第 53 节
作者:这就是结局      更新:2022-08-21 16:39      字数:9322
  〃Speak truth;〃 said Norman; ready to shake it out of him; 〃is this
  for Anderson junior?〃
  Under those eyes; flashing with generous; sorrowful wrath; he dared
  not utter another falsehood; but Anderson's threats chained him; and
  he preferred his thraldom to throwing himself on the mercy of his
  brother who loved him。  He would not speak。
  〃I am glad it is not for yourself;〃 said Norman; 〃but do you remember
  what I said; in case I found you there again?〃
  〃Oh! don't; don't!〃 cried the boy。  〃I would never have gone if they
  had not made me。〃
  〃Made you?〃 said Norman; disdainfully; 〃how?〃
  〃They would have thrashed methey pinched my fingers in the box
  they pulled my earsoh; don't〃
  〃Poor little fellow!〃 said Norman; 〃but it is your own fault。  If you
  won't keep with me; or Ernescliffe; of course they will bully you。
  But I must not let you offI must keep my word!〃  Tom cried; sobbed;
  and implored in vain。  〃I can't help it;〃 he said; 〃and now; don't
  howl!  I had rather no one knew it。  It will soon be over。  I never
  thought to have this to do to one of us。〃  Tom roared and struggled;
  till; releasing him; he said; 〃There; that will do。  Stop bellowing;
  I was obliged; and I can't have hurt you much; have I?〃 he added more
  kindly; while Tom went on crying; and turning from him。  〃It is
  nothing to care about; I am sure; look up;〃 and he pulled down his
  hands。  〃Say you are sorryspeak the truthkeep with me; and no one
  shall hurt you again。〃
  Very different this from Tom's chosen associates; but he was still
  obdurate; sullen; and angry; and would not speak; nor open his heart
  to those kind words。  After one more; 〃I could not help it; Tom;
  you've no business to be sulky;〃 Norman took up the bottle; opened
  it; smelled; and tasted; and was about to throw it into the river;
  when Tom exclaimed; 〃Oh; don't; don't! what will they do to me? give
  it to me!〃
  〃Did they give you the money to pay for it?〃
  〃Yes; let me have it。〃
  〃How much was it?〃
  〃Fourpence。〃
  〃I'll settle that;〃 and the bottle splashed in the river。  〃Now then;
  Tom; don't brood on it any more。  Here's a chance for you of getting
  quit of their errands。  If you will keep in my sight。  I'll take care
  no one bullies you; and you may still leave off these disgraceful
  tricks; and do well。〃
  But Tom's evil spirit whispered that Norman had beaten him; that he
  should never have any diversion again; and that Anderson would punish
  him; and there was a sort of satisfaction in seeing that his perverse
  silence really distressed his brother。
  〃If you will go on in this way; I can't help it; but you'll be sorry
  some day;〃 said Norman; and he walked thoughtfully on; looking back
  to see whether Tom was following; as he did slowly; meditating on the
  way how he should avert his tyrant's displeasure。
  Norman stood for a moment at the door; surveying the court; then
  walked up to a party of boys; and laid his hand on the shoulder of
  one; holding a silver fourpence to him。 〃Anderson Junior;〃 said he;
  〃there's your money。  I am not going to let Stoneborough School be
  turned into a gin palace。  I give you notice; it is not to be。  Now
  you are not to bully May junior for telling me。  He did not; I found
  him out。〃
  Leaving Anderson to himself he looked for Tom; but not seeing him; he
  entered the cloister; for it was the hour when he was used to read
  there; but he could not fix his mind。  He went to the bench where he
  had lain on the examination day; and kneeling on it; looked out on
  the green grass where the graves were。  〃Mother! mother!〃 he
  murmured; 〃have I been harsh to your poor little tender sickly boy?
  I couldn't help it。  Oh! if you were but here!  We are all going
  wrong!  What shall I do?  How should Tom be kept from this evil?it
  is ruining him! mean; false; cowardly; sullenall that is worstand
  your sonoh! mother! and all I do only makes him shrink more from
  me。  It will break my father's heart; and you will not be there to
  comfort him。〃
  Norman covered his face with his hands; and a fit of bitter grief
  came over him。  But his sorrow was now not what it had been before
  his father's resignation had tempered it; and soon it turned to
  prayer; resolution; and hope。
  He would try again to reason quietly with him; when the alarm of
  detection and irritation should have gone off; and he sought for the
  occasion; but; alas! Tom had learned to look on all reproof as
  〃rowing;〃 and considered it as an additional injury from a brother;
  who; according to the Anderson view; should have connived at his
  offences; and turned a deafened ear and dogged countenance to all he
  said。  The foolish boy sought after the Andersons still more; and
  Norman became more dispirited about him; greatly missing Harry; that
  constant companion and follower; who would have shared his
  perplexities; and removed half of them; in his own part of the
  school; by the influence of his high; courageous; and truthful
  spirit。
  In the meantime Richard was studying hard at home; with greater
  hopefulness and vigour than he had ever thrown into his work before。
  〃Suppose;〃 Ethel had once said to him; 〃that when you are a
  clergyman; you could be Curate of Cocksmoor; when there is a church
  there。〃
  〃When?〃 said Richard; smiling at the presumption of the scheme; and
  yet it formed itself into a sort of definite hope。  Perhaps they
  might persuade Mr。 Ramsden to take him as a curate with a view to
  Cocksmoor; and this prospect; vague as it was; gave an object and
  hope to his studies。  Every one thought the delay of his examination
  favourable to him; and he now read with a determination to succeed。
  Dr。 May had offered to let him read with Mr。 Harrison but Richard
  thought he was getting on pretty well; with the help Norman gave him;
  for it appeared that ever since Norman's return from London;; he had
  been assisting Richard; who was not above being taught by a younger
  brother; while; on the other hand; Norman; much struck by his
  humility; would not for the world have published that he was fit to
  act as his elder's tutor。
  One evening; when the two boys came in from school; Tom gave a great
  start; and; pulling Mary by the sleeve; whispered; 〃How came that
  book here?〃
  〃It is Mr。 Harrison's。〃
  〃Yes; I know; but how came it here?〃
  〃Richard borrowed it to look out something; and Ethel brought it
  down。〃
  A little reassured; Tom took up an exciting story…book; and ensconced
  himself by the fire; but his agonies were great during the ensuing
  conversation。
  〃Norman;〃 Ethel was exclaiming in delight; 〃do you know this book?〃
  〃Smith?  Yes; it is in the school library。〃
  〃There's everything in it that one wants; I do believe。  Here is such
  an account of ancient galleysI never knew how they managed their
  banks of rowers beforeoh! and the Greek houseslook at the
  pictures too。〃
  〃Some of them are the same as Mr。 Rivers's gems;〃 said Norman;
  standing behind her; and turning the leaves; in search of a
  favourite。
  〃Oh! what did I see? is that ink?〃 said Flora; from the opposite side
  of the table。
  〃Yes; didn't you hear?〃 said Ethel。  〃Mr。 Harrison told Ritchie when
  he borrowed it; that unluckily one day this spring he left it in
  school; and some of the boys must have upset an inkstand over it;
  but; though he asked them all round; each denied it。  How I should
  hate for such things to happen! and it was a prize…book too。〃
  While Ethel spoke she opened the marked page; to show the extent of
  the calamity; and as she did so Mary exclaimed; 〃Dear me! how funny!
  why; how did Harry's blotting…paper get in there?〃
  Tom shrank into nothing; set his teeth; and pinched his fingers;
  ready to wish they were on Mary's throat; more especially as the
  words made some sensation。  Richard and Margaret exchanged looks; and
  their father; who had been reading; sharply raised his eyes and said;
  〃Harry's blotting…paper!  How do you know that; Mary?〃
  〃It is Harry's;〃 said she; all unconscious; 〃because of that anchor
  up in one corner; and the Union Jack in the other。  Don't you see;
  Ethel?〃
  〃Yes;〃 said Ethel; 〃nobody drew that but Harry。〃
  〃Ay; and there are his buttons;〃 said Mary; much amused and delighted
  with these relics of her beloved Harry。  〃Don't you remember one day
  last holidays; papa desired Harry to write and ask Mr。 Ernescliffe
  what clothes he ought to have for the naval school; and all the time
  he was writing the letter; he was drawing sailors' buttons on his
  blotting…paper。  I wonder how ever it got into Mr。 Harrison's book!〃
  Poor Mary's honest wits did not jump to a conclusion quite so fast as
  other people's; and she little knew what she was doing when; as a
  great discovery; she exclaimed; 〃I know!  Harry gave his paper…case
  to Tom。  That's the way it got to school!〃
  〃Tom!〃 exclaimed his father; suddenly and angrily; 〃where are you
  going?〃
  〃To bed;〃 muttered the miserable Tom; twisting his hands。  A dead
  silence of consternation fell on all the room。  Mary gazed from one
  to the other; mystified at the effect of her words; frightened at her
  father's loud voice; and at Tom's trembling confusion。  The stillness
  lasted for some moments; and was first broken by Flora; as if she had
  caught at a probability。