the daisy chain, or aspirations-第68章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


authority　from　him　for　the　propriety　of　going　alone　with　Mary。

She　did　not　know　how　Norman　had　jeopardised　her　projects；　but　the
danger　blew　over。　　Dr。　May　told　Margaret　that　the　place　was　clean　and
wholesome；　and　though　more　smoky　than　might　be　preferred；　there　was
nothing　to　do　any　one　in　health　any　harm；　especially　when　the　walk
there　and　back　was　over　the　fresh　moor。　　He　lectured　Ethel　herself　on
opening　the　window；　now　that　she　could；　and　advised　Norman　to　go　and
spend　an　hour　in　the　school；　that　he　might　learn　how　pleasant　peat…
smoke　wasa　speech　Norman　did　not　like　at　all。　　The　real　touchstone
of　temper　is　ridicule　on　a　point　where　we　do　not　choose　to　own
ourselves　fastidious；　and　if　it　and　been　from　any　one　but　his　father；
Norman　would　not　have　so　entirely　kept　down　his　irritation。

Richard　passed　his　examination　successfully；　and　Dr。　May　wrote
himself　to　express　his　satisfaction。　　Nothing　went　wrong　just　now
except　little　Tom；　who　seemed　to　be　justifying　Richard's　fears　of　the
consequence　of　exciting　his　father's　anger。　　At　home；　he　shrank　and
hesitated　at　the　simplest　question　if　put　by　his　father　suddenly；　and
the　appearance　of　cowardice　and　prevarication　displeasing　Dr。　May
further；　rendered　his　tone　louder；　and　frightened　Tom　the　more；
giving　his　manner　an　air　of　sullen　reserve　that　was　most　unpleasant。
At　school　it　was　much　the　samehe　kept　aloof　from　Norman；　and　threw
himself　more　into　the　opposite　faction；　by　whom　he　was　shielded　from
all　punishment；　except　what　they　chose　themselves　to　inflict　on　him。

Norman's　post　as　head　of　the　school　was　rendered　more　difficult　by
the　departure　of　his　friend　Cheviot；　who　had　always　upheld　his
authority；　Harvey　Anderson　did　not　openly　transgress；　for　he　had　a
character　to　maintain；　but　it　was　well　known　throughout　the　school
that　there　was　a　wide　difference　between　the　boys；　and　that　Anderson
thought　it　absurd；　superfluous；　and　troublesome　in　May　not　to　wink　at
abuses　which　appeared　to　be　licensed　by　long　standing。　　When　Edward
Anderson；　Axworthy；　and　their　set；　broke　through　rules；　it　was　with
the　understanding　that　the　second　boy　in　the　school　would　support
them；　if　he　durst。

The　summer　and　the　cricket　season　brought　the　battle　of　Ballhatchet's
house　to　issue。　　The　cricket　ground　was　the　field　close　to　it；　and
for　the　last　two　or　three　years　there　had　been　a　frequent　custom　of
despatching　juniors　to　his　house　for　tarts　and　ginger…beer　bottles。
Norman　knew　of　instances　last　year　in　which　this　had　led　to　serious
mischief；　and　had　made　up　his　mind　that；　at　whatever　loss　of
popularity；　it　was　his　duty　to　put　a　stop　to　the　practice。

He　was　an　ardent　cricketer　himself；　and　though　the　game　did　not；　in
anticipation；　seem　to　him　to　have　all　the　charms　of　last　year；　he
entered　into　it　with　full　zest　when　once　engaged。　　But　his　eye　was　on
all　parts　of　the　field；　and　especially　on　the　corner　by　the　bridge；
and　the　boys　knew　him　well　enough　to　attempt　nothing　unlawful　within
the　range　of　that　glance。　　However；　the　constant　vigilance　was　a
strain　too　great　to　be　always　kept　up；　and　he　had　reason　to　believe
he　was　eluded　more　than　once。

At　last　came　a　capture；　something　like　that　of　Tom；　one　which　he
could　not　have　well　avoided　making。　　The　victim　was　George　Larkins；
the　son　of　a　clergyman　in　the　neighbourhood；　a　wild；　merry　varlet；
who　got　into　mischief　rather　for　the　sake　of　the　fun　than　from　any
bad　disposition。

His　look　of　consternation　was　exaggerated　into　a　most　comical
caricature；　in　order　to　hide　how　much　of　it　was　real。

〃So　you　are　at　that　trick；　Larkins。〃

〃There！　that　bet　is　lost！〃　exclaimed　Larkins。　　〃I　laid　Hill　half…a…
crown　that　you　would　not　see　me　when　you　were　mooning　over　your
verses！〃

〃Well；　I　have　seen　you。　　And　now〃

〃Come；　you　would　not　thrash　a　fellow　when　you　have　just　lost　him
half…a…crown！　　Single　misfortunes　never　come　alone；　they　say；　so
there's　my　money　and　my　credit　gone；　to　say　nothing　of　Ballhatchet's
ginger…beer！〃

The　boy　made　such　absurd　faces；　that　Norman　could　hardly　help
laughing；　though　he　wished　to　make　it　a　serious　affair。　　〃You　know；
Larkins；　I　have　given　out　that　such　things　are　not　to　be。　　It　is　a
melancholy　fact。〃

〃Ay；　so　you　must　make　an　example　of　me！〃　said　Larkins；　pretending　to
look　resigned。　　〃Better　call　all　the　fellows　together；　hadn't　you；
and　make　it　more　effective？　　It　would　be　grateful　to　one's　feelings；
you　know；　and　June；〃　added　he；　with　a　ridiculous　confidential　air；
〃if　you'll　only　lay　it　on　soft；　I'll　take　care　it　makes　noise　enough。
Great　cry；　little　wool；　you　know。〃

〃Come　with　me；〃　said　Norman。　　〃I'll　take　care　you　are　example　enough。
What　did　you　give　for　those　articles？〃

〃Fifteen…pence　halfpenny。　　　Rascally　dear；　isn't　it？　but　the　old
rogue　makes　one　pay　double　for　the　risk！　　You　are　making　his　fortune；
you　have　raised　his　prices　fourfold。〃

〃I'll　take　care　of　that。〃

〃Why；　where　are　you　taking　me？　　Back　to　him？〃

〃I　am　going　to　gratify　your　wish　to　be　an　example。〃

〃A　gibbet！　a　gibbet〃　cried　Larkins。　　〃I'm　to　be　turned　off　on　the
spot　where　the　crime　took　placea　warning　to　all　beholders。　　Only
let　me　send　home　for　old　Neptune's　chain；　if　you　please；　sirif　you
hang　me　in　the　combined　watch…chains　of　the　school；　I　fear　they　would
give　way　and　defeat　the　purposes　of　justice。〃

They　were　by　this　time　at　the　bridge。　　〃Come　in；〃　said　Norman　to　his
follower；　as　he　crossed　the　entrance　of　the　little　shop；　the　first
time　he　had　ever　been　there。　　A　little　cringing　shrivelled　old　man
stood　up　in　astonishment。

〃Mr。　May！　can　I　have　the　pleasure；　sir？〃

〃Mr。　Ballhatchet；　you　know　that　it　is　contrary　to　the　rules　that
there　should　be　any　traffic　with　the　school　without　special
permission？〃

〃Yes；　sirjust　nothing；　sironly　when　the　young　gentlemen　come
here；　sirI'm　an　old　man；　sir；　and　I　don't　like　not　to　oblige　a
young　gentleman；　sir；〃　pleaded　the　old　man；　in　a　great　fright。

〃Very　likely；〃　said　Norman；　〃but　I　am　come　to　give　you　fair　notice。
I　am　not　going　to　allow　the　boys　here　to　be　continually　smuggling
spirits　into　the　school。〃

〃Spirits！　bless　you；　sir；　I　never　thought　of　no　sich　a　thing！　　'Tis
nothing　in　life　but　ginger…beervery　cooling　drink；　sir；　of　my
wife's　making　she　had　the　receipt　from　her　grandmother　up　in
Leicestershire。　　Won't　you　taste　a　bottle；　sir？〃　and　he　hastily　made
a　cork　bounce；　and　poured　it　out。

That；　of　course；　was　genuine；　but　Norman　was　〃up　to　him；〃　in
schoolboy　phrase。

〃Give　me　yours；　Larkins。〃

No　pop　ensued。　　Larkins；　enjoying　the　detection；　put　his　hands　on　his
knees　and　looked　wickedly　up　in　the　old　man's　face　to　see　what　was
coming。

〃Bless　me！　it　is　a　little　flat。　　I　wonder　how　that　happened？　　I'll　be
most　happy　to　change　it；　sir。　　Wife！　what's　the　meaning　of　Mr。
Larkins's　ginger…pop　being　so　flat？〃

〃It　is　very　curious　ginger…beer　indeed；　Mr。　Ballhatchet；〃　said
Norman；　〃and　since　it　is　liable　to　have　such　strange　properties；　I
cannot　allow　it　to　be　used　any　more　at　the　school。〃

〃Very　well；　sir…as　you　please；　sir。　　You　are　the　first　gentleman　as
has　objected；　sir。〃

〃And；　once　for　all；　I　give　you　warning；〃　added　Norman；　〃that　if　I
have　reason　to　believe　you　have　been　obliging　the　young　gentlemen；
the　magistrates　and　the　trustees　of　the　road　shall　certainly　hear　of
it。〃

〃You　would　not　hurt　a　poor　man；　sir；　as　is　drove　to　ityou　as　has
such　a　name　for　goodness！〃

〃I　have　given　you　warning；〃　said　Norman。　〃The　next　time　I　find　any　of
your　bottles　in　the　school　fields；　your　licence　goes。　　Now；　there　are
your　goods。　　Give　Mr。　Larkins　back　the　fifteen…pence。　　I　wonder　you
are　not　ashamed　of　such　a　charge！〃

Having　extracted　the　money；　Norman　turned　to　leave　the　shop。
Larkins；　triumphant；　〃Ha！　there's　Harrison！〃　as　the　tutor　rode　by；
and　they　touched　their　caps。　　〃How　he　stared！　　My　eyes！　June；　you'll
be　had　up　for　dealing　with　old　Ball！〃　and　he　went　into　an　ecstasy　of
laughing。　　〃You've　settled　him；　I　believe。　　Well；　is　justice
satisfied？〃

〃It　would　be　no　use　thrashing　you；〃　said　Norman；　laughing；　as　he
leaned　against　the　parapet　of　the　bridge；　and　pinched　the　boy's　ear。
〃There's　nothing　to　be　got　out　of　you　but　chaff。〃

Larkins