登陆注册
19621200000063

第63章 XVIII(2)

"We say, 'Let them talk,'" persisted Rickie, "but I never did like letting people talk. We are right and they are wrong, but Iwish the thing could have been done more quietly. The headmaster does get so excited. He has given a gang of foolish people their opportunity. I don't like being branded as the day-boy's foe, when I think how much I would have given to be a day-boy myself.

My father found me a nuisance, and put me through the mill, and Ican never forget it particularly the evenings.""There's very little bullying here," said Agnes.

"There was very little bullying at my school. There was simply the atmosphere of unkindness, which no discipline can dispel. It's not what people do to you, but what they mean, that hurts.""I don't understand."

"Physical pain doesn't hurt--at least not what I call hurt--if a man hits you by accident or play. But just a little tap, when you know it comes from hatred, is too terrible. Boys do hate each other: I remember it, and see it again. They can make strong isolated friendships, but of general good-fellowship they haven't a notion.""All I know is there's very little bullying here.""You see, the notion of good-fellowship develops late: you can just see its beginning here among the prefects: up at Cambridge it flourishes amazingly. That's why I pity people who don't go up to Cambridge: not because a University is smart, but because those are the magic years, and--with luck--you see up there what you couldn't see before and mayn't ever see again.

"Aren't these the magic years?" the lady demanded.

He laughed and hit at her. "I'm getting somewhat involved. But hear me, O Agnes, for I am practical. I approve of our public schools. Long may they, flourish. But I do not approve of the boarding-house system. It isn't an inevitable adjunct--""Good gracious me!" she shrieked. "Have you gone mad?""Silence, madam. Don't betray me to Herbert, or I'll give us the sack. But seriously, what is the good of, throwing boys so much together? Isn't it building their lives on a wrong basis? They don't understand each other. I wish they did, but they don't.

They don't realize that human beings are simply marvellous.

When they do, the whole of life changes, and you get the true thing. But don't pretend you've got it before you have.

Patriotism and esprit de corps are all very well, but masters a little forget that they must grow from sentiment. They cannot create one. Cannot-cannot--cannot. I never cared a straw for England until I cared for Englishmen, and boys can't love the school when they hate each other. Ladies and gentlemen, I will now conclude my address. And most of it is copied out of Mr. Ansell."

The truth is, he was suddenly ashamed. He had been carried away on the flood of his old emotions. Cambridge and all that it meant had stood before him passionately clear, and beside it stood his mother and the sweet family life which nurses up a boy until he can salute his equals. He was ashamed, for he remembered his new resolution--to work without criticizing, to throw himself vigorously into the machine, not to mind if he was pinched now and then by the elaborate wheels.

"Mr. Ansell!" cried his wife, laughing somewhat shrilly. "Aha!

Now I understand. It's just the kind of thing poor Mr. Ansell would say. Well, I'm brutal. I believe it does Varden good to have his ears pulled now and then, and I don't care whether they pull them in play or not. Boys ought to rough it, or they never grow up into men, and your mother would have agreed with me. Oh yes; and you're all wrong about patriotism. It can, can, create a sentiment."She was unusually precise, and had followed his thoughts with an attention that was also unusual. He wondered whether she was not right, and regretted that she proceeded to say, "My dear boy, you mustn't talk these heresies inside Dunwood House! You sound just like one of that reactionary Jackson set, who want to fling the school back a hundred years and have nothing but day-boys all dressed anyhow.""The Jackson set have their points."

"You'd better join it."

"The Dunwood House set has its points." For Rickie suffered from the Primal Curse, which is not--as the Authorized Version suggests--the knowledge of good and evil, but the knowledge of good-and-evil.

"Then stick to the Dunwood House set."

"I do, and shall." Again he was ashamed. Why would he see the other side of things? He rebuked his soul, not unsuccessfully, and then they returned to the subject of Varden.

"I'm certain he suffers," said he, for she would do nothing but laugh. "Each boy who passes pulls his ears--very funny, no doubt;but every day they stick out more and get redder, and this afternoon, when he didn't know he was being watched, he was holding his head and moaning. I hate the look about his eyes.""I hate the whole boy. Nasty weedy thing."

"Well, I'm a nasty weedy thing, if it comes to that.""No, you aren't," she cried, kissing him. But he led her back to the subject. Could nothing be suggested? He drew up some new rules--alterations in the times of going to bed, and so on--the effect of which would be to provide fewer opportunities for the pulling of Varden's ears. The rules were submitted to Herbert, who sympathized with weakliness more than did his sister, and gave them his careful consideration. But unfortunately they collided with other rules, and on a closer examination he found that they also ran contrary to the fundamentals on which the government of Dunwood House was based. So nothing was done. Agnes was rather pleased, and took to teasing her husband about Varden.

At last he asked her to stop. He felt uneasy about the boy--almost superstitious. His first morning's work had brought sixty pounds a year to their hotel.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 你是我的敌人

    你是我的敌人

    这是一段因为“非典”而起,却不因“非典”而结束的爱情。北漂青年、报社记者杨一在“非典”期间接到任务去机场采访,却莫名被一个戴着口罩的姑娘劫持,姑娘求他“掩护”自己通过哨卡。杨一鬼使神差般带着这个不知道名字和长相的姑娘,在夜的北京一路疾驰……当时他并不知道自己的命运会和这个姑娘紧紧纠缠在一起,也不知道,姑娘手腕上的一串水晶,竟然牵连着自己绝口不提的过去,更预示着两人璀璨却易碎的爱情。
  • 封灭途

    封灭途

    绝世秘籍?特殊功法?无敌宝器?不不不,我们只有独属于自己的原力。有些单调?强化,操纵,变化,具象,特质,辅助,原力并不是都一样担心技法少?其实不同类别的原力是可以相互配合的
  • 网游之刀剑神域——一剑凌天著

    网游之刀剑神域——一剑凌天著

    十年前凌风为完成父母死前的遗言,进入了这个十年巨作的虚拟网游《神域》并找寻父母口中的惊天秘密。一切的开始都在此,一切的谜团都将在神域解开。现实与游戏相互交错,刀与剑的激情,力量的渴望,热血的战斗,无尽的旅途,梦想不再是不可实现,我悟了,我将纵横天下,刀剑神域!
  • 中华人民共和国就业促进法

    中华人民共和国就业促进法

    为了促进就业,促进经济发展与扩大就业相协调,促进社会和谐稳定,制定本法。
  • 友谊联线

    友谊联线

    当她遇到TFBOYS后发生了许多不可思议的事。某女:“我就这样子出道了!!!出道有什么好处?”某经纪人:“好处就多着了,你可以近距离的靠近你喜欢的明星要签名!怎样?"某女瞥了某经纪人一眼:“不好意思,偶不追星!”某经纪人:“有钱赚!”某女双眼发光:“钱!!!$$$$$$$好呀好呀!我签约,我出道!我要钱钱!”源:“你丫的掉钱眼儿你去了!”某女:“我喜欢!”某经济人奸笑心想:又捡到了一个宝呀!宝呀!“(某瑶:“为啥是“又”?还有谁?”某经纪人:”嘻嘻当然还有凯皇他们呀!难道他们不是宝?“某瑶:”呵呵,呵呵,是是是,他们当然是宝呀!“)欲知后事如何,请看内容!!!
  • 观念

    观念

    全球最畅销图书《致加西亚的信》的作者继《自动自发》之后的又一颠峰力作。一本改变人生和命运的必读书。 《观念》一书是从阿尔伯特·哈伯德众多著作中浓缩出来的商业思想的精华,书中洋溢着勤奋、敬业、忠诚、主动的“罗文精神”,强调转变观念才能改变一生,是继《致加西亚的信》、《自动自发》之后所有公务员和公司职员的又一必读之书。
  • 怀孕生活参照书

    怀孕生活参照书

    只有健康怀孕才能生育健康宝宝,因此,在怀孕时要保证没有遗传疾病和先天疾病,同时还要注意整个孕期的保健,特别是饮食保健和医疗预防等知识,还必须了解有关妊娠知识和胎儿发育规律,并很好地进行胎教,这样的健康怀孕,才能生育身心非常健康的小宝宝。
  • 江城,女汉子出没

    江城,女汉子出没

    武汉四个女汉子同居一室的故事。毕业于某名牌大学、工作狂兼跆拳道高手、在老三方子琪屡败屡战的相亲场上打得一手好酱油的老大周希田;毕业于某二本学校,写得一手好文,炒得一手好菜的老二林香(外号:八角);相信此生的好坏都由嫁不嫁得好的逛街达人、时尚潮人、月光族、公主病患者、如果有钱就会去把自己整成天朝第一美女的老三方子琪;走在迷迷糊糊的人生路,个性直爽,有什么说什么,身高170,绝对的女汉子代表,智商待定,情商待定,未来待定的90后老幺吴葩如。四个女汉子,故事便从2013年的秋天开始。
  • 隐婚暖妻

    隐婚暖妻

    她只是一个普通小女生,阴差阳错之下竟有高富帅向她未婚。“昨晚你提的那事,我考虑过了,就那样吧。”她羞涩,面红耳赤。“没机会了。”男人翻开杂志,不带感情开口,“未婚妻的位置已经有人顶替。”啥?被人篡位?米果郁闷,退一步问,“那……情人行不行?”“佣人行不行?”男人反问。“成交!”为了逃离那个家,米果豁出去。结果同一屋檐下第一天,她把他嘴咬了。同一屋檐下第二天,她把他房子烧了。同一屋檐下第三天……但即便她完全没有当佣人的潜力,还是要争取应得的福利。“我要薪水!”“给我生儿子就给你."
  • 韶华素年

    韶华素年

    清朝时期,戏子皆卑,多少优伶爱情坎坷,又有多少优伶不服与命.当夜幕降临时,有多少伶人独坐床边,无尽流着心酸的泪.台上长袖唱罢人生,究竟哪个才是真正的自己.白梅烟八岁时便入了锦园子,她的童年全然生悲,至几春秋,终于遇到心仪之人.虽为穷书生,但梅烟足以,只要与心爱之人相守一生,什么荣华富贵皆抵不过那清贫日子.可往往这样想着,老天却偏不从你,苍天的不公,这世道的难从,为何戏子一生皆要如此……