some short christmas stories(圣诞故事)-第10章
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said with a calm smile； 〃I am always remembering。 Come and remember
with me！〃
So the traveller sat down by the side of that old man； face to face with
the serene sunset； and all his friends came softly back and stood around
him。 The beautiful child； the handsome boy； the young man in love； the
father； mother； and children： every one of them was there； and he had
lost nothing。 So； he loved them all； and was kind and forbearing with
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them all； and was always pleased to watch them all； and they all honoured
and loved him。 And I think the traveller must be yourself； dear
Grandfather； because this what you do to us； and what we do to you。
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THE SCHOOLBOY'S STORY
Being rather young at presentI am getting on in years； but still I am
rather youngI have no particular adventures of my own to fall back upon。
It wouldn't much interest anybody here； I suppose； to know what a screw
the Reverend is； or what a griffin SHE is； or how they do stick it into
parentsparticularly hair…cutting； and medical attendance。 One of our
fellows was charged in his half's account twelve and sixpence for two
pillstolerably profitable at six and threepence a…piece； I should think
and he never took them either； but put them up the sleeve of his jacket。
As to the beef； it's shameful。 It's NOT beef。 Regular beef isn't veins。
You can chew regular beef。 Besides which； there's gravy to regular beef；
and you never see a drop to ours。 Another of our fellows went home ill；
and heard the family doctor tell his father that he couldn't account for his
complaint unless it was the beer。 Of course it was the beer； and well it
might be！
However； beef and Old Cheeseman are two different things。 So is
beer。 It was Old Cheeseman I meant to tell about； not the manner in
which our fellows get their constitutions destroyed for the sake of profit。
Why； look at the pie…crust alone。 There's no flakiness in it。 It's
solidlike damp lead。 Then our fellows get nightmares； and are
bolstered for calling out and waking other fellows。 Who can wonder！
Old Cheeseman one night walked in his sleep； put his hat on over his
night…cap； got hold of a fishing…rod and a cricket…bat； and went down into
the parlour； where they naturally thought from his appearance he was a
Ghost。 Why； he never would have done that if his meals had been
wholesome。 When we all begin to walk in our sleeps； I suppose they'll
be sorry for it。
Old Cheeseman wasn't second Latin Master then； he was a fellow
himself。 He was first brought there； very small； in a post…chaise； by a
woman who was always taking snuff and shaking himand that was the
most he remembered about it。 He never went home for the holidays。
His accounts （he never learnt any extras） were sent to a Bank； and the
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Bank paid them； and he had a brown suit twice a…year； and went into boots
at twelve。 They were always too big for him； too。
In the Midsummer holidays； some of our fellows who lived within
walking distance； used to come back and climb the trees outside the
playground wall； on purpose to look at Old Cheeseman reading there by
himself。 He was always as mild as the teaand THAT'S pretty mild； I
should hope！so when they whistled to him； he looked up and nodded；
and when they said； 〃Halloa； Old Cheeseman； what have you had for
dinner？〃 he said； 〃Boiled mutton；〃 and when they said； 〃An't it solitary；
Old Cheeseman？〃 he said； 〃It is a little dull sometimes：〃 and then they said；
〃Well good…bye； Old Cheeseman！〃 and climbed down again。 Of course it
was imposing on Old Cheeseman to give him nothing but boiled mutton
through a whole Vacation； but that was just like the system。 When they
didn't give him boiled mutton； they gave him rice pudding； pretending it
was a treat。 And saved the butcher。
So Old Cheeseman went on。 The holidays brought him into other
trouble besides the loneliness； because when the fellows began to come
back； not wanting to； he was always glad to see them； which was
aggravating when they were not at all glad to see him； and so he got his
head knocked against walls； and that was the way his nose bled。 But he
was a favourite in general。 Once a subscription was raised for him； and；
to keep up his spirits； he was presented before the holidays with two white
mice； a rabbit； a pigeon； and a beautiful puppy。 Old Cheeseman cried
about itespecially soon afterwards； when they all ate one another。
Of course Old Cheeseman used to be called by the names of all sorts
of cheesesDouble Glo'sterman； Family Cheshireman； Dutchman； North
Wiltshireman； and all that。 But he never minded it。 And I don't mean to
say he was old in point of yearsbecause he wasn'tonly he was called
from the first； Old Cheeseman。
At last； Old Cheeseman was made second Latin Master。 He was
brought in one morning at the beginning of a new half； and presented to
the school in that capacity as 〃Mr。 Cheeseman。〃 Then our fellows all
agreed that Old Cheeseman was a spy； and a deserter； who had gone over
to the enemy's camp； and sold himself for gold。 It was no excuse for him
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that he had sold himself for very little goldtwo pound ten a quarter and
his washing； as was reported。 It was decided by a Parliament which sat
about it； that Old Cheeseman's mercenary motives could alone be taken
into account； and that he had 〃coined our blood for drachmas。〃 The
Parliament took the expression out of the quarrel scene between Brutus
and Cassius。
When it was settled in this strong way that Old Cheeseman was a
tremendous traitor； who had wormed himself into our fellows' secrets on
purpose to get himself into favour by giving up everything he knew； all
courageous fellows were invited to come forward and enrol themselves in
a Society for making a set against him。 The President of the Society was
First boy； named Bob Tarter。 His father was in the West Indies； and he
owned； himself； that his father was worth Millions。 He had great power
among our fellows； and he wrote a parody； beginning …
〃Who made believe to be so meek That we could hardly hear him
speak； Yet turned out an Informing Sneak？ Old Cheeseman。〃
… and on in that way through more than a dozen verses； which he used
to go and sing； every morning； close by the new master's desk。 He
trained one of the low boys； too； a rosy…cheeked little Brass who didn't
care what he did； to go up to him with his Latin Grammar one morning；
and say it so： NOMINATIVUS PRONOMINUMOld Cheeseman；
RARO EXPRIMITURwas never suspected； NISI DISTINCTIONISof
being an informer； AUT EMPHASIS GRATiAuntil he proved one。 UT…
…for instance； VOS DAMNASTISwhen he sold the boys。 QUASIas
though； DICAThe should say； PRETAEREA NEMOI'm a Judas！ All
this produced a great effect on Old Cheeseman。 He had never had much
hair； but what he had； began to get thinner and thinner every day。 He grew
paler and more worn； and sometimes of an evening he was seen sitting at
his desk with a precious long snuff to his candle； and his hands before his
face； crying。 But no member of the Society could pity him； even if he
felt inclined； because the President said it was Old Cheeseman's
conscience。
So Old Cheeseman went on； and didn't he lead a miserable life！ Of
course the Reverend turned up his nose at him； and of course SHE did
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because both of them always do that at all the mastersbut he suffered
from the fellows most； and he suffered from them constantly。 He never
told about it； that the Society could find out； but he got no credit for that；
because the President said it was Old Cheeseman's cowardice。
He had only one friend in the world； and that one was almost as
powerless as he was； for it was only Jane。 Jane was a sort of wardrobe
woman to our fellows； and took care of the boxes。 She had come at first；
I believe； as a kind of apprenticesome of our fellows say from a Charity；
but I don't knowand after her time was out； had stopped at so much a
year。 So little a year； perhaps I ought to say； for it is far more likely。
However； she had put some pounds in the Savings' Bank； and she was a
very nice young woman。 She was not quite pretty； but she had a very frank；
honest； bright face； and all our fellows were fond of her。 She was
uncommonly neat and cheerful； and uncommonly comfortable and kind。
And if anything was the matter with a fellow's mother； he always went and
showed the letter to Jane。
Jane was Old Cheeseman's friend。 The more the Society went
against him； the more Jane stood by him。 She used to give him a good…
humoured look out of her still…room window； sometimes； that seemed to
s
