the story of a bad boy-第8节

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！


　Saturdays　we　were　dismissed　at　noon；　and　these　half…holidays　were　the　brightest　epochs　of　my　existence。

Daily　contact　with　boys　who　had　not　been　brought　up　as　gently　as　I　worked　an　immediate；　and；　in　some　respects；　a　beneficial　change　in　my　character。　I　had　the　nonsense　taken　out　of　me；　as　the　saying　is…some　of　the　nonsense；　at　least。　I　became　more　manly　and　self…reliant。　I　discovered　that　the　world　was　not　created　exclusively　on　my　account。　In　New　Orleans　I　labored　under　the　delusion　that　it　was。　Having　neither　brother　nor　sister　to　give　up　to　at　home；　and　being；　moreover；　the　largest　pupil　at　school　there；　my　will　had　seldom　been　opposed。　At　Rivermouth　matters　were　different；　and　I　was　not　long　in　adapting　myself　to　the　altered　circumstances。　Of　course　I　got　many　severe　rubs；　often　unconsciously　given；　but　I　bad　the　sense　to　see　that　I　was　all　the　better　for　them。

My　social　relations　with　my　new　schoolfellows　were　the　pleasantest　possible。　There　was　always　some　exciting　excursion　on　foot…a　ramble　through　the　pine　woods；　a　visit　to　the　Devil's　Pulpit；　a　high　cliff　in　the　neighborhood…or　a　surreptitious　low　on　the　river；　involving　an　exploration　of　a　group　of　diminutive　islands；　upon　one　of　which　we　pitched　a　tent　and　played　we　were　the　Spanish　sailors　who　got　wrecked　there　years　ago。　But　the　endless　pine　forest　that　skirted　the　town　was　our　favorite　haunt。　There　was　a　great　green　pond　hidden　somewhere　in　its　depths；　inhabited　by　a　monstrous　colony　of　turtles。　Harry　Blake；　who　had　an　eccentric　passion　for　carving　his　name　on　everything；　never　let　a　captured　turtle　slip　through　his　fingers　without　leaving　his　mark　engraved　on　its　shell。　He　must　have　lettered　about　two　thousand　from　first　to　last。　We　used　to　call　them　Harry　Blake's　sheep。

These　turtles　were　of　a　discontented　and　migratory　turn　of　mind；　and　we　frequently　encountered　two　or　three　of　them　on　the　cross…roads　several　miles　from　their　ancestral　mud。　Unspeakable　was　our　delight　whenever　we　discovered　one　soberly　walking　off　with　Harry　Blake's　initials！　I've　no　doubt　there　are；　at　this　moment；　fat　ancient　turtles　wandering　about　that　gummy　woodland　with　H。B。　neatly　cut　on　their　venerable　backs。

It　soon　became　a　custom　among　my　playmates　to　make　our　barn　their　rendezvous。　Gypsy　proved　a　strong　attraction。　Captain　Nutter　bought　me　a　little　two…wheeled　cart；　which　she　drew　quite　nicely；　after　kicking　out　the　dasher　and　breaking　the　shafts　once　or　twice。　With　our　lunch…baskets　and　fishing…tackle　stowed　away　under　the　seat；　we　used　to　start　off　early　in　the　afternoon　for　the　sea…shore；　where　there　were　countless　marvels　in　the　shape　of　shells；　mosses；　and　kelp。　Gypsy　enjoyed　the　sport　as　keenly　as　any　of　us；　even　going　so　far；　one　day；　as　to　trot　down　the　beach　into　the　sea　where　we　were　bathing。　As　she　took　the　cart　with　her；　our　provisions　were　not　much　improved。　I　shall　never　forget　how　squash…pie　tastes　after　being　soused　in　the　Atlantic　Ocean。　Soda…crackers　dipped　in　salt　water　are　palatable；　but　not　squash…pie。

There　was　a　good　deal　of　wet　weather　during　those　first　six　weeks　at　Rivermouth；　and　we　set　ourselves　at　work　to　find　some　indoor　amusement　for　our　half…holidays。　It　was　all　very　well　for　Amadis　de　Gaul　and　Don　Quixote　not　to　mind　the　rain；　they　had　iron　overcoats；　and　were　not；　from　all　we　can　learn；　subject　to　croup　and　the　guidance　of　their　grandfathers。　Our　case　was　different。

〃Now；　boys；　what　shall　we　do？〃　I　asked；　addressing　a　thoughtful　conclave　of　seven；　assembled　in　our　barn　one　dismal　rainy　afternoon。

〃Let's　have　a　theatre；〃　suggested　Binny　Wallace。

The　very　thing！　But　where？　The　loft　of　the　stable　was　ready　to　burst　with　hay　provided　for　Gypsy；　but　the　long　room　over　the　carriage…house　was　unoccupied。　The　place　of　all　places！　My　managerial　eye　saw　at　a　glance　its　capabilities　for　a　theatre。　I　had　been　to　the　play　a　great　many　times　in　New　Orleans；　and　was　wise　in　matters　pertaining　to　the　drama。　So　here；　in　due　time；　was　set　up　some　extraordinary　scenery　of　my　own　painting。　The　curtain；　I　recollect；　though　it　worked　smoothly　enough　on　other　occasions；　invariably　hitched　during　the　performances；　and　it　often　required　the　united　energies　of　the　Prince　of　Denmark；　the　King；　and　the　Grave…digger；　with　an　occasional　band　from　〃the　fair　Ophelia〃　（Pepper　Whitcomb　in　a　low…necked　dress）；　to　hoist　that　bit　of　green　cambric。

The　theatre；　however；　was　a　success；　as　far　as　it　went。　I　retired　from　the　business　with　no　fewer　than　fifteen　hundred　pins；　after　deducting　the　headless；　the　pointless；　and　the　crooked　pins　with　which　our　doorkeeper　frequently　got　〃stuck。〃　From　first　to　last　we　took　in　a　great　deal　of　this　counterfeit　money。　The　price　of　admission　to　the　〃Rivermouth　Theatre〃　was　twenty　pins。　I　played　all　the　principal　parts　myself…not　that　I　was　a　finer　actor　than　the　other　boys；　but　because　I　owned　the　establishment。

At　the　tenth　representation；　my　dramatic　career　was　brought　to　a　close　by　an　unfortunate　circumstance。　We　were　playing　the　drama　of　〃William　Tell；　the　Hero　of　Switzerland。〃　Of　course　I　was　William　Tell；　in　spite　of　Fred　Langdon；　who　wanted　to　act　that　character　himself。　I　wouldn't　let　him；　so　he　withdrew　from　the　company；　taking　the　only　bow　and　arrow　we　had。　I　made　a　cross…bow　out　of　a　piece　of　whalebone；　and　did　very　well　without　him。　We　had　reached　that　exciting　scene　where　Gessler；　the　Austrian　tyrant；　commands　Tell　to　shoot　the　apple　from　his　son's　head。　Pepper　Whitcomb；　who　played　all　the　juvenile　and　women　parts；　was　my　son。　To　guard　against　mischance；　a　piece　of　pasteboard　was　fastened　by　a　handkerchief　over　the　upper　portion　of　Whitcomb's　face；　while。　the　arrow　to　be　used　was　sewed　up　in　a　strip　of　flannel。　I　was　a　capital　marksman；　and　the　big　apple；　only　two　yards　distant；　turned　its　russet　cheek　fairly　towards　me。

I　can　see　poor　little　Pepper　now；　as　he　stood　without　flinching；　waiting　for　me　to　perform　my　great　feat。　I　raised　the　crossbow　amid　the　breathless　silence　of　the　crowded　audience　consisting　of　seven　boys　and　three　girls；　exclusive　of　Kitty　Collins；　who　insisted　on　paying　her　way　in　with　a　clothes…pin。　I　raised　the　cross…bow；　I　repeat。　Twang！　went　the　whipcord；　but；　alas！　instead　of　hitting　the　apple；　the　arrow　flew　right　into　Pepper　Whitcomb's　mouth；　which　happened　to　be　open　at　the　time；　and　destroyed　my　aim。

I　shall　never　be　able　to　banish　that　awful　moment　from　my　memory。　Pepper's　roar；　expressive　of　astonishment；　indignation；　and　pain；　is　still　ringing　in　my　cars。　I　looked　upon　him　as　a　corpse；　and；　glancing　not　far　into　the　dreary　future；　pictured　myself　led　forth　to　execution　in　the　presence　of　the　very　same　spectators　then　assembled。

Luckily　poor　Pepper　was　not　seriously　hurt；　but　Grandfather　Nutter；　appearing　in　the　midst　of　the　confusion　（attracted　by　the　howls　of　young　Tell）；　issued　an　injunction　against　all　theatricals　thereafter；　and　the　place　was　closed；　not；　however；　without　a　farewell　speech　from　me；　in　which　I　said　that　this　would　have　been　the　proudest　moment　of　my　life　if　I　hadn't　hit　Pepper　Whitcomb　in　the　mouth。　Whereupon　the　audience　（assisted；　I　am　glad　to　state；　by　Pepper）　cried　〃Hear！　Hear！〃　I　then　attributed　the　accident　to　Pepper　himself；　whose　mouth；　being　open　at　the　instant　I　fired；　acted　upon　the　arrow　much　after　the　fashion　of　a　whirlpool；　and　drew　in　the　fatal　shaft。　I　was　about　to　explain　bow　a　comparatively　small　maelstrom　could　suck　in　the　largest　ship；　when　the　curtain　fell　of　its　own　accord；　amid　the　shouts　of　the　audience。

This　was　my　last　appearance　on　any　stage。　It　was　some　time；　though；　before　I　heard　the　end　of　the　William　Tell　business。　Malicious　little　boys　who　had　not　been　allowed　to　buy　tickets　to　my　theatre　used　to　cry　out　after　me　in　the　street；



〃'Who　killed　Cock　Robin？'

'I；'　said　the　sparrer；

'With　my　bow　and　arrer；

I　killed　Cock　Robini〃'



The　sarcasm　of　this　verse　was　more　than　I　could　stand。　And　it　made　Pepper　Whitcomb　pretty　mad　to　be　called　Cock　Robin；　I　can　tell　you！

So　the　days　glided　on；　with　fewer　clouds　and　more　sunshine　than　fall　to　the　lot　of　most　boys。　Conway　was　certainly　a　cloud。　Within　school…bounds　he　seldom　ventured　to　be　aggressive；　but　whenever　we　met　about　town　he　never　failed　to　brush　against　me；　or　pull　my　cap　over　my　eyes；　or　drive　me　distracted　by　inquiring　after　my　family　in　New　Orleans；　always　alluding　to　them　as　highly　respectable　colored　people。

Jack　Harris　was　right　when　he　said　Conway　would　give　me　no　rest　until　I　fought　him。　I　felt　it　was　ordained　ages　before　our　birth　that　we　should　meet　on　this　planet　and　fight。　With　the　view　of　not　running　counter　to　destiny；　I　quietly　prepared　myself　for　the　impending　conflict。　The　scene　of　my　dramatic　triumphs　was　turned　into　a　gymnasium　for　this　purpose；　though　I　did　not　openly　avow　the　fact　to　the　boys。　By　persistently　standing　on　my　head；　raising　heavy　weights；　and　going　hand　over　hand　up　a　ladder；　I　developed　my　muscle　until　my　little　body　was　as　tough　as　a　hickory　knot　and　as　supple　as　tripe。　I　also　took　occasional　lessons　in　the　noble　art　of　self…defence；　under　the　tuition　of　Phil　Adams。

I　brooded　over　the　matter　until　the　idea　of　fighting　Conway　became　a　part　of　me。　I　fought　him　in　imagination　during　school…hours；　I　dreamed　of　fighting