃To bed;〃 muttered the miserable Tom; twisting his hands。 A dead
silence of consternation fell on all the room。 Mary gazed from one
to the other; mystified at the effect of her words; frightened at her
father's loud voice; and at Tom's trembling confusion。 The stillness
lasted for some moments; and was first broken by Flora; as if she had
caught at a probability。