the story of a bad boy-第15节

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ck　eye；　and　my　swollen　lip；　if　you　will；　but　not　a　word　of　the　fight。

You'll　get　no　description　of　it　from　me；　simply　because　I　think　it　would　prove　very　poor　reading；　and　not　because　I　consider　my　revolt　against　Conway's　tyranny　unjustifiable。

I　had　borne　Conway's　persecutions　for　many　months　with　lamb…like　patience。　I　might　have　shielded　myself　by　appealing　to　Mr。　Grimshaw；　but　no　boy　in　the　Temple　Grammar　School　could　do　that　without　losing　caste。　Whether　this　was　just　or　not　doesn't　matter　a　pin；　since　it　was　so…a　traditionary　law　of　the　place。　The　personal　inconvenience　I　suffered　from　my　tormentor　was　nothing　to　the　pain　he　inflicted　on　me　indirectly　by　his　persistent　cruelty　to　little　Binny　Wallace。　I　should　have　lacked　the　spirit　of　a　hen　if　I　had　not　resented　it　finally。　I　am　glad　that　I　faced　Conway；　and　asked　no　favors；　and　got　rid　of　him　forever。　I　am　glad　that　Phil　Adams　taught　me　to　box；　and　I　say　to　all　youngsters：　Learn　to　box；　to　ride；　to　pull　an　oar；　and　to　swim。　The　occasion　may　come　round；　when　a　decent　proficiency　in　one　or　the　rest　of　these　accomplishments　will　be　of　service　to　you。

In　one　of　the　best　books1　ever　written　for　boys　are　these　words：

〃Learn　to　box；　then；　as　you　learn　to　play　cricket　and　football。　Not　one　of　you　will　be　the　worse；　but　very　much　the　better；　for　learning　to　box　well。　Should　you　never　have　to　use　it　in　earnest　there's　no　exercise　in　the　world　so　good　for　the　temper；　and　for　the　muscles　of　the　back　and　legs。

〃As　for　fighting；　keep　out　of　it；　if　you　can；　by　all　means。　When　the　time　comes；　if　ever　it　should；　that　you　have　to　say　'Yes'　or　'No'　to　a　challenge　to　fight；　say　'No'　if　you　can…only　take　care　you　make　it　plain　to　yourself　why　you　say　'No。'　It's　a　proof　of　the　highest　courage；　if　done　from　true　Christian　motives。　It's　quite　right　and　justifiable；　if　done　from　a　simple　aversion　to　physical　pain　and　danger。　But　don't　say　'No'　because　you　fear　a　licking　and　say　or　think　it's　because　you　fear　God；　for　that's　neither　Christian　nor　honest。　And　if　you　do　fight；　fight　it　out；　and　don't　give　in　while　you　can　stand　and　see。〃

And　don't　give　in　when　you　can't！　say　1。　For　I　could　stand　very　little；　and　see　not　at　all　（having　pommelled　the　school　pump　for　the　last　twenty　seconds）；　when　Conway　retired　from　the　field。　As　Phil　Adams　stepped　up　to　shake　hands　with　me；　he　received　a　telling　blow　in　the　stomach；　for　all　the　fight　was　not　out　of　me　yet；　and　I　mistook　him　for　a　new　adversary。

Convinced　of　my　error；　I　accepted　his　congratulations；　with　those　of　the　other　boys；　blandly　and　blindly。　I　remember　that　Binny　Wallace　wanted　to　give　me　his　silver　pencil…case。　The　gentle　soul　had　stood　throughout　the　contest　with　his　face　turned　to　the　fence；　suffering　untold　agony。

A　good　wash　at　the　pump；　and　a　cold　key　applied　to　my　eye；　refreshed　me　amazingly。　Escorted　by　two　or　three　of　the　schoolfellows；　I　walked　home　through　the　pleasant　autumn　twilight；　battered　but　triumphant。　As　I　went　along；　my　cap　cocked　on　one　side　to　keep　the　chilly　air　from　my　eye；　I　felt　that　I　was　not　only　following　my　nose；　but　following　it　so　closely；　that　I　was　in　some　danger　of　treading　on　it。　I　seemed　to　have　nose　enough　for　the　whole　party。　My　left　cheek；　also；　was　puffed　out　like　a　dumpling。　I　couldn't　help　saying　to　myself；　〃If　this　is　victory；　how　about　that　other　fellow？〃

〃Tom；〃　said　Harry　Blake；　hesitating。

〃Well？〃

〃Did　you　see　Mr。　Grimshaw　looking　out　of　the　recitation…room　window　just　as　we　left　the　yard？〃

〃No　was　he；　though？〃

〃I　am　sure　of　it。〃

〃Then　he　must　have　seen　all　the　row。〃

〃Shouldn't　wonder。〃

〃No；　he　didn't；〃　broke　in　Adams；　〃or　he　would　have　stopped　it　short　metre；　but　I　guess　be　saw　you　pitching　into　the　pump　which　you　did　uncommonly　strong…and　of　course　be　smelt　mischief　directly。〃

〃Well；　it　can't　be　helped　now；〃　I　reflected。

〃…As　the　monkey　said　when　he　fell　out　of　the　cocoanut　tree；〃　added　Charley　Marden；　trying　to　make　me　laugh。

It　was　early　candle…light　when　we　reached　the　house。　Miss　Abigail；　opening　the　front　door；　started　back　at　my　hilarious　appearance。　I　tried　to　smile　upon　her　sweetly；　but　the　smile；　rippling　over　my　swollen　cheek；　and　dying　away　like　a　spent　wave　on　my　nose；　produced　an　expression　of　which　Miss　Abigail　declared　she　had　never　seen　the　like　excepting　on　the　face　of　a　Chinese　idol。

She　hustled　me　unceremoniously　into　the　presence　of　my　grandfather　in　the　sitting…room。　Captain　Nutter；　as　the　recognized　professional　warrior　of　our　family；　could　not　consistently　take　me　to　task　for　fighting　Conway；　nor　was　he　disposed　to　do　so；　for　the　Captain　was　well　aware　of　the　long…continued　provocation　I　had　endured。

〃Ah；　you　rascal！〃　cried　the　old　gentleman；　after　hearing　my　story。　〃Just　like　me　when　I　was　young…always　in　one　kind　of　trouble　or　another。　I　believe　it　runs　in　the　family。〃

〃I　think；〃　said　Miss　Abigail；　without　the　faintest　expression）　on　her　countenance；　〃that　a　table…spoonful　of　hot…dro…〃　The　Captain　interrupted　Miss　Abigail　peremptorily；　directing　her　to　make　a　shade　out　of　cardboard　and　black　silk　to　tie　over　my　eye。　Miss　Abigail　must　have　been　possessed　with　the　idea　that　I　had　taken　up　pugilism　as　a　profession；　for　she　turned　out　no　fewer　than　six　of　these　blinders。

〃They'll　be　handy　to　have　in　the　house；〃　says　Miss　Abigail；　grimly。

Of　course；　so　great　a　breach　of　discipline　was　not　to　be　passed　over　by　Mr。　Grimshaw。　He　had；　as　we　suspected；　witnessed　the　closing　scene　of　the　fight　from　the　school…room　window；　and　the　next　morning；　after　prayers；　I　was　not　wholly　unprepared　when　Master　Conway　and　myself　were　called　up　to　the　desk　for　examination。　Conway；　with　a　piece　of　court…plaster　in　the　shape　of　a　Maltese　cross　on　his　right　cheek；　and　I　with　the　silk　patch　over　my　left　eye；　caused　a　general　titter　through　the　room。

〃Silence！〃　said　Mr。　Grimshaw；　sharply。

As　the　reader　is　already　familiar　with　the　leading　points　in　the　case　of　Bailey　versus　Conway；　I　shall　not　report　the　trial　further　than　to　say　that　Adams；　Marden；　and　several　other　pupils　testified　to　the　fact　that　Conway　had　imposed　on　me　ever　since　my　first　day　at　the　Temple　School。　Their　evidence　also　went　to　show　that　Conway　was　a　quarrelsome　character　generally。　Bad　for　Conway。　Seth　Rodgers；　on　the　part　of　his　friend；　proved　that　I　had　struck　the　first　blow。　That　was　bad　for　me。

〃If　you　please；　sir；〃　said　Binny　Wallace；　holding　up　his　hand　for　permission　to　speak；　〃Bailey　didn't　fight　on　his　own　account；　he　fought　on　my　account；　and；　if　you　please；　sir；　I　am　the　boy　to　be　blamed；　for　I　was　the　cause　of　the　trouble。〃

This　drew　out　the　story　of　Conway's　harsh　treatment　of　the　smaller　boys。　As　Binny　related　the　wrongs　of　his　playfellows；　saying　very　little　of　his　own　grievances；　I　noticed　that　Mr。　Grimshaw's　hand；　unknown　to　himself　perhaps；　rested　lightly　from　time　to　time　on　Wallace's　sunny　hair。　The　examination　finished；　Mr。　Grimshaw　leaned　on　the　desk　thoughtfully　for　a　moment　and　then　said：

〃Every　boy　in　this　school　knows　that　it　is　against　the　rules　to　fight。　If　one　boy　maltreats　another；　within　school…bounds；　or　within　school…hours；　that　is　a　matter　for　me　to　settle。　The　case　should　be　laid　before　me。　I　disapprove　of　tale…bearing；　I　never　encourage　it　in　the　slightest　degree；　but　when　one　pupil　systematically　persecutes　a　schoolmate；　it　is　the　duty　of　some　head…boy　to　inform　me。　No　pupil　has　a　right　to　take　the　law　into　his　own　hands。　If　there　is　any　fighting　to　be　done；　I　am　the　person　to　be　consulted。　I　disapprove　of　boys'　fighting；　it　is　unnecessary　and　unchristian。　In　the　present　instance；　I　consider　every　large　boy　in　this　school　at　fault；　but　as　the　offence　is　one　of　omission　rather　than　commission；　my　punishment　must　rest　only　on　the　two　boys　convicted　of　misdemeanor。　Conway　loses　his　recess　for　a　month；　and　Bailey　has　a　page　added　to　his　Latin　lessons　for　the　next　four　recitations。　I　now　request　Bailey　and　Conway　to　shake　hands　in　the　presence　of　the　school；　and　acknowledge　their　regret　at　what　has　occurred。〃

Conway　and　I　approached　each　other　slowly　and　cautiously；　as　if　we　were　bent　upon　another　hostile　collision。　We　clasped　hands　in　the　tamest　manner　imaginable；　and　Conway　mumbled；　〃I'm　sorry　I　fought　with　you。'

〃I　think　you　are；'　I　replied；　drily；　〃and　I'm　sorry　I　had　to　thrash　you。〃

〃You　can　go　to　your　seats；〃　said　Mr。　Grimshaw；　turning　his　face　aside　to　hide　a　smile。　I　am　sure　my　apology　was　a　very　good　one。

I　never　had　any　more　trouble　with　Conway。　He　and　his　shadow；　Seth　Rodgers；　gave　me　a　wide　berth　for　many　months。　Nor　was　Binny　Wallace　subjected　to　further　molestation。　Miss　Abigail's　sanitary　stores；　including　a　bottle　of　opodeldoc；　were　never　called　into　requisition。　The　six　black　silk　patches；　with　their　elastic　strings；　are　still　dangling　from　a　beam　in　the　garret　of　the　Nutter　House；　waiting　for　me　to　get　into　fresh　difficulties。



1　〃Tom　Brown's　School　Days　at　Rugby〃







Chapter　Eleven

All　About　Gypsy



This　record　of　my　life　at　Rivermouth　would　be　strangely　incomplete　did　I　not　devote　an　entire　chapter　to　Gypsy。　I　had　other　pets；　of　course；　for　what　healthy　boy　could　long　exist　without　numerous　friends　in　the　animal　kingdom？　I　had　two　white　mice　that　were　forever　gnawing