some short christmas stories(圣诞故事)-第12章
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honour I don't；〃 there was sobbing and crying all over the school。 Every
other fellow said he didn't deserve it； much in the same way； but Old
Cheeseman； not minding that a bit； went cheerfully round to every boy；
and wound up with every masterfinishing off the Reverend last。
Then a snivelling little chap in a corner； who was always under some
punishment or other； set up a shrill cry of 〃Success to Old Cheeseman！
Hooray！〃 The Reverend glared upon him； and said； 〃MR。 Cheeseman；
sir。〃 But； Old Cheeseman protesting that he liked his old name a great
deal better than his new one； all our fellows took up the cry； and； for I
don't know how many minutes； there was such a thundering of feet and
hands； and such a roaring of Old Cheeseman； as never was heard。
After that； there was a spread in the dining…room of the most
magnificent kind。 Fowls； tongues； preserves； fruits； confectionaries；
jellies； neguses； barley…sugar temples； trifles； crackerseat all you can and
pocket what you likeall at Old Cheeseman's expense。 After that；
speeches； whole holiday； double and treble sets of all manners of things
for all manners of games； donkeys； pony…chaises and drive yourself；
dinner for all the masters at the Seven Bells （twenty pounds a…head our
fellows estimated it at）； an annual holiday and feast fixed for that day
every year； and another on Old Cheeseman's birthdayReverend bound
down before the fellows to allow it； so that he could never back outall at
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Old Cheeseman's expense。
And didn't our fellows go down in a body and cheer outside the Seven
Bells？ O no！
But there's something else besides。 Don't look at the next story… teller；
for there's more yet。 Next day； it was resolved that the Society should
make it up with Jane； and then be dissolved。 What do you think of Jane
being gone； though！ 〃What？ Gone for ever？〃 said our fellows； with
long faces。 〃Yes； to be sure；〃 was all the answer they could get。 None
of the people about the house would say anything more。 At length； the
first boy took upon himself to ask the Reverend whether our old friend
Jane was really gone？ The Reverend （he has got a daughter at home
turn…up nose； and red） replied severely； 〃Yes； sir； Miss Pitt is gone。〃 The
idea of calling Jane； Miss Pitt！ Some said she had been sent away in
disgrace for taking money from Old Cheeseman； others said she had gone
into Old Cheeseman's service at a rise of ten pounds a year。 All that our
fellows knew； was； she was gone。
It was two or three months afterwards； when； one afternoon； an open
carriage stopped at the cricket field； just outside bounds； with a lady and
gentleman in it； who looked at the game a long time and stood up to see it
played。 Nobody thought much about them； until the same little
snivelling chap came in； against all rules； from the post where he was
Scout； and said； 〃It's Jane！〃 Both Elevens forgot the game directly； and
ran crowding round the carriage。 It WAS Jane！ In such a bonnet！ And
if you'll believe me； Jane was married to Old Cheeseman。
It soon became quite a regular thing when our fellows were hard at it
in the playground； to see a carriage at the low part of the wall where it
joins the high part； and a lady and gentleman standing up in it； looking
over。 The gentleman was always Old Cheeseman； and the lady was
always Jane。
The first time I ever saw them； I saw them in that way。 There had
been a good many changes among our fellows then； and it had turned out
that Bob Tarter's father wasn't worth Millions！ He wasn't worth anything。
Bob had gone for a soldier； and Old Cheeseman had purchased his
discharge。 But that's not the carriage。 The carriage stopped； and all our
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fellows stopped as soon as it was seen。
〃So you have never sent me to Coventry after all！〃 said the lady；
laughing； as our fellows swarmed up the wall to shake hands with her。
〃Are you never going to do it？〃
〃Never！ never！ never！〃 on all sides。
I didn't understand what she meant then； but of course I do now。 I
was very much pleased with her face though； and with her good way； and I
couldn't help looking at herand at him toowith all our fellows
clustering so joyfully about them。
They soon took notice of me as a new boy； so I thought I might as well
swarm up the wall myself； and shake hands with them as the rest did。 I
was quite as glad to see them as the rest were； and was quite as familiar
with them in a moment。
〃Only a fortnight now；〃 said Old Cheeseman； 〃to the holidays。 Who
stops？ Anybody？〃
A good many fingers pointed at me； and a good many voices cried 〃He
does！〃 For it was the year when you were all away； and rather low I was
about it； I can tell you。
〃Oh！〃 said Old Cheeseman。 〃But it's solitary here in the holiday time。
He had better come to us。〃
So I went to their delightful house； and was as happy as I could
possibly be。 They understand how to conduct themselves towards boys；
THEY do。 When they take a boy to the play； for instance； they DO take
him。 They don't go in after it's begun； or come out before it's over。
They know how to bring a boy up； too。 Look at their own！ Though he
is very little as yet； what a capital boy he is！ Why； my next favourite to
Mrs。 Cheeseman and Old Cheeseman； is young Cheeseman。
So； now I have told you all I know about Old Cheeseman。 And it's
not much after all； I am afraid。 Is it？
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NOBODY'S STORY
He lived on the bank of a mighty river； broad and deep； which was
always silently rolling on to a vast undiscovered ocean。 It had rolled on；
ever since the world began。 It had changed its course sometimes； and
turned into new channels； leaving its old ways dry and barren； but it had
ever been upon the flow； and ever was to flow until Time should be no
more。 Against its strong； unfathomable stream； nothing made head。 No
living creature； no flower； no leaf； no particle of animate or inanimate
existence； ever strayed back from the undiscovered ocean。 The tide of
the river set resistlessly towards it； and the tide never stopped； any more
than the earth stops in its circling round the sun。
He lived in a busy place； and he worked very hard to live。 He had no
hope of ever being rich enough to live a month without hard work； but he
was quite content； GOD knows； to labour with a cheerful will。 He was one
of an immense family； all of whose sons and daughters gained their daily
bread by daily work； prolonged from their rising up betimes until their
lying down at night。 Beyond this destiny he had no prospect； and he
sought none。
There was over…much drumming； trumpeting； and speech…making； in
the neighbourhood where he dwelt； but he had nothing to do with that。
Such clash and uproar came from the Bigwig family； at the unaccountable
proceedings of which race； he marvelled much。 They set up the strangest
statues； in iron； marble； bronze； and brass； before his door； and darkened
his house with the legs and tails of uncouth images of horses。 He
wondered what it all meant； smiled in a rough good…humoured way he had；
and kept at his hard work。
The Bigwig family （composed of all the stateliest people thereabouts；
and all the noisiest） had undertaken to save him the trouble of thinking for
himself； and to manage him and his affairs。 〃Why truly；〃 said he； 〃I have
little time upon my hands； and if you will be so good as to take care of me；
in return for the money I pay over〃for the Bigwig family were not above
his money〃I shall be relieved and much obliged； considering that you
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know best。〃 Hence the drumming； trumpeting； and speech…making； and
the ugly images of horses which he was expected to fall down and
worship。
〃I don't understand all this；〃 said he； rubbing his furrowed brow
confusedly。 〃But it HAS a meaning； maybe； if I could find it out。〃
〃It means；〃 returned the Bigwig family； suspecting something of what
he said； 〃honour and glory in the highest； to the highest merit。〃
〃Oh！〃 said he。 And he was glad to hear that。
But； when he looked among the images in iron； marble； bronze； and
brass； he failed to find a rather meritorious countryman of his； once the
son of a Warwickshire wool…dealer； or any single countryman whomsoever
of that kind。 He could find none of the men whose knowledge had
rescued him and his children from terrific and disfiguring disease； whose
boldness had raised his forefathers from the condition of serfs； whose wise
fancy had opened a new and high existence to the humblest； whose skill
had filled the working man's world with accumulated wonders。 Whereas；
he did find others whom he knew no good of； and even others whom he
knew much ill of。
〃Humph！〃 said he。 〃I don't quite understand it。〃
So； he went home； and sat
