Under the Lilacs - Chapter 12
- 24小时月刊
- 2024-11-29
- 8
Every one was very kind to Ben when his loss was known. The
Squire
1 wrote to Mr. Smithers that the boy had found friends and would stay where he was. Mrs.
Moss
2 consoled him in her motherly way, and the little girls did their very best to "be good to poor Benny." But Miss Celia was his truest comforter, and completely won his heart, not only by the friendly words she said and the pleasant things she did, but by the unspoken sympathy which showed itself just at the right minute, in a look, a touch, a smile, more helpful than any amount of condolence. She called him "my man," and Ben tried to be one, bearing his trouble so bravely that she respected him. although he was only a little boy, because it promised well for the future., ,Then she was so happy herself, it was impossible for those about her to be sad, and Ben soon grew cheerful again in spite of the very tender memory of his father laid quietly away in the safest corner of his heart. He would have been a very unboyish boy if he had not been happy, for the new place was such a pleasant one, he soon felt as if, for the first time, he really had a home. No more grubbing now, but daily tasks which never grew
tiresome
3, they were so
varied
4 and so light. No more cross Pats to try his temper, but the sweetest mistress that ever was, since praise was oftener on her lips than blame, and
gratitude
5 made willing service a delight., ,At first, it seemed as if there was going to be trouble between the two boys; for
Thorny
6 was naturally masterful, and illness had left him weak and nervous, so he was often both domineering and
petulant
7. Ben had been taught instant
obedience
8 to those older than him self, and if Thorny had been a man Ben would have made no complaint; but it was hard to be "ordered round" by a boy, and an
unreasonable
9 one into the bargain., , ,The only point on which they never could agree was legs, and many a
hearty
11 laugh did they give Miss Celia by their warm and serious discussion of this
vexed
12 question. Thorny insisted that Ben was bowlegged; Ben resented the
epithet
13, and declared that the legs of all good horsemen must have a slight curve, and any one who knew any thing about the matter would acknowledge both its necessity and its beauty. Then Thorny Would observe that it might be all very well in the saddle, but it made a man
waddle
14 like a duck when afoot; whereat Ben would retort that, for his part, he would rather waddle like a duck than tumble about like a horse with the staggers. He had his opponent there, for poor Thorny did look very like a weak-kneed colt when he tried to walk; but he would never own it, and came down upon Ben with crushing
allusions
15 to
centaurs
16, or the Greeks and Romans, who were famous both for their horsemanship and fine limbs. Ben could not answer that, except by proudly referring to the chariot-races copied from the ancients, in which he had borne a part, which was more than some folks with long legs could say. Gentlemen never did that sort of thing, nor did they twit their best friends with their misfortunes, Thorny would remark; casting a
pensive
17 glance at his thin hands,
longing
18 the while to give Ben a good shaking. This hint would remind the other of his young master's late sufferings and all he owed his dear mistress; and he usually ended the
controversy
19 by turning a few lively somersaults as a
vent
20 for his
swelling
21
wrath
22, and come up with his temper all right again. Or, if Thorny happened to be in the wheeled chair, he would
trot
23 him round the garden at a pace which nearly took his breath away,
thereby
24 proving that if "bow-legs" were not beautiful to some
benighted
25 beings they were "good to go.", ,Thorny liked that, and would drop the subject for the time by politely introducing some more agreeable topic; so the
impending
26 quarrel would end in a laugh over some boyish joke, and the word "legs" be avoided by mutual consent till accident brought it up again., ,The squire was hard at work at Bristol.乡绅在布里斯托尔热衷于他的工作。,Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上 。
你可能想看:
本文由明日于2024-11-29发表在生活百科-红苹果乐园,如有疑问,请联系我们。
文章摘自:http://hpgly.com/post/18386.html