LESSON 62

THE INSOLENT BOY

无礼的男孩

1．James Selton was one of the most insolent^〔1〕 boys in the village where he lived. He would rarely^〔2〕 pass people in the street without being guilty of some sort of abuse^〔3〕.

2．If a person were well dressed he would cry out, "Dandy^〔4〕!" If a person's clothes were dirty or torn, he would throw stones at him, and annoy him in every way.

3．One afternoon, just as the school was dismissed^〔5〕, a stranger passed through the village. His dress was plain and somewhat old, but neat and clean. He carried a cane in his hand, on the end of which was a bundle, and he wore a broad-brimmed hat.

4．No sooner did James see the stranger, than he winked to his playmates, and said, "Now for some fun!" He then silently went toward the stranger from behind, and, knocking off his hat, ran away.

5．The man turned and saw him, but James was out of hearing before he could speak. The stranger put on his hat, and went on his way. Again did James approach; but this time, the man caught him by the arm, and held him fast.

6．However, he contented himself with looking James a moment in the face, and then pushed him from him. No sooner did the naughty^〔6〕 boy find himself free again, than he began to pelt the stranger with dirt and stones.

7．But he was much frightened when the "rowdy^〔7〕," as he foolishly called the man, was struck on the head by a brick, and badly hurt. All the boys now ran away, and James skulked^〔8〕 across the fields to his home.

8．As he drew near the house, his sister Caroline came out to meet him, holding up a beautiful gold chain and some new books for him to see.

9．She told James, as fast as she could talk, that their uncle^〔9〕, who had been away several years, had come home, and was now in the house; that he had brought beautiful presents for the whole family; that he had left his carriage at the tavern^〔10〕, a mile or two off, and walked on foot, so as to surprise his brother, their father.

10．She said, that while he was coming through the village, some wicked boys threw stones at him, and hit him just over the eye, and that mother had bound up the wound. "But what makes you look so pale?" asked Caroline, changing her tone.

11．The guilty boy told her that nothing was the matter with him; and running into the house, he went upstairs into his chamber. Soon after, he heard his father calling him to come down. Trembling from head to foot, he obeyed. When he reached the parlor door, he stood, fearing to enter.

12．His mother said, "James, why do you not come in? You are not usually so bashful. See this beautiful watch, which your uncle has brought for you."

13．What a sense of shame did James now feel! Little Caroline seized his arm, and pulled him into the room. But he hung down his head, and covered his face with his hands.

14．His uncle went up to him, and kindly taking away his hands, said, "James, will you not bid me welcome?" But quickly starting back, he cried, "Brother, this is not your son. It is the boy who so shamefully^〔11〕 insulted^〔12〕 me in the street!"

15．With surprise and grief did the good father and mother learn this. His uncle was ready to forgive him, and forget the injury^〔13〕. But his father would never permit James to have the gold watch, nor the beautiful books, which his uncle had brought for him.

16．The rest of the children were loaded with presents. James was obliged to content himself with seeing them happy. He never forgot this lesson so long as he lived. It cured him entirely^〔14〕 of his low and insolent manners.

【中文阅读】

1．詹姆斯·塞尔顿是他们村子里最无礼的男孩之一。他在街上和人们迎面而过的时候，很少不犯出言不逊的过错。

2．如果有人穿得很讲究，他会大声地叫：“花花公子！”要是有人的衣服弄脏了或是被撕破了，他会向他扔石头，想尽办法激怒他。

3．一天下午，刚刚放学的时候，有一个陌生人经过村庄。他衣着普通，显得有点旧，但干净整齐。手里拿着一根拐杖，拐杖的末端有个包袱，头上戴着一顶宽边帽。

4．詹姆斯一看见这个陌生人，就向他的玩伴使了个眼色，说：“这下有好戏看了！”然后他默不作声地从后面向那位陌生人走去，把他的帽子打下来，接着就逃跑了。

5．那个人转过身来看着他，可是在他还没来得及说话之前，詹姆斯已经跑出去好远，听不到了。陌生人把帽子戴上，继续往前走。詹姆斯又走过来了，不过这一次，陌生人抓住詹姆斯的手臂，紧紧地按住他。

6．然而，他只是盯着詹姆斯的脸看了一会儿，就把他往前一推，松开了他。顽皮的男孩一看到自己被放了，马上就开始向陌生人投掷泥块和石头。

7．可是当这个他口里称之为“流氓”的人被一块砖砸到头部，而且伤得很严重的时候，詹姆斯吓坏了。这时所有其他男孩都跑了，詹姆斯偷偷摸摸地越过田野，往家里走去。

8．当他靠近屋子的时候，妹妹卡洛琳跑出来迎接他，拿着一条漂亮的金项链和几本崭新的书给他看。

9．她用她最快的语速，告诉詹姆斯，他们几年前离开家的叔叔回来了，现在就在家里；他为全家人带了漂亮的礼物；他把马车留在了一两英里外的旅店里，走着来的，为的是要给他的哥哥、他们的爸爸一个惊喜。

10．她说，在叔叔穿过村庄到家里来的时候，有些顽皮的小男孩向他扔石头，把他眼睛上方打伤了，妈妈帮他包扎了伤口。“可是你的脸色怎么这么苍白？”卡洛琳问，声调也变了。

11．负罪的男孩跟她说自己没事，然后跑进屋子，上楼进了自己的房间。过了一会儿，他听到父亲喊他下楼。他浑身颤抖着，答应了。靠近客厅门口的时候，他站住了，不敢进去。

12．他的妈妈说：“詹姆斯，为什么不进来？你平常可不是这么害羞的。看见这块漂亮的手表了吗？这是你们的叔叔带回来给你的。”

13．此时詹姆斯感到多么内疚啊！小卡洛琳抓住他的手臂，把他拉进了房间里。但是他低着头，用手捂住脸。

14．他的叔叔走过来，温和地把他的手拿开，说：“詹姆斯，你不欢迎我吗？”然而很快他就后退了，喊了起来：“兄弟，这不是你的儿子。这是那个在街上无耻地侮辱我的小男孩！”

15．爸爸妈妈知道这件事后，又惊讶又伤心。他的叔叔愿意原谅他，不追究所受的伤。但是他的父亲不允许詹姆斯拥有那只金表和那些漂亮的书，那些都是他的叔叔带回来给他的。

16．其他孩子们都得到了丰富的礼物。詹姆斯只好心甘情愿地看着他们高兴。他在有生之年都忘不了这个教训。这件事完全纠正了他粗俗无礼的行为举止。

注释

〔1〕Insolent, rude, insulting.

〔2〕Rarely, hardly ever.

〔3〕Abuse, ill usage.

〔4〕Dandy, a fop.

〔5〕Dismissed, let out.

〔6〕Naughty, bad, wicked.

〔7〕Rowdy, a low fellow, who engages in fights.

〔8〕Skulked, went in a sneaking manner.

〔9〕Uncle, the brother of one's father or mother.

〔10〕Tavern, a small hotel.

〔11〕Shamefully, disgracefully.

〔12〕Insulted, treated with abuse.

〔13〕Injury, harm done.

〔14〕Entirely, altogether.