按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Very well； only two moreaffuit？〃
〃Third person singular； praeter perfect tense of the verb affo；
affis； affui； affere； gabbled off Tom with such confidence； that
though Ethel gave an indignant jump； Richard was almost startled into
letting it pass； and disbelieving himself。 He remonstrated in a
somewhat hesitating voice。 〃Did you find that in the dictionary？〃
said he； 〃I thought affui came from adsum。〃
〃Oh； to be sure； stupid fool of a word； so it does！〃 said Tom
hastily。 〃I had forgotadsum； ades； affui； adesse。〃
Richard said no more； but proposed the word oppositus。
〃Adjective。〃
Ethel was surprised； for she remembered that it was； in this passage；
part of a passive verb； which Tom had construed correctly； 〃it was
objected；〃 and she had thought this very creditable to him； whereas
he now evidently took it for opposite； however； on Richard's reading
the line； he corrected himself and called it a participle； but did
not commit himself further； till asked for its derivation。
〃From oppositor。〃
〃Hallo！〃 cried Harry； who hitherto had been abstracted in his book；
but now turned； raised himself on his elbow； and； at the blunder；
shook his thick yellow locks； and showed his teeth like a young lion。
〃No； now； Tom； pay attention；〃 said Richard resignedly。 〃If you
found out its meaning； you must have seen its derivation。〃
〃Oppositus；〃 said Tom； twisting his fingers； and gazing first at
Ethel； then at Harry； in hopes of being prompted； then at the ceiling
and floor； the while he drawled out the word with a whine； 〃why；
oppositus from op…posor。〃
〃A poser！ ain't it？〃 said Harry。
〃Don't； Harry； you distract him；〃 said Richard。 〃Come； Tom； say at
once whether you know it or notit is of no use to invent。〃
〃From op…〃 and a mumble。
〃What？ I don't hearop〃
Tom again looked for help to Harry； who made a mischievous movement
of his lips； as if prompting； and； deceived by it； he said boldly；
〃From op…possum。〃
〃That's right！ let us hear him decline it！〃 cried Harry； in an
ecstasy。 〃Oppossum； opottis； opposse； or oh…pottery！〃
〃Harry；〃 said Richard； in a gentle reasonable voice； 〃I wish you
would be so kind as not to stay； if you cannot help distracting him。〃
And Harry； who really had a tolerable share of forbearance and
consideration； actually obeyed； contenting himself with tossing his
book into the air and catching it again； while he paused at the door
to give his last unsolicited assistance。 〃Decline oppossum you say。
I'll tell you how： 0…possum re…poses up a gum tree。 0…pot…you…I
will； says the 0…posse of Yankees； come out to ketch him。 Opossum
poses them and declines in 0…pot…esse by any manner of means of o…
potting…di…do…dum； was quite oppositum…oppotitu； in fact； quite
contrairy。〃
Richard； with the gravity of a victim； heard this sally of schoolboy
wit； which threw Ethel back on the sofa in fits of laughing； and
declaring that the Opossum declined； not that he was declined； but；
in the midst of the disturbance thus created； Tom stepped up to her；
and whispered； 〃Do tell me； Ethel！〃
〃Indeed I shan't；〃 said she。 〃Why don't you say fairly if you don't
know？〃
He was obliged to confess his ignorance； and Richard made him
conjugate the whole verb opponor from beginning to end； in which he
wanted a good deal of help。
Ethel could not help saying； 〃How did you find out the meaning of
that word； Tom； if you didn't look out the verb？〃
〃Idon't know；〃 drawled Tom； in the voice； half sullen； half
piteous； which he always assumed when out of sorts。
〃It is very odd；〃 she said decidedly； but Richard took no notice； and
proceeded to the other lessons； which went off tolerably well； except
the arithmetic； where there was some great misunderstanding； into
which Ethel did not enter for some time。 When she did attend； she
perceived that Tom had brought a right answer； without understanding
the working of the sum； and that Richard was putting him through it。
She began to be worked into a state of dismay and indignation at
Tom's behaviour； and Richard's calm indifference； which made her
almost forget 'Jane Sparks'； and long to be alone with Richard； but
all the world kept coming into the room； and going out； and she could
not say what was in her mind till after dinner； when； seeing Richard
go up into Margaret's room； she ran after him； and entering it；
surprised Margaret； by not beginning on her books； but saying at
once； 〃Ritchie； I wanted to speak to you about Tom。 I am sure he
shuffled about those lessons。〃
〃I am afraid he does；〃 said Richard； much concerned。
〃What； do you mean that it is often so？〃
〃Much too often；〃 said Richard； 〃but I have never been able to detect
him； he is very sharp； and has some underhand way of preparing his
lessons that I cannot make out。〃
〃Did you know it； Margaret？〃 said Ethel； astonished not to see her
sister looked shocked as well as sorry。
〃Yes；〃 said Margaret； 〃Ritchie and I have often talked it over； and
tried to think what was to be done。〃
〃Dear me！ why don't you tell papa？ It is such a terrible thing！〃
〃So it is；〃 said Margaret； 〃but we have nothing positive or tangible
to accuse Tom of； we don't know what he does； and have never caught
him out。〃
〃I am sure he must have found out the meaning of that oppositum in
some wrong wayif he had looked it out； he would only have found
opposite。 Nothing but opponor could have shown him the rendering
which he made。〃
〃That's like what I have said almost every day；〃 said Richard； 〃but
there we areI can't get any further。〃
〃Perhaps he guesses by the context；〃 said Margaret。
〃It would be impossible to do so always；〃 said both the Latin
scholars at once。
〃Well； I can't think how you can take it so quietly；〃 said Ethel。 〃I
would have told papa the first moment； and put a stop to it。 I have
a great mind to do so； if you won't。
〃Ethel； Ethel； that would never do！〃 exclaimed Margaret； 〃pray don't。
Papa would be so dreadfully grieved and angry with poor Tom。〃
〃Well； so he deserves；〃 said Ethel。
〃You don't know what it is to see papa angry；〃 said Richard。
〃Dear me； Richard！〃 cried Ethel； who thought she knew pretty well
what his sharp words were。 〃I'm sure papa never was angry with me；
without making me love him more； and； at least； want to be better。〃
〃You are a girl；〃 said Richard。
〃You are higher spirited； and shake off things faster；〃 said
Margaret。
〃Why； what do you think he would do to Tom？〃
〃I think he would be so very angry； that Tom； who； you know； is timid
and meek； would be dreadfully frightened；〃 said Richard。
〃That's just what he ought to be； frightened out of these tricks。〃
〃I am afraid it would frighten him into them still more；〃 said
Richard； 〃and perhaps give him such a dread of my father as would
prevent him from ever being open with him。〃
〃Besides； it would make papa so very unhappy；〃 added Margaret。 〃Of
course； if poor dear Tom had been found out in any positive deceit；
we ought to mention it at once； and let him be punished； but while it
is all vague suspicion； and of what papa has such a horror of； it
would only grieve him； and make him constantly anxious