the fatal boots-第2节

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New　Year's　heyday　and　merrymaking　are　over；　which　our　infancy　may

well　be　said　to　be。　　Well　can　I　recollect　that　bitter　first　of

February；　when　I　first　launched　out　into　the　world　and　appeared　at

Doctor　Swishtail's　academy。



I　began　at　school　that　life　of　prudence　and　economy　which　I　have

carried　on　ever　since。　　My　mother　gave　me　eighteenpence　on　setting

out　（poor　soul！　I　thought　her　heart　would　break　as　she　kissed　me；

and　bade　God　bless　me）；　and；　besides；　I　had　a　small　capital　of　my

own　which　I　had　amassed　for　a　year　previous。　　I'll　tell　you；　what　I

used　to　do。　　Wherever　I　saw　six　halfpence　I　took　one。　　If　it　was

asked　for　I　said　I　had　taken　it　and　gave　it　back；if　it　was　not

missed；　I　said　nothing　about　it；　as　why　should　I？those　who　don't

miss　their　money；　don't　lose　their　money。　　So　I　had　a　little

private　fortune　of　three　shillings；　besides　mother's　eighteenpence。

At　school　they　called　me　the　copper…merchant；　I　had　such　lots　of

it。



Now；　even　at　a　preparatory　school；　a　well…regulated　boy　may　better

himself：　and　I　can　tell　you　I　did。　　I　never　was　in　any　quarrels：　I

never　was　very　high　in　the　class　or　very　low：　but　there　was　no　chap

so　much　respected：and　why？　　I'D　ALWAYS　MONEY。　　The　other　boys

spent　all　theirs　in　the　first　day　or　two；　and　they　gave　me　plenty

of　cakes　and　barley…sugar　then；　I　can　tell　you。　　I'd　no　need　to

spend　my　own　money；　for　they　would　insist　upon　treating　me。　　Well；

in　a　week；　when　theirs　was　gone；　and　they　had　but　their　threepence

a　week　to　look　to　for　the　rest　of　the　half…year；　what　did　I　do？

Why；　I　am　proud　to　say　that　three…halfpence　out　of　the　threepence　a

week　of　almost　all　the　young　gentlemen　at　Dr。　Swishtail's；　came

into　my　pocket。　　Suppose；　for　instance；　Tom　Hicks　wanted　a　slice　of

gingerbread；　who　had　the　money？　　Little　Bob　Stubbs；　to　be　sure。

〃Hicks；〃　I　used　to　say；　〃I'LL　buy　you　three　halfp'orth　of

gingerbread；　if　you'll　give　me　threepence　next　Saturday。〃　　And　he

agreed；　and　next　Saturday　came；　and　he　very　often　could　not　pay　me

more　than　three…halfpence。　　Then　there　was　the　threepence　I　was　to

have　THE　NEXT　Saturday。　　I'll　tell　you　what　I　did　for　a　whole　half…

year：I　lent　a　chap；　by　the　name　of　Dick　Bunting；　three…halfpence

the　first　Saturday　for　three…pence　the　next：　he　could　not　pay　me

more　than　half　when　Saturday　came；　and　I'm　blest　if　I　did　not　make

him　pay　me　three…halfpence　FOR　THREE…AND…TWENTY　WEEKS　RUNNING；

making　two　shillings　and　tenpence…halfpenny。　　But　he　was　a　sad

dishonorable　fellow；　Dick　Bunting；　for　after　I'd　been　so　kind　to

him；　and　let　him　off　for　three…and…twenty…weeks　the　money　he　owed

me；　holidays　came；　and　threepence　he　owed　me　still。　　Well；

according　to　the　common　principles　of　practice；　after　six…weeks'

holidays；　he　ought　to　have　paid　me　exactly　sixteen　shillings；　which

was　my　due。　　For　the





　First　week　the　3d。　would　be　6d。　｜　Fourth　week　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　4s。

　Second　week　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　1s。　｜　Fifth　week　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　8s。

　Third　week　　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　　2s。　｜　Sixth　week　　。　　。　　。　　。　　。　16s。





Nothing　could　be　more　just；　and　yetwill　it　be　believed？　when

Bunting　came　back　he　offered　me　THREE…HALFPENCE！　the　mean；

dishonest　scoundrel。



However；　I　was　even　with　him；　I　can　tell　you。He　spent　all　his

money　in　a　fortnight；　and　THEN　I　screwed　him　down！　　I　made　him；

besides　giving　me　a　penny　for　a　penny；　pay　me　a　quarter　of　his

bread　and　butter　at　breakfast　and　a　quarter　of　his　cheese　at

supper；　and　before　the　half…year　was　out；　I　got　from　him　a　silver

fruit…knife；　a　box　of　compasses；　and　a　very　pretty　silver…laced

waistcoat；　in　which　I　went　home　as　proud　as　a　king：　and；　what's

more；　I　had　no　less　than　three　golden　guineas　in　the　pocket　of　it；

besides　fifteen　shillings；　the　knife；　and　a　brass　bottle…screw；

which　I　got　from　another　chap。　　It　wasn't　bad　interest　for　twelve

shillingswhich　was　all　the　money　I'd　had　in　the　yearwas　it？

Heigho！　　I've　often　wished　that　I　could　get　such　a　chance　again　in

this　wicked　world；　but　men　are　more　avaricious　now　than　they　used

to　be　in　those　dear　early　days。



Well；　I　went　home　in　my　new　waistcoat　as　fine　as　a　peacock；　and

when　I　gave　the　bottle…screw　to　my　father；　begging　him　to　take　it

as　a　token　of　my　affection　for　him；　my　dear　mother　burst　into　such

a　fit　of　tears　as　I　never　saw；　and　kissed　and　hugged　me　fit　to

smother　me。　　〃Bless　him；　bless　him；〃　says　she；　〃to　think　of　his　old

father。　　And　where　did　you　purchase　it；　Bob？〃〃Why；　mother；〃　says

I；　〃I　purchased　it　out　of　my　savings〃　（which　was　as　true　as　the

gospel）。When　I　said　this；　mother　looked　round　to　father；　smiling；

although　she　had　tears　in　her　eyes；　and　she　took　his　hand；　and　with

her　other　hand　drew　me　to　her。　　〃Is　he　not　a　noble　boy？〃　says　she

to　my　father：　〃and　only　nine　years　old！〃〃Faith；〃　says　my　father；

〃he　IS　a　good　lad；　Susan。　　Thank　thee；　my　boy：　and　here　is　a　crown…

piece　in　return　for　thy　bottle…screwit　shall　open　us　a　bottle　of

the　very　best　too；〃　says　my　father。　　And　he　kept　his　word。　　I

always　was　fond　of　good　wine　（though　never；　from　a　motive　of　proper

self…denial；　having　any　in　my　cellar）；　and；　by　Jupiter！　on　this

night　I　had　my　little　skinful；for　there　was　no　stinting；so

pleased　were　my　dear　parents　with　the　bottle…screw。　　The　best　of　it

was；　it　only　cost　me　threepence　originally；　which　a　chap　could　not

pay　me。



Seeing　this　game　was　such　a　good　one；　I　became　very　generous

towards　my　parents；　and　a　capital　way　it　is　to　encourage　liberality

in　children。　　I　gave　mamma　a　very　neat　brass　thimble；　and　she　gave

me　a　half…guinea　piece。　　Then　I　gave　her　a　very　pretty　needle…book；

which　I　made　myself　with　an　ace　of　spades　from　a　new　pack　of　cards

we　had；　and　I　got　Sally；　our　maid；　to　cover　it　with　a　bit　of　pink

satin　her　mistress　had　given　her；　and　I　made　the　leaves　of　the

book；　which　I　vandyked　very　nicely；　out　of　a　piece　of　flannel　I　had

had　round　my　neck　for　a　sore　throat。　　It　smelt　a　little　of

hartshorn；　but　it　was　a　beautiful　needle…book；　and　mamma　was　so

delighted　with　it；　that　she　went　into　town　and　bought　me　a　gold…

laced　hat。　　Then　I　bought　papa　a　pretty　china　tobacco…stopper：　but

I　am　sorry　to　say　of　my　dear　father　that　he　was　not　so　generous　as

my　mamma　or　myself；　for　he　only　burst　out　laughing；　and　did　not

give　me　so　much　as　a　half…crown　piece；　which　was　the　least　I

expected　from　him。　　〃I　shan't　give　you　anything；　Bob；　this　time；〃

says　he；　〃and　I　wish；　my　boy；　you　would　not　make　any　more　such

presents；for；　really；　they　are　too　expensive。〃　　Expensive　indeed！

I　hate　meanness；even　in　a　father。



I　must　tell　you　about　the　silver…edged　waistcoat　which　Bunting　gave

me。　　Mamma　asked　me　about　it；　and　I　told　her　the　truth；that　it

was　a　present　from　one　of　the　boys　for　my　kindness　to　him。　　Well；

what　does　she　do　but　writes　back　to　Dr。　Swishtail；　when　I　went　to

school；　thanking　him　for　his　attention　to　her　dear　son；　and　sending

a　shilling　to　the　good　and　grateful　little　boy　who　had　given　me　the

waistcoat！



〃What　waistcoat　is　it；〃　says　the　Doctor　to　me；　〃and　who　gave　it　to

you？〃



〃Bunting　gave　it　me；　sir；〃　says　I。



〃Call　Bunting！〃　and　up　the　little　ungrateful　chap　came。　　Would　you

believe　it；　he　burst　into　tears；told　that　the　waistcoat　had　been

given　him　by　his　mother；　and　that　he　had　been　forced　to　give　it

for　a　debt　to　Copper…Merchant；　as　the　nasty　little　blackguard

called　me？　　He　then　said　how；　for　three…halfpence；　he　had　been

compelled　to　pay　me　three　shillings　（the　sneak！　as　if　he　had　been

OBLIGED　to　borrow　the　three…halfpence！）how　all　the　other　boys

had　been　swindled　（swindled！）　by　me　in　like　manner；and　how；

with　only　twelve　shillings；　I　had　managed　to　scrape　together　four

guineas。　。　。　。　。



My　courage　almost　fails　me　as　I　describe　the　shameful　scene　that

followed。　　The　boys　were　called　in；　my　own　little　account…book　was

dragged　out　of　my　cupboard；　to　prove　how　much　I　had　received　from

each；　and　every　farthing　of　my　money　was　paid　back　to　them。　　The

tyrant　took　the　thirty　shillings　that　my　dear　parents　had　given　me；

and　said　he　should　put　them　into　the　poor…box　at　church；　and；　after

having　made　a　long　discourse　to　the　boys　about　meanness　and　usury；

he　said；　〃Take　off　your　coat；　Mr。　Stubbs；　and　restore　Bunting　his

waistcoat。〃　　I　did；　and　stood　without　coat　and　waistcoat　in　the

midst　of　the　nasty　grinning　boys。　　I　was　going　to　put　on　my　coat；



〃Stop！〃　says　he。　　〃TAKE　DOWN　HIS　BREECHES！〃



Ruthless；　brutal　villain！　　Sam　Hopkins；　the　biggest　boy；　took　them

downhorsed　meand　I　WAS　FLOGGED；　SIR：　yes；　flogged！　　O　revenge！

I；　Robert　Stubbs；　who　had　done　nothing　but　what　was　right；　was

brutally　flogged　at　ten　years　of　age！Though　February　was　the

shortest　month；　I　remembered　it　long。





MARCH。SHOWERY。





When　my　mamma　heard　of　the　treatment　of　her　darling　she　was　for

bringing　an　action　against　the　schoolmaster；　or　else　for　tearing

his　eyes　out　（when；　dear　soul！　she　would　not　have　torn　the　eyes　out

of　a　flea；　had　it　been　her