the story of a bad boy-第14部分

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t　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　their　way　out　of　a　pasteboard　chateau；　and　crawling　over　my　face　when　I　lay　asleep。　I　used　to　keep　the　pink…eyed　little　beggars　in　my　bedroom；　greatly　to　the　annoyance　of　Miss　Abigail；　who　was　constantly　fancying　that　one　of　the　mice　had　secreted　itself　somewhere　about　her　person。

I　also　owned　a　dog；　a　terrier；　who　managed　in　some　inscrutable　way　to　pick　a　quarrel　with　the　moon；　and　on　bright　nights　kept　up　such　a　ki…yi…ing　in　our　back　garden；　that　we　were　finally　forced　to　dispose　of　him　at　private　sale。　He　was　purchased　by　Mr。　Oxford；　the　butcher。　I　protested　against　the　arrangement　and　ever　afterwards；　when　we　had　sausages　from　Mr。　Oxford…s　shop；　I　made　believe　I　detected　in　them　certain　evidences　that　Cato　had　been　foully　dealt　with。

Of　birds　I　had　no　end…robins；　purple…martins；　wrens；　bulfinches；　bobolinks；　ringdoves；　and　pigeons。　At　one　time　I　took　solid　comfort　in　the　iniquitous　society　of　a　dissipated　old　parrot；　who　talked　so　terribly；　that　the　Rev。　Wibird　Hawkins；　happening　to　get　a　sample　of　Poll's　vituperative　powers；　pronounced　him　〃a　benighted　heathen；〃　and　advised　the　Captain　to　get　rid　of　him。　A　brace　of　turtles　supplanted　the　parrot　in　my　affections；　the　turtles　gave　way　to　rabbits；　and　the　rabbits　in　turn　yielded　to　the　superior　charms　of　a　small　monkey；　which　the　Captain　bought　of　a　sailor　lately　from　the　coast　of　Africa。

But　Gypsy　was　the　prime　favorite；　in　spite　of　many　rivals。　I　never　grew　weary　of　her。　She　was　the　most　knowing　little　thing　in　the　world。　Her　proper　sphere　in　life…and　the　one　to　which　she　ultimately　attained…was　the　saw…dust　arena　of　a　travelling　circus。　There　was　nothing　short　of　the　three　R's；　reading；　'riting；　and　'rithmetic；　that　Gypsy　couldn't　be　taught。　The　gift　of　speech　was　not　hers；　but　the　faculty　of　thought　was。

My　little　friend；　to　be　sure；　was　not　exempt　from　certain　graceful　weaknesses；　inseparable；　perhaps；　from　the　female　character。　She　was　very　pretty；　and　she　knew　it。　She　was　also　passionately　fond　of　dress…by　which　I　mean　her　best　harness。　When　she　had　this　on；　her　curvetings　and　prancings　were　laughable；　though　in　ordinary　tackle　she　went　along　demurely　enough。　There　was　something　in　the　enamelled　leather　and　the　silver…washed　mountings　that　chimed　with　her　artistic　sense。　To　have　her　mane　braided；　and　a　rose　or　a　pansy　stuck　into　her　forelock；　was　to　make　her　too　conceited　for　anything。

She　had　another　trait　not　rare　among　her　sex。　She　liked　the　attentions　of　young　gentlemen；　while　the　society　of　girls　bored　her。　She　would　drag　them；　sulkily；　in　the　cart；　but　as　for　permitting　one　of　them　in　the　saddle；　the　idea　was　preposterous。　Once　when　Pepper　Whitcomb's　sister；　in　spite　of　our　remonstrances；　ventured　to　mount　her；　Gypsy　gave　a　little　indignant　neigh；　and　tossed　the　gentle　Emma　heels　over　head　in　no　time。　But　with　any　of　the　boys　the　mare　was　as　docile　as　a　lamb。

Her　treatment　of　the　several　members　of　the　family　was　comical。　For　the　Captain　she　entertained　a　wholesome　respect；　and　was　always　on　her　good　behavior　when　he　was　around。　As　to　Miss　Abigail；　Gypsy　simply　laughed　at　her…literally　laughed；　contracting　her　upper　lip　and　displaying　all　her　snow…white　teeth；　as　if　something　about　Miss　Abigail　struck　her；　Gypsy；　as　being　extremely　ridiculous。

Kitty　Collins；　for　some　reason　or　another；　was　afraid　of　the　pony；　or　pretended　to　be。　The　sagacious　little　animal　knew　it；　of　course；　and　frequently；　when　Kitty　was　banging　out　clothes　near　the　stable；　the　mare　being　loose　in　the　yard；　would　make　short　plunges　at　her。　Once　Gypsy　seized　the　basket　of　clothespins　with　her　teeth；　and　rising　on　her　hind　legs；　pawing　the　air　with　her　fore　feet　followed　Kitty　clear　up　to　the　scullery　steps。

That　part　of　the　yard　was　shut　off　from　the　rest　by　a　gate；　but　no　gate　was　proof　against　Gypsy's　ingenuity。　She　could　let　down　bars；　lift　up　latches；　draw　bolts；　and　turn　all　sorts　of　buttons。　This　accomplishment　rendered　it　hazardous　for　Miss　Abigail　or　Kitty　to　leave　any　eatables　on　the　kitchen　table　near　the　window。　On　one　occasion　Gypsy　put　in　her　head　and　lapped　up　six　custard　pies　that　had　been　placed　by　the　casement　to　cool。

An　account　of　my　young　lady's　various　pranks　would　fill　a　thick　volume。　A　favorite　trick　of　hers；　on　being　requested　to　〃walk　like　Miss　Abigail；〃　was　to　assume　a　little　skittish　gait　so　true　to　nature　that　Miss　Abigail　herself　was　obliged　to　admit　the　cleverness　of　the　imitation。

The　idea　of　putting　Gypsy　through　a　systematic　course　of　instruction　was　suggested　to　me　by　a　visit　to　the　circus　which　gave　an　annual　performance　in　Rivermouth。　This　show　embraced　among　its　attractions　a　number　of　trained　Shetland　ponies；　and　I　determined　that　Gypsy　should　likewise　have　the　benefit　of　a　liberal　education。　I　succeeded　in　teaching　her　to　waltz；　to　fire　a　pistol　by　tugging　at　a　string　tied　to　the　trigger；　to　lie　down　dead；　to　wink　one　eye；　and　to　execute　many　other　feats　of　a　difficult　nature。　She　took　to　her　studies　admirably；　and　enjoyed　the　whole　thing　as　much　as　anyone。

The　monkey　was　a　perpetual　marvel　to　Gypsy。　They　became　bosom…fr