国外英文文学系列 Facing the World.doc
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1、国外英文文学系列 Facing the Worldby Unknown(by the Author of John Halifax, Gentleman) Glad I am, mother, the holidays are over. Its quite different going back to school again when one goes to be captain-as Im sure to be. Isnt it jolly?Mrs. Boyds face as she smiled back at Donald was not exactly jolly. Still
2、, she did smile; and then there came out the strong likeness often seen between mother and son, even when, as in this case, the features were very dissimilar. Mrs. Boyd was a pretty, delicate little English woman: and Donald took after his father, a big, brawny Scotsman, certainly not pretty, and no
3、t always sweet. Poor man! he had of late years had only too much to make him sour.Though she tried to smile and succeeded, the tears were in Mrs. Boyds eyes, and her mouth was quivering. But she set it tightly together, and then she looked more than ever like her son, or rather, her son looked like
4、her.He was too eager in his delight to notice her much. It is jolly, isnt it, mother? I never thought Id get to the top of the school at all, for Im not near so clever as some of the fellows. But now Ive got my place; and I like it, and I mean to keep it; youll be pleased at that, mother?I should ha
5、ve been if-if- Mrs. Boyd tried to get the words out and failed, closed her eyes as tight as her mouth for a minute, then opened them and looked her boy in the face gravely and sadly.It goes to my heart to tell you-I have been waiting to say it all morning, but, Donald, my dear, you will never go bac
6、k to school at all.Not go back; when Im captain! why, you and father both said that if I got to be that, I should not stop till I was seventeen-and now Im only fifteen and a half. O, mother, you dont mean it! Father couldnt break his word! I may go back!Mrs. Boyd shook her head sadly, and then expla
7、ined as briefly and calmly as she could the heavy blow which had fallen upon the father, and, indeed, upon the whole family. Mr. Boyd had long been troubled with his eyes, about as serious a trouble as could have befallen a man in his profession-an accountant-as they call it in Scotland. Lately he h
8、ad made some serious blunders in his arithmetic, and his eyesight was so weak that his wife persuaded him to consult a first-rate Edinburgh oculist, whose opinion, given only yesterday, after many days of anxious suspense, was that in a few months he would become incurably blind.Blind, poor father b
9、lind! Donald put his hand before his own eyes. He was too big a boy to cry, or at any rate, to be seen crying, but it was with a choking voice that he spoke next: Ill be his eyes; Im old enough.Yes; in many ways you are, my son, said Mrs. Boyd, who had had a day and a night to face her sorrow, and k
10、new she must do so calmly. But you are not old enough to manage the business; your father will require to take a partner immediately, which will reduce our income one-half. Therefore we cannot possibly afford to send you to school again. The little ones must go, they are not nearly educated yet, but
11、 you are. You will have to face the world and earn your own living, as soon as ever you can. My poor boy!Dont call me poor, mother. Ive got you and father and the rest. And, as you say, Ive had a good education so far. And Im fifteen and a half, no, fifteen and three-quarters- almost a man. Im not a
12、fraid.Nor I, said his mother, who had waited a full minute before Donald could find voice to say all this, and it was at last stammered out awkwardly and at random. No; I am not afraid because my boy has to earn his bread; I had earned mine for years as a governess when father married me. I began wo
13、rk before I was sixteen. My son will have to do the same, that is all.That day the mother and son spoke no more together. It was as much as they could do to bear their trouble, without talking about it, and besides, Donald was not a boy to make a fuss over things. He could meet sorrow when it came,
14、that is, the little of it he had ever known, but he disliked speaking of it, and perhaps he was right.So he just made himself scarce till bedtime, and never said a word to anybody until his mother came into the boys room to bid them good-night. There were three of them, but all were asleep except Do
15、nald. As his mother bent down to kiss him, he put both arms round her neck.Mother, Im going to begin to-morrow.Begin what, my son?Facing the world, as you said I must. I cant go to school again, so I mean to try and earn my own living.How?I dont quite know, but Ill try. There are several things I co
16、uld be, a clerk-or even a message-boy. I shouldnt like it, but Id do anything rather than do nothing.Mrs. Boyd sat down on the side of the bed. If she felt inclined to cry she had too much sense to show it. She only took firm hold of her boys hand, and waited for him to speak on.Ive been thinking, m
17、other, I was to have a new suit at Christmas; will you give it now? And let it be a coat, not a jacket. Im tall enough-five feet seven last month, and growing still; I should look almost a man. Then I would go round to every office in Edinburgh and ask if they wanted a clerk. I wouldnt mind taking a
18、nything to begin with. And I can write a decent hand, and Im not bad at figures; as for my Latin and Greek-Here Donald gulped down a sigh, for he was a capital classic, and it had been suggested that he should go to Glasgow University and try for the Snell which has sent so many clever young Scotsme
19、n to Balliol College, Oxford, and thence on to fame and prosperity. But alas! no college career was now possible to Donald Boyd. The best he could hope for was to earn a few shillings a week as a common clerk. He knew this, and so did his mother. But they never complained. It was no fault of theirs,
20、 nor of anybodys. It was just as they devoutly called it, The will of God.Your Latin and Greek may come in some day, my boy, said Mrs. Boyd cheerfully. Good work is never lost. In the meantime, your plan is a good one, and you shall have your new clothes at once. Then, do as you think best.All right
21、; good-night, mother, said Donald, and in five minutes more was fast asleep.But, though he was much given to sleeping of nights-indeed, he never remembered lying awake for a single hour in his life-during daytime there never was a more wide awake boy than Donald Boyd. He kept his eyes open to everyt
22、hing, and never let the golden minute slip by him. He never idled about-play he didnt consider idling (nor do I). And I am bound to confess that every day until the new clothes came home was scrupulously spent in cricket, football, and all the other amusements which he was as good at as he was at hi
23、s lessons. He wanted to make the best of his holidays, he said, knowing well that for him holiday time as well as school time was now done, and the work of the world had begun in earnest.The clothes came home on Saturday night, and he went to church in them on Sunday, to his little sisters great adm
24、iration. Still greater was their wonder when, on Monday morning, he appeared in the same suit, looking quite a man, as they unanimously agreed, and almost before breakfast was done, started off, not saying a word of where he was going.He did not come back till the younger ones were all away to bed,
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