Therewasalulljustthenintheice—creambusiness,itbeingdinner—time,andwefoundthesaloonunoccupied。Whenwehadseatedourselvesaroundthelargestmarble—toppedtable,CharleyMardeninamanlyvoiceorderedtwelvesixpennyicecreams,\"strawberryandvernellermixed。\"
Itwasamagnificentsight,thosetwelvechillyglassesenteringtheroomonawaiter,theredandwhitecustardrisingfromeachglasslikeachurch—steeple,andthespoon—handleshootingupfromtheapexlikeaspire。Idoubtifapersonofthenicestpalatecouldhavedistinguished,withhiseyesshut,whichwasthevanillaandwhichthestrawberry;butifIcouldatthismomentobtainacreamtastingasthatdid,Iwouldgivefivedollarsforaverysmallquantity。
Wefelltowithawill,andsoevenlybalancedwereourcapabilitiesthatwefinishedourcreamstogether,thespoonsclinkingintheglasseslikeonespoon。
\"Let’shavesomemore!\"criedCharleyMarden,withtheairofAladdinorderingupafreshhogsheadofpearlsandrubies。\"TomBailey,tellPettingiltosendinanotherround。\"
CouldIcreditmyears?Ilookedathimtoseeifhewereinearnest。Hemeantit。InamomentmoreIwasleaningoverthecountergivingdirectionsforasecondsupply。ThinkingitwouldmakenodifferencetosuchagorgeousyoungsybariteasMarden,Itookthelibertyoforderingninepennycreamsthistime。
Onreturningtothesaloon,whatwasmyhorroratfindingitempty!
Therewerethetwelvecloudyglasses,standinginacircleonthestickymarbleslab,andnotaboytobeseen。Apairofhandslettinggotheirholdonthewindow—silloutsideexplainedmatters。Ihadbeenmadeavictim。
Icouldn’tstayandfacePettingil,whosepepperytemperwaswellknownamongtheboys。Ihadn’tacentintheworldtoappeasehim。WhatshouldI
do?Iheardtheclinkofapproachingglasses—theninepennycreams。Irushedtothenearestwindow。Itwasonlyfivefeettotheground。IthrewmyselfoutasifIhadbeenanoldhat。
Landingonmyfeet,IfledbreathlesslydownHighStreet,throughWillow,andwasturningintoBrierwoodPlacewhenthesoundofseveralvoices,callingtomeindistress,stoppedmyprogress。
\"Lookout,youfool!Themine!Themine!\"yelledthewarningvoices。
Severalmenandboyswerestandingattheheadofthestreet,makinginsanegesturestometoavoidsomething。ButIsawnomine,onlyinthemiddleoftheroadinfrontofmewasacommonflour—barrel,which,asIgazedatit,suddenlyroseintotheairwithaterrificexplosion。Ifeltmyselfthrownviolentlyoffmyfeet。Iremembernothingelse,exceptingthat,asIwentup,IcaughtamomentaryglimpseofEzraWingateleeringthroughisshopwindowlikeanavengingspirit。
Theminethathadwroughtmewoewasnotproperlyamineatall,butmerelyafewouncesofpowderplacedunderanemptykegorbarrelandfiredwithaslow—match。Boyswhodidn’thappentohavepistolsorcannongenerallyburnttheirpowderinthisfashion。
ForanaccountofwhatfollowedIamindebtedtohearsay,forIwasinsensiblewhenthepeoplepickedmeupandcarriedmehomeonashutterborrowedfromtheproprietorofPettingil’ssaloon。Iwassupposedtobekilled,buthappily(happilyformeatleast)Iwasmerelystunned。Ilayinasemi—unconsciousstateuntileighto’clockthatnight,whenI
attemptedtospeak。MissAbigail,whowatchedbythebedside,puthereardowntomylipsandwassalutedwiththeseremarkablewords:\"Strawberryandvernellermixed!\"
\"Mercyonus!Whatistheboysaying?\"criedMissAbigail。
\"ROOTBEERSOLDHERE!\"
1Thisinscriptioniscopiedfromatriangular—shapedpieceofslate,stillpreservedinthegarretoftheNutterHouse,togetherwiththepistolbuttitself,whichwassubsequentlydugupforapostmortemexamination。
ChapterNineIBecomeanR。M。C。
InthecourseoftendaysIrecoveredsufficientlyfrommyinjuriestoattendschool,where,foralittlewhile,Iwaslookeduponasahero,onaccountofhavingbeenblownup。Whatdon’twemakeaheroof?ThedistractionwhichprevailedintheclassestheweekprecedingtheFourthbadsubsided,andnothingremainedtoindicatetherecentfestivities,exceptinganoticeablewantofeyebrowsonthepartofPepperWhitcombandmyself。
InAugustwehadtwoweeks’vacation。ItwasaboutthistimethatIbecameamemberoftheRivermouthCentipedes,asecretsocietycomposedoftwelveoftheTempleGrammarSchoolboys。ThiswasanhonortowhichIhadlongaspired,but,beinganewboy,Iwasnotadmittedtothefraternityuntilmycharacterhadfullydevelopeditself。
Itwasaveryselectsociety,theobjectofwhichIneverfathomed,thoughI
wasanactivememberofthebodyduringtheremainderofmyresidenceatRivermouth,andatonetimeheldtheonerouspositionofF。C。,FirstCentipede。Eachoftheelectworeacoppercent(someoccultassociationbeingestablishedbetweenacentapieceandacentipedessuspendedbyastringroundhisneck。Themedalswerewornnexttheskin,anditwaswhilebathingonedayatGravePoint,withJackHarrisandFredLangdon,thatI
hadmycuriosityrousedtothehighestpitchbyasightofthesesingularemblems。AssoonasIascertainedtheexistenceofaboys’club,ofcourseIwasreadytodietojoinit。AndeventuallyIwasallowedtojoin。
TheinitiationceremonytookplaceinFredLangdon’sbarn,whereIwassubmittedtoaseriesoftrialsnotcalculatedtosoothethenervesofatimorousboy。BeforebeingledtotheGrottoofEnchantment—suchwasthemodesttitlegiventotheloftovermyfriend’swood—house—myhandsweresecurelypinioned,andmyeyescoveredwithathicksilkhandkerchief。AttheheadofthestairsIwastoldinanunrecognizable,huskyvoice,thatitwasnotyettoolatetoretreatifIfeltmyselfphysicallytooweaktoundergothenecessarytortures。IrepliedthatIwasnottooweak,inatonewhichIintendedtoberesolute,butwhich,inspiteofme,seemedtocomefromthepitofmystomach。
\"Itiswell!\"saidthehuskyvoice。
Ididnotfeelsosureaboutthat;but,havingmadeupmymindtobeaCentipede,aCentipedeIwasboundtobe。Otherboyshadpassedthroughtheordealandlived,whyshouldnotI?
AprolongedsilencefollowedthispreliminaryexaminationandIwaswonderingwhatwouldcomenext,whenapistolfiredoffclosebymycardeafenedmeforamoment。Theunknownvoicethendirectedmetotaketenstepsforwardandstopatthewordhalt。Itooktensteps,andhalted。
\"Strickenmortal,\"saidasecondhuskyvoice,morehusky,ifpossible,thanthefirst,\"ifyouhadadvancedanotherinch,youwouldhavedisappeareddownanabyssthreethousandfeetdeep!\"
Inaturallyshrunkbackatthisfriendlypieceofinformation。Aprickfromsometwo—prongedinstrument,evidentlyapitchfork,gentlycheckedmyretreat。Iwasthenconductedtothebrinkofseveralotherprecipices,andorderedtostepovermanydangerouschasms,wheretheresultwouldhavebeeninstantdeathifIhadcommittedtheleastmistake。Ihaveneglectedtosaythatmymovementswereaccompaniedbydismalgroansfromdifferentpartsofthegrotto。
Finally,Iwasledupasteepplanktowhatappearedtomeanincalculableheight。HereIstoodbreathlesswhilethebylawswerereadaloud。Amoreextraordinarycodeoflawsnevercamefromthebrainofman。Thepenaltiesattachedtotheabjectbeingwhoshouldrevealanyofthesecretsofthesocietywereenoughtomakethebloodruncold。Asecondpistol—shotwasheard,thesomethingIstoodonsunkwithacrashbeneathmyfeetandI
felltwomiles,asnearlyasIcouldcomputeit。Atthesameinstantthehandkerchiefwaswhiskedfrommyeyes,andIfoundmyselfstandinginanemptyhogsheadsurroundedbytwelvemaskedfiguresfantasticallydressed。
Oneoftheconspiratorswasreallyappallingwithatinsauce—panonhishead,andatiger—skinsleigh—robethrownoverhisshoulders。IscarcelyneedsaythattherewerenovestigestobeseenofthefearfulgulfsoverwhichIhadpassedsocautiously。Myascenthadbeentothetopofthehogshead,andmydescenttothebottomthereof。Holdingoneanotherbythehand,andchantingalowdirge,theMysticTwelverevolvedaboutme。Thisconcludedtheceremony。Withamerryshouttheboysthrewofftheirmasks,andIwasdeclaredaregularlyinstalledmemberoftheR。M。C。
Iafterwardshadagooddealofsportoutoftheclub,fortheseinitiations,asyoumayimagine,weresometimesverycomicalspectacles,especiallywhentheaspirantforcentipedalhonorshappenedtobeofatimiddisposition。Ifheshowedtheslightestterror,hewascertaintobetrickedunmercifully。Oneofoursubsequentdevices—ahumbleinventionofmyown—wastorequesttheblindfoldedcandidatetoputouthistongue,whereupontheFirstCentipedewouldsay,inalowtone,asifnotintendedfortheearofthevictim,\"Diabolus,fetchmethered—hotiron!\"Theexpeditionwithwhichthattonguewoulddisappearwassimplyridiculous。
Ourmeetingswereheldinvariousbarns,atnostatedperiods,butascircumstancessuggested。Anymemberhadarighttocallameeting。Eachboywhofailedtoreporthimselfwasfinedonecent。Wheneveramemberhadreasonsforthinkingthatanothermemberwouldbeunabletoattend,hecalledameeting。Forinstance,immediatelyonlearningthedeathofHarryBlake’sgreat—grandfather,Iissuedacall。Bythesesimpleandingeniousmeasureswekeptourtreasuryinaflourishingcondition,sometimeshavingonhandasmuchasadollarandaquarter。
Ihavesaidthatthesocietyhadnospecialobject。Itistrue,therewasatacitunderstandingamongusthattheCentipedesweretostandbyoneanotheronalloccasions,thoughIdon’trememberthattheydid;butfurtherthanthiswehadnopurpose,unlessitwastoaccomplishasabodythesameamountofmischiefwhichweweresuretodoasindividuals。Tomystifythestaidandslow—goingRivermouthianswasourfrequentpleasure。
Severalofourprankswonussuchareputationamongthetownsfolk,thatwewerecreditedwithhavingalargefingerinwhateverwentamissintheplace。
Onemorning,aboutaweekaftermyadmissionintothesecretorder,thequietcitizensawoketofindthatthesignboardsofalltheprincipalstreetshadchangedplacesduringthenight。PeoplewhowenttrustfullytosleepinCurrantSquareopenedtheireyesinHoneysuckleTerrace。Jones’sAvenueatthenorthendhadsuddenlybecomeWalnutStreet,andPeanutStreetwasnowheretobefound。Confusionreigned。Thetownauthoritiestookthematterinhandwithoutdelay,andsixoftheTempleGrammarSchoolboysweresummonedtoappearbeforejusticeClapbam。
Havingtearfullydisclaimedtomygrandfatherallknowledgeofthetransaction,Idisappearedfromthefamilycircle,andwasnotapprehendeduntillateintheafternoon,whentheCaptaindraggedmeignominiouslyfromthehaymowandconductedme,moredeadthanalive,totheofficeofjusticeClapham。HereIencounteredfiveotherpallidculprits,whohadbeenfishedoutofdiverscoal—bins,garrets,andchicken—coops,toanswerthedemandsoftheoutragedlaws。(CharleyMardenhadhiddenhimselfinapileofgravelbehindhisfather’shouse,andlookedlikearecentlyexhumedmummy。)
Therewasnottheleastevidenceagainstus;and,indeed,wewerewhollyinnocentoftheoffence。Thetrick,aswasafterwardsproved,hadbeenplayedbyapartyofsoldiersstationedatthefortintheharbor。WewereindebtedforourarresttoMasterConway,whohadslylydroppedahint,withinthehearingofSelectmanMudge,totheeffectthat\"youngBaileyandhisfivecroniescouldtellsomethingabout20themsigns。\"Whenhewascalledupontomakegoodhisassertion,hewasconsiderablymoreterrifiedthantheCentipedes,thoughtheywerereadytosinkintotheirshoes。
AtournextmeetingitwasunanimouslyresolvedthatConway’sanimosityshouldnotbequietlysubmittedto。Hehadsoughttoinformagainstusinthestagecoachbusiness;hehadvolunteeredtocarryPettingil’s\"littlebill\"fortwenty—fouricecreamstoCharleyMarden’sfather;andnowhehadcausedustobearraignedbeforejusticeClaphamonachargeequallygroundlessandpainful。Aftermuchnoisydiscussion,aplanofretaliationwasagreedupon。
Therewasacertainslim,mildapothecaryinthetown,bythenameofMeeks。
ItwasgenerallygivenoutthatMr。Meekshadavaguedesiretogetmarried,but,beingashyandtimorousyouth,lackedthemoralcouragetodoso。ItwasalsowellknownthattheWidowConwayhadnotburiedherheartwiththelatelamented。Astohershyness,thatwasnotsoclear。
Indeed,herattentionstoMr。Meeks,whosemothershemighthavebeen,wereofanaturenottobemisunderstood,andwerenotmisunderstoodbyanyonebutMr。Meekshimself。
Thewidowcarriedonadress—makingestablishmentatherresidenceonthecomeroppositeMeeks’sdrug—store,andkeptawaryeyeonalltheyoungladiesfromMissDorothyGibbs’sFemaleInstitutewhopatronizedtheshopforsoda—water,aciddrops,andslate—pencils。Intheafternoonthewidowwasusuallyseenseated,smartlydressed,atherwindowupstairs,castingdestructiveglancesacrossthestreet—theartificialrosesinhercapandherwholelanguishingmannersayingasplainlyasalabelonaprescription,\"TobeTakenImmediately!\"ButMr。Meeksdidn’ttake。
Thelady’sfondness,andthegentleman’sblindness,weretopicsablyhandledateverysewing—circleinthetown。Itwasthroughthesetwolucklessindividualsthatweproposedtostrikeablowatthecommonenemy。Tokilllessthanthreebirdswithonestonedidnotsuitoursanguinarypurpose。
WedislikedthewidownotsomuchforhersentimentalityasforbeingthemotherofBillConway;wedislikedMr。Meeks,notbecausehewasinsipid,likehisownsyrups,butbecausethewidowlovedhim。BillConwaywehatedforhimself。
LateonedarkSaturdaynightinSeptemberwecarriedourplanintoeffect。
Onthefollowingmorning,astheorderlycitizenswendedtheirwaytochurchpastthewidow’sabode,theirsoberfacesrelaxedatbeholdingoverherfrontdoorthewellknowngiltMortarandPestlewhichusuallystoodonthetopofapoleontheoppositecorner;whilethepassersonthatsideofthestreetwereequallyamusedandscandalizedatseeingaplacardbearingthefollowingannouncementtackedtothedruggist’swindow—shutters:
Wanted,aSempstress!
Thenaughtyclevernessofthejoke(whichIshouldbesorrytodefend)wasrecognizedatonce。Itspreadlikewildfireoverthetown,and,thoughthemortarandtheplacardwerespeedilyremoved,ourtriumphwascomplete。Thewholecommunitywasonthebroadgrin,andourparticipationintheaffairseeminglyunsuspected。
Itwasthosewickedsoldiersatthefort!
ChapterTenIFightConwayTherewasoneperson,however,whocherishedastrongsuspicionthattheCentipedeshadhadahandinthebusiness;andthatpersonwasConway。Hisredhairseemedtochangetoalivelierred,andhissallowcheekstoadeepersallow,asweglancedathimstealthilyoverthetopsofourslatesthenextdayinschool。Heknewwewerewatchinghim,andmadesundrymouthsandscowledinthemostthreateningwayoverhissums。
Conwayhadanaccomplishmentpeculiarlyhisown—thatofthrowinghisthumbsoutofjointatwill。Sometimeswhileabsorbedinstudy,oronbecomingnervousatrecitation,heperformedthefeatunconsciously。Throughoutthisentiremorninghisthumbswereobservedtobeinachronicstateofdislocation,indicatinggreatmentalagitationonthepartoftheowner。Wefullyexpectedanoutbreakfromhimatrecess;buttheintermissionpassedofftranquilly,somewhattoourdisappointment。
AtthecloseoftheafternoonsessionithappenedthatBinnyWallaceandmyself,havinggotswampedinourLatinexercise,weredetainedinschoolforthepurposeofrefreshingourmemorieswithapageofMr。Andrews’sperplexingirregularverbs。BinnyWallacefinishinghistaskfirst,wasdismissed。Ifollowedshortlyafter,and,onsteppingintotheplayground,sawmylittlefriendplastered,asitwere,upagainstthefence,andConwaystandinginfrontofhimreadytodeliverablowontheupturned,unprotectedface,whosegentlenesswouldhavestayedanyarmbutacoward’s。
SethRodgers,withbothhandsinhispockets,wasleaningagainstthepumplazilyenjoyingthesport;butonseeingmesweepacrosstheyard,whirlingmystrapofbooksintheairlikeasling,hecalledoutlustily,\"Laylow,ConwaylHere’syoungBaileyl\"
Conwayturnedjustintimetocatchonhisshouldertheblowintendedforhishead。Hereachedforwardoneofhislongarms—hehadarmslikeawindmill,thatboy—and,graspingmebythehair,toreoutquitearespectablehandful。Thetearsflewtomyeyes,buttheywerenotthetearsofdefeat;theyweremerelytheinvoluntarytributewhichnaturepaidtothedepartedtresses。
Inasecondmylittlejacketlayontheground,andIstoodonguard,restinglightlyonmyrightlegandkeepingmyeyefixedsteadilyonConway’s—inallofwhichIwasfaithfullyfollowingtheinstructionsofPhilAdams,whosefathersubscribedtoasportingjournal。
Conwayalsothrewhimselfintoadefensiveattitude,andtherewewere,glaringateachothermotionless,neitherofusdisposedtoriskanattack,butbothonthealerttoresistone。Thereisnotellinghowlongwemighthaveremainedinthatabsurdposition,hadwenotbeeninterrupted。
Itwasacustomwiththelargerpupilstoreturntotheplay—groundafterschool,andplaybaseballuntilsundown。Thetownauthoritieshadprohibitedball—playingontheSquare,and,therebeingnootheravailableplace,theboysfellbackperforceontheschool—yard。justatthiscrisisadozenorsooftheTemplarsenteredthegate,and,seeingataglancethebelligerentstatusofConwayandmyself,droppedbatandball,andrushedtothespotwherewestood。
\"Isitafight?\"askedPhilAdams,whosawbyourfreshnessthatwehadnotyetgottowork。
\"Yes,it’safight,\"Ianswered,\"unlessConwaywillaskWallace’spardon,promisenevertohectormeinfuture—andputbackmyhair!\"
Thislastconditionwasratherastaggerer。
\"Isha’n’tdonothingofthesort,\"saidConway,sulkily。
\"Thenthethingmustgoon,\"saidAdams,withdignity。\"Rodgers,asI
understandit,isyoursecond,Conway?Bailey,comehere。What’stherowabout?\"
\"HewasthrashingBinnyWallace。\"
\"No,Iwasn’t,\"interruptedConway;\"butIwasgoingtobecauseheknowswhoputMeeks’smortaroverourdoor。AndIknowwellenoughwhodidit;itwasthatsneakinglittlemulatter!\"pointingatme。
\"O,byGeorge!\"Icried,reddeningattheinsult。
\"Coolistheword,\"saidAdams,asheboundahandkerchiefroundmyhead,andcarefullytuckedawaythelongstragglinglocksthatofferedatemptingadvantagetotheenemy。\"Whoeverheardofafellowwithsuchaheadofhairgoingintoaction!\"mutteredPhil,twitchingthehandkerchieftoascertainifitweresecurelytied。Hethenloosenedmygallowses(braces),andbuckledthemtightlyabovemyhips。\"Now,then,bantam,neversaydie!\"
Conwayregardedthesebusiness—likepreparationswithevidentmisgiving,forhecalledRodgerstohisside,andhadhimselfarrayedinasimilarmanner,thoughhishairwascroppedsoclosethatyoucouldn’thavetakenholdofitwithapairoftweezers。
\"Isyourmanready?\"askedPhilAdams,addressingRodgers。
\"Ready!\"
\"Keepyourbacktothegate,Tom,\"whisperedPhilinmycar,\"andyou’llhavethesuninhiseyes。\"
Beholdusoncemorefacetoface,likeDavidandthePhilistine。Lookatusaslongasyoumay;forthisisallyoushallseeofthecombat。Accordingtomythinking,thehospitalteachesabetterlessonthanthebattle—field。
Iwilltellyouaboutmyblackeye,andmyswollenlip,ifyouwill;butnotawordofthefight。
You’llgetnodescriptionofitfromme,simplybecauseIthinkitwouldproveverypoorreading,andnotbecauseIconsidermyrevoltagainstConway’styrannyunjustifiable。
IhadborneConway’spersecutionsformanymonthswithlamb—likepatience。I
mighthaveshieldedmyselfbyappealingtoMr。Grimshaw;butnoboyintheTempleGrammarSchoolcoulddothatwithoutlosingcaste。Whetherthiswasjustornotdoesn’tmatterapin,sinceitwasso—atraditionarylawoftheplace。ThepersonalinconvenienceIsufferedfrommytormentorwasnothingtothepainheinflictedonmeindirectlybyhispersistentcrueltytolittleBinnyWallace。IshouldhavelackedthespiritofahenifIhadnotresenteditfinally。IamgladthatIfacedConway,andaskednofavors,andgotridofhimforever。IamgladthatPhilAdamstaughtmetobox,andIsaytoallyoungsters:Learntobox,toride,topullanoar,andtoswim。Theoccasionmaycomeround,whenadecentproficiencyinoneortherestoftheseaccomplishmentswillbeofservicetoyou。
Inoneofthebestbooks1everwrittenforboysarethesewords:
\"Learntobox,then,asyoulearntoplaycricketandfootball。Notoneofyouwillbetheworse,butverymuchthebetter,forlearningtoboxwell。
Shouldyouneverhavetouseitinearnestthere’snoexerciseintheworldsogoodforthetemper,andforthemusclesofthebackandlegs。
\"Asforfighting,keepoutofit,ifyoucan,byallmeans。Whenthetimecomes,ifeveritshould,thatyouhavetosay’Yes’or’No’toachallengetofight,say’No’ifyoucan—onlytakecareyoumakeitplaintoyourselfwhyyousay’No。’It’saproofofthehighestcourage,ifdonefromtrueChristianmotives。It’squiterightandjustifiable,ifdonefromasimpleaversiontophysicalpainanddanger。Butdon’tsay’No’becauseyoufearalickingandsayorthinkit’sbecauseyoufearGod,forthat’sneitherChristiannorhonest。Andifyoudofight,fightitout;anddon’tgiveinwhileyoucanstandandsee。\"
Anddon’tgiveinwhenyoucan’t!say1。ForIcouldstandverylittle,andseenotatall(havingpommelledtheschoolpumpforthelasttwentyseconds),whenConwayretiredfromthefield。AsPhilAdamssteppeduptoshakehandswithme,hereceivedatellingblowinthestomach;forallthefightwasnotoutofmeyet,andImistookhimforanewadversary。
Convincedofmyerror,Iacceptedhiscongratulations,withthoseoftheotherboys,blandlyandblindly。IrememberthatBinnyWallacewantedtogivemehissilverpencil—case。Thegentlesoulhadstoodthroughoutthecontestwithhisfaceturnedtothefence,sufferinguntoldagony。
Agoodwashatthepump,andacoldkeyappliedtomyeye,refreshedmeamazingly。Escortedbytwoorthreeoftheschoolfellows,Iwalkedhomethroughthepleasantautumntwilight,batteredbuttriumphant。AsIwentalong,mycapcockedononesidetokeepthechillyairfrommyeye,IfeltthatIwasnotonlyfollowingmynose,butfollowingitsoclosely,thatI
wasinsomedangeroftreadingonit。Iseemedtohavenoseenoughforthewholeparty。Myleftcheek,also,waspuffedoutlikeadumpling。I
couldn’thelpsayingtomyself,\"Ifthisisvictory,howaboutthatotherfellow?\"
\"Tom,\"saidHarryBlake,hesitating。
\"Well?\"
\"DidyouseeMr。Grimshawlookingoutoftherecitation—roomwindowjustaswelefttheyard?\"
\"Nowashe,though?\"
\"Iamsureofit。\"
\"Thenhemusthaveseenalltherow。\"
\"Shouldn’twonder。\"
\"No,hedidn’t,\"brokeinAdams,\"orhewouldhavestoppeditshortmetre;
butIguessbesawyoupitchingintothepumpwhichyoudiduncommonlystrong—andofcoursebesmeltmischiefdirectly。\"
\"Well,itcan’tbehelpednow,\"Ireflected。
\"—Asthemonkeysaidwhenhefelloutofthecocoanuttree,\"addedCharleyMarden,tryingtomakemelaugh。
Itwasearlycandle—lightwhenwereachedthehouse。MissAbigail,openingthefrontdoor,startedbackatmyhilariousappearance。Itriedtosmileuponhersweetly,butthesmile,ripplingovermyswollencheek,anddyingawaylikeaspentwaveonmynose,producedanexpressionofwhichMissAbigaildeclaredshehadneverseenthelikeexceptingonthefaceofaChineseidol。
Shehustledmeunceremoniouslyintothepresenceofmygrandfatherinthesitting—room。CaptainNutter,astherecognizedprofessionalwarriorofourfamily,couldnotconsistentlytakemetotaskforfightingConway;norwashedisposedtodoso;fortheCaptainwaswellawareofthelong—continuedprovocationIhadendured。
\"Ah,yourascal!\"criedtheoldgentleman,afterhearingmystory。\"JustlikemewhenIwasyoung—alwaysinonekindoftroubleoranother。I
believeitrunsinthefamily。\"
\"Ithink,\"saidMissAbigail,withoutthefaintestexpression)onhercountenance,\"thatatable—spoonfulofhot—dro—\"TheCaptaininterruptedMissAbigailperemptorily,directinghertomakeashadeoutofcardboardandblacksilktotieovermyeye。MissAbigailmusthavebeenpossessedwiththeideathatIhadtakenuppugilismasaprofession,forsheturnedoutnofewerthansixoftheseblinders。
\"They’llbehandytohaveinthehouse,\"saysMissAbigail,grimly。
Ofcourse,sogreatabreachofdisciplinewasnottobepassedoverbyMr。
Grimshaw。Hehad,aswesuspected,witnessedtheclosingsceneofthefightfromtheschool—roomwindow,andthenextmorning,afterprayers,IwasnotwhollyunpreparedwhenMasterConwayandmyselfwerecalleduptothedeskforexamination。Conway,withapieceofcourt—plasterintheshapeofaMaltesecrossonhisrightcheek,andIwiththesilkpatchovermylefteye,causedageneraltitterthroughtheroom。
\"Silence!\"saidMr。Grimshaw,sharply。
AsthereaderisalreadyfamiliarwiththeleadingpointsinthecaseofBaileyversusConway,IshallnotreportthetrialfurtherthantosaythatAdams,Marden,andseveralotherpupilstestifiedtothefactthatConwayhadimposedonmeeversincemyfirstdayattheTempleSchool。TheirevidencealsowenttoshowthatConwaywasaquarrelsomecharactergenerally。BadforConway。SethRodgers,onthepartofhisfriend,provedthatIhadstruckthefirstblow。Thatwasbadforme。
\"Ifyouplease,sir,\"saidBinnyWallace,holdinguphishandforpermissiontospeak,\"Baileydidn’tfightonhisownaccount;hefoughtonmyaccount,and,ifyouplease,sir,Iamtheboytobeblamed,forIwasthecauseofthetrouble。\"
ThisdrewoutthestoryofConway’sharshtreatmentofthesmallerboys。AsBinnyrelatedthewrongsofhisplayfellows,sayingverylittleofhisowngrievances,InoticedthatMr。Grimshaw’shand,unknowntohimselfperhaps,restedlightlyfromtimetotimeonWallace’ssunnyhair。Theexaminationfinished,Mr。Grimshawleanedonthedeskthoughtfullyforamomentandthensaid:
\"Everyboyinthisschoolknowsthatitisagainsttherulestofight。Ifoneboymaltreatsanother,withinschool—bounds,orwithinschool—hours,thatisamatterformetosettle。Thecaseshouldbelaidbeforeme。I
disapproveoftale—bearing,Ineverencourageitintheslightestdegree;
butwhenonepupilsystematicallypersecutesaschoolmate,itisthedutyofsomehead—boytoinformme。Nopupilhasarighttotakethelawintohisownhands。Ifthereisanyfightingtobedone,Iamthepersontobeconsulted。Idisapproveofboys’fighting;itisunnecessaryandunchristian。Inthepresentinstance,Iconsidereverylargeboyinthisschoolatfault,butastheoffenceisoneofomissionratherthancommission,mypunishmentmustrestonlyonthetwoboysconvictedofmisdemeanor。Conwayloseshisrecessforamonth,andBaileyhasapageaddedtohisLatinlessonsforthenextfourrecitations。InowrequestBaileyandConwaytoshakehandsinthepresenceoftheschool,andacknowledgetheirregretatwhathasoccurred。\"
ConwayandIapproachedeachotherslowlyandcautiously,asifwewerebentuponanotherhostilecollision。Weclaspedhandsinthetamestmannerimaginable,andConwaymumbled,\"I’msorryIfoughtwithyou。’
\"Ithinkyouare,’Ireplied,drily,\"andI’msorryIhadtothrashyou。\"
\"Youcangotoyourseats,\"saidMr。Grimshaw,turninghisfaceasidetohideasmile。Iamsuremyapologywasaverygoodone。
IneverhadanymoretroublewithConway。Heandhisshadow,SethRodgers,gavemeawideberthformanymonths。NorwasBinnyWallacesubjectedtofurthermolestation。MissAbigail’ssanitarystores,includingabottleofopodeldoc,werenevercalledintorequisition。Thesixblacksilkpatches,withtheirelasticstrings,arestilldanglingfromabeaminthegarretoftheNutterHouse,waitingformetogetintofreshdifficulties。
1\"TomBrown’sSchoolDaysatRugby\"
ChapterElevenAllAboutGypsyThisrecordofmylifeatRivermouthwouldbestrangelyincompletedidInotdevoteanentirechaptertoGypsy。Ihadotherpets,ofcourse;forwhathealthyboycouldlongexistwithoutnumerousfriendsintheanimalkingdom?Ihadtwowhitemicethatwereforevergnawingtheirwayoutofapasteboardchateau,andcrawlingovermyfacewhenIlayasleep。Iusedtokeepthepink—eyedlittlebeggarsinmybedroom,greatlytotheannoyanceofMissAbigail,whowasconstantlyfancyingthatoneofthemicehadsecreteditselfsomewhereaboutherperson。
Ialsoownedadog,aterrier,whomanagedinsomeinscrutablewaytopickaquarrelwiththemoon,andonbrightnightskeptupsuchaki—yi—inginourbackgarden,thatwewerefinallyforcedtodisposeofhimatprivatesale。
HewaspurchasedbyMr。Oxford,thebutcher。Iprotestedagainstthearrangementandeverafterwards,whenwehadsausagesfromMr。Oxford—sshop,ImadebelieveIdetectedinthemcertainevidencesthatCatohadbeenfoullydealtwith。
OfbirdsIhadnoend—robins,purple—martins,wrens,bulfinches,bobolinks,ringdoves,andpigeons。AtonetimeItooksolidcomfortintheiniquitoussocietyofadissipatedoldparrot,whotalkedsoterribly,thattheRev。
WibirdHawkins,happeningtogetasampleofPoll’svituperativepowers,pronouncedhim\"abenightedheathen,\"andadvisedtheCaptaintogetridofhim。Abraceofturtlessupplantedtheparrotinmyaffections;theturtlesgavewaytorabbits;andtherabbitsinturnyieldedtothesuperiorcharmsofasmallmonkey,whichtheCaptainboughtofasailorlatelyfromthecoastofAfrica。
ButGypsywastheprimefavorite,inspiteofmanyrivals。Inevergrewwearyofher。Shewasthemostknowinglittlethingintheworld。Herpropersphereinlife—andtheonetowhichsheultimatelyattained—wasthesaw—dustarenaofatravellingcircus。TherewasnothingshortofthethreeR’s,reading,’riting,and’rithmetic,thatGypsycouldn’tbetaught。Thegiftofspeechwasnothers,butthefacultyofthoughtwas。
Mylittlefriend,tobesure,wasnotexemptfromcertaingracefulweaknesses,inseparable,perhaps,fromthefemalecharacter。Shewasverypretty,andsheknewit。Shewasalsopassionatelyfondofdress—bywhichI
meanherbestharness。Whenshehadthison,hercurvetingsandprancingswerelaughable,thoughinordinarytackleshewentalongdemurelyenough。
Therewassomethingintheenamelledleatherandthesilver—washedmountingsthatchimedwithherartisticsense。Tohavehermanebraided,andaroseorapansystuckintoherforelock,wastomakehertooconceitedforanything。
Shehadanothertraitnotrareamonghersex。Shelikedtheattentionsofyounggentlemen,whilethesocietyofgirlsboredher。Shewoulddragthem,sulkily,inthecart;butasforpermittingoneoftheminthesaddle,theideawaspreposterous。OncewhenPepperWhitcomb’ssister,inspiteofourremonstrances,venturedtomounther,Gypsygavealittleindignantneigh,andtossedthegentleEmmaheelsoverheadinnotime。Butwithanyoftheboysthemarewasasdocileasalamb。
Hertreatmentoftheseveralmembersofthefamilywascomical。FortheCaptainsheentertainedawholesomerespect,andwasalwaysonhergoodbehaviorwhenhewasaround。AstoMissAbigail,Gypsysimplylaughedather—literallylaughed,contractingherupperlipanddisplayingallhersnow—whiteteeth,asifsomethingaboutMissAbigailstruckher,Gypsy,asbeingextremelyridiculous。
KittyCollins,forsomereasonoranother,wasafraidofthepony,orpretendedtobe。Thesagaciouslittleanimalknewit,ofcourse,andfrequently,whenKittywasbangingoutclothesnearthestable,themarebeinglooseintheyard,wouldmakeshortplungesather。OnceGypsyseizedthebasketofclothespinswithherteeth,andrisingonherhindlegs,pawingtheairwithherforefeetfollowedKittyclearuptothescullerysteps。
Thatpartoftheyardwasshutofffromtherestbyagate;butnogatewasproofagainstGypsy’singenuity。Shecouldletdownbars,liftuplatches,drawbolts,andturnallsortsofbuttons。ThisaccomplishmentrenderedithazardousforMissAbigailorKittytoleaveanyeatablesonthekitchentablenearthewindow。OnoneoccasionGypsyputinherheadandlappedupsixcustardpiesthathadbeenplacedbythecasementtocool。
Anaccountofmyyounglady’svariousprankswouldfillathickvolume。A
favoritetrickofhers,onbeingrequestedto\"walklikeMissAbigail,\"wastoassumealittleskittishgaitsotruetonaturethatMissAbigailherselfwasobligedtoadmittheclevernessoftheimitation。
TheideaofputtingGypsythroughasystematiccourseofinstructionwassuggestedtomebyavisittothecircuswhichgaveanannualperformanceinRivermouth。ThisshowembracedamongitsattractionsanumberoftrainedShetlandponies,andIdeterminedthatGypsyshouldlikewisehavethebenefitofaliberaleducation。Isucceededinteachinghertowaltz,tofireapistolbytuggingatastringtiedtothetrigger,toliedowndead,towinkoneeye,andtoexecutemanyotherfeatsofadifficultnature。Shetooktoherstudiesadmirably,andenjoyedthewholethingasmuchasanyone。
ThemonkeywasaperpetualmarveltoGypsy。Theybecamebosom—friendsinanincrediblybriefperiod,andwerenevereasyoutofeachother’ssight。
PrinceZany—that’swhatPepperWhitcombandIchristenedhimoneday,muchtothedisgustofthemonkey,whobitapieceoutofPepper’snose—residedinthestable,andwenttoroosteverynightonthepony’sback,whereI
usuallyfoundhiminthemorning。WheneverIrodeout,IwasobligedtosecurehisHighnessthePrincewithastoutcordtothefence,hechatteringallthetimelikeamadman。
OneafternoonasIwascanteringthroughthecrowdedpartofthetown,I
noticedthatthepeopleinthestreetstopped,staredatme,andfelltolaughing。Iturnedroundinthesaddle,andtherewasZany,withagreatburdockleafinhispaw,perchedupbehindmeonthecrupper,assolemnasajudge。
Afterafewmonths,poorZanysickenedmysteriously,anddied。Thedarkthoughtoccurredtomethen,andcomesbacktomenowwithredoubledforce,thatMissAbigailmusthavegivenhimsomehot—drops。Zanyleftalargecircleofsorrowingfriends,ifnotrelatives。Gypsy,Ithink,neverentirelyrecoveredfromtheshockoccasionedbyhisearlydemise。Shebecamefonderofme,though;andoneofhercunningestdemonstrationswastoescapefromthestable—yard,andtrotuptothedooroftheTempleGrammarSchool,whereIwoulddiscoverheratrecesspatientlywaitingforme,withherforefeetonthesecondstep,andwispsofstrawstandingoutalloverher,likequillsuponthefretfulporcupine。
IshouldfailifItriedtotellyouhowdeartheponywastome。Evenhard,unlovingmenbecomeattachedtothehorsestheytakecareof;soI,whowasneitherunlovingnorhard,grewtoloveeveryglossyhairoftheprettylittlecreaturethatdependedonmeforhersoftstrawbedandherdailymodicumofoats。InmyprayeratnightIneverforgottomentionGypsywiththerestofthefamily—generallysettingforthherclaimsfirst。
WhateverrelatestoGypsybelongsproperlytothisnarrative;thereforeI
offernoapologyforrescuingfromoblivion,andboldlyprintinghereashortcompositionwhichIwroteintheearlypartofmyfirstquarterattheTempleGrammarSchool。Itismymaideneffortinadifficultart,andis,perhaps,lackinginthosegracesofthoughtandstylewhicharereachedonlyaftertheseverestpractice。
EveryWednesdaymorning,onenteringschool,eachpupilwasexpectedtolayhisexerciseonMr。Grimshaw’sdesk;thesubjectwasusuallyselectedbyMr。Grimshawhimself,theMondayprevious。Withahumorcharacteristicofhim,ourteacherhadinstitutedtwoprizes,oneforthebestandtheotherfortheworstcompositionofthemonth。Thefirstprizeconsistedofapenknife,orapencil—case,orsomesucharticledeartotheheartofyouth;thesecondprizeentitledthewinnertowearforanhourortwoasortofconicalpapercap,onthefrontofwhichwaswritten,intallletters,thismodestadmission:IAMADUNCE!ThecompetitorwhotookprizeNo。2。wasn’tgenerallyanobjectofenvy。
MypulsebeathighwithprideandexpectationthatWednesdaymorning,asI
laidmyessay,neatlyfolded,onthemaster’stable。IfirmlydeclinetosaywhichprizeIwon;buthere’sthecompositiontospeakforitself。
Itisnosmall—authorvanitythatinducesmetopublishthisstrayleafofnaturalhistory。Ilayitbeforeouryoungfolks,notfortheiradmiration,butfortheircriticism。Leteachreadertakehislead—pencilandremorselesslycorrecttheorthography,thecapitalization,andthepunctuationoftheessay。Ishallnotfeelhurtatseeingmytreatisecutalltopieces;thoughIthinkhighlyoftheproduction,notonaccountofitsliteraryexcellence,whichIcandidlyadmitisnotoverpowering,butbecauseitwaswrittenyearsandyearsagoaboutGypsy,byalittlefellowwho,whenIstrivetorecallhim,appearstomelikeareducedghostofmypresentself。
Iamconfidentthatanyreaderwhohaseverhadpets,birdsoranimals,willforgivemeforthisbriefdigression。
ChapterTwelveWinteratRivermouth\"Iguesswe’regoingtohavearegularold—fashionedsnowstorm,\"saidCaptainNutter,onebleakDecembermorning,castingapeculiarlynauticalglanceskyward。
TheCaptainwasalwayshazardingpropheciesabouttheweather,whichsomehowneverturnedoutaccordingtohisprediction。Thevanesonthechurch—steeplesseemedtotakefiendishpleasureinhumiliatingthedearoldgentleman。Ifhesaiditwasgoingtobeaclearday,adensesea—fogwasprettycertaintosetinbeforenoon。Oncehecausedaprotracteddroughtbyassuringuseverymorning,forsixconsecutiveweeks,thatitwouldraininafewhours。But,sureenough,thatafternoonitbegansnowing。
NowIhadnotseenasnow—stormsinceIwaseighteenmonthsold,andofcourserememberednothingaboutit。AboyfamiliarfromhisinfancywiththerigorsofourNewEnglandwinterscanformnoideaoftheimpressionmadeonmebythisnaturalphenomenon。Mydelightandsurprisewereasboundlessasiftheheavygrayskyhadletdownashowerofpondliliesandwhiteroses,insteadofsnow—flakes。Ithappenedtobeahalf—holiday,soI
hadnothingtodobutwatchthefeatherycrystalswhirlinghitherandthitherthroughtheair。Istoodbythesitting—roomwindowgazingatthewonderuntiltwilightshutoutthenovelscene。
Wehadhadseveralslightflurriesofhailandsnowbefore,butthiswasaregularnor’easter。
Severalinchesofsnowhadalreadyfallen。Therose—bushesatthedoordroopedwiththeweightoftheirmagicalblossoms,andthetwopoststhatheldthegardengateweretransformedintostatelyTurks,withwhiteturbans,guardingtheentrancetotheNutterHouse。
Thestormincreasedatsundown,andcontinuedwithunabatedviolencethroughthenight。Thenextmorning,whenIjumpedoutofbed,thesunwasshiningbrightly,thecloudlessheavensworethetenderazureofJune,andthewholeearthlaymuffleduptotheeyes,asitwere,inathickmantleofmilk—whitedown。
Itwasaverydeepsnow。TheOldestInhabitant(whatwouldbecomeofaNewEnglandtownorvillagewithoutitsoldestInhabitant?)overhauledhisalmanacs,andpronounceditthedeepestsnowwehadbadfortwentyyears。
Itcouldn’thavebeenmuchdeeperwithoutsmotheringusall。Ourstreetwasasighttobeseen,or,rather,itwasasightnottobeseen;forverylittlestreetwasvisible。Onehugedriftcompletelybankedupourfrontdoorandhalfcoveredmybedroomwindow。
Therewasnoschoolthatday,forallthethoroughfareswereimpassable。Bytwelveo’clock,however,thegreatsnowploughs,eachdrawnbyfouryokesofoxen,brokeawagon—paththroughtheprincipalstreets;butthefoot—passengershadahardtimeofitflounderinginthearcticdrifts。
TheCaptainandIcutatunnel,threefeetwideandsixfeethigh,fromourfrontdoortothesidewalkopposite。Itwasabeautifulcavern,withitswallsandroofinlaidwithmother—of—pearlanddiamonds。IamsuretheicepalaceoftheRussianEmpress,inCowper’spoem,wasnotamoresuperbpieceofarchitecture。
ThethermometerbeganfallingshortlybeforesunsetandwehadthebitterestcoldnightIeverexperienced。ThisbroughtouttheOldestInhabitantagainthenextday—andwhatagayoldboyhewasfordecidingeverything!Ourtunnelwasturnedintosolidice。Acrustthickenoughtobearmenandhorseshadformedoverthesnoweverywhere,andtheairwasalivewithmerrysleigh—bells。Icystalactites,ayardlong,bungfromtheeavesofthehouse,andtheTurkishsentinelsatthegatelookedasiftheyhadgivenupallhopesofeverbeingrelievedfromduty。
Sothewintersetincoldandglittering。Everythingout—of—doorswassheathedinsilvermail。ToquotefromCharleyMarden,itwas\"coldenoughtofreezethetailoffabrassmonkey,\"—anobservationwhichseemedtomeextremelyhappy,thoughIknewlittleornothingconcerningtheenduranceofbrassmonkeys,havingneverseenone。
Ihadlookedforwardtotheadventoftheseasonwithgraveapprehensions,nervingmyselftomeetdrearynightsandmonotonousdays;butsummeritselfwasnotmorejollythanwinteratRivermouth。Snow—ballingatschool,skatingontheMillPond,coastingbymoonlight,longridesbehindGypsyinabrand—newlittlesleighbuiltexpresslyforher,weresportsnolessexhilaratingthanthosewhichbelongedtothesunnymonths。AndthenThanksgiving!ThenoseofMemory—whyshouldn’tMemoryhaveanose?—dilateswithpleasureovertherichperfumeofMissAbigail’sfortymince—pies,eachonemoredelightfulthantheother,liketheSultan’sfortywives。
Christmaswasanotherred—letterday,thoughitwasnotsogenerallyobservedinNewEnglandasitisnow。
Thegreatwood—fireinthetiledchimney—placemadeoursitting—roomverycheerfulofwinternights。Whenthenorth—windhowledabouttheeaves,andthesharpfingersofthesleettappedagainstthewindow—panes,itwasnicetobesowarmlyshelteredfromthestorm。Adishofapplesandapitcherofchillyciderwerealwaysservedduringtheevening。TheCaptainhadafunnywayofleaningbackinthechair,andeatinghisapplewithhiseyesclosed。SometimesIplayeddominoswithhim,andsometimesMissAbigailreadaloudtous,pronouncing\"to\"toe,andsoundingalltheeds。
InaformerchapterIalludedtoMissAbigail’smanagingpropensities。ShehadaffectedmanychangesintheNutterHousebeforeIcametheretolive;
buttherewasonethingagainstwhichshebadlongcontendedwithoutbeingabletoovercome。ThiswastheCaptain’spipe。Onfirsttakingcommandofthehousehold,sheprohibitedsmokinginthesitting—room,whereithadbeentheoldgentleman’scustomtotakeawhiffortwoofthefragrantweedaftermeals。Theedictwentforth—andsodidthepipe。Anexcellentmove,nodoubt;butthenthehousewashis,andifhesawfittokeepatuboftobaccoburninginthemiddleoftheparlorfloor,hehadaperfectrighttodoso。However,behumoredherinthisasinothermatters,andsmokedbystealth,likeaguiltycreature,inthebarn,oraboutthegardens。Thatwaspracticableinsummer,butinwintertheCaptainwashardputtoit。
Whenhecouldn’tstanditlonger,heretreatedtohisbedroomandbarricadedthedoor。SuchwasthepositionofaffairsatthetimeofwhichIwrite。
Onemorning,afewdaysafterthegreatsnow,asMissAbigailwasdustingthechronometerintheball,shebeheldCaptainNutterslowlydescendingthestaircase,withalongclaypipeinhismouth。MissAbigailcouldhardlycreditherowneyes。
\"Dan’el!\"shegasped,retiringheavilyonthehat—rack。
ThetoneofreproachwithwhichthiswordwasutteredfailedtoproducetheslightesteffectontheCaptain,whomerelyremovedthepipefromhislipsforaninstant,andblewacloudintothechillyair。Thethermometerstoodattwodegreesbelowzeroinourhall。
\"Dan’el!\"criedMissAbigail,hysterically—\"Dan’el,don’tcomenearme!\"
Whereuponshefaintedaway;forthesmelloftobacco—smokealwaysmadeherdeadlysick。
KittyCollinsrushedfromthekitchenwithabasinofwater,andsettoworkbathingMissAbigail’stemplesandchafingherhands。Ithoughtmygrandfatherrathercruel,asbestoodtherewithahalf—smileonhiscountenance,complacentlywatchingMissAbigail’ssufferings。Whenshewas\"broughtto,\"theCaptainsatdownbesideher,and,withalovelytwinkleinhiseye,saidsoftly:
\"Abigail,mydear,therewasn’tanytobaccointhatPipe!Itwasanewpipe。
IfetcheditdownforTomtoblowsoap—bubbleswith。\"
AtthesewordsKittyCollinshurriedaway,herfeatures—workingstrangely。
SeveralminuteslaterIcameuponherinthescullerywiththegreaterportionofacrashtowelstuffedintohermouth。\"MissAbygilsmelttheterbaccawithheroi!\"criedKitty,partiallyremovingthecloth,andthenimmediatelystoppingherselfupagain。
TheCaptain’sjokefurnishedus—thatis,Kittyandme—withmirthformanyaday;astoMissAbigail,Ithinksheneverwhollypardonedhim。Afterthis,CaptainNuttergraduallygaveupsmoking,whichisanuntidy,injurious,disgraceful,andhighlypleasanthabit。
Aboy’slifeinasecludedNewEnglandtowninwinterdoesnotaffordmanypointsforillustration。Ofcoursehegetshisearsortoesfrost—bitten;
ofcoursehesmasheshissledagainstanotherboy’s;ofcoursebebangshisbeadontheice;andhe’saladofnoenterprisewhatever,ifbedoesn’tmanagetoskateintoaneel—hole,andbebroughthomehalfdrowned。Allthesethingshappenedtome;but,astheylacknovelty,Ipassthemover,totellyouaboutthefamoussnow—fortwhichwebuiltonSlatter’sHill。
ChapterThirteenTheSnowFortonSlatter’sHillThememoryofman,eventhatoftheOldestInhabitant,runnethnotbacktothetimewhentheredidnotexistafeudbetweentheNorthEndandtheSouthEndboysofRivermouth。
Theoriginofthefeudisinvolvedinmystery;itisimpossibletosaywhichpartywasthefirstaggressorinthefar—offanterevolutionaryages;butthefactremainsthattheyoungstersofthoseantipodalsectionsentertainedamortalhatredforeachother,andthatthishatredhadbeenhandeddownfromgenerationtogeneration,likeMilesStandish’spunch—bowl。
Iknownotwhatlaws,naturalorunnatural,regulatedthewarmthofthequarrel;butatsomeseasonsitragedmoreviolentlythanatothers。Thiswinterbothpartieswereunusuallylivelyandantagonistic。GreatwasthewrathoftheSouth—Enders,whentheydiscoveredthattheNorth—EndersbadthrownupafortonthecrownofSlatter’sHill。
Slatter’sHill,orNo—man’s—land,asitwasgenerallycalled,wasariseofgroundcovering,perhaps,anacreandaquarter,situatedonanimaginaryline,markingtheboundarybetweenthetwodistricts。Animmensestratumofgranite,whichhereandtherethrustoutawrinkledboulder,preventedthesitefrombeingusedforbuildingpurposes。Thestreetranoneithersideofthehill,fromonepartofwhichaquantityofrockhadbeenremovedtoformtheunderpinningofthenewjail。Thisexcavationmadetheapproachfromthatpointallbutimpossible,especiallywhentheraggedledgeswerea—glitterwithice。Youseewhataspotitwasforasnow—fort。
OneeveningtwentyorthirtyoftheNorth—EndersquietlytookpossessionofSlatter’sHill,andthrewupastronglineofbreastworks,somethingafterthisshape:
FtSlattergraphicTherearoftheentrenchment,beingprotectedbythequarry,wasleftopen。
Thewallswerefourfeethigh,andtwenty—twoinchesthick,strengthenedattheanglesbystakesdrivenfirmlyintotheground。
FancytherageoftheSouth—Endersthenextday,whentheyspiedoursnowycitadel,withJackHarris’sredsilkpockethandkerchieffloatingdefiantlyfromtheflag—staff。
Inlessthananhouritwasknownallovertown,inmilitarycirclesatleast,thatthe\"Puddle—dockers\"andthe\"River—rats’(thesewerethederisivesub—titlesbestowedonourSouth—Endfoes)intendedtoattackthefortthatSaturdayafternoon。
Attwoo’clockallthefightingboysoftheTempleGrammarSchool,andasmanyrecruitsaswecouldmuster,laybehindthewallsofFortSlatter,withthreehundredcompactsnowballspiledupinpyramids,awaitingtheapproachoftheenemy。Theenemywasnotslowinmakinghisapproach—fiftystrong,headedbyoneMatAmes。OurforceswereunderthecommandofGeneralJ。Harris。
Beforetheactioncommenced,ameetingwasarrangedbetweentherivalcommanders,whodrewupandsignedcertainrulesandregulationsrespectingtheconductofthebattle。AsitwasimpossiblefortheNorth—Enderstooccupythefortpermanently,itwasstipulatedthattheSouth—EndersshouldassaultitonlyonWednesdayandSaturdayafternoonsbetweenthehoursoftwoandsix。Forthemtotakepossessionoftheplaceatanyothertimewasnottoconstituteacapture,butonthecontrarywastobeconsideredadishonorableandcowardlyact。
TheNorth—Enders,ontheotherhand,agreedtogiveupthefortwhenevertenofthestormingpartysucceededinobtainingatonetimeafootingontheparapet,andwereabletoholdthesameforthespaceoftwominutes。Bothsidesweretoabstainfromputtingpebblesintotheirsnow—balls,norwasitpermissibletousefrozenammunition。Asnow—ballsoakedinwaterandleftouttocoolwasaprojectilewhichinpreviousyearshadbeenresortedtowithdisastrousresults。
Thesepreliminariessettled,thecommandersretiredtotheirrespectivecorps。Theinterviewhadtakenplaceonthehillsidebetweentheopposinglines。
GeneralHarrisdividedhismenintotwobodies;thefirstcomprisedthemostskilfulmarksmen,orgunners;thesecond,thereserveforce,wascomposedofthestrongestboys,whosedutyitwastorepelthescalingparties,andtomakeoccasionalsalliesforthepurposeofcapturingprisoners,whowereboundbythearticlesoftreatytofaithfullyserveunderourflaguntiltheywereexchangedatthecloseoftheday。